Special Countdown Issue
SORCE
Mission Activity –
SORCE has
successfully completed the Launch Readiness Review, which took
place at 9:00 a.m. EST this morning. After reviewing the overall
launch plan, all systems are GO! Launch remains set for Saturday,
January 25 from Kennedy Space Center (KSC). There is a 58-minute
window for the launch to occur beginning at 3:10 p.m. EST, 1:10
p.m. MST. If for any reason the launch needs to be delayed on
Saturday, there is a second launch window on Sunday, January 26,
with the same launch time.
Weather is one issue that decision makers need to consider. In
spite of the uncharacteristically cold temperatures that Florida
is experiencing today, this will not affect the SORCE launch in
any way. At this time, there is a very, very limited chance (10%)
that weather could delay the SORCE launch.
According to weather.com, Cape Canaveral is forecasted to be 58
degrees F (at noon), winds from the N-NE at 9 mph, mostly sunny
with scattered clouds, 0% precipitation, and 53% maximum humidity
for Saturday, January 25, 2003.
There was
a SORCE Press Conference at KSC early Friday afternoon at KSC.
The televised NASA production was |
Photo by David Gathright.
informative
and it gave reporters a chance to ask important questions relating
to the SORCE and what NASA hopes to accomplish with this Earth
Observing System mission. Along with Oribital and NASA officials,
Gary Rottman was part of the panel fielding questions from the
press.
Launch day operations at the Hot Pad will begin at 7:00 a.m.
EST, Saturday, January 25th. The payload and launch vehicle
support teams will assemble at 6:30 a.m.EST to power on the
spacecraft for final checkout.
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