IBEX Update - September 26, 2008

[baa...@earthlink.net]

Sept. 26, 2008

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
george....@nasa.gov

STATUS REPORT: ELV-092608

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: IBEX (Interstellar Boundary Explorer)
Launch Vehicle: Pegasus XL (Orbital Sciences)
Launch Facility: Reagan Test Site, Kwajalein Pacific Atoll
Launch Date: Oct. 19, 2008
Launch Time: 2:58 p.m. - 3:06 p.m. EDT
(06:58 a.m. - 07:06 a.m. local Kwajalein time)

The IBEX spacecraft, its upper stage booster and the Pegasus XL
rocket
are in the Orbital Sciences launch vehicle hangar at Vandenberg Air
Force Base in California.

IBEX was attached to the Pegasus XL rocket on Tuesday, Sept. 23. A
check of the critical systems of the spacecraft was performed on the
spacecraft Thursday following mating with the launch vehicle.

The payload fairing will be installed around IBEX on Sept. 29.
Arrival
of the L-1011 is scheduled for Oct. 2, with the mate of the Pegasus
rocket to the L-1011 scheduled for Oct. 6.

Departure of the L-1011 carrying the Pegasus XL rocket with IBEX from
Vandenberg currently is planned for Oct. 10. After a stop in Hawaii,
the flight will continue and arrive at the Reagan Test Site at
Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific on Oct. 11.

Previous status reports are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2008

-end-