PRESS RELEASE Date Released:
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Source: Kennedy Space Center
NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 5 Feb 2010
Spacecraft: Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V-401
Launch Pad: Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Date: Feb. 9, 2010
Launch Window: 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. EST
At Launch Complex 41, preparations for the launch of SDO aboard the Atlas V continue to go well and are on schedule. Connection of launch vehicle ordnance was done today, and launch vehicle closeouts for flight are under way. The SDO team has also performed its ordnance activities and has completed the spacecraft closeouts for flight.
The countdown mission dress rehearsal was held Thursday at the Atlas Space Flight Operations Center. Friday, the Flight Readiness Review was held in the mission briefing room. At its conclusion, there were no significant open items. If the STS-130 launch should be postponed 24 hours, then SDO will be rescheduled for Feb. 10. The Launch Readiness Review will be held on Feb. 7.
The Atlas V will be rolled out from the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad for launch at 8 a.m. on Jan. 8. The countdown will begin at 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 9. Cryogenic tanking operations start at 8:30 a.m. leading to a liftoff at 10:30 a.m.
Spacecraft: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-P)
Launch Vehicle: Delta IV
Launch Pad: Complex 37, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla
Launch Date: March 1, 2010
Launch Window: 6:19 - 7:19 p.m. EST
At the Astrotech payload processing facility, the GOES-P satellite is being enclosed into the Delta IV payload fairing Friday.
Work to fuel the spacecraft with the propellant necessary for orbit maneuvers and the attitude control system has been completed, and the spacecraft was mated to the payload attach fitting on Feb. 1.
At Launch Complex 37, the wet countdown dress rehearsal with the rocket fully fueled is scheduled to be conducted next week on Feb. 8. GOES-P then will be transported to the launch pad and mated to the Delta IV on Feb. 13.
GOES-P, to be launched for NASA and NOAA, is a United Launch Alliance commercial launch for Boeing Launch Services under a Federal Aviation Administration license.
