NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report: E05-021

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire/ — The following is being issued by NASA:

   MISSION: New Horizons   LAUNCH VEHICLE: Lockheed Martin Atlas V 551 (AV-010)   LAUNCH PAD: Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.   LAUNCH DATE: NET January 17, 2006   LAUNCH WINDOW: Jan. 11 to Feb. 14, 2006.    * The launch of Pluto New Horizons is scheduled for NET Jan. 17, 2006.     This will enable an additional inspection of the Atlas launch vehicle.     The launch services contractor, Lockheed Martin, experienced problems in     September on an updated Atlas propellant tank similar to the one being     flown on the Pluto New Horizons mission.  We continue our work based on     a 35-day launch window.    * A mission rehearsal with all of the launch participants was held     Thursday at the Atlas Space Operations Center.    * The spacecraft was encapsulated into the Atlas V fairing on Tuesday at     the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility.  It is being installed onto     the payload transporter today.  New Horizons will be moved to Launch     Complex 41 on Saturday.    * The Integrated Systems Test, an integrated test of the launch vehicle     and the spacecraft, is scheduled for Wednesday.    Mission: Space Technology 5 (ST5)   Launch Vehicle: Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL   Launch Date: Feb. 28, 2006   Launch Window: 5:57:21 a.m. – 7:19:21 a.m. PST    * The spacecraft arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base on Dec. 5 and is in     NASA Hangar 836 for prelaunch preparations.  Spacecraft Comprehensive     Performance Testing is complete on all three spacecraft that comprise     the payload.  Testing and spacecraft processing activities resume on     Jan. 3, 2006.    * Work on the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle continues on     schedule.  Wing fit checks are underway and accelerometer installation     is next week.  Flight computer software installation is scheduled for     Monday.  Aft skirt installation is planned for Dec. 29-30.  Flight     Simulation No. 1 is scheduled for Jan. 5-6, 2006. Flight Simulation No.     2, for Jan. 25-26, 2006.    Mission: Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation    and CloudSat   Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta 7420 with Dual Payload Attach Fitting   Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 2, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.   Launch Date: No Earlier Than February 2006   Launch Window: TBD    * CALIPSO and CloudSat are installed in the Dual Payload Attach Fitting at     the Astrotech payload processing facilities on north Vandenberg.  They     will remain there until a new launch date is determined.    * Further Delta II preparations at the launch pad are on hold until the     payloads arrive for installation atop the second stage.    Previous status reports are available on the Web at:       http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2005  

NASA

CONTACT: J.D. Harrington, Headquarters, Washington, +1-202-358-5241, orGeorge Diller, Kennedy Space Center, Fla., +1-321-867-2468, both of NASA

Web site: http://www.nasa.gov/