Space Shuttle Processing Status 4 Apr 2002
MISSION: STS-110 – 13th ISS Flight (8A) – ITS S0 TRUSS AND MOBILE
TRANSPORTER
VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
KSC LAUNCH DATE: NET Sunday, April 7, 2002
LAUNCH TIME PERIOD: 2 -6 p.m. EDT
MISSION DURATION: 11 days
CREW: Bloomfield, Frick, Ross, Smith, Ochoa, Morin, Walheim
ORBITAL INSERTION ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 122 nautical miles/51.6 degrees
Shuttle Processing Note: The countdown for Shuttle Atlantis entered a
72-hour turnaround cycle following today’s launch scrub due to a weld leak
in a ground support gaseous hydrogen vent line on the east side of the
Mobile Launcher Transporter. The countdown was stopped at 9:27 a.m. after
the leak was identified shortly after the fast fill loading of the liquid
hydrogen propellants had begun. The turnaround plan includes allotted time
to perform the weld repairs on the hydrogen line and return the vehicle to a
timeline to resume the countdown, leading to a liftoff no earlier than
Sunday. The Mission Management Team will meet Friday morning to assess the
scope of work to be accomplished.
Following the scrub, the launch team returned the orbiter to a safe
condition before engineers entered the pad to make their inspections. An
engineering team has determined that a clamshell weld can be performed in
place on the side of the Mobile Launcher Platform. Work at the pad tonight
includes off-loading the mid-deck payload experiments and returning the
Rotating Service Structure to its closed position around Atlantis.
The seven STS-110 crewmembers have elected to remain at the Kennedy Space
Center over the weekend to continue their final preparations for launch.