Agency Shooting For Four Launches Before End Of Year

NASA continues to work towards its goal of four shuttle flights between now and the end of the year. In an update released to ANN, the space agency says work continues on readying Atlantis for its planned June 8 launch... with Endeavour and Discovery counting down to launches in August and October, respectively.

Mission: STS-117 - 21st International Space Station Flight (13A) -
S3/S4 Truss Segment Solar Arrays
Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104)
Location: Vehicle Assembly Building
Launch Date: Targeted for June 8, 2007
Launch Pad: 39A
Crew: Sturckow, Archambault, Reilly, Swanson, Forrester, Olivas and Anderson Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

In high bay No. 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building, technicians and engineers continue repairing foam on the hail-damaged STS-117 external fuel tank, ET-124. Spray foam repairs began this week, and an area on the "ogive pencil point" (at the top of the tank) is scheduled to undergo a spray foam repair this weekend.

Atlantis' three main engines were removed this week for flow liner contamination inspections, which are now complete. A small piece of RepliSet found in the engine No. 2 flow liner has been removed. The silicon rubber RepliSet is used in making 3-D impressions that help to detect cracks in the main propulsion system fuel line flow liners.
Engine No. 3 has been reinstalled, and engineers are reinstalling engines No. 1 and 2.

Mission: STS-118 - 22nd International Space Station Flight (13A.1) -
S5 Truss Segment
Vehicle: Endeavour (OV-105)
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2 Launch Date: Targeted for Aug. 9, 2007 Launch Pad: 39A
Crew: Kelly, Hobaugh, Williams, Morgan, Mastracchio, Caldwell and Drew Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Workers in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2 are installing the orbiter engine heat shields and have completed the engine interface connections. Technicians are also working on modifications to the orbiter's engine cutoff sensor wiring. This work involves rerouting new wires and installing new resisters. The crew hatch carrier panel fit check was successfully completed this week. Checkout of the orbiter's three inertial measurement units is complete. These units are part of the orbiter's navigation system. Nose landing gear door rigging continues, and orbiter aft closeout work began this week.

ET-117, the external fuel tank to be used for STS-118, was transported Monday from the barge in the turn basin to the Vehicle Assembly Building. The next day, the tank was lifted into a checkout cell in high bay No. 2 for processing.

Mission: STS-120 - 23rd International Space Station Flight (10A) - U.S. Node 2
Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103)
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3 Launch Date: Targeted for Oct. 20, 2007 Launch Pad: 39A
Crew: Melroy, Zamka, Parazynski, Wheelock, Wilson, Nespoli and Tani Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 3, workers have completed verifying the forward reaction control system interface connections.
New, stronger tile known as BRI tile is being installed around the main landing gear doors and the external tank doors. Checkout of the "station to shuttle power transfer system" is under way. Technicians are also working on modifications to the orbiter's engine cutoff sensor wiring. This work involves rerouting new wires and installing new resisters. APU lube oil servicing is complete, and functional testing of the atmospheric revitalization pressure control system, part of the orbiter's life support system, is in progress.

FMI: www.nasa.gov