Deep Space 1 - SEDSAT launch date

Philip Chien (kc4yer@amsat.org)
Tue, 29 Sep 1998 15:00:21 -0400

The exact launch date for Deep Space 1 and SEDSAT is going to be pretty
complicated.

The U.S. launch resources at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral
Air Station are shared among all of the launch vehicles, so there are rules
in place to ensure that everybody gets a fair shot at getting their
launches off the ground.

When a launch vehicle makes a reservation it can reserve two days in a row.
It takes the range about two days to turn around between different
vehicles, stuff like repositioning a radar antenna to point towards the
other pad, and other reconfigurations.  For example if Rocket A has Monday
and Tuesday reserved then Rocket B can reserve Thursday and Friday.
However if Rocket A launches on Monday then Rocket B can move its launch
date up to Wednesday if it desires to do so.

Unfortunately the second half of October is going be _VERY_ busy and all of
the remainder of the year will be busy for the Deltas.

Currently an Atlas is scheduled for October 19th and 20th and a Pegasus has
the range reserved for October 22nd and October 23rd.

The Deep Space One team believes they'll be ready by October 22nd and is
preparing to meet that date but since the Pegasus has those dates reserved
is technical on the range for October 25th.

If there's a problem which causes the Pegauss to slip then Deep Space 1 can
launch on October 22nd.  If the Pegasus launches on the 22nd then Deep
Space 1 can move up a day and launch on the 24th.  If the Pegasus launches
on the 23rd - or if it doesn't launch then Deep Space One has October 25
and 26th reserved.

Assuming that an Atlas scheduled for the 19th and the Pegasus scheduled for
the 22nd are out of the way (either launched or grounded for any reason)
then October 27th remains open for Deep Space 1 as an alternate date.

October 28th is a reconfiguration day to prepare for the shuttle launch on
October 29th featuring the 77-year-old guinea pig.  (watching the news you
may not even realize that there are six other members of that crew or any
activities which don't involve the guinea pig.  But that's another thread.)

If the shuttle launches on the 29th then conceivably (allowing for the
previous conditions outlined) Deep Space 1 could launch on the 31st unless
that date's preempted by either the Atlas or Pegasus if they encounter
delays.

However, if for any reason Deep Space 1 has not launched by the 31st then
it will encounter a major delay.  Boeing will have to destack the Deep
Space 1 7326 launch vehicle so it can stack the 7425 version which is being
prepared for the Mars Climate Orbiter mission.  There are a pair of
Martians scheduled for launch on Deltas in December and January and they
have highest priority - if they miss their windows it's a 26 month delay
until the 2001 launch oportunity.

There's also a commercial Delta scheduled and in 1999 there are commercial
Deltas plus Stardust and FUSE.  There are only two Delta launch pads in
Florida so if Deep Space 1 doesn't launch by October 31st it will have to
remain on the ground until some time in early 1999.

It's conceivable that another day or so could be milked out of this
schedule.  Depending on when a scrub occurs a day may be saved in the 48
hour range turnaround operations.  In addition a faster 'destack' operation
for the Deep Space 1 Delta if that's required may be possible, so a
November 1st launch opportunity is not completely out of the question.  In
addition while the range rules are in place they can be overruled by the
NASA Administrator and Secretary of Defense and there's nothing to prevent
the various rockets from making their own deals.  Do not, however, expect
Deep Space One to take priority over the highest profile shuttle mission
ever.

But the bottom line is Deep Space 1 can only be guaranteed four launch
opportunities - October 25-27 and October 31st.

If you're planning on coming to Florida for the Deep Space 1 / SEDSAT
mission be aware that there are going to be *LOTS* of VIPS, press, and
general public in town for the STS-95 shuttle mission.  Besides the guinea
pig the flight also features the first Spaniard in space (representing
ESA), and the first Japanese citizen to make a second spaceflight.  Hotel
rooms will be *EXTREMELY* difficult to find.



Sidebar - I saw Deep Space One today and it is a real *TINY* spacecraft.
Hmmm, only eight more to go until one is built which is large enough to
serve as a space station next to a wormhole.  ;-)



Philip Chien, KC4YER
Earth News
world (in)famous writer, science fiction fan, ham radio operator,
all-around nice guy, etc.