Nov. 30, 2007 Candrea Thomas Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov STATUS REPORT: S-113007 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-122 - 24th International Space Station Flight - Columbus Module Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104) Location: Launch Pad 39A Launch Date: Dec. 6, 2007 Crew: Frick, Poindexter, Schlegel, Eyharts, Love, Melvin, Walheim Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles At Launch Pad 39A, final preparations for launch are under way. Closing out of the orbiter aft main engine compartment is scheduled for completion on Sunday, and the final aft confidence test will be performed at that time. This test verifies the integrity of all electrical systems in the aft. Installation and connection of ordnance on the orbiter and solid rocket boosters are complete. Checkout and stowage of the extravehicular mobility units, or space suits, in the orbiter airlock are finished, and the airlock has been closed for flight. The external tank and solid rocket booster closeouts will be completed today. Pressurization of the orbiter's propulsion and maneuvering systems is scheduled for tonight and closeouts will continue through the weekend. The payload bay doors will be closed for flight on Monday. Shuttle program managers met today for the agency's flight readiness review and concluded by setting Dec. 6 as the official launch date for STS-122. The astronauts are scheduled to arrive at Kennedy at 12:30 p.m. Monday, and the launch countdown will begin at 7 p.m. in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center. Mission: STS-123 - 25th International Space Station Flight - Kibo, Dextre Vehicle: Endeavour (OV-105) Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2 Launch Date: Targeted for Feb. 14, 2008 Launch Pad: 39A Crew: Gorie, Johnson, Linnehan, Doi, Behnken, Foreman, Reisman Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 2, integrated testing of the main engines and the main propulsion system is complete. All window installations are finished. Installation of the orbiter main engine heat shields began this week, and the orbital maneuvering system heat shields have been installed. Following electrical resistance testing of the orbiter boom sensor system, which is the 50-foot extension for the shuttle robotic arm, the boom was installed in the payload bay. Hardware that will support the STS-123 payload was also installed in the payload bay. The STS-123 crew flew to Kennedy Space Center this week for the crew equipment interface test on Friday and Saturday. During the test, the crew gets the opportunity to become familiar with the configuration of equipment in the crew cabin and payload bay. In high bay No. 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building, stacking of the solid rocket boosters is under way. ET-126, the external fuel tank for STS-123, arrived at Kennedy today and was transported to the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building. The tank will be lifted into a checkout cell on Saturday to undergo processing for launch. Mission: STS-124 - 26th International Space Station Flight - Kibo Pressurized Module, Japanese Remote Manipulator System Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103) Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3 Launch Date: Targeted for April 24, 2008 Launch Pad: 39A Crew: Kelly, Ham, Nyberg, Garan, Fossum, Hoshide Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 3, engine No. 2 was removed this week, and engines No. 1 and 3 will be removed next week. Functional checkout of the forward reaction control system is finished. Thermography inspection of the nose cap and chin panel is under way. The functional checkout of the orbital maneuvering system pods is also in progress. Window No. 4 was removed and replaced. Post-flight inspection of the thermal protection system is 89 percent complete. The removal and replacement of fuel cell No. 1 began today. -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
