yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (12/19/89)
Mark Hess December 18, 1989
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. 2:45 p.m. EST
Lisa Malone
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
NASA LAUNCH ADVISORY
NASA managers today decided to postpone the STS-32 launch
until the second week of January, with the earliest possible date
January 8. Two significant factors in the decision were the
desire to complete testing and validation of the launch pad
system used to load cryogenic fluids into the orbiter which power
the electricity-generating fuel cells, and the need to power down
the Launch Processing System at the Kennedy Space Center so that
scheduled modifications on its cooling system can be performed.
Another important factor was the desire to permit NASA employees
and contractors to take off during the Christmas holidays. STS-
32 will mark the first launch from Pad A since January 1986, and
will be the first use of a newly-refurbished Mobile Launch
Platform.
Robert L. Crippen, director of the Space Shuttle, said the
verification of the launch pad system required to load liquid
hydrogen and liquid oxgyen into Columbia's onboard Power Reactant
Storage and Distribution system is taking longer than planned.
"We didn't want to get into a situation where the work on the
PRSD system was preventing us from powering down the LPS so that
we could perform the planned maintenance on that system. If we
were significantly delayed in being able to perform the LPS work,
that could have a significant impact on our processing
activities next year."
Crippen said the delay will not impact NASA's ability to
safely retrieve the Long Duration Exposure Facility, and he
added that this delay would not affect NASA's ability to meet its
planned manifest of nine Shuttle launches in the next fiscal
year.
William B. Lenoir, Associate Administrator for Space Flight
said, "The team worked very hard to get Columbia off before
Christmas, but the added work of going off a refurbished pad and
a new mobile platform really slowed us down. The vehicle is in
excellent shape, and I think the additional time to complete the
pad work will help us get into a smooth countdown when we resume
our launch activities. We conducted five missions this year,
including three in the past four months, which I regard as an
outstanding effort by the Shuttle team. We are all proud of our
effort this year, and are looking forward to an equally
productive effort next year."
While the exact time of launch will be determined after an
official date is set, the time of liftoff for a January 8 date is
shortly after 8 a.m. EST. The time of liftoff is approximately
30 minutes earlier for each day later in January.tmack@cbnewsd.ATT.COM (thomas.p.mack) (12/19/89)
In article <38442@ames.arc.nasa.gov>, yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) writes: > > NASA LAUNCH ADVISORY > > NASA managers today decided to postpone the STS-32 launch > until the second week of January, with the earliest possible date > January 8. How long could a shuttle sit on the pad until it would have to be moved back to the VAB for additional work? Tom Mack AT&T Bell Laboratories att!ihlpa!tmack
mac@idacrd.UUCP (Robert McGwier) (12/20/89)
From article <38442@ames.arc.nasa.gov>, by yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee): > > NASA LAUNCH ADVISORY > > NASA managers today decided to postpone the STS-32 launch > until the second week of January, with the earliest possible date > January 8. Two significant factors in the decision were the > > Crippen said the delay will not impact NASA's ability to > safely retrieve the Long Duration Exposure Facility, and he > Sounds an awful lot like famous last words to me. If the thing is tumbling just a small amount, the arm cannot retrieve it as the thing would torque the arm right out of its mounts. I am gonna be one unhappy space cadet if we lose all that data on the effect of atomic oxygen and other nasties in near earth orbit. Bob -- ____________________________________________________________________________ My opinions are my own no matter | Robert W. McGwier, N4HY who I work for! ;-) | CCR, AMSAT, etc. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------