The Shuttle fleet is housed and processed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Fla.
Discovery (OV-103)
Mission: STS-114 – 17th ISS Flight (LF1) – Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) Bay 3
Launch Date: Launch Planning Window, May 15 to June 3, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson, Thomas, Lawrence and Camarda
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Final processing work continues in OPF Bay 3 for the STS-114 mission to the International Space Station. In preparation for the rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), technicians are completing final closeouts of the payload bay and cleaning it for final door closing next week.
Seal installations and cycle checks continue on the main and nose landing gear doors. All work associated with the Rudder Speed Brake is complete for flight, including the final strip and tab installations, and painting and Thermal Protection System blanket bonding on the vertical stabilizer.
In the VAB, final closeout of the External Tank (ET) and the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) continues. This is in preparation for orbiter rollover and Discovery being mated to the tank. Upgraded SRB bolt catchers were installed this week. Discovery is flying with a modified bolt catcher that was upgraded from a two-piece welded design to a one-piece, machine-made design. Eliminating the weld makes a structurally stronger bolt catcher design.
Installation of resupply stowage racks into the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello in preparation for flight began on March 4. That work is scheduled to be complete next week. The Human Research Facility-2 (HRF-2) science rack was installed on Tuesday with post-installation closeouts completed the next day. Raffaello will hold a variety of supplies including food, clothing and spare parts for the Station. The HRF-2 will provide additional biomedical instrumentation and research capabilities for the Station and will be installed in the U.S. Laboratory, Destiny.
Atlantis (OV-104)
Mission: STS-121 – 18th ISS Flight (ULF1) – Multi-Purpose Logistics Module/Crew Rotation
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1
Launch Date: Launch Planning Window July 12 – July 31, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak and Wilson
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Technicians continue processing Atlantis in OPF Bay 1 for its mission (STS-121) to the Space Station. The right-hand Orbiter Maneuvering System (OMS) pod was removed Wednesday and returned to the Hypergol Maintenance Facility. The pod was removed due to time and cycle requirements for the pod’s thruster. Another OMS pod will be delivered next month for installation.
Checkout and installation of the four Manipulator Positioning Mechanisms that will hold an Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) on the starboard side of Atlantis’ payload bay is under way. The 50-foot-long OBSS attaches to the Remote Manipulator System (Shuttle robotic arm) and is one of the new safety measures for Return to Flight. It equips the orbiter with cameras and laser systems to inspect the Thermal Protection System while in space.
NASA’s second redesigned Space Shuttle ET, for use on mission STS-121, arrived at Port Canaveral Wednesday from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Late next week the tank will be offloaded and transported to the Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC.
Endeavour (OV-105)
Endeavour is in its Orbiter Major Modification period, which began in December 2003.