yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (11/30/90)
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - TUESDAY, NOV. 13, 1990 11 A.M.
STS-38 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A
Yesterday the flight doors were installed on Atlantis' aft
compartment. KSC launch team members are involved in routine
operations to ready the STS-38 vehicle for launch.
The orbiter's fuel cell storage tanks have been loaded with
liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen reactants. Countdown activities
completed include loading software into the orbiter's onboard
computers, activating and testing the orbiter's navigation aids
and checking out the main engine controllers for flight.
Weather forecasts during the launch period Thursday indicate
there is a 30 percent chance that the overall conditions will be
acceptable for launch. Launch day weather concerns are crosswinds
at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility. Scattered clouds are
forecast between 4,000 and 7,000 feet and between 30,000 and
33,000 feet. Winds are expected to be out of the east to north-
east at 15 knots gusting to 28 knots.
Launch of Atlantis and Mission STS-38 on a classified
Department of Defense flight remains set for Nov. 15. The four-
hour launch period begins at 6:30 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 15.
The five-member flight crew is scheduled to arrive at KSC
at 5 p.m. today. Later today, Commander Dick Covey and pilot
Frank Culbertson will practice runway approaches in the Shuttle
Training Aircraft.
STS-35 - COLUMBIA (OV 102) - PAD 39-B
A hot fire of auxiliary power unit number 1 was conducted at
about 11:50 p.m. last night. The rotating service structure will
be moved in place around the vehicle this morning.
Workers will establish access to the aft compartment this
afternoon and begin post hot-fire inspections. The APU 1 fuel
tank will be topped off and repressurized later today and tomor-
row.
Columbia and the Astro payload are being prepared for launch
on Mission STS-35. A launch date will be set at the Flight Readi-
ness Review scheduled for Nov. 26-27.
STS-39 - DISCOVERY (OV 103) - OPF BAY 1
Operations scheduled this week include tests of the main
propulsion system, measurements of the 17-inch disconnect and
structural inspections of the nose cap.
Radiator panels are scheduled to be removed this week. In-
spections of the payload bay doors are planned after this work.
Testing is continuing on the right orbital maneuvering sys-
tem (OMS) pod at the Hypergolic Maintenance Facility. A new test,
called a screen test, to check the propellant tanks' internal
screen is scheduled tomorrow.
STS-39 booster stacking operations are continuing in the
VAB. The second segment, the left aft center segment, is being
mated to the left aft booster.