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.