[meteorite-list] Juno/GRAIL/NPP/MSL Update - July 21, 2011

[Ron Baalke]

July 21, 2011

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

STATUS REPORT: ELV-072111

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
Launch Time: 11:34 a.m. EDT 

At the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA's Kennedy Space 
Center, Juno was encapsulated into the Atlas payload fairing on July 
18. It will be hoisted onto the payload transporter on July 22. 
Transportation to the launch pad is scheduled for July 26. There it 
will be hoisted atop the rocket and a series of interface checks will 
begin.

At Launch Complex 41, the Atlas V was moved from the Vertical 
Integration Facility to the launch pad on July 18. A "wet dress 
rehearsal" was conducted on July 19. The rocket was fully loaded with 
liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen and RP-1 fuel for this test, and a 
full countdown was performed. The Atlas V was moved back into the 
Vertical Integration Facility on July 20.

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 Time: 8:37:06 a.m. EDT and 9:16:12 a.m. EDT 

At Astrotech, a science system verification test was performed on 
GRAIL-A. Cruise spacecraft system functional testing has resumed on 
GRAIL-B.

The spacecraft are to be moved to a hazardous processing facility on 
July 29 to begin preparations for fueling. Loading of the propellants 
is scheduled for Aug. 2-3.

At NASA's Space Launch Complex 17B, cryogenic flow testing on the 
Delta II rocket was conducted on July 21. The first stage was filled 
with liquid oxygen to check for leaks, and this also served as a 
launch team certification.

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: 2:47:35 a.m. - 2:57:35 a.m. PDT 

At Space Launch Complex 2, the Delta II first stage was hoisted into 
position in the launcher and secured on July 20. The three solid 
rocket boosters will be attached July 27-29. The second stage will be 
hoisted atop the first stage on Aug. 1. 

The payload fairing was hoisted into the mobile service tower on July 
19 where it will be stored until the NPP spacecraft arrives at the 
pad in October. 


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 

On July 15, the Curiosity rover was hoisted and rotated to the 
wheels-down position, placed on a test stand and the wheels deployed. 
On July 18, the rover was lowered onto its wheels on the high bay 
floor, and the instrument mast and science boom were deployed. 
Electrical testing of the rover is under way.

The Atlas V for the mission is currently expected to arrive at Cape 
Canaveral Air Force Station late this month. It will be 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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