Space Shuttle Processing Status 6 Mar 2002
MISSION: STS-110 – 13th ISS Flight (8A) – ITS SO TRUSS AND MOBILE TRANSPORTER
VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE: April 4, 2002
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE: April 15, 2002
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: After completing an extensive modification period during its latest processing flow, Shuttle Atlantis rolled over to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) this morning for space vehicle mate, as final preparations began for the launch of the STS-110 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled for April 4.
The transporter carrying Atlantis backed out of Bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility at 9:50 a.m. – 10 minutes early – and Atlantis arrived in the VAB transfer aisle at 10:20 a.m. The orbiter will be lifted vertically into its VAB high bay tonight and will be mated to the twin Solid Rocket Boosters and the External Tank early Thursday. The Shuttle Interface Test, verifying the overall status of the STS-110 space vehicle, will be conducted over the weekend.
The STS-110 mission resumes ISS construction operations with the delivery of the first segment of the Integrated Truss Structure that will support solar panels providing additional power to the ISS. The STS-110 crew, commanded by Michael Bloomfield, will also install the first part of a Mobile Transporter that will provide a moveable base for the station’s Canadian robotic arm.
