NASA Space Shuttle Processing Status Report 17 September 2004
Orbiters
None of NASA’s three Space Shuttle orbiters, Discovery,
Atlantis and Endeavour, along with the Shuttle launch pads,
all critical flight hardware for the orbiters and the
International Space Station, sustained damage during
Hurricane Frances.
On Monday, workers began taking the orbiters out of a
hurricane preparedness status and returning to regular
processing activities. Discovery was powered up on Tuesday
and the landing gear lowered. The payload bay doors were
closed during hurricane preparations, and they will remain
that way so technicians can perform an optics check of the
Heads Up Display, a standard check performed during
processing activities. The display provides visual alignment
cues to Space Shuttle commanders and pilots during approach
and landing. The payload bay doors are scheduled to open
Tuesday.
Atlantis and Endeavour also returned to pre-hurricane
processing activities.
Space Shuttle facilities including the Vehicle Assembly
Building, the Thermal Protection System Facility and the
Processing Control Center received significant damage. The
KSC Recovery Team continues to perform assessments of the
damage and create recovery plans to ensure Space Shuttle
facilities are safe and fully operational as quickly as
possible.
Processing activities associated with orbiter Thermal
Protection System (TPS) tiles are scheduled to begin Monday.
Following the move of the second floor TPS blanket area to a
hangar at the Shuttle Landing Facility (offered by the
Florida Space Authority), TPS blanket production could begin
as early as Sept. 27.
Managers at KSC are watching Hurricane Jeanne’s track to
determine what steps, if any, will be taken to prepare for
the storm. A decision will be made Saturday to determine
whether the Center will enter Hurricane Condition IV (50 knot
winds expected within 72 hours). If KSC enters Hurricane
Condition III (50 knot winds expected within 48 hours), the
orbiters will be prepared to ensure their safe ride-out of
the storm.
