yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (05/03/91)
MISSION CONTROL STATUS REPORT #12 5 a.m. CDT May 2, 1991 The crew of Discovery successfully moved to within 1.5 statute miles of the Shuttle Pallet Satellite and Infrared Background Signature Survey to remotely command that satellite to observe two engine firing sequences by the orbiter. All operations at the near-position were performed smoothly and on schedule. Discovery is now more than two miles from the SPAS/IBSS and continuing to separate at a little over one mile per hour. Discovery will separate from the SPAS for five orbits before initiating rendezvous operations to retrieve the satellite at 3:33 p.m. CDT today. As that rendezvous operation commences, Discovery will be at a distance of about 48,000 feet from the SPAS/IBSS. Also yesterday, the crew deployed the CRO C subsatellite at 8:28 p.m. CDT. Currently, the CRO C, a satellite filled with the rocket propellant nitrogen tetroxide, is about 63 nautical miles behind the SPAS/IBSS. The chemical will be released from the CRO C at about 9:18 a.m. for attempted simultaneous observations by the SPAS/IBSS, instruments at Vandenburg Air Force Base, airborne instruments, and Discovery. The release is to occur over Vandenburg, when the CRO C is about 93 nautical miles from Discovery. Discovery's crew noted about a 15 degree-per-second roll on the CRO C as it was deployed. Payload controllers are now checking any problems this may imply for subsequent observations. The space shuttle's systems contiue to perform without any significant problems.