GUCP Seal Change Continues

Today at NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A, teams will continue changing a seal at the ground umbilical carrier plate, or GUCP, on space shuttle Discovery’s external fuel tank.

Technicians completed a walk down yesterday of the launch pad to evaluate potential damage after a feeler gauge, which came apart last night, fell from the work area. A feeler gauge is a tool technicians use that consist of 13 pieces of metal about the thickness of a piece of paper held together by a retainer screw. It was being used by a technician to take measurements on the GUCP.

‪Engineers have identified minor foam damage to the backside of the external tank, which will not need repair. All components from the gauge have been located.

‪Inclement weather delayed Marshall Space Flight Center’s opening, so the Space Shuttle Program will hold its Flight Readiness Review tomorrow to assess the readiness of Discovery, the crew, flight and launch control teams, to proceed toward the target launch date of Thursday, Feb. 24. The meeting typically concludes with a recommendation to proceed to the agency Flight Readiness Review scheduled at Kennedy on Friday, Feb. 18.