yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (10/10/89)
KSC SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING REPORT - MONDAY, OCT. 9, 1989
AFTERNOON COUNTDOWN STATUS
STS-34 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-B
All countdown events have been proceeding on schedule today
since the clocks began ticking down at 8 a.m. this morning at the
T minus 43 hour mark.
The STS-34 five-member flight crew arrived today at about
1:40 p.m. for final preparations for the five-day mission. Launch
of STS-34 remains set for Thursday, October 12 at the opening of
a 10-minute window beginning at 1:29 p.m. EDT.
Commander Don Williams and pilot Mike McCulley are scheduled
to fly in the Shuttle Training Aircraft this afternoon. Tomorrow,
the whole flight crew will practice in the T-38 training aircraft
and perform fit checks of flight crew equipment.
Tonight, the launch team will prepare to load the orbiter's
power reactant storage and distribution system with the liquid
hydrogen and liquid oxygen reactants. Actual loading is scheduled
to begin at about 10 a.m. tomorrow. Also tonight, the team will
remove covers from the orbital maneuvering system engines, and
activate the orbiter's navigation aids.
The first built-in hold is scheduled to begin at midnight
tonight at the T minus 27 hour mark. The hold will last for 8
hours.
Today, the launch team has verified that the data processing
system and backup flight control system are operating. Flight
software stored in the orbiter's twin memory banks has been
reviewed and the computer controlled displays have been
activated. In addition, the backup flight system general purpose
computer was loaded.
Also today, Atlantis' clamshell like payload bay doors were
closed for flight at about 11 a.m. The orbiter's aft compartment
was closed out for flight last night prior to the start of the
countdown.
The weather forecast for launch time calls for scattered
clouds at 3,000-7,000 feet, winds out of the northeast at 10
knots, a temperature of 83 degrees and visibility of 7 miles.
Overall there is a 25 percent chance of violating launch weather
criteria because of crosswinds at the Shuttle Landing Facility,
rainshowers in the area and a cloud ceiling below 8,000 feet.
Shuttle managers will meet here at KSC tomorrow for the
routine Launch minus two-day review to discuss the status and any
open issues.