Ongoing Preparations For Discovery and Atlantis

SHUTTLE NEWS

Following the mock countdown and emergency egress practice from Launch Pad 39B, STS-114 crew members come together for a group photo on the 225-foot level. Image credit: NASA/KSC.

Cape Canaveral FL (SPX) May 10, 2005
Following Space Shuttle Program management discussions last week, a plan was laid out May 6 reflecting how the program will move toward the STS-114 Return to Flight launch.

Preparations are under way for a tanking test no earlier than the week of May 15 to continue troubleshooting two issues that arose during another tanking test on April 14.

Engineers are evaluating the liquid hydrogen sensors in the tank that gave intermittent readings during last month's test.

These sensors serve as fuel gauges to notify the Space Shuttle Main Engines to shut down when propellants reach a certain level in the tank. This is critical in the safe operation of the main engines.

Engineers are continuing to evaluate a liquid hydrogen pressurization relief valve that cycled more times during the tanking test than is standard.

This valve opens and closes to ensure the liquid hydrogen stays at the correct temperature.

Following the tanking test, technicians will begin preparations for rolling Space Shuttle Discovery back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).

Once in the VAB, orbiter Discovery most likely will be removed (destacked) from its External Tank (ET) and lowered into the transfer aisle.

This will be the eighth time in the program's history that a destacking will be performed following a rollback.

In parallel, the External Tank (ET-121) and Solid Rocket Boosters scheduled to fly with orbiter Atlantis on mission STS-121, is being prepared to fly with Discovery on mission STS-114.

The preparation of ET-121 currently is ongoing in the VAB's checkout cell.

A new heater will be added to the feedline bellows to minimize the potential for ice and frost buildup. This heater modification kit arrived May 5 from the tank manufacturing plant in New Orleans and has now been installed.

Once Discovery returns to the pad, another tanking test may be performed to test the new modifications.

Last week, the STS-114 crew participated in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test.

This provided the crew and ground teams of each mission an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency egress training.

Processing continues on Atlantis in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 for its mission, designated STS-121, to the International Space Station.

Vehicle power-up testing is about 70 percent complete. Closeouts continue in the forward and aft areas of the orbiter.

A new Thermal Protection System seal has been added in the nose and main landing gear.

Hydraulics were powered up, and preparations continued for this week's scheduled landing gear functional test.

Servicing of the potable water system is finished.

Port and starboard Manipulator Positioning Mechanisms were successfully cycled from full stow to full deploy.

These are the pedestals that hold the Remote Manipulator System, or Shuttle robotic arm, and the Orbiter Boom Sensor System in the payload bay.

Rudder Speed Brake Thermal Protection System tile and blanket installation continues.

Atlantis will likely fly with ET-119. The External Tank is scheduled to arrive from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans next month.

Stacking of the Solid Rocket Boosters is complete in high bay 1, and the joint closeouts are under way.

SHUTTLE NEWS

NASA's Astronaut Class Outwits, Outlasts First Year Of Training

Pensacola NAS FL (SPX) May 09, 2005
They were ejected, spun, strapped, blindfolded, dunked in water, looped, rolled, flipped, floated, left in a forest, taught to eat leaves and roots, "injured" and rescued.

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