LRO/LCROSS Launch Preview How Where When Presentation for NASA Solar System Ambassadors and Museum Alliance March 20, 2009 Brooke Hsu, LRO E/PO Lead Brian Day, LCROSS E/PO Lead

We will use the Atlas V Launch Vehicle Latest version in the Atlas family of boosters Early Atlas boosters were used for manned Mercury missions Atlas V has become a mainstay of U.S. satellite launches NASA has used Atlas V to launch MRO to Mars in 2004 and New Horizons to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt in 2006 How?

4-meter diameter payload fairing 0 strap-on solid rocket boosters 1-engine Centaur upper stage Vehicle will fly in the 401 configuration

Atlas V by the Numbers Function EELV/Medium-heavy launch vehicle Manufacturer United Launch Alliance Country of origin United States Size Height 58.3 m (191.2 ft) Diameter 3.81 m (12.49 ft) Mass 546,700 kg (1,205,200 lb) Stages 2 Capacity Payload to LEO 9, ,420 kg Payload to GTO 4, ,000 kg First stage - Atlas CCB Engines 1 RD-180 Thrust 4,152 kN (933,406 lbf) Specific impulse 311 sec Burn time 253 seconds Fuel RP-1/LOX Second stage (Atlas V XX1) - Centaur Engines 1 RL-10A Thrust 99.2 kN (22,290 lbf) Specific impulse 451 sec Burn time 842 seconds

We will launch from Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral Originally used by the US Air Force for Titan III and Titan IV launches Currently used by United Launch Alliance, for Atlas V launches Where?

SLC-41: Historic Gateway to Space Helios probes to the Sun Viking probes to Mars Voyager planetary flyby and deep space probes Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter New Horizons spacecraft to Pluto and Kuiper Belt Voyager 1 Launch from SLC-41

Space Shuttle’s Vehicle Assembly Building in background

Catenary towers for lightning protection

Flame bucket and berm

Vertical Integration Facility

VIF interior view

Launch Control – Atlas Spaceflight Operation Center

What’s happening now? LRO and LCROSS have arrived by truck to Astrotech facility at KSC Location for payload spacecraft checkout and fueling

Atlas V first stage has arrived by cargo aircraft

What’s going to happen? First stage will be delivered to VIF

First stage will be lifted into VIF

Centaur will be will be stacked on first stage

LRO and LCROSS will be stacked onto Centaur

Mobile Launch Platform will transport spacecraft from VIF to pad

When? LRO/LCROSS scheduled for May 21 launch Military's Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) mission precedes LRO/LCROSS in launching from SLC-41 WGS March 17 launch scrubbed due to Centaur oxygen leak WGS being returned to VIF for repairs Too early to tell if/how this may impact our launch schedule We have a block of several days in late May on which we could launch; after that we could take advantage of multiple launch opportunities in June Stay tuned!

Pre-launch Activities Launch – 14 (14 days prior to launch) press conference from NASA Headquarters L-5 through launch: daily activities at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex –Hour long talks from project scientists, engineers, and education professionals –Exhibit in Imax theater lobby L-1 News briefing from Kennedy Space Center

Launch Event Locations

Launch Day Activities Live broadcast interviews with LRO, LCROSS scientists, engineers, and student and citizen scientist participants Launch broadcast on NASA TV Social media campaign using Twitter and Facebook

Education Partners Denver Museum of Nature and Science Arizona State University Adler Museum Boston University Jet Propulsion Laboratory