Space Shuttle Processing Status 24 Oct 2002

MISSION: STS-113 - 16th ISS Flight (11A) - P1 Truss Segment

• VEHICLE: ENDEAVOUR/OV-105
• TARGET LAUNCH DATE: Nov. 10, 2002
• TARGET LAUNCH PERIOD: 12 a.m. - 4 a.m.
• TARGET LANDING DATE: Nov. 20, 2002
• MISSION DURATION: 11 days
• CREW: Wetherbee, Lockhart, Lopez-Alegria, Herrington; (ISS up) Bowersox, Budarin, Pettit; (ISS down) Korzun, Whitson, Treschev
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE AND INCLINATION: 122 nautical miles /51.6 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: Space Shuttle Endeavour is at Launch Pad 39-A preparing for its lift off to the International Space Station next month. Hypergolic propellant loading began at 4 a.m. and will conclude tomorrow. As a result of the on-going investigation regarding the denotation of only one of two sets of small explosives that hold the solid rocket boosters to the launch platform during the STS-112 launch, inspections continue on the mobile launch platforms.

MISSION STS-107 -SPACEHAB/ FREESTAR MICROGRAVITY RESEARCH MISSION

• VEHICLE - Columbia/OV-102
• TARGET LAUNCH DATE: Jan. 16, 2003 NET
• TARGET LANDING DATE: Feb. 1, 2003
• MISSION DURATION: 16 days
• CREW: Husband, McCool, Anderson, Chawla, Brown, Clark, Ramon
• ORBITAL INSERTION ALTITUDE AND INCLINATION: 150 nautical miles/39 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: Columbia continues processing in preparation for its research mission scheduled for no earlier than Jan. 16. Engine installation is complete and connector mates are in work today. Leak checks are scheduled for this weekend and heat shield installation is scheduled for next week.

MISSION STS-114 -- 17TH ISS FLIGHT (9A) - CREW ROTATION/MULTI-PURPOSE LOGISTICS MODULE

• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• TARGET LAUNCH DATE: March 1, 2003
• TARGET LANDING DATE: March 12, 2003
• MISSION DURATION: 11 days
• SHUTTLE CREW: Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson
• ISS EXPEDITION CREW 7: Malenchenko, Moschenko, Lu
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE AND INCLINATION: 122 nautical miles, 51.6 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: Post-flight inspections from STS-112 continue in preparation for STS-114, scheduled to launch early next year. Engineers continue to evaluate a problem on STS-112 that prevented the detonation of one of two sets of small explosives that release bolts that hold the Shuttle's solid rocket boosters to the launch platform and release ground connections to the external tank. This system did not operate as designed at liftoff. A second redundant system fired normally and all pyrotechnic bolts were safely released. Engineers continue evaluating systems on Atlantis, including the onboard Master Events Controller, wiring and connections related to the pyrotechnics as part of the investigation. Testing continues on related equipment on the Mobile Launcher Platform. The analysis has not yet reached a conclusion, although some ground equipment is being replaced as a precaution.

ORBITER MAJOR MODIFICATION PERIOD VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103

Shuttle Processing Note: The Orbiter Major Modification (OMM) period for Discovery continues with wire inspections in the crew module this week.

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