SPACECRAFT AND EXPENDABLE VEHICLES STATUS REPORT October 9,

by Kennedy Space Center

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SPACECRAFT AND EXPENDABLE VEHICLES STATUS REPORT October 9, 2002
MISSION: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-J (TDRS-J)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Lockheed Martin Atlas IIA (AC-144)
LAUNCH SITE: Pad 36-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: November 20, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: 10:36 p.m. - 11:16 p.m. EST

The Lockheed Martin Atlas IIA launch vehicle arrived at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station from Denver, CO on Tuesday, October 8 at 8:20 a.m. aboard an Antonov 124 aircraft. It was offloaded and taken to Hangar J. The Atlas stage with its Rocketdyne MA-5A two-chamber booster engine and sustainer engine is being erected on Pad 36-A today. The Centaur stage with its pair of Pratt and Whitney RL-10 engines will be hoisted atop the Atlas on Friday, October 11. Launch vehicle managers are watching Tropical Storm Kyle to assess whether this should be postponed.

This is the twenty-fourth and final Lockheed Martin Atlas II model launch vehicle (no solid rocket boosters) and has a 100% success rate.

The TDRS-J spacecraft is undergoing testing at the factory and is tentatively planned to arrive at Kennedy Space Center from the Boeing Satellite Systems plant in El Segundo, California on October 17.

MISSION: Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Pegasus XL
LAUNCH LOCATION: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: December 1, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: 3:09 p.m. - 4:09 p.m. EST T-0: 3:14 P.M.

SORCE is at the Orbital Space Systems Group spacecraft facility in Dulles, Virginia and has satisfactorily completed space environment tests. The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at Kennedy Space Center to begin final processing on October 26.

The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle continues to undergo buildup and testing at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Two Flight Simulation tests are scheduled while the vehicle is in California. Flight Simulation No. 1 is scheduled for October 9 and will be followed by Flight Simulation No. 2 on October 16.

The Pegasus is scheduled for ferry to Cape Canaveral using the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft on October 29. Three Flight Simulation tests are also planned at KSC prior to launch and are scheduled to occur on November 1, November 8 and November 18.

MISSION: Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESAT) and the Cosmic
Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer (CHIPSAT)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Delta II w/Dual Payload Attach Fixture (DPAF)
LAUNCH SITE: SLC-2W Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB)
LAUNCH DATE: NET December 15, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: 4:09:32 - 5:32:00 p.m. PST

The ICESAT spacecraft is at the Ball Aerospace Facility in Boulder, Colorado. This week it successfully completed vibration testing that assures sound electrical and mechanical connections. The spacecraft is now scheduled to arrive at Vandenberg Air Force Base on October 23.

The CHIPSAT spacecraft is at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. It has now successfully concluded thermal vacuum testing and vibration testing. The CHIPSAT spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at Vandenberg Air Force Base on October 14.

The Delta II first and second stage have arrived at Vandenberg after successfully completing checkout at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The booster is scheduled for erection October 22 on Space Launch Complex 2 located on North Vandenberg Air Force Base.