yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (11/22/89)
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - TUESDAY, NOV. 21, 1989
STS-33 - (OV 103) - PAD 39-B - LAUNCH MINUS ONE DAY
Launch countdown activities are proceeding on schedule for
liftoff on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Launch is planned during a four-
hour period that opens at 6:30 p.m. EST.
Today, the five-member flight crew will be briefed by the
launch team on the status of the vehicle, payload and weather
conditions. Today, the flight crew will practice in the T-38
trainers. The crew is adjusting their sleep and wake schedules to
the routine that will be followed during the mission.
Closeouts of the solid rocket boosters' aft skirts are being
performed simultaneously with launch countdown activites. Thermal
curtains were installed yesterday and workers are applying
ablative foam on the aft skirts today.
One of the significant countdown activities completed
yesterday was loading Discovery's onboard storage tanks (power
reactant storage and distribution system) with liquid oxygen and
liquid hydrogen reactants.
Today, the orbiter's communications system will be
activated, the navigation systems will be tested and the flight
crew seats will be installed in the flight and mid decks. In
addition, the tail service masts will be closed out and prepared
for tanking and launch. During tanking, cryogenic propellants
flow from storage tanks at the pad through the masts, through the
orbiter's plumbing and into the external tank. Workers will also
configure ground systems for loading the external tank and
launch.
The Mission Management Team will meet this afternoon for the
routine launch minus one day review to receive a status update.
The weather forecast for Wednesday is favorable during the
launch period with only a 20 percent chance of violating weather
criteria. Two cloud decks are forecast during the period:
scattered at the 3,000 and 28,000 foot levels. Winds are forecast
to be out of the southeast at 10 knots gusting to 15 knots.
Temperature is expected to be 66 degrees.