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	+ Home CALIPSO and CloudSat will orbit Earth 460 kilometers or approximately 60-seconds apart. + More NASA Facts...		+ NASA Home > Mission Sections > Calipso > Launch Print This Email This CALIPSO and CloudSat Firing Room Launch Team Launch Team The launch team members assemble at their computer and communication consoles in the Launch Control Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base about three to four hours before the launch. The NASA launch manager is the highest authority during the launch of the mission and provides NASA's "Go/No-Go" decision to the mission director. Before liftoff, the launch manager checks with the launch team to make sure all the criteria are met and that the payload and Boeing Delta II vehicle are ready to go. Chuck Dovale, NASA Launch Manager The NASA Launch Manager ensures that the countdown and launch decision processes are properly followed. The manager polls the launch team members for "Go/No-Go" and then provides NASA's "Go/No-Go" for launch to the mission director. Learn more about Chuck Dovale and his job from the "In Their Own Words" video series. + Watch Video     Darren Bedell, NASA Chief Engineer As NASA engineering team leader, the chief engineer is responsible for advising the launch manger of the launch vehicle's engineering and analysis status and the "Go/No-Go" for launch. The chief engineer receives the status and assessment from the Kennedy Engineering Team.     John Calvert, Mission Integration Manager The Mission Integration Manager (MIM) assesses launch service and observatory readiness. The MIM receives information from the mission director on issues pertaining to overall health, status of operational network and progress of countdown operations. The MIM also serves as the primary interface between the spacecraft and the launch vehicle.     Bert Garrido, Safety & Mission Assurance Manager The Safety and Mission Assurance Manager is responsible for spacecraft and launch vehicle overall safety, quality, and independent assessment aspects of the launch countdown.     Kevin Brown, CALIPSO Spacecraft Mission Director The CALIPSO Spacecraft Mission Director provides the overall assessment of the spacecraft and its readiness to launch. The director receives status and recommendations from the launch support team and provides the spacecraft "Go/No-Go" to the launch manager.     Ron Boain, CloudSat Spacecraft Mission Director The CloudSat Spacecraft Mission Director provides the overall assessment of the spacecraft and its readiness to launch. The director receives status and recommendations from the launch support team and provides the spacecraft "Go/No-Go" to the launch manager.     Joe Lackovich, NASA Advisory Manager The NASA Advisory Manager provides consultation for assessing the launch process and countdown. The manager leads a team experienced in launch operations that provides an assessment of the launch countdown and launch team performance, and assures that the launch decision process is properly executed. NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center
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