yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (05/31/90)
Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Status
Wednesday, May 30, 1990 1:00 p.m.
STS-35 -- COLUMBIA (OV-102) - LAUNCH PAD 39-A
Launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia and mission STS-35 was
scrubbed late yesterday afternoon following the detection of
leaks near the liquid hydrogen 17 inch line in the orbiter's aft
compartment and the external tank area. Leakage was detected
during normal pre-launch tanking procedures. Currently, the
liquid hydrogen remaining in the ET is being boiled off. That
operation is expected to be completed by 6:00 p.m. today.
Following this, the external tank will be purged with gaseous
helium. Technicians are expected to gain access to the aft
sometime after mid-night to perform a visual inspection and begin
pin-pointing the specific location of the problem.
This morning, the pad was re-opened for controlled access at
2:45 a.m. and the rotating service structure was moved into
position around the orbiter at 9:00 a.m. Technicians have access
to the crew module for the deconfiguring of switches and
destowing time critical items.
The STS-35 red team crew members departed for JSC this
morning at 6:00 a.m. The blue team left KSC around 11:00 a.m.
Mission managers will be meeting throughout the day today to
further discuss options for scrub turn-around.