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

STATUS REPORT: ELV-061410

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Spacecraft: Glory
Launch Vehicle: Taurus XL
Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Launch Date: November 22, 2010
Launch Time: 2:09 a.m. PST
Altitude/Inclination: 440 miles/98.2 degrees

The Taurus XL "0" stage, which serves as the initial booster for
liftoff of the rocket, arrived on June 7 at Orbital Sciences Hangar
1555 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to begin processing.
Receiving inspections are now under way. No anomalies have been noted
so far.

The 0 stage joins the other three stages of the Taurus XL vehicle in
the hangar which are derivatives of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL
rocket. Those stages are undergoing electrical buildup and testing.
The UHF communications antenna arrived early last week and is being
attached now. Ordnance installation on the second stage is also under
way.

The Glory spacecraft is currently scheduled to arrive at Vandenberg on
Oct. 7 to begin processing for launch.

Data from the Glory mission will allow scientists to better understand
the Earth's energy budget. An accurate description of the Earth's
energy budget is important in order to anticipate future changes to
our climate. Shifts in the global climate and the associated weather
patterns impact human life by altering landscapes and changing the
availability of natural resources. The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor
instrument will measure aerosols (human-caused and naturally
occurring) to determine their relative influence on the global
climate. The Total Irradiance Monitor instrument will monitor the Sun
to understand short- term solar mechanisms causing energy budget
changes and will contribute to the vital long-term solar record.

Previous status reports are available at:

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