Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report

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

April 22, 2011

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

STATUS REPORT: ELV-042211

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: 408.2 statute miles/98 degrees 

At Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft has 
completed end-to-end communications system testing. The objective of 
the test was to verify that the Mission Operations Center, located in 
Cordoba, Argentina, could conduct control and monitoring of the 
spacecraft, including the capability to command the Aquarius primary 
science instrument. The Limited Performance Tests including the SAC-D 
service platform, the Aquarius science instrument, and the SAC-D 
instruments were all successfully completed last week.

At NASA's Space Launch Complex 2, customary prelaunch testing of the 
Delta II first and second stage propulsion systems continues and is 
going well.

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 NASA's launch service provider of the Delta II 7320. 


Spacecraft: Juno
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V 551
Launch Site:  Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad:  Complex 41
Launch Date:  Aug. 5, 2011
Launch Time: 11:40 a.m. EDT 

Testing of the science instruments is under way. Antenna 
installations, including the high gain antenna, began April 20. 
Communications system end-to-end testing with the Deep Space Network 
and its associated tracking stations is scheduled to begin late next 
week.

The Atlas and Centaur stages of the Atlas V rocket are scheduled to 
arrive at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station the second week of May.

The solar-powered Juno spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times 
to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere 
and magnetosphere. 


Spacecraft: GRAIL (Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II Heavy
Launch Site:  Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad:  17-B
Launch Date:  Sept. 8, 2011
Launch Time: 8:35:52 a.m. EDT and 9:14:35 a.m. EDT 

The Delta II first stage was hoisted into the launcher at Pad 17-B on 
April 7. Tentatively planned for next week, the nine solid rocket 
boosters will be lifted and attached to the first stage in sets of 
three. The second stage is currently scheduled to be hoisted atop the 
first stage on May 10. 

Previous status reports are available at:

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

	
-end-



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