Space Shuttle Processing Status 18 Nov 2002

MISSION: STS-113 – 16th ISS Flight (11A) – P1 Truss Segment

• VEHICLE:Endeavour/OV-105
• TARGET LAUNCH DATE:Nov. 22, 2002 NET
• TARGET LAUNCH TIME: 7 – 11 p.m.
• TARGET LANDING DATE: Dec. 3, 2002 NET
• MISSION DURATION:11 days
• SHUTTLE CREW:Wetherbee, Lockhart, Lopez-Alegria, Herrington
• ISS CREW UP: Bowersox, Budarin, Pettit
• ISS CREW DOWN: Korzun, Whitson, Treschev 
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE AND INCLINATION:122 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: Shuttle managers are gaining some confidence that open technical issues for Endeavour may be resolved this week and allow launch of STS-113 no earlier than Nov. 22. However, an evaluation and analysis of both issues is continuing as well as planning for alternate options that could require additional time.

Managers plan to meet late Wednesday to review the ongoing work and assess Endeavour’s status while maintaining preparations for a Friday launch.

Ultrasound inspections of Endeavour’s Remote Manipulator System robotic arm have found a roughly two-inch-square area of delamination of the arm’s carbon composite structure. Engineers are optimistic the delamination, which resulted from a bump by a work platform being installed in the shuttle cargo bay last week, may not affect the arm’s operation. Tests are planned with a robotic arm boom in Toronto, Canada, to gauge the structural effects of the damage on Endeavour. Those tests are expected to be completed by mid-week.

Engineers also are evaluating alternate options for resolution of the RMS issue in the event testing shows the arm cannot be used for STS-113 in its current condition. Those alternate options include a potential repair of the delamination area while the arm is installed on Endeavour or removing the arm from Endeavour at the launch pad and accomplishing the STS-113 mission solely using the International Space Station’s robotic arm. Initiating either alternate option would likely move Endeavour’s launch to at least early December.

This weekend, work has progressed on removing and replacing a nitrogen flex hose from Endeavour. The nitrogen flex hose is adjacent to an oxygen flex hose that was found leaking during Endeavour’s last launch attempt and was replaced last week. An analysis has indicated line fatigue from normal use and a weak configuration that allowed excessive flexing of the two lines likely caused the leak. Engineers are evaluating other flex hoses throughout the Space Shuttle to determine if any similar situations in other systems may need to be addressed. The evaluation has included removing some flex hoses from other Shuttle orbiters.