[meteorite-list] Deep Impact Update - December 22, 2004

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2004/elvstatus-122204.html

12.22.04

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

STATUS REPORT: ELV-122204

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: 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 officially 
rescheduled on the Eastern Range for Jan. 12. There are two 
instantaneous launch opportunities that day, at 1:08:20 p.m. and 
1:48:04 p.m. EST.

Work to remove and replace the Delta II inter-stage adapter has been 
completed. The second stage was 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 Deep Impact processing activities at the Astrotech Space Operations 
facility located near Kennedy Space Center, the hydrazine fueling 
operations began on Monday, Dec. 19, and are being completed today. 
The solar arrays will be stowed for flight on Dec. 28 and the 
spacecraft will be weighed. Mating to the payload attach fitting and 
upper stage booster occurs Dec. 29-30.

At Launch Pad 17-B, the next major launch vehicle milestone is the 
guidance and control system check that occurs 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 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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