SPACECRAFT AND EXPENDABLE VEHICLES STATUS REPORT February 27, 2002 George H. Diller Kennedy Space Center 321/867-2468 MISSION: TDRS-I (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-I) LAUNCH VEHICLE: Lockheed Martin ATLAS IIA (AC-143) LAUNCH PAD: 36-A Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LAUNCH DATE: March 8, 2002 LAUNCH WINDOW: 5:39 - 6:19 p.m. EST SPACECRAFT CURRENT LOCATION: Pad 36-A At SAEF-2, loading of the spacecraft with propellants was completed on Feb. 20 and the spacecraft was mated to the payload adapter on Feb. 22. The operation to encapsulate TDRS-I into the payload fairing was performed on Feb. 23-24. TDRS-I was transported to Pad 36-A in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 26 and hoisted atop the Atlas II vehicle. The Composite Electrical Test (CERT) is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 28. This is an integrated checkout of the launch vehicle and spacecraft. On Monday, March 4, the RP1 fuel, a highly refined kerosene, will be loaded aboard the Atlas first stage. This will be followed next Tuesday and Wednesday with installation of launch vehicle ordnance and servicing of hypergolic systems. Closeouts of the Atlas IIA and TDRS-I are scheduled for Thursday, Mar. 7. The Flight Readiness Review will be held on Monday, Mar. 4. MISSION: Aqua EOS-PM (Earth Observing System Aqua Observatory) LAUNCH VEHICLE: DELTA II 7920-10L LAUNCH PAD: Space Launch Complex 2, Vandenberg Air Force Base LAUNCH DATE: April 18, 2002 LAUNCH WINDOW: 2:54:58 - 3:04:58 a.m. PST The Aqua spacecraft arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base on Feb. 25. Preparations for final prelaunch testing are underway. The Delta II upgraded Automatic Destruct System was cleared for flight and erection of the vehicle began this week at SLC-2W. The first stage was erected on Monday, Feb. 25, and the solid rocket boosters are now being attached. The second stage will be hoisted into position atop the first stage on Friday, Mar. 1. MISSION: NOAA-M Polar Orbiter LAUNCH VEHICLE: USAF Titan II LAUNCH PAD: Space Launch Complex 4 West, Vandenberg Air Force Base LAUNCH DATE: June 25, 2002 LAUNCH WINDOW: 11:22 - 11:32 a.m. PST The NOAA-M spacecraft is at the Lockheed Martin plant in Sunnyvale, Calif. and is now tentatively planned for shipment to Vandenberg on Apr. 26. The spacecraft will be processed at NASA spacecraft hangar 1610 on North Vandenberg Air Force Base. Erection of the Titan II/G-14 booster for NOAA-M will take place in late March after routine corrosion control and maintenance is completed at the launch pad, currently anticipated to be finished by Apr 1. # # #