March 18, 2005

Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington 
(Phone: 202/358-4769) 

Jessica Rye
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)

STATUS REPORT: S05-011

SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS REPORT: S05-011

The Shuttle fleet is housed and processed at NASA’s Kennedy Space 
Center (KSC), Fla. 

Discovery (OV-103) 
Mission: STS-114 - 17th ISS Flight (LF1) - Multi-Purpose Logistics 
Module 
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) Bay 3 
Launch Date: Launch Planning Window, May 15 to June 3, 2005 
Launch Pad: 39B 
Crew: Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson, Thomas, Lawrence and Camarda 
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

In Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) bay 3, final processing work 
continues on Discovery in preparation for its rollover to the Vehicle 
Assembly Building (VAB) and attaching to its Solid Rocket Boosters 
and External Tank. The rollover milestone is moving to March 27 
(previously March 22), due to additional work needed on wiring in the 
payload bay and on the main and nose landing gear doors. Because work 
is scheduled to end late that day, rollover could take place the 
morning of March 28. If the work is completed safely and correctly, 
the orbiter could be moved to the VAB earlier than March 27. 

On orbiter Endeavour, wiring was found in a cable tray in the payload 
bay which showed fasteners were causing minor chafing on the tubing 
surrounding the wires. Boroscope inspections of wire trays on 
Discovery are complete, and some wires will require additional work. 
The wire tray covers will be removed and chafe protection will be 
added. Work on seal installations and cycle checks on the main and 
nose landing gear doors are almost complete. 

Installation of resupply stowage racks in the Italian-built 
Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), Raffaello was completed on 
Monday. Installation of the resupply stowage bags continues in 
preparation for MPLM hatch closure, scheduled for mid-April. 
Installation of a Control Moment Gyro (CMG) onto a Lightweight 
Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier was completed on 
March 14. During the STS-114 mission, a spacewalk will be performed 
to replace an inoperable CMG. 

Mission: STS-121 - 18th ISS Flight (ULF1) - Multi-Purpose Logistics 
Module/Crew Rotation 
Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104) 
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 
Launch Date: Launch Planning Window July 12 – July 31, 2005 
Launch Pad: 39B 
Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak and Wilson 
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

In OPF bay 1, work continues on Atlantis’ Return to Flight mission, 
designated STS-121, to the International Space Station. Technicians 
are completing the final work in preparation for engine installation 
scheduled for next week. Main Propulsion System leak and functional 
electrical checks continue. Electrical checkouts of fuel cells No. 1 
and 3 are complete. 

Preparations continue for the installation of the new Orbiter Boom 
Sensor System (OBSS), which was scheduled to arrive at KSC yesterday. 
Checkout and installation of the four Manipulator Positioning 
Mechanisms that will hold Atlantis’ OBSS on the starboard side of the 
payload bay is under way. The 50-foot-long OBSS will attach to the 
Remote Manipulator System (Shuttle robotic arm). It is one of the new 
safety measures for Return to Flight, equipping the orbiter with 
cameras and laser systems to inspect the Shuttle’s Thermal Protection 
System while in space. 

NASA’s second redesigned Space Shuttle External Tank for STS-121 
arrived on Tuesday at KSC. It was offloaded and transported to the 
VAB. It was lifted Wednesday into the checkout cell for final 
processing. Technicians are beginning preparations for the aft 
hard-point closeout spray 

Endeavour (OV-105) 

Endeavour is in its Orbiter Major Modification period, which began in 
December 2003. 

Previous Space Shuttle processing status reports are available on the 
Internet at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight

	
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