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Mission Rehearsal in the Launch Control Center

On June 28, members of the PAS-9 launch team rehearsed launch procedures and functions in the Launch Control Center, aboard the Sea Launch Commander. This practice allows all participants to hone problem-solving challenges in a real-time environment.

There are three planned integrated launch rehearsals prior to each mission. The first, shown in these photos, took place prior to departure from Home Port. During this rehearsal, the launch team - consisting of customer representatives and members of the launch team - simulated the last 6 1/2 hours of the launch countdown. During the rehearsal, simulated anomalies were introduced to exercise the use of back up systems and the launch countdown procedures.

The second rehearsal is held shortly after the Sea Launch vessels begin the transit to the launch site on the equator. This rehearsal also begins with the countdown at 6 1/2 hours before launch, but includes the flight phase of the mission through spacecraft separation.

The third rehearsal takes place a few days prior to arrival at the launch site and serves as a final dress rehearsal. The scope of this rehearsal is expanded to include all of the communication centers around the world that will support the launch, including NASA, TDRSS, Moscow Control Center, Hughes Mission Control center in El Segundo and operation support centers at each of the Sea Launch partner facilities at Sea Launch Home Port (Long Beach) , Boeing (Seattle), Energia (Moscow), Yuzhnoye (Dnepropetrovsk) as well as the launch team members on the Sea Launch vessels.