Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report

Spacecraft: Glory
Launch Vehicle: Taurus XL 3110
Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Launch Date: Nov. 22, 2010
Launch Time: 2:09 a.m. PST
Altitude/Inclination: 440 miles/98.2 degrees

The Taurus rocket is in Orbital Sciences Hangar 1555 located on north Vandenberg Air Force Base where integration and testing of the vehicle’s flight hardware components continue.

The first half of the payload fairing arrived at Vandenberg on Aug. 17. Cleaning is under way with testing to follow in preparation for launch. Cable harness installation is also under way on stages 1 and 2. Stage 2 telemetry testing continues. Work to install the vehicle’s avionics section was completed this week. Thermal blanket installation is under way on stage 0. The Vehicle Verification Test, an electrical systems test, is scheduled to start on Aug. 25.

The Glory spacecraft currently is scheduled to arrive at Vandenberg on or about Oct. 13 to begin processing for launch.

Data from the Glory mission will allow scientists to better understand the Earth’s energy budget. An accurate description of the Earth’s energy budget is important in order to anticipate future changes to our climate. Shifts in the global climate and the associated weather patterns impact human life by altering landscapes and changing the availability of natural resources.

The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor instrument will measure aerosols (human-caused and naturally occurring) to determine their relative influence on the global climate.

The Total Irradiance Monitor instrument will monitor the Sun to understand short-term solar mechanisms causing energy budget changes and will contribute to the vital long-term solar record.