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.