01.06.06 J.D. Harrington Headquarters, Washington Phone: (202) 358-5241 Jessica Rye Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Phone: (321) 867-2468 STATUS REPORT: S-010606 NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS REPORT Note: NASA's Kennedy Space Center issues Space Shuttle Processing Status Reports each week, and is the source for information regarding processing activities associated with the vehicles and payloads. This report does not necessarily reflect the chronological order of future Space Shuttle missions. If you are a member of the media and would like further information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/index.html. Discovery (OV-103) Mission: STS-121 - 18th International Space Station Flight (ULF1.1) Payload: Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3 Launch Date: No earlier than May 2006 Launch Pad: 39B Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak, Wilson and Reiter Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles On Tuesday, the vehicle was powered up so technicians could open the payload bay doors and deploy the Ku-band antenna, putting the vehicle back into a processing configuration. Crew module leak checks were successfully performed. Fuel cell No. 2 was removed and replaced on Thursday. The fuel cells are located under the forward portion of the payload bay. They make power for the orbiter by mixing hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity. The fuel cells also create potable water for the crew. Technicians continue to remove and replace gap fillers at a rate of about 100 per day. New installation procedures ensure the gap fillers stay in place and pose no hazard during re-entry to the atmosphere. Atlantis (OV-104) Mission: STS-115 - 19th International Space Station Flight (12A) Payload: P3/P4 Solar Arrays Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 Launch Date: TBD Launch Pad: 39B Crew: Jett, Ferguson, Tanner, Burbank, MacLean and Stefanyshyn-Piper Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles Atlantis' payload bay doors were opened and the Ku-band antenna was deployed this week. On Tuesday, the shipping lid for the remote manipulator system was removed and preparations continue for installation. Endeavour (OV-105) Technicians began processing Endeavour in Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2. The vehicle was powered up Wednesday to support the opening of the payload bay doors. Body flap installation is complete. Work continues on the thermal protection system blanket for the reinforced carbon-carbon nose cap. Endeavour is in a scheduled two-week, power down period to make modifications on the "station to shuttle power transfer system." The new system will allow the vehicle to stay docked to the International Space Station longer than on previous missions. For previous space shuttle processing status reports on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ -end- To subscribe to the list, send a message to: ksc-subscribe@newsletters.nasa.gov To remove your address from the list, send a message to: ksc-unsubscribe@newsletters.nasa.gov
