Jacques van Oene
August 15th 05, 04:13 AM
Space Shuttle Status Report
Sunday August 14
With turnaround processing operations now running ahead of schedule at
NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California, the Space
Shuttle Discovery could be back at its home at the Kennedy Space Center in
Florida by mid-week.
Departure of the Discovery atop one of NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle
Carrier Aircraft on its ferry flight back to Florida is expected to occur no
earlier than early Tuesday, Aug. 16, although it could be later in the week.
Technicians completed the drying process for the main engines and their
associated plumbing to purge them of all residual liquids on Friday and
Saturday. They also finished the lengthy process of draining and purging the
liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks of the power reactant supply and
distribution system, which contain the fuel cells that provide electrical
power for the Shuttle during its missions.
Inspections of Discovery's thermal protection system are will continue until
the orbiter is ready to be mounted on its modified 747 carrier aircraft for
the flight back to KSC. The narrow section of thermal blanket that ballooned
out under the left-side window was removed for laboratory failure analysis
and a protective ramp was installed in its place to protect that portion of
the orbiter for the ferry flight.
Removal of monomethyl hydrazine fuel from the Orbital Maneuvering System
valves and plumbing was slated to occur Saturday night and Sunday morning.
As this is a particularly hazardous operation, technicians wear special
protective clothing throughout the lengthy process.
At this time, mating with the modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
is scheduled for no earlier than Monday evening Aug. 15.
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
Sunday August 14
With turnaround processing operations now running ahead of schedule at
NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California, the Space
Shuttle Discovery could be back at its home at the Kennedy Space Center in
Florida by mid-week.
Departure of the Discovery atop one of NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle
Carrier Aircraft on its ferry flight back to Florida is expected to occur no
earlier than early Tuesday, Aug. 16, although it could be later in the week.
Technicians completed the drying process for the main engines and their
associated plumbing to purge them of all residual liquids on Friday and
Saturday. They also finished the lengthy process of draining and purging the
liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks of the power reactant supply and
distribution system, which contain the fuel cells that provide electrical
power for the Shuttle during its missions.
Inspections of Discovery's thermal protection system are will continue until
the orbiter is ready to be mounted on its modified 747 carrier aircraft for
the flight back to KSC. The narrow section of thermal blanket that ballooned
out under the left-side window was removed for laboratory failure analysis
and a protective ramp was installed in its place to protect that portion of
the orbiter for the ferry flight.
Removal of monomethyl hydrazine fuel from the Orbital Maneuvering System
valves and plumbing was slated to occur Saturday night and Sunday morning.
As this is a particularly hazardous operation, technicians wear special
protective clothing throughout the lengthy process.
At this time, mating with the modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
is scheduled for no earlier than Monday evening Aug. 15.
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info