GEORGE DILLER: This is Delta Launch Control at T minus 56 minute, 20 seconds and counting.
Now here in the Mission Director Center, joining us at the console is Karen Halterman. She
is the NOAA-N Spacecraft Project Manager from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Karen, the spacecraft has a lot of things to do very shortly after it comes off the rocket tonight
65 minutes after launch. Can you tell us some of the things that are going to happen, say, in the
first hour or so? And how are we going to be getting all that data back?
MS. HALTERMAN: Yes, George. First of all, we will be getting all the data
back in real time through the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite system. So we'll able to understand in
real time what's going on. The main thing that happens after we separate
from the spacecraft, from the launch vehicle, is that we have to deploy many of our components that
are too large to fit inside the nose cone. Notably, the solar array and several antennas. The way this
works is totally autonomous. The computer on the satellite has already pre-programmed all the events
that will happen. And we'll be able to monitor it from
the ground, but there's not a command link. The first thing that happens after separation,
which, as you said, was more than an hour after launch, is that we deploy the solar array. The
solar array is very large when it's fully deployed. It's 20 feet by nine feet in size. But at launch,
it's folded up and held close to the spacecraft. So deploying the solar array involves -- there
are ten panels that make up the solar array. Those have to be unhinged and deployed.
Furthermore, there is a boom that pushes the solar array away from the spacecraft. And then it
has to be oriented in a position to get the sun. So all that is done autonomously.
Next we have three antennas that we need to deploy. The first one is the search and rescue
antenna. This antenna is used to pick up emergency signals from people in distress on the ground. The signals that are set off on the ground
are very weak. And, therefore, we need a large antenna to be able to pick it up. And that antenna
is too large to fit inside the fairing. So that is the next event that takes place.
The next antenna is our data collection system antenna. What this antenna does is it receives
environmental data from unmanned platforms and balloons and various other things on the ground such
as even migratory animals that have transmitters. That also picks up very weak signals and, therefore, it needs to be deployed.
And then the last antenna that we deploy is -- we call it the APT antenna, the Automatic Picture
Transmission. And this antenna is used to transmit data to the ground, imagery from the satellite as it
travels overhead. And people can very inexpensively get receivers to collect that data.
The last thing we deploy is a sun shade that is used to keep two of the instruments -- make sure
that sunlight doesn't enter their radiative coolers and the optics. All of these deployments take place within about 15
minutes. So we separate 65 minutes after launch, and then about 15 minutes later, all the deployments should have taken place.
Then, approximately 86 minutes after launch, we will pass over the first NOAA ground station at
Fairbanks, Alaska. And there we'll have full command capability to access and command the satellite, if needed.
Hopefully, everything has gone normally and autonomously. So we -- but we are prepared with
contingency procedures. In the event something does not deploy properly. We try to send a command to do it again.
After that, the satellite just continues on its polar orbit and we start our 45-day checkout period,
which is a very comprehensive series of tests that we run to make sure that the satellite and all the instruments are working nominally.
MR. DILLER: Now, how are you going to be getting the data during the deployments? What is it
that sends the data to the ground that you'll see? MS. HALTERMAN: Yes. We have an antenna that
was not actually designed to use the Tracking and Data Relay System. But TDRS is quite
sensitive and we have an Omni antenna that broadcasts in all directions.
So the TDRS satellite picks that up. The data is relayed from our satellite through the TDRS system to White Sands.
And then finally it winds up in the control center, which is in Suitland, Maryland.
So in virtually real time, the controller's in Suitland, Maryland can monitor what's going on. And
we'll actually still be getting that data, should be getting that data here as well as back at
Vandenberg, should be relayed back to us here. MR. DILLER: When's the first time you'll see
something coming through TDRS? MS. HALTERMAN: We should -- we expect to see
TDRS data as soon as the fairing comes off, which is about five minutes after launch. We expect to get TDRS data.
MR. DILLER: Since the rocket will still be accelerating at that point, what kind of data might
you see? Would it give you any indication of the state of health of how TDRS is -- or, NOAA-N is
doing with the ride? MS. HALTERMAN: Yes, it should. It will be only engineering data. We're not expecting any
science data because our science instruments aren't on. But we have very sensitive gyros and so we should be
able to pick up accelerations on the gyros. We should also get data about our power system and
our data handling system and the basic elements of the satellite. We should be able to see how they're doing.
MR. DILLER: Okay. Karen, thank you very much. And we'll be looking very much forward to hearing
how all those deployments have gone and certainly sure you'll be watching very closely in that first 15 minutes.
MS. HALTERMAN: Absolutely. MR. DILLER: Thank you very much. MS. HALTERMAN: OK, sure.
MR. DILLER: Karen Halterman, the Project Manager for NOAA-N from Goddard.
At T minus 50 minutes and counting, this is Delta Launch Control.