Tue, Apr 22, 2003
The launch of NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer
(GALEX) spacecraft aboard an Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC)
air-launched Pegasus vehicle is scheduled for deployment over the
Atlantic Ocean from OSC's L-1011 carrier aircraft on Monday, April
28 at 8 a.m. EDT. This time is contained within a launch window
that opens at 7:50 a.m. and closes at 9:50 a.m. EDT.
The launch begins with the drop of the Pegasus rocket from the
L-1011 over the Atlantic Ocean at an altitude of 39,000 feet at a
location approximately 100 nautical miles offshore east-northeast
of Cape Canaveral. The launch is expected to be visible from the
coast. Spacecraft separation from the Pegasus occurs 11 minutes
later. At that time the satellite will be in a circular orbit of
431 statute miles (690 km) at a 29-degree inclination.
GALEX will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of
cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and
galaxies we see today had their origins. During the course of its
two-year investigation, GALEX will conduct the first ultraviolet
surveys of the entire extragalactic sky, including the first
wide-area spectroscopic surveys. This vast data archive will form a
lasting legacy. Rich in objects from galaxies to quasars to white
dwarf stars, it will serve as a resource for the entire
astronomical community.
The
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is responsible for the project
management of GALEX and built the telescopic instrument. Orbital
Sciences Corporation built the spacecraft bus and is responsible
for instrument integration. The California Institute of Technology
is responsible for the science operations and astronomical data.
The Kennedy Space Center is responsible for spacecraft/launch
vehicle integration, countdown management, launch vehicle
engineering oversight and mission assurance.
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