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NASA News Briefs and Releases BBSNews 2007 Compiled by Kandy Ringer |
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| With the tracks of the crawler transporter visible in the foreground, Space Shuttle Atlantis is in position at Launch Pad 39B for lift off of mission STS-115 to the International Space Station.
Image Courtesy: NASA/Troy Cryder |
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For the images shown above in a larger size, see Atlantis Poised at the Pad.
More NASA images are available in BBSNews NASA Photos. |
NASA via BBSNews - 2007-01-12 -- Final vehicle closeouts are under way in preparation for technicians to move Atlantis to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Feb. 7. This week, the payload bay was cleaned and the doors were closed. The doors will be cycled one last time and the payload bay doors will be closed for flight next week.
- Mission: STS-117 - 21st International Space Station Flight (13A) - S3/S4 Truss Segment Solar Arrays
- Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104)
- Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1
- Launch Date: No earlier than March 16, 2007
- Launch Pad: 39A
- Crew: Sturckow, Archambault, Reilly, Swanson, Forrester and Olivas
- Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
The external tank scheduled to fly with Atlantis, designated ET-124, is in the checkout cell in the Vehicle Assembly Building for final processing prior to being mated to the solid rocket boosters in high bay 1. Space Shuttle Program managers will hold a review on Jan. 16 to determine the readiness to mate the tank with the boosters. Once the review is complete and the "go ahead" has been given, the tank will be attached on Jan. 19.
- 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: No earlier than June 28, 2007
- Launch Pad: 39A
- Crew: Kelly, Hobaugh, Williams, Morgan, Mastracchio, Caldwell and Anderson
- Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Endeavour remains in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, and technicians continue preparing the vehicle for its first launch in just over four years. The vehicle has undergone an extensive modification period, including the addition of all of the return-to-flight safety upgrades added to both Discovery and Atlantis.
This week, technicians installed the left-hand orbiter maneuvering system pod on the vehicle and they are now performing interface verification. Main propulsion system leak, functional and electrical checkout was successfully completed. Water spray boiler checkout and servicing began Thursday and will continue today.