Date: January 31st 2009

Jan 30, 2009

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

STATUS REPORT: ELV-013009

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: NOAA-N Prime Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7320 Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 2, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif Launch Date: Feb 4, 2009 Launch Window: 2:22:01 - 2:32:01 a m PST

The Flight Readiness Review for the Delta II and NOAA-N Prime was successfully completed Jan 29 There are no issues or concerns toward completing final launch preparations including loading the Delta II second stage with hypergolic propellants on Saturday There is one final review to be held on Monday, the Launch Readiness Review, to assure all is ready to pick up with the start of the launch countdown operations on Tuesday afternoon A countdown dress rehearsal is under way today The NOAA-N Prime polar-orbiting weather satellite is enclosed in the Delta II payload fairing and is ready for launch

The preliminary weather outlook for Feb 4 has conditions forecast to be generally favorable for launch, but becoming less favorable the following day due to an approaching low pressure system

Mission: Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) Launch Vehicle: Taurus XL (Orbital Sciences) Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 576-E, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif Launch Date: Feb 23, 2009 Launch Time: 1:51 a m PST (7 min , 30 sec launch window)

OCO spacecraft battery conditioning begins next week in preparation for launch Work is also under way to prepare the spacecraft to be mated to the payload attach fitting The spacecraft will be encapsulated into the payload fairing beginning on Feb 7

In launch preparations for the Taurus launch vehicle, Stage 0, the stage providing the initial liftoff thrust, was hoisted into position at the launch pad Thursday

Meanwhile, Stage 1 and Stage 2 have been integrated The first phase of Flight Simulation No 2 has been completed The second phase will be completed on Feb 5 Flight Simulation No 3 is currently planned for Feb 11

The encapsulated OCO spacecraft is planned to be integrated with the Taurus third stage on Feb 13 Finally, the payload/upper launch vehicle integrated stack is planned to be hoisted atop Stage 0 on Feb 16

Mission: Kepler Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7925 Launch Pad: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla Launch Date: March 5, 2009 Launch Time: 10:48:43 p m EDT

Compatibility tests with the Deep Space Network have been successfully completed The Kepler mission scenario test has also been finished Also this week, sun sensor testing and an attitude determination and control subsystem test were done

Kepler will be moved to a hazardous processing facility on Feb 2 for fueling of the spacecraft which will last for most of the week

At Pad 17-B, routine work to prepare the Delta II rocket for the upcoming launch continues Work is under way to prepare the second stage of the launch vehicle to receive the Kepler spacecraft, which is scheduled for Feb 18

Previous status reports are available at:

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

-end-

To subscribe to the list, send a message to: ksc-subscribe@newsletters nasa gov To remove your address from the list, send a message to: ksc-unsubscribe@newsletters nasa gov

The following information is a reminder of your current mailing list subscription:

You are subscribed to the following list: [list_name]

using the following email: example@example.com

You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL:

http://www aus-city com/cgi-bin/dada/plugins/dada_bridge pl/u/[list]/

If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the entire address Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this automatic unsubscribe mechanism

You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen:

<[program_url]/list/[list]>

If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at: