VANDENBERG, A.F.B. - After being delayed three days by ground support issues, the final satellite in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Polar Operational Environmental Satellites program was successfuly placed into orbit this morning after its launch from Vandenberg AFB in California aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket. NOAA-N Prime is beginning a two year mission to observe Earth's weather phenomenon and enable meteorologists to provide more accurate short and long-term weather forecasts.
DOCS: THE HISTORY OF THE POLAR OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE DOCS: NOAA-N PRIME BOOKLET DOCS: NOAA-N PRIME MISHAP REPORT DOCS: NOAA-N PRIME MISSION BOOK DOCS: NOAA-N PRIME PRESS KIT VIDEO: LAUNCH DIRECTOR OMAR BAEZ INTERVIEWED AFTER LAUNCH VIDEO: NOAA-N PRIME SEPARATES FROM THE DELTA UPPER STAGE VIDEO: DELTA 2 SECOND STAGE RESTART VIDEO: ULA LAUNCH VEHICLE MISSION DIRECTORY RICH MURPHY VIDEO: NOAA-N PRIME LAUNCH REPLAYS VIDEO: DELTA ROCKET LIFTS OFF WITH THE NOAA-N PRIME WEATHER SATELLITE VIDEO: FIRST STAGE SLEW/STEERING CHECKS VIDEO: FINAL PRELAUNCH WEATHER BRIEFING VIDEO: MOBILE SERVICE TOWER ROLLBACK VIDEO: HIGHLIGHTS OF NOAA-N PRIME PRELAUNCH PROCESSING VIDEO: GARY DAVIS, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT, NOAA SATELLITE AND INFORMATION SERVICE VIDEO: THE FIRST LAUNCH ATTEMPT IS SCRUBBED VIDEO: NOAA-N PRIME OVERVIEW VIDEO: NOAA-N PRIME PRELAUNCH PRESS CONFERENCE ALL-ACCESS SUBSCRIBERS: DELTA 2 / NOAA-N PRIME LAUNCH BROADCAST - PART 3 (194 MB WMV) ALL-ACCESS SUBSCRIBERS: DELTA 2 / NOAA-N PRIME LAUNCH BROADCAST - PART 2 (874 MB WMV) ALL-ACCESS SUBSCRIBERS: DELTA 2 / NOAA-N PRIME LAUNCH BROADCAST - PART 1 (564 MB WMV) ALL-ACCESS SUBSCRIBERS: DELTA 2 / NOAA-N PRIME FIRST LAUNCH ATTEMPT BROADCAST The $564 million NOAA-N Prime satellite blasted into orbit at 5:2 a.m. EDT, rising quickly through low cloud cover over Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex 2 West that had threatened to delay the launch a third time. Sixty-five minutes, the Delta's upper stage released the spacecraft into a 464.2 nautical mile (859.7 km) high orbit with an iclination of 98.7 degrees to the Equator. Launch had been planned for February 4th, but had to be postponed when a launch pad gaseous nitrogen system failed. The countdown was interrupted 24 hours later when a ground support air conditioning system failed. The launch was put off another day so technicians could verify that no noxious fumes had entered the payload shroud protecting NOAA-N. Launch was reset for the 6th despite a weather forecast that called for the possibility of rain in the area. NOAA-N Prime will replace NOAA-18 in a 2:00 p.m. local solar time orbit as the primary afternoon spacecraft. NOAA-N Prime will carry the same primary instruments as NOAA-18 plus an Advanced Data Collection System and an improved Search and Rescue Processor provided by France. NOAA-N Prime will be renamed NOAA-19 after achieving proper orbit. NOAA-N Prime was lofted to orbit by a Delta 2 rocket flying in the 3920-10C configuration.In this configuration, the rocket sports three strap-on solid fuel Graphite Epoxy Motors and a 10-foot payload fairing. This marked the 85th consecutive successful launch by a Delta 2 rocket and the 138th overall "We are proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Delta 2 by successfully launching this critically important spacecraft for both NASA and NOAA and we congratulate our mission partners on their success," said Jim Sponnick, United Launch Alliance's vice president of the Delta Product Line. Twenty-one days after it is launched, NASA will transfer operational control of NOAA-19 to NOAA. NASA's comprehensive on-orbit verification period is expected to last approximately 45 days after launch. "NASA is proud of our many years of successful collaboration with NOAA in building and launching these polar orbiting satellites," stated Wayne McIntyre, the NASA's NOAA-N Prime Project Manager. "The success of this mission will provide a healthy polar constellation for continuous data products until the follow-on program launches." The NOAA-N Prime spacecraft was damaged in September 2003 when it fell off of a handling cart at Lockheed AAMartin's Sunnyvale, Calif. plant and hit the floor. Corrective actions were put in place to prevent a similar mishap from occurring in the future. The corrective actions include more training, improved test procedures, more system safety and more government oversight. The cost to rebuild NOAA-N Prime was covered by using the budget for an expected storage period, so no new AAfunding was required between 2004 and 2008. Prior to the accident the planning launch date for NOAA-N Prime was March 2008; the launch date for NOAA-N Prime coming out of the rebuild plan was December 2007. As part of the recertification of the NPOESS program in 2006, NOAA agreed to delay the launch of NOAA-N Prime until February 2009. NOAA-N Prime represents the last in a fmaily of satellites that stretches back almost 50 years when the first Television Infrared Observation Satellites (TIROS) weather satellite was launched in 1960. NASA and NOAA have jointly developed the polar-orbiting series of satellites. These Advanced TIROS-N (ATN) spacecraft (named after the prototype satellite, TIROS-N, have been flying since 1978. The NOAA satellites carry seven scientific instruments, two search and rescue instruments and a data recording system. NOAA-N Prime is the latest satellite in the ATN series built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. The NOAA satellites carry instruments that observe our Earth and provide global data for NOAA's operational AAuser requirements including short-, medium-and long-range weather forecasts. The two polar-orbiting satellites track global weather patterns affecting the weather and climate of the U.S. and the world. Scientists use the polar orbiters' sensors to measure ozone levels in the atmosphere and are able to detect the ozone holes. "Within the U.S. and around the world there is a growing demand for reliable coverage and accurate data from satellites that can tell what's happening in the environment," said Mary Kicza, assistant administrator for NOAA's Satellite and Information Service. "Launching NOAA-N-Prime will help meet the demand." These satellites collect data needed for weather forecasting and other environmental uses. The data from these satellites are critical for weather prediction. The data in weather models that help let the public know if it will rain in the next few days, whether a sweater will be needed, and if outdoor activities are reasonable. The satellites provide warnings for bad weather and help farmers decide when to plant their crops, and let construction crews decide when to pour cement. These satellites also monitor the near space environment and provide data to the airline industry about disruptive atmospheric conditions, allowing them to change their flight plans due to times of potential high radiation. There are two operational polar orbiting satellites: MetOp-A is operated by our European partners in a mid-AAmorning orbit and NOAA-18, launched on May 20, 2005, into an afternoon orbit. NOAA-N Prime (19) will replace NOAA-18 in a 2:00 p.m. local solar time orbit as the primary afternoon spacecraft. NOAA-N Prime will carry the same primary instruments as NOAA-18 plus an Advanced Data Collection System and an improved Search and Rescue Processor (SARP3) provided by France. NOAA-N Prime will be renamed NOAA-19 after achieving orbit. NOAA-N Prime carries an Advanced Data Collection System (ADCS) and improved Search and Rescue processor AA(SARP-3), both of which were provided by France. The ADCS now has transmitted capability to send signals to platforms on the ground to do such things as turn them off to conserve power or otherwise modify the beacon's performance. The spacecraft also has a new deployable antenna for the ADCS called the ADCS Deployable Antenna (ADA) located near the solar array end of the spacecraft. NOAA-N Prime carries an improved version of the SARP-2 406 MHz processor designated SARP-3. This unit has improved performance in system capacity, bandwidth, and protection against interference. The SAR instruments are part of the international COSPAS-SARSAT system designed to detect and locate Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs), Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) operating at 121.5 MHz, 243 MHz, and 406 MHz. Starting in February 2009 the 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz beacons will no longer be supported by the COSPAS-SARSAT system and are not expected to be activated on the NOAA-N Prime spacecraft. PLBs are portable units that are designed to be carried by a person and must be activated manually. Some newer PLBs allow Global Positioning System (GPS) units to be integrated into the distress signal so that you can be located within 100 meters as opposed to within 2-3 miles. A new generation of environmental satellites called the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) will become operational after the POES satellites complete their mission. NPOESS is a tri-agency (NOAA, U.S. Department of Defense, NASA) program. NPOESS will provide more capable sensors for improved data collection and better weather forecasts. NPOESS will provide long-term systematic measurements of key environmental variables beginning in 2013. In preparation for this NOPESS system, an NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) mission will provide risk reduction for this future operational system and it will maintain continuity of certain environmental data sets that were initiated with NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. NPP will launch in 2010. (The Spacearium / Space Media Corporation / SpaceflightNews.net)
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