[meteorite-list] Deep Impact Update - December 14, 2004

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2004/elvstatus-121404.html

12.14.04

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(321) 867-2468
STATUS REPORT: ELV-121404

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLES STATUS REPORT

MISSION: Deep Impact
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Delta II 7925
LAUNCH PAD: Pad 17-B Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: NET Jan. 12, 2005
LAUNCH WINDOW: 1:08:20 p.m. and 1:48:04 p.m. EST instantaneous 

The launch of the Deep Impact spacecraft has been rescheduled for no 
earlier than Jan. 12. During a review of launch vehicle hardware, it 
was discovered that some components of the inter-stage adapter did 
not receive proper heat treatment and must be removed and replaced. 
The inter-stage adapter is located between the first and second stage 
of the rocket. A Boeing engineer reviewing an "as-built" drawing of 
the vehicle discovered the inter-stage had not been heat treated to a 
revised higher specification.

The second stage will be removed from the vehicle on Dec. 15, the 
inter-stage adapter removed on Dec. 16, a new inter-stage adapter 
installed on Dec. 17, and the second stage re-installed on Dec. 18.

In processing activities at the Astrotech Space Operations facility 
located near Kennedy Space Center, the high-gain antenna used for 
Deep Impact communications with Earth has been installed. The solar 
array panels have successfully completed an illumination test as a 
final check of their performance. The flight battery associated with 
the solar array panels has been installed. Fueling of the spacecraft 
is scheduled to start on Dec. 19 and be completed on Dec. 22. Mating 
to the payload attach fitting and upper stage booster occurs Dec. 29 
- 30.

At Launch Pad 17-B, the loading of liquid oxygen aboard the first 
stage for a leak check and a countdown launch team certification 
exercise occurred Dec. 13. The vehicle guidance and control system 
check occurs on Dec. 28. The Flight Simulation, a plus count that 
exercises all of the systems on the vehicle as they will occur during 
powered flight, is scheduled for Dec. 29.

The Deep Impact spacecraft is now scheduled to be transported to Pad 
17-B on Jan. 3 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. 7.

The overall Deep Impact mission management for this Discovery class 
program is conducted by the University of Maryland in College Park, 
Md. Deep Impact project management is handled by the Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. The spacecraft was built for NASA by 
Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation.

	
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