yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (12/05/90)
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - Tuesday, Dec. 4, 1990 9:30 a.m. STS-35 - COLUMBIA (OV 102) The solid rocket booster retrieval ships arrived at Hangar AF on the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at about noon yester- day. The right booster parachute failed to separate from the booster at water impact. Officials are looking into why the pyrotechnic parachute separation devices failed. The boosters will be disassembled at Hangar AF in preparation for refurbish- ment. STS-39 - DISCOVERY (OV 103) - OPF BAY 1 Freon servicing is planned this week. Operations scheduled this week include tests of the Ku-band antenna, servicing of the water spray boilers, and a functional test of the waste contain- ment system. Tests of the right orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pod to verify the internal screens in the propellant tanks have been successful at the Hypergolic Maintenance Facility (HMF). Tests will continue this week with the pod in a horizontal position. STS-37 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2 Residual oxidizer and fuel propellants were drained from the orbital maneuvering system crossfeed lines and manifold and the bay was reopened for normal work early this morning. Tests of the radar altimeter and landing gear hydraulic struts are scheduled this week. Preparations are underway to remove the left OMS pod. Pod removal is scheduled Saturday, to be followed by transfer to the HMF for post-flight operations. The number 3 auxiliary power unit was disconnected in preparation for removal. STS-39 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - VAB Stacking operations are continuing in the VAB. The right aft center segment was mated shortly after midnight. The right for- ward center segment was transferred from the Rotation Processing and Surge Facility to the VAB and stacking of that segment is scheduled to begin today.
gs26@prism.gatech.EDU (Glenn R. Stone) (12/06/90)
In the referenced article yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) writes: > .... The right booster parachute failed to separate from the > booster at water impact. Officials are looking into why the > pyrotechnic parachute separation devices failed. Silly question: why separate the 'chutes from the boosters? I would think you would want the 'chutes back as well as the boosters, to either re-use or dispose of properly.... just leaving the 'chutes out there is a potential environmental impact, no? Anyone have a clue into the matter? Curiously, Glenn R. Stone (gs26@prism.gatech.edu)
bro@eunomia.rice.edu (Douglas Monk) (12/06/90)
In article <18158@hydra.gatech.EDU> gs26@prism.gatech.EDU (Glenn R. Stone) writes:
#Silly question: why separate the 'chutes from the boosters? I would think
#you would want the 'chutes back as well as the boosters, to either re-use
#or dispose of properly.... just leaving the 'chutes out there is a potential
#environmental impact, no? Anyone have a clue into the matter?
I think they *do* recover the 'chutes. I recall seeing support vessels
recovering the jettisoned 'chutes at the same time the boosters are being
recovered. (Though this could have been only during some non-routine or
testing period in which they were particularly interested in recovering
the 'chutes for some reason.)
As to why they are jettisoned: the boosters stick up out of the water
vertically. If the 'chutes were still attached, they could possibly
drag the boosters or perhaps overturn it (at which point I believe they
would sink). Some booster(s) has(have) been lost due to sinking, I think.
Doug Monk (bro@rice.edu)
Disclaimer: These views are mine, not necessarily my organization's.
petej@phred.UUCP (Pete Jarvis) (12/10/90)
In article <18158@hydra.gatech.EDU> gs26@prism.gatech.EDU (Glenn R. Stone) writes: > >Silly question: why separate the 'chutes from the boosters? I would think >you would want the 'chutes back as well as the boosters, to either re-use >or dispose of properly.... just leaving the 'chutes out there is a potential >environmental impact, no? Anyone have a clue into the matter? > They don't leave the chutes out there. They are recovered. Peter Jarvis........
nick@pro-canaveral.cts.com (Nick Thomas) (12/11/90)
In-Reply-To: message from bro@eunomia.rice.edu The parachutes from the SRB's are indeed recovered and refurbished at the Parachute Refurbishment Facility, located in the KSC industrial area to the south of the O&C building. One set of boosters were lost on the STS-4 mission (Mattingly/Hartsfield). A dual parachute malfunction (probably occurred during packing) caused the SRB's to hit the water at too high a velocity and they both sank. Nick Thomas. Nick Thomas ProLine: nick@pro-canaveral Internet: nick@pro-canaveral.cts.com UUCP: crash!pro-canaveral!nick ARPA: crash!pro-canaveral!nick@nosc.mil