NOTE: Columbia's forward and aft compartment closed-outs were completed last week. Weight and center of gravity testing was completed on Friday and Columbia was placed on the orbiter transport system Saturday to support rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Technicians began preparing for orbiter rollover activities at about 8 a.m. today and first motion started at 10:50 a.m. Columbia arrived in the VAB at 11:33 a.m. This afternoon, workers will connect the sling and lift the orbiter to a vertical position and mate it to the external tank and solid rocket boosters already stacked in VAB high bay 3. Early tomorrow morning, orbiter/external tank hardmate will be complete and umbilical connections begin Tuesday night.
STS-90 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
NOTE: Technicians completed leak checks on a section of flex hose recently replaced on Discovery's tunnel adapter, and airlock water and fluid line leak tests are complete as well. Modifications to the external tank separation camera continue. Today, technicians are preparing to replace power control assembly No. 3 on the orbiter docking system because the current unit has an incompatible configuration. Rework of the main engine heat shield attach points will conclude this week and preparation for the payload premate test is under way. In the Vehicle Assembly Building, STS-91 booster stacking operations will resume after Shuttle Columbia is mated to the STS-90 external tank. The right forward assembly is the final booster segment left to be stacked.
STS-91 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
NOTE: Endeavour's orbiter docking system floodlight is being replaced and removal is complete. Removal of the Spacelab gaseous nitrogen line is also complete. The manipulator positioning mechanism, a device that supports the remote manipulator system, or robot arm, is being installed in the orbiter's midbody. Torque checks of the wing-to-fuselage attach bolts continue and installation of auxiliary power unit No. 3 is slated for today. Leak checks of the main propulsion system's gaseous hydrogen line start today and preparations for orbiter maneuvering system (OMS) pod removal are in work. Hypergolic deservicing and cross-feed line disconnects begin Wednesday and right hand OMS pod removal begins next Monday.
STS-88 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
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