SPACECRAFT AND EXPENDABLE VEHICLES STATUS REPORT<br />May 21, 2003<br /><br /><br />George H. Diller<br />Kennedy Space Center<br />321/867-2468<br /> <br />MISSION: Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A vehicle/MER-2 rover)<br />LAUNCH VEHICLES: Delta II<br />LAUNCH PADS: 17-A<br />LAUNCH DATES: June 5, 2003<br />LAUNCH TIMES: 2:16 p.m. / 2:55:29 p.m. EDT<br /><br /><br /> Three days of spin balance testing of MER-2 is scheduled to<br />conclude today. The spacecraft was fueled on May 11. The Delta third<br />stage, the upper stage that will propel the spacecraft on an interplanetary<br />trajectory, arrived at the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF)<br />yesterday, Tuesday, May 20. MER-2 will be mated to the third stage on<br />Friday, May 23. On Saturday, work will begin to install the spacecraft into<br />the transportation canister in preparation for going to the launch pad next<br />Tuesday, May 27.<br /><br /><br /> MER-2 aboard the MER-A Delta II launch vehicle will have two<br />launch opportunities each day during the launch period that closes on June<br />19. Arrival at Mars is set for Jan 4, 2004, regardless of the launch date<br />within that period.<br /> <br /> On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Simulated Flight Test<br />(SimFlight) that includes a checkout of the launch vehicle's avionics system<br />and electrical system is under way today.<br /><br /><br /> The Delta first stage for MER-A was erected on Pad 17-A on April<br />23. The second stage erection was completed on April 28, and the fairing<br />was installed in the white room on April 30. The solid rocket booster<br />erection began on May 13 with the first set of three motors being attached<br />to the first stage. The second set of three was erected on May 14, and the<br />final set was hoisted into position on May 15. <br /><br /><br />MISSION: Mars Exploration Rover (MER-B vehicle/MER-1 rover)<br />LAUNCH VEHICLE: Delta II Heavy<br />LAUNCH PAD: 17-B<br />LAUNCH DATE: June 25, 2003<br />LAUNCH TIME: 12:38:16 a.m. / 1:19:19 a.m. EDT<br /><br /><br /> The MER-1 lander was mated to the cruise stage yesterday, May 20.<br />Fueling of MER-1 is scheduled for May 27-28, spin balance testing on May 29,<br />mating to the Delta third stage on June 14, and transportation to the launch<br />pad for mating to the Delta on June 15. <br /><br /><br /> The MER-B vehicle's first stage is on Pad 17-B. Erecting the nine<br />solid rocket boosters in sets of three a day began yesterday, May 20. The<br />second set of three is being erected today and the final set will be<br />installed tomorrow, May 22. The second stage will be hoisted atop the first<br />stage on May 28. <br /><br /><br /> The MER-B launch period closes July 15.<br /><br /><br />MISSION: SCISAT-1/Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment<br />LAUNCH VEHICLE: Pegasus XL<br />LAUNCH FACILITY: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.<br />LAUNCH DATE: NET July 25, 2003<br />LAUNCH TIME: 10:36:55 - 11:34:04 p.m. PDT<br /><br /><br /> The SCISAT spacecraft is completing final testing at the Canadian<br />Space Agency's David Florida Laboratories. The pre-ship review prior to<br />transportation of the spacecraft to Vandenberg Air Force Base is to be held<br />near the end of the month. It is currently scheduled to arrive at<br />Vandenberg on June 19.<br /><br /><br /> SCISAT-1 weighs approximately 330 pounds and will be placed in a<br />400-mile-high polar orbit to investigate processes that control the<br />distribution of ozone in the upper atmosphere. <br /><br /><br /> Meanwhile, the Pegasus XL rocket is undergoing prelaunch<br />preparations at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California by Orbital Sciences<br />Corporation.<br /><br /><br /> The scientific mission of SCISAT-1/ACE (Atmospheric Chemistry<br />Experiment) mission is to measure and understand the chemical processes that<br />control the distribution of ozone in the Earth's atmosphere, particularly at<br />high altitudes. The data from the satellite will provide Canadian and<br />international scientists with improved measurements relating to global ozone<br />processes and help policy makers assess existing environmental policy and<br />develop protective measures for improving the health of our atmosphere,<br />preventing further zone depletion. The mission is designed to last two<br />years.<br /><br /><br />MISSION: Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF)<br />LAUNCH VEHICLE: Delta II Heavy<br />LAUNCH PAD: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station<br />LAUNCH DATE: Aug. 27, 2003 <br />LAUNCH TIME: TBD<br /><br /><br /> The SIRTF observatory is in NASA's class 10,000 laminar flow clean<br />room at spacecraft Hangar AE awaiting its return to the launch pad,<br />currently anticipated to occur in mid-August. <br /><br /><br /> Project management of SIRTF for NASA is by the Jet Propulsion<br />Laboratory. The observatory has been built for NASA by Lockheed Martin and<br />Ball Aerospace.