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From: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Shuttle Status for 01/18/91 (Forwarded)
Message-ID: <1991Jan18.202807.18209@news.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 18 Jan 91 20:28:07 GMT
Sender: usenet@news.arc.nasa.gov (USENET Administration)
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Lines: 51


                Friday January 18, 1991                 9:30 a.m. EST

                     KSC SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS REPORT

          -----------------------------------------------------------------

                     STS-39 -- Discovery (OV 103)  -  OPF Bay 1

               Operations continue in the Orbiter Processing Facility today
          to prepare the orbiter Discovery for the next Space Shuttle
          mission. Crossfeed leak checks between the twin orbital
          maneuvering system pods and the forward reaction control system
          will be checked today. Final hydraulic checkouts are scheduled to
          be completed early today with flight controls and main engines
          undergoing final cycling operations. Following this, the main
          engine locks will be placed on the three engines to allow workers
          an opportunity to further check the high pressure oxidizer
          turbopump on engine number 3 for possible hydraulic fluid
          contamination. Results of this inspection are expected tonight.
          Rollout of the vehicle to the Vehicle Assembly Building is
          currently assessed to be near the end of the month.

                      STS-37 -- Atlantis (OV-104)  -  OPF Bay 2

               Hydraulic operations continue today. The payload bay doors
          will be cycled closed then reopened today for K-U band testing.
          Preparations for main engine installation are underway. SSME
          installation is scheduled to begin Sunday.

               In the hypergolic maintenance facility, fifth flight checks
          continue on the left hand orbital maneuvering system pod. The
          forward reaction control system (FRCS)is undergoing functional
          tests this week. Installation of the FRCS into the orbiter is
          targeted for late next week.

               In the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3, buildup of the
          right solid rocket booster segments continue on the mobile
          launcher platform. The right aft center segment will be lifted
          and mated to the stack tonight.

                   STS-40  --  Columbia (OV 102) - VAB High Bay 2

               Work in the payload bay continues today for the removal of
          the provisions stowage assembly (PSA) from the bay. Preparations
          also continue to access the waste water dump line nozzle for
          failure analysis. Tile work will continue throughout this
          weekend.

               Columbia is scheduled to be moved to the Orbiter Processing
          Facility following the rollover of Discovery to the VAB.