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You're watching NASA Direct.

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Music.

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My name is Garrett Skrobot of the Launch Service Program, and I'm the mission integration manager for ST5.

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My role as the ST5 mission integration manager is to lead the integration team. The integration team consists of four members:

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myself, the mission manager; the integration engineer; the program integration manager; and last, the launch site integration manager.

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ST5 is a constellation of three spacecraft, each weighing about 50 pounds. The three spacecraft will perform three functions on orbit.

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It will have new technologies. It will conduct formation flying and also study the Earth's magnetic fields.

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My name is Julie Schneringer. I'm the lead launch site integration manager from Kennedy Space Center's

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Resident Office at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Jeff Ehrsam is the assigned launch site integration manager for the ST5 mission.

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A launch site integration manager works with the spacecraft customer to provide the facilities and

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services they require for final processing of their satellite and integration to the launch vehicle.

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I'm James Wood, one of the two chief engineers of NASA's Launch Services Program.

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We're principally responsible for the technical decision-making that goes on while we

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integrate a unique NASA mission on a commercial launch service.

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One of our big challenges is to ensure that we have good,

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well-qualified designs for each of the unique modifications that we need to make to the

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launch vehicle in order to accommodate each NASA spacecraft's special needs.

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Let's meet some of the talented engineers that make this happen.

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My name is Bob Henry. I'm the Pegasus XL vehicle systems engineer.

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The Pegasus XL vehicle is the smallest vehicle that NASA uses to place spacecraft into orbit.

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With the aerodynamic lift generated by its unique, delta-shaped wing, Pegasus typically delivers satellites into orbit in a little over 10 minutes.

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As the vehicle systems engineer, it is my job to ensure our hardware, software and mission-analysis pieces come together for a successful launch.

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It is a challenge. There is never a dull moment, because each mission profile and spacecraft is unique.

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I'm Bill Benson. As controls, flight software and flight design analysts, Jon Bauschlicher,

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Rob and Mary and I work with our counterparts at the Orbital Sciences Corporation to design the launch vehicle trajectory for the ST5 mission.

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We create and run computer simulations of the Pegasus guidance, navigation and control system to make sure

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that it will fly the rocket to the correct orbit and will maintain control of the vehicle throughout the flight.

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Our goal is to make sure that the Pegasus rocket has enough performance margin so that the ST5 mission will have a high probability of success.

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Hi. I'm Chuck Dovale, launch director for the ST5 mission. You've just met key individuals that have been working the ST5 mission and,

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actually, it's taken hundreds to get to this point. Now, we're close to drop. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the mission. Pegasus, away!

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