Deep Impact Launch Delay
EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLES STATUS REPORT
November 24, 2004
George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(321) 867-2468
MISSION: Deep Impact
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Delta II 7925
LAUNCH PAD: Pad 17-B Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: NET Jan. 8, 2005
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2:39:50 p.m. (EST) instantaneous
A decision has been made to reschedule the launch of the Deep Impact spacecraft to no earlier than Jan. 8 to allow more time for evaluation of mission software. While there are no significant problems associated with the spacecraft hardware, additional time is necessary to be ready for launch. Spacecraft functional and mission readiness tests continue.
The stacking of the Boeing Delta II launch vehicle on Pad 17-B began on Nov. 22 with the hoisting of the first stage into the launcher. Hoisting of the nine strap-on solid rocket boosters, in sets of three, began on Nov. 23 and will continue on Nov. 29 and Dec. 1. The second stage will be hoisted into position atop the first stage on Dec. 3.
The overall Deep Impact mission management for this Discovery class program is conducted by the University of Maryland in College Park, Md. Deep Impact project management is handled by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. The spacecraft was built for NASA by Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation.
