Space Shuttle Processing Status Report, 24-06-2005

Melissa Mathews
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1272)

Jessica Rye
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)

STATUS REPORT: S05-025

NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS REPORT

NASA's Space Shuttle fleet is housed and processed at Kennedy Space
Center (KSC), Fla.

Discovery (OV-103)

Mission: STS-114 - 17th ISS Flight (LF1)
Payload: Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
Location: Launch Pad 39B
Launch Date: Launch Planning Window July 13 - 31, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson, Thomas, Lawrence and Camarda
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

This week, Discovery is at Launch Pad 39B, and technicians are
completing the final steps in preparation for a launch to the
International Space Station in the July 13-31 window. Loading of
hypergolic propellants began on Wednesday and is scheduled to be
completed next week. This process includes loading the propellants,
monomethyl hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide, into the Orbiter
Maneuvering System and the Forward Reaction Control System.

The cargo, including NASA's Italian-built Multi-Purpose Logistics
Module Raffaello, was installed in the payload bay on June 17,
followed by payload connections and payload/orbiter interface
testing. Next week, the payload bay sharp-edge inspection will be
performed and the payload bay doors will be closed for flight.

Yesterday, the Space Shuttle Program completed the Design
Certification Review (DCR). The review was held to ensure that major
program baseline changes since the DCR have been properly integrated
and certified for flight.

Today, program leaders met for the Debris Verification Review (DVR) to
summarize the extensive debris assessment effort that has been
completed and to present the flight rationale for the debris. The DVR
reached the conclusion that the potential for debris had been reduced
to a more reasonable level, and this was the recommendation the
Shuttle Program Manager accepted.

Next week, the Flight Readiness Review (FRR) will be held on June 29
and 30, and a launch date could be selected at the end of the review.


Atlantis (OV-104)

Mission: STS-121 - 18th ISS Flight (ULF1)
Payload: Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1
Launch Date: Lighted Launch Planning Window September 9 - 24, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak, Wilson and Reiter
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Technicians continue processing Atlantis in Orbiter Processing
Facility bay 1 for its mission to the International Space Station.

The landing gear functional test was successfully completed. The
landing gear was cycled several times prior to the test to checkout
compression of the new thermal barrier seals that were added for
Return to Flight.

In the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), the External Tank (ET-120) and
Solid Rocket Boosters originally scheduled to fly with Space Shuttle
Discovery are located in high bay 1. This stack will now fly with
Atlantis. Early next week, a Crawler Transporter will move the stack
to high bay 3, so work and modifications can be performed in high bay
1 of the VAB.

Endeavour (OV-105)

Endeavour is in its Orbiter Major Modification period which began in
December 2003.

Previous Space Shuttle processing status reports are available on the
Internet at:

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/


-end-


--
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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info