Space Shuttle Processing Status 21 Nov 2002
MISSION: STS-113 – 16th ISS Flight (11A) – P1 Truss Segment
- VEHICLE:ENDEAVOUR/OV-105
- TARGET LAUNCH DATE:Nov. 22, 2002
- TARGET LAUNCH TIME: 7 – 11 p.m.
- TARGET LANDING DATE: Dec. 3, 2002
- 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:Thecountdown for Space Shuttle Endeavour’s launch on mission STS-113 to the International Space Station remains on scheduled for Friday, Nov. 22. Last night, mission managers cleared Endeavour of both technical issues that were under analysis since the previous launch attempt.
Engineering testing of the robotic arm that was bumped by a work platform being installed in the payload bay, showed the damage is not a concern for the arm’s operation during the mission. Both the gaseous oxygen and nitrogen flex hoses in the Environmental Control and Life Support System have been replaced, and managers concluded no further work is required prior to flight.
Overnight, work at the launch pad included the completion of loading the onboard cryogenic reactants into Endeavour’s storage tanks. Today, communications checks are being conducted.
Yesterday, the crew of mission STS-113 arrived at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Today, they will review their flight plans, get a briefing on the launch day weather, and fly in the Shuttle Training Aircraft.
Today, weather forecasters show a 20 percent probability of weather prohibiting Friday’s launch. Forecasts indicate a concern for strong winds at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) causing possible violations in case of a Return to Launch Site abort landing. The probability of weather prohibiting the loading of the External Tank with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tomorrow afternoon is 5 percent.
