WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:06.000 GEORGE DILLER: This is Delta Launch Control at T minus 56 minute, 20 seconds and counting. 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:13.000 Now here in the Mission Director Center, joining us at the console is Karen Halterman. She 00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:20.000 is the NOAA-N Spacecraft Project Manager from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:29.000 Karen, the spacecraft has a lot of things to do very shortly after it comes off the rocket tonight 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:35.000 65 minutes after launch. Can you tell us some of the things that are going to happen, say, in the 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:41.000 first hour or so? And how are we going to be getting all that data back? 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:46.000 MS. HALTERMAN: Yes, George. First of all, we will be getting all the data 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:50.000 back in real time through the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite system. So we'll able to understand in 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:55.000 real time what's going on. The main thing that happens after we separate 00:00:55.000 --> 00:01:02.000 from the spacecraft, from the launch vehicle, is that we have to deploy many of our components that 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:11.000 are too large to fit inside the nose cone. Notably, the solar array and several antennas. The way this 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:18.000 works is totally autonomous. The computer on the satellite has already pre-programmed all the events 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:20.000 that will happen. And we'll be able to monitor it from 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:25.000 the ground, but there's not a command link. The first thing that happens after separation, 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:30.000 which, as you said, was more than an hour after launch, is that we deploy the solar array. The 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:39.000 solar array is very large when it's fully deployed. It's 20 feet by nine feet in size. But at launch, 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:48.000 it's folded up and held close to the spacecraft. So deploying the solar array involves -- there 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:54.000 are ten panels that make up the solar array. Those have to be unhinged and deployed. 00:01:54.000 --> 00:02:01.000 Furthermore, there is a boom that pushes the solar array away from the spacecraft. And then it 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:08.000 has to be oriented in a position to get the sun. So all that is done autonomously. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:14.000 Next we have three antennas that we need to deploy. The first one is the search and rescue 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:22.000 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 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:27.000 are very weak. And, therefore, we need a large antenna to be able to pick it up. And that antenna 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:34.000 is too large to fit inside the fairing. So that is the next event that takes place. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:41.000 The next antenna is our data collection system antenna. What this antenna does is it receives 00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:53.000 environmental data from unmanned platforms and balloons and various other things on the ground such 00:02:53.000 --> 00:03:01.000 as even migratory animals that have transmitters. That also picks up very weak signals and, therefore, it needs to be deployed. 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:08.000 And then the last antenna that we deploy is -- we call it the APT antenna, the Automatic Picture 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:13.000 Transmission. And this antenna is used to transmit data to the ground, imagery from the satellite as it 00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:20.000 travels overhead. And people can very inexpensively get receivers to collect that data. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:27.000 The last thing we deploy is a sun shade that is used to keep two of the instruments -- make sure 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:35.000 that sunlight doesn't enter their radiative coolers and the optics. All of these deployments take place within about 15 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:43.000 minutes. So we separate 65 minutes after launch, and then about 15 minutes later, all the deployments should have taken place. 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:51.000 Then, approximately 86 minutes after launch, we will pass over the first NOAA ground station at 00:03:51.000 --> 00:04:00.000 Fairbanks, Alaska. And there we'll have full command capability to access and command the satellite, if needed. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:07.000 Hopefully, everything has gone normally and autonomously. So we -- but we are prepared with 00:04:07.000 --> 00:04:13.000 contingency procedures. In the event something does not deploy properly. We try to send a command to do it again. 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:21.000 After that, the satellite just continues on its polar orbit and we start our 45-day checkout period, 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:30.000 which is a very comprehensive series of tests that we run to make sure that the satellite and all the instruments are working nominally. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:34.000 MR. DILLER: Now, how are you going to be getting the data during the deployments? What is it 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:40.000 that sends the data to the ground that you'll see? MS. HALTERMAN: Yes. We have an antenna that 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:44.000 was not actually designed to use the Tracking and Data Relay System. But TDRS is quite 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:50.000 sensitive and we have an Omni antenna that broadcasts in all directions. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:58.000 So the TDRS satellite picks that up. The data is relayed from our satellite through the TDRS system to White Sands. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:02.000 And then finally it winds up in the control center, which is in Suitland, Maryland. 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:09.000 So in virtually real time, the controller's in Suitland, Maryland can monitor what's going on. And 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:13.000 we'll actually still be getting that data, should be getting that data here as well as back at 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:17.000 Vandenberg, should be relayed back to us here. MR. DILLER: When's the first time you'll see 00:05:17.000 --> 00:05:21.000 something coming through TDRS? MS. HALTERMAN: We should -- we expect to see 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:27.000 TDRS data as soon as the fairing comes off, which is about five minutes after launch. We expect to get TDRS data. 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:33.000 MR. DILLER: Since the rocket will still be accelerating at that point, what kind of data might 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:39.000 you see? Would it give you any indication of the state of health of how TDRS is -- or, NOAA-N is 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:44.000 doing with the ride? MS. HALTERMAN: Yes, it should. It will be only engineering data. We're not expecting any 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:51.000 science data because our science instruments aren't on. But we have very sensitive gyros and so we should be 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:57.000 able to pick up accelerations on the gyros. We should also get data about our power system and 00:05:57.000 --> 00:06:02.000 our data handling system and the basic elements of the satellite. We should be able to see how they're doing. 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:08.000 MR. DILLER: Okay. Karen, thank you very much. And we'll be looking very much forward to hearing 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:16.000 how all those deployments have gone and certainly sure you'll be watching very closely in that first 15 minutes. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:22.000 MS. HALTERMAN: Absolutely. MR. DILLER: Thank you very much. MS. HALTERMAN: OK, sure. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:25.000 MR. DILLER: Karen Halterman, the Project Manager for NOAA-N from Goddard. 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:28.000 At T minus 50 minutes and counting, this is Delta Launch Control. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:28.000