03.23.07 Bill Johnson Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 STATUS REPORT: S-032307 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. 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-117 - 21st International Space Station Flight (13A) - S3/S4 Truss Segment Solar Arrays Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104) Location: Vehicle Assembly Building Launch Date: Targeted for April 2007 Launch Pad: 39A Crew: Sturckow, Archambault, Reilly, Swanson, Forrester and Olivas Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles In high bay No. 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building, work is under way to repair hail damage to the STS-117 external fuel tank, ET-124. Special scaffolding and access platforms have been erected to allow access to the tank and orbiter for inspections and repairs. Foam repairs on the liquid hydrogen tank, which is located on the bottom of the ET, are complete. Repairs to the orbiter thermal protection system tiles are complete, and technicians completed non-destructive evaluations of the vehicle's reinforced carbon carbon panels on the left wing leading edge, using thermography equipment. No damage was detected. Shuttle Program managers met on Wednesday to assess the damage and repair status, and decided to continue work on repairing ET-124. Managers will meet again in early April to decide whether to use ET-124 or substitute a new tank, ET-117, which is scheduled to arrive at KSC on April 10. Mission: STS-118 - 22nd International Space Station Flight (13A.1) - S5 Truss Segment Vehicle: Endeavour (OV-105) Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2 Launch Date: Targeted for June 28, 2007 Launch Pad: 39A Crew: Kelly, Hobaugh, Williams, Morgan, Mastracchio, Caldwell and Anderson Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles Endeavour remains in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, and technicians continue preparing the vehicle for its first launch in more than four years. The vehicle has undergone an extensive modification period, including the addition of all of the return-to-flight safety upgrades added to both Discovery and Atlantis. This week, the orbiter boom sensor system, which is a 50-foot extension for the shuttle's robotic arm, was delivered to OPF No. 2. It is scheduled for installation in two weeks. Payload bay configuration and closeout is under way, and the orbiter's potable water system has been successfully checked out. The orbiter docking system airflow verification testing is complete. Mission: STS-122 - 24th International Space Station Flight (1E) - Columbus Laboratory Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103) Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3 Launch Date: Targeted for Fall 2007 Launch Pad: TBD Crew: Frick, Poindexter, Walheim, Love, Melvin, Schlegel and Eyharts Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles Processing of Discovery, which returned from the STS-116 mission on Dec. 22, continues in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3. Work on the installation of the new station to shuttle power transfer system (SSPTS) continues in the forward, mid-body and aft section of the vehicle. This system will allow the orbiter and International Space Station to share power, which will enable the orbiter to remain docked for longer periods of time. Fuel cell No. 2 is being installed today, and technicians continue to replace thermal tile around the main landing gear door and the external tank doors with a stronger tile, known as BRI tile. -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
