[sci.space] Payload Summary for 02/05/91 #2

yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (02/06/91)

                                  Payload Status Report
                                  Kennedy Space Center
                                  February 5, 1991



          GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY/STS-37  (April, 1991)

               Final electrical testing of the Gamma Ray Observatory was
          completed on Jan. 23.

               Engineers are assessing the significance of an increase in
          resistance measured in a diode of one of the remote interface
          units (RIU) which recently underwent repair and retesting at the
          vendor.  These are the electrical interface between the
          observatory subsystems and experiments, and the spacecraft's
          modular power system and command and data handling system.

               The flight batteries were reconditioned on Jan. 29  and a
          trickle charge established.  On Jan. 30 the Observatory was
          rotated to the vertical configuration and placed on its
          associated transporter.  Interim closeouts of the thermal
          blankets were then completed.  Yesterday the transportation cover
          was placed around the spacecraft in preparation for the one-mile
          trip to the Vertical Processing Facility which is scheduled to
          begin at 4 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 7.




          TETHERED SATELLITE/STS-46  (March, 1992)

               In the Operations and Checkout Building, the satellite was
          hoisted into its deployer for the first time on Jan. 18 to begin
          a series of fit checks.  Since that time it has been periodically
          removed and reinstalled to make adjustments, which were completed
          on Feb. 1.  The satellite is presently located in an off-line
          laboratory for further testing.

               The reel assembly, currently holding a non-flight tether,
          was hoisted onto the flight pallet and installed Feb. 2.  The
          deployer will be mated to the pallet in late April.