yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (08/01/88)
KSC SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 1988
WET COUNDOWN DEMONSTRATION TEST
Deputy Director, NSTS Operations,NASA HQ, Robert L. Crippen
says, "The launch team did a superb job on the Wet Countdown
Demonstration Test (WCDDT) and accomplished most of the
objectives."
KSC Launch Director Bob Sieck also congratulated the team
for "an excellent job." "We must now evaluate the results and
schedule the work which needs to be done prior to the FRF." He
said that we are tenatively targeting the FRF for 3 days from now
but said a firm schedule would not be known any earlier than
tomarrow.
A leak in the ground side of the hydrogen umbilical connec-
tion at the tail service mast developed once again as the super
cold liquid hydrogen began to pour through it to fill the Exter-
nal Tank. A similiar leak occurred during the first attempt to
run the WCDDT but engineers traced a leak to a pressure monitor-
ing connector and corrected it.
Engineers and technicians will not be able to begin
troubleshooting until the tank has been drained and the residual
hydrogen has boiled off.
In addition to the leak, procedures for the Flight Readiness
Firing must be amended to include several tests which could not
be accomplished during the WCDDT. The pinch loads test and
hydrogen high point bleed tests were performed.
The only other problem was erractic behaviour by one of the
two liquid oxygen recirculation pumps.
The FRF will culminate in an approximately 20 second firing
of the three main engines on the shuttle. The purpose of both
tests was to provide a training opportunity for the launch team
and uncover any problems with the flight hardware and ground sup-
port equipment before beginning the countdown for launch of STS-
26.