Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report

[KSC News Center <ksc@mediaservices.nasa.gov>]

April 8, 2011

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
george.h.diller@nasa.gov

STATUS REPORT: ELV-040811

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Spacecraft: Aquarius
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7320
Launch Site:  Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Launch Pad:  Space Launch Complex 2
Launch Date:  June 9, 2011
Launch Window: 7:20:13 - 7:25:13 a.m. PDT
Altitude/Inclination: 408 miles/98 degrees 

At Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft arrived 
from South America aboard an Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft on March 
30. It was offloaded and transported to the Spaceport Systems 
International (SSI) payload processing facility on South Vandenberg. 

The following day in the air lock, the shipping container was cleaned 
and it then was rolled into the high bay. On April 1, the shipping 
container was opened and the satellite was prepared for lifting. Once 
in the processing cell, it was hoisted onto the handling dolly April 
2. Inspection of the solar arrays and testing of the spacecraft's 
propulsion subsystem then began. Spacecraft battery charging was 
performed April 7. 

The satellite is scheduled to be rotated to the vertical position on 
April 8 for further testing.

At NASA's Space Launch Complex 2, the Delta II first stage was hoisted 
into position on March 1. The work to attach the three solid rocket 
boosters then began on March 9. The second stage was hoisted atop the 
first stage March 21. Testing of the rocket now is under way.

The Aquarius/SAC-D mission is a collaboration between NASA and 
Argentina's space agency with participation by Brazil, Canada, France 
and Italy. 

NASA's Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida 
is managing the launch. 

United Launch Alliance of Denver, Colo., is the launch service 
provider to NASA of the Delta II 7320.

Previous status reports are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/index.html 
 

	
-end-



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