Author Topic: NASA - STEREO updates  (Read 105604 times)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #20 on: 10/13/2006 09:24 pm »
STATUS REPORT: ELV-101306

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory)
Launch Pad: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta II
Launch Date: Oct. 25, 2006
Launch Time: 8:38 - 8:53 p.m. EDT

STEREO is at Pad 17-B atop the Boeing Delta II rocket. The spacecraft
was moved from Astrotech to the launch pad on Oct. 11 as scheduled.
Functional testing of the twin observatories is under way. A
compatibility test with the Deep Space Network is also scheduled for
today.

The Delta II Flight Program Verification, a complete integrated
electrical and mechanical test with STEREO and the rocket, is
scheduled for Oct. 16. This involves a launch countdown (minus count)
and the launch vehicle flight events (plus count). The spacecraft is
scheduled to be encapsulated in the fairing on Oct. 19.
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #21 on: 10/17/2006 05:45 pm »
10.17.06

Erica Hupp/Dwayne Brown
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1237/202-358-1726

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468

Rani Gran
Goddard Space Flight Center, Md.
301-286-2483

Kristi Marren
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Md.
240-228-6268

MEDIA ADVISORY: 65-06

STEREO SOLAR OBSERVATORIES LAUNCHING ABOARD DELTA II ON OCT. 25

Launch of NASA's STEREO spacecraft is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct.
25, aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral
Air Force Station, Fla. The launch window is 8:38 to 8:53 p.m. EDT.
Should the launch be postponed for 24 hours for any reason, the
launch window is 8:26 to 8:41 p.m. EDT, or for a 48-hour
postponement, 8:32 to 8:47 p.m. EDT.

STEREO consists of two spacecraft that together comprise the first
mission to take measurements of the sun and solar wind in 3-D. This
new view will improve our understanding of space weather and its
impact on the Earth.

During the two-year mission, the nearly identical spacecraft will
explore the origin, evolution and interplanetary consequences of
coronal mass ejections, the most violent explosions in our solar
system. When directed at Earth, these billion-ton eruptions can
disrupt satellites, radio communications and power systems. In
addition, energetic particles associated with these solar eruptions
are hazardous to scientific spacecraft and astronauts.

Truly an international effort, many portions of the STEREO instruments
were provided by the United States, the United Kingdom and several
European countries. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics
Laboratory, in Laurel, Md., designed and built the spacecraft and
will operate the twin observatories for NASA during the mission.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is responsible
for the project management. The NASA Launch Services Program at
Kennedy Space Center and Boeing Expendable Launch Systems are
responsible for the launch.

Prelaunch Press Conference

The prelaunch press conference will be held at the NASA News Center at
KSC at 1 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Participating in the briefing
will be:

Omar Baez, NASA Launch Director/NASA Launch Manager
Kennedy Space Center

Kris Walsh, Director of NASA Programs
Boeing Expendable Launch Systems, Huntington Beach, Calif.

Nicholas Chrissotimos, STEREO Project Manager
Goddard Space Flight Center

Ed Reynolds, STEREO Project Manager
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Joel Tumbiolo, U.S. Air Force Delta II Launch Weather Officer
45th Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

STEREO Mission Science Briefing

A mission science briefing will immediately follow the prelaunch press
conference. Participating will be:

Michael Kaiser, STEREO Project Scientist
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Dr. Russ Howard, SECCHI Principal Investigator
Naval Research Laboratory

Dr. Janet Luhmann, IMPACT Principal Investigator
University of California at Berkeley

Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta, STEREO Program Scientist
NASA Headquarters

No post-launch press conference will be held. A post-launch release
will be issued with details on the state of health of the STEREO
spacecraft after data is received through the Canberra tracking
station of the Deep Space Network. The release is expected to be
issued approximately two hours after launch.

Accreditation and Media Access Badges for KSC

Those who need press accreditation and access badges to the Kennedy
Space Center to cover the STEREO prelaunch press conference and
mission science briefing should do the accreditation process via the
Web by going to: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov.

All accreditation requests for the STEREO prelaunch press conference
and mission science briefing to be held at the KSC press site must be
received by Friday, Oct. 20. Media may obtain their NASA access
badges at the Pass and Identification Building, the badging station
located on State Road 405 just east of U.S. 1. Contact the NASA News
Center at 321/867-2468 for further information.

Remote Camera Placement at Complex 17

Wednesday, Oct. 25: Photographers who wish to set up remote cameras at
the Delta launch complex will be escorted by a Boeing representative
to Pad 17-B. Departure by vehicle convoy will be at 8:45 a.m. from
the Gate 1 Pass and Identification Building located on State Road 401
outside Gate 1 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Tower Rollback Photo Opportunity at Complex 17

Wednesday, Oct. 25: There will be an opportunity to observe rollback
of the mobile service tower from around the STEREO/Delta II launch
vehicle at Pad 17-B. Media should report at 10:30 a.m. to the Gate 1
Pass and Identification Building on State Road 401 outside Gate 1 on
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Press credentials and
identification from a bona fide news organization will be required.
Transportation by government bus will be provided to Launch Complex
17.

Launch Day Press Site Access to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

Wednesday, Oct. 25: Media covering the STEREO launch will be able to
obtain press access badges beginning at 7 p.m. at the Gate 1 Pass and
Identification Building on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station located
on State Road 401. Press credentials and identification from a bona
fide news organization will be required to obtain an access badge. A
driver's license alone will not be sufficient. However, additional
identification will not be required for those who present a
pre-issued NASA accreditation badge for STEREO or a valid permanent
NASA-KSC picture badge.

Departure in a vehicle caravan from Gate 1 to Press Site 1 will be at
7:15 p.m. Access badges cannot be issued after that time.

News Center Hours for Launch

The NASA News Center at KSC will open for STEREO news operations
starting Monday, Oct. 23, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On launch day,
Wednesday, Oct. 25 the news center will re-open one hour after launch
to confirm the spacecraft state of health and to issue the post
launch press release.

Starting Monday, Oct. 23, status reports on the launch of STEREO and
updates to the Media Advisory will be recorded on the KSC news media
codaphone at 321-867-2525.

NASA Web Prelaunch and Launch Coverage

NASA's home on the Internet, http://www.nasa.gov, will provide
extensive prelaunch and launch day coverage of the STEREO mission.

Live countdown coverage from NASA's Launch Blog begins at 6:30 p.m.,
Oct. 25. Coverage features real-time updates as countdown milestones
occur, as well as streaming video clips highlighting launch
preparations and liftoff.

A panel of experts has answered questions about NASA's preparation for
the STEREO mission. Those responses are available online and through
NASA podcasts.

To access these interactive features and more, go to NASA's STEREO
main page at http://www.nasa.gov/stereo and follow the "Countdown
Coverage" and "Ask the Mission Team" links provided under the
"Events" column. For more information about STEREO mission online
events, contact Dennis Armstrong at 321-867-4493.

Television Coverage

On Tuesday, Oct. 24, television coverage of the STEREO prelaunch press
conference and mission science briefing will begin at 1 p.m. EDT. On
Wednesday, Oct. 25, television coverage of the launch will begin at
6:30 p.m. EDT and conclude after spacecraft separation from the Delta
II rocket approximately 30 minutes after launch. The broadcast
network HDNet will also carry the launch in high definition
television format starting at 8:30 p.m. For more information visit
http://www.hd.net.

Audio only of the prelaunch press conference and mission science
briefing will be carried on the NASA "V" circuits which may be
accessed by dialing 321-867-1260 or 321-867-7135 beginning at 1 p.m.
EDT on Oct. 24. On launch day, Oct. 25, "Mission Audio," countdown
activities without NASA launch commentary, will be carried on
321-867-7135 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Audio of the NASA launch
commentary will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be available on
321-867-1220, 1240, 1260. It will also be available on local amateur
radio frequency 146.940 Mhz (VHF) or 442.6 Mhz (UHF), heard within
Brevard County.

For information on receiving NASA Television go to:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/digital.html


-end-
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #22 on: 10/19/2006 04:55 pm »
LOCKHEED MARTIN INSTRUMENT TO MONITOR SOLAR ERUPTIONS ON LATEST NASA SUN MISSION

PALO ALTO, CALIF.,October 19, 2006

The Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUVI) instrument  - designed and built at the Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory of the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Palo Alto - will soon begin returning stereo images of the Sun's corona as part of NASA's Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO). STEREO will utilize two nearly identical spacecraft on different trajectories to study the most energetic events on the surface and in the lower atmosphere of the Sun, and their travel through interplanetary space.

Data from spacecraft instruments will allow scientists to construct the first ever three-dimensional views of the Sun, providing a new perspective on Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). CMEs are violent explosions on the surface of the Sun that can propel up to 10 billion tons of the Sun's atmosphere - at a million miles an hour - out through the corona and into space.

The two STEREO spacecraft will be launched together on a Delta-II on Oct.25, 2006 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Both spacecraft will fly by the Moon taking advantage of a gravity assist that will propel one of the observatories into an orbit "ahead" of the Earth in its journey around the Sun, and the other "behind" our planet as it makes its yearly revolution.

EUVI is one element of an instrument suite on each STEREO spacecraft called SECCHI   - the Sun-Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation - under the direction of Principal Investigator Dr. Russell Howard of the Naval Research Laboratory of Washington, D.C. SECCHI comprises a suite of telescopes, including three white light coronagraphs and EUVI.

"We've been studying CMEs for a long time, but SECCHI will offer us new insight into the structure and evolution of the solar corona in three dimensions, while EUVI focuses specifically on the initiation and early evolution of CMEs," said Dr. James Lemen, Lockheed Martin co-investigator on SECCHI. "EUVI and the other instruments on SECCHI will follow the propagation of these events through the corona, out into interplanetary space and all the way to Earth, giving us a comprehensive view of these enormous phenomena."

Coronal mass ejections, which are often associated with solar flares, can take several days to reach the Earth. Fast, powerful ejections give rise to geomagnetic storms, which can disrupt radio transmissions and induce large currents in power transmission lines and oil pipelines. They have resulted in large-scale failures of the North American power grid and greatly increased pipeline erosion. CMEs also can generate spectacular auroras in Earth's polar skies, but can disrupt spacecraft and be extremely hazardous to astronauts.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. manages the STEREO mission. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md. designed and built the spacecraft. The laboratory will maintain command and control of the observatories throughout the mission, while NASA tracks and receives the data, determines the orbit of the satellites, and coordinates the science results.

The Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory at the ATC has a long heritage of spaceborne solar instruments including the Soft X-ray Telescope on the Japanese Yohkoh satellite, the Michelson Doppler Imager on the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, the solar telescope on NASA's Transition Region and Coronal Explorer and the Solar X-ray Imager on the GOES-N environmental satellite. The laboratory also conducts basic research into understanding and predicting space weather and the behavior of our Sun including its impacts on Earth and climate.

The ATC is the research and development organization of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC). LMSSC, a major operating unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation, designs, develops, tests, manufactures and operates a variety of advanced-technology systems for national security, civil and commercial customers. Chief products include human space flight systems; a full range of remote sensing, navigation, meteorological and communications satellites and instruments; space observatories and interplanetary spacecraft; launch vehicles, fleet ballistic missiles; and missile defense systems.
 
Contact:
Buddy Nelson, (510) 797-0349; e-mail, [email protected]
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #23 on: 10/20/2006 02:37 pm »
STATUS REPORT: ELV-102006

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: STEREO
Launch Pad: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta II
Launch Date: Oct. 25, 2006
Launch Time: 8:38 - 8:53 p.m. EDT

STEREO, at Pad 17-B atop the Boeing Delta II rocket, was encapsulated
into the Delta II fairing on Thursday. The second stage is scheduled
to be loaded with storable propellants on Monday, Oct. 23. Because
this is a hazardous operation, the launch pad will be closed to all
other work.

The Delta II flight program verification, a complete integrated
electrical and mechanical test with STEREO and the rocket, was
successfully completed on Monday. There are no significant launch
vehicle or spacecraft issues or concerns at this time.

On launch day, Oct. 25, the gantry-like mobile service tower is
scheduled to be retracted from around the Delta II at 11:15 a.m. The
terminal countdown procedure begins at 5:38 p.m. Engineers are
scheduled to begin loading the first stage with RP-1, a highly
refined kerosene fuel, at 5:58 p.m. The launch team will load the
first stage with liquid oxygen 50 minutes later at 6:48 p.m. Liftoff
is scheduled for 8:38 p.m. at the opening of a 15-minute launch
window.
Jacques :-)

Offline Wisi

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #24 on: 10/20/2006 05:50 pm »
October 20 Status Update from NASA-Homepage

With launch less than a week away, STEREO is safely encapsulated inside the protective payload fairing at the top of the Boeing Delta II rocket. The vehicle's second stage will be loaded with storable propellants on Monday, Oct. 23. The flight program verification, an integrated electrical and mechanical test which includes the STEREO spacecraft and upper stage booster, was successfully completed on Oct. 16.

Online Chris Bergin

Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #25 on: 10/24/2006 02:09 pm »
Currently undergoing its Launch Readiness Review.
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Offline Spirit

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #26 on: 10/24/2006 03:07 pm »
Is there an additional Star 48B motor attached to the spacecraft? Was the fueling of the upper stage completed? Btw what is the propellant and the oxidizer of that stage - UDMH, MMH, N2O2, NO2?
Regards,
Atanas

Offline jacqmans

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #27 on: 10/24/2006 03:10 pm »
The launch pad
Jacques :-)

Offline Jim

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #28 on: 10/24/2006 03:17 pm »
Quote
Spirit - 24/10/2006  10:50 AM

Is there an additional Star 48B motor attached to the spacecraft? Was the fueling of the upper stage completed? Btw what is the propellant and the oxidizer of that stage - UDMH, MMH, N2O2, NO2?

Additional?  There is only one and it is the 3rd stage of the Delta II

loaded yesterday,N2O4 and Aerozine 50.

Online Chris Bergin

Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #29 on: 10/24/2006 03:18 pm »
Quote
Chris Bergin - 24/10/2006  2:52 PM

Currently undergoing its Launch Readiness Review.

Passed. :)
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Offline jacqmans

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #30 on: 10/24/2006 03:30 pm »
Stereo media resources, for anyone who did not see this before:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/news/index.html

NASA's DELTA-II countdown page:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/launch/delta-II-Count-101.html

STEREO spacecraft info:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/spacecraft/index.html

And Countdown Coverage:
Begins approximately 2 hours before launch:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/launch/vlcc.html
Jacques :-)

Offline edkyle99

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #31 on: 10/24/2006 03:31 pm »
Quote
jacqmans - 20/10/2006  9:20 AM

STATUS REPORT: ELV-102006

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: STEREO
Launch Pad: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta II
Launch Date: Oct. 25, 2006
Launch Time: 8:38 - 8:53 p.m. EDT

This will be the first launch from Pad 17B since January 2005.

 - Ed Kyle

Offline Spirit

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #32 on: 10/24/2006 04:02 pm »
So the first stage has a RS-27A engine and burns RP-1 and LOX. The third stage is the Star-48B solid rocket motor according to http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/delta/delta2/delta2.htm , which is usually required for GTO, space exploration and planetary missions. Do you mean that the Star-48B solid rocket motor is being fueled with N2O4 and Aerozine 50? If so what does the second stage (the stage with the AJ10-118K engine) use for fuel and oxidizer?
Regards,
Atanas

Offline Jim

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #33 on: 10/24/2006 04:43 pm »
The 3rd stage is the solid STAR-48B
The 2nd stage is liquid.  I was referring to that it was loaded yesterday.

Offline DaveS

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #34 on: 10/24/2006 09:40 pm »
Since it appears that all of us missed the pre-launch press conference here it is for download: http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1083

According to Omar Baez(NASA Launch Manager for this flight), they're working two technical issues. One relates to two STEREO spacecraft computers.

Yesterday the computer on MESSENGER restarted itself and since the STEREO computers share the same motherboard design, they want understand what caused MESSENGER's computer to perform the restart and make sure it doesn't happen on the STEREO computers.

The second one is with the Delta II fairing. Some closeout photos of the fairing showed to washers on some nuts had not been installed.

A decision whether to proceed with a launch tommorow wwill be made some time after 6 pm EDT tonight.
"For Sardines, space is no problem!"
-1996 Astronaut class slogan

"We're rolling in the wrong direction but for the right reasons"
-USA engineer about the rollback of Discovery prior to the STS-114 Return To Flight mission

Offline Rocket Guy

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #35 on: 10/24/2006 11:39 pm »
They have cleared all issues.

Offline John44

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Offline edkyle99

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #37 on: 10/25/2006 02:56 pm »
Forgive me if someone has already mentioned this, but the following story tells us that today's launch will use the first Delta II "built entirely" at Decatur.

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/061025/rocket.shtml

I seem to recall that the leaky tank issue had something to do with the move from Pueblo.  It will interesting to see if any other "gotcha's" appear with this flight.

 - Ed Kyle

Offline Jim

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #38 on: 10/25/2006 02:59 pm »
The leaky tank was made in Italy. Had nothing to do with the move to Decatur

Offline edkyle99

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Re: NASA - STEREO updates
« Reply #39 on: 10/25/2006 03:01 pm »
Quote
Jim - 25/10/2006  9:42 AM

The leaky tank was made in Italy. Had nothing to do with the move to Decatur

Weren't these tanks made in Pueblo before the move?

 - Ed Kyle

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