|
|
|
|
|
Posted by on October 6, 2006, 7:14 pm
Please log in for more thread options
10.06.06
Jessica Rye
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
STATUS REPORT: S-100606
NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS REPORT
Note: NASA's Kennedy Space Center issues Space Shuttle Processing
Status Reports periodically and is the source for information
regarding processing activities associated with the vehicles and
payloads. If you are a member of the media and would like further
information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/index.html
Mission: STS-116 - 20th International Space Station Flight (12A.1) -
P5 Truss Segment
Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103)
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3
Launch Date: No earlier than Dec. 7, 2006
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Polansky, Oefelein, Curbeam, Higginbotham, Patrick, Fuglesang
and Williams
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
During Thursday's Program Requirements Control Board meeting, Space
Shuttle Program managers discussed the self-imposed restriction to
daylight launches of the first two missions following the Columbia
accident. The Program agreed to evaluate daylight versus night
launches on a mission by mission basis when requirements for highly
desirable launch and ascent imagery are identified. The consensus was
that restoring night launch capability of the shuttle does not impose
additional risk to the safety of the vehicle and crew. It provides
flexibility in scheduling missions to the International Space Station
toward fulfilling the shuttle's mission to finish station
construction within the remaining life of the shuttle fleet prior to
the fleet's retirement in 2010. The current no earlier than launch
date would have a launch time of 9:38 p.m.
Engineers reviewed the damage to orbiter Discovery's right-hand
external tank door mechanism, which resulted during the process of
reassembling the linkage following the changeout of the power drive
unit. Replacement parts will be delivered to the bay today and are
scheduled to be installed early next week. There is no impact to the
overall processing schedule.
The STS-116 crew will be at Kennedy Space Center next week for the
crew equipment interface test. A routine part of astronaut training
and launch preparations, the test activities allow for equipment
familiarization and inspection of the items and hardware that will be
used during the mission.
In the Vehicle Assembly Building, solid rocket booster stacking is
complete and technicians are working on final joint closeout. Program
managers will hold the external tank and booster mate review on Oct.
10, followed by the mating on Oct. 13 of the external tank,
designated ET-123, scheduled to fly with Discovery.
Mission: STS-117 - 21st International Space Station Flight (13A) -
S3/S4 Truss Segment Solar Arrays
Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104)
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1
Launch Date: No earlier than Feb. 22, 2007
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Sturckow, Archambault, Reilly, Forrester, Swanson and Olivas
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Technicians continue performing post-landing inspections on orbiter
Atlantis and are about 85 percent complete with the review of the
thermal protection system. During inspections, a 0.1-inch diameter
impact was noted on Atlantis' right-hand payload bay door radiator.
The damage has been preliminarily identified as caused by
micrometeoroid orbital debris (MMOD), which passed through the
radiator's face (outer) sheet, interior honeycomb structure and inner
sheet. The MMOD did not impact the payload bay door itself. Ground
operations personnel at Kennedy Space Center will repair the damage
as soon as a plan is developed and approved, while ensuring the site
is protected for analysis by orbital debris experts at Johnson Space
Center.
This week, technicians performed the forward reaction control system
functional test and checkout, with a similar test scheduled for the
orbiter maneuvering system this weekend. On Oct. 1, technicians
removed the three space shuttle main engines from the aft of the
vehicle. Wing leading edge thermography on the reinforced
carbon-carbon panels is complete and the chin panel, located under
the nose cap, has been removed.
Endeavour (OV-105)
Endeavour remains powered down in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2
and technicians continue preparing the vehicle for its first launch
following an extensive modification period. Exhaust duct leak checks
are complete on auxiliary power unit No. 1.
Work continues on the orbiter boom sensor system manipulator
positioning mechanism. The mechanisms serve as the pedestals that
hold the boom in place in the payload bay when it is not in use. The
aft pedestal is installed for flight.
-end-
|
| Similar Threads | Posted | | Space Shuttle Processing Status Report, 24-06-2005 | June 27, 2005, 10:54 pm |
| Space Shuttle Processing Status Report, 07-07-2005 | July 8, 2005, 6:03 pm |
| Space Shuttle Processing Status Report, 08-07-2005 | July 9, 2005, 10:35 am |
| Space Shuttle Processing Status Report, 09-07-2005 | July 10, 2005, 1:25 pm |
| Space Shuttle Processing Status Report, 10-07-2005 | July 11, 2005, 5:11 am |
| Space Shuttle Processing Status Report, 12-07-2005 | July 13, 2005, 5:09 am |
| Space Shuttle Processing Status Report, 14-07-2005 | July 15, 2005, 12:39 am |
| Space Shuttle Processing Status Report, 25-07-2005 | July 25, 2005, 6:41 pm |
| Space Shuttle Processing Status Report, 26-08-2005 | August 26, 2005, 10:27 pm |
| NASA's Space Shuttle Processing Status Report: S05-034 | December 3, 2005, 12:03 pm |
|
|
|
XML Sitemap