NPP Holds To Oct. 25 Launch Date
By Michael Mecham .
After battling instrument delays, NASA’s Npoess Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite has emerged from its last major prelaunch hurdle, a two-month-long thermal vacuum test, and is on track for an Oct. 25 liftoff from Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
The 13.5-ft. tall, 4,700-lb. satellite is based on Ball Aerospace’s BCP 2000 bus and includes five weather and ...