Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-4769
Jessica Rye
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)
|
May 27, 2005
| STATUS REPORT:
S05-021
|
NASA's Space Shuttle Processing Status Report: S05-021
NASA's Shuttle fleet is housed and processed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Fla.
Discovery (OV-103)
Mission: STS-114 - 17th ISS Flight (LF1) - Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
Location: Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB)
Launch Date: Launch Planning Window July 13 - 31, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson, Thomas, Lawrence and Camarda
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Technicians performed borescope inspections of the retract link assembly in Discovery's landing gear door. The left-hand assembly was inspected and no cracks found. The closeout photos of the right-hand assembly were reviewed and showed no cracks. Auxiliary Power Units were successfully tested Wednesday.
Discovery will be removed from its External Tank (ET-120) and Solid Rocket Boosters on May 31. The Shuttle will be attached to its modified tank (ET-121) on June 7.
A new heater was added to ET-121 on the feedline bellows, part of the pipeline that carries the liquid oxygen to the orbiter's main engines. The heater is designed to reduce the potential for ice and frost buildup. Final work, including pull tests to ensure the heater is bonded properly and Thermal Protection System foam spray closeouts continue. Discovery is scheduled to roll back to the launch pad in mid-June.
The Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello was transferred back to the Space Station Processing Facility. The mission processing team will ensure fasteners, inside the module without adequate running torque to act as a secondary locking feature, do not disengage during ascent. Raffaello's hatch is scheduled to be opened on May 31. The additional tasks will not affect the STS-114 launch planning window.
Atlantis (OV-104)
Mission: STS-121 - 18th ISS Flight (ULF1) - Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1
Launch Date: Lighted Launch Planning Window September 9 - 24, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak and Wilson
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Technicians continue power-up testing on Atlantis for its mission (STS-121) to the International Space Station. Forward, mid-body and aft-area closeouts continue.
Following the discovery of a small crack in a retract link assembly on the right-hand main landing gear, the assembly was removed from the vehicle for analysis. A spare assembly was installed Thursday.
Space Shuttle Main Engine leak checks and hydraulics leak checks are complete. Final flight controls' cycling is finished. Orbiter KU-Band antenna testing and flight controls aerosurface checkout also are complete.
Previous Space Shuttle processing status reports are available on the Internet at: http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight
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