NASA Space Shuttle Processing Status 14 July 2005
Discovery (OV-103)
Mission: STS-114 – 17th ISS Flight (LF1)
Payload: Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
Location: Launch Pad 39B
Launch Date: No earlier than July 17, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson, Thomas, Lawrence and Camarda
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Space Shuttle managers say the launch of NASA’s Space Shuttle Return to Flight mission, STS-114, will take place no earlier than Sunday, July 17. If Space Shuttle Discovery does launch Sunday, it would lift off at 2:14 p.m. EDT.
Mission Management Team and engineering meetings took place last night and today at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Team members reviewed data and possible troubleshooting plans for the liquid hydrogen tank low-level fuel cut-off sensor. The sensor failed a routine prelaunch check during the launch countdown yesterday afternoon, causing mission managers to scrub Discovery’s first launch attempt. The sensor protects the Shuttle’s main engines by triggering their shutdown in the event fuel runs unexpectedly low. The sensor is one of four inside the liquid hydrogen section of the External Tank (ET).
A new official launch date will be scheduled once a troubleshooting plan is complete and engineers are working on a solution. Space Shuttle Program managers plan a series of meetings tomorrow to discuss the problem and finalize the troubleshooting plan.
The launch control team began troubleshooting while the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen were drained from the ET last night. The No. 2 liquid hydrogen sensor in the External Tank’s liquid hydrogen tank continued to read “wet” and did not transition to a “dry” indication once the tank was completely drained. Following detanking operations, the same commands that were sent during the launch countdown were repeated while draining. While going through commands, sensor No. 2 continued to show “wet” instead of “dry.” The firing room then reissued commands and the sensor went to “dry” as it should have. Another round of commands was sent and sensor No. 2 performed as expected, with all sensors in the “dry” state.
Space Shuttle Discovery remains at Launch Pad 39B. The Rotating Service Structure was rotated back around the vehicle last night.
The STS-114 crew, led by Commander Eileen Collins, remains at Kennedy Space Center while engineers assess the problem. During their 12-day Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station, Discovery’s seven crew members will test new techniques and equipment designed to make Space Shuttle missions safer. They’ll also deliver supplies and make repairs to the Space Station.
Previous Space Shuttle processing status reports are available on the Internet at:
http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight
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