[sci.space.shuttle] Payload Status for 02/24/89

yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (02/25/89)

                                KSC Weekly Payload Status Report
                                      February 24, 1989

          George Diller


          TDRS-D/IUS-9  (Discovery/STS-29)

               The Interface Verification Test (IVT) and the End-to-End
          (ETE) test of the integrated payload were both completed last
          week ahead of their respective timelines and without significant
          problems.

               On Thursday, Feb. 23, the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS)
          software was installed aboard the pair of general purpose
          computers.  Also, the azimuth alignment was performed on the
          Redundant Inertial Measurement Unit (RIMU), part of the IUS
          guidance system.  IUS Flight Readiness Checks began Thursday
          night and are continuing today.

               IUS battery installation is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 27.
          TDRS-D batteries, which are already installed, are scheduled for
          activation on Wednesday, Mar. 1.  The IUS Simulated Countdown is
          scheduled for next Thursday, Mar. 2.



          Magellan/IUS-18  (Atlantis/STS-30)

               Magellan state-of-health checks were sucessfully performed
          on second shift Friday, Feb. 17, after the IUS mechanical mating
          operations were completed.  Some additional testing was performed
          on the IUS on Saturday, Feb. 18.  Electrical connections were
          established on Monday, Feb. 20 to support Magellan and IUS signal
          analysis testing on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

               The parabolic High Gain Antenna was installed atop the
          spacecraft this morning.

               The IUS/Magellan Interface Verification Test (IVT) will
          start on Sunday or Monday, beginning one full week of integrated
          testing.  The IVT is scheduled to run between 40 and 48
          consecutive hours.  Following will be the Mission Sequence Test,
          which includes a simulated deployment of the payload and an IUS
          simulated flight.  The final test is the end-to-end test which is
          an exercise involving the Magellan ground control stations and
          the Deep Space Network.

          Delta/COBE

               The second stage retro package modification, which will back
          the stage away from COBE after spacecraft separation, has been
          completed.  The first stage was powered up on Tuesday, February
          21.  Telemetry system calibrations for the first and second stage
          are expected to start late this week.  The Simulated Flight test
          is forecast to occur in early March.