yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (03/21/90)
Bruce Buckingham March 20, 1990
KSC RELEASE NO. 43 - 90
KSC AREA BRIDGE OPENINGS TO BE CONTROLLED FOR STS-31 LAUNCH
The opening and closing of bridges over waterways
surrounding the Kennedy Space Center will be strictly controlled
during the hours immediately before and after the launch of the
Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-31, now targeted for 9:21
a.m. EDT, April 12, 1990.
Bridges affected by the launch requirements include:
-- Canaveral Harbor Barge Canal (State Road 401, south of
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Gate 1);
-- Indian River Causeway west, a.k.a. NASA Causeway
(Intracoastal Waterway at Addison Point);
-- Merritt Island Barge Canal (Merritt Island State Road 3);
-- Haulover Canal Bridge (State Road 3, north of KSC).
Restraints on bridge openings for boat traffic will begin
three hours before launch. The bridges may be opened for 5
minutes at the following points in the launch countdown: T-180
minutes, T-150 minutes, T-120 minutes, T-90 minutes, and T-65
minutes.
Bridges will remain closed to boat traffic from T-60 minutes
to 90 minutes after liftoff (T+90). They may then open for 5
minutes at T+90 minutes, T+120 minutes, and T+150 minutes. Bridge
operations will return to normal at three hours (T+180 minutes)
after launch.
Should the Shuttle orbiter be required to perform a Return
to Launch Site (RTLS) landing at KSC, all bridges would remain
closed to boat traffic from 45 minutes before landing to one hour
after landing.