by Playfuls Staff |
1st October 2006
During Program
Requirements Control Board meeting, Space Shuttle Program management moved the
target launch date for Discovery to no earlier than Dec. 7, a week earlier than
originally planned. This [more] change allows for workers at both
Kennedy Space
Center and
Johnson Space
Center to enjoy
additional time with their families during the December holidays. At this time,
there is currently a range conflict with an Atlas V launch, which is currently
on the range on December 8 and 9.
NASA will work with
Lockheed-Martin and the Air Force to determine whether we will have a launch
opportunity on December 7. Until this negotiation is complete, we understand
that December 7th is a target and that we are not on the range schedule at this
time. As always, the official launch date is not set until the Flight Readiness
Review.
Technicians continue processing
Discovery in the Orbiter Processing Facility for its launch to the
International Space Station. The keel yoke assembly was installed in the
payload bay last weekend. The assembly holds the payload in the bay during the
mission. Workers completed the payload premate test in preparation of the
Spacehab module being installed in the payload bay. Engineers are reviewing
potential damage to orbiter Discovery's right-hand external tank door
mechanism, which resulted during the process of reassembling the linkage
following the change out of the power drive unit. No impact to the processing
schedule is expected.
The external tank scheduled to
fly with Discovery, designated ET-123, arrived by barge at Kennedy Space
Center from Michoud Assembly Facility
in New Orleans
last week. The tank was lifted into the checkout cell in the Vehicle Assembly
Building for final work
prior to being mated to the solid rocket boosters.
Following the landing of Atlantis
on Sept. 21, technicians towed the vehicle into the Orbiter Processing Facility
to begin preparing it for its next mission to the International Space Station.
Thermal protection system post-flight inspection is 27 percent complete. Flight
crew equipment removal was completed Monday.
Technicians installed payload bay
door strongbacks on Monday in preparation for the doors to open. On Wednesday,
the doors were opened and the Ku-band antenna was deployed. Nose cap and chin
panel thermography has begun and preparations are under way to begin
thermography on the wing leading edges.
Endeavour remains powered down in
Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2 and technicians continue to prepare the
vehicle for its first launch following an extensive modification period.
Technicians completed the environmental control and life support system
functional test.
Work continues on the orbiter
boom sensor system manipulator positioning mechanism. The mechanisms serve as
the pedestals that hold the boom in place in the payload bay when it is not in
use.
