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
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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)

GPM on the Launchpad

GPM on the Launchpad
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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)