Status report latest

[Chris Bergin]

Mission: STS-114 - 17th ISS Flight (LF1) - Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103)
Location: Vehicle Assembly Building
Launch Date: Launch Planning Window July 13 - 31, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson, Thomas, Lawrence and Camarda
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Space Shuttle Discovery is back in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). It was rolled back from Launch Pad 39B yesterday. First motion occurred at 6:44 a.m. Discovery, carried by a Crawler Transporter, entered the VAB at 4:30 p.m. following a 10-hour trip. The rollback was briefly interrupted due to a bearing issue on the Crawler Transporter when it was a third of a mile from the VAB. The 4.2-mile journey was the 15th rollback in Space Shuttle Program history.

Rollback had been postponed two days to allow technicians to perform borescope inspections of the retract link assembly in Discovery's landing gear door. The inspection took place on the left-hand assembly and did not identify any cracks. The closeout photos of the right-hand assembly were reviewed and showed no cracks. Following the inspections, Discovery underwent tests of its Auxiliary Power Units on Wednesday.

Preparations are under way to demate, or remove, Discovery from its External Tank (ET-120) and Solid Rocket Boosters on May 31. Once Discovery has been lowered onto the Orbiter Transporter System in the VAB transfer aisle, it will be moved in front of high bay 3 in preparation for being lifted and attached to ET-121 on June 7.

ET-121 was originally scheduled to fly with Atlantis on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121. In the VAB, a new heater was added to ET-121 on the feedline bellows, part of the pipeline that carries the liquid oxygen to the orbiter's main engines. The heater is designed to minimize the potential for ice and frost buildup. Final work is ongoing, including pull tests to ensure the heater is bonded properly and Thermal Protection System foam spray closeouts. The heater work is set to be completed in time for the orbiter to be attached on June 7. Discovery will roll back out to Launch Pad 39B in mid-June.

The Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello was transferred back to the Space Station Processing Facility to allow the mission processing team access to address concerns with fasteners inside the module that do not have an adequate running torque to act as a secondary locking feature. The assessment and additional work is being conducted to ensure that the fasteners do not disengage during ascent. Raffaello's hatch is scheduled to be opened on May 31. The additional tasks will not impact the STS-114 launch planning window.

[SimonShuttle]

They don't like telling us much do they?

[NASA_Twix_JSC]

That's what this site is all about

[Chris Bergin]

June 3:

 Discovery (OV-103)

Mission: STS-114 - 17th ISS Flight (LF1) - Multi-Purpose Logistics Module

Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103)

Location: Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB)

Launch Date: Launch Planning Window: July 13 - 31, 2005

Launch Pad: 39B

Crew: Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson, Thomas, Lawrence and Camarda

Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

In the VAB, orbiter Discovery was de-mated from its External Tank (ET-120) and Solid Rocket Boosters in high bay 1 on June 2. Discovery was lowered by crane onto the Orbiter Transporter System in the VAB transfer aisle.

The vehicle will be moved in front of high bay 3 in preparation for being lifted and attached to its new tank, ET-121, on June 6. That tank was originally scheduled to fly with Atlantis on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121. A new heater was added to the tank's feedline bellows, part of the pipeline that carries the liquid oxygen to the orbiter's main engines, to minimize the potential for ice and frost buildup.

 Once mated to the new tank, technicians will work final closeouts on the fully assembled Space Shuttle stack, and perform liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen electrical mates and an interface verification test. Discovery is scheduled to return to Launch Pad 39B on June 13.

[NASA_Twix_JSC]

There's also weekend LH2 Diffuser testing this weekend to see if they can spot the repress over-cycling.

[anik]

Chris Bergin - 4/6/2005  12:24 PM

In the VAB, orbiter Discovery was de-mated from its External Tank (ET-120) and Solid Rocket Boosters in high bay 1 on June 2.

[Tahii]

Nice photo Anik.

Just a question - If someone in Russia can get photos of Discovery in the VAB onto the forum, I would guess that the folks here from Nasa can get more. Any chance of more being posted?

I'm stuck in NZ, and don't get to see the shuttles much...

[anik]

Tahii - 4/6/2005  3:45 PM

Nice photo Anik.

Hmm... Tahii, it's certainly not my own photo!

Tahii - 4/6/2005  3:45 PM

Just a question - If someone in Russia can get photos of Discovery in the VAB onto the forum, I would guess that the folks here from Nasa can get more. Any chance of more being posted?

All photos about preparation to STS-114 flight are on a website: http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/

[Chris Bergin]

[Tahii]

anik - 5/6/2005  2:11 AM

Hmm... Tahii, it's certainly not my own photo!

All photos about preparation to STS-114 flight are on a website: http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/

Don't worry, I realised that it was not 'your' photo!

Cheers for the link.

[anik]

Below links to eight pages with photos about demating Discovery on Spaceflight Now website!

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/050603demate/01.html
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/050603demate/02.html
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/050603demate/03.html
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/050603demate/04.html
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/050603demate/05.html
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/050603demate/06.html
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/050603demate/07.html
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/050603demate/08.html

[Tahii]

That was wicked. Cheers.