[meteorite-list] Juno/GRAIL/NPP/MSL Update - August 15, 2011

[Ron Baalke]

Aug. 15, 2011

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
george.h.diller at nasa.gov

STATUS REPORT: ELV-081511

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Spacecraft: Juno
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V-551 (AV-029)
Launch Site:  Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad:  Space Launch Complex 41
Launch Date:  Aug. 5, 2011 

The Juno spacecraft was launched successfully aboard the Atlas V 
rocket on Aug. 5, 2011, at 12:25:00.146 p.m. EDT. The spacecraft is 
in good shape and planned post-launch system verifications and 
state-of-health checks are under way.

The solar-powered Juno spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times 
to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere 
and magnetosphere. 


Spacecraft: GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920 Heavy
Launch Site:  Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad:  Space Launch Complex 17B
Launch Date:  Sept. 8, 2011
Launch Times: 8:37:06 a.m. and 9:16:12 a.m. EDT 

At Astrotech, the GRAIL A and GRAIL B were separately weighed on Aug. 
9, then installed together on the payload adapter ring Aug. 10. GRAIL 
was placed inside the payload transportation canister on Aug. 12. 
GRAIL is now scheduled to be moved to launch Pad 17B at Cape 
Canaveral Air Force Station no earlier than Aug. 18. This will allow 
a spacecraft review currently under way to be completed. There is 
ample time in the schedule to complete the necessary tasks at the pad 
before launch on Sept. 8. Once at the pad, GRAIL will be hoisted atop 
the Delta II rocket.

GRAIL's primary science objectives are to determine the structure of 
the lunar interior, from crust to core, and to advance understanding 
of the thermal evolution of the moon. 


Spacecraft: NPP (NPOESS Preparatory Project)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920
Launch Site:  Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Launch Pad:  Space Launch Complex 2
Launch Date:  Oct. 25, 2011
Launch Window: 2:48:01 a.m. - 2:57:11 a.m. PDT (9 min. 10 sec.) 

At Space Launch Complex 2, the Delta II first and second stages and 
the nine solid rocket boosters are fully integrated at the pad. 
Testing is under way. 

The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) spacecraft is scheduled to arrive 
at Vandenberg on Aug. 30. 

NPP represents a critical first step in building the next-generation 
of Earth-observing satellites. NPP will carry the first of the new 
sensors developed for this satellite fleet, now known as the Joint 
Polar Satellite System (JPSS) to be launched in 2016. NPP is the 
bridge between NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites and the 
forthcoming series of JPSS satellites. The mission will test key 
technologies and instruments for the JPSS missions. 


Spacecraft: Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity)
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V-541 (AV-028)
Launch Site:  Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad:  Space Launch Complex 41
Launch Date:  Nov. 25, 2011
Launch Time: 10:21 a.m. EST 

At Kennedy Space Center's Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, 
functional testing of Curiosity is complete. Work is under way to 
begin stowing the rover's components including the remote sensing 
mast, robotic arm, wheels and mobility system.

The Atlas V rocket for the mission is at the Atlas Spaceflight 
Operations Center on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Atlas and 
Centaur stages are undergoing initial checkout before going to the 
Vertical Integration Facility at Launch Complex 41 on or about Sept. 
7. This is an Atlas V-541 configuration that will have four solid 
rocket boosters attached. 

The rover's 10 science instruments will search for signs of life, 
including methane, and help determine if the gas is from a biological 
or geological source. The unique rover will use a laser to look 
inside rocks and release the gasses so that its spectrometer can 
analyze and send the data back to Earth. 

Previous status reports are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/index.html 
	
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