yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (07/16/90)
Mark Hess/Ed Campion July 6, 1990
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone: 202/453-8536)
Kyle Herring
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone: 713/483-5111)
RELEASE: 90-95
SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR POWERED-ON
The new Space Shuttle Endeavour was powered-on for the first
time today at Rockwell International Corp.'s Orbiter Assembly
Facility in Palmdale, Calif., 10 days ahead of schedule. The
event is a major milestone in the vehicle's construction
signifying the initial flow of power to Endeavour's on-board
electrical systems.
The start of power-on testing marks the beginning of an
eight-month test period for Endeavour, the fifth operational
orbiter built by Rockwell's Space Systems Division (SSD) for
NASA's Space Shuttle program. During the next three months,
Endeavour's on-board electrical systems will be functionally
energized to verify that the vehicle's instrumentation is
operational and that vehicle systems are performing to
engineering specifications.
Following completion of the power-on tests, a final
acceptance test will be conducted to verify the performance of
the total integrated vehicle. Endeavour is scheduled for rollout
and delivery to NASA in April 1991 and a first flight in early
1992.
In addition to the power-on tests, work continues on other
elements of the vehicle. Technicians are currently performing
final structural mate of the wings to the aft fuselage.
Installation of a drag chute assembly that will aid in vehicle
deceleration and reduce loads on the landing gear and brakes is
in progress. Thermal protection system tile and blanket
installations are ahead of schedule and approximately 75-80
percent complete. Aft fuselage system installations are
continuing.
Major structural components remaining to be mated to the
vehicle include its body flap in July; vertical stabilizer,
payload pay doors, and elevons in August; and forward reaction
control system module in November. Endeavour's orbital
maneuvering system pods will be installed at Kennedy Space
Center, Fla.
Rockwell received authority to proceed with construction of
Endeavour from NASA in August 1987, although production of many
of the basic elements necessary for the vehicle was begun in
1983, when NASA awarded Rockwell a contract to build orbiter
spare parts. Rockwell SSD manages the Endeavour construction
program under the direction of NASA's Johnson Space Center,
Houston.