NASA Space Shuttle Processing Status 12 June 2006
Mission: STS-121 – 18th International Space Station Flight (ULF1.1) – Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103)
Location: Launch Pad 39B
Launch Date: Launch Processing Window July 1-19, 2006
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak, Wilson and Reiter
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
On Friday, hypergolic fuel was loaded into the hydraulic power units of the solid rocket boosters. The payload bay doors of the orbiter are currently closed in anticipation of high wind and rain from Tropical Storm Alberto. Weather permitting, the doors will be opened Tuesday for camera checkouts in the shuttle’s remote manipulator system (robotic arm) and the orbiter boom sensor system. Aft closeout work is also scheduled to begin Tuesday.
The crew is scheduled to fly to KSC today in advance of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, which is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. This is a launch dress rehearsal that occurs prior to each shuttle mission.
External Tank
External Tank 118, which will fly as part of the STS-115 mission, arrived via barge at the KSC turn basin Friday evening. It was transported to the Vehicle Assembly Building the same day. On Saturday, the tank was lifted into a checkout cell in high bay No.2, where it is being processed for flight.
