Space Shuttle Processing Status Report, 15-04-2005

Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-4769)

Jessica Rye
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(321) 867-6185

STATUS REPORT: S2-14

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-114 - 17th ISS Flight (LF1) - Multi-Purpose Logistics
Module
Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103)
Location: Launch Pad 39B
Launch Date: Launch Planning Window: May 15 - June 3, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson, Thomas, Lawrence and Camarda
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Space Shuttle Discovery rolled out to Launch Pad 39B atop a Crawler
Transporter on April 7. The vehicle will undergo final connections
for launch, and the payload will be installed.

On Thursday, the launch team successfully performed an 11-hour
External Tank integrated tanking test. The test also readied
Discovery's main propulsion system, allowed technicians operating the
hardware to gain first-hand experience on the redesigned tank, and
allowed crews to evaluate the overall operation of ground systems in
preparation for launch of Discovery's Return to Flight mission
(STS-114) planned for next month.

In the Space Station Processing Facility, the hatch of Multi-Purpose
Logistics Module Raffaello was closed and sealed for flight on
Thursday. The module will carry 12 racks filled with food, clothing,
spare parts and research equipment to the International Space
Station. Raffaello, along with the External Stowage Platform-2 and
the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure, is
scheduled to be installed into its payload canister by the end of the
month in preparation for transfer to the launch pad.

Mission: STS-121 - 18th ISS Flight (ULF1) - Multi-Purpose Logistics
Module
Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104)
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1
Launch Date: Launch Planning Window: July 12 - July 31, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak and Wilson
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Processing continues on Atlantis in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
for its mission (STS-121) to the Space Station. After installation of
the Space Shuttle Main Engines, technicians began installing the
engines' dome-mounted heat shields. The heat shields are two
semi-circled-shaped sections of Thermal Protection System tile that
fit around the engine interfaces. The right-hand Orbiter Maneuvering
System was installed Thursday.

Atlantis' new Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) underwent final
checkout and testing in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and was
installed last week. The 50-foot-long OBSS will attach to the Remote
Manipulator System, or Shuttle robotic arm. It is one of the new
safety measures for Return to Flight, equipping the orbiter with
cameras and laser systems to inspect the Shuttle's Thermal Protection
System while in space.

Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) stacking for Atlantis' launch continues in
the VAB high bay 3. The External Tank remains in the checkout cell
for final testing. Following the completion of SRB stacking, the tank
will be moved and attached to the SRBs in late April.

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


-end-


--
--------------

Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info