spacetoday.net: space news from around the webin association with SpaceNews


NASA clears SIRTF for launch
Posted: Sun, Aug 24, 2003, 12:02 PM ET (1602 GMT)
SIRTF illustration (NASA/JPL/Caltech) NASA announced late Saturday that it was proceeding with Sunday night's launch of the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) spacecraft. The Delta 2 Heavy carrying SIRTF is scheduled for launch at 1:35:39 am EDT (0535:39 GMT) Monday from Cape Canaveral. There were concerns of another launch delay after engineers found problems with electrical components similar to those on the Delta on the pad. Although the components on the booster are inaccessible for testing, managers decided that it is unlikely the problems found in the factory could have been replicated with those on the booster, and cleared the way for launch. A tracking ship needed for the launch is scheduled to reach its position in the Indian Ocean by Sunday evening, in time for the launch; weather delayed its arrival, forcing a two-day delay in the launch. SIRTF is the last of NASA's four original "Great Observatories", providing infrared observations to complement data from other telescopes at other wavelengths.
<<previous article   next article>>
news in brief

SpaceX launches Indonesia communications satellite
Posted: Sun, Sep 14 4:07 AM ET (0807 GMT)

Soyuz launches Progress cargo spacecraft to ISS
Posted: Sun, Sep 14 4:06 AM ET (0806 GMT)

news links
Monday, September 15
SpaceX Launches Northrop Grumman Cargo Ship To ISS
Aviation Week — 1:18 am ET (0518 GMT)
SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Sunday
WESH-TV Orlando — 1:18 am ET (0518 GMT)


about spacetoday.net   ·   info@spacetoday.net   ·   mailing list