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GPM Liftoff and Seperation

1:55pm EST, 2/27/14 We have spacecraft separation! The GPM Core Observatory is flying on its own in orbit. The bolts holding it to the second stage sucessfully severed and the second stage has separated. The GPM spacecraft is flying on battery power until its two solar arrays deploy shortly. 1:52pm EST, 2/27/14 The nosecone fairing that protected the GPM Core Observatory through the atmosphere has safely separated and fallen away. 1:47pm EST, 2/27/14 The GPM Core Observatory has begun transmitting telemetry on to Mission Operations Control at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. 1

Second Flight Attitude Control Test Completed

A second scheduled test of the guidance and control system on the H-IIA launch vehicle has been completed to confirm that all devices for flight attitude control are working as expected. NASA Television has begun coverage of the GPM Core Observatory launch originating from Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Watch online at: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

GPM Ready for Launch

GPM Ready for Launch
Image Caption
GPM Ready for Launch

A Japanese H-IIA rocket with the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory onboard, is seen on launch pad 1 of the Tanegashima Space Center, Friday, Feb. 28, 2014, Tanegashima, Japan. Once launched, the GPM spacecraft will collect information that unifies data from an international network of existing and future satellites to map global rainfall and snowfall every three hours. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

H-IIA Rocket Rolls Out to the Launch Pad

GPM's H-IIA Rocket Rolls Out to the Launch Pad
Thursday, February 27, 2014
The H-IIA rocket with the Global Precipitation Measurement Core Observatory aboard rolled out to Launch Pad 1 at 1:04 p.m. on Feb. 27 (Japan time) at Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. The rocket is scheduled to lift off during a launch window that opens at 3:37 a.m. (JST) on Feb. 28. (1:37 p.m. Feb. 27 EST). A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Global Precipitation Measurement Core Observatory is seen as it rolls out to its launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. Image Credit: NASA/BIll Ingalls After an overnight rainstorm, clear skies and a...
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GPM on the Launchpad

GPM on the Launchpad
Image Caption
GPM on the Launchpad

A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory is seen as it rolls out to launch pad 1 of the Tanegashima Space Center, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, Tanegashima, Japan. Once launched, the GPM spacecraft will collect information that unifies data from an international network of existing and future satellites to map global rainfall and snowfall every three hours. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

GPM Rolllout to Launchpad

GPM Rolllout to Launchpad
Image Caption
GPM Rolllout to Launchpad

A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory is seen as it rolls out to launch pad 1 of the Tanegashima Space Center, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, Tanegashima, Japan. Once launched, the GPM spacecraft will collect information that unifies data from an international network of existing and future satellites to map global rainfall and snowfall every three hours. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

GPM Rolllout to Launchpad

GPM Rollout to Launchpad
Image Caption
GPM Rolllout to Launchpad

A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory is seen as it rolls out to launch pad 1 of the Tanegashima Space Center, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, Tanegashima, Japan. Once launched, the GPM spacecraft will collect information that unifies data from an international network of existing and future satellites to map global rainfall and snowfall every three hours. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

H-IIA Guidance and Control System '"Go"

The Global Precipitation Measurement Core Observatory is continuing to move successfully toward launch. Programs have been run on the guidance and control system on the H-IIA launch vehicle to confirm that all devices for flight attitude control are working as expected. The one-hour launch window for the GPM Core Observatory opens at Feb. 27 at 1:37 p.m. EST (Feb. 28 at 3:37 a.m. JST).
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