Unofficial SDO Launch Schedule and Information
By Deborah Scherrer
Latest change: 10 Feb 2010 - new SDO launch date
** SDO LAUNCH MOVED TO 10:23AM, FEBRUARY 11, 2010
**
Tentative
schedule of events:
|
6 Feb, Sat (or L-3) |
||
| 10
AM-5PM |
Science Working Group meeting - Clarion Inn Kennedy
Space Center We're encouraging scientists to bring posters on individual science topics. |
All
SDO-affiliated scientists are invited to attend.
Contact Barbara Thompson, 202 427 2096 (c) if anyone needs information or updates or has difficulty finding the meeting site |
| Late
evening / early morning |
Informal
groups interested in the shuttle
launch will probably depart shortly after midnight to view launch
from public sites. Best places to view shuttle launch offsite: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/view/view_shuttle.html |
Optional |
| L-2 |
||
| 4:39
AM. |
Check this website
for latest launch changes: |
Optional |
| 2-5:30
PM |
SDO Education and Outreach Launch Activities Activity tables & telescopes at Kennedy Space Center. |
Optional |
| 2:30pm - 3:30pm | Space Public Outreach Team (SPOT) Presentation | Optional Astronaut Encounter Auditorium |
| L-1 |
||
| 9
AM-4 PM |
Guest
Ops Registration |
Required Go to http://guestops.hq.nasa.gov/SDO_guests.html
for information and updates |
| 9
AM --5:30 |
SDO Education and Outreach Launch Activities Activity tables &
telescopes at Kennedy Space Center. |
Optional |
| 10:00am - 11:00am | Space Public Outreach Team (SPOT) Presentation | Optional Astronaut Encounter Auditorium |
| 10
AM-2:15 PM |
Public
bus tours of KSC - different tours for Kennedy and for Canaveral.
SDO launches from Canaveral. Sometimes bus tours
fill up. To reserve space call 321-449-4400 or go online http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/buy-tickets.aspx
|
Optional. Your NASA launch ticket
will provide you access to KSC plus a discount on bus tours and IMAX. But only on the day before and day of SDO launch.
Other times, you'll need to pay ($40/adult, $21/bus tour) |
| 1
PM -2:30 PM |
Restricted
access - for Participants and Media only |
|
| 3
PM -4 PM |
For
all launch attendees |
|
| 5-7
PM |
United Launch Associates SDO reception at the Doubletree
Hotel in |
|
| 8
PM - 11PM |
Beach
Bonfire: Bring your own smores! |
Optional |
| 11
Feb, Thu - Launch Day |
||
| 7
AM - 1 hr before launch 2
hours before launch - 1 hour before launch 10:23-11:23 AM |
Guest registration Board buses to viewing site SDO Launch! |
Required Check http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html
for launch schedule |
| Afternoon |
Reception/party
- details to come |
|
- The SWG will be held on Saturday, February 6 from 10:00am until 5:00pm at the Clarion Inn Kennedy Space Center.
- Poster presentations on science,
data handling, or any other supplementary topics are welcome. There are
no specific size limits
for the posters, but please stay within the range of standard conference sizes. Send Barbara Thompson (Barbara.J.Thompson {at} nasa.gov) an approximate title so we can plan for the correct number of posters. - We can provide a "receipt"
of attendance. If your organization needs any specific wording or information
to be convinced that this was an
official SDO activity, please let Barbara Thompson know.
9:30 - Coffee/tea available
10 min. - Welcome/Intros - Pesnell
10 min. - Current Mission/Launch Status - Pesnell
10 min. per instrument: Instrument status
Each of the PI Teams give brief description of investigation, science
goals, and early instrument ops
- AIA
- HMI
- EVE
Science data discussion (the order of the presentations will be
determined later):
- AIA, EVE, HMI: Data systems/ availability, data levels and data
products, browse data/tools, software required for basic data processing
- Helioviewer and JPEG2000 for SDO: description, architecture, and
demonstration of browse capabilities: Ireland
- Heliophysics Events Knowledgebase & data access: Hurlburt
- Feature Finding System: Martens
Lunch: 60 - 75 min.
Science data discussion (continued)
15 min. - VSO products - what do people need/want? - Thompson
20 min. - SDO "first light" events - Pesnell
10 min. - The SDO book - Chamberlin
30 min.- SDO Science Meeting Planning - Thompson, Pesnell, Chamberlin
& Hoeksema
5 min. - Next SWG
- AOB
60 min. - Poster Session: 1 hour
Poster presentations are welcome*
19:00 (thereabouts): Dinner at Dixie Crossroads restaurant
* RSVP to Barbara.J.Thompson {at} nasa.gov if you plan to bring a poster *
Activity Tables (L-2, and 1) - confirmed: Activities will run from 2-5:30 on L-2 and all day on L-1. There will be four activity tables set up at the visitor complex. Participants will be able to observe the Sun through solar telescopes and sunspotters, explore the size and scale of the solar system with a series of different sized balls and an inflatable Sun, experiment with Ultraviolet beads and interact with SDO scientists and engineers at the SDO informational table.
Space Public Outreach Team (SPOT) Presentations :
The SPOT presentations will be given multiple times at the KSC Visitor Complex. The interactive SPOT presentations utilize slides, videos, animations and an inquisitive approach to relay the excitement of new discoveries in solar and space science.
L-1 Pre-Launch Press Briefing at KSC Press Site, 1:00-1:45
pm
Panelists:
- Ed Weiler, Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA HQ
- Omar Baez, NASA Launch Director for SDO
- Vernon Thorpe, Program Manager, NASA Misisons
- Elizabeth Citrin, SDO Project Manager, Goddard Space Flight Center
- Clay Flynn, Atlas V Launch Weather Officer, 45th Weather Squadron, Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station
Panelists:
- Madhulika Guhathakurta, SDO Program Scientist, NASA Headquarters
- Dean Pesnell, SDO Project Scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center
- Philip H. Scherrer, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) PI, Stanford
University, Palo Alto, CA
- Alan Title, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) PI, Lockheed Martin Solar
and Astrophysics Laboratory, Palo Alto, CA
- Tom Woods, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) PI, Laboratory
for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
- MC - Lisa Malone, Director, External Relations, KSC
- National Anthem, Sung by Susan Lambert
- Greeting - Robert Cabana, Director, KSC,
- Remarks - Robert Strain, Director, GSFC/NASA (3 minutes)
- Remarks - Richard Fisher, Director, Heliophysics Division, NASA Headquarters (2 minutes)
- Mission Overview - Elizabeth Citrin, SDO Project Manager, GSFC (5 minutes)
- Science Overview - Dean Pesnell, SDO Project Scientist, GSFC (5 minutes)
- Launch Services - Stephen Francois, Manager, Launch Services Program, KSC (5 minutes)
- Launch Vehicle - Vernon Thorpe, NASA Program Manager, ULA (4 minutes)
SDO
Launch details:
- SDO
is set to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Feb.
11. There is a one-hour launch window that extends from 10:23 to 11:23 a.m.
EST.
- For those who signed up to attend the launch, NASA is providing tickets and access to KSC to view the launch. Only viewers with NASA tickets can view the launch from within the complex. Note that, for safety, we'll still be a couple miles away.
- ** Bring binoculars for each member of your party **
- SDO launches from
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 41
Space Shuttle Endeavor launch details:
- 8 February, Monday at 4:39 AM (so think very late Sunday night) There are no tickets available, but the shuttle launch can be viewed from public areas (see http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/view/view_shuttle.html)
- Informal groups will probably organize to go see this launch - prepare to leave late Sun evening & stay up most of night.
- Bring binoculars
- Check this website for latest changes:
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html
- About the shuttle mission:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts130/index.html
- Viewing advice from someone outside of NASA (useful info):
http://www.launchphotography.com/Shuttle_Launch_Viewing.html
Hotels, etc.
- The
usual place to stay for launches is
http://travel.nextag.com/cocoa-beach-oceanfront/hotels-html
- You'll most likely need a rental car.
- http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/index.asp
- SDO
launch attendees will receive a free ticket for KSC, good for the day before
& the day of launch (plus any launch delay days). The ticket will also give you discounts
on the bus tours and IMAX shows. Open
9-5:30
- Bus
tours run 10 AM - 2:15 PM. There
are (separate) bus tours of
- "Lunch with an Astronaut" is also available for additional cost; might be fun for kids; check the website and book ahead as above
- The Astronaut Hall of Fame, nearby, is also worth visiting. They have a G-force trainer and a flight simulator you can ride. Fun for kids. Admission included with your KSC ticket, but the rides are a little extra (I think.) http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/astronaut-hall-of-fame.aspx
- Normal admission to KSC for adults is $40 plus $21 for each bus tour, less for kids. If you're visiting KSC earlier than the day before SDO launch, you'll need to pay full price.
SDO shirts, merchandise:
To receive before launch,
SDO things need to be ordered by ~15 January
§ HMI (Stanford's team) logo patches and lapel pins will be available to everyone on the HMI team and everyone attending the launch with us.
§ SDO polo shirts, dress shirts, fleece jackets, bags, and baseball caps can be ordered with the SDO logo. See http://sdo.eliteimagestore.com
- SDO tshirts done by United Launch Alliance (ULA), the company that does launches for NASA, are available for $14. These have a large SDO image on back, with a ULA logo on a front pocket. See
https://www.companypromostore.com/stores/ula/product.php?productid=23722&cat=539&page=1
About NASA's SDO
|
|
Solar Dynamics Observatory, the name of the mission. |
The spacecraft portion was designed & built by Goddard Space Flight Center. The spacecraft holds 3 scientific research instruments, produced by teams around the country: HMI, AIA, and EVE |
|
|
Helioseismic & Magnetic Imager (HMI) |
Philip Scherrer, PI Team at |
|
|
Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) |
Alan Title, PI Team at Lockheed Martin |
|
|
Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) |
Tom Woods, PI Team at Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
(LASP), U of |
|
|
Atlas V 401 launch vehicle |
The launch vehicle is produced and operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a private conglomerate. See |
