Hurricane Jeanne Didn't Hurt Much

Note: NASA’s Kennedy Space Center issues Space Shuttle Processing Status Reports each week, and is the source for information regarding processing activities associated with the vehicles and payloads. This report does not necessarily reflect the chronological order of future Space Shuttle missions. If you are a member of the media and would like further information, visit

Orbiters

NASA’s three Space Shuttle orbiters -- Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour – along with the Shuttle launch pads and all of the critical flight hardware for the orbiters and the International Space Station, sustained no damage during Hurricane Jeanne, which moved through Kennedy Space Center last weekend.

On Tuesday, workers began the process of taking the orbiters out of a hurricane preparedness status and returning to regular processing activities. Discovery was powered up on Tuesday and the payload bay doors were opened. Atlantis and Endeavour also returned to pre-hurricane processing activities.

In the Orbiter Processing Facility, work is under way to install the new wing leading edge instrumentation on Discovery. The sensors are being placed on the backside of the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panels as impact detection devises and will relay information about acceleration and temperature. On Sept. 17, a fit check was performed of the new External Tank (ET) digital still camera. NASA is pursuing use of the camera, beginning with the Shuttle’s Return to Flight, to obtain and downlink high-resolution images of the ET following separation of the ET from the orbiter after launch.

Atlantis is currently in a power-down period, in which all of the critical path wiring inspections and Return to Flight electrical modifications will be completed. Right-hand radiators No. 1, 2 and 3 are installed. The final right-hand RCC spar fitting, a series of floating joints that attach the RCC to the wing leading edge, was installed.

Prior to Hurricane Jeanne, workers completed securing the panels on the south side of KSC’s landmark facility, the Vehicle Assembly Building, which were loosened by Hurricane Frances. During Hurricane Jeanne, 25 additional aluminum panels were lost on the east side of the building. Workers are now beginning the process of covering the holes with corrugated steel so the facility can be returned to performing operational activities.

KSC was closed to all non-essential personal on Monday so that assessment teams could begin to determine what damage the Center sustained during Jeanne. The entire KSC workforce returned to work on Tuesday.

FMI: www.pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao.htm