yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (04/10/90)
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 1990 - 10 A.M.
LAUNCH MINUS THREE DAYS
STS-31 - DISCOVERY (OV-103) - LAUNCH PAD 39-B
Charging of the telescope's nickel-hydrogen batteries will
conclude at approximately 12:45 p.m. today. After the termination
of battery charging, the electrical cables will be disconnected
from the telescope. The battery cold-air purge ducts, used to
cool the batteries during the charge, will be removed. Payload
bay and some Hubble Space Telescope closeouts are underway. The
cover from the IMAX camera in the payload bay has been removed. A
contamination inspection was conducted and cleaning is underway.
The test instrumentation and protective covers have been removed
from the telescope. Some of the telescope test equipment is being
removed from the Payload Changeout Room. The "shower cap," a
protective cover over the telescope's aperture door and the cover
over the low-gain antenna will be removed late tonight, just
hours before door closure. At this time, the doors are scheduled
to be closed for flight at 4 a.m. tomorrow morning. The telescope
will be powered up at 6 a.m. on the day of launch.
Closeouts of the aft engine compartment are underway in-
cluding final inspections, removing protective covers for flight,
installing last minute items and cleaning the area. The flight
doors are scheduled to be on the aft compartment before the start
of the launch countdown today.
Overnight, a lens on the wrist camera of the robot arm was
replaced with a clean lens and a connector in the aft engine com-
partment was replaced.
Launch of STS-31 is targeted for 8:47 a.m. EDT on April 10.
The launch countdown will begin Saturday, April 7, at 3 p.m. EDT
at the T-43 hour mark. At the start of the countdown, the launch
team will review software stored in the orbiter's twin memory
banks and the computer-controlled display systems will be ac-
tivated and the backup flight system general purpose computer
will be loaded. The main propulsion system and main engines will
be prepared for cryogenic loading, orbiter navigation aids will
be turned on and tested and the inertial measurement units will
be activated.
The STS-31 flight crew is scheduled to arrive at the
Shuttle Landing Facility at 2 p.m. today. This afternoon, the
crew will go to Pad 39-B to take a last look at the telescope and
orbiter before launch day.
At this time, the forecast indicates that surface winds
could be unacceptable for launch on Tuesday. Surface wind
criteria is being evaluated. Winds are forecast to be out of the
southeast at 10 knots gusting to 14 knots and increasing to 13-17
knots by 10 a.m. The expected temperature is 66 degrees and 7
miles of visibility is forecast.