Space Forum / Shuttle / October 2005

October 28, 2005

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-3749)

Jessica Rye
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)

STATUS REPORT: SS05-030

NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS REPORT: S05-030

NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. opened on Wednesday following
Hurricane Wilma. Some water entered facilities and there is minor
structural damage, primarily to roofs. The Vehicle Assembly Building
lost some panels on the east and west sides. There was no damage to
flight hardware.

Approximately 13.6 inches of rain was recorded at the Shuttle Landing
Facility. The highest wind gust recorded was 94 mph at launch pad
39B, while the maximum sustained wind was 76 mph at the top of the
492-foot weather tower north of the Vehicle Assembly Building. NASA's
space shuttle fleet is housed and processed at Kennedy.

Discovery (OV-103)

Mission: STS-121 - 18th International Space Station Flight
Payload: Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3
Launch Date: No earlier than May 2006
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak, Wilson and Reiter

Discovery processing is under way for the second return to flight test
mission, STS-121. Hinge installation for the right-hand payload bay
door is complete. The door was closed and opened Thursday to support
inspections of the radiator retract mechanism. Right-hand door
inspections continue today.

The forward reaction control system was removed on Wednesday. The
system will be sent back to the Hypergol Maintenance Facility at
Kennedy for work and inspections prior to returning to the bay for
reinstallation on the vehicle.

Atlantis (OV-104)

Mission: STS-115 - 19th International Space Station Flight
Payload: P3/P4 Solar Arrays
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1
Launch Date: TBD
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Jett, Ferguson, Tanner, Burbank, MacLean, Stefanyshyn-Piper

Technicians continue to process the orbiter for its mission to the
international space station. Preparations are under way to remove a
cold plate in an avionics bay. To perform the removal, water coolant
loop No. 2 will be de-serviced or drained.

The payload for Atlantis is the P3/P4 truss segment being prepared in
the Space Station Processing Facility. The P3/P4 cargo element
ammonia testing to verify functionality for on-orbit operations is
complete. The P3/P4 cargo element will attach to the P1 truss on the
port side of the integrated truss segment of the space station. With
its two large solar arrays, P3/P4 will provide one-fourth of the
total power generation capability of the station.

Endeavour (OV-105)

In Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2, Endeavour continues processing
following a nearly two-year major modification period. Main landing
gear rigging is scheduled to begin next week.

During the modification period, the body flap was removed from the
vehicle and extensive work was performed. The body flap thermal
protection system blankets were removed. Technicians bead blasted the
flap to remove any microscopic corrosion and painted it with
corrosion control paint. Reinstallation of the body flap hardware on
the vehicle is under way.

For previous space shuttle processing status reports on the Web,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home

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