Future Launch Plans for SDO EVE Calibration Rocket Payload

The next launch of our rocket payload is planned for October 2013 from the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). This flight's primary purpose is to provide the fourth underflight calibration for our SDO EUV Variability Experiment (EVE) satellite instrument. The SDO launch was on February 11, 2010, and the first underflight calibration flight was on May 3, 2010 (NASA 36.258), second flight was on March 23, 2011, and third flight was on June 23, 2012.

Date / Time

Date: October 2013 (TBD date)

Time: (TBD time)

This is near local noon to minimize the atmospheric absorption of the solar EUV radiation during the rocket observations.

Location

The launch facility is the NASA sounding rocket facility at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico. NASA Sounding Rocket Operations Contract (NSROC) supports this experiment along with their subcontractors at the WSMR Naval Research Rocket Support Office and Physical Science Laboratory (PSL/NMSU).

Latest Launch Status for October 2013 Launch (time is in MDT)

Previous Launches

Launch Time Picture

Previous Launches from the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico:

  1. NASA 21.101 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Nov. 10, 1988 at 19:00 UT
  2. NASA 36.054 (PI: Rottman, LASP/CU) was on June 20, 1989 at 19:00 UT
  3. NASA 36.098 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Oct. 27, 1992 at 18:30 UT
  4. NASA 36.107 (PI: Woods, HAO/NCAR) was on Oct. 4, 1993 at 17:45 UT
  5. NASA 36.124 (PI: Woods, HAO/NCAR) was on Nov. 3, 1994 at 18:45 UT
  6. NASA 36.135 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on May 15, 1997 at 19:16 UT
  7. NASA 36.171 (PI: Hassler, SwRI) was on Nov. 2, 1998 at 18:20 UT
  8. NASA 36.192 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Feb. 8, 2002 at 18:41 UT
  9. NASA 36.205 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Aug. 12, 2003 at 18:23:30 UT
  10. NASA 36.217 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Oct. 15, 2004 at 17:28:34 UT
  11. NASA 36.233 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Oct. 28, 2006 at 17:58:00 UT
  12. NASA 36.240 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Apr. 14, 2008 at 16:58:00 UT
  13. NASA 36.258 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on May 3, 2010 at 18:32:00 UT
  14. NASA 36.275 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Mar. 23, 2011 at 17:50:00 UT
  15. NASA 36.286 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on June 23, 2012 at 19:30:01 UT

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Revised - March 24, 2011
CCD temperatures will be colder than the required -55 C in time for launch - if not, then we'll slip launch time by 10-15 minutes to allow more time for the CCD cooling.
  • June 23, 2012, 10 AM: Horizontal test completed successfully. Final arming has started.
  • June 23, 2012, 8:40 AM: Preliminary arming is completed. Preparing for Horizontal (functional) test.
  • June 23, 2012, 7:30 AM: FTLU tests have been completed. Preliminary arming has started.
  • June 23, 2012, 6:30 AM: Flight Termination Logic Unit (FTLU) checks have started with WSMR mission control center. This test will take about an hour. The CCD cooling is in progress. The MEGS-A & B CCDs are currently at about 5 C, with goal of -60 C by launch time.
  • June 23, 2012, 4 AM: Solar activity picked up some with a C3 flare, but this is from the active region that is already rotated over the limb. So low solar activity is still expected for today. The vacuum system for the solar payload section is looking good from pumping overnight.
  • June 22, 2012, 10 PM: Solar activity still remains low, which is desirable for a calibration rocket observation. The solar section continues to be evacuated over night and cryocooling will start at 5 AM in the morning in order to be ready for the launch on 6/23 at 13:00 MDT.
  • June 22, 2012, 5 PM: Vertical Test was completed this afternoon successfully. Part of the preliminary arming was completed today as well.
  • June 21, 2012, 11 AM: Experiment solar section continues to be evacuated in preparation for flight. The vacuum condition is good and leak tests have passed OK. It is a GO from all teams from the Flight Readiness Review (FRR) held this morning.
  • June 20, 2012, 5 PM: Final prep for the payload and motors on the rail were made, and we also practiced flight commanding / scenarios today.
  • June 19, 2012, 5 PM: The Terrier and Black Brant launch vehicles were mounted to the Athena launch rail, followed by the payload. Then a "boom" (really no-boom) test was done and a horizontal countdown practice was also done to verify that all systems are working well. The experiment vacuum system hose and winch system installation was completed, and vacuum pumping on the experiment solar section was started.
  • June 18, 2012, 6 PM: The final full sequence (functional) test was completed this morning, then the solar section was evacuated for a few hours. This was followed by mounting the LASP vacuum station onto the rail in the afternoon. It is hot and dry here with the same predicted for launch day.
  • June 17, 2012, 6 PM: SDO EVE rocket payload came out of storage, and the vacuum pump was attached for solar section evacuation over night.
  • June 1, 2012: Integration and environmental testing of SDO EVE rocket payload was completed and put into storage at WSMR while other solar payloads are integrated at WSMR.

    Previous Launches

    Launch Time Picture

    Previous Launches from the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico:

    1. NASA 21.101 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Nov. 10, 1988 at 19:00 UT
    2. NASA 36.054 (PI: Rottman, LASP/CU) was on June 20, 1989 at 19:00 UT
    3. NASA 36.098 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Oct. 27, 1992 at 18:30 UT
    4. NASA 36.107 (PI: Woods, HAO/NCAR) was on Oct. 4, 1993 at 17:45 UT
    5. NASA 36.124 (PI: Woods, HAO/NCAR) was on Nov. 3, 1994 at 18:45 UT
    6. NASA 36.135 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on May 15, 1997 at 19:16 UT
    7. NASA 36.171 (PI: Hassler, SwRI) was on Nov. 2, 1998 at 18:20 UT
    8. NASA 36.192 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Feb. 8, 2002 at 18:41 UT
    9. NASA 36.205 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Aug. 12, 2003 at 18:23:30 UT
    10. NASA 36.217 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Oct. 15, 2004 at 17:28:34 UT
    11. NASA 36.233 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Oct. 28, 2006 at 17:58:00 UT
    12. NASA 36.240 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Apr. 14, 2008 at 16:58:00 UT
    13. NASA 36.258 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on May 3, 2010 at 18:32:00 UT
    14. NASA 36.275 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on Mar. 23, 2011 at 17:50:00 UT
    15. NASA 36.286 (PI: Woods, LASP/CU) was on June 23, 2012 at 19:30:01 UT

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    Revised - March 24, 2011