yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (05/21/91)
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - MONDAY, MAY 20, 1991 - 11 AM STS-40/SPACELAB LIFE SCIENCES 1 - COLUMBIA (OV 102) - PAD 39-B LAUNCH - MAY 22 WORK IN PROGRESS: - Launch countdown continuing with no problems. - Countdown in eight-hour built-in hold at the T-19 hour mark. - Countdown will resume at 1 p.m. - Next built-in hold at 9 p.m. at T-11 hour mark for 20 hours, 40 minutes. - Disconnection of the orbiter midbody umbilical unit from the orbiter. This unit was used to deliver reactants to the orbiter's fuel cell storage tanks. - Activation of the orbiter's communications systems. - Preparing the tail service masts on the launch platform for launch. Liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants are loaded into the external tank through these masts. WORK SCHEDULED: - Installing the 30 rodents into the middeck and Spacelab early tomorrow morning. - Retract rotating service structure back away from the vehicle at 11 a.m. Tuesday. - Tomorrow at 11:40 p.m., begin chilldown of the propellant lines used in loading the half a million gallons of cryogenics into the external tank. - Launch at 8 a.m. EDT Wednesday, May 22. Window extends to 10 a.m. WORK COMPLETED: - Loaded liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen reactants into the orbiter's fuel cell storage tanks. - Launch countdown began on time at 5 p.m. EDT Saturday. - STS-40 crew arrived at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. FLIGHT CREW: Commander Bryan O'Connor, Pilot Sid Gutierrez and Mission Specialist Tamara Jernigan flew in Shuttle Training Aircraft this morning. All crew members performed fit checks of their flight equipment today. WEATHER FORECAST: - There is a concern of clouds and winds in the area at launch time on Wednesday. The overall probability of violating the criteria at the opening of the window is 60 percent and 40 per- cent chance for violation during the entire window. STS-43/TDRS - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2 WORK IN PROGRESS: - Thermal protection system operations. - Installation of the external tank umbilical door hinge hous- ings. - Installing the last main engine. - Preparations to service the potable water. - Decay checks of the power reactant storage and distribution system. WORK COMPLETED: - Installation of two of the three Shuttle main engines. - Mounted the wheels. STS-48/UARS - DISCOVERY (OV 103) - OPF BAY 1 WORK IN PROGRESS: - Preparations to deservice lube oil from the auxiliary power units. - Main propulsion system post-flight tests. - Post flight inspections. - Thermal protection system operations. WORK COMPLETED: - Offloaded hypergolic propellants from the orbiter's onboard storage tanks. STS- 49 - ENDEAVOUR (OV 105) - VAB High Bay 2 WORK IN PROGRESS: - Preparations to remove the tail cone. - Removal of ferry flight fixtures. STS-43 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - VAB HIGH BAY 1 WORK IN PROGRESS: - Connecting the right forward center segment to the right booster. - Joint closeouts. WORK COMPLETED: - Stacked the right aft booster and the right aft center seg- ment.