[meteorite-list] NPP/MSL Update - September 21, 2011

[Ron Baalke]

Sept. 21, 2011

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

STATUS REPORT: ELV-092111

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

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
Orbital Altitude:  512 miles 

At Vandenberg Air Force Base, instrument inspection and cleaning of 
the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) spacecraft are under way and 
preparations for fueling the spacecraft have started. Loading of the 
hydrazine propellant currently is planned for Sept. 23. The NPP 
spacecraft will be transported to the launch pad for attachment to 
the Delta II rocket on Oct. 7.

United Launch Alliance team members have returned to Vandenberg from 
the GRAIL launch at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., and have 
resumed testing of the Delta II rocket at NASA' s Space Launch 
Complex 2. Pneumatic system testing is under way on the first and 
second stages with control system testing scheduled for next week. 
This will be followed by loading of the first stage with liquid 
oxygen for a leak check on Sept. 29. It also will serve as a crew 
certification for the countdown on launch day, Oct. 25. 

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 Launch Complex 41, the four solid rocket boosters have been 
attached to the Atlas first stage booster. The Centaur upper stage 
will be moved to the launch complex and hoisted atop the Atlas on 
Sept. 21.

NASA's Launch Services Program (LSP), which is based at Kennedy Space 
Center, completed the Launch Vehicle Readiness Review on Sept. 19 and 
issued concurrence for proceeding with the upcoming activities 
associated with the integration of the spacecraft and the launch 
vehicle. This is one of the incremental readiness reviews conducted 
by LSP in preparation for various milestones leading to launch.

At Kennedy's Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, functional testing 
of the Curiosity rover is complete. Contamination control cleaning of 
the rover has been finished, and final planetary protection samples 
have been taken inside the rover. Internal closeouts have been 
completed. The front wheels have been installed for flight. The 
descent stage was mated to the rover on Sept. 19.

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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