yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (09/25/90)
Monday September 24, 1990 11:00 a.m. EDT
KSC SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS REPORT
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STS-41 -- Discovery (OV 103) - Pad 39-B
Mission managers are meeting this morning at Kennedy Space
Center for the Flight Readiness Review. The meeting is scheduled
to conclude tomorrow and be followed by an announcement
establishing the target launch date for Discovery and the
spacecraft Ulysses.
Over the weekend at Pad B, the flight readiness test was
completed successfully. An igniter on main engine number 1 failed
during the test and was replaced. The new part was tested and
checked out successfully. Following the FRT, a delta helium
signature test was performed on the main propulsion system. No
leaks in the system were identified. Today, work has begun to
close out the aft compartment with final main propulsion system
checks.
The spacecraft Ulysses and its attached upper stage booster
are undergoing final launch preparations. Today, the spacecraft
is scheduled for flight readiness checks and the Inertial Upper
Stage is having its computer memory loaded. The installation of
the PAM-S flight batteries is scheduled for this afternoon.
Installation of the remaining 20 percent of the IUS flight
batteries is targeted for tomorrow.
STS-35 -- Columbia (OV 102) - Pad 39-A
The orbiter Columbia's Power Reactant and Storage
Distribution System tanks have been drained of their liquid
hydrogen and liquid oxygen reactants and the mid-body umbilical
is scheduled to be retracted this afternoon. Hydraulic
circulation and sample tests are also scheduled for this
afternoon.
Main propulsion system leak checks will continue throughout
the week. Defoaming of the fuel lines and leak checks in the
orbiter's aft compartment are continuing today. Dry ice will be
used to assist in chilling down the liquid hydrogen lines to
assist in the detection of leak sources. No tanking test is
scheduled for Columbia at pad A. It is more likely one will be
planned for the orbiter once it is transferred to pad B following
the launch of STS-41.
APU number 1 will be removed from the orbiter this afternoon
and transported to the OPF for installation into the orbiter
Atlantis. Ordnance disconnect operations are scheduled for later
this week.
STS-38 -- Atlantis (OV-104) - OPF Bay 2
SCAPE operations over the weekend took longer than expected
when thruster thermal barrier damage was noticed and repaired.
The bay was opened for normal work this morning with
continued leak checks in the main propulsion system and freon
servicing on tap for today. The flash evaporator retest is
scheduled for tomorrow.
The orbiter is scheduled to be transported to the Vehicle
Assembly Building early next month.
The external tank, attached to the solid rocket boosters on
the mobile launcher platform in the Vehicle Assembly Building, is
undergoing final closeouts this week.