[meteorite-list] Deep Impact Update - December 1, 2004

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Dec 1 21:30:41 2004
Message-ID: <200412020229.SAA12168_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(321) 867-2468

RELEASE: ELV-120104

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLES STATUS REPORT
December 1, 2004

MISSION: Deep Impact
 LAUNCH VEHICLE: Delta II 7925
 LAUNCH PAD: Pad 17-B Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
 LAUNCH DATE: Jan. 8, 2005
 LAUNCH WINDOW: 1:39:50 and 2:19:12 p.m. EST instantaneous

The NASA Launch Services Program conducted the Launch Vehicle
Readiness Review on Nov. 30. At the conclusion, Jan. 8 was
firmly established as the launch date for Deep Impact and
this date has been set on the Eastern Range.

In processing activities at the Astrotech Space Operations
facility located near Kennedy Space Center, the Deep Impact
solar array panels will undergo an illumination test as a
final check of performance on Dec. 8. The high-gain antenna
used for spacecraft communications will be installed on
Dec. 9 and the flight battery will be installed on Dec. 10.
Deep Impact will then be ready to begin preparations for
fueling, which is scheduled to start on Dec. 16 and be
completed on Dec. 19. Mating to the payload attach fitting
and upper stage booster occurs Dec. 22 - 23.

The spacecraft is currently scheduled to be transported to
Pad 17-B on Dec. 28 and mated to the Boeing Delta II rocket.
The Flight Program Verification, the major integrated test
with the Delta II, occurs on Dec. 30. The Delta II payload
fairing will be installed around the Deep Impact
spacecraft on Jan. 4.

NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft arrived in Florida on Oct. 23
to begin final preparations for launch. The spacecraft was
shipped from Ball Aerospace & Technologies in Boulder, Colo.,
to Astrotech.

The stacking of the Boeing Delta II launch vehicle on Pad
17-B began on Nov. 22 with the hoisting of the first stage
into the launcher. Hoisting of the nine strap-on solid
rocket boosters, in sets of three, began with the first set
on Nov. 23 and the second on Nov 29. The last set is being
installed on the vehicle today. The second stage will be
hoisted into position atop the first stage on Friday, Dec. 3.
The payload fairing will be hoisted and stowed in the
mobile service tower on Dec. 6.

        
-end-
Received on Wed 01 Dec 2004 09:29:31 PM PST