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
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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.