Work in progress: Space Shuttle managers today completed a review of Shuttle Discovery’s readiness for flight on mission STS-103. They maintained a launch date of Dec. 9 for Discovery, although a further review of work remaining to close-out Discovery for flight will be held later this week. The launch date may be adjusted slightly pending the status of remaining work that is reported at that time.
At the launch pad, workers completed replacement of Discovery’s mass memory unit No. 1. Close-out work on the recently repaired orbiter/external tank umbilical wiring harness continues as engineers conduct validation tests on that system. Tonight, workers are slated to begin Shuttle ordnance installation and replacement of a leaky quick disconnect on auxiliary power unit No. 2 is planned for later this week. Routine orbiter aft compartment close-outs continue along with wiring inspections.
Major Processing Milestones (targets only):
Ordnance installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Dec. 1)
Flight crew arrival at KSC . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Dec. 4 at about 8 p.m.)
Orbiter aft compartment close-outs complete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Dec. 5)
Launch countdown begins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Dec. 6 at 5:30 a.m.)
Work in progress: Workers in the OPF have completed wiring close-outs on Orbiter Endeavour and the payload bay doors were closed last night. Preparations are under way for Endeavour to roll to the Vehicle Assembly Building Thursday at about 10 a.m. The orbiter will be mated to the external tank and solid rocket boosters in VAB high bay 1Thursday night and managers plan to transfer the Space Shuttle to Launch Pad 39A Dec. 7.
Major Processing Milestones (targets only):
Payload bay doors closed for flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Nov. 28)
Orbiter transferred to VAB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Dec. 2)
Shuttle rolls to Launch Pad 39A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Dec. 7)
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