03.10.06 Katherine Trinidad Headquarters, Washington Phone: (202) 358-3749 Jessica Rye Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Phone: (321) 867-2468 STATUS REPORT: S-031006 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 10, 2006 Launch Pad: 39B Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak, Wilson and Reiter Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles Final closeouts continue on orbiter Discovery in preparation for its rollover from Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Leak checks of the liquid oxygen system on space shuttle main engines No. 2 and 3 were successfully completed. On March 4, space shuttle technicians inside a work platform device, called a bridge bucket, accidentally bumped into Discovery's remote manipulator system, or shuttle arm. The bridge bucket was being used in the payload bay to clean up pieces of glass, following the accidental breaking of a heat lamp. That accident caused pieces of glass to fall into the payload bay. The initial inspections showed two indentations in the arm's outer bumper, a honeycombed structure made of epoxy and designed to protect the arm. One of the indentations is 0.115 inches deep and 1 inch long. The second indentation is 0.035 inches deep and half-an-inch long. Inspections of the forward indentation were completed Thursday night, and no issues were found. The second indentation will be inspected today. 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: No earlier than Aug. 28, 2006 Launch Pad: 39B Crew: Jett, Ferguson, Tanner, Burbank, MacLean and Stefanyshyn-Piper Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles Technicians continue processing Atlantis for its mission to the International Space Station. The vehicle remains in a scheduled powered-down period, with the next power-up to occur as early as today. Power up will follow the servicing of the water coolant loop. On Thursday, liquid oxygen leak checks began on the space shuttle main engines. Endeavour (OV-105) In Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, work continues on Endeavour following an extensive modification period. The vehicle was powered up on Wednesday following a planned powered-down period. Power-up system testing is resuming. On Tuesday, an X-ray technician preparing to perform X-rays on the rudder speed brake dropped a film processor on the left-hand side of the body flap, causing minimal tile damage. One tile was removed and will be replaced. Ultrasound inspections were performed and there is no structural damage to the body flap. External Tank Final closeouts continue in the checkout cell of the Vehicle Assembly Building on the external tank that will fly with Discovery, designated ET-119. An "all systems" electrical checkout was conducted on the external tank approximately one week prior to shipment from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to the Kennedy Space Center. Technicians noted a minimal difference from the expected reading on liquid hydrogen engine cutoff sensor No. 3. The cutoff sensors indicate whether the external tank still has fuel during liftoff. While the reading was within acceptable limits, additional data evaluation is needed before the Space Shuttle Program makes any decisions regarding flight rationale. The sensor switch could be performed at Kennedy in the checkout cell, which offers better access. A series of external tank wind tunnel tests began this week and will continue for several weeks. Analysis of the testing will be ongoing. 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 Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/home -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
