Aug 15, 2011

George H Diller Kennedy Space Center, Fla 321-867-2468 george h diller@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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