yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (04/26/89)
KSC SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING REPORT - TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1989
AFTERNOON STATUS
STS-30 - ATLANTIS (0V 104) - PAD 39-B
Since the STS-30 launch countdown began, at 8 a.m. EDT
today, workers have completed some of the initial activities
planned in the count such as closing out the aft compartment and
verifying flight software.
Later today, workers will begin preparations on the main
engines to ready them for cryogenic loading and software will be
loaded into the main engine controllers. Orbiter navigation aids
will be turned on and tested and the Inertial Measurement Units
will be activated.
The countdown will enter the first of seven built-in holds
at midnight tonight at the T-27 hour mark. The clock will hold
for eight hours and will resume at 8 a.m. tomorrow. Activities
will pick up to load liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen reactants
into the orbiter's onboard storage tanks. These propellants are
used by the orbiter's fuel cells to produce electricity for the
orbiter during flight. After propellant loading, the count will
enter another eight-hour built-in hold at the T-19 hour mark,
beginning at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
Payload closeouts are nearing completion. The orbiter's
payload bay doors are scheduled to be closed for flight by 11
p.m. tonight. Final payload software was loaded for flight and
solar panel covers were removed yesterday. At 7:24 a.m. today,
Magellan's internal clock was started for the mission.
Weather forecasts are favorable for the time of launch.
Only a 30 percent chance of violating weather criteria is
predicted. Winds are forecast to be coming from the east to
southeast 10 to 15 knots. A single layer of scattered clouds is
predicted from 4,000 to 8,000 feet, covering 50 percent of the
sky.
Launch of mission STS-30 is scheduled for April 28 at 2:24
p.m. (EDT) with a window of 23 minutes.
The five-member flight crew is scheduled to arrive at 5:30
p.m. today at the Shuttle Landing Facility in T-38 jets.