The Space Shuttle fleet is housed and processed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Fla. The order the Space Shuttles are listed in this report does not necessarily reflect the chronological order of future missions.
Discovery (OV-103)
Work continues to progress well on Discovery for its Return to Flight mission, STS-114, to the International Space Station. The right-hand Orbital Maneuvering System pod has been transferred to the Orbiter Processing Facility, with final inspection scheduled for today. Final installation for flight is scheduled for next week.
Freon Coolant Loop No. 2 is reassembled and leak checks on loops No. 1 and 2 are complete. Water Coolant Loop No. 2 servicing is in progress and Loop No. 1 will start being drained next week.
Atlantis (OV-104)
In the Orbiter Processing Facility, technicians continue processing Atlantis for its future mission to the International Space Station. The vehicle remains in a scheduled four-month power-down period for Return to Flight modifications, which are progressing well. Body flap removal preparations have begun. Body flap and actuator removal is scheduled for next week.
The chin panel, the smile-shaped section of Reinforced Carbon-Carbon that fits directly below the nose cap to provide a thermal barrier during reentry, has been installed. Thermal Protection System blankets continue being installed in the nose cap, with installation of the nose cap scheduled for next week. Four left-hand carrier panels have been installed.
Endeavour (OV-105)
Space Shuttle Endeavour is in its Orbiter Major Modification period, which began last December. Electrical modifications continue in the crew module. The nose cap fit check, which is a pre-installation inspection to see whether all components fit together properly, was successfully completed.
Work is continuing on installing Thermal Protection System tiles on the External Tank door and main engine’s Dome Heat Shield. The fit check of the Global Positioning Satellite antennas is complete. The antennas were removed and sent to the NASA Shuttle Logistics Depot in Cape Canaveral, Fla., for the final modifications prior to installation for flight.
Previous Space Shuttle processing status reports are available on the Internet at:
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/status/status.htm
For information about the NASA’s Return to Flight efforts on the Internet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/news/highlights/returntoflight.html