NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report: E06-008

WASHINGTON, March 1 /PRNewswire/ — The following is being issued by NASA:

   Mission: Space Technology 5 (ST5)   Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.   Launch Vehicle: Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL   Launch Date: No earlier than March 14, 2006   Launch Window: 8:57:31 to 10:19:50 a.m. EST   Targeted Drop Time:  9:02 a.m. EST   

The ST5 launch has been rescheduled due to the availability of the Western Range. Technicians have completed reviewing data from the spacecraft’s separation system and determined it will function as designed.

The Pegasus/ST5 combination is mated to its transporter in preparation to be moved from the hangar to the runway. The L-1011 carrier aircraft is scheduled to arrive at Vandenberg March 6.

A flight termination system test between the Pegasus and the Western Range is scheduled for March 8. The Pegasus/ST5 will be transported to the runway and mated to the L-1011 carrier aircraft on March 10. An integrated launch vehicle/spacecraft combined systems test and an ST5 state-of-health check is scheduled for March 11.

   Previous status reports are available on the Web at:       http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2006    For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit:                           http://www.nasa.gov/home  

NASA

CONTACT: Katherine Trinidad, Headquarters, Washington, +1-202-358-3749,or George Diller, Kennedy Space Center, Fla., +1-321-867-2468, both of NASA

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