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John F. Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899
AC 321-867-2468
________________________________  For Release:  March 6, 2003

Donald Savage
NASA Headquarters
202/358-1727

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center
321/867-2468

Jane Platt
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
818/354-0880

KSC Release No. 22-03

SPACE INFRARED TELESCOPE FACILITY ARRIVES AT KSC

The Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) arrived today at the
Kennedy Space Center to begin final preparations for its launch next
month aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket.  The observatory was shipped to 
Florida from the Lockheed Martin plant in Sunnyvale, Calif. 

The Space Infrared Telescope Facility marks the finale of NASA's Great 
Observatories program, which includes the Hubble Space Telescope, the 
Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory.  Its 
unprecedented infrared sensitivity will allow astronomers to capture 
what they affectionately call "the Old, the Cold, and the Dirty," 
referring to the coldest, oldest, and most dust-obscured objects and 
processes in the universe.

The observatory's amazing ability to sleuth around for low-
temperature objects will also aid in the search for planetary systems
in the make, some of which may breed Earth-like planets harboring
life. The mission is a cornerstone of NASA's Origins Program, which
seeks to answer the questions, "Where did we come from?  Are we
alone?" 

Final launch preparations for the mission will occur in NASA
spacecraft Hangar AE, a "class 10,000" laminar flow clean room on Cape 
Canaveral Air Force Station, where the telescope will spend
approximately one month.  Among the milestones that SIRTF must
accomplish while there are a confidence test of the telescope's three
instruments and the associated optics, which are part of the cryogenic 
telescope assembly; testing of the attitude and pointing control 
subsystem which will then be filled with ultra-pure high pressure 
nitrogen gas; checkout of the power and communications systems; and an 
end-to-end communications test with the Deep Space Network of tracking 
stations. 

After final closeouts of the observatory, SIRTF will be mated to the
payload attach fitting and transported to the launch pad.

Meanwhile, on Pad B at Launch Complex 17, the stacking of the Boeing
Delta II launch vehicle began on Feb. 24 and was followed with the
erection of the nine solid rocket boosters.  The second stage is
planned for hoisting atop the first stage on March 12.  A flight
simulation and a minus count with the vehicle loaded with liquid
oxygen will occur the following week.

SIRTF is scheduled to arrive at Pad 17-B on April 2 and will spend
approximately two weeks atop the Delta II Heavy launch vehicle.  The
payload fairing will be placed around the telescope on April 5. Then
the observatory's dewar will be cryogenically topped off with
super-cold liquid helium to its maximum capacity -- 360 liters (90
gallons) -- chilled to near absolute zero.  This is used to cool the
infrared detectors so that they can achieve the highest level of
sensitivity to the infrared spectrum of light.   This process of
filling the spacecraft dewar will take approximately six days. 

Finally, two days before launch, the Delta launch vehicle's second
stage will be fueled in advance for launch with its complement of
storable hypergolic propellants. 

Launch is scheduled to occur on Tuesday, April 15, 2003, at 4:34:07
a.m. EDT.

Further information about the Space Infrared Telescope Facility is
available at:           http://sirtf.caltech.edu/

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