NASA Space Shuttle Processing Status Report 18 March 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 15 – June 3, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson, Thomas, Lawrence and Camarda
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
In Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) bay 3, final processing work
continues on Discovery in preparation for its rollover to the Vehicle
Assembly Building (VAB) and mating, or attaching, to its Solid Rocket
Boosters and External Tank. The rollover milestone is moving to March
27 (previously March 22), due to additional work needed on wiring in
the payload bay and on the main and nose landing gear doors. Because
work is scheduled to end late that day, rollover could take place the
morning of March 28. If the work is completed safely and correctly,
the orbiter could be moved to the VAB earlier than March 27.
On orbiter Endeavour, wiring was found in a cable tray in the payload
bay that showed the fasteners were causing minor chafing on the
tubing surrounding the wires. Boroscope inspections of wire trays on
Discovery are complete, and some wires will require additional work.
The wire tray covers will be removed and chafe protection will be
added. Work on the seal installations and cycle checks on the main
and nose landing gear doors is almost complete.
Installation of resupply stowage racks in the Italian-built
Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), Raffaello was completed on
Monday. Installation of the resupply stowage bags continues in
preparation for MPLM hatch closure, currently scheduled for
mid-April. Installation of a Control Moment Gyro (CMG) onto a
Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier was
completed on March 14. During the mission, a spacewalk will be
performed to replace an inoperable CMG.
Mission: STS-121 – 18th ISS Flight (ULF1) – Multi-Purpose Logistics
Module
Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104)
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1
Launch Date: Launch Planning Window July 12 – July 31, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak and Wilson
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
In OPF bay 1, work continues on Atlantis’ Return to Flight mission,
designated STS-121, to the International Space Station. Technicians
are completing the final work in preparation for engine installation
which is scheduled for next week. Main Propulsion System leak and
functional electrical checks continue. Electrical checkouts of fuel
cells No. 1 and 3 are complete.
Preparations are in work for the installation of the new Orbiter Boom
Sensor System (OBSS), which was scheduled to arrive at KSC yesterday.
Checkout and installation of the four Manipulator Positioning
Mechanisms that will hold Atlantis’ OBSS on the starboard side of the
payload bay is under way. The 50-foot-long OBSS will attach to the
Remote Manipulator System, or Shuttle robotic arm, and is one of the
new safety measures for Return to Flight, equipping the orbiter with
cameras and laser systems to inspect the Shuttle’s Thermal Protection
System while in space.
NASA’s second redesigned Space Shuttle External Tank, designated for
use on mission STS-121, arrived on Tuesday at the Launch Complex 39
Area Turn Basin at Kennedy Space Center. It was offloaded and
transported to the VAB and was lifted Wednesday into the checkout
cell for final processing. Technicians are beginning preparations for
the aft hard-point closeout spray.
Endeavour (OV-105)
Orbiter Endeavour remains in the Florida Space Authority’s Reusable
Launch Vehicle hangar at Kennedy Space Center. While in the hangar,
Endeavour underwent testing to see how orbiters respond to a new
radar system that will be used to detect debris during launch. In the
OPF, work included modifications to the bay and platform validation.
Endeavour will return to OPF bay 2 today.
