NASA Space Shuttle Processing Status Report 11 February 2005

Mission: STS-114 – 17th ISS Flight (LF1) – Multi-Purpose Logistics
Module

Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103)

Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3

Launch Date: Launch Planning Window May 12 – June 3, 2005

Launch Pad: 39B

Crew: Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson, Thomas, Lawrence and Camarda
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Processing continues on orbiter Discovery in Orbiter Processing
Facility bay 3 for its Return to Flight mission, designated STS-114,
to the International Space Station (ISS). The STS-114 crew visited
Kennedy Space Center this week for the Crew Equipment Interface Test
(CEIT). Prior to each flight, crews participate in the CEIT for
hands-on training and hardware familiarization. The crew performs a
vehicle walk-around to inspect the Thermal Protection System and
enters the payload bay to inspect the new Orbiter Boom Sensor System.

System testing continues with fuel cell valve tests, Auxiliary Power
Unit controller checkout and payload bay door functional tests.
Flight crew equipment technicians began installing tools into the
mid-deck lockers in support of the CEIT. In the payload bay, the keel
yolk assembly for an external stowage platform was installed. The
platform will be deployed and mounted to the ISS and will be used by
crews as a permanent spare parts facility on the Station.

In the Space Station Processing Facility, prep work is under way for
the installation of the racks into the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
(MPLM), named Raffaello. The racks hold the supplies, including food,
clothing and spare parts.

In the Vehicle Assembly Building, all final closeouts have been
completed on the External Tank (ET) in the checkout cell prior to the
tank being mated, or attached, to the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB).
Repairs continue to progress well on the Solid Rocket Booster aft
inactive stub, an attach ring surrounding the booster located
approximately 10 ft. below the point where the External Tank is mated
to the SRBs. In preparation for ET/SRB mate, alignment optics will
begin on Monday. The External Tank is scheduled to be moved to the
integration cell and mated with the SRBs on Feb. 21.

Mission: STS-121 – 18th ISS Flight (ULF1) – Multi-Purpose Logistics

Module/Crew Rotation

Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104)

Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1

Launch Date: Launch Planning Window July 12 – August 3, 2005

Launch Pad: 39B

Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak and Wilson

Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Technicians continue to process Atlantis in Orbiter Processing
Facility bay 1 for its mission to the International Space Station.
The body flap power drive unit is installed in preparation for body
flap installation on the vehicle for flight early next week. Optics
alignment is complete on the Remote Manipulator System’s Manipulator
Positioning Mechanisms (MPM). MPMs are the pedestals that hold and
latch the Shuttle’s robotic arm and new boom in the payload bay.
Electrical checkout is complete on the MPMs on the starboard side,
which is the side where the boom will be installed.

The new left-hand Orbiter Maneuvering System (OMS) pod is scheduled to
be installed next week. An OMS pod was removed from Atlantis and
moved to the Hypergol Maintenance Facility for inspections on the
thrusters. Connector mates for Auxiliary Power Units No. 1, 2 and 3
are complete and the controllers are installed.

Endeavour (OV-105)

Space Shuttle Endeavour is located in Orbiter Processing Facility bay
2 and is in its Orbiter Major Modification period, which began in
December 2003.