yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (05/29/90)
Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Status - Monday, May 28, 1990
10 am
LAUNCH MINUS TWO DAYS
STS-35 -- COLUMBIA (OV-102) - LAUNCH PAD 39-A
The countdown for the launch of Columbia on Space Shuttle
Mission STS-35 continues this morning toward a planned liftoff at
12:38 a.m. EDT, Wednesday, May 30.
This morning at 1:00 a.m. servicing began of the liquid
oxygen and liquid hydrogen fuel cell supply tanks on board the
orbiter. A demonstration was conducted during the tanking process
to verify the capability of loading the orbiter's supply tanks
directly from the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tankers
instead of funneling the propellants through dewars located on the
pad structure. This method will be incorporated for future use on
extended duration orbiters. The loading of the orbiter's tanks was
completed shortly after 9:00 a.m.
At 9:00 a.m., a planned built-in hold of 4 hours stopped the
clock as the pad was re-opened for normal pre-launch work.
Activities during this hold will include the disconnection of the
orbiter mid-body umbilical unit used during the on board tank
loading process. The hold is scheduled to last until 1:00 p.m.
today.
At 1:00 p.m., the count will resume and technicians will
complete final vehicle and facility closeouts. Technicians will
also begin configuring Columbia's cockpit for flight. The
orbiter's flight control system navigation aids and communications
systems will be activated, and switches in the cockpit configured
for loading the external tank with liquid oxygen and liquid
hydrogen. Also beginning at 1:00 this afternoon, the mission
specialists' seats will be installed in the flight and mid-decks.
Tonight at 9:00 p.m., the countdown is scheduled to enter a
built-in hold at the T-11 hour mark. This 13 hour, 18 minute hold
will extend to 10:18 Tuesday morning.
Loading of the external tank with super-cold liquid hydrogen
and liquid oxygen propellants is currently scheduled to begin at
the T-6 hour mark at 4:18 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.
Yesterday, Columbia's seven member crew arrived at KSC at
11:00 a.m. Today the crew will be undergoing a series of weather,
orbiter and countdown status briefings. Earlier, they received
their final medical checks prior to flight. The individual members
have been divided into two teams, red and blue, for working split
shifts during the entire 10-day mission. This will facilitate
operating the ASTRO-1 payload for the maximum, around-the-clock,
on-orbit operation. The crew has already adjusted their sleep
schedules to accommodate the 24 hour a day work schedule.
The payload bay doors of the orbiter Columbia were closed
last night and the ASTRO-1 payload, with its 4 telescopes to view
the ultraviolet and X-ray spectrum of the universe, is serviced
and ready for launch.
Weather forecasts for launch on Wednesday are favorable with
an 80 percent chance of being within required constraints. At the
time of launch, winds are forecast to be out of the southwest at
12 knots, temperature at 75 degrees, and visibility 7 miles. There
is a slight concern that thundershowers may be in the vicinity of
the pad Tuesday afternoon when tanking is scheduled to begin.