07.28.06 Tracy Young Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 STATUS REPORT: S-072806 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. 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 Mission: STS-115 - 19th International Space Station Flight (12A) - P3/P4 Truss Segment and Solar Arrays Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104) Location: Vehicle Assembly Building Launch Date: No earlier than Aug. 27, 2006 Launch Pad: 39B Crew: Jett, Ferguson, Tanner, Burbank, MacLean and Stefanyshyn-Piper Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles On Monday, Atlantis rolled from Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 to the Vehicle Assembly Building, where it was lifted into high bay 3 for mating to the external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters. Mating operations and checkouts are under way. The shuttle is scheduled to roll to Launch Pad 39B on July 31, with first motion targeted for 12:01 a.m. EDT. The STS-115 payload was transferred to the launch pad on Wednesday and is scheduled to be installed in Atlantis' payload bay on Aug. 2. Mission managers made the decision to move the opening of Atlantis' launch planning window to Aug. 27. The decision was made after it was determined that lighting conditions for launch and external tank separation were sufficient to support imagery analysis. The payload for STS-115 is the Port 3/4 truss segment, the next major addition to the 11-segment integrated truss structure that will eventually span more that 300 feet. The P3/P4 truss, with its two large solar arrays, will provide one-fourth of the total power generation capability of the completed station. 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. 14, 2006 Launch Pad: 39B Crew: Polansky, Oefelein, Curbeam, Higginbotham, Patrick and Fuglesang Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles Processing of Discovery for its next mission, STS-116, continues in Orbiter Processing Facility 3. The payload bay doors have been opened, and engineers are performing thermography inspections of the nose cap and reinforced carbon-carbon panels on the wing leading edges. The orbiter's main engines were removed on Wednesday and the orbiter boom sensor system is scheduled to be removed today. Workers are also performing a checkout of the forward reaction control system. Endeavour (OV-105) Powered-up system testing continues on Endeavour in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2 following an extensive modification period. Functional testing of the atmosphere revitalization pressure control system continues this week. This system maintains crew module pressure during flight. Workers completed the elevon and body flap rigging verification and calibration. Rigging and alignment of the remote manipulator system manipulator positioning mechanisms are under way. The star tracker doors were installed this week. The star tracker is part of the on-orbit guidance system. -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
