yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (08/08/89)
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - MONDAY, AUG. 7, 1989
STS-28 - COLUMBIA (OV 102) - LAUNCH PAD 39-B
Countdown events remain on schedule for Columbia's planned
launch tomorrow. The period during which launch could occur
remains set for 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. EDT.
Today, the Rotating Service Structure will be moved back
away from the vehicle to the launch position and preparations for
loading the external tank with a half million gallons of liquid
oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants are scheduled. Time
critical equipment will be installed in the orbiter's crew module
today.
Activities completed since the countdown began at 12:01 a.m.
eastern time Saturday include, a review of flight software stored
in Columbia's computers, initial stowage of flight crew equipment
and removal of platforms in the mid and flight decks. The
orbiter's navigation aids have been turned on and tested and the
Inertial Measurement Units have been activated. In addition,
workers have loaded Columbia's onboard storage tanks with the
flight load of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen reactants. The
orbiter's communications system has been activated.
Weather forecasters are predicting a less than five percent
overall chance of weather being a problem throughout the entire
launch period on Tuesday. The forecast during the Tuesday launch
period calls for fog early in the period. This should burn off
rapidly. Winds are expected to pick up toward the end of the
period. Clouds are expected to be scattered at the 3,000, 10,000
and 30,000 foot levels. Winds are expected to be from the
southwest at eight knots. The expected temperature for the launch
period is between 76-89 degrees.
The STS-28 flight crew members will receive status briefings
on the vehicle and weather today. This morning, Commander
Brewster Shaw and Mission Specialist Mark Brown flew proficiency
flights in their T-38 training aircraft.
Shuttle managers will meet today for the standard Launch-
minus-one-day review to review status and establish the readiness
to proceed with activities necessary for the safe and successful
conduct of all operations form prelaunch through post-landing and
recovery.