yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (02/25/90)
Saturday February 24, 1990 (as of 10:00 a.m.)
KSC Space Shuttle Processing Status Report
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STS-36 -- Atlantis (OV 104) - Launch Pad 39-A
The countdown for launch of STS-36 is proceeding on
schedule. Launch is scheduled to take place Sunday morning,
February 25, between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 4:00 a.m.
EST.
The Rotating Service Structure was moved into the park
position at 6:36 a.m. today. This morning the launch team is
making preparations to load the external tank with the half
million gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants.
Loading activities will begin later this afternoon and continue
through early evening.
The five-member astronaut crew will be participating in
routine pre-launch activities today, including status briefings
on the activities at the pad and current weather forecasts. Also,
the crew will have time to review flight data files and earth
observation charts prior to going to sleep early this afternoon.
Later this evening, the crew will be awakened and begin
final preparations for launch. They will have breakfast, receive
a briefing on the weather, don their launch and entry suits in
the Operations and Checkout Building, and ride to launch pad 39-
A. At the pad, the crew will be assisted with their flight crew
equipment in the white room on the 195 foot level of the fixed
service structure and get situated in their respective seats for
ascent.
Commander John Creighton and the rest of the STS-36 crew are
reported to be healthy and feeling fine.
Weather forecasts indicate a 30 percent chance of violating
launch commit criteria during the launch period Sunday morning.
The cold front which passed through the KSC area yesterday will
continue to move to the east. In the wake of the front, clear
skies and cooler temperatures are evident.
The forecast for tomorrow predicts cloudless skies with
winds from the north at 14 knots, gusting to 22 knots. The
temperature should be between 42-47 degrees F. and the dewpoint
33 degrees F. The relative humidity will be at 55 percent, with
visibility greater than 7 miles.