Jacques van Oene
August 16th 05, 08:20 PM
Space Shuttle Status Report
Tuesday August 16
Engineers and technicians have decided to postpone the departure of the
Space Shuttle Discovery on its ferry flight from NASA's Dryden Flight
Research Center in Southern California to the Kennedy Space Center in
Florida by one day, after a thunderstorm moved through the NASA Dryden area
at Edwards Air Force Base Monday evening.
The weather forced technicians to temporarily suspend work on fastening the
aerodynamic tailcone over Discovery's main engine nozzles. Engineers are
also assessing whether the rain may have been absorbed by the Shuttle's
thermal insulation blankets, adding weight to the orbiter.
As it presently stands, Discovery is now scheduled to depart Edwards early
Thursday morning atop a modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft on the
first leg of its trip back to its Florida home. The cross-country journey is
expected to take two days, with stops at several intermediate points for
refueling.
Prior to Monday evening's thunderstorm, technicians completed several major
steps in the ferry flight preparation process, including locking the main
engine nozzles and elevons in place, and then positioning of the aerodynamic
tailcone around Discovery's main engines.
Work to bolt the tailcone down is expected to be completed this morning, and
mounting of Discovery atop the 747 is expected to begin Wednesday, barring
any unforeseen problems that could force a delay.
For more on the Space Shuttle's Return to Flight, visit:
www.nasa.gov/returntoflight on the Internet.
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
Tuesday August 16
Engineers and technicians have decided to postpone the departure of the
Space Shuttle Discovery on its ferry flight from NASA's Dryden Flight
Research Center in Southern California to the Kennedy Space Center in
Florida by one day, after a thunderstorm moved through the NASA Dryden area
at Edwards Air Force Base Monday evening.
The weather forced technicians to temporarily suspend work on fastening the
aerodynamic tailcone over Discovery's main engine nozzles. Engineers are
also assessing whether the rain may have been absorbed by the Shuttle's
thermal insulation blankets, adding weight to the orbiter.
As it presently stands, Discovery is now scheduled to depart Edwards early
Thursday morning atop a modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft on the
first leg of its trip back to its Florida home. The cross-country journey is
expected to take two days, with stops at several intermediate points for
refueling.
Prior to Monday evening's thunderstorm, technicians completed several major
steps in the ferry flight preparation process, including locking the main
engine nozzles and elevons in place, and then positioning of the aerodynamic
tailcone around Discovery's main engines.
Work to bolt the tailcone down is expected to be completed this morning, and
mounting of Discovery atop the 747 is expected to begin Wednesday, barring
any unforeseen problems that could force a delay.
For more on the Space Shuttle's Return to Flight, visit:
www.nasa.gov/returntoflight on the Internet.
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info