Chronology of KSC and KSC Related

Events for 1999

Elaine E. Liston

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NASA/TM-2000-208588 February 2000
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Chronology of KSC and KSC Related

Events for 1999

Elaine E. Liston, InDyne, Inc., Kennedy Space Center, Florida

NASA/TM-2000-208588 February 2000
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FOREWORD

This 1999 Chronology is published to describe and document KSC's role in NASA's

progress.

Materials for this Chronology were selected from a number of published sources. The

document records KSC events of interest to historians and other researchers. Arrangement

is by date of occurrence, though the source cited may be dated one or more days after the

event.

Materials were researched and prepared for publication by Archivist Elaine E. Liston.

Comment on the Chronology should be directed to the John F. Kennedy Space Center,

Archives, LIBRARY-E, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, 32899. The Archivist may also be

reached by e-mail at Elaine.Liston-l@ksc.nasa.gov, or (321) 867-2407.
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Table of Contents

January ........................................................................................ 1

February ....................................................................................... 12

March ......................................................................................... 23

April ........................................................................................... 32

May ............................................................................................ 42

June ............................................................................................ 58

July ............................................................................................. 75

August ......................................................................................... 94

September .................................................................................... 104

October ....................................................................................... 119

November .................................................................................... 127

December ..................................................................................... 137
v
JANUARY

JANUARY 1: Florida's commercial spaceport here is booked to near capacity next

year, solidifying its position in a lucrative field. The reasons for the brisk business

include a new rocket, the opening of another launch complex and the first test

program of a new space vehicle from Kennedy Space Center in almost 20 years. "The

year 1999 is going to be a great year. And the year 2000 is going to be spectacular,"

said Ed O'Connor, executive director of Spaceport Florida Authority, a state agency

working to attract aerospace business. Twenty-six of the missions will be aboard

unmanned rockets flown from Cape Canaveral Air Station. The vehicles will carry

everything from communications satellites to NASA deep-space probes. An

experimental NASA space plane called the X-34 also is to begin flying from KSC in

December - the first time a totally new rocket has taken off from there since the

shuttle program began in 1981. The small craft will be launched from under the wing

of an airplane. It is designed to ferry small payloads into space. Beyond that, the state

is continuing its push to lure a next-generation spaceship called VentureStar that may

hold the key to 21 s' century dominance in the world's commercial launch industry.

["Commercial space-launch industry takes off in Florida," Florida Today, January 1,

1999, p 1A & 7A.]

JANUARY 3: Mars Polar Lander Mission Status Report, Sunday, January 3, 1999.

Mars Polar Lander - due to become the first spacecraft to set down near the edge of

Mars' southern polar cap -- pierced through a blustery, cloud-covered Florida sky at

3:21 p.m. Eastern Standard Time today atop a Delta II launch vehicle from Cape

Canaveral Air Station's Launch Complex 17B. The spacecraft, launched successfully

on the first day of the launch period, is equipped with a robotic arm to dig beneath the

layered terrain of the Martian polar region and two microprobes to crash into the

planet's surface and conduct two days of soil and water experiments up to 1 meter (3

feet) below the Martian surface. Sixty-six seconds after liftoff, the Delta's four solidrocket strap-on boosters were jettisoned. Firing of the main first-stage engine lasted

approximately 4 minutes, 24 seconds. Eight seconds later, the first stage was discarded,

and 5.5 seconds later the second stage ignited. Four and a half seconds after that, the

nose cone surrounding the lander was jettisoned. The second-stage burn lasted 6

minutes, 44 seconds and placed the spacecraft into a low-Earth orbit at an altitude of

191 kilometers (119 miles). The spacecraft coasted over the Indian Ocean for

approximately 23 minutes before the second stage engine fired briefly a second time.

The third stage fired for 88 seconds at 3:57 p.m. EST to propel the spacecraft out of

Earth's gravity and on its way to Mars. At 4:03 p.m. EST, Mars Polar Lander

separated from the third stage. A set of solar panels located on the spacecraft's outer

cruise stage were deployed shortly thereafter and pointed at the Sun. At 4:19 p.m.

EST, the lander's signal was acquired by a 34-meter-diameter (112-foot) antenna of

NASA's Deep Space Network in Canberra, Australia. Mars Polar Lander's

interplanetary cruise to Mars will take it more than 180 degrees around the Sun in

what is called a Type 2 trajectory, allowing the spacecraft to target a landing zone close

to Mars' south pole at 73 to 76 degrees south latitude. Throughout the cruise, the
spacecraftwill communicatewith Earth usingitsX-bandtransmitter and medium-gain

horn antennamountedon thecruisestage.During the first 30daysof flight, the

spacecraftwill betracked10to 12hours perday. Quiet phasesof thetrip will require

only four hoursof tracking time eachday. Thespacecraftis scheduledto fire its

thrustersin atrajectory correctionmaneuverJanuary18. That maneuveris designed

to removeatargetingbiasintendedto preventthe third stageof the Delta II rocket

from following in thelander'sflight path andcolliding with Mars,aswell asanysmall

launchinjection errors.That maneuveris expectedto takeapproximately5 minutesto

execute.MarsPolar Landeristhe secondof two spacecraftlaunchedto the redplanet

during theDecember1998-January1999Marslaunchopportunity. MarsClimate

Orbiter waslaunchedDecember11,andis scheduledto reachMarsnext September23.

OnboardMars Polar Landeraretwo microprobesdevelopedasthe DeepSpace2

project underNASA's New Millennium Program. The DeepSpace2 probeswill

smashinto the Martian surfaceasatestof newtechnologiesfor future planetary

descentprobes. BruceBuckingham.(1999).Mars Polar Lander Mission Status

Report [Online]. AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status

[1999,January3].]

JANUARY 4: Two water-huntingspacecraftaresailingsmoothly toward Marstoday,

wherethey areto arrive laterthis yearto continueNASA's latestexploration of the

alluring planet. Launchedthreeweeksapart,the MarsPolar LanderandMarsClimate

Orbiter spacecraftarein excellenthealthasthey headinto deepspace,NASA officials

saidMonday. ["Spacecraft'well-behaved'onway to Mars," Florida Today, January 5,

1999, p lB.]

JANUARY 5" On Feb. 6, a Boeing Delta II rocket carrying the Stardust spacecraft is

scheduled to launch. Stacking of the rocket at Launch Complex 17A, Cape Canaveral

Air Station, begins Tuesday, Jan. 5. Stardust will capture comet particles flying off the

nucleus of comet Wild 2 in January 2004, plus collect interstellar dust for later analysis.

The collected samples will return to Earth in a re-entry capsule to be jettisoned from

Stardust as it swings by in January 2006. ["The Next NASA Payload Launch," KSC

Countdown, January 5, 1999.]

JANUARY 7: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, January 7, 1999. STS-93:

Chandra X-ray Observatory (formerly AXAF). Columbia's payload bay doors were

opened earlier this week following the holiday down period. Also this week, workers

replaced a transducer for orbiter freon coolant loop No. 2 and testing of the new

component is complete. Columbia's forward and midbody compartment closeouts are

in work. Potable water sampling is in progress. In the Vehicle Assembly Building,

external tank and solid rocket booster closeouts continue. STS-96: 2nd U.S.

International Space Station Flight Spacehab Double Module. Processing of the orbiter

Discovery has resumed following the holiday down period. Functional testing of the

orbiter's purge vent drain system is complete. A corrosion control modification on

the base heat shield is in progress and main propulsion system leak and functional

testing is under way. Technicians are preparing for upcoming radiator functional tests.
Replacementof Discovery'swindow No. 1continuesandwindow No. 7 replacement

beginslater this week.STS-101:3rd InternationalSpaceStationFlight Spacehab

Double Module / ICC. Atlantis remains in VAB high bay 2 awaiting Columbia's move

to the VAB in early February. Workers are preparing for the installation of Atlantis'

onboard tactical air command and navigation system (TACAN). OPF bay 3 will

undergo planned open bay work for one week following Columbia's departure and

will then house Atlantis throughout the STS-101 processing flow. STS-99: Shuttle

Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Endeavour's orbiter maneuvering system

functional tests are in work. Shuttle main engine inspections continue and post flight

servicing of the onboard waste management system is in progress. Bruce Buckingham.

(1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available Email: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, January 7].]

• A Japanese communications satellite won't be ready for its scheduled launch next

week aboard a Lockheed Martin Atlas rocket, officials said Thursday. The JCSAT-6

spacecraft was slated for a ride into Earth orbit Jan. 13 from Cape Canaveral Air

Station. Instead, a problem will force workers to remove the satellite from atop the

rocket and return it to a processing facility in Titusville. A spokeswoman for Hughes

Space and Communications, which built the spacecraft, could not give further details

on the problem. The delay is expected to last a least several weeks. The spacecraft had

been scheduled to launch last summer but was grounded after being damaged in an

apparent power surge caused by a lightning strike near its processing building. ["Atlas

launch of satellite postponed," Florida Today, January 8, 1999, p 7A.]

JANUARY 9: With two pieces of NASA's International Space Station already

assembled in orbit, preparations are underway on the next station segments for launch

this year from Kennedy Space Center. The parts are to be ferried into orbit on four

shuttle flights, beginning with a mission on Discovery in May. Though months away

from flight, a large-scale effort to get the pieces ready is unfolding at KSC. Inside a

huge KSC building, technicians are working on everything from massive solar arrays

to tiny electronics boxes. Altogether, the station will need 33 more shuttle flights and

nine Russian rocket launches to carry about 100 major pieces into orbit. ["NASA

pieces together station parts," Florida Today, January 10, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

JANUARY 11: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, January 11, 1999. STS-93:

Chandra X-ray Observatory (formerly AXAF). Columbia's forward and midbody

compartment closeouts continue. Technicians will cycle the left-hand payload bay

door today to check recently replaced seals. Managers plan to close the orbiter's

payload bay doors Friday in preparation for an early February transfer to the Vehicle

Assembly Building. Leak checks on two of the orbiter's hypergolic line disconnects are

in work today and this week Ku-band system stowage is scheduled. STS-96: 2nd U.S.

International Space Station Flight Spacehab Double Module. Removal of Discovery's

caution and warning box is complete. The orbiter's ammonia controller has been

replaced and the forward reaction control system (FRCS) has arrived in the OPF for
installation tomorrow. Lastweek,radiatorffmctionaltestsandinspectionsrevealeda

probablemicrometeroidding on aportion of the radiatorandengineeringevaluationis

now underway. Main propulsionsystemfunctionaltestsareongoingand corrosion

control modificationson the engineheatshieldscontinue. Replacementof Discovery's

window No. 1iscompleteandwindow No. 7 replacementis in work today. Workers

will evaluatewindow No. 5 this week. STS-101:3rd InternationalSpaceStationFlight

SpacehabDouble Module / ICC. Atlantis remains in VAB high bay 2 awaiting

Columbia's move out of OPF bay 3 in early February. Workers are preparing for the

installation of Atlantis' onboard tactical air command and navigation system

(TACAN). OPF bay 3 will undergo planned open bay work for one week following

Columbia's departure and will then house Atlantis throughout the STS-101 processing

flow. STS-99: Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Endeavour's left orbiter

maneuvering system (OMS) pod functional tests are complete and good. Functional

tests on the right OMS pod are in work. Technicians completed post flight deservicing

of the orbiter's waste management system last week. Shuttle main engine inspections

continue and preparations for FRCS testing are under way. Bruce Buckingham. (1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-malE

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, January 11].]

JANUARY 12" Attendance at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during 1998

increased more than 50,000, from 2.7 million to 2.75 million. Factors contributing to

the increased attendance include major additions such as the International Space

Station Center and LC 39 Observation Gantry; hosting of space-related major motion

picture premiers held at the Visitor Complex; the highly publicized STS-95/John

Glenn launch and the launch of the first component of the International Space Station,

officials said. Overall Christmas week attendance was up 2 percent over 1997, with

1717, 505 guests visiting the complex in 1998, said Rick Abramson, president of

Delaware North Parks Services of Spaceport Inc., which manages the attraction.

["KSC Visitor Complex traffic up," Florida Today, January 13, 1999, p 1C.]

• An Internet site for selling and trading items has pulled a listing for a piece of

wreckage from NASA's space shuttle Challenger disaster. The listing for an "authentic

Challenger O-ring" was removed Tuesday, after officials at eBay Inc. of San Jose,

Calif., learned it is illegal to possess debris from the shuttle disaster that killed seven

astronauts in 1986. "Any piece or part from Challenger is considered government

property," said Jennifer McCarter, spokeswoman at NASA headquarters in

Washington, D. C. "If it is indeed authentic, it would be subject to seizure." Federal

law allows up to a $10,000 fine, 10 years in prison or both for possession of Challenger

wreckage. People who falsely try to sell Challenger debris could be subject to fraud

charges. The eBay web site allows people to post listings for items they wish to sell or

trade, but the site's policy prohibits the sale of illegal items. Spokeswoman Kristin

Seuell said the company would cooperate with law enforcement or NASA if asked to

provide information on the seller. ["Web site yanks ad for shuttle wreckage," Florida

Toda£, January 13, 1999, p lB.]

4
• The Air Force wants to radically change the safety system that has protected

Florida from exploding rockets for nearly 50 years, and the proposal is triggering alarm

among federal officials. Aerospace experts say the move could endanger people and

property along Florida's East Coast as several unproven new rockets start making

inaugural flights from cape Canaveral Air Station during the next few years. At issue is

who will certify the design of rockets lifting off from the Air Station and NASA's

nearby Kennedy Space Center. The safety responsibility currently is shouldered by

civilian and military engineers who work for the Air Force as an independent unit at

the air base and live in surrounding towns most exposed to potential danger during

launch accidents. To save money, the Air Force wants to take control of the work and

transfer it to Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in

Dayton, Ohio. The state of Florida wants to increase the number of launches from

Cape Canaveral from three dozen this year to 50 or more in 2005. The fact that many

of those missions will be carried out on new rockets is prompting state officials to

scrutinize the Air Force's proposed change in safety procedures. The issue of

protecting Floridians from launches dates to 1950, the year after Congress passed a law

that led to the establishment of Cape Canaveral as a proving ground for guided

missiles. Since then, the congressionally mandated protection job has been carried out

by safety engineers at the local launch bases. The job entails making sure that missiles,

rockets and piloted spaceships do not endanger launch workers, public and private

property, or people living in Florida and in countries located beneath a rocket's flight

path. If the Air Force plan takes effect, local safety officials no longer will have the

power to demand design changes when flawed systems are discovered on rockets

launching from Cape Canaveral. A second, but no less critical, part of the safety job is

making certain that launch pads, satellite processing centers, hazardous fuel depots and

ground support systems at Cape Canaveral are safely designed. Those responsibilities

also would be transferred to Ohio. Others in the federal government are calling for

the Air Force to stall the proposed move until the issue can be studied by the National

Academy of Sciences. The academy is a nonprofit society of scholars that advises the

U.S. government on science and technology issues. The review is expected to take nine

months and cost $388,000. It will be paid for by the Air Force, NASA, two aerospace

companies and the Federal Aviation Administration. ["Rocket safety plan criticized,"

Florida Today, January 13, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

• A 72-page report commissioned by NASA and released Tuesday by the National

Research Council gave the space agency high marks for the way it plans upgrades to

the aging shuttle fleet. But the study was less enthusiastic about some of the specific

improvements proposed, including a couple that have been under development for

years. Two questions, experts suggested, should be considered before tackling any

costly, future modifications: How likely is a replacement for the shuttle in the near

future? What would the shuttle be used for after the projected end of the International

Space Station era in 2013? "If they can develop a brand new vehicle that satisfies all of

the requirements, they should do that," said Bryan O'Connor, an aerospace consultant
andformer astronautwho headedthe 11-membercommittee. "If wewind up flying

the shuttleout to 2030,but we'veneverreallydecidedto do that, thenthe major cost

savingsandperformanceimprovementupgradeswill neverbedone. We'll kind of

limp out to 2030." Minor shuttlemodificationsto improve safetyandsupport flights

continueto takeplace. But big-ticketrenovationsthat would improve the shuttle's

capabilitiesand madesomebasicchangeshavebeenmostly on hold since1995. That's

when ashuttle-managementreviewheadedby former JohnsonSpaceCenter Director

Chris Kraft recommendedfreezingany shuttledesignchangesto savemoney. Since

1997,NASA hasreliedon about$100million in reservefundseachyearto pay for

minimal upgrades.At the requestof the Officeof ManagementandBudget,NASA

andfive aerospacecompaniesareputting togetherseparate"spacearchitecture" studies

that aredueout this spring. The studieswill look atnew spacecraftdesigns,how the

programswould operateandthe facilitiesneededto support them. Congressandthe

White Houseareexpectedto decidewhetherto replacethe shuttlewith a new,

reusablevehicleby the endof theyear2000. ["What liesaheadfor agingspace

shuttle?" The Orlando Sentinel, January 13, 1999, p A-6.]

JANUARY 13: In a hotly debated policy shift, the Air Force might scrap its practice

of stopping rocket launches from Cape Canaveral until stray aircraft and boats are

chased out of danger zones. Instead, the Air Force would continue its routine of

broadcasting warnings to aviators and mariners in advance of a liftoff. But rather than

risk costly launch postponements, unmanned rockets and shuttles would be allowed to

fly despite the presence of ships and aircraft in restricted areas. Aerospace safety

experts say the proposal could put private aircraft, fishing boats, shrimp trawlers and

cruise ships at greater risk should they wander into zones that are off-limits during

launches. Air Force officials are unwilling to speculate on possible public backlash

against the plan. "I wouldn't dare guess what the public reaction would be," said

Kevin Chilton, assistant director of operations at Air Force Space Command in

Colorado Springs, Colo., which oversees operations at Cape Canaveral Air Station.

"The question is if adequate warning is given and ignored, should you put at risk the

launch vehicle - and the people in the vehicle for a manned flight - for the person who

chooses to ignore the warning?" The possible change is part of a larger effort to cut the

cost of doing business at Cape Canaveral Air Station, which has lost lucrative satellite

launch contracts to foreign spaceports the past two decades. The issue is one of many

that soon will be reviewed by the National Academy of Sciences as part of the first

comprehensive study of the Air Force's range safety system, which has protected

Floridians from exploding rockets for almost 50 years. ["Launches could put planes,

boats at risk," Florida Today, January 14, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

JANUARY 15" A damaged wire harness that escaped detection during preflight

inspections triggered one of the costliest launch explosions in U.S. history, Air Force

officials said Friday. A $344 million Titan 4 and its cargo, a spy satellite worth $700

million, erupted into a giant fireball 41 seconds into an Aug. 12, 1998 flight. The $1

billion blast showered flaming debris into a launch zone 3 miles off the coast of Cape

Canaveral. In a report released Friday, investigators blamed the failure on electrical

6
shortswithin awire harnessdesignedto route powerto the rocket'sguidancesystem.

Consequently,the flow of electricityto the guidancesystemwasinterrupted. That

causedthe rocketto pitch nosedown, triggering its automaticdestructsystem.

Investigatorssaidthereis "clearandconvincingevidence"the harnesswasdamaged

beforelaunch. Manufacturingrecordsshow inspectorsfound andfixed 44other

wiring defectson the harnessbeforethe flight. Flawsalsowerefound on other

identicalTitan harnesses.Two Titan 4'sareon CapeCanaverallaunchpads.The first

of thoseistentatively scheduledfor launchMarch 18. Air Forceofficials saidneither

of the rocketswill fly beforeextensiveanalysisof harnessflaws is completed. ["Faulty

wire harnesscausedcostlyTitan explosion," Florida Today, January 16, 1999, p 1A.]

JANUARY 16" Over the next 12 months, six launches are scheduled using the NASA

space shuttle. On April 8, Columbia is scheduled to take off with a crew of five

astronauts and an X-ray observatory that will enable astronomers to study the

universe. On May 13, Discovery and a crew of seven astronauts will take off on a

mission to haul supplies up to NASA's International Space Station. Atlantis and five

astronauts will be next up for NASA on Aug. 5. This will also be a space station

construction mission. Then Endeavour is scheduled for Sept. 16. Four Americans and

astronauts from both Europe and Japan will take off on their mission to make a radar

map of the Earth. Spacewalking construction workers will head back to NASA's new

international space station when Discovery and seven astronauts take off on Oct. 28.

NASA will cap the year with the launch of shuttle Atlantis and five astronauts on Dec.

2 to complete another space station construction flight. ["Only 6 chances to watch

shuttle launches in '99," Florida Today, January 17, 1999, p 6E.]

JANUARY 20: NASA's much-delayed launch of a $1.3 billion X-ray telescope will be

pushed back at least another month so faulty circuit boards can be replaced, agency

officials said Wednesday. Set for launch in April aboard shuttle Columbia, the troubleprone Chandra X-Ray Observatory instead will remain on the ground until mid-May

or later so repairs can be made. The problem - which could have crippled the

telescope in orbit - is the latest in a series of glitches that have postponed its originally

scheduled August 1998 launch from Kennedy Space Center. ["Telescope's flight

delayed," Florida Today, January 21, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

JANUARY 21: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, January 21, 1999. STS-93:

Chandra X-ray Observatory (formerly AXAF). KSC managers are reviewing

Columbia's STS-93 processing schedule to accommodate a delay of at least one week in

the Chandra payload KSC delivery date, previously slated for Jan. 28. NASA and

Chandra spacecraft managers expect circuit board problems onboard Chandra to delay

the STS-93 launch at least 5 weeks. Further spacecraft tests and inspections this week in

Redondo Beach, California will allow Chandra managers to more accurately determine

the schedule impact. That information will help NASA Shuttle managers address

possible impacts to planned, downstream Shuttle flights. Yesterday, workers

completed payload bay cleaning efforts and closed Columbia's payload bay doors.

Orbiter forward and aft compartment closeouts continue and potable water servicing is
underway. STS-96."2nd U.S.InternationalSpaceStationFlight SpacehabDouble

Module.Interfaceverification testingon Discovery'sforward reactioncontrol system

is complete. Functionaltestson orbiter hatch"D" havealsoconcluded. Replacement

of windows No. 2 andNo. 7 continues. Heat shieldmodification effortsareunder

way andsensorwork on the main propulsionsystemis ongoing. Preparationsarein

progressto replace6 thrusterson Discovery'smaneuveringsystemthis week. STS101:3rdInternational SpaceStationFlight SpacehabDouble Module/ ICC. Atlantis

remains in VAB high bay 2 awaiting Columbia's move out of OPF bay 3. installation

of Atlantis' onboard tactical air command and navigation system (TACAN) is in

progress and aft compartment leak checks are in work. Atlantis is scheduled to

undergo orbiter processing for STS-101 in OPF bay 3. The date for Atlantis' transfer

from the VAB to the OPF will be determined after Shuttle managers assess the impact

of Shuttle Columbia's STS-93 delay. STS-99: Shuttle Radar Topography Mission

(SRTM). Checks on Endeavour's forward reaction control system (FRCS) are

complete. Workers are preparing to remove the FRCS this week. Heat shield and

robot arm removal efforts are on going. Preparations for Shuttle main engine removal

are also under way. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle

Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe

shuttle-status [1999, January 21].]

JANUARY 22: Grady Williams, a former NASA design engineer died Friday.

Williams worked on the first launch of an American ballistic missile, the Redstone, in

August 1953 and later Apollo missions. He also worked on the start of the shuttle

launches before he retired. Williams held a number of leadership positions in the space

program, including director of KSC design and engineering from 1970 to 1972. ["KSC

space pioneer Grady Williams dies," Florida Today, January 23, 1999, p 2B.]

JANUARY 24: A Lockheed Martin Athena 1 rocket is to carry Taiwan's first science

satellite into orbit Tuesday night from a state-run launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air

Station. The flight will be the second Athena mission from Florida. The first involved

last year's launch of NASA's Lunar Prospector, which found evidence of frozen water

on the moon. A third mission is planned for early 2000 when one of the vehicles is to

carry an experimental military satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral. ["Spaceport

looks for boost in business," Florida Today, January 25, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

JANUARY 25: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, January 25, 1999. STS-93:

Chandra X-ray Observatory (formerly AXAF). Columbia's forward and aft

compartment closeouts continue and potable water servicing is under way. The

orbiter's drag chute compartment is undergoing instrumentation work this week. A

system of temporary sensors is being installed inside the compartment to help

engineers better understand the structural stress associated with vehicle transfers. This

week, Shuttle managers are awaiting information from Chandra spacecraft officials to

determine Columbia's target launch date and any impacts to downstream Shuttle

flights. STS-96: 2nd U.S. International Space Station Flight Spacehab Double Module.

Four of six orbital maneuvering system thrusters onboard Discovery were replaced
_v

over the weekend. The remaining two thrusters will be installed tonight. Replacement

of orbiter windows No. 2 and No. 7 continues. Heat shield modification efforts are

under way and sensor work on the main propulsion system is ongoing. This week,

workers will test Discovery's power reactant storage and distribution system. STS-101:

3rd International Space Station Flight Spacehab Double Moldule / ICC. Atlantis

remains in VAB high bay 2 awaiting Columbia's move out of OPF bay 3. Installation

of Atlantis' onboard tactical air navigation system (TACAN) is in progress and aft

compartment leak checks are in work. Atlantis is scheduled to undergo orbiter

processing for STS-101 in OPF bay 3. The date for Atlantis' transfer from the VAB to

the OPF will be determined after Shuttle managers assess the impact of Shuttle

Columbia's STS-93 delay. STS-99: Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM).

Endeavour's forward reaction control system will be removed from the orbiter this

week. Robot arm removal is in work today and Shuttle main engine removal begins

tonight. Docking mechanism removal is scheduled today. Bruce Buckingham. (1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, January 25].]

JANUARY 26: Launch of the spacecraft Stardust aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is

on track for Feb. 6 at 4:07 p.m. at the Cape Canaveral Air Station. The spacecraft is

destined for a close encounter with the comet Wild 2 in January 2004. Using a siliconbased substance called aerogel, Stardust will capture comet particles flying off the

nucleus of the comet. The spacecraft also will bring back samples of interstellar dust.

The collected samples will return to Earth in a sample return capsule to be jettisoned as

Stardust swings by Earth in January 2006. ["Stardust on track for launch on Feb. 6,"

KSC Countdown, January 26, 1999.]

• The southeastern beach mouse, an endangered species that has vanished from

South Brevard County beaches, seems to be on the brink of dying out in Indian River

County as well. That is the conclusion of Lew Erihardt, a biology professor at the

University of Central Florida who annually conducts population studies of the tiny

mammal. During a study last week, Erihardt found no beach mice south of Sebastian

Inlet State Park. If there is no viable population of beach mice in South Brevard or

Indian River counties, that leaves just a small number on government land at Kennedy

Space Center, Canaveral National Seashore and Cape Canaveral Air Station. The

mouse is doing well on government land because it is protected from development,

said Donna Addy, a wildlife biologist for Dynamac Corp., which NASA contracts for

environmental research. Addy said 175 mice were caught during a two-day population

study in 1997. ["Beach mouse disappearing," Florida Today, January 26, 1999, p lB.]

JANUARY 26: Florida could lose the biggest economic development battle in

America, a key Tallahassee lawmaker wants to create a $30 million trust fund to help

bring the next-generation spaceship to the state. The project in question is Lockheed

Martin's VentureStar, a spaceship expected to cut the high cost of launching satellites

and astronauts into orbit as much as 90 percent. In doing so, the new ship could
renderobsoletethe expensiveunmannedrocketsandpiloted shuttles now launched

from Cape Canaveral Air Station and Kennedy Space Center. That, in turn, could

shut Florida out of a highly competitive global business that could generate $20 billion

a year by 2010. With a $941 million NASA contract in hand, and $200 million of its

own money to invest, Lockheed Martin is building a half-scale VentureStar prototype.

A spate of technical problems has delayed until next year test flights of the X-33, which

will take place in California. Nonetheless, Lockheed Martin officials say they plan to

begin launching the full-scale VentureStar in late 2004. California and Florida are

thought to be front-runners in the nationwide bidding war to become VentureStar's

launch site. Sixteen other states also are interested, including New Mexico, Montana,

Virginia and Oklahoma. Delays in the X-33 test flight program are expected to push

back Lockheed Martin's launch site decision from late this year to March 2000.

["Lawmaker proposes $30 million trust fund to lure space projects," Florida Today,

January 27, 1999, p 10C & 9C.]

• Charles Luckman, an entrepreneur and architect who designed skyscrapers and

parts of Kennedy Space Center, among other landmarks, has died. He was 89. In

addition to KSC, he also created Johnson Space Center in Houston, the new Madison

Square Garden in New York and the Prudential Center in Boston. ["KSC architect

dead at 89," Florida Today, January 27, 1999, p 3A.]

• A Lockheed Martin rocket successfully lifted off Tuesday night from Cape

Canaveral Air Station, carrying Taiwan's first science satellite into orbit. The rocket

left the pad at 7:34 p.m., marking just the second time an Athena has flown from

Florida. It was also the second launch from Spaceport Florida Authority's new launch

complex at the air station. [_Athena rocket sends satellite into night sky," Florida

Today, January 27, 1999, p 2A.]

• Kennedy Space Center soon will host a major space film production. Daily

Variety says Clint Eastwood will direct and co-star with Tommy Lee Jones in a

Warner Bros. action space film this summer. The film, called Space Cowboys, is about

two older guys drafted by NASA to fly a crucial shuttle mission decades after their

crack piloting days, when they didn't make the astronaut program because they were

too cocky. ["Space Center may house Space Cowboys," The Orlando Sentinel,

January 27, 1999, p A-2.]

JANUARY 28: Gov. Jeb Bush said Thursday that no project is more important to

Florida's economic development than efforts to lure a next-generation spaceship called

VentureStart to the state. "The most important (recruitment project) on the horizon

today is VentureStar," Bush told members of Enterprise Florida at a Tallahassee

economic summit. "We need to respond to these.., economic opportunities."

Enterprise Florida is coordinating the move to try to bring VentureStar to Florida,

where it would take off and land at NASA's Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral

_j

10
Air Station. ["Bush: Luring VentureStar top priority," Florida Today, January 29,

1999, p 1A & 2A.]

• Spaceport Florida Authority announced Thursday that it will build a rocket

assembly building to be leased to the Boeing Co. The state-run authority will

construct the $15 million, 102,000-square-foot Horizontal Integration Facility. Boeing

will equip it for the assembly and testing of its Delta 4 rockets. The Cape Canaveral

Air Station facility will be adjacent to Launch Complex 37, which is undergoing major

renovation for that purpose. Complex 37 will be one of two complexes used to launch

the new rocket. The other is at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Boeing

expects to begin using the building in July 2000, with the first launch of a Delta 4

expected some time in 2001. The agreement Boeing has with the authority calls for a

20-year lease to cover the construction of the building as well as related administrative

costs. Parties to the deal expect the lease to be signed March 1. ["Boeing will use new

rocket assembly plant," Florida Today, January 29, 1999, p 1C.]

JANUARY 31" Longtime McDonnell Douglas executive, George Faenza, 67, died

Sunday in an Atlanta hospital from a heart attack. Before retiring in 1996, he was

McDonnell Douglas' vice president and general manager at Kennedy Space Center.

["Space pioneer, child advocate George Faenza dies," Florida Today, February 2,

1999, p lB.]

11
FEBRUARY

FEBRUARY 1: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, February 1, 1999. STS-93:

Friday, workers completed efforts to pressurize Columbia's reaction control system

manifold. A system of temporary sensors have been installed inside the orbiter's drag

chute compartment to help engineers better understand the structural stress the vehicle

is exposed to preflight. The Chandra payload remains scheduled to arrive at KSC

Thursday evening. Orbiter rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building is currently

under review. STS-96: Discovery's orbital maneuvering system thruster replacement is

complete and workers are now replacing the thruster bellows. Orbiter window

replacement efforts continue. Heat shield modification efforts and sensor work on the

main propulsion system continue. STS-101: Atlantis remains in VAB high bay 2

awaiting Columbia's move out of OPF bay 3. Installation of Atlantis' onboard tactical

air and navigation system (TACAN) is in progress and aft compartment leak checks

are in work. Atlantis is scheduled to undergo orbiter processing for STS-101 in OPF

bay 3. The date for Atlantis' transfer from the VAB to the OPF will be determined

after Shuttle managers assess the impact of Shuttle Columbia's STS-93 delay. STS-99:

Endeavour's main engines were removed last week. Forward reaction control system

removal also concluded last week. Preparation for tomorrow's removal of the external

airlock is under way. Verification of the robot arm's pyrotechnic initiator controllers

is scheduled this week. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, February 1].]

• The 45 _hSpace Wing at Patrick Air Force Base was honored Monday with the Air

Force Outstanding Unit Award at a ceremony at the base. ["45 _hSpace Wing honored

for its work on launches," Florida Today, February 2, 1999, p 2B.]

• The Clinton administration wants to spend an extra $2 billion in the next five

years to keep the International Space Station from falling victim to Russia's economic

crisis, NASA officials said Monday. More than half the money would come by cutting

other agency programs and using it to pay for station equipment the Russians had

planned to build but now cannot afford. For the remainder, the White House has

agreed to commit $800 million through 2005 for a "Russian contingency fund."

Neither NASA officials nor President Clinton's fiscal year 2000 budget proposal,

which was released Monday, identified the source of the extra $800 million. In all,

Clinton wants to give NASA $13.57 billion, including $3 billion for the space shuttle

program and $2.5 billion for the station. The money is a small part of Clinton's $1.77

trillion federal budget. ["Clinton: Save space station," Florida Today, February 2,

1999, p 1A.]

FEBRUARY 2: Lockheed Martin won't make a third attempt tonight to launch an

Atlas rocket and Japanese communications satellite from Cape Canaveral. Monday's

attempt was postponed so workers could make a precautionary inspection of parts in

12
the rocket'senginesystem.The launchhadbeenpostponedearlierfrom Sundaynight.

The inspectionwasorderedaftersimilar partsin the factory werefound to be

incorrectly assembled.Companyofficials haven'tdecidedwhen to try again. ["Atlas

launchon hold for now," Florida Today, February 2, 1999, p 1A.]

• The launch of NASA's Stardust spacecraft aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is

scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 6. There is a single instantaneous launch opportunity

available that day at 4:06:42 p.m. The next available window is on Sunday, Feb. 7 at

4:04:15 p.m. Liftoff will occur from Launch pad 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Station.

Stardust has completed final checkout at KSC and was mated to the Boeing Delta II at

the launch pad on Jan. 28. The Delta fairing is being installed around the spacecraft on

Feb. 2. ["Stardust to launch on Saturday for rendezvous with comet in 2004," KSC

Countdown, February 2, 1999.]

• In his first budget proposal, Governor Jeb Bush has proposed spending at least $10

million to help attract VentureStar, a next-generation spaceship, to Florida. Last year,

Florida allocated $1.6 million for the project. ["Bush seeks more money, hefty tax

cut," Florida Today, February 3, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

• The Air Force said Tuesday it has figured out how to protect its Titan rockets

from the kind of catastrophic accident that caused a $1 billion launch failure from

Cape Canaveral in August. In releasing the list of "corrective actions," the Air Force

said it would be ready to launch a Titan again in March from Cape Canaveral Air

Station. Investigators determined that electrical shorts in the rocket's power supply

wiring harness most likely caused the accident. The plan for corrective actions

includes reinspecting all wire harnesses on Titan launch vehicles, and redesigning or

modifying systems related to vehicle power and guidance, the Air Force said. ["Titan

rockets nearly ready for service, Air Force says," Florida Today, February 3, 1999, p

2A.]

FEBRUARY 3" Lisa Malone, NASA's media chief at Kennedy Space Center, will be

working at Melbourne-based public relations and marketing firm Watermark

Communications through April. It's part of a NASA training program designed to

broaden a worker's experience through course work and temporary job assignments.

Called Senior Executive Service Candidate Development, the program is meant to

groom NASA employees for high-level positions. Chief of KSC's newsroom, Malone

started the training program last year with a stint in the White House's office of science

and technology policy. The training program will continue through the year, giving

Malone the chance to take a number of classes and job assignments. ["Media chief gets

training," Florida Today, February 4, 1999, p 12C.]

FEBRUARY 4" Cutbacks and a long hiring freeze have left NASA's work force so

thin the agency is confronting a "brain drain" that could jeopardize the safety of space

shuttle flights, an independent board reported Thursday. Technically, NASA centers

13
havebeengivenauthority to resumehiring. But budgetceilingsaremaking it all but

impossibleto fill jobs. As a result,KennedySpaceCenter,JohnsonSpaceCenterin

Houston andMarshallSpaceFlight Centerin Huntsville, Ala., cannotsignfreshtalent

until at least2001,the AerospaceSafetyAdvisoryPanelsaid. KSC,Johnsonand

Marshall,which togetherrun the shuttleprogram,eachfaceadditional lossesof 300to

400positionsbeyondthe significantdownsizingthey haveexperiencedalready.

Another worry, particularly atKSC, isNASA's supervisorywork forcewill loseskills

neededto ensuresafeshuttleoperationsastheUnited SpaceAlliance takesover

responsibility for daily operationof thefleet. Goldin acknowledgedthe effect

continued downsizingishaving,but told thoseattendingthe meetingthat safety

remainsNASA's top priority. ["Thin work forcecouldthreatenshuttle safety,panel

reports," Florida Today, February 5, 1999, p 1A.]

• A $.15 billion telescope arrived from California Thursday at Kennedy Space

Center, facing repairs on its circuit boards before it can be launched this summer

aboard shuttle Columbia. The Chandra X-Ray Observatory, which was scheduled to

fly in April, will remain on the ground indefinitely so the faulty parts can be replaced.

NASA has not set a new launch date, but agency documents show the telescope could

be carried into orbit in early July. ["New telescope arrives at KSC, faces repairs,"

Florida Today, February 5, 1999, p 5A.]

FEBRUARY 5" Last year, for the first time this decade, NASA's Kennedy Space

Center pumped less than $1 billion into Florida's economy, a victim of federal budget

cuts and massive restructuring. In its annual report released Friday, NASA said the

space center funneled $966 million into Florida in the year ended Sept. 30, 4 percent

less than the previous fiscal year. This is the fifth straight year KSC's economic impact

has declined. In fiscal 1993, the space center had an economic impact of $1.5 billion;

that dropped to 1.03 billion in fiscal 1997. "As the budget has gone down for

NASA... KSC has also seen budget cuts," said Joel Wells, NASA's spokesman at KSC.

He said the lower budget has a direct effect on what KSC can spend in the state and in

Brevard County. However, Brevard County is getting a larger share of the shrinking

pie. About 83 percent of 1998's spending - $799 million - went to Brevard, $17.5

million more than last year. Most of that money -- $762 million - went to companies

operating at the space center. An additional $37 million went to off-site businesses in

Brevard. At the end of 1998, KSC employed 11,984 workers. In 1993, it workforce

totaled 18,253. ["Space center added less to state coffers," Florida Today, February 6,

1999, p 12C.]

• Russia's deeply troubled partnership in the International Space Station is forcing

NASA to reduce the number of shuttle flights this year from six to five, the agency

announced Friday. Consequently, the station's first full-time crew won't climb aboard

the outpost until February 2000, a month later than planned. The changes are part of a

new flight schedule triggered by another delay in the launch of a crucial Russian

command and control module to the station, the first two parts of which lifted off late

14
"V

last year. Several shuttle missions devoted to station assembly work cannot fly until

the Russian module reaches orbit. The latest plan is for NASA to flip-flop the first

two shuttle flights this year because of the late delivery of an observatory that will be

used to study stars and galaxies. NASA's first flight is scheduled for May 20, when a

crew aboard Discovery ferries supplies to the new station. Facing a longer delay is a

mission to launch the $1.3 billion Chandra X-Ray Observatory on shuttle Columbia.

Once scheduled for launch in August, that flight is set for July 9. Next is a Sept. 16

shuttle Endeavour mission to make a radar map of the Earth. Already more than a

year behind schedule, the key Russian piece won't be flown from Russian until Sept.

20 or later. Among other things, it will provide living quarters for the station's first

regular crew. NASA will follow up with station construction missions aboard

Atlantis on Oct. 14 and Discovery on Dec. 2. Another shuttle station flight originally

set for this year has been postponed to Feb. 3, 2000. ["NASA cuts '99 shuttle flights to

5," Florida Today, February 6, 1999, p 1A.]

FEBRUARY 6: A glitzy gateway modeled after the International Space Station.

Robots that crack jokes. A movie showing NASA's dramatic quest to find life on

other planets with big-screen sights and sounds. This is Kennedy Space Center, where

tourism humbly began in 1963 when Cape Canaveral was open for three hours on

Sunday for motorists who used booklets for self-guided tours. In April, four new

attractions from a talking robot feature to a movie about the search for life in space

will open at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Two more attractions are set to

open in the fall. The projects will top off a $100 million makeover that started in 1995.

More improvements will be conceived under a 10-year redevelopment plan that is

expected to get under way by the end of the year. Kennedy Space Center Visitor

Complex attendance: 1998 -- 2.75 million; 1997 -- 2.70 million; 1996 -- 2.40 million;

1995 -- 2.15 million; 1994 -- 2.05 million; 1993 -- 2.45 million; 1992 _i 2.76 million; 1991

-- 2.63 million; 1990 -- 3.10 million. ["KSC expands Visitor Complex," Florida

Toda£, February 7, 1999, p 1E & 5E.]

• Technical problems postponed the launch of NASA's Stardust probe from Cape

Canaveral Air Station on Saturday. Launch controllers were uncertain whether a radar

beacon on the Delta that ground stations use to track the rocket's flight path was

working properly. The countdown was stopped with less than two minutes

remaining. Mission managers tentatively plan to make a second try during a splitsecond launch window at 4:04:15 p.m. today. Once in space, Stardust will begin a 2.3

billion-mile voyage to rendezvous with Comet Wild-2. The probe will attempt to

capture dust particles from the comet in 2004 and return them to Earth in 2006.

["Technical problems delay launch of Stardust probe," The Orlando Sentinel,

February 7, 1999, p A-3.]

• The Chandra X-ray Observatory was unloaded on Saturday, Feb. 6, and

transported to the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF). It arrived aboard an Air Force

C-5 Galaxy aircraft at the Shuttle Landing Facility on Thursday, Feb. 4. At the VPF,

15
the telescopewill undergofinal installation of associated electronic components; it will

also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of

integrated tests will follow. ["Chandra X-ray Observatory unloaded, moved to

Vertical Processing Facility," KSC Countdown, February 9, 1999.]

FEBRUARY 7: A Delta 2 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Station on

Sunday afternoon carrying the $128 million Stardust spacecraft. ["Rendezvous with

destiny," The Orlando Sentinel, February 8, 1999, p A-1.]

FEBRUARY 8: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, February 8, 1999. STS-96:

Following Discovery's recent orbital maneuvering system thruster replacements,

workers completed manifold draining and backfilling efforts over the weekend.

Troubleshooting of a minor leak on APU No. 2 is under way. Installation of the

androgynous peripheral docking system (APDS) begins today. This week, technicians

will resume efforts to install the integrated vehicle health monitoring system on the

orbiter's main propulsion system. STS-93: Technicians have completed Columbia's

processing efforts to date and are preparing to transport the orbiter to the Vehicle

Assembly Building on Wednesday. Columbia will reside in VAB high bay 2 in

temporary storage until mid-April, when Shuttle Discovery rolls out of OPF bay 1.

Columbia will then be transferred to OPF bay I to complete STS-93 orbiter

preparations. STS-99: Removal of Endeavour's tunnel adapter forward extension is

complete. Water spray boiler No. 3 installation is also complete. Workers are

servicing freon coolant loop No. 1 today and efforts are under way to upgrade the

main propulsion system's 17-inch disconnect valve actuator. Tunnel adapter removal

is also scheduled this week. STS-101: Atlantis is being moved to the VAB transfer

aisle today to allow room for Shuttle Columbia's shift into VAB high bay 2. Atlantis

will remain in the transfer aisle while preparations are made for its arrival in OPF bay

3 on Feb. 17. A majority of the orbiter's tactical air and navigation system

(TACAN) modification is complete. Only 2 weeks of TACAN work remains.

Workers also completed about half of the required orbiter leak checks while

in the VAB. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status

Report [Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status

[1999, February 8].]

• NASA's Cassini spacecraft is on course to fly near Earth this summer, and

opponents of the plutonium-powered journey already are gearing up to protest.

Cassini's $3.2 billion mission to Saturn will be the focus of a modest Feb. 27 rally

planned by two anti-nuclear groups outside the gates of Cape Canaveral Air Station.

Organizers expect no more than 20 people to attend the rally but believe it will send a

message. Launched from Cape Canaveral in October 1997, Cassini is flying a

roundabout course that will take it to Saturn in July 2004. Before it can get to Saturn,

Cassini must fly near several planets and use their gravity to increase its speed. The

spacecraft made a pass by Venus last year; a second Venus approach is set for June.

The Earth flyby will follow Aug. 18. A final maneuver near Jupiter is set for

16
December 2000. NASA engineers say there is a less than 1-in-1 million chance the

spacecraft will veer off course and crash back through Earth's atmosphere. ["Cassini

opponents plan Feb. 27 protest rally," Florida Today, February 9, 1999, p lB.]

FEBRUARY 10" The state and NASA are banding together to build a world-class test

lab that could help lure next-generation spaceships to Florida and lead to rocket fuel

factories on Mars. State officials gave $750,000 on Wednesday to construct the lab,

which will specialize in developing advanced systems for spaceships that use cryogenic

- or supercold - liquid fuel to reach orbit. NASA officials added $1.5 million that will

be use to outfit the lab with state-of-the-art test equipment. The joint effort could give

Florida an edge in a nationwide bidding battle for Lockheed Martin's VentureStar, a

new liquid-fueled launcher that could replace the rockets and shuttles that now fly

from KSC and Cape Canaveral Air Station. "That's exactly our thinking," said Karen

Thompson, NASA's manager of technology testbeds at KSC. "That was one of our

selling points." Dubbed the Cryogenics Testbed, the lab will provide government,

industry and commercial customers with a place to develop advanced systems for use

with supercold propellants such as liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. NASA's space

shuttles and other rockets use the propellants. So will VentureStar, and officials think

the KSC lab might help sway Lockheed Martin when they make a decision next year

on where to base the ship. The lab will be operated by Dynacs Engineering Co. Inc.,

NASA's engineering support contractor at KSC. NASA plans to use the lab to help

develop the technologies that will be needed to build rocket fuel and water-generation

plants on the surface of Mars. Both efforts are deemed key to preparing for human

expeditions to the Red planet. Other partners in the project include the University of

Florida and Air Products and Chemicals Inc., NASA's prime supplier of liquid

hydrogen for the shuttle program. The lab should be open in a year. ["NASA, state

join forces to build high-tech test lab," Florida Today, February 11, 1999, p 2A.]

FEBRUARY 11: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, February 11, 1999. STS-96:

Technicians have completed checks of Discovery's recently replaced orbital

maneuvering system (OMS) thrusters. Workers have completed preparations to install

the orbiter's new docking system and installation efforts are ongoing. Installation of

the integrated vehicle health monitoring system for the orbiter's main propulsion

system is in progress and base heat shield modifications continue. STS-93: Yesterday,

Columbia rolled out of OPF bay 3 and into VAB high bay 2 for temporary storage.

Shuttle Atlantis will be the next occupant in OPF bay 3, following a week of open bay

preparation. Columbia will remain in the VAB until mid-April, when Shuttle

Discovery rolls out of OPF bay 1. Columbia will then be transferred to OPF bay 1 to

complete STS-93's orbiter preparations. STS-99: Removal of the SAC-A payload from

Endeavour's cargo bay is complete. Deservicing of the orbiter's freon coolant loop

No. 1 is complete and valve modification is now in work. Technicians are conducting

post-installation inspections on water spray boiler No. 3. Efforts to upgrade the main

propulsion system's 17-inch disconnect valve actuator continue. STS-101: Atlantis

remains in the north end of the VAB transfer aisle. The orbiter waits in the transfer

aisle while preparations are made for its arrival in OPF bay 3 on Feb. 17. A majority

17
of the orbiter's tacticalair andnavigationsystem(TACAN) modification is complete.

Only two weeksof TACAN work remains.Workers alsocompletedabout half of the

requiredorbiter leakcheckswhile in the VAB. BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy

SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,February 11 ]. ]

FEBRUARY 12" On Feb. 12, NASA announced a change in the crews on upcoming

Space Shuttle missions STS-96 and STS-101. Russian cosmonaut Valery Tokarev has

been named to the STS-96 mission, replacing commander Yuri Malenchenko, who is

now assigned to STS-101. Also assigned to STS-101 is cosmonaut Boris Morukov.

Tokarev joined other STS-96 crew members at KSC last week for a payload Interface

Verification Test, checking equipment that will fly in the Spacehab logistics double

module on the first logistics flight to the International Space Station. STS-96 is

scheduled to launch on May 20. ["Crew changes announced for upcoming missions'

STS-96, STS-101," KSC Countdown, February 18, 1999.]

FEBRUARY 14: Facing a shortage of parts and money, NASA is taking back part of

an exhibit on the space shuttle from an Alabama museum, according to a newspaper

report. The Marshall Space Flight Center and the United Space Alliance, NASA's

shuttle operations contractor, last week contacted the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in

Huntsville, Ala., and asked it to return the forward assemblies from the solid rocket

boosters on the museum's full-size shuttle exhibit "for use in the space program," the

Huntsville Times newspaper reported Sunday. The shuttle's solid rocket boosters serve

as propellant motors for the spacecraft during launch. After launch, the separate from

the shuttle at 200,000 feet and fall into the ocean, where they are recovered, towed

back to shore and refurbished for another flight. But several of the forward assemblies

used in the shuttle program have been damaged or lost since 1981, when the shuttle

program began. NASA told the newspaper that it asked for the parts back to make

sure the space agency does not fall short of hardware over the coming months as it

constructs the new international space station. Officials at NASA were not available

to comment Sunday. ["NASA asks museum to return hardware," The Orlando

Sentinel, February 15, 1999, p A-3.]

FEBRUARY 15: A Lockheed Martin Atlas rocket successfully carried out a $200

million satellite delivery mission Monday night, ferrying a Japanese communications

spacecraft into orbit. The rocket blasted off at 8:45 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Air

Station, and deployed a satellite called JCSAT-6 about half an hour later. The

successful tiftoff ended a string of delays for the mission, which had been scheduled for

launch Jan. 31. The liftoff was postponed two weeks while technicians investigated a

possible problem with the motors that control the flow of fuel into the rocket's

Centaur stage. Another delay was caused Sunday when controllers scrubbed the flight

to check a possible fuel tank problem. The next launch from Cape Canaveral isn't

until April 9 when an Air Force Titan rocket is scheduled to carry a military satellite

into orbit to spot missile launches. ["Atlas delivers satellite to orbit," Florida Today,

February 16, 1999, p 1A.]

18
• The U.S.Fish andWildlife Serviceis acceptingbidsto trap andcatchwild hogson

the Merritt IslandNational Wildlife Refuge.Officials will awardthreenew contracts

when thecurrent contractsexpireMarch 31. The applicationdeadlineis March 12.

["Refugeacceptsbidsfor hogtrappers,"Florida Today, February 16, 1999, p lB.]

FEBRUARY 16" In a move that could alter the way launch business is done around

the world, the state next month will begin building a "quick response" launch complex

at Cape Canaveral Air Station. The goal - get rockets assembled and off the ground in

the unheard of time of six hours or less. Known as Launch Complex 20, the oceanside

site is made up of a launch control blockhouse, the rusting remains of an old Titan test

stand, a payload support building and two small, flat concrete launch pads. The hub of

the renovated complex will be a unique drive-through launch center designed for small

rockets mostly used to loft scientific experiments and instruments on short, suborbital

jaunts. Launch companies will be able to haul rockets into the center, ready them for

flight, and rush them out for launch. The project, which is scheduled to start March 1,

should be completed by Sept. 1. It is expected to be open for business a month later.

["'Quick' launch site taking shape at Cape," Florida Today, February 17, 1999, p 1A

& 2A.]

FEBRUARY 17: The Air Force should ditch its plan to modernize the way it tracks

Florida rocket launches and let private industry do it using advanced 2 l_L-century

technology, U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon said Wednesday. The issue involves the Eastern

Range, a vast Air Force-run tracking system that monitors all missions that blast off

from Cape Canaveral Air Station and Kennedy Space Center. Experts who operate the

system relay flight data to ground controllers. They also are responsible for destroying

vehicles if they go astray and threaten populated areas. However, the system is

stumbling along on 1950s and '60s technology that makes it hard for Florida to meet a

growing demand by private companies to launch communications satellites. Although

the Air Force is trying to upgrade the equipment, the plan - which is expected to cost

about $1 billion on the East Coast - falls short, Weldon said. The congressman said

there is an opportunity for private industry to take the lead later this year. That is

when the contract for operating the range, held by Computer Sciences Raytheon, goes

out for bid. Weldon said he will send a letter this week to Acting Air Force Secretary

F. Whitten Petters, asking him to combine that annual $95 million contract with the

contract in place to improve the range. In competing to win both contracts,

companies could investigate new ways to make the entire operation more advanced,

Weldon said. ["Weldon: Industry should update rocket range," Florida Today,

February 18, 1999, p 1A.]

FEBRUARY 22: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, February 22, 1999. STS-96:

Last week, technicians installed Discovery's remote manipulator system or robot arm

in the payload bay. Over the weekend, workers began efforts to install additional

sensors inside the orbiter's drag chute compartment. The added instrumentation will

19
gatherdatathrough the first few secondsof liftoff. Installation of the integratedvehicle

healthmonitoring systemfor the orbiter's mainpropulsionsystemcontinuesandbase

heatshieldmodificationsareon schedule.Payloadprematetestpreparationsarein

work. Boosterstackingoperationsareunderway in VAB high bay3. STS-93:

Columbia isjackedandleveledin VAB high bay2undergoingroutine system

observationduring atemporarystorageperiod. Columbiawill remainin the VAB

until mid-April, when ShuttleDiscoveryrolls out of OPF bay 1. Columbia will then

betransferredto OPF bay 1to completeSTS-93'sorbiter pre-launchpreparations.

STS-99:Replacementof Endeavour'sleft handradiatorNo. 1is completeand radiator

No. 2 isbeingreplacedtoday. This work ispart of avalvemodification being

conductedon freon coolantloop No. 1. STS-101:Atlantis movedfrom the VAB

transferaisleto OPF bay3 onFeb. 17. Workersaresettingup platforms to gainaccess

to the orbiter. Once accessis established,technicianswill resumethe remainingwork

on the tacticalair and navigationsystem(TACAN). The orbiter's payloadbaydoors

will beopenedthis week. BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter Space

Shuttle StatusReport [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribeshuttle-status[1999,February22].]

• NASA might mount anemergencymissionto repairthe Hubble SpaceTelescope

this fall to avoidapossibleshutdownof the $3billion observatoryand its delivery of

stunningdiscoveries.The reason:A systemcrucialto pointing the telescopeis

operatingon its last legs,andits failure would shutdown Hubble until ascheduled

June2000servicingmissioncouldbecarriedout. SeniorNASA officials,asaresultare

thinking seriouslyabout sendingaspacewalkingtelescoperepair crewon a shuttle

rescuemissionin October. The ideaisto fix Hubble beforeit breaks,soscientistsare

not cut off from the flagshipof orbital astronomy. A decisioncouldbemadewithin a

week. ["Shuttle crew may besentto fix Hubble in October," Florida Today,

February 25, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

FEBRUARY 25: KSC Chandra X-Ray Telescope Status Report, Thursday, February

25, 1999. In the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF) at KSC, work continues on schedule

toward the launch of the Chandra X-ray telescope aboard Space Shuttle Columbia on

July 9 on mission STS-93. The component rework of the Command and Telemetry

Unit (CTU) is being completed this week. The CTU will arrive from the vendor

Saturday, Feb. 27 and be re-installed into Chandra on Monday, March 1. The Interface

Unit (IU) was removed from Chandra on Feb. 14 for rework and will be returned to

KSC and re-installed on March 7. The CTU and IU will undergo testing March 8-12.

A full state-of-health test for the telescope is scheduled to occur March 18. The attitude

control thrusters will be helium flow-tested the following day. Planning is underway

for the arrival of the solar arrays. They are being transported by C-17 aircraft to the

Shuttle Landing Facility with arrival currently scheduled for March 9. Operations to

mate the arrays to Chandra are scheduled for the week of March 23 and they will be

fully deployed for testing on March 27. On March 31, Chandra will be hoisted from

its test stand onto a fueling stand. Loading of fuel into the spacecraft is currently

2O
planned to begin on April 5 and will take ten days to complete. These bi-propellant

hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide fuels will be used by the telescope to achieve its final

orbit. Hydrazine will also be used by one of the telescope's subsystems associated

with pointing of the telescope. Finally, the spacecraft's batteries will be installed on

April 17. Chandra will then be ready for the arrival at the VPF of the Inertial Upper

Stage booster on Apr. 19. Chandra arrived at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard

an Air Force C-5 airplane on Feb. 4. It was offloaded and transported to the VPF on

Feb. 6. The telescope was removed from the shipping container on Feb. 8. It was

rotated to the vertical position and placed in a test stand on Feb. 10. Bruce

Buckingham. (1999). KSC Chandra X-Ray Telescope Status Report [Online].

Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, February

25].]

• Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, February 25, 1999. STS-96: Technicians

will test Discovery's remote manipulator system or robot arm today. Replacement of

the orbiter's water spray boiler is under way with removal of the old system already

complete. Functional tests of the International Space Station docking system are

scheduled this week. Installation of the integrated vehicle health monitoring system

for the orbiter's main propulsion system continues and base heat shield modifications

are on schedule. Drag chute instrumentation installation continues. Tests of

Discovery's power reactant storage and distribution system and auxiliary power units

are ongoing. Booster stacking operations continue in VAB high bay 3. STS-93:

Columbia is jacked and leveled in VAB high bay 2 undergoing routine system

observation during a temporary storage period. Columbia will remain in the VAB

until mid-April, when Shuttle Discovery rolls out of OPF bay 1. Columbia will then

be transferred to OPF bay 1 to complete STS-93's orbiter pre-launch preparations.

STS-99: Modifications of Endeavour's freon coolant loop No. 1 continue to go well,

with replacement of the left hand radiators now complete. The orbiter's forward

reaction control system will arrive in the OPF today for installation inside the

orbiter's nose on Saturday. STS-101: Atlantis' payload bay doors were opened

yesterday and access to the orbiter's flight deck has been established. Work on the

tactical air and navigation system (TACAN) has resumed. Atlantis' orbiter

maneuvering and reaction control systems are undergoing drain line modifications.

Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report

[Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999,

February 25].]

• A senior NASA official admitted Thursday that a key Russian piece for the

International Space Station might not be launched until late this year, causing more

trouble for the project. The 21-ton Russian service module is scheduled for liftoff no

sooner than September but might fly as late as November or December, said Joe

Rothenberg, NASA's associate administrator for the office of spaceflight. ["Russia may

keep NASA waiting again," Florida Today, February 26, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

21
FEBRUARY 27: Opponents of NASA's plutonium-powered Cassini spacecraft

gathered Saturday outside the gates of the Cape Canaveral Air Station as they gained

momentum for other protests against the use of nuclear power in space. About 20

protesters carrying signs rallied for about a half-hour under the watchful eyes of

security officers with the Air Station, where Cassini was launched in 1997. ["Cassini

opponents protect craft's August Earth flyby," Florida Today, February 28, 1999, p

lB.]

• Homestead Air Force Base is one of at least three Florida military bases being

studied by the aerospace industry as an alternative to Cape Canaveral for launching

satellites. Two others are in North Florida: Eglin Air Force Base in the state's

Panhandle and Cecil Field Naval Air Station in Jacksonville. So far, the idea is little

more than talk. Some of the proposals appear farfetched. All face enormous obstacles.

As technology reshapes the booming space industry, Florida will lose business if it

doesn't develop more commercial launch sites. Not tong ago practically all of the

Western world's launches were from Cape Canaveral Air Station and Kennedy Space

Center. Today, competition comes from Russia, China and a European consortium in

South America, less than a third of the world's satellites blast off from Florida's Space

Coast. One industry analyst predicts that 1,700 payloads worth more than $120

billion will need a lift into orbit during the next decade, an average of 170 per year.

Including manned flights, there were 81 launches worldwide in 1998. Only 22 were

from the Cape. ["Another launch site for Florida?" The Orlando Sentinel, February

28, 1999, p A-1 & A-12.]

22
MARCH

MARCH 1: As of March 1, 1999, Lewis Research Center will be renamed John Glenn

Research Center at Lewis Field. ["Lewis Research Center renamed to honor John

Glenn," KSC Countdown, February 23, 1999.]

• Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, March 1, 1999. STS-96: Last Friday,

technicians completed verification tests on Discovery's remote manipulator system or

robot arm. Today, workers will perform functional checks on the orbiter's new

docking mechanism. Replacement of the orbiter's water spray boiler continues.

Installation of the integrated vehicle health monitoring system for the orbiter's main

propulsion system proceeds on schedule and base heat shield fastener modifications

continue. Drag chute instrumentation installation continues as well. Booster stacking

operations continue in VAB high bay 3. STS-93: Columbia is jacked and leveled in

VAB high bay 2 undergoing system observation during a temporary storage period.

Columbia will remain in the VAB until mid-April, when Shuttle Discovery rolls out

of OPF bay 1. Columbia will then be transferred to OPF bay 1 to complete STS-93's

orbiter pre-launch preparations. STS-99: Shuttle Endeavour's forward reaction

control system has been installed and preparations for functional checks are ongoing.

Modifications of Endeavour's freon coolant loop No. 1 continue to go well. STS-101:

Work on Atlantis' tactical air and navigation system (TACAN) is under way. Atlantis'

orbiter maneuvering and reaction control systems are undergoing drain line

modifications and window No. 1 is being replaced. Bruce Buckingham. (1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, March 1].]

• An investigation into one of the costliest launch failures in U.S. space program

history has prompted the Air Force to withhold tens of millions of dollars from rocket

maker Lockheed Martin. The action was prompted by investigators who have

uncovered serious quality control problems and questionable work practices

throughout the Lockheed-run Titan rocket program, which is crucial to national

security. As a result, the company made no profit for work done from July through

December 1998 on two contracts it has to build and launch the vehicles, according to

Air Force documents obtained by Horida Today. The penalty followed the Aug. 12,

1998, launch explosion at Cape Canaveral Air Station that destroyed a $344 million

Titan 4 and a top-secret National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite worth $700

million. ["Air Force won't pay millions to Lockheed," Florida Today, March 2,

1999, 1A & 2A.]

• The prototype of a reusable, manned rocket designed to land like a helicopter after

carrying satellites into orbit was unveiled Monday. The Roton, built by Rotary

Rocket Co. of Redwood City, is a launch vehicle powered by kerosene instead of

costly hydrogen, which the firm hopes will cut launch costs by 90 percent. It has been

23
designedto launchlike arocket,then deployapropellerandlandlike ahelicopter.

["New satellitelauncherunveiled," Florida Today, March 2, 1999, p 2A.]

MARCH 2" Florida's space agency is asking the Legislature to significantly increase its

funding or risk having the state lose its grasp on the commercial space market.

Spaceport Florida Authority wants lawmakers to allocate $43.8 million in fiscal year

2000 to pay for various projects. The amount is far above the $450,000 to $750,000 in

operating money the agency has received in each of the past few years. The authority

is asking the Legislature to spend: * $15 million on a new Mission Management Center

at Cape Canaveral Air Station or NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The center would

house launch-control systems and accommodate companies that bring multimilliondollar satellites to Florida for launch. An additional $10 million will be sought from

the federal government and industry to complete the facility, which would replace a

center built at Cape Canaveral during 1950s. * $15 million for an Academic Support

Center that would include classrooms, offices and laboratories for university and

college space-research and education programs. The facility would be at a new NASASpaceport Florida research park to be built on 400 acres of undeveloped land at

Kennedy Space Center. * $8 million to pave roads and hook up water, sewer,

electricity and communications equipment at the new research park. * $1.6 million to

enlarge a new $8 million hangar, Tarmac and taxiway being built by the state to

support next-generation launch vehicles. NASA is already kicking in $4.85 million to

the hangar project. The expansion would enable the state to accommodate larger

spaceships. *$900,000 for agency operation and administration expenses, money that

would allow the authority to expand a staff of 15 to 16 or 17 full-time workers.

• 500,000 to develop a five-year spaceport capital improvement plan, and $200,000 to

develop a plan to use Homestead Air Reserve Base south or Miami as a commercial

site. ["Spaceport seeks boost from state," Florida Today, March 3, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

• An undeveloped patch of land at Kennedy Space Center might someday become

the Silicon Valley of space-related research if Spaceport Florida Authority's ambitious

plan flies with lawmakers. The agency and KSC are planning a 400 acre research park

for government, commercial and academic programs that would be located off State

Road 3. The first project will be a $30 million space research and education complex.

Work is expected to start late this year or early next year and be completed in 2001. It

would have two parts: *A $15 million KSC lab to develop and process life sciences and

microgravity experiments for the International Space Station and VentureStar, a nextgeneration space shuttle under development by Lockheed Martin. Spaceport plans to

finance construction of the lab then lease it to KSC or its contractor. *$15 million

state-funded academic facility that includes classrooms, offices and labs for university

and community college research and education program. That project, which the

Legislature has yet to back, would be designed to support NASA, military and

industrial programs at the park. ["Land could develop into 400-acre research park,"

Florida Today, March 3, 1999, p 2A.]

24
MARCH 3: The launch of NASA's Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) spacecraft

aboard an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL vehicle was postponed earlier this week. The

new launch date is no earlier than March 4. Orbital Sciences engineers are

troubleshooting the mechanism which secures the rudder pin on the Pegasus rocket

and the device which retracts the pin for flight. The Pegasus is to be dropped from an

L-1011 aircraft over the Pacific Ocean approximately 100 miles offshore from

Vandenberg AFB, Calif. ["NASA spacecraft launch from VAFB postponed until

March 4 at earliest," KSC Countdown, March 4, 1999.]

MARCH 4" The Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) spacecraft was launched

Thursday night over the Pacific Ocean. ["Satellite launch successful," Florida Today,

March 5, 1999, p 2A.]

MARCH 5: A $54 million NASA spacecraft is tumbling through space today as

ground controllers scramble to save the inaugural mission in a program aimed at

determining whether life exists elsewhere. Although mission managers haven't

declared the satellite dead yet, the craft was in critical condition Friday. Launched into

space Thursday from off the coast of California by an air-launched Pegasus rocket, the

Wide-Field Infrared Explorer spacecraft is equipped with a 560-pound telescope

designed to study the formation of stars, planets and galaxies. Engineers think the

WIRE mission began to go awry when a telescope cover inadvertently popped off after

the craft reached an orbit 335 miles above Earth. Engineers think pent-up hydrogen

gas then began shooting out spacecraft vents, sending the craft into a tumble. ["Starstudying satellite mission to be cut short," Florida Today, March 6, 1999, p 1A &

2A.]

MARCH 6: With NASA's $3 billion Hubble Space Telescope uncomfortably close to

a shutdown in orbit, NASA officials this week are expected to approve an emergency

repair flight in October. The objective is to replace a troubled system of gyroscopes

that could fail any day, making it impossible to accurately point the 13-ton telescope at

planets, stars, galaxies and other targets. The mission likely would fly on shuttle

Discovery, and the work would be done by four spacewalkers who are busy preparing

for the effort. NASA already had planned to repair the pointing system on a servicing

flight scheduled for launch June 8, 2000. But serious consideration is being given to

splitting the June 2000 mission in half. Under that scenario, a repair crew would be

launched in October to fix the gyros and replace several other telescope parts.

Mounting a mission in seven months would be daunting because NASA normally

allots 12 to 15 months to prepare for a shuttle flight. But officials said the agency

already has a leg up on much of the work that would be required for an October

mission. ["NASA likely to OK Oct. shuttle flight to fix Hubble," Florida Today,

March 7, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

MARCH 8: In recent days, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has

been discussing a proposal to send the first crew of all women into orbit. The agency's

hottest rumor was the subject of a Monday afternoon teleconference between officials

25
at Johnson Space Center and NASA Headquarters in Washington. "I don't want to

say there will never be a mission with all women, but crews aren't chosen that way,"

said Kathryn Clark, the chief scientist for the international space station program.

Such a mission would be unprecedented. Only once has a manned spaceship departed

Earth without a male passenger. That was in June 1963, when Soviet cosmonaut

Valentina Tereshkova blasted off alone on a three-day flight. Air Force Lt. Col. Eileen

Collins is set to become NASA's first female commander during a five-day shuttle

Columbia mission scheduled for July. The resulting publicity from a flight of all

women would likely rival that lavished on Mercury astronaut John Glenn's return to

space last October. Concerns about the scientific merits will probably keep the

mission from becoming a reality. Proponents of an all-women flight have suggested

the mission could focus on gender-specific health issues and enlarge the existing body

of knowledge on female astronauts. Studies might also compare the way women work

together in space with how all-male and mixed crews operate. However, scientists

have yet to identify any physiological changes from weightlessness that affect only one

gender. ["An all-women shuttle mission? That idea might not fly," The Orlando

Sentinel, March 9, 1999, p A-9.]

MARCH 9" Launched in 1977, both spacecraft Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are healthy

and continuing to explore at the edge of the solar system. Voyager 1 is 6.8 billion

miles from Earth, traveling northward from Earth's vicinity at 38,718 mph; Voyager 2

is 5.3 billion miles from Earth, traveling southward about 35,500 mph. Voyager 1 is

expected to reach the heliopause - the theoretical dividing line between our solar

system and interstellar space - after 2001. ["Voyager spacecraft still going strong on

way to edge of solar system," KSC Countdown, March 9, 1999.]

• A powerful rocket that promises to bring more commercial space business to

Florida was wheeled to its launch pad Tuesday. The Lockheed Martin Atlas 3 is

scheduled for launch June 15, carrying a U.S. television satellite. When it flies, it will

do so using an engine designed and built in Russia - a first for the American space

program. With the engine, the rocket will be able to carry communications satellites

weighing as much as 9,000 pounds from Cape Canaveral Air Station. That's about

1,000 pounds more than its predecessors currently in service. Telstar 7 will be used to

beam cable television, pay-per-view programming and other services to North

America. ["Herculean Atlas 3 heralded," Florida Today, March 10, 1999, p lB.]

MARCH 10: After weeks of intense planning, it's official. NASA announced

Wednesday it will launch an emergency shuttle repair flight to the Hubble Space

Telescope this fall to prevent the shutdown of the $3 billion observatory. NASA is

targeting the launch of the emergency mission for mid-October, although the flight

might be moved up or back a couple of weeks. The nine-day mission calls for three

spacewalks to repair the gyroscopes and install a new main computer. The work will

be done aboard shuttle Discovery. NASA already had planned to launch a servicing

mission to Hubble in June 2000. The other chores tabbed for the June 2000 flight will

26
beput off until sometime between December 2000 and March 2001. NASA experts

think there is an 80 percent chance one of the working gyroscopes might fail before

June 2000. ["Oct. Hubble-repair flight set," Florida Today, March 11, 1999, p 1A &

2A.]

MARCH 11: After years of delays on the International Space Station, the United

States and Russia are working on a surprise plan to launch the first crew in October,

three months earlier than planned, officials said Thursday. The unannounced change,

if approved at a meeting next month, would represent a major publicity coup for the

$50 billion station, which has been marred by repeated Russian delays in building the

living quarters. The three-man Russian-American crew was scheduled to go up in

January, but the latest idea is to launch two men a few weeks after the living-quarters

module goes into orbit. The third man would go up by U.S. space shuttle soon after.

Mike Baker, Moscow-based deputy head of the U.S. Johnson Space Center, said he

thought an October launch would be approved, although it was now only under

discussion. He said the early launch idea rose from contingency plans to send up

astronauts if the living quarters do not properly attach to the rest of the station.

["U.S., Russia crew may launch early," The Orlando Sentinel, March 12, 1999, p A3.]

• Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, March 11, 1999. STS-96: Yesterday,

workers completed installation of the STARSHINE secondary payload into

Discovery's cargo bay and interface verification tests are in work. Instrumentation

has been installed on the orbiter to support International Space Station replenishment

activities on orbit. This modification enables the Shuttle to provide ISS with oxygen,

nitrogen and water. Today, technicians will install Discovery's drag chute. The

controller for auxiliary power unit No. 2 is installed and undergoing checks this week.

Installation of the integrated vehicle health monitoring system for the orbiter's main

propulsion system continues on schedule and base heat shield fastener modifications

continue. Booster stacking operations are complete in VAB high bay 3 and closeouts

are ongoing. STS-93: Columbia is jacked and leveled in VAB high bay 2 undergoing

system observation during a temporary storage period. Columbia will remain in the

VAB until mid-April, when Shuttle Discovery rolls out of OPF bay 1. Columbia will

then be transferred to OPF bay I to complete STS-93's orbiter pre-launch preparations.

STS-99: Removal of Endeavour's three auxiliary power units is complete and

installation of the left hand radiator No. 4 concluded this week. Valve modifications

on freon coolant loop No. 1 continue to go well. Water spray boiler checks are under

way. Preparations are in work to drain the orbiter maneuvering system crossfeed

lines. STS-101: Work on Atlantis' tactical air and navigation system (TACAN)

continues. Atlantis' orbiter maneuvering and reaction control systems are undergoing

drain line modifications and the orbiter is scheduled to be powered up by the end of

next week. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status

Report [Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status

[1999, March 11].]

27
MARCH 16: A NASA spacecraftisheadedfor the closest-everencounterwith an

asteroidaftersuccessfullycompletingacrucialenginefiring Tuesday.Its next stop:a

July rendezvouswith aspacerock called1992KD to takepicturesandstudy the

remnantsof the solarsystem'sformation. The DeepSpace1craft waslaunchedfrom

CapeCanaveralin October on a$152million missionto testadozennew

technologies,including afuturistic ion enginethat runson chargedatoms. The engine

fired at 2:15a.m.Tuesday,allowingthecraftto beginto closethe90million miles

betweenit andthe asteroid. NASA plansto usean ion engineto power amissionset

for launchin 2003,when aprobeisto exploreacometby landingon its surface.

["Spacecraftzips toward closeencounterwith asteroid," Florida Today, March 17,

1999, p 1A..]

• Chandra Status Report, Tuesday, March 16, 1999. In the Vertical Processing

Facility (VPF) at KSC, work continues on schedule toward the launch on July 9 of the

Chandra X-ray telescope aboard Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS-93.

The reworked Command and Telemetry Unit (CTU) arrived at KSC on March 2 and

was reinstalled on Chandra the following day. The Interface Unit (IU) was

received and reinstalled on March 8. A three-day retest of both elements

was completed on March 11. Both these elements are responsible for handling

commands and telemetry to and from the ground. This week, an overall Chandra state

of health test is scheduled to be performed on March 17 and the attitude control

thrusters will be helium flow-tested the following day. The solar arrays arrived March

9 at the Skid Strip on Cape Canaveral Air Station by C-17 aircraft. The three day

effort to install and test the arrays is scheduled to begin on March 23. One of the two

solar arrays will be deployed for a mechanical check and some limited work on March

27. On March 31, Chandra will be hoisted from its test stand onto a fueling stand.

Loading of fuel into the spacecraft is currently planned to begin on April 5 and will

take ten days to complete. These bi-propellant hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide fuels

will be used by the telescope to achieve its final orbit. Hydrazine will also be used by

one of the telescope's subsystems associated with pointing of the telescope.

Finally, the spacecraft's batteries will be installed on April 17. Chandra will then be

ready for the arrival at the VPF of the Inertial Upper Stage Booster on April 19.

Chandra arrived at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard an Air Force C-5

airplane on Feb. 4. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). KSC Chandra X-Ray Telescope

Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe

shuttle-status [ 1999 March 16].]

MARCH 17: In a "what if" simulated rescue mission on Wednesday, March 17, the

KSC response team trained for the unlikely scenario of a Shuttle mishap at the Shuttle

Landing Facility. The Mode 7 simulation of an astronaut rescue exercised all aspects of

command and control, search and rescue, and medical procedures required for a

successful rescue. ["KSC rehearses for unhoped-for mishap at Shuttle Landing

Facility," KSC Countdown, March 18, 1999.]

28
• The reworked CommandandTelemetry Unit and an Interface Unit have been

installed on the Chandra X-ray Telescope and successfully tested. Both elements are

responsible for handling commands and telemetry to and from the ground. An overall

state-of-health test began on March 17. The next phases will be testing the attitude

control thrusters and installing and testing the solar arrays that arrived March 9 at

Cape Canaveral Air Station. ["Payload update," KSC Countdown, March 18, 1999.]

MARCH 18: Despite objections from its own safety experts, the Air Force is moving

with new momentum to radically change the way the public is protected from rocket

accidents. The topic may come to a head Monday (March 22) during a video

conference in Florida, Colorado and California to discuss the proposals, which are

outlined in internal Air Force documents obtained by Horida Today. Sweeping in

nature, the changes could strip independent authority from safety officers who blow

up wayward rockets and cut hundreds of jobs at Patrick Air Force Base and Cape

Canaveral Air Station. The discussions are ongoing, even though Air Force safety

officials "strongly oppose" major parts of the plan, the documents say. Officials with

the Federal Aviation Administration also do not want changes made until a review is

completed late this year by the National Academy of Sciences. Air Force Col. Kevin

Chilton, deputy director of operations at Air Force Space Command in Colorado

Springs, Colo., said no changes will be made without careful consideration. Space

Command is the organization pushing the changes. ["Rocket range changes on fast

track," Florida Today, March 19, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

• Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, March 18, 1999. STS-96: Yesterday,

workers completed installation of Discovery's three main engines. Functional tests of

the orbiter's global positioning system are also complete. Drag chute sensor

instrumentation modification is in progress. Auxiliary power unit leak and functional

checks are under way and installation of the integrated vehicle health monitoring

system for the orbiter's main propulsion system continues. Engine heat shield fastener

modifications continue as well. The rest of this week, workers will perform ammonia

servicing and install the orbiter's transfer tunnel. STS-93: Columbia is jacked and

leveled in VAB high bay 2 undergoing system observation during a temporary storage

period. Columbia will remain in the VAB until mid-April, when Shuttle Discovery

rolls out of OPF bay 1. Columbia will then be transferred to OPF bay 1 to complete

STS-93's orbiter pre-launch preparations. STS-99: Installation of Endeavour's three

auxiliary power units (APU) concludes today when technicians install APU No. 2.

Valve modifications on freon coolant loop No. 1 continue to go well. Next week, fuel

cells No. 1 and No. 2 are being replaced and preparations to replace the left-hand

orbital maneuvering system engine are ongoing. STS-101: Work on Atlantis' tactical

air and navigation system (TACAN) is nearing completion and today technicians begin

work with a powered orbiter. Atlantis' orbital maneuvering and reaction control

systems are undergoing drain line modifications. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy

29
SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online]. AvailableE-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, March 18].]

MARCH 21: Florida soon will know where it stands in a national battle to lure a

new, reusable spaceship that could dominate the next century's commercial launches.

Within three months, Lockheed Martin will tell 15 states if proposals they submitted

last year match plans for VentureStar - a spaceplane that could drive NASA's space

shuttles and throwaway rockets out of business. The notice will come in the form of a

briefing that spells out areas in which the states either meet or don't meet requirements

for a spaceport to launch, land and service VentureStar. Lockheed Martin plans to

invest $5 billion to build a two-ship VentureStar fleet and two spaceports to be located

in the continental U.S. ["Florida faces VentureStar hurdle," Florida Today, March

21, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

MARCH 23: With the Air Force considering significant changes to its Cape

Canaveral launch operations, Congress today will start looking at ways to modernize

archaic equipment used to monitor rocket flights. In a hearing before the House

Science Committee, officials from the military, NASA and private industry are to

explain why at least $3 billion must be spent to replace technology that dates to the

1960s. The topic is one part of a broad Air Force plan to make Cape Canaveral Air

Station a cheaper and more efficient place for companies to launch commercial

satellites into space. Other parts of the plan under discussion include changes in safety

procedures used to launch spacecraft and destroy wayward rockets. The elimination of

hundreds of jobs also is possible. ["Congress considers updating flight equipment,"

Florida Today, March 24, 1999, p lB.]

MARCH 25: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, March 25, 1999. STS-96: This

week, the STS-96 crew completed orbiter and payload familiarization activities during

a standard Crew Equipment Interface Test. Discovery's main propulsion system leak

checks also concluded this week and now heat shield installation is under way.

Instrumentation wiring continues in the orbiter's aft compartment as part of drag

chute and vehicle health monitoring work. Auxiliary power unit functional testing is

also in progress. STS-93: Columbia is jacked and leveled in Vehicle Assembly

Building high bay 2 undergoing system observation during a temporary storage period.

Columbia will remain in the Vehicle Assembly Building until mid-April, when Shuttle

Discovery rolls out of Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1. Columbia will then be

transferred to Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 to complete STS-93's orbiter prelaunch preparations. STS-99: Installation of Endeavour's three auxiliary power units is

complete. Replacement of window No. 8 is also complete. Preparations are in work to

remove the left orbital maneuvering engine next week. Valve modifications on freon

coolant loop No. 1 continue and water spray boiler checks are under way. Fuel cells

No. 1 and No. 2 are scheduled for replacement this week. STS-101: Checks on

Atlantis' main propulsion system liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen valves are

complete. Orbital maneuvering and reaction control systems are undergoing drain line

modifications and helium system leak checks are ongoing. Bruce Buckingham. (1999).

3O
Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, March 25].]

MARCH 26: Chandra Status Report, Friday, March 26, 1999. In the Vertical

Processing Facility (VPF) at KSC, work continues on schedule toward the launch on

July 9 of the Chandra X-ray telescope aboard Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS93. Chandra successfully completed an overall state of health test on March 17 and the

attitude control thrusters were helium flow-tested the following day without issues.

The solar arrays were installed on March 26 and testing of the mechanical and electrical

interfaces is underway. One of the solar arrays is to be fully deployed today or

Saturday as part of a mechanical check and some limited work. In parallel, the Payload

Operations Procedure (POP) test is underway which verifies the network command

telemetry path from the telescope through the Deep Space Network to the ground

control station at Harvard University. On March 31, Chandra will be hoisted from

its test stand onto a fueling stand. Loading of fuel into the spacecraft is currently

planned to begin on April 5 and will take ten days to complete. These bi-propellant

hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide fuels will be used by the telescope to achieve its final

orbit. Hydrazine will also be used by one of the telescope's subsystems associated with

pointing the telescope. Finally, the spacecraft's batteries will be installed on April 17.

Chandra will then be ready for the arrival at the VPF of the Inertial Upper Stage

Booster on April 19. Chandra arrived at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard an Air

Force C-5 airplane on Feb. 4. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). KSC Chandra X-Ray

Telescope Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, March 26].]

MARCH 27: A Ukrainian rocket blasted off from a converted oil platform in the

Pacific Ocean on Saturday night, launching new competition to Florida's commercial

launch business. The Zenit rocket lifted off at 8:30 p.m. EST, and carried a

demonstration satellite into orbit. About 14 minutes into the flight, controllers briefly

lost contact with the satellite. However, communications were restored late Saturday

night and the satellite was heading toward orbit, officials said. The international

venture called Sea Launch is led by Boeing Corp. ["First sea-launched satellite lifts off

in Pacific," Florida Today, March 28, 1999, p 1A.]

31
APRIL

APRIL 1: The White Househaslaunchedamultiagencyreview into what shouldbe

doneaboutthe growing obsolescenceof U.S.space-launchrangesat CapeCanaveral

andin California. The announcementlateWednesdaysaidthe National Security

Council andthe White HouseOffice of ScienceandTechnologyPolicy will leadthe

review. Along with NASA, the Departmentof Defense,Commerceand

Transportationwill participate. The effort reflectsconcernthat spaceeffortsare

hamperedby outdatedequipmentandproceduresat the Capeand atVandenbergAir

Force Basein California. The review will examinehow the governmentand private

sectormight shareresponsibility for upgradingthe rangesandmanagingthem in the

future, White Houseofficialssaid. The KennedySpaceCenter,wherespaceshuttles

areprocessedandlaunched,isownedby National AeronauticsandSpace

Administration but usesthe servicesof the Air Force'sCapeCanaveralrange. Both

the CapeandVandenbergareplaguedby old computer,communicationsand rockettracking systems.Much of theequipmentstill beuseddatesto the earlydaysof the

spaceprogram, in the 1950sand 1960s.But the launchsitesareunder stressfrom a

boom in privatecommunications-satellitelaunches,aswell asdemandfor more

precisionandoperatingflexibility from NASA and the military. The White House

announcement did not suggest what might be done beyond Air Force plans to spend

$1.2 billion in range upgrades by 2006. It said the review would begin this month and

produce "interim recommendations" in time for formulation of the 2001 federal

budget. That might not be fast enough for Congress, which is expected to hold more

hearings and write legislation on the subject this year. ["Feds probe old space

equipment," The Orlando Sentinel, April 2, 1999, p A-8.]

• NASA's Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite, which arrived

April 1 at Hangar AE, Cape Canaveral Air Station, began processing on Monday,

April 5. The protective shipping cover has been removed and the satellite is

undergoing a functional test of its systems. Installation of the flight batteries and solar

arrays will follow. Tests are also scheduled for the communications and data systems

linking FUSE with the spacecraft control center at The Johns Hopkins University,

Baltimore, Md. FUSE will investigate the origin and evolution of hydrogen and

deuterium, the lightest elements in the universe. It will also examine the forces and

process involved in the evolution of the galaxies, stars and planetary systems by

investigating light in the far ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

["FUSE satellite arrives at CCAS - processing begins this week," KSC Countdown,

April 6, 1999.]

APRIL 3: EG&G Florida Inc. has cut off health care benefits to retired former

employees. EG&G retirees say it's the first time this has had happened at the Space

Center. NASA officials said they couldn't recall it happening before. EG&G cut off

the benefits after the company lost its contract with NASA to provide launch support

services at the Space Center. The company held the contract for 15 years. EG&G

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managementsaysits collectivebargainingagreementswith employeesmadeit clearthe

Wellesley,Mass.-basedcompanywould endbenefitsif it lost the NASA contract.

["Retireesfight for benefits as companies cut costs," Florida Today, April 4, 1999, p

1E & 4E.]

APRIL 5: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, April 5, 1999. STS-96: Over the

weekend, workers completed leak checks on Discovery's hydraulic power system and

crew cabin. Water spray boiler servicing is under way and checks of the integrated

vehicle health monitoring system continue. Orbiter aft and midbody compartment

close-outs are in progress. External tank and solid rocket booster close-outs are

ongoing in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Later this week, workers will vent the

external fuel tank's thermal foam by drilling small holes in the foam. This effort will

hetp reduce the amount of orbiter-damaging foam debris generated during ascent.

STS-93: Columbia is jacked and leveled in Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 2

undergoing system observation during a temporary storage period. Columbia will

remain in the VAB until mid-April, when Shuttle Discovery rolls out of Orbiter

Processing Facility bay 1. Columbia will then be transferred to OPF bay 1 to

complete STS-93's orbiter prelaunch preparations. STS-99: Preparations to replace

Endeavour's left orbital maneuvering system engine are complete and removal efforts

begin today. Fuel cells No. 1 and No. 2 are being replaced this week as well. Valve

modifications on freon coolant loop No. 1 continue and water spray boiler checks are

under way. STS-101: Atlantis' main propulsion system is undergoing leak and

functional tests this week. The oxygen tank for the orbiter's power reactant storage

and distribution system has been removed to accommodate the replacement of an

attach bolt. The tank will be reinstalled tomorrow. Later this week, workers will

remove the external airlock to gain additional orbiter access. Bruce Buckingham.

(1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available Email: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, April 5].]

APRIL 6: Chandra Status Report, Tuesday, April 6, 1999. In the Vertical Processing

Facility (VPF) at KSC, work continues on schedule toward the launch on July 9 of the

Chandra X-ray telescope aboard Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS-93. The solar

arrays were installed on March 26 and testing of the mechanical and electrical interfaces

was successfully finished on April 1. Their high performance could be noticed when

during the deployment test of one of the arrays a small amount of power was already

being generated with only the available lighting of the VPF. On April 2, Chandra was

hoisted from its test stand onto a fueling stand. Preparations for fueling are now

underway. Loading of the nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer into the spacecraft is currently

planned to occur on April 9. Then the bi-propellant hydrazine, used by the telescope's

propulsion system to achieve final orbit, will be loaded aboard April 13. Hydrazine,

used by a subsystem that contributes to pointing the telescope, will be loaded April 15.

Finally, the spacecraft's batteries will be installed. Chandra will then be ready for the

arrival at the VPF of the Inertial Upper Stage Booster on April 19 as scheduled.

Chandra arrived at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard an Air Force C-5 airplane

on Feb. 4. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). KSC Chandra X-Ray Telescope Status

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Report [Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status

[1999, April 6].]

• Boeing's Delta 3 rocket's planned launch Tuesday night was scrubbed for the

second straight day, forcing officials to move its next attempt to no earlier than midApril. Tuesday's attempt was called off after several delays caused by different

technical issues. The attempt was ultimately canceled because of a problem with Air

Force equipment used to track the rocket in flight. An attempt Monday was canceled

because winds could have allowed a toxic cloud to drift toward populated areas if the

rocket exploded. ["Equipment problems delay launch of Boeing's Delta 3," Florida

Today:, April 7, 1999, p 1A.]

• There are three new attractions at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

"We're taking the KSC Visitor Complex to the next level," said Rick Abramson,

president and chief operating officer of Delaware North Park Services, the company

that runs the complex for NASA. The complex's three new attractions are part of an

ongoing renovation plan that totals $100 million to date. They include: *Robot

Scouts - a walk through exhibit that features "Starquester," a talking robot who guides

visitors through some of NASA's many explorations of the solar system. ':"Quest for

Life" - a 15 minute movie that focuses on the search for microbes on Mars, planets in

other solar systems and the potential for an ocean on Jupiter's moon Europa. *Merritt

Island National Wildlife Refuge - a wooden walk-through exhibit displaying the

foliage and animals that share the land with Kennedy Space Center. ["KSC launches

attractions," Florida Today, April 9, 1999, p lB.]

APRIL 8: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, April 8, 1999. STS-96: Shuttle

managers are now targeting May 20 for the launch of Shuttle Discovery on mission

STS-96. That date on the Eastern Range became available after Delta FUSE managers

announced a slip in their launch date. Shuttle processing managers at KSC have been

protecting a May 20 launch option and are ready to support. Discovery's Ku band

system interface testing is complete. Auxiliary power unit lubrication servicing is

under way today and checks of the integrated vehicle health monitoring system

continue. Orbiter aft and midbody compartment close-outs proceed on schedule.

External tank and solid rocket booster close-outs continue in the Vehicle Assembly

Building and workers have completed thermal foam venting on the external tank.

STS-93: Columbia is jacked and leveled in Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 2

undergoing system observation during a temporary storage period. Columbia will

remain in the VAB until April 14, when Shuttle Discovery rolls out of Orbiter

Processing Facility bay 1. Columbia will then be transferred to OPF bay 1 to

complete STS-93's orbiter prelaunch preparations. STS-99: Removal of Endeavour's

left orbital maneuvering system (OMS) engine is complete. Fuel cells No. 1 and No. 2

have been replaced. Leak checks on freon coolant loop No. 1 revealed an alternate

power converter unit leak and technicians are currently troubleshooting the issue.

Preparations are now in work for next week's removal of the right hand OMS pod.

V

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STS-101."Atlantis' externalairlock hasbeenremovedto provideworkers additional

accessto the orbiter's midbody. Main propulsionsystemleakand functional tests

continue. Replacementof the strut andattachbolt for the power reactantstorageand

distribution systemoxygentanksis ongoing.BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy

SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online]. AvailableE-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,April 8].]

APRIL 9" A $250million military satellitewasferried into spaceFriday aboardan

Air ForceTitan 4 rocket launchedfrom CapeCanaveralAir Station. The launchwent

flawlessly,restoringthe nation'sonly meansof gettinglargepentagonspysatellites

into orbit. The satellitewill useits thrustersto moveinto its final position about

22,300milesaboveEarth. From thereit will ajoin afleet of spacecraftcalledDefense

SupportProgramsatellitesthat useinfrared sensorsto instantly detectmissilelaunches

and nucleardetonationsworldwide. ["Titan 4 'backon track'," Florida Today, April

10, 1999, p 1A.]

APRIL 10: The nation's newest missile-warning satellite is circling in a useless orbit

today and might be a total loss, Air Force officials said Saturday. Launched Friday

aboard an Air Force Titan 4 rocket, the satellite was hurled into the wrong orbit. The

Titan 4 rocket performed flawlessly, but a Boeing-built upper stage, intended to boost

the Defense Support Program spacecraft to it work station 22,300 miles above the

Earth, failed to do so. It's unclear whether the satellite has enough fuel to fly into a

useful orbit. ["Military satellite in useless orbit," Florida Today, April 11, 1999, p

1A.]

• Within the next two years, NASA may be flying all-female space shuttle crews -

for science. With a new space station on the horizon and increasing talk of trips to

Mars, NASA wants to make sure it protects the health of all its astronauts, male and

female. NASA is seeking multiple second opinions to determine whether more

gender-specific research is needed. It wasn't until the last few years that NASA could

even consider putting together an all-female crew. Every shuttle mission requires two

pilots, and NASA only recently added its second and third female shuttle pilots. The

119 current astronauts include 29 women. "Sooner or later it's going to happen"

whether it's deliberate or not, said shuttle program director William Readdy. ["NASA

ponders female crews," Florida Today, April 11, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

APRIL 12" Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, April 12, 1999. STS-96: Over the

weekend, workers removed "D" hatch from Discovery's transfer tunnel adapter to

accommodate structural and latch inspections. Workers replaced it with orbiter

Endeavour's "D" hatch. Due to the additional work, managers now plan to transfer

Discovery to the VAB on Thursday, but do not expect Discovery's arrival at the

launch pad to be delayed. Orbiter aft and midbody compartment close-outs continue

on schedule. Today, workers will close Discovery's payload bay doors and tomorrow

orbiter weight and center of gravity tests are planned. STS-93: Columbia remains in

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VehicleAssemblyBuilding high bay2. It underwentfinal poweredcheckupin the

VAB on Friday. Columbia will betransferredto OPF bay1to completeorbiter

processingfor missionSTS-93following ShuttleDiscovery'smoveto the VAB. STS99:Checkson Endeavour'sleft hand orbital maneuveringsystem(OMS) enginearein

work. Fuel cellsNo. 1andNo. 2arealsoundergoingchecksfollowing their recent

replacement.Servicingof freon coolantloop No. 1is underway andworkers will

removeEndeavour'sright handOMS pod tonight. STS-101:Replacementof thestrut

attachbolt for Atlantis' powerreactantstorageanddistribution systemoxygentanksis

complete.Main propulsion systemgaseoushydrogenleakchecksareongoing.Bruce

Buckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online].

AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,April 12].]

• A newcommunicationssatelliteis in orbit today,readyto expandtelevisionand

other servicesto the peopleof Turkey, Polandandthe nationsof North Africa. The

7,000-poundsatellitewascarriedinto orbit Mondayby a LockheedMartin Atlas

rocket launchedfrom CapeCanaveralAir Station. The $200million missionis to

deliverthe satellitefor the Paris-basedEutelsatcompany,which plansto useit for

television,Internet andothertelecommunicationsservices.The Atlas took off at 6:50

p.m. from CapeCanaveral.["Atlas lifts off without ahitch," Florida Today, April

13, 1999, p lB.]

• NASA's planned launch this summer of a $1.5 billion telescope may be delayed

because it uses the same rocket engine that apparently failed on a Pentagon spy satellite

Friday. Set for launch July 9 on shuttle Columbia, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory

will help scientists piece together information about how the universe works. The

observatory will use an Inertial Upper Stage rocket engine made by Boeing Co. to

boost it into orbit 86,000 miles above the Earth. The same kind of engine apparently

failed Friday during an Air Force Titan 4 rocket mission. NASA officials said Monday

they won't launch Chandra until they know what caused the accident. An

investigation is under way and could take several months. ["Rocket engine failure may

delay telescope launch," Florida Today, April 13, 1999, p 1A.]

APRIL 13: An attempt is expected to be mounted this weekend to salvage a piece of

American space history - the sunken Mercury capsule of astronaut Gus Grissom. Two

previous attempts to locate Liberty Bell 7 have failed, but a new expedition is planning

to sail Saturday or Sunday from Port Canaveral, said Howard Benedict, executive

director of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation in Titusville. The Discovery

Channel is to film the expedition for a TV special. The expedition is led by Curt

Newport of Virginia. Newport is an underwater salvage expert who tried without

success in 1992 and 1993 to locate the craft about 300 miles east of Cape Canaveral.

Grissom became the second American in space on a 15-minute, suborbital flight July

21, 1961. After splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean, the capsule's hatch door blew

off prematurely and water poured inside. Grissom almost drowned, and the capsule

sank in about 15,000 feet of water. To this day, no one knows why the craft's door

36
openedearly. Its recoverymay helpsolvethe mystery. ["Salvagers hope to recover

sunken space capsule," Florida Today, April 14, 1999, p 1A.]

APRIL 15: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, April 15, 1999. STS-96: Shuttle

orbiter Discovery rolled from Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 to the Vehicle

Assembly Building today at about noon. Tonight, the vehicle will be lifted into VAB

high bay 3 and then soft mated to the STS-96 external tank and solid rocket booster

stack. Following final electrical and mechanical connections, Shuttle interface testing is

scheduled for April 19. Discovery is targeted for rollout to the launch pad on April

21. At the pad, technicians will remove the two integrated electronic assembly (lEA)

boxes from both solid rocket boosters. One IEA is in the forward assembly and one is

in the aft assembly. The IEAs receive and execute SRB separation and range safety

commands. Inside each IEA is a multiplexer demultiplexer that houses a printed circuit

card. Recent tests have revealed that these cards may develop electrical shorts due to

normal flight operations. As a precaution, Shuttle managers have decided to replace

the suspect components in parallel with standard prelaunch work at the pad. No

impact to the May 20 target launch date is expected. STS-93: Shortly after noon

today, Columbia arrived at OPF bay 1 having completed its temporary storage period

in VAB high bay 2. Orbiter processing for mission STS-93 will resume following

routine receiving inspections. STS-99: Checks on Endeavour's orbital maneuvering

system continue. Servicing of freon coolant loop No. 1 is complete and preparations to

service loop No. 2 are in work. This week, workers will install the orbiter docking

system harness. STS-101: Following replacement of the strut attach bolt for Atlantis'

power reactant storage and distribution system, leak checks of oxygen tanks are now

complete. Payload bay liner retainer modifications are under way and main propulsion

system testing continues this week. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space

Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, April 15].]

• Moving into the new millennium, Atlantis is the first orbiter to be upgraded with

a Multifunction Electronic Display Subsystem (MEDS), known as the glass cockpit.

The full-color flat panel MEDS replaces electromechanical cockpit displays like

cathode ray tube screens, gauges and instruments. The new system improves

crew/orbit interaction with easy-to-read graphic portrayals of key flight indicators like

attitude display and Mach speed. ["Shuttle Atlantis shows off new cockpit display that

provides easy use, crew interaction," KSC Countdown, April 15, 1999.]

APRIL 16: An Air Force investigation into a botched satellite launch could mean

another delay for NASA's $1.5 billion Chandra X-ray telescope. The Air Force has

impounded an upper-stage motor intended for the telescope, to be launched in July

aboard space shuttle Columbia. It's the same kind of motor that apparently

malfunctioned April 9 and left the military's newest Defense Support Program satellite

stranded in a useless orbit. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is

working with the Air Force's accident investigation board, which convened earlier this

37
week. The Air Forcemust deliverthe impoundedBoeing-builtmotor to NASA by

the end ofApril if the spaceagencyhopesto meetitsJuly 9 launchdatefor Chandra,

payload managerScottHigginbothamsaid. The telescope-deliverymissionalreadyis a

yearlatebecauseof badcircuit boardsthat hadto bereplacedin Chandraand other

problems. Chandra,aHubble-caliberobservatory,shouldhaverocketedinto orbit last

summer. Unlike Hubble, theX-ray telescopewill beplacedin anorbit too high to be

reachedby spacewalkingastronautsfor repair. ["NASA launchfacesnew threat," The

Orlando Sentinel, April 17, 1999, p A-21.]

• The family of astronaut Gus Grissom won't be rooting for an expedition that

plans to sail Sunday in search of his sunken capsule, the Liberty Bell 7. "I hope they do

not find it," Betty Grissom, the astronaut's widow, said Friday from her home in

Houston. Financed by the Discovery Channel, the expedition will begin Sunday on a

10-day trip to locate and retrieve the capsule that has been under 3 miles of water since

1961. ["Grissom's widow no fan of plan to raise capsule," Florida Today, April 17,

1999, p 1A.]

APRIL 18: A bill pending in the Florida Legislature would encourage companies

interested in building new space vehicles and other projects to do so not just at Cape

Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center but at Eglin Air Force Base. The rationale is

that the sprawling Panhandle installation would give the state another card to play in

efforts to lure more space business to Florida. "Anything we can do to make space a

high priority in Florida, we need to do," said bill sponsor Rep. Howard Futch, RMelbourne Beach. Spaceport Florida Authority, the quasi-government agency formed

a decade ago to help bring aerospace business to Florida, has been working hard to do

that at Cape Canaveral. It has built its own launch pad there and is constructing

another that will allow companies to quickly launch payloads into orbit. Now the

agency is pushing a bill sponsored by Futch and similar legislation by Sen. Jim Sebesta,

R-St. Petersburg, that would extend its territory to Eglin. The idea is to work out a

deal with the Air Force that would allow potential manufacturers of next-generation

reusable spacecraft to launch and land the vehicles from one of the base's many

runways. Facilities at Cape Canaveral Air Station and Kennedy Space Center also are

being touted for projects, such as Lockheed Martin's VentureStar spaceship, which

someday could replace NASA's space shuttles. ["State may use Eglin to lure space

business," Florida Today, April 19, 1999, p 1A & 5A.]

APRIL 19: An underwater salvage team set off Monday in search of Mercury

astronaut Gus Grissom's space capsule, entombed in the Atlantic for 38 years. A 180-

foot ship, the Needham Tide, headed for three-mile deep waters 300 miles southeast of

Cape Canaveral. The ship was a day late raising anchor because the crew needed to

replace a switch on a hydraulic power unit. ["Salvage team sets out to find space

capsule," Florida Today, April 20, 1999, p 2B.]

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• It hasbeencalledboring, worthless,silly andfoolish- apointless,$75million

screensaver. But despitegroansandcomplaintsfrom Congressandothers,NASA is

forging aheadwith Vice PresidentAI Gore'spet project: aspacecamerathat will

broadcastviathe Internet aconstantview of the Earth sailingalongits primordial

orbit 93million milesfrom thesun. NamedTriana,afterthe Spanishsailor credited

with sightingthe New World on ChristopherColumbus'first voyage,Gore'ssatellite

is to belaunchedfrom shuttleColumbiain December2000. ["Gore craft setfor

launchin 2000," Florida Today, April 20, 1999, p 1A & 9A.]

APRIL 22" Boeing will have to wait until at least Saturday to try to launch its new

Delta 3 rocket again, after stopping a launch attempt Thursday at the last moment.

After a trouble-plagued countdown, the company ticked down to the final second

when launch computers failed to send the command to ignite the engines. Officials did

not know immediately what caused the last-minute abort, but expressed confidence •

they will try again soon. Thursday's launch attempt was the fourth this month. Three

earlier tries, including one Wednesday, were canceled for a variety of technical or

weather problems. The Delta 3 rocket has not flown since its maiden voyage ended in

disaster last August, when a vehicle exploded and destroyed a U.S. television satellite.

["Glitch postpones Delta 3 launch," Florida Today, April 23, 1999, p 1A.]

APRIL 23: NASA is getting ready to launch its first space shuttle in six months. The

agency moved shuttle Discovery to its Kennedy Space Center launch pad Friday in

preparation for its planned May 20 liftoff to the International Space Station. The last

time a shuttle flew was early December when six astronauts aboard Endeavour began

building the outpost. The current situation marks the longest the shuttle fleet has been

idle since 1990, when dangerous hydrogen fuel leaks grounded the fleet. This time the

blame falls on the Russians, who are far behind in getting a key station segment called

the Service Module ready for launch. NASA thinks Russia may launch the module in

September, although it could happen as late as November. As a result, Discovery's 10-

day flight could be the only one to the station this year, way below the four station

missions NASA had on the books in January. Despite the flight stoppage, NASA

officials say the KSC work force has stayed sharp through repeated practice

countdowns where all kinds of problems have been thrown their way. They'll have a

chance to do another one next week when Discovery's crew come to KSC for a final

prelaunch rehearsal. ["Shuttle back on launch pad," Florida Today, April 24, 1999, p

1A.]

• The launch of Boeing's new Delta 3 rocket has been postponed indefinitely while

engineers investigate a last-second scrub Thursday night. Company officials still do

not know why the rocket's computers failed to send a command to start the vehicle's

engines as the countdown clock rolled to zero. At best, a new launch date may be

announced early next week. ["Investigation postpones Delta launch," Florida Today,

April 24, 1999, p 8A.]

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APRIL 24: Calling it critical to the state'seconomy,Gov. JebBushpledgedSaturday

to makethe aerospaceindustry atop priority. On his first visit to BrevardCounty

sincetaking office,Bushsaidthe SpaceCoasthasan"enthusiasticadvocate"in the

governor'smansion. He told aerospaceleadersgatheredat the annualDebusAward

ceremonythat hewill guidethestateto remainaforcein the industry. Bush'sremarks

weremadeduring the ceremonyto honor this year'sDebusAward winner, Ed

O'Connor, director of SpaceportFlorida Authority and30-yearveteranin the

business.The award- namedfor KennedySpaceCenter'sfirst director,Kurt Debushonorsstateleaderswho havefosteredthe aerospaceindustry. It is givenby the

National SpaceClub. ["Bushpromisesto beaerospaceadvocate," Florida Today,

April 25, 1999, p 1A.]

v

APRIL 25: NASA's space shuttle launches will be sold-out shows this year. The

agency has cut back on the number of free car passes available to the public, and the

remaining ones have been snapped up by sightseers who want to watch a launch from

NASA Causeway on Merritt Island. "They're spoken for already for the entire year,"

said Kennedy Space Center spokeswoman Lisa Malone. The agency used to issue

about 5,000 car passes for every shuttle flight, and anyone could get a pass by writing

or calling KSC. Some of the passes also are distributed to NASA employees and

contractors. But safety concerns have prompted the agency to cut the number in half.

Officials say new studies show no more than 2,500 cars could be evacuated quickly

enough from the causeway if a shuttle accident sent a toxic cloud over the area. As a

result, fewer passes will be available for every launch after the scheduled flight of

shuttle Discovery on May 20. ["Free launch passes all handed out," Florida Today,

April 26, 1999, p 1A.]

APRIL 27: Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, April 27, 1999. STS-96: Last

Friday, Shuttle Discovery rolled out to Launch Pad 39B. Over the weekend, workers

conducted routine launch pad validations and Shuttle main engine frequency response

tests. The SPACEHAB payload is at the pad and will be installed in the payload

changeout room later today. The payload will be installed in the orbiter tomorrow

morning. The STS-96 flight crew arrived at KSC yesterday in preparation for this

week's Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. The crew will conduct orbiter and

payload familiarization activities over the next few days and then participate in a

launch dress rehearsal on Thursday. STS-93: NASA decided yesterday to postpone

mating Chandra with its Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) pending the U.S. Air Force

investigation into problems with the April 9 launch of a Department of Defense

Satellite that utilized an IUS. This decision will likely delay launch of mission STS-93

beyond its current target launch date of July 9. NASA managers are participating in

the Air Force investigation and have determined not to launch Mission STS-93 until

the IUS situation is fully understood. Chandra is currently in KSC's Vertical

Processing Facility. STS-99: Wiring modifications on Endeavour's radiator isolation

valve continued over the weekend. Yesterday, technicians began reservicing the

orbiter's repaired freon coolant loop No. 1. Orbiter docking system harness

installation continues and external airlock installation concludes May 6. STS-101:

4O
Atlantis is undergoingawirelessvideo modification.Main propulsion systemleak and

functional testsarein work andstandardlife supportsystemleakcheckscontinue.

Payloadbay liner modificationsproceedon schedule.BruceBuckingham.(1999).

Kennedy SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,April 27].]

• The 36_hSpaceCongressbeginson Tuesday,April 27,atthe RadissonResortatthe

Port. Topicsbeingaddressedarethe pushto Marsandbeyond,the military's changing

role in spaceandcommercialaccessto space.["36thSpaceCongressfocuseson

military, commercialrole in space,"KSC Countdown, April 27, 1999.]

APRIL 30" An $800million military communicationssatellitewaslaunchedinto the

wrong orbit Friday in the third straightfailurefor Air ForceTitan 4 rockets. The

accident,following lossestwo weeksagoandlastAugust,raisesseriousquestionsabout

the nation'sability to getcritical satellitesinto orbit. Standing19storieshigh, the

Titan 4 blastedoff from CapeCanaveralAir Stationat 12:30p.m. However, the

rocket'supperstageapparentlymisfired. That strandedits payload- aMilstar

communicationssatellite- in anegg-shapedorbit andhighand low points of 3,100and

4600miles,respectively.Ground controllersweretrying lateFriday to salvagethe

spacecraft,but it probably doesn'thaveenoughfuelto maneuverinto its proper orbit.

Brig. Gen.Craig Cooning, theAir Force'sMilstar programdirector, saidit wastoo

soonto tell whetherthe satellitecould besaved.The string of failuresis expectedto

indefinitely groundthe Titan rocket fleet. TheplannedMay 7 launchof aTitan

rocket from Vandenberglikely will bepostponedwhile the Air Forceinvestigates

Friday'smishap. ["Titan failsagain," Florida Today, May 1, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

41
MAY

MAY 1: Kennedy Space Center recently started offering a wildlife tour of some of the

140,000 acres that surround the Vehicle Assembly Building and the launch pads. KSC

uses only about 5 percent of the land owned by the federal government here. The rest

of the rugged terrain - home to 310 bird species and 21 endangered animals - has been

left untouched for years. The nature tours at SKC are offered twice daily on

Wednesdays and Fridays and leave from the Visitors Center. ["Ecotour shows pristine

KSC lands," Florida Today, May 2, 1999, p 1B & 2B.]

MAY 3: Lost at sea for 38 years, astronaut Gus Grissom's Mercury capsule was found

during the weekend by an underwater salvage team that had been searching for the

spacecraft 300 miles offshore. Liberty Bell 7 is 3 miles deep in the Atlantic. The cable

to a remotely operated rover used to identify and photograph the capsule snapped in _

rough seas Saturday night and the rover sank. The salvagers are returning to Port

Canaveral for new equipment and will have to wait at least a few weeks before going

back to recover the spacecraft. The only U.S. spacecraft ever lost after a successful

mission, the capsule is shiny in spots with an intact window and the name "Liberty

Bell 7" clearly printed beneath it. Even the fake crack that was painted on the capsule

to replicate the real Liberty Bell is visible, as are the singe marks left by the explosives

that blew out the hatch following splashdown July 21, 1961. ["Grissom's lost space

capsule found," Florida Today, May 3, 1999, p 1A.]

MAY 4: Boeing's Delta III rocket appeared to have suffered its second mishap in as

many launches on Tuesday, launching a $145 million Asian television satellite into a

lower than planned orbit. Flight controllers weren't sure what caused the problem,

but data from the rocket suggested its second stage shut down early. It was unclear

how high an orbit the Orion-3 satellite had reached. The one and only previous Delta

III mission ended 70 seconds after liftoff on Aug. 26, when a guidance problem caused

the rocket to explode. Liftoff of the long-awaited second mission finally came at 9

p.m. on Tuesday. It appeared to be a smooth ride to space. But about 30 minutes after

launch, data from the second stage was lost shortly after the stage was set to reignite.

["Delta III fouls up another satellite," The Orlando Sentinel, May 5, 1999, p A-3.]

MAY 6: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, May 6, 1999. STS-96: The

SPACEHAB tunnel has been mated to Discovery inside the payload bay

and leak checks are complete. The orbiter's prelaunch propellant loading

began yesterday and will continue through Saturday. Tomorrow, auxiliary

power unit No. 2 will be hot-fired as part of planned launch preparations.

This coming weekend, workers will complete SPACEHAB payload testing and drag

chute door installation. During yesterday's Flight Readiness review, Shuttle

managers confirmed plans to use a functional drag-chute and strengthened

drag chute door assembly on the upcoming flight. Inconel hinge-pins will

replace the aluminum pins that failed during the STS-95 flight, allowing the

42
drag chutedoorto fall off during liftoff. STS-93:Payloadbay radiatorinspections

concludedyesterday.Final inspectionof Columbia'sthermal protection systemis

under way andauxiliary power unit lubrication oil servicingresumestomorrow.

Tomorrow, Columbia's dragchutedoor will beinstalled.The orbiter's noseand main

landing gearis slatedfor installation nextweek. STS-99:Modifications to Endeavour's

main enginedomeheatshieldscontinue. Freoncoolantloop No. 2 modificationsare

in work also. Next week,fuel cell voltagetestingbegins.Orbiter dockingsystem

harnessinstallationcontinues. STS-101:Atlantis continuesto undergowirelessvideo

modifications. Enginedomeheatshieldremovalbeginstonight. Navigation system

wiring effortsarein work today andtomorrow. Payloadbay liner modifications

proceedon schedule.BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter Space

Shuttle StatusReport [Online]. AvailableE-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,May 6].]

MAY 10' SpaceShuttleStatusReport, Monday,May 10,1999.STS-96:Last Friday,

workers completedahot-fire teston Discovery'sauxiliary power unit No. 2 andtoday

APU pressurizationisunderway. Orbiter crewcompartmentpurgetestingconcluded

over the weekend.At the pad,the RotatingServiceStructurewasplacedaround the

Shuttleon Friday andthepayloadbay doorsareopen. SPACEHAB interface

verification testingconcludestoday andthepayloadbaydoorswill beclosedfor flight

tomorrow afternoon. Equippedwith new instrumentation,the dragchutedoor has

beeninstalledandwill undergoteststhis week.Mating of the orbiter midbody

umbilical unit andsubsequentleakchecksarein work. Techniciansarealsoinspecting

the orbiter andexternaltank for possiblehail damagefrom aweekendstorm atKSC.

STS-93:Inspectionsof Columbia's newly installedpayloadbay floodlights are

complete. Functional checksof the orbiter maneuveringsystemandpotablewater

servicingarein progress.Leakchecksarein work onthe exhaustductsfor auxiliary

power units No. 1and No. 3.The orbiter's noseandmain landinggearis slatedfor

installation this week. STS-99:Integration ofEndeavour'shydraulic systemand

Shuttlemain enginesis complete. Fabricationandinstallationof tubing for freon

coolant loop No. 2 continues.Orbiter dockingsystemharnessinstallation continues.

Fuel cell voltagetestingbeginsthis weekandwirelessvideo modificationscontinue.

STS-101:Atlantis continuesto undergowirelessvideo modifications.Payloadbay liner

modificationsproceedon schedule.Massspectrometerleak checkson the orbiter's fuel

cell powerplant arein progress.BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter

SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online]. AvailableE-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,May 10].]

MAY 10" Rain damaged a $40 million military satellite on its launch pad during last

weekend's storms, adding another mishap to the Air Force's rash of troubles at Cape

Canaveral Air Station. Attached to the top of a Delta 2 rocket, the satellite apparently

got wet when water leaked into the facility that protects it during launch preparations,

Air Force officials said Monday. They could not say how the water seeped in or how

extensive the damage might be. As a result, the satellite's planned launch May 23 is

postponed indefinitely when the craft is removed from the rocket and inspected. Brig.

43
Gen. RandallStarbucksaidthe Air Forcewill proceedmethodically with repairsand

aninvestigationinto the mishap,which is thelatestin astring of accidentsat the Cape

during thepastnine months. TheaccidentoccurredSaturday(May 8), whenworkers

were calledoff the launchpadstructurebecauseof lightning dangerasthunderstorms

rolled through BrevardCounty. Thedamagedsatelliteis the third in aseriesof 21

advancedGPSspacecraftplannedto replaceagingsatellitesalreadyin orbit.

["Weekend'srain damagedsatelliteatoprocketat Cape,"Florida Today, May 11,

1999, p 1A & 2A.]

MAY 11: Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, May 11, 1999. STS-96: Orbiter

midbody umbilical unit mating and leak checks are complete. Workers completed

testing Discovery's Space to Space Orbiter Radio early this morning and the auxiliary

power unit No. 2 tank has been pressurized. Drag chute door close-outs concluded

yesterday and orbiter aft compartment close-outs are in work. Interface verification

testing for the SPACEHAB payload is complete and the payload bay doors will be

closed for flight this afternoon. An exposed fire alarm cable conductor was repaired

last night on the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP). Inspections of similar cables on

the MLP are in work today. Following yesterday's orbiter and external tank

inspections, workers confirmed that Discovery has not sustained any hail damage from

a severe weekend storm. However, impact points were identified on the upper portion

of the external tank's outer foam. Only 8 to 10 impact points require repair efforts,

the largest measuring 2 = inches deep and about 2 inches wide. This week workers will

gain access to the affected areas using a platform from the gaseous oxygen vent arm and

complete the minor repairs with no significant impact to the work schedule. STS-93:

Functional checks of Columbia's orbiter maneuvering system and potable water

servicing continue. Leak checks continue on the exhaust ducts for auxiliary power

units No. 1 and No. 3. Payload bay close-outs are scheduled to begin this week. STS99- Fabrication and installation of tubing for Endeavour's freon coolant loop No. 2

continues. Orbiter docking system wire harness installation concludes tomorrow. Fuel

cell voltage testing begins this week and wireless video modifications continue. STS101: Atlantis continues to undergo wireless video modifications. Payload bay liner

modifications proceed on schedule. Mass spectrometer leak checks on the orbiter's fuel

cell power plant continue. TACAN antenna installation is in progress. Bruce

Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online].

Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, May 11].]

• A House subcommittee will conduct hearings this month to investigate whether

three consecutive Air Force rocket failures have injured U.S. military capabilities.

Launched from Cape Canaveral Air Station, the three Titan 4 rocket accidents have

cost taxpayers $3 billion and rendered useless a trio of advanced spy satellites. Calling

the losses "unacceptable," Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del., said Tuesday he will convene the

hearings before the House Technical and Tactical Intelligence subcommittee. He said

the hearings likely will not be open to the public. ["House panel to probe rocket

failures," Florida Today, May 12, 1999, p 1A.]

44
MAY 12: Space Shuttle Status Report, Wednesday, May 12, 1999. STS-96:

SPACEHAB stowage concluded yesterday and loading of Discovery's Mass

Memory Units is complete. Additional testing of the experimental Space to

Space Orbiter Radio system resumes today requiring the orbiter's payload bay

doors to remain open until tomorrow afternoon. Discovery's aft compartment

doors will be installed Friday. Hail damage repair efforts are in progress on the upper

portion of the external tank's outer foam. Today and tomorrow engineers will further

evaluate worker access to any additional damaged areas by last weekend's hailstorm. If

Shuttle managers determine that all repair efforts can be completed at the launch pad,

the additional work will not impact Discovery's May 20 launch date. However, if

evaluations reveal that significant work must be performed in the Vehicle Assembly

Building the launch date could be delayed by one week. Platforms in the VAB provide

workers with access to the tank that is not available at the pad. A decision is expected

tomorrow afternoon. The hail damage poses no threat to the external tank's structural

integrity, but managers are evaluating the likelihood that ice could form inside the

divots once the tank is loaded with super-cold propellants and possibly impact the

orbiter during ascent. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [t999, May 12].]

• The first shuttle mission of 1999 might not fly next week as planned. NASA

could have to roll shuttle Discovery off its launch pad and into a Kennedy Space

Center building to repair hail damage to the spaceship's fuel tank. Such a move could

delay the May 20 launch for at least a week. However, if the damage is minor,

engineers could decide Discovery can be launched safely without the repairs.

Discovery was damaged during last weekend's storms when hail pelted the top portion

of the tank, which is exposed to the weather. KSC spokesman Bruce Buckingham said

KSC workers found about 150 small nicks in the tank's insulation, most of which are

less than a half-inch in diameter. Some were as large as 2 inches wide and one-third of

an inch thick. The concern is that ice could form inside the holes after the tank is

filled with super-cold fuel, then potentially damage the shuttle if it breaks off in flight.

Buckingham said most of the holes will be repaired on the launch pad, but about 13

nicks are in a troublesome region that can't be reached. Workers on Wednesday built

scaffolding so they could get a better look at the damaged area. Once before, NASA

had to roll a shuttle off its launch pad to repair an external tank. The 1995 damage was

caused by woodpeckers, which chipped into shuttle Discovery's tank and left many

nicks in an area that couldn't be reached from the pad. ["Hail-damaged tank may delay

shuttle launch," Florida Today, May 13, 1999, p 1A.]

MAY 13: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, May 13, 1999. STS-96: NASA

Shuttle managers decided today to roll Space Shuttle Discovery back to the Vehicle

Assembly Building to complete repair work on the hail-damaged external tank foam

insulation. After much evaluation, managers determined that necessary repair work

45
could not beperformedat LaunchPad39Bdueto limited accessto damagedareas.

ManagersexpectDiscovery'smovetoward the VAB to beginearlySundaymorning,

May 16.Current work plansindicatethat the foamrepairswill take2 to 3 days,

allowing Discovery to roll backto Pad39Bby midweek. Managersexpectthe Shuttle

to bereadyfor launchno earlierthan May 27. Workerswill movethe STS-93external

tank andboosterstackout of VAB high bay1Saturday,May 15,to accommodate

ShuttleDiscovery'sreturn. Oncein the VAB, externaltank accesswill beestablished

immediately andworkers will inspectthe areasthat wereinaccessibleat the pad. At

least35foamdivots havebeenidentifiedfor repairto date. Lastweekend,ahailstorm

at KSCleft about 150divots in the outerfoam of Discovery'sexternalfuel tank. The

averagediameterof the divots isabout0.5incheswith the largestmeasuringabout 2

inchesin diameter. The depthof the dingsrangefrom 0.1to 0.34inchesdeep.Shuttle

managers'primary concernisthat icecouldform insidethe divotsoncethe tank is

loadedwith super-coldpropellantsandthen fall off during launch,impactingthe

orbiter andposingathreatto flight crewsafety. BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy

SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online]. AvailableE-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,May 13].]

• NASA decidedThursdayto roll Discoveryoff the launchpadandbackto its

assemblyhangarto repairhail damagefrom the thunderstormsthat batteredthe Cape

lastweekend.As aresult,the shuttle'sMay 20supplyflight to the international space

stationwill bedelayedat leastaweek. The rollback - scheduledto beginabout

midnight Saturday(May 15)- will bethe 13'_in shuttlehistory andthe second

promptedby holesin the externaltank's insulation. Lastweekend'sstormy weather

claimedat leastone other launchcasualtyin addition to the shuttle. A military Global

PositioningSystemsatellitehasbeengroundedindefinitely aftergetting rainedon

Saturdayat CapeCanaveralAir Station. After workers left the launchpadbecauseof

lightning warnings,watergotthrough tarpaulinscoveringthe satellite'sprotective

cleanroom atopa Delta II rocket. ["Shuttle Discovery'slaunchput off for at least1

week," The Orlando Sentinel, May 14, 1999, p A-5.]

MAY 14: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, May 14, 1999. STS-96: Shuttle

managers decided yesterday to roll Space Shuttle Discovery back to the Vehicle

Assembly Building to complete repair work on the hail-damaged external tank foam

insulation. Today, KSC managers developed a recovery plan to make Discovery ready

for launch no earlier than May 27 if weather conditions cooperate with the current

schedule. The plan calls for the STS-93 booster and external tank stack to be removed

from VAB high bay 1 on Saturday at 8 a.m. to make room for Discovery's return.

The STS-93 stack will temporarily reside at the Mobile Launcher Platform

Refurbishment Site until Monday. Shuttle Discovery is slated to begin its 6-hour trip

from Pad 39B to the VAB at 4 a.m. Sunday. On Monday morning, the STS-93 stack

will transfer to Pad 39B to take advantage of its weather protection system. When

Discovery arrives inside the VAB, workers will establish access to the tank's damaged

areas and a full inspection of the tank will reveal exactly how much repair work is

46
needed.Preliminary reportsindicatethat at least35foamdivots mustberepairedover

3 days.Oncethe necessaryrepairsarecomplete,the SpaceShuttlecouldbeginmoving

backto the launchpadasearly asThursday,May 20at 4 a.m. After Discovery returns

to the launchpad,workers mustrepeatordnanceinstallationandchecks,

pressurizationof theShuttle'spropellant system,aft compartmentclose-outsand solid

rocket boosterclose-outsbeforeproceedingwith thelaunchcountdown. Bruce

Buckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online].

AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,May 14].]

• Due to the recentanomaliesinvolving expendablevehiclesnot associatedwith

NASA launches,thereis ascheduleimpact onthe near-termNASA manifest. NASA

is aparticipantin the failure investigationsandisreviewingthe readinessof its

missionsbasedon anunderstandingof the failuresandthe proposedcorrectiveactions.

With the exceptionof the Pegasus/TERRIERSlaunchatVandenbergAir ForceBase,

CA, scheduledfor next week,other launchdatesareuncertain. Following isa list of

upcomingNASA flights with their earliestpossiblelaunchtimeframes. The launchof

TERRIERSfor BostonUniversity on aPegasusrocketfrom VandenbergAir Force

Baseis confirmed for Monday,May 17,during alaunchwindow that extendsfrom

10:05:47- 10:14:26p.m. PDT. The drop from theL-1011aircraft istargetedto occur at

10:10p.m. PDT. The launchof GOES-Lfor NASA andNOAA aboardanAtlas IIA

rocketfrom Pad36-Aat CapeCanaveralwill occurnoearlierthan lateMay following

launchof STS-96.The launchof FUSE for NASA andJohnsHopkins University

from Pad17-Aat CapeCanaveralwill occurno earlierthanJune18. This could

changeto a laterdateduringJune. The launchof QuickScatfor NASA andtheJet

propulsion Laboratory aboarda Titan II rocketfrom SLC-4WatVandenbergAir

ForceBasewill occurno earlierthan mid-June.Exceptfor TERRIERS,thesedates

shouldbeconsideredfor planningpurposesuntil firm datescanbescheduled.

["Launch datesfor upcomingNASA spacecrafton expendablevehiclesbecome

uncertain," NASA News Release#36-99,May 17,1999.]

• PresidentClinton wantsaninvestigationinto astringof launchfailuresthat have

costtaxpayersmorethan $3billion andjeopardizedAmerican'sability to deploy

critical spysatellites. Clinton is expectedto askDefenseSecretaryWilliam Cohenon

Monday to probe the failuresandexaminehow futurePentagonsatellitesshould be

launchedinto orbit. The reviewcould includeafreshlook at returning at leastsome

defenseandintelligencepayloadsto NASA's shuttlefleet. Between1985and 1991

shuttlescarriedinto orbit sevenlargespysatellitesfor the Pentagon.SinceAugust,

threemissionsof the LockheedMartin-built Titan 4 rocket havefailed. One mission

endedin a fiery explosionoverCapeCanaveral.The othertwo went awry when

upperstagerocketsmalfunctioned. Lost werethreemilitary intelligenceand

communicationssatellites.In April, asmallerLockheedMartin Athena rocket failed

to deliver acommercialspace-imagingsatelliteinto orbit. Boeing'snew Delta 3 heavylift launcheralsohasfailedtwice in the lastninemonthson commercialmissions. The

Air Force,LockheedMartin andBoeingareconductingseparate,independent

47
investigations.But somelawmakersandmilitary officialshad beenseekingto bump

the probesto a higherlevel. ["Clinton wantslook into rocket failures," Florida

Toda_.£, May 15, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

MAY 16: The Canadian Space Agency's first contribution to the International Space

Station (ISS), the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) arrived at KSC

May 16 to begin prelaunch processing activities. The SSRMS is the primary means of

transferring payloads between the orbiter payload bay and the ISS for assembly. The

56-foot robotic arm has three segments comprising two 12-foot booms jointed by a

hinge. Seven joints on the arm allow for highly flexible and precise movement.

Cameras on the booms will permit the astronauts maximum visibility for operations

and maintenance tasks on the ISS. The SSRMS is scheduled to be launched in July

2000 on STS-100. [KSC Countdown, May 20, 1999.]

MAY 17- Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, May 17, 1999. STS-96: Over the

weekend, KSC workers made the necessary flight hardware moves to accommodate

this week's repair work on Shuttle Discovery's external tank. On Saturday, the STS93 solid rocket boosters and external tank were rolled out of VAB high bay 1 and now

temporarily reside at the Mobile Launcher Platform refurbishment site east of the VAB

and will remain there as long as weather permits. Sunday, before 4 a.m., Shuttle

Discovery departed Pad 39B and arrived in VAB high bay 1 at about 10 a.m. Workers

then set up access to the areas on the tank that need repair. Today, technicians

conducted close-up inspections of the damaged areas, evaluating the exact number of

hail-divots and precisely measuring their dimensions. If repair efforts can be

completed by Wednesday, Discovery may roll out to Launch Pad 39B as early as

Thursday. Thus far, excellent weather conditions have supported a flawless execution

of the STS-96 recovery plan. However, current forecasts indicate an increased chance

of thunderstorms by Thursday afternoon. Shuttle managers are developing weather

protection plans to ensure the safekeeping of all flight hardware involved in these

major move operations. Based on the amount of repair work accomplished on

Discovery's tank and an updated weather forecast, Shuttle managers will implement a

plan tomorrow afternoon that returns Discovery to the launch pad and brings the STS93 stack back to the VAB. If all goes well, Discovery could be ready to launch no

earlier than May 27. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, May 17].]

• The departure of Brig. Gen. Randall Starbuck from his command of the 45 _hSpace

Wing at Patrick Air Force Base has been postponed indefinitely. Air Force officials

made the announcement Monday but would not give a reason for the delay. The

change in plans might mean his replacement, Brig. Gen. Kevin Chilton, no longer is

taking over command of the wing, which oversees military and commercial launches

from Cape Canaveral Air Station. Chilton, a former NASA space shuttle commander,

is deputy manager of operations at Air Force Space Command in Colorado Springs,

48
Colo. The delay also could mean Starbuck must stay longer to participate in several

investigations into recent rocket failures from Cape Canaveral. ["45 _hSpace Wing

chief's departure delayed," Florida Today, May 18, 1999, p 1A.]

MAY 18: Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, May 18, 1999. STS-96: Yesterday,

technicians completed evaluations on Discovery's hail-damaged external tank foam

insulation and began repair efforts. Having much closer access than what is available at

the launch pad, inspections in the VAB revealed a total of 648 divots in the tank's

outer foam. Managers consider 189 of the divots acceptable to fly without repair.

Blending or sanding work is required for 211 hits and 248 divots will be patched with

new foam. The current schedule indicates that foam repair efforts will be complete

tomorrow. Though repair efforts are going very well, forecasters expect weather

conditions at KSC to degrade by Wednesday. The increased chance of rain, wind and

lightning have managers implementing a plan that focuses on protecting Space Shuttle

flight hardware. Wednesday, the STS-93 solid rocket boosters and external tank will be

moved from the Mobile Launcher Platform refurbishment site to Launch Pad 39B to

take advantage of available lightning protection. In addition, workers will prepare the

STS-99 partial booster stack in VAB high bay 3 for transfer to a recently installed

lightning protection system on the east side of the VAB, making room for the STS-93

stack to return later this week. Once the STS-93 stack is removed from Pad 39B,

Discovery will roll back out to the launch pad as early as this weekend. The timing of

these operations is dependent upon weather. Shuttle managers will meet again

tomorrow afternoon to assess the impact that these developments will have on the

planned launch date. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, May 18.]

MAY 19: Space Shuttle Status Report, Wednesday, May 19, 1999. STS-96: Shuttle

managers today confirmed May 27 as the launch date for Shuttle mission STS-96.

Based on an updated weather forecast and prompt repairs of Discovery's hail-damaged

external tank foam insulation, managers decided to transfer Space Shuttle Discovery

back to Launch Pad 39B Thursday morning. Shuttle close-out work will commence

once Discovery arrives at the pad and will conclude in time for May 27 launch. The

launch countdown begins at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 24. Discovery's external tank

repairs were completed today and tonight workers will remove access platforms and

scaffolding in preparation for Thursday's move to the pad. If weather continues to

cooperate, Discovery will begin moving out of VAB high bay 1 about 2 a.m.

tomorrow and will be hard down at Pad 39B by midday. The STS-93 stack remains

under temporary lightning protection on the east side of the VAB. When VAB high

bay 1 becomes available, the STS-93 stack will move inside the VAB to continue

processing for its planned July launch. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space

Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, May 19].]

49
• NASA took theunusualposition Wednesdayof opposingathree-year,$41billion

authorization bill that would givemoremoneythat PresidentClinton hadrequested.

One of the key sticking points for the agency:anamendmentby Rep.DaveWeldon,

R-PalmBay,cancelingVice PresidentA1Gore's$75million pet satelliteproject, the

Triana sciencemission. The committeeeliminatedmoneyfor the Triana satellite,

which would havebeamedbacklive picturesof the sunlit sideof Earthfor broadcast

on the Internet. "We strongly objectto the (Science)committee'sarbitrary and

partisanrecommendationto terminatetheTriana sciencemission," NASA

Administrator Dan Goldin wrote in aletter. Proposedby Gore andquickly endorsed

by NASA, the craftalsowould beequippedwith scientificinstrumentsto takesolar,

climate,ultraviolet andorganicmeasurements.Weldon saidfinancingthe Gore space

camerawasaninsult to former spaceindustry workers in hisdistrict who lost their

jobs ayearagowhen NASA saidit wasfacinga $100million shortfall. In his letter,

Goldin warnedtheauthorization bill alsocouldjeopardizedevelopmentof the $70

billion InternationalSpaceStationby limiting NASA's ability to continuediverting

researchdollarsto compensatefor costoverrunscausedby Russia'sdelaysin delivering

akey stationmodule. ["Amendment causesNASA to opposeits fundingbill,"

Florida Today, May 20, 1999, p 7A.]

MAY 20" Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, May 20, 1999. STS-96: Yesterday,

technicians completed repair work on more than 460 hail-inflicted divots in time to

support Shuttle Discovery's return to Launch Pad 39B this morning. Atop the crawler

transporter, Discovery began first motion at about 2 a.m. today and arrived at the pad

at about 10 a.m. The STS-93 solid rocket booster and external tank stack moved inside

Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 1 at about noon today. With the Rotating Service

Structure in place around the Shuttle, launch pad validations are now under way.

Workers wilt complete ordnance connections on Saturday along with pressurization of

the orbiter's reaction control system. Routine external tank purge activities occur

Sunday. The launch countdown begins Monday at 9 a.m. The STS-96 astronaut crew

arrives at KSC late Sunday night to begin final preparation for flight. Bruce

Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online].

Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, May 20].]

• A new design for the license plate that commemorates the 1986 space shuttle

disaster that killed seven astronauts will be unveiled June 25. Officials of the two

organizations that benefit from proceeds of Challenger-plate sales hope the redesign

and a new marketing plan will boost dwindling sales. The Technological Research and

Development Authority and the Astronaut Memorial Foundation each receive $7.50

from each plate sold. Sales of the plate generated $1.2 million for the organizations in

1997, down from $4.2 million during the plate's first year. A total of 600,000 have

been sold statewide since the debut in 1987. ["Challenger tag getting new look,"

Florida Today, May 21, 1999, p 1A.]

5O
• The former astronautnamedthe next commanderof the 45thSpaceWing at

Patrick Air ForceBasewon't becomingto Florida after all, the Air Forceannounced

Thursday. Instead,Brig. Gen.Kevin Chilton will leadthe9tl_ReconnaissanceWing at

BeateAir ForceBasenearSacramento,Calif. A new replacementfor the 45'h'sboss,

Brig. Gen.RandallStarbuck,hasnot beenchosen.["Ex-astronautnamedto leadSpace

Wing reassigned,"Florida Today, May 21, 1999, p 1A.]

• The Air Force estimates it will cost more than $1 million to repair a military

navigation satellite that was rained on at Cape Canaveral Air Station. Air Force

officials have formed an accident investigation board to determine how the $40 million

Global Positioning System IIR satellite got wet during thunderstorms May 8. The

satellite was undergoing testing at Launch Complex 17A atop a Delta II rocket when

technicians evacuated the pad because of lightning warnings. After workers returned,

they found rain had leaked into the sateUite's protective clean room on the pad's

service tower. The satellite was removed from the rocket last week and returned to its

processing facility at the Cape where inspections continue. ["Water damage to satellite

put at $1 million," The Orlando Sentinel, May 21, 1999, p A-3.]

MAY 21: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, May 21, 1999. STS-96: Launch pad

validations are in progress and countdown preparations are under way. Last night,

workers began closing out Discovery's aft compartment for flight and expect that

work to conclude midday on Monday. Ordnance connections begin today and

conclude Saturday. Mating of the orbiter midbody umbilical unit is in work today and

Discovery's maneuvering system and reaction control system will be pressurized for

flight over the weekend. Routine external tank purge activities occur Sunday. The

launch countdown begins Monday at 9 a.m. The STS-96 astronaut crew arrives at KSC

Sunday night to begin final preparation for flight. Bruce Buckingham. (1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, May 21].]

• NASA is one of the government's most computer-savvy agencies, yet its crucial

information technology systems are vulnerable to hackers, industrial spies and foreign

intelligence agents, a new report warns. In a limited test at one NASA field center,

government specialists hacked their way into vital space agency computers using

simple passwords like "guest" and "newuser," according to the report from the General

Accounting Office. NASA information managers supervised the controlled computer

"break-in" at the unidentified field center where there are a number of mission-critical

systems. The team of experts from the National Security Agency penetrated

computers supporting spacecraft command and control as well as a system that

processes and distributes scientific data returned from space. NASA officials said they

agreed with most of the GAO report. But not all mission-critical systems are

vulnerable, they said. And special security steps are taken before launches. NASA

plans to follow through on all of the GAO's recommendations for tighter computer

security, said NASA's Sarah Keegan. ["NASA's computers vulnerable, report says,"

51
Florida Today, May 22, 1999, p 1A & 2A. "NASA computers are hacker heaven,"

The Orlando Sentinel, May 22, 1999, p A-1 & A-4.]

MAY 22: An Air Force Titan 4 rocket made its first successful flight in nine months

Saturday, carrying a top-secret spacecraft in an early-morning launch from California.

With liftoff at 5:36 a.m., the Titan 4 rocket carried its classified satellite into an orbit

that will cross over the Earth's poles. ["Titan 4 launch a success," Florida Today,

May 23, 1999, p 1A.]

MAY 24" NASA is set to begin the countdown today for shuttle Discovery's launch

Thursday to the International Space Station, which has been vacant since a crew started

construction of the outpost six months ago. Discovery's crew arrived at Kennedy

Space Center late Sunday, ready for its mission to take 1 IA tons of supplies and

equipment to the facility. After arriving at KSC, the astronauts are to spend the next

three days relaxing and reviewing their mission plans while ground crews continue to

prepare the ship for liftoff. If launched Thursday, Discovery will reach the outpost

Saturday and dock for a five-day visit. ["Discovery countdown begins today," Florida

Todax, May 24, 1999, p 1A.]

• Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, May 24, 1999. STS-96: The launch

countdown for STS-96 began on schedule today at 9 a.m. at the T-43 hour mark.

Over the weekend, workers completed ordnance connections and pressurization of

Discovery's maneuvering system and reaction control system. Yesterday morning, aft

compartment close-outs concluded and aft confidence checks are in work today.

Mating of the orbiter midbody umbilical unit is also complete. This morning,

pyrotechnic initiator controller testing began. At about 11 p.m. yesterday, the STS-96

flight crew arrived at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility. In the three days prior to launch

they will undergo routine medical exams and participate in standard orbiter and

payload familiarization activities. The commander and pilot will also take practice

flights in the Shuttle Training Aircraft and T-38 jets this week. Weather forecasters

currently indicate a 30 percent chance that weather could prohibit Thursday's launch

attempt. The forecast calls for scattered clouds with bases at 15,000 feet; visibility at 7

miles with a chance of fog limiting to 3 miles; westerly winds at 7 knots peaking to 10

knots; temperature at 72 degrees F; relative humidity at 93 percent and dew point

at 70 degrees F. The primary weather issues are expected to be the

possibility of fog and low cloud ceilings. The forecast improves to a 20

percent chance of violation on Friday and Saturday. Bruce Buckingham. (1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, May 24].]

• For the first time in six months, countdown clocks started rolling Monday toward

a shuttle launch at Kennedy Space Center. Seven astronauts are set to lift off aboard

Discovery between 6:48 and 6:57 a.m. Thursday on a 10-day supply mission to the

international space station. The six-month gap between missions - created mainly by

52
delaysin the station programandproblemswith anX-ray telescopescheduledto

launchaboardColumbia - isthe longestsincethe shuttle'sSeptember1988return to

flight afterthe January1986Challengeraccident.In aneffort to do things right,

missionmanagersatKSC haveconductedextensivedrills andtraining sincethe last

shuttleflight in Decemberto keepeveryonesharp. Discovery'smissionis the second

of 36shuttleflights plannedto assemblethe spacestation. Astronautswill drop off

3,600poundsof suppliesandsparepartsat the station,do maintenancework and

conductaspacewalkto erectacraneon the outpost'shull. ["Countdown for shuttle

launch," The Orlando Sentinel, May 25, 1999, p A-3.]

• A top Russian space official left jail Monday charged with attacking two

emergency medical workers. Vladimir Lobachev, 61, of Moscow is in Florida as a

visiting dignitary for Thursday's launch of the space shuttle Discovery, a NASA

spokesman said. Lobachev posted $1,000 bail on two charges of battery on an

emergency medical worker and left the jail shortly after 2 p.m., records show. NASA

spokesman Bruce Buckingham said Lobachev has no active role in the upcoming

shuttle mission. ["Police: Russian space chief attacked EMTs," The Orlando Sentinel,

May 25, 1999, p D-1 & D-5.]

MAY 25: Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, May 25, 1999. STS-96: Preparation

for Discovery's Thursday launch continues on schedule. Last night, the launch team

activated the orbiter's navigational systems and completed testing efforts. Pyrotechnic

initiator controller testing began at about 2 a.m. today and loading of cryogenic

reactants into Discovery's fuel cell storage tanks commenced at 6:30 a.m. Workers will

demate the orbiter midbody umbilical unit today at 1:30 p.m. Tonight, technicians will

install the mission specialist seats inside the crew compartment and begin cable routing

verifications. The flight crew wakes-up today at 5:30 p.m. and will participate in

standard preflight orbiter and payload system briefings this evening. The commander

and pilot will begin practice flights in the Shuttle Training Aircraft at about 10 p.m.

Weather forecasters currently indicate a 20 percent chance that weather could prohibit

Thursday's launch attempt. The forecast calls for scattered clouds with bases at 20,000

feet; visibility at 7 miles with a chance of fog limiting to 3 miles; southwesterly winds

at 7 knots peaking to 10 knots; temperature at 72 degrees F; relative humidity at 93

percent and dew point at 70 degrees F. The primary weather issues are expected to be

the possibility of fog and low cloud ceilings. The 20 percent chance of weather

violation continues through Friday and Saturday. Bruce Buckingham. (1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, May 25].]

• NASA took a stand Tuesday on the idea of relying on automatic destruct systems

- rather than human engineers - to deliberately destroy an errant space shuttle with

men and women on board. Simply stated, agency officials say the notion is

unacceptable. And both commercial launch companies and the Department of Defense

aren't all that enthusiastic about the concept either, especially when it comes to

53
multimillion satellite-deliverymissionsor ballisticmissiletestflights. That wasthe

messageaerospaceindustry leadersdeliveredto a National Research Council

committee conducting an independent study of the way the Air Force protects the

public from runaway or exploding rockets. In the second of two public hearings held

in Cocoa Beach, the committee fielded testimony on proposed changes to a "range

safety" system that enables engineers to deliberately destroy an errant launcher before

it can threaten populated areas. The proposals all are aimed at cutting the cost of

protecting the public. One involves the idea of relying solely on automatic destruct

systems rather than human engineers to obliterate space launchers that careen out of

control. "For those of us in the human space flight program, an automatic destruct

system is pretty much unacceptable," said former astronaut Loren Shriver, who now is

deputy director of launch and payload processing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

In the event of a serious in-flight failure on a shuttle mission, an automatic destruct

system would do just that - it automatically would blow up the ship with its crew

onboard. A range safety engineer, however, could make a judgment call, giving an

astronaut crew every possible opportunity to maneuver a shuttle out of harm's way

and on to an emergency landing site. "Our preference is to have man in the loop,"

Shriver said. "That part of it is not rocket science at all. It's just common sense."

Commercial launch companies and the U.S. Navy prefer to keep human engineers

involved in the process for similar reasons. ["NASA: Humans should control destruct

switch," Florida Today, May 26, 1999, p 6A.]

MAY 26: Space Shuttle Status Report, Wednesday, May 26, 1999. STS-96:

Preparations for launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on Thursday continue as scheduled

today. The Rotating Service Structure was retracted away from the vehicle and placed

in launch configuration early this afternoon. Earlier today, the orbiter's inertial

measurement units were activated and the flight crew's equipment was stowed in the

orbiter. Currently, final walkdowns of the pad are being completed in preparation for

loading of the 500,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants into the Shuttle's external tank.

Loading operations will begin at about 9:30 tonight. The crew will begin final

preparations for launch when they awake at about 6:30 p.m. today. They are scheduled

to begin donning their launch and entry suits at 2:19 a.m. tomorrow and depart for the

launch pad at about 3 a.m. Weather forecasters currently indicate a 20 percent chance

that weather could prohibit Thursday's launch attempt. The forecast calls for scattered

clouds with bases at 20,000 feet; visibility at 7 miles with a slight chance of early

morning fog; southwesterly winds at 7 knots peaking to 10 knots; temperature at 72

degrees F; relative humidity at 93 percent and dew point at 70 degrees F. The crew for

mission STS-96 are: Commander Kent Rominger, Pilot Rick Husband, and Mission

Specialists Tamara Jernigan, Ellen Ochoa, Daniel Barry, Julie Payette, and Valerie

Tokarev. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status

Report [Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status

[1999, May 26].]

MAY 27: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, May 27, 1999. STS-96: Space Shuttle

Discovery and the seven-member STS-96 flight crew lifted-off on time today at 6:49:42

54
a.m. The launchteamworked no significanttechnicalissuesthroughout the day's

countdown activities. Today'slaunchmarksthe beginningof ShuttleDiscovery's 26th

flight andthe 94thShuttleflight in history. Discoveryand crewwill rendezvousand

dock with the International SpaceStationon Flight Day 3. The ShuttleandISSwill

remaindockedfor six dayswhile the crewtransferssome4,000poundsof equipment,

tools, computersandclothesto theISSfor future useby downstreamconstruction

crews. SolidRocketBoosterrecoveryoperationsareunderway, off the easterncoast

of Florida NASA's recoveryshipsFreedomStarandLiberty Starareexpectedto

return to Port Canaveralwith the boostersin tow tomorrow. BruceBuckingham.

(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online]. AvailableEmail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,May 27].]

• NASA honored the lateCNN spacecorrespondentJohn Holliman on Thursday

by bestowinghis nameon the KennedySpaceCenterpressauditorium. With

Holliman's widow andsonnearby,NASA chiefDan Goldin dedicatedthe John

Holliman Auditorium andpraisedthe former spacereporterfor hisenthusiasm."He

enrichedthe lives of everyonewho knew him," Goldin saidduring a ceremonythat

followed shuttleDiscovery'slaunch. "The namingof this auditorium will serveasa

reminderof how John touchedall our lives. John wasatrue fan of the spaceprogram.

"He conveyedthat senseof excitementto hisaudience.John didn't simply report on

spaceissues,heconveyedthe deeppassionhehadfor spaceissues,"Holliman was

killed in Septemberin acaraccidentnearhis suburbanAtlanta home. He joined CNN

in 1980aspart of the network's original reportingteamand gainednotoriety on the

CNN teamcoveringthe PersianGulf War from Baghdad.["NASA honors lateCNN

reporter," Florida Today, May 28, 1999, p 2A.]

• An Air Force investigation could conspire to delay the planned launch next month

of shuttle Columbia, officials said Thursday. Columbia and five astronauts are

tentatively scheduled to lift off July 22 on a mission to deploy NASA's Chandra X-Ray

Astrophysics Facility, a $1.5 billion astronomical observatory. That date, however, is

threatened by an Air Force investigation into the failed April 9 launch of a Titan 4

rocket and a $250 million missile warning satellite. A two-stage, solid-fueled booster

did not separate during that mission, and the missile warning satellite was delivered to

a useless orbit as a result. The same type of booster is to be used to deploy the

Chandra observatory. NASA officials said the mission won't be launched until the Air

Force completes its investigation into the April 9 failure. Unclear is exactly when the

probe will be complete. Senior NASA managers will meet Tuesday to decide whether

to continue with preparations for a July 22 launch. ["Air Force probe may delay next

launch," Florida Today, May 28, 1999, p 4A.]

MAY 28: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, May 28, 1999. STS-96: Shuttle

Discovery's systems are performing very well on orbit. Post launch inspections of

Launch Pad 39B revealed minimal pad damage. Inspectors did collect several samples of

a residue found on various portions of the Fixed Service Structure. Managers expect

55
laboratoryevaluationsto confirm that theresidueresultedfrom a reactionbetween

solid rocket booster(SRB)exhaustand the protective coating applied to the exterior of

the FSS. The SRB recovery ships arrived at Hangar AF this afternoon with both

SRBs in tow. Preliminary reports indicate that the boosters are in good condition.

STS-93: Technicians have completed Columbia's closeouts in preparation for next

week's OPF roll out. Weight and center of gravity testing began today and managers

plan to transfer Columbia to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Wednesday at about 10

a.m. The Chandra payload resides in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility awaiting

arrival of the Inertial Upper Stage. The IUS is scheduled to arrive in the VPF Tuesday

for mating operations with Chandra on Wednesday. Following electrical and

mechanical testing, the spacecraft is slated for transfer to Launch Pad 39B on June 21.

STS-99: Fabrication and installation of tubing for Endeavour's freon coolant loop No.

2 continues. Modifications on the main engine dome heat shields and wireless video

installation efforts continue as well. STS-101: Installation of Atlantis' power control

assembly No. 1 is complete. Wireless video modifications continue. Mass

spectrometer leak checks on the orbiter's fuel cell power plant continue. TACAN

antenna installation is in progress. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center

Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, May 28].]

MAY 29: A multinational crew made an early-morning rendezvous with NASA's

International Space Station, pulling off the first-ever space shuttle docking at the new

$60 billion outpost. With four Americans, a Russian and a Canadian aboard, shuttle

Discovery linked up with the seven-story station at 12:24 a.m. today as both craft

cruised along at 17,500 mph. The shuttle and the station - made up of a Russian space

tug and a U.S. docking module - were passing 230 miles above a Russian ground

station in Central Asia at the time. "The history of this moment shouldn't be lost on

us," said Frank Culbertson, NASA's deputy director for space station operations.

Shuttles linked with the Mir space station nine times between 1995 and 1998 as the

United States and Russia prepared to build the new outpost. Not since 1973, however,

has an American spaceship docked with a U.S. space station. In that case, three

astronauts docked an Apollo spacecraft at Skylab - the nation's first space station.

["Shuttle docks at new station for first time," Florida Today, May 29, 1999, p 1A.]

DURING MAY: In addition to NASA's basic operations budget for Kennedy Space

Center, NASA is FY-98 had obligations for $488 million in contracts with industry,

academia, and other organizations statewide. The funds paid for products and services

within 21 of Florida's 23 congressional districts, including $26 million to academic

institutions. ["NASA pumps $488 million into Florida economy for FY-1998," The

Brevard Technical Journal, May 99, p 3.]

• Kennedy Space Center and a consortium of other federal agencies are leading the

way to develop faster, more economic clean-up methods for numerous contaminated

groundwater sites across the country, including an area at Launch Complex 34, Cape

56
CanaveralAir Station. ["KSC, consortiumto studycleanupof groundwater,"The

Brevard Technical Journal, May 99, p 6.]

57
JUNE

JUNE 1: Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, June 1, 1999. STS-96: Space Shuttle

Discovery's onboard systems continue to perform well on orbit. Discovery has been

docked with the International Space Station for four days and the crew has completed

more than 30 percent of the supply transfer activities. Preliminary assessments of the

solid rocket boosters reveal no significant damage. More detailed booster inspections

are in work at Hangar AF today. Launch pad wash down efforts are complete and

inspections revealed minimal damage. Evaluation of the SRB exhaust residue

continues. STS-93: Columbia's weight and center of gravity testing is complete.

Today workers are placing Columbia on the orbiter transporter system in preparation

for tomorrow's transfer to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Managers plan to move

Columbia to the VAB Wednesday at about 10 a.m. Chandra's Inertial Upper Stage

arrived at KSC's Vertical Processing Facility this morning and mating to the X-ray

observatory begins tomorrow. Following electrical and mechanical testing, the

spacecraft is slated for transfer to Launch Pad 39B on June 21. STS-99: Workers

completed installation of Endeavour's window No. 6. Shuttle main engine installation

efforts are under way and modifications to the main engine dome heat shields

continue. Wireless video installation efforts proceed on schedule. Modifications to the

freon coolant loop No. 2 isolation valve are in work. Checks on the auxiliary power

unit exhaust duct and power reactant storage and distribution system are also in

progress. Installation of Endeavour's right hand orbital maneuvering system pod

begins later today. STS-101: Testing on Atlantis' flash evaporator system controller is

complete. Wireless video modifications continue. Mass spectrometer leak checks on

the orbiter's fuel cell power plant continue. Ammonia system leak and functional

testing begins later today. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, June 1].]

• Payload Status Report - Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Tuesday, June 1, 1999. The

Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) booster for the Chandra X-ray Observatory arrived at the

Kennedy Space Center's Vertical Processing Facility (VPF) at 6 a.m., Tuesday, June 1.

This evening it will be lifted from it's enclosed transporter and installed into the VPF

west test cell. On Wednesday evening, June 2, the Chandra X-ray Observatory will be

hoisted from its location in front of the east test cell and mated onto the two-stage IUS.

On Thursday, June 3, the electrical connections between Chandra and the IUS will be

established and the Cargo Integrated Test Equipment (CITE), an orbiter avionics

simulator, will be connected to the payload stack. On Friday, June 4, the two-day

interface verification test (IVT) is to be performed which validates the IUS/Chandra

connections and checks the orbiter avionics interfaces. On Monday, June 7, the endto-end test (ETE) is to be conducted. This will verify the communications path to

Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. Participating will be Chandra's

operations control center located in Cambridge, MA; Mission Control at the Johnson

Space Center in Houston; and the communications assets of both the Deep Space

58
Network andtheTracking andDataRelaySatellite(TDRS)system. During

Chandra'srecentdwell periodin the VPF, while awaitingthe arrival of the IUS,the

commandpathsto beusedduring theseupcomingactivitieswereableto beestablished

andthoroughly tested. Upon successfullycompletingthesetests,the IUS/Chandra

payloadseparationordnanceareto beinstalledandpayloadcloseoutswill be

performedin preparationfor makingthe transitionto LaunchPad39-B. The

Chandra/IUScombination will behoistedinto the payloadcanisteron June 18and

transportedto the padpayloadchangeoutroom onJune21. Chandrais currently

plannedto beinstalledinto Columbia'spayloadbayonJune25. At this time, the STS93launchistargetedfor July 22,however,this dateisunder review. Bruce

Buckingham.(1999).PayloadStatus Report, Chandra X-Ray Observatory [Online].

AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,June 1].]

JUNE 2: SpaceShuttleStatusReport, Wednesday,June2, 1999.STS-96:Flight

controllers report that Discovery'sonboardsystemsarein excellenthealth. Flight

crewefforts to transferabouttwo tons of suppliesto the InternationalSpaceStation

conclude today. Tomorrow, following a reboost of the ISS, the two spacecraft will

undock. Solid rocket booster inspections and segment disassembly preparations are

ongoing. All booster components appear to be in good condition following a normal

splash down. Tomorrow, SRB aft exit cone disconnects begin and Thursday aft skirt

removal begins. The solid rocket motor nozzles will be removed Friday. STS-93:

Columbia was transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 to the VAB today at

about 10:30 a.m. The orbiter will be lifted into VAB high bay 1 today to be mated to

the external tank and solid rocket booster stack on Mobile Launcher Platform 1. The

Chandra X-ray Observatory and Inertial Upper Stage are being mated in the Vertical

Processing Facility today. Later this week electrical and mechanical testing will

follow. The spacecraft remains on schedule for transfer to Launch Pad 39B on June 21.

STS-99: Modifications to the main engine dome heat shields continue. Wireless video

installation efforts proceed on schedule. Modifications to the freon coolant loop No. 2

isolation valve are in work. Checks on the auxiliary power unit exhaust duct and

power reactant storage and distribution system are also in progress. Installation of

Endeavour's right hand orbital maneuvering system pod begins this week. STS-101:

Testing on Atlantis' flash evaporator system controller is complete. Wireless video

modifications continue. Mass spectrometer leak checks on the orbiter's fuel cell power

plant continue. Ammonia system leak and functional testing is scheduled this week.

Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report

[Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999,

June 2].]

JUNE 3: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, June 3, 1999. STS-96: Shuttle

Discovery is in its final day of docked operations with the International Space Station.

Equipment transfer activities concluded early this morning and efforts to boost the

space station's orbital position were successfully completed at about 6 a.m. Discovery's

systems continue to perform very well as the flight crew prepares to undock from the

ISS later today. Solid rocket booster inspections and segment disassembly are in work.

59
Removalof the solid rocket motor nozzlesisongoingandnozzleshipmentto Utah is

slatedfor Monday. The preliminary weatherforecastfor Discovery'sKSC landingon

Sundaycallsfor scatteredcloudsat 3,000feetand 10,000feetandbroken at 20,000feet;

visibility at 7 miles;windseastnorth eastat 8 knotspeakingto 14knots; temperature

at 75degreesF; humidity at 91percentandthepossibility of showerswithin 30

nauticalmilesof the runway. Forecasterswill monitor the developmentof asurface

low overthe Bahamasandits impacton landingdayweatherconditions. STS-93:

Columbia arrived in the VAB yesterdayandsoftmateof the orbiter to the external

tank wascompletedlastnight. Electricalandmechanicalconnectionsarein work

today andthe ShuttleInterfaceTestbeginsFridayat midnight. Electricaland

mechanicaltestingof the matedChandraX-ray Observatoryand Inertial Upper Stage

is scheduledthis week. The spacecraftremainson schedulefor transferto LaunchPad

39BonJune21. STS-99:Auxiliary powerunit exhaustduct leakchecksarecomplete.

Testingof Endeavour'sradaraltimeter hasalsoconcluded.Modificationsto the main

enginedomeheatshieldscontinue. Wirelessvideoinstallation effortsproceedon

schedule.Modifications to the freon coolantloop No. 2 isolationvalvearein work.

Powerreactantstorageanddistribution systemarein progress.Installationof

Endeavour'sright handorbital maneuveringsystempod beginsearlytomorrow and

Shuttlemain engineinstallationbeginsMonday.STS-101:Atlantis' wirelessvideo

modificationscontinue. Massspectrometerleakcheckson the orbiter's fuel cell power

plant continue. Ammonia systemleak andfunctionaltestingisscheduledthis week.

BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status Report

[Online]. Available E-mail:domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,

June3].]

• After successfullyattachingthetwo cranesto theoutsideof the ISS,the crew has

beentransferringtwo tons of suppliesfrom Discoveryto the ISSaswell asreplacing

someequipment. Discoveryisscheduledto return to Earth andlandatKSC'sShuttle

LandingFacility on Sunday,June6, at 1:59a.m.EDT. ["STS-96at the International

SpaceStation," KSC Countdown, June3, 1999.]

• STS-96/DiscoveryLandingWeatherForecast,Thursday,June3, I999. Synopsis:

A surfaceandupper levelhighpressureridgeacrossnorthern Florida will causean

easterlyflow acrosscentralFlorida on Sundaymorning. Forecastdevelopmentof a

surfacelow overthe Bahamaswill bekey to the strengthof theeasterlywind and

extentof showersoff shoreat landingtime. KennedySpaceCenterShuttleLanding

Facility: Valid: 0200EDT, Sunday,June6; Clouds:3,000scattered;10,000scattered;

20,000broken;Visibility: 7 miles;Wind: ENE at 8knots, peaksto 14knots;

Temperature:75;Dewpoint: 73RelativeHumidity: 91;Precipitation: Rainshowers

within 30nauticalmiles overthe water;EdwardsAir ForceBase:Valid: 0211PDT;

Clouds: 5,000few; 25.000scattered;Visibility: 7 miles;Wind: SW6 knots, peaksto 10

knots; Forecastpreparedby NOAA/NWS SpaceFlight Meteorology Group. Bruce

Buckingham.(1999).STS-96/DiscoveryLanding Weather Forecast[Online].

AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,June 3].]

60
@ ShuttleDiscovery'screwbid farewellto the international spacestationThursday

after successfullywrapping upNASA's secondmissionto build andoutfit the orbital

outpost. Pilot Rick Husbandendedtheastronauts'five-daystayat the stationat 6:39

p.m., popping aseriesof hooks andlatchesthat heldthe shuttleto thestation'ssevenstory stackof modules. Springsin the dockingmechanismpushedDiscovery several

feet away. Then, Husbandfired the shuttle'ssteeringjetsto inch Discoverybackto a

distanceof 450feet. From there,the shuttleflew 2 1⁄2 loopsaroundthe stationwhile

the crew took photos andvideotapedthe outpost. During the five daysthe shuttle was

dockedto the station,Discovery'ssevenastronautsunloadedmorethan4,200pounds

of cargofor useby the outpost'sfirst full-time inhabitants. After Thursday's

undocking,the crewwrappedup afew light choresbeforetaking the restof the night

off. They haveonemajor pieceof businessremainingbeforeheadinghome to

KennedySpaceCenterearlySunday.At about3 a.m.Saturday,the astronautsare

scheduledto deploy the Starshinesatellite,abeachball-sizedglobecoveredby 878

aluminum mirrors. ["Discovery leavesspacestationstockedfor future crew," The

Orlando Sentinel, June 4, 1999, p A-1 & A-11.]

JUNE 4: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, June 4, 1999. STS-96: Following

Discovery's successful undocking from the International Space Station yesterday, the

flight crew will today begin preparations for the seventeenth consecutive KSC Shuttle

landing early Sunday morning. Discovery has two landing opportunities at KSC on

Sunday. The first opportunity requires a 12:54 a.m. deorbit burn and touchdown on

Runway 15 at 2:03 a.m. The second opportunity calls for a deorbit burn at 2:30 a.m.

and touchdown at 3:38 a.m. Edward Air Force Base will not be called to support as an

alternate landing site on Sunday. Weather officials expect generally favorable weather

for a Shuttle landing at KSC on Sunday. Preliminary reports call for scattered clouds

at 3,000 feet and 10,000 feet and broken at 20,000 feet; visibility at 7 miles; easterly

winds at 6 knots peaking to 12 knots; temperature at 75 degrees F; humidity at 91

percent and the chance of showers within 30 nautical miles of the runway. Forecasters

continue to monitor the development of a surface low over the Bahamas and its impact

on landing day weather conditions. STS-93: Columbia is hardmated to the external

tank and solid rocket booster stack in VAB high bay 1 today. Tomorrow, the Shuttle

Interface Test will conclude and over the weekend workers will prepare for Monday's

Shuttle roll out to Launch Pad 39B. The Chandra X-ray Observatory and Inertial

Upper Stage are undergoing interface verification testing today. STS-99: Modifications

to the main engine dome heat shields continue. Wireless video installation efforts

proceed on schedule. Modifications to the freon coolant loop No. 2 isolation valve are

in work. Tests on the power reactant storage and distribution system are in progress.

Installation of Endeavour's right hand orbital maneuvering system pod begins early

tomorrow and Shuttle main engine installation begins Monday. STS-101: Atlantis'

wireless video modifications continue. Mass spectrometer leak checks on the orbiter's

fuel cell power plant continue. Ammonia system leak and functional testing is

scheduled this week. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

61
Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo_news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, June 4].]

• Discovery's astronauts will attempt a rare, middle-of-the-night landing Sunday,

capping a 10-day trip to the International Space Station. With seven astronauts aboard,

Discovery is scheduled to make the 11 th night landing in 94 shuttle flights, touching

down at Kennedy Space Center at 2:03 a.m. NASA mission managers, however, will

be keeping close tabs on the weather. Forecasters are calling for a chance of rain

within 30 miles of KSC. NASA flight rules would prohibit a landing attempt if that

happens. Discovery and its crew will have one additional chance to land at KSC on

Sunday. The second will come at 3:38 a.m. Launched May 27, the shuttle has enough

fuel to remain in space until Tuesday. ["Discovery set to land while most sleeping,"

Florida Today, June 5, 1999, p 1A.]

• An $800 million military communications satellite was hurled into a useless orbit

April 30 when the upper stage of a Titan 4 rocket misfired because of faulty computer

software, the Air Force said Friday. The mishap was the sixth in a series of botched

launches to sting the U.S. space industry during a nine-month period dating back to

August 1998. It was also the third consectitive failure for the Air Force's Titan rocket

program, which since has tallied a successful launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base

in California. Launched from Cape Canaveral Air Station, the April 30 mission went

awry after a Titan 4 rocket dropped off a Centaur upper stage motor and a Milstar 2

satellite in low Earth orbit. Designed to propel the satellite to an orbit 22,300 miles

above Earth, the upper stage "began to fire excessively" shortly after it separated from

the Titan 4, the Air Force said. All fuel in the upper stage was guzzled prematurely,

and the satellite was left in an egg-shaped orbit with a high point of 3,100 miles. The

satellite has been declared a total loss. ["Bad software doomed Titan, Air Force says,"

Florida Today, June 5, 1999, p 2A.]

JUNE 6: Space Shuttle Status Report, Sunday, June 6, 1999. STS-96: Space Shuttle

Discovery and the STS-96 flight crew made a safe and successful landing on KSC

runway 15. This marks the 11th night landing in Shuttle history and the 18th

consecutive landing at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility.

MET EDT

Main Gear Touchdown 9:19:13:1 2:02:43 a.m.

Nose Gear Touchdown 9:19:13:16 2:02:58 a.m.

Wheels Stop 9:19:13:57 2:03:39 a.m.

Following routine sating of the vehicle and preliminary inspections,

Discovery will be towed to Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1. Inspections of

the orbiter will follow in the OPF along with routine post flight

deservicing of the orbiter's main propulsion system, hydraulic power system

and other major systems. Discovery's next flight is on mission STS-103

62
slatedfor October 14. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, June 6].]

Discovery's astronauts are back on the ground, but plans for NASA's next shuttle

mission, on Columbia and a $1.5 billion astronomy observatory are up in the air. In

fact, an Air Force accident investigation, coupled with a planned shuttle overhaul and

three back-to-back missions this year, could postpone Columbia's long-delayed flight

another year or more. Potential cost to taxpayers is about $8 million a month to store

an observatory that otherwise would be giving astronomers an unprecedented view of

mysterious black holes and invisible clouds of gas swirling among the stars. "We may

have a real problem here," NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin said Sunday after

Discovery capped a 10-day space station supply mission with a middle-of-the-night

landing at Kennedy Space Center. "But we wilt not launch (Columbia) until it's safe.

And if we have to wait a year, we have to wait a year." Columbia's payload -- an X-ray

observatory in the same class as the Hubble Space Telescope - is to be popped out of

the shuttle's cargo bay and then propelled by a $70 million upper stage into an eggshaped orbit that stretches a third of the way to the moon. An identical motor,

however, failed during an April 9 Air Force Titan 4 rocket mission, stranding a $250

million missile warning satellite into a useless orbit. Air Force investigators say the

two-stage, solid-fueled motor failed to separate in space, sending the Pentagon

spacecraft into a wild tumble. Goldin said Columbia will remain grounded until the

Air Force pinpoints the cause of the failure and NASA is certain it won't recur on the

$2.5 billion telescope mission. Air force investigators are scheduled to meet with

NASA officials June 18 to update the agency on the ongoing probe into the ill-fated

April 9 flight. ["Discovery lands safely in dark," Florida Today, June 7, 1999, p 1B &

2B.]

JUNE 7: Payload Status Report, Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Monday, June 7, 1999.

The end-to-end test of the Chandra X-ray Observatory began this morning at 7 a.m. as

scheduled. This 24-hour test will verify the communications path to Chandra,

commanding it as if it were in space. Participating are Chandra's Operations Control

Center located in Cambridge, MA, Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center in

Houston, the communications assets of both the Deep Space Network and the

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system. On Saturday, June 4, the two-day

interface verification test was successfully completed with no issues or concerns. This

test validated the Chandra/Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) connections and checked the

orbiter avionics interfaces. Upon successfully completing the end-to-end test, the

Chandra/IUS payload separation ordnance will be installed and payload closeouts will

be performed in preparation for making the transition to Launch Pad 39-B. The

Chandra/IUS combination will be transferred into the transportation canister on June

18. The payload will now be moved to the pad payload changeout room on June 19

and installed into Columbia's payload bay on June 24. The IUS, a two-stage solid

propellant booster, arrived at the Kennedy Space Center's Vertical Processing Facility

63
(VPF) on Tuesday,June1. On Wednesday,June2,the ChandraX-ray Observatory

wasmatedto the IUS. At this time, the STS-93launchistargetedfor July 22,

however,this dateisunder review.BruceBuckingham.(1999).Payload Status

Report, Chandra X-Ray Observatory [Online]. AvailableE-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,June7].]

JUNE 8: SpaceShuttleStatusReport,Tuesday,June8, 1999.STS-93:Today, Shuttle

managersapprovedaplan that will haveColumbiareadyfor launchno earlierthan

July 20. As always,anofficial launchdatewill beannouncedat the STS-93Flight

ReadinessReviewscheduledfor July 8. SpaceShuttleColumbia rolled out of the

VehicleAssemblybuilding atabout2 a.m. yesterdayandwashard down at Launch

Pad39Bat about 10a.m. Launchpadvalidationsarein work through this evening.

Auxiliary power unit hot fire testingandmain enginetestsarescheduledthis week.

The Chandra/Inertial Upper Stageend-to-endtestwassuccessfullycompletedtoday in

the VerticalProcessingFacility. The Chandra/IUScombination will beplacedinto the

transportation canisteronJune18.Thepayloadwill bemovedto the launchpadon

June 19and installedinsideColumbia'scargobayonJune24. STS-99:Checkson

Endeavour'spower reactantstorageanddistribution systemarecomplete. Interface

verification testsof the recentlyinstalledright handorbital maneuveringsystempod

arealsocomplete.Shuttlemain engineinstallation isscheduledto begintomorrow.

Modifications to the main enginedomeheatshieldscontinue. Wirelessvideo

installationeffortsproceedon schedule.Modificationsto the freoncoolant loop No. 2

isolationvalve arein work. STS-103:After ShuttleDiscovery'sSundaylanding at

KSC,workers conductedroutineinspectionsof the orbiter's thermal protection

systemandlandinggear. TPSinspectionsrevealed160debrishitsto the orbiter's

lower surfacewith 66hits measuring1-inchor greater.The orbiter's tires arereported

to bein excellentcondition following a landingwith notablecrosswinds. The drag

chutefunctionednormally, havingflown for thefirst time with upgradedinconelshear

pins on the dragchutedoor. Draining of the power reactantstorageanddistribution

systemis completeand orbiter accessinstallation isin work in Orbiter Processing

Facility bay 1. Preparationsareunderway to openthe payloadbaydoors. STS-101:

Replacementof Atlantis' flashevaporatorsystemcontroller iscomplete. Wireless

video modificationscontinue.Massspectrometerleakcheckson theorbiter's fuel cell

powerplant continue. Ammonia systemleakandfunctionaltestingproceedsthis

week.BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status

Report [Online]. AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status

[1999,June8].]

• The BoeingCo. will makeasecondattempttoday to launchaDelta 2 rocketon a

satellite-deliverymission,but stormy weatheronceagaincouldforce aflight delay.

The 12-storyDelta 2 andits payload- aquartetof cellulartelephonesatellites- are

scheduledto lift off from complex17at CapeCanaveralAir Stationbetween10:04and

10:07a.m. But forecasterssaythereis a40percentchancethick cloudsor

thunderstormscould groundtheDelta 2for a secondconsecutiveday. An initial liftoff

64
attempt Tuesdaywasscrubbedwhen thick cloudsmovedwithin 10milesof the launch

padlatein the countdown. A rocket flying through suchcloudscouldtrigger

lightning strikes,potentially destroyingthe $48million launcherandthe four satellites,

eachof which arevaluedat about $13million. ["Weathermay againdelaylaunchof

Delta 2 rocket," Florida Today, June 9, 1999, p 4A.]

JUNE 10: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, June 10, 1999. STS-93: Launch pad

validations are complete at Pad 39B. Columbia's auxiliary power units (APU) No. 1

and No. 3 have completed hotfire testing and APU No. 2 will follow next week. Main

engine flight readiness testing concluded yesterday. Planned cycling of the orbiter's

payload bay doors also concluded yesterday. Preparations are in work for the Helium

Signature Test scheduled through tomorrow. Columbia's hypergolic loading begins

Monday. The Chandra/IUS combination will be placed into the transportation

canister on June 18. The payload will be moved to the launch pad on June 19 and

installed inside Columbia's cargo bay on June 24. STS-99: Installation of Endeavour's

main engine No. 1 is complete and installation of engines No. 2 and No. 3 continue

this week. Modifications to the main engine dome heat shields continue. Wireless

video installation efforts continue on schedule. Modifications to the final section of

line on freon coolant loop No. 2 are in work. STS-103: Workers have completed

orbiter access installation and the payload bay doors were opened yesterday.

Preparations are in work for Monday's scheduled payload removal. Preparations are

also under way for Discovery's hypergolic deservicing set to begin next week. Routine

post flight inspections of the orbiter continue. STS-101: Leak and functional testing of

Atlantis' ammonia system is complete. Wireless video modifications continue. Mass

spectrometer leak checks on the orbiter's fuel cell power plant continue. UHF system

checks are under way. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, June 10].]

• NASA's Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite, developed by

The Johns Hopkins University under contract to Goddard Space Flight Center,

Greenbelt, Md., is scheduled to be launched aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket June 23 at

Launch Pad 17A, Cape Canaveral Air Station. FUSE will investigate the origin and

evolution of the lightest elements in the universe - hydrogen and deuterium. In

addition, the FUSE satellite will examine the forces and process involved in the

evolution of the galaxies, stars and planetary systems by investigating light in the far

ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. ["FUSE satellite to study

primordial chemical relics of universe evolution," KSC Countdown, June 10, 1999.]

• A Boeing Delta 2 rocket lofted four cellular-telephone satellites into orbit

Thursday, kicking off a summertime launch surge that calls for five spacecraft-delivery

missions in 66 days. The 12-story Delta 2 rocketed away from Cape Canaveral Air

Station at 9:49 a.m., propelling the satellite quartet into an orbit 877 miles above Earth.

["Delta kicks off busy summer at Cape," Florida Today, June 11, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

65
JUNE 11" About 1,600workersatKennedySpaceCenterwent without e-mailFriday

to preventthe spreadof adestructivecomputerbugthat hasinfectedWindows-based

computersin at least12countries. NASA's network administratorspulled the plug on

the e-mailnetwork mid-morning Friday to preventthespreadof Worm.Explore.Zip, a

Trojan Horse computer"worm." The bugissodangerousthat the FBI is urging all

usersto becautiouswhen readingtheir e-mailduringthe next few days.The FBI's

computercrimesunit saidit hasreceivedreportsthat the worm infected,damagedor

destroyedtensof thousandsof computersystemsat severalmajor U.S.companies.

BoeingCo. first discoveredit Thursday,andit hadspreadto NASA's desktop

computersby early Friday. "We dealwith virusespretty frequently,but it's unusualto

havea virusasvirulent asthis one,"saidMark Mason,computer securitymanagerat

KennedySpaceCenter. A dozento two dozenNASA computersatKSCwere

infectedby the bug,Masonsaid. NASA's e-mailnetwork wasexpectedto berunning

by lateFriday. KSC'smain contractorhadto takeits entire nationwidee-mail

network offline lateThursdayto haltthe worm's spread.The worm, believedto have

originatedin Israel,isdifferent from avirusbecauseit spreadsby e-mailingitself

automaticallyacrossthe Internet,ratherthanreplicatingitself on acomputer'shard

drive. ["'Worm' infectsKSCcomputers," Florida Today, June 12, 1999, p 1A.]

• About 50 protesters gathered Saturday outside Cape Canaveral Air Station to

protest the plutonium-powered Cassini spacecraft scheduled to fly by Earth in August.

The demonstrators said they were acting in conjunction with protesters all over the

world who are involved with the organization Global Network Against Weapons &

Nuclear Power in Space. Causing most of the ire was the Cassini spacecraft. Built to

study Saturn, its rings and moons, Cassini carries 72 pounds of plutonium to generate

electricity for its science instruments. The $3 billion mission was launched from Cape

Canaveral in October 1997 on a seven-year journey to Saturn. Gaining speed with

each maneuver, the spacecraft is to fly near three planets to reach the ringed giant in

2004. Its path will bring Cassini within 725 miles of Earth on Aug. 17. If the craft

were to go off course, NASA's critics worry, it could re-enter the atmosphere

accidentally, break apart and release its radioactive plutonium. But officials say the

chance of Cassini crashing to Earth is remote - less than one in I million. NASA had

conducted more than 100 planetary flybys with its spacecraft during the last 40 years.

None of them have failed. ["Cassini draws another protest," Florida Today, June 13,

1999, p 1B & 2B.]

JUNE 12: The SO (S Zero) truss segment, which will become the backbone of the

orbiting International Space Station (ISS), arrived at KSC Saturday, June 12, aboard a

Super Guppy aircraft. It was transported to the Operations and Checkout Bldg. for

processing. The truss segment is a 44- by 15- foot structure weighing 30,800 pounds

when fully outfitted and ready for launch. It will be at the center of the ISS 10-truss,

girderlike structure that will ultimately extend the length of a footfall field. Eventually

the S0 truss will be attached to the U.S. Lab, "Destiny," which is scheduled to be added

66
to the ISSin April 2000. TheSOtrussisscheduledto belaunchedin the Spring of

2001. ["ISSUpdate," KSC Countdown, June17,1999.]

JUNE 14: SpaceShuttleStatusReport,Monday,June 14,1999.STS-93:Columbia's

Helium SignatureTestandhypergolicsystempressurizationarecomplete. Prelaunch

propellant loadingis in work today. The orbiter's payloadbayhasbeencleanedand

preparationsarein work atthe padto supportthe Chandrapayloadarrival.

Columbia'spayloadbaydoorswill bereopenedon Wednesday.The Chandra/IUS

combination will beplacedinto the transportationcanisteronJune18.The payload

will bemovedto the launchpadonJune19andinstalledinsideColumbia's cargobay

on June24. STS-99:Installationof Endeavour'sthreemain enginesandmodifications

to the domeheatshieldsarecomplete.Modificationsto the final sectionof line on

freon coolantloop No. 2 continue. Interfaceverificationtestingon the right-hand

orbiter maneuveringsystempod isin work. Installationof onboardfloodlights is in

work aswell. STS-103:Removalof Discovery'sSTS-96return payloadis under way.

Checksof the forward reactioncontrol systemareongoing. Latertoday, workers will

beginhypergolictank valvedraining. Routineorbiter receivinginspectionscontinue.

STS-101:UHF systemchecksarecomplete. Wirelessvideomodificationscontinue.

Massspectrometerleakchecksonthe orbiter's fuel cell powerplant continue. Bruce

Buckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online].

AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,June 14].]

JUNE 15: Threerocket launchfailuresthat havecosttaxpayersat least$3billion can

betracedto human error, theAir Force'stop spaceofficial told aHousesubcommittee

Tuesday.The panelis investigatingmalfunctionsthat includea rocketthat exploded

afterlaunchAug. 12,a missile-warningsatellitethat waslaunchedinto the wrong orbit

April 9 andamilitary communicationssatellitesentinto atoo-low orbit April 30. All

were launchedfrom CapeCanaveralAir Station. The mostrecentfailure seemsto

havebeencausedby anerror written into the softwarein the rocket'supper stage,said

Keith Hall, assistantsecretaryof spacefor the Air Force. "Therewasthe insertion of a

decimalpoint," Hall told the HouseTechnicalandTacticalIntelligencesubcommittee.

"That appearsto bethecause."The Air Forceis investigatingthe threecases,all

involving LockheedMartin Titan 4 rockets,but the hearingdid not producedetailsof

the humanerrors that causetheother two failures. Also testifyingTuesdaywasPete

Aldridge, chief executiveofficer of The AerospaceCorp., anonprofit companythat

providestechnicalanalysisfor U.S.andinternational spaceprograms. The companyis

responsiblefor checkingAir Forcerocketsfor defectsbeforethen blastoff. Aldridge

saidchecksand balancesarein the system,but somehowthe mistakegot through.

"Quite honestly,the systemfailed," hesaid. Failureshavenot beenlimited to

governmentlaunches.Boeing'snewDelta 3 heavy-lift launcher has failed twice during

the past nine months. The Air Force, Lockheed martin and Boeing are conducting

separate investigations of the failures. ["Human error caused three rockets to fail,

official says," Florida Today, June 16, 1999, plA.]

67
JUNE 16: PayloadStatusReport,ChandraX-RayObservatory,Wednesday,June 16,

1999. The PayloadReadinessReviewfor theChandraX-ray Observatoryandthe

associatedInertial Upper Stage(IUS-27)boosterwassuccessfullycompletedat KSCthis

afternoon. The payloadreceivedagreenlight to proceedto thenext stepof launch

preparationsat thepad. On Friday, June18,in the Vertical ProcessingFacility,

Chandrawill beinstalledinto the payloadcanister.Then, in the darknesshours of

Saturdaymorning, June19,it will betransportedto Pad39-Bandinstalledin the

payloadchangeoutroom. The installationof the Chandra/IUScombination into

Columbia'spayloadbay iscurrently scheduledto occuron June24andwill be

followed the next daywith the electricalconnections.On June28,the interface

verification test(IVT) isscheduledto beperformed. This will verify the electrical

connectionsand theability of the astronautsto commandthe payloadfrom

Columbia'sflight deck. An end-to-endtestwill follow onJune30. This will verify

thecommunicationspathto Chandra,commandingit asif it werein spaceaboard

Columbia. ParticipatingareChandra'sOperationsControl Centerlocatedin

Cambridge,MA, MissionControl at theJohnsonSpaceCenterin Houston, the IUS

control facility atSunnyvale,CA andthe communicationsassetsof both the Deep

SpaceNetwork andthe Tracking andDataRelaySatellite(TDRS)system. The

remainingmilestoneactivity primarily involvesthe 1USand includesaflight readiness

teston July 2,the installationof batteriesfor flight onJuly 6-7,andanIUS standalone

countdown simulation onJuly 8. Columbia'spayloadbaydoorsareto beclosedfor

flight onJuly 17basedon thecurrent Chandra/IUS-27processingschedulewhich

targetsalaunchon July 20.BruceBuckingham.(1999).PayloadStatus Report,

Chandra X-ray Observatory [Online]. AvailableE-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,June 16].]

JUNE 18- Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, June 18, 1999. STS-93: Workers

completed hydraulic close-outs on Columbia's solid rocket boosters on Wednesday.

Following yesterday's observance of Super Safety and Health Day, workers today

resumed normal launch preparation activities at Launch Pad 39B. In the Vertical

Processing Facility, the Chandra/IUS payload is being installed into the payload

transportation canister today. However, delivery of the payload to Pad 39B has been

rescheduled for Tuesday, June 22. In the payload changeout room at the pad, a roller

associated with the telescoping payload ground handling mechanism has failed and

must be repaired. Contingency time is available at the pad for Chandra and there is no

impact to the targeted July 20 launch date. STS-99: Modifications to the final section

of line on freon coolant loop No. 2 continue. Workers are securing Endeavour's

recently installed main engines. Preparations to connect the orbital maneuvering

system (OMS) cross feed lines are in progress. Next week, Endeavour's external

airlock will be installed and OMS nozzle leak checks are scheduled. STS-103:

Postflight inspection of Discovery's main engines is complete. Forward reaction

control system checks and orbital maneuvering system pod functional tests are under

way. Removal of the orbiter's waste recovery system follows next week. STS-101:

Installation of Atlantis' left-hand orbital maneuvering system is in work. TACAN

antenna installation is also under way. Wireless video modifications continue. Mass

68
spectrometerleak checksonthe orbiter's fuel cellpower plant continue. Bruce

Buckingham.(1999).KennedySpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online].

Available E-mail:domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,June 18].]

JUNE 19: QuikSCAT, a weather forecasting satellite, was launched at 10:15 p.m.

EDT on a converted Titan 2 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile from Vandenberg Air

Force Base, California. Its science instrument, dubbed SeaWinds, is an antenna that

will radiate microwave pulses to measure wind speeds and directions at the surface of

the oceans. The data will be put into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration's weather forecasting models. The data also will be studied by

scientists looking for long-term trends. ["Titan 2 puts satellite into orbit," Florida

Today, June 20, 1999, p 4A.]

• NASA officials announced Saturday the launch of $120 million telescope aboard a

Boeing Delta 2 rocket this week would be delayed at least a day because work was

running behind schedule. Routine prelaunch processing of the Far Ultraviolet

Spectroscopic Explorer, or FUSE, at Cape Canaveral Air Station's pad 17A has been

slowed because of poor weather, NASA said. Officials will meet Monday to firm up a

new launch date, which is tentatively scheduled for Thursday during a window 11:39

a.m. to 12:57 p.m. Once in space, FUSE will seek out chemical remnants of the Big

Bang believed to have created the universe 12 to 15 billion years ago. ["Delta 2 launch

delayed at least a day, NASA says," Florida Today, June 20, 1999, p 4A.]

JUNE 21: Astronaut Eileen Collins arrived at Kennedy Space Center on Monday to

practice for her debut next month as NASA's first woman shuttle commander. The

Air Force colonel flew into KSC with the crew of shuttle Columbia, now set for

launch July 20 after a year of delays. The mission's goal is to carry a $1.5 billion

telescope - called the Chandra X-Ray Observatory - into space to study some of the

universe's hottest objects. "There are scientists around the country that (have) been

waiting for this mission for years," said Collins, after landing her T-38 jet at NASA's

shuttle runway. The crew will be practicing for their launch through Thursday, when

they will get strapped into the shuttle and run through the final minutes of countdown

in a full dress rehearsal. Originally set for last August, Columbia's mission has been

delayed by repairs to the telescope and potential problems with the motor that will

propel Chandra to its final orbit after it's released from the spaceship. NASA officials

say everything is on schedule for the launch next month. ["Colonel has a date with

history," Florida Today, June 22, 1999, p 1A.]

JUNE 22: Delta/FUSE Launch Weather Forecast for June 24, 1999. Forecast issued L2 days, June 22, 1999. Forecast: Partly cloudy with developing afternoon showers and

thunderstorms after the onset of the seabreeze. The weather concerns grow as the

launch window enters afternoon hours. During the launch window (11:39 a.m. -12:57

p.m.) the forecast is: Clouds: 3,000 feet scattered, 3/8 sky coverage; 15,000 feet broken,

5/8 sky coverage; Visibility: 10+ miles; Wind: SW/5-10 knots becoming SE/10-15

69
knots; Temperature: 84degrees;RelativeHumidity: 80%;Probability of launch

weathercriteria violation: 40%;Probability with 24hour delay:40%;Probability with

48hour delay:40%;Forecastpreparedby USAF 45thWeatherSquadron. Bruce

Buckingham.(1999).Delta/FUSE Launch WeatherForecastfor June 24, 1999

[Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999,

June 22].]

• In 50 years, "space cruises" from Kennedy Space Center could compete against

ocean cruise lines for tourism dollars, KSC Director Roy Bridges predicted Tuesday.

"Instead of coming down here to go on a cruise on the Disney Magic, we're going to be

coming down here to get on a space liner to go for a cruise in low-Earth orbit,"

Bridges said. Also, such courier companies as Federal Express might leave KSC to

deliver commercial cargo to other continents such as Australia. Travel time? "A little

over an hour," Bridges said. Bridges' comments were made to about 200 area business

leaders at the center's annual Community Leaders breakfast. The meeting is a briefing

for area economic-development leaders on upcoming developments at KSC. 'As a

whole, KSC helps generate close to $1 billion in direct economic benefit to the state.

And its Visitor Complex is Florida's fifth-ranking tourist destination. Bridges'

predictions on commercial space flight from KSC are based on new technologies that

will someday offer low-Earth orbit travel resembling landings and takeoffs from a

standard airport. The passenger vessel would be the space equivalent of a Boeing 777

jumbo aircraft. No word from him, though, on the cost of a space cruise. "The good

thing about this for KSC is that this spaceport here in Florida ought to be the hub of

all planetary departures," Bridges said. Chuck Rowland, executive director of the

Canaveral Port Authority, said there's no reason to fear an ocean cruise vs. Space cruise

matchup in Brevard County. Cruise lines already tie visits to KSC into some of their

vacation packages. ["Space cruises from KSC predicted," Florida Today, June 23,

1999, p 12C.]

JUNE 23: Space Shuttle Status Report, Wednesday, June 23, 1999. STS-93: Yesterday,

workers disabled the drive train for truck No. 1 on the Rotating Service Structure

(RSS) at Launch Pad 39B to accommodate RSS rotation tests this morning. With those

tests successfully completed, RSS operations will proceed normally using only truck

No. 2. If all continues to go well, the Chandra/IUS payload will arrive at Launch Pad

39B early Thursday morning for installation into the payload changeout room on the

RSS. The payload will then be installed into Columbia's payload bay no earlier than

Monday. Last Monday night one of the two RSS trucks that extend and retract the

RSS away from the Shuttle failed to operate properly. Because the RSS did not fully

retract and stopped after moving only four inches, the Chandra/IUS payload was not

transferred to the launch pad. The RSS must be retracted for a payload to be installed

into the payload changeout room. A hot fire test of auxiliary power unit No. 2 has

been successfully completed. Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities

continue, but Thursday's dress rehearsal will now start two hours late culminating

with a simulated main engine cut-off at about 1 p.m. Columbia remains targeted for

7O
launchno earlierthanJuly 20. STS-99:Leakcheckson Endeavour'srecently modified

freon coolantloop No. 2 arein progress.Workersareinstalling the orbiter external

airlock andthe payloadprematetestis in work. Laterthis week,technicianswill

connectthe orbiter's auxiliary power unit drain lines. STS-103"Removalof

Discovery'smain enginesis complete.Preparationsfor orbiter maneuveringsystem

functional testsareunderway. This weekworkerswill removethe orbiter's forward

reactioncontrol systemandreplacefuel cellNo. 2. Removalof thetransfertunnel

adapteris alsoscheduledthis week. STS-101:Atlantis' left-handorbital maneuvering

systemchecksarein work. TACAN antennainstallation,wirelessvideo

modifications,and massspectrometerleakchecksonthe orbiter's fuel cell power plant

continue. BruceBuckingham.(1999).KennedySpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status

Report [Online]. AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status

[1999,June23].]

JUNE 24: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, June 24, 1999. STS-93: The

Chandra/1US payload arrived at Launch Pad 39B today at about 3 a.m. and transfer

into the Payload Changeout Room began at about 6 a.m. Managers are now targeting

Sunday for payload installation into Shuttle Columbia's payload bay. Later today,

workers begin calibrating the orbiter's inertial measurement units and will conduct

leak checks on the orbiter midbody umbilical unit. The Terminal Countdown

Demonstration Test concluded today with the five-member flight crew participating in

a launch day dress rehearsal. After a simulated main engine cutoff at 1 p.m., crew

members practiced emergency egress procedures from Columbia's crew module. The

astronauts will return to Houston, TX later today and resume their final preflight

training. STS-99: Endeavour's external airlock was installed yesterday. Leak checks on

freon coolant loop No. 2 continue. The payload premate test is ongoing and later

today technicians will connect the orbiter's auxiliary power unit drain lines. STS-103:

Discovery's orbital maneuvering system is undergoing functional tests. Functional

checks of the orbiter's forward reaction control system are also under way and the

FRCS is slated for removal early next week. Workers are preparing to remove all three

of Discovery's fuel cells. STS-101: Installation of Atlantis' TACAN antennas is

complete. Checks on the left-hand orbital maneuvering system pod continue. Wireless

video modifications and mass spectrometer leak checks on the orbiter's fuel cell power

plant continue. Managers plan to install the orbiter's external airlock early next week.

Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report

[Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999,

June 24].]

• Payload Status Report, Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Thursday, June 24, 1999.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory with the attached Inertial Upper Stage booster

arrived at launch pad 39-B this morning at 3:50 a.m. It left the Vertical Processing

Facility last night at 12:30 a.m. inside the payload canister riding atop the payload

transporter. It is now being removed from the payload canister and installed inside the

payload changeout room at the pad. The installation of the Chandra/IUS combination

71
into Columbia'spayloadbayis currently scheduledto occuron Sunday,June27 and

will befollowed the next daywith the electricalconnections.On June30,the

interfaceverification test(IVT) is scheduledto beperformed. This will verify the

electricalconnectionsandthe ability of theastronautsto commandthe payloadfrom

Columbia'sflight deck. An end-to-endtestwill follow onJuly 2. This will verify the

communicationspath to Chandra,commandingit asif it were in spaceaboard

Columbia. ParticipatingareChandra'sOperationsControl Centerlocatedin

Cambridge,MA, MissionControl at theJohnsonSpaceCenterin Houston, the IUS

control facility atSunnyvale,CA andthe communicationsassetsof both the Deep

SpaceNetwork andthe TrackingandDataRelaySatellite(TDRS)system. The

remainingmilestoneactivity primarily involvestheIUS andincludesaflight readiness

testonJuly 5, the installationof batteriesfor flight onJuly 7-8,andanIUS standalone

countdown simulation onJuly 9. Columbia'spayloadbaydoorsareto beclosedfor

flight onJuly 17basedon the currentChandra/IUS-27processingschedulewhich

targetsalaunchonJuly 20. BruceBuckingham.(1999).PayloadStatusReport,

Chandra X-Ray Observatory [Online]. AvailableE-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,June24].]

• NASA's newestspacetelescopeis flying 477milesaboveEarthtoday, giving

astronomersanew tool with which to studythe explosiveandmysteriousbirth of the

universe. It waslaunchedon the first legif its missionatopa 12-storyBoeingDelta 2

rocket that blastedoff Thursdayfrom CapeCanaveralAir Station. The telescopeis

expectedto helpastronomersunderstandthe life cyclesof galaxiesandstars. "We're

off to agreatstart," saidNASA missionmanagerDavid Mengers."The spacecraftis

now on its way on athree-yearstudyto shedlight onthe origins of the universe,"

addedNASA launchcommentatorLisaMalone. A cosmictime machineof sorts,

NASA's Far Ultraviolet SpectroscopicExplorer,or FUSE,will seekthe chemical

remnantsof the BigBang,theprimordial explosionscientiststhink createdthe

universe12billion to 15billion yearsago. The FUSEmissionisthe latestin aseries

beingstagedaspart of NASA's OriginsProgram. Its aim is to studythe birth and

evolution of starsandgalaxiesandto searchfor planetsthat might harbor life.

["SuccessfullaunchhasFUSEup, running," Florida Today, June 25, 1999, p 1A.]

JUNE 28" Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, June 28, 1999. STS-93: Shuttle

Columbia's prelaunch processing continues on schedule for a target launch date of July

20. Last Friday, Columbia's payload bay doors were opened in preparation for

payload installation. Sunday, the Chandra/IUS payload was transferred into

Columbia's payload bay, and final connections are in work today. The

orbiter/payload Interface Verification Test follows on Wednesday. Later this week,

workers will verify the Shuttle cavity purge lines and conduct leak checks on the

mated orbiter midbody umbilical unit. STS-99: Endeavour's auxiliary power unit fuel

and drain line connections are complete. Leak checks on freon coolant loop No. 2

concluded last week and servicing begins Wednesday. The orbiter's main engine

heatshields are being installed today, and the payload premate test is ongoing. STS72
103:Functionaltestson Discovery'sforward reactioncontrol system(FRCS)are

complete,andthe FRCSwill beremovedtonight. Orbital maneuveringsystemtesting

continues.Techniciansareservicingthe upperhatchon Discovery'sdockingsystem

today. Preparationsareunderway to removeandreplaceall threeShuttlefuel cells,

beginningwith fuel cell No. 2 this week. STS-101:Checkson Atlantis' left-hand

orbital maneuveringsystempod continue. Wirelessvideomodificationsandmass

spectrometerleakcheckson theorbiter's fuel cell powerplant continue.Workers will

alsoinstallthe orbiter's airlock this week. BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy Space

Center SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online]. AvailableE-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,June28].]

• Florida hasreceivedhigh marksin its effort to bethelaunchsitefor the next

generationspaceshipwhile facingcompetition from 14other states.A three-person

teamrepresentingLockheedMartin, designerof the proposedVentureStarvehicle,met

with statespaceandeconomicleadersin Orlando on Mondayto offerfeedbackon

Florida'slaunchandoperationsproposalsubmittedlastSeptember.LockheedMartin

will chooseapair of U.S.launchsitesfor the coveted$5billion project in early 2001.

"It wasagoodmeeting," saidAnthony Jacob,a VentureStarbusinessdevelopment

executiveat LockheedMartin. "All of thesepeoplearevery smartaboutthe launch

business."Ed O'Connor, director of SpaceportFlorida Authority, the stateagency

responsiblefor attractingspaceindustry, saidFlorida officialswereoptimistic but they

weren't goingto take anythingfor granted. The statesarebeinggradedin four major

areas:safetyof flights for surroundingpopulations;how well the launchsite serves

commercialmarketsby offering accessto differenttypesof orbits;costsof operations;

cost of building the launchsiteandsupport facilities. LockheedMartin andFlorida

officials wouldn't discussthe specificsof Monday'sbriefing, but aparticipanttold The

Orlando Sentinel that the state's bid scored above average in most key categories.

Florida rated first in two of the most crucial categories, safety risk and the project tax

burden of operating in the state, The Sentinel reported. Florida's proposal designates an

area at Kennedy Space Center, north of the space shuttle's Launch Complex 39, as the

VentureStar launch site with the shuttle runway serving as the landing strip. If

VentureStar becomes a reality, the single-stage reusable launcher would revolutionize

the space industry by dramatically lowering the cost of putting cargo in orbit. It blasts

off without shedding stages or boosters, then lands like an airplane. Test _flights of a

$1.2 billion prototype are scheduled to begin in July 2000. The first VentureStar

flights would begin no earlier than 2005. ["State gains edge in luring VentureStar,"

Florida Today, June 30, 1999, p 6B.]

DURING JUNE: NASA's Lunar Prospector will end its 18-month mission on July

31 when ground controllers attempt a direct hit of a permanently shadowed crater near

the Moon's south pole. ["World news roundup," Aviation Week & Space

Technology, June 7, 1999, p 20.]

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• RalphRoe,Jr., NASA SpaceShuttlelaunchdirector atKennedySpaceCenter,is

moving to Houston, TX andinto anew position asmanagerof the SpaceShuttle

VehicleEngineeringOffice atJohnsonSpaceCenter. In this position, Roe will direct

the design,production, andtestingof SpaceShuttleorbiters,associatedgovernmentfurnishedequipment,the remotemanipulatorsystem,software,avionics,andflight

crewequipment. RoejoinedNASA atKSCin 1983andhasservedin severalsenior

technicalandmanagerialpositions. ["KSC shuttlelaunchdirector acceptsnew position

atJSC," The Brevard Technical Journal, June 1999, p 4.]

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JULY

JULY 1: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, July 1, 1999. STS-93: At Launch Pad

39B, workers continue to prepare Shuttle Columbia and the Chandra/Inertial Upper

Stage (IUS) payload for a target launch date of July 20. Over the weekend, Shuttle and

payload workers will support planned payload activities. Next Tuesday, workers will

install mass memory unit (MMU) No. 1. Loading of MMU No. 1 and No. 2

commences the following Thursday. The payload Interface Verification Test that

validates the payload's electrical connections to the orbiter continues on schedule.

Today, workers begin IUS flight battery installation, and on Friday, the payload endto-end test begins. STS-99: Installation of Endeavour's three main engines is complete.

Payload premate testing is also complete and servicing of freon coolant loop No. 2

concluded yesterday. Installation of the Shuttle main engine heatshields is in work.

Later this week, technicians will begin ammonia system servicing. STS-103:

Discovery's orbital maneuvering system continues to undergo functional tests.

Removal of all three Shuttle fuel cells proceeds on schedule with removal of fuel cell

No. 2 already complete. STS-101: Installation of Atlantis' forward reaction control

system is in progress. Wireless video modifications and mass spectrometer leak checks

on the orbiter's fuel cell power plant continue. Installation of the orbiter's external

airlock is slated to begin next week. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space

Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 1].]

• The underwater salvage expert who found Gus Grissom's Mercury capsule at the

bottom of the Atlantic two months ago headed back out to sea Thursday to lift the 38-

year-old spacecraft from its watery grave. "It will be a big relief" once the capsule is

aboard ship, Curt Newport said. "I'11 feel like the weight of a Mercury capsule's been

taken off my shoulders." Newport and his team discovered Liberty Bell 7 on May 1 in

3-mile-deep water about 300 miles southeast of Cape Canaveral. But they were forced

to leave it there when the cable to their robotic recovery vessel snapped in rough seas.

It took five weeks for Oceaneering International, Inc. to build another recovery vessel.

The Houston company also supplied a bigger ship for this trip, which is expected to

last 1 1⁄2 to two weeks. Newport plans to retrieve the recovery vessel first, then go

after Liberty Bell 7, the only U.S. manned spacecraft lost after a successful mission.

["Expedition under wayto get Mercury capsule," Florida Today, July 2, 1999, p 7A.]

JULY 2: Payload Status Report, Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Friday, July 2, 1999.

Among STS-93 payload activities this past week, the installation of the Chandra/IUS

combination into Columbia's payload bay was performed as scheduled on Sunday,

June 27. This was followed with the start of the interface verification test (IVT) on

Wednesday, June 30. The test was successfully completed last night with no significant

issues or concerns. The IVT verifies the electrical connections with the orbiter and the

ability of the astronauts to command the payload from Columbia's flight deck. Also

on Thursday, the IUS computer memory battery was installed. The end-to-end test

75
beganthis morning. This isan 18-hourtestto checkthe communicationspath to

Chandra,commandingit asif it werein spaceaboardColumbia. Participatingare

Chandra'sOperationsControl Centerlocatedin Cambridge,MA, Mission Control at

theJohnsonSpaceCenterin Houston, the IUScontrol facility atSunnyvale,CA, and

the communicationsassetsof both the DeepSpaceNetwork andthe Tracking and

DataRelaySatellite(TDRS)system. Overthis weekend,the Chandratelescope's

flight batteriesarescheduledto becharged.The remainingmilestoneactivity

primarily involvesthe IUS andincludesaflight readinesstestonJuly 5,the installation

of flight batteriesonJuly 7-8,andanIUSstand-alonecountdown simulation on July 9.

Columbia's payloadbaydoorsareto beclosedfor flight onJuly 17basedon the

currentChandra/IUS-27processingschedulewhich targetsalaunchonJuly 20. Bruce

Buckingham.(1999).KSC Chandra X-Ray TelescopeStatusReport [Online].

AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,July 2].]

JULY 6: Construction of NASA's troubled InternationalSpaceStationmight havehit

anothersnagafter aRussianrocket failure,agencyofficialssaidTuesday.The accident

involved an unmannedProton rocket, which malfunctionedMonday andcrashedin

centralAsiawhile trying to launcha Russianmilitary communicationssatellite. The

mishapraisesconcernsaboutthe scheduledNov. 12launchof aProton carrying

Russia'sZvezdaservicemodulefor the InternationalSpaceStation. The module,

which ismore than ayearbehindschedule,will serveasthe initial living quartersfor

the outpost. Delaysin gettingthe pieceinto orbit haveeffectivelyput the $60billion

project on hold. The mostrecentinvestigationinto aProton missionfailure in 1997

took about four monthsto complete."Until the investigationis completed,we really

won't know what impact,if any,this will haveon theServiceModule'slaunch,"

NASA spokeswomanDebraRahnsaid. Zvezda'slaunchwould bethe fourth of 88

American andRussianspaceflightsneededto build, outfit and staffthe orbiting

laboratory by 2005. The constructionplan would behalteduntil Zvezdaarrivesat the

infant stationbecausethe modulemustbein placebeforefuture piecesof the station

canbeattached.["Russianrocket crashesin Asia," Florida Today, July 7, 1999, p

1A.]

JULY 8: A high-powered X-ray telescope and NASA's first woman shuttle

commander are set for launch July 20. NASA managers Thursday officially cleared the

flight of shuttle Columbia, which will be led by Air Force Col. Eileen Collins. The

second shuttle flight of the year, Columbia's mission is to carry the Chandra X-Ray

Observatory into space. ["NASA clears Columbia for July 20 launch," Florida

Today, July 9, 1999, p 1A.]

• Apollo 12 astronaut Pete Conrad, the 3rd man to walk on the moon, died of

injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident on Thursday in Southern California. He was

69. Flags flew at half-staff at Kennedy Space Center and other NASA installations

Friday in observance of his death. ["Astronaut Pete Conrad, 69, dies after motorcycle

crash," The Orlando Sentinel, July 10, 1999, p A-1.]

76
v

JULY 10: A Delta II rocket carrying 4 cellular-telephone satellites lifted off from Cape

Canaveral Air Station at 4:45 a.m. Saturday. After a few days of checkouts, ground

controllers will move the satellites into orbits 878 miles above Earth. The satellites

will eventually be part of a global wireless-communications network. ["A giant leap

for cell phones," The Orlando Sentinel, July 11, 1999, p A-3.]

JULY 11" As the memory of the 1986 space shuttle Challenger disaster fades and

competing specialty license plates spring up, the Astronaut Memorial Foundation has

fallen on lean times. The $15.7 million organization lost $131,026 in fiscal year 1997-

98, according to the most recent internal audit AMF files with the state. Losses are

expected to continue through this fiscal year. AMF president Stephen Feldman insists

the losses, due in large part to declining tag sales, don't threaten the memorial to dead

astronauts at Kennedy Space Center or AMF's other mission, teaching technology to'

educators through its Center for Space Education. AMF likely will post another year

of losses in its next financial report, but it expects to have $115,000 in cash reserves by

June 2000. AMF is banking that a new Challenger specialty tag it unveiled last month

will help significantly. ["Astronaut foundation funds falter," Florida Today, July 12,

1999, p 1A & 2A.]

JULY 12: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, July 12, 1999. STS-93: Following last

Thursday's Flight Readiness Review, Shuttle managers announced July 20 as the

official launch date for STS-93. Truck No. 1 on the Rotating Service Structure at

Launch Pad 39B, has been repaired and is ready to support standard prelaunch

activities. Last Friday, engineers completed a simulated countdown test for the

payload's inertial upper stage and workers conducted routine voltage tests as well.

Columbia's aft compartment closeouts are in work this week. Flight crew equipment

early stow occurs tomorrow along with preparations for ordnance installation. STS99: Integrated orbiter hydraulic testing concludes later this week. Endeavour's

midbody close-outs are ongoing. Orbiter fluid servicing is also under way.

Preparations are under way to receive the SRTM payload into the OPF and then

install it into the orbiter's payload bay next Tuesday. The orbiter/payload interface

verification test is slated for July 27. STS-103: Replacement of Discovery's three fuel

cells is complete. Over the weekend, workers drained residual propellant from the

orbiter's right-hand orbital maneuvering system engine. Workers are scheduled to

install a new right-hand orbital maneuvering engine this week. Removal of

Discovery's robot arm from the payload bay begins tomorrow. Main propulsion

system leak checks continue and ammonia system servicing begins this week. STS-101:

Last Friday, workers closed Atlantis' payload bay doors to accommodate optical

payload bay fit-checks over the weekend. The payload bay doors will be opened again

today. Managers plan to install the external airlock tomorrow. Next week, workers

will begin preparing Atlantis for a brief storage period in the Vehicle Assembly

Building. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to VAB high bay 2 on July 23 and remain

there until it transfers to OPF bay 2 on Aug. 16. Atlantis is leaving OPF bay 3 to

make room for orbiter Columbia's return from STS-93 and moves into OPF bay 2

77
following Endeavour'sdeparturefor the VAB. BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy

Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 12].]

• A tiny but efficient orbiter that will map Mercury and a spacecraft that will blast a

hole into a comet so scientists can see what is inside are two latest missions on NASA's

new cheaper-but-better Discovery Program agenda. The Mercury Space Environment

Geochemistry and Ranging mission (MESSENGER) will carry seven miniaturized

instruments to look for water, a magnetic field and other interesting phenomena on

the planet, and will be the first spacecraft to visit Mercury in more than 30 years. The

spacecraft, scheduled to be launched in 2004, will also send back the first global images

of mercury, the closest planet to the sun. The Deep Impact mission will shoot a 1,100-

pound copper projectile into comet P/Temple 1, blasting out a crater as big as a

football field and as deep as a seven-story building. It will carry a camera and infrared

spectrometer to study the resulting icy debris and peer inside the comet. ["Craft will

probe secrets of Mercury, comet on cheap," The Orlando Sentinel, July 13, 1999, p

A-3.]

JULY 13: Payload Status Report, Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Friday, July 13, 1999.

Payload prelaunch preparations continue on schedule at Pad 39-B to prepare for the

liftoff of Columbia on STS-93. The Chandra X-ray Observatory and the attached

Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) were each declared ready for launch at the completion of the

flight readiness review held at KSC last Thursday. Meanwhile, the Chandra operations

team successfully completed their final mission dress rehearsal this weekend and is

ready to support the post-launch activities. Participating in the flight simulation were

Chandra's Operations Control Center in Cambridge, MA, Mission Control at

Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, the Inertial Upper Stage control facility in

Sunnyvale, CA, and the communications assets of both the Deep Space Network and

the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. The separate IUS stand-alone

countdown simulation was successfully completed last Friday, July 9. This put the

IUS through all countdown activities as if it were launch day. Connection flight

ordnance associated with IUS separation events and for Chandra's fuel system is

scheduled for Wednesday, July 14. This will be followed with payload closeouts on

Thursday which continue through Saturday. This includes removal of red tag items

which are items not to be flown on the payload, the disconnection of purge lines,

contamination inspections, configuration checks and the taking of closeout photos.

Columbia's payload bay doors will be closed for flight on Saturday, July 17. The IUS

will be powered-on July 19 during the countdown at 3:16 a.m. (L-21 hours, 20 minutes.

Bruce Buckingham. (1999). KSC Chandra X-Ray Telescope Status Report [Online].

Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 13].]

• Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, July 13, 1999. STS-93: At Launch Pad 39B,

preparations continue to go well for Columbia's July 20 launch date. Yesterday,

workers replaced an audio communication component onboard Columbia and

V

_..4

78
retestingis in work today. Close-outsof theorbiter aft compartmentareongoingand

Shuttleordnanceinstallationbeginstonight. STS-99:Integratedorbiter hydraulic

testingconcludeslaterthis week. Endeavour'spayloadbay closeoutsarein progress.

Auxiliary power unit controller checksarein work andpotablewater servicingis

underway. Preparationsareunderway to receivethe SRTM payloadinto the OPF

andthen install it into the orbiter's payloadbaynext Tuesday.The orbiter/payload

interfaceverification testbeginsnext week. STS-103:Workers arescheduledto install

anew right-handorbital maneuveringenginethis week. Removalof Discovery's robot

armfrom the payloadbaybeginstoday.Main propulsionsystemleakcheckscontinue

andammonia systemservicingbeginsthis week. STS-101:Atlantis' payloadbay doors

wereopenedtoday. Managersnow planto installthe orbiter's externalairlock on

Friday. Next week,workers will beginpreparingAtlantis for abrief storageperiod in

the VehicleAssemblyBuilding. Atlantis is scheduledto roll overto VAB high bay2

onJuly 23and remainthereuntil it transfersto OPF bay2 on Aug. 16. Atlantis is

leavingOPF bay3 to makeroom for orbiter Columbia'sreturn from STS-93and

movesinto OPF bay2 following Endeavour'sdeparturefor the VAB. Bruce

Buckingham.(1999).KennedySpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online].

AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,July 13].]

• The 45*_SpaceWing will getanew commandernextmonth. Brig. Gen. Donald

P. Pettit will takecommandof Patrick Air ForceBase'smain unit in lateAugust. He

replacesBrig. Gen. RandallStarbuck,thewing'scommandersinceMarch 1997.

["Patrick's SpaceWing to getnew leaderin August," Florida Today, July 14, 1999, p

1A.]

• The much-delayed launch of the newest U.S. weather satellite is being postponed

again, this time because of the orbital dance between the Earth and sun, officials said

Tuesday. The $250 million GOES-L spacecraft was scheduled for launch in May.

However, its ride on a Lockheed Martin Atlas 2A rocket has been grounded this

summer because of investigations into a series of rocket failures. The launch has been

delayed until at least October at the request of the satellite's ground controllers.

["Weather satellite's launch delayed," Florida Today, July 14, 1999, p 1A.]

• A underwater salvage team recovered the dye canister from Gus Grissom's

Mercury capsule Tuesday and hopes to finish raising the capsule itself today. ["Capsule

retrieval," Florida Today, July 14, 1999, p 1A.]

• Ticket requests for a Friday banquet honoring tbe first men on the moon have

gone through the roof, forcing NASA officials to turn away about 200 people. The

Kennedy Space Center gala, which celebrates the 30 'h anniversary of the Apollo 11

journey to the moon, will seat 950 people, mostly former workers in the space

program. But more than 1,100 checks for $45 were mailed in, and refunds were sent

out to the last 200 that came in, said Hugh Harris, a former KSC spokesman who is

one of the event's organizers. The KSC fire marshal said allowing more than 950

79
peoplewould beasafetyhazard,consideringall the dinner tablesin the room, Harris

said. Harris wasnot surprisedby the banquet'spopularity. "This is the lastyearof the

century, andthis isthe singlebiggestachievementof the century," hesaid. "I'm sure

(thoseturned away)arevery disappointed,but I'm surethey understand." Astronauts

expectedto attendincludeNell Armstrong andBuzzAldrin, the Apollo 11astronauts

who werethe first menon themoon, andApollo astronautsWally Schirra,Walt

Cunningham,CharlesDuke andEugeneCernan. The celebrationwill lasttwo days.

["Apollo 11's30'hanniversarybanquetsold out," Florida Today, July 15, 1999, p lB.]

JULY 15: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, July 15, 1999. STS-93: At Launch

Pad 39B, workers completed ordnance installation this morning and close-outs are in

work. Retests of the recently replaced audio central control unit in Columbia's crew

compartment were successfully completed yesterday. Orbiter aft compartment and

airlock close-outs continue. Preparations are under way in the Launch Control Center

to start the countdown clock at 10 p.m. tomorrow. The STS-93 flight crew arrives at

KSC tomorrow at about 7 a.m. STS-99: Technicians have completed leak checks on

Endeavour's external airlock interface line and airlock checks follow today. Payload

bay close-outs continue and gaseous nitrogen servicing is ongoing. Auxiliary power

unit controller checks continue and potable water servicing proceeds on schedule.

Preparations are under way to receive the SRTM payload into the OPF and then

install it into the orbiter's payload bay next Tuesday. The orbiter/payload interface

verification test begins next week. STS-103: Servicing of Discovery's waste

management system is complete. Retests of the orbiter's three fuel cells are complete

and good. Main propulsion system leak checks continue and orbital maneuvering

system pod functional testing is in progress. Today, workers are removing Discovery's

robot arm. This week technicians will install the orbiter's main landing gear. The

right-hand orbital maneuvering engine is still being drained of residual fuel in

preparation for next week's planned replacement. STS-101: Preparation is under way

to install Atlantis' external airlock tomorrow. Wireless video system modifications

continue. Technicians are installing orbiter window No. 1 this week and water spray

boiler checks are slated this week. Next week, workers will begin preparing Atlantis

for a brief storage period in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Atlantis is scheduled to

roll over to VAB high bay 2 on July 23 and remain there until it transfers to OPF bay

2 on Aug. 16. Atlantis is leaving OPF bay 3 to make room for orbiter Columbia's

return from STS-93. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle

Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe

shuttle-status [1999, July 15].]

• NASA plans to make a little history on the 30 'h anniversary of the Apollo 11

moon landing, launching the nation's first woman commander of a space mission.

Shuttle Columbia skipper Eileen Collins and her crewmates say Nell Armstrong's boot

prints on the moon still serve as an inspiration for those following in his footsteps.

"It's really kind of a neat feeling to know that we're going to be a part of that history

and continuing on with the space program the way we are," Collins said. Collins and

8O
her crewarescheduledto blastoff at 12:36a.m.Tuesdayfrom KennedySpaceCenter's

launchpad39B,11⁄2miles from whereApollo 11embarkedon its historic mission.

Columbia'smissionisto deploya$1.5billion X-ray astronomy observatoryfrom the

cargobayof the shuttle,giving astronomersapowerful new tool to study exploding

starts,quasarsandblackholes. ["Columbia to lift off 30yearsafterfirst landingon

moon," Florida Today, July 16, 1999, p 8A.]

JULY 16- Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, July 16, 1999. STS-93: Preparation for

the launch of Shuttle Columbia on July 20 continues on schedule at Launch Pad 39B.

Workers have completed orbiter aft compartment close-outs and are preparing to

pickup the launch countdown tonight at 10 p.m. Payload close-outs are in work in

preparation for tomorrow's payload bay door closure. Flight crew equipment stowage

is on going. The five-member STS-93 flight crew arrived at KSC today at about 7 a.m.

STS-99: Technicians have completed functional tests on Endeavour's landing gear.

Payload bay close-outs continue and potable water servicing is ongoing. Leak checks of

the crew cabin and external airlock are scheduled today. Preparations are under way to

receive the SRTM payload into the OPF and then install it into the orbiter's payload

bay next Tuesday. The orbiter/payload interface verification test begins next week.

STS-103: Removal of Discovery's robot arm is complete. Main propulsion system leak

checks continue and draining of the right-hand orbital maneuvering system (OMS)

engine is in progress. Later this week, workers will begin OMS engine disconnects.

Discovery's main landing gear is being installed today. Drag chute installation begins

Saturday. STS-101: Installation of Atlantis' external airlock is under way. Wireless

video system modifications resume tomorrow. Technicians are installing orbiter

window No. 1 this week and water spray boiler checks are scheduled this week. Freon

coolant loop functional testing is in progress. Next week, workers will begin

preparing Atlantis for a brief storage period in the Vehicle Assembly Building.

Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to VAB high bay 2 on July 23 and remain there until

it transfers to OPF bay 2 on Aug. 16. Atlantis is leaving OPF bay 3 to make room for

orbiter Columbia's return from STS-93. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space

Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 16].]

• KSC and the 45 th Space Wing at Patrick AFB are being given the Hammer Award

for establishing J-BOSC in 1998. The award is a special recognition by Vice President

A1 Gore of teams of federal employees who have made significant contributions

supporting the principles of the National Partnership for Reinventing Government.

The award will be presented by Morley Winograd, director of the National

Partnership. The award ceremony is being held July 16 at 4 p.m. at the IMAX2

Theater. NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin and Commander of the Air Force Space

Command Gen. Richard B. Myers are expected to speak. ["KSC, 45 th Space Wing get

Hammer Award for J-BOSC accomplishments," KSC Countdown, July 15, 1999.]

81
WhenNeil Armstrong, BuzzAldrin andMichaelCollins setsail 30yearsago

todayaboardApollo 11,themoon wasstill remoteandmysterious. Armstrong's first

step on the lunar surface four days later signaled not only a giant leap for mankind but

U.S. space supremacy. Astronauts, NASA workers and other luminaries spent most of

the day Friday reliving man's first lunar-landing mission, which blasted off from

Kennedy Space Center on July 16, 1969. The day closed with a gala banquet for 950

people at the Apollo/Saturn 5 Center - a KSC museum dedicated to the moon rocket.

Michael Collins, who flew with Armstrong and Aldrin to the moon, declined an

invitation to attend. The former astronauts walked into a tourist exhibit of NASA's

old firing room consoles for a new conference. The 68-year-old Armstrong said his

"gut feeling" when he lifted off with Aldrin and Collins is that they had a 90 percent

chance of returning safely to Earth and that he and Aldrin had a 50 percent chance of

landing successfully on the moon. ["Is love affair with the moon over?" The Orlando

Sentinel, July 16, 1999, p A-1 & A-4. "Apollo astronauts relive history," Florida

Toda,£, July 17, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

JULY 17: Space Shuttle Status Report, Saturday, July 17, 1999. STS-93: At 10 p.m.

yesterday the countdown for launch of Space Shuttle Columbia began on schedule at

the T-43 hour mark. Early stowage of the flight crew equipment into the orbiter's

crew compartment concluded yesterday. Last night the STS-93 astronauts conducted a

final inspection of the Chandra X-ray Observatory and this morning workers closed

Columbia's payload bay doors for flight. At about 6 p.m. today, the 8-hour operation

begins to load cryogenic reactants into the orbiter's onboard fuel cell storage tanks.

Weather forecasters indicate a 30 percent probability that weather could prohibit

Tuesday's launch attempt. The primary concern is the chance of coastal showers. The

forecast calls for clouds to be scattered at 3,000 and 25,000 feet; visibility at 7 miles;

wind out of the east at 8 knots peaking to 12 knots; temperature at 79 degrees F and a

chance of coastal showers. Crew for mission STS-93: Commander (CDR): Eileen

Collins; Pilot (PLT): Jeff Ashby; Mission Specialist (MS1): Catherine Coleman;

Mission Specialist (MS2): Steven Hawley; Mission Specialist (MS3): Michel Tognini;

Summary of launch day crew activities: Monday, July 19- 7 p.m. Crew wake up;

'"7:30 pan. 8:11 p.m. Crew breakfast/photo CDR, PLT, MS2 weather briefing;

8:11 p.m. 8:21 p.m. *8:30 p.m. *8:51p.m. "9:21 p.m. "10:36 p.m. MSland MS3 don

launch and entry suits CDR, PLT, MS2 don launch and entry suits Crew suit up photo

Depart for Launch Pad 39B Arrive at white room and begin ingress Close crew hatch;

Tuesday, July 20 "12:36 a.m. Launch. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space

Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 17].]

JULY 18: Space Shuttle Status Report, July 18, 1999. STS-93: Operations continue on

schedule for the launch of Shuttle Columbia at 12:36 a.m. Tuesday, July 20.

Columbia's payload bay doors have been closed for flight and no additional pre-launch

work on the Chandra X-ray Observatory is scheduled. Loading of the on-board

cryogenics was concluded earlier this morning, and off-loading of the extra cryogenics

82
not neededfor usein the orbiter's fuel cellsduringthe missionwill continue until

early afternoontoday. Following this, the orbiter mid-bodyumbilical unit will be

retractedandfinal pre-launchpreparationsof thethreeShuttlemain engineswill

commence.Activation of the orbiter's communicationssystemwill beginat about 11

p.m. today.Also, work to completefinal stowageof the flight crew'sequipmentwill

beginsoon after midnight tonight, as will preparations for the retraction of the

rotating service structure at 4 a.m. tomorrow. The three-hour operation to load the

external tank with 500,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen will begin at

about 3:46 p.m. Monday. Following this operation, the crew will be awakened at

about 7 p.m., they will be seated for their pre-launch meal at 7:30 p.m., and depart for

Launch Pad 39B at 8:51 p.m. Weather forecasters continue to indicate a 30 percent

probability that weather could prohibit Tuesday's launch attempt. The single concern

is for a chance of coastal showers. The forecast calls for clouds to be scattered at 3,000

and 25,000 feet; visibility at 7 miles; winds out of the east at 8 knots peaking to 12

knots; temperature at 80 degrees F and humidity 86 percent. Bruce Buckingham.

(1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available Email: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 18].]

• After two days of searching and holding out hope of a miraculous survival,

authorities conceded late Sunday that John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette

Kennedy, and her sister Lauren Bessette likely were dead. The 38-year-old Kennedy

was piloting a single engine Piper Saratoga carrying his wife and sister-in-law when it

went down in the waters off Martha's Vineyard on Friday night (July 16) en route to

his cousin Rory's wedding. John F. Kennedy Jr. was invited to Kennedy Space

Center's Apollo 11 30 th anniversary festivities Friday but turned down the invitation so

he could attend his cousin's wedding. ["Coast Guard: JFK Jr., other likely dead,"

Florida Today, July 29, 1999, p 1A & 4A. "JFK Jr. invited to KSC," Florida Today,

July 18, 1999, p 1A.]

• Hillary Clinton and the world champion U.S. women's soccer team will be here

tonight, rooting for NASA's first woman commander and four other astronauts flying

on shuttle Columbia. Liftoff is set for 12:36 a.m. Tuesday from Kennedy Space

Center. The countdown continued smoothly Sunday as NASA officials prepared for

the entourage of guests. Eileen Collins, an Air Force colonel and former test pilot who

will lead Columbia's crew on a five-day mission to release an X-ray astronomy

telescope. Collins, 42, was the first woman shuttle pilot chosen by NASA when she

joined the agency in 1990. Last year, Collins was assigned Columbia's flight for her

first job as commander. The announcement was made at the White House by

President and Mrs. Clinton. The women's soccer team, fresh from a world cup victory

against China on July 10, will be here, too, cheering for NASA and shuttle Columbia.

Mrs. Clinton is expected to arrive in Florida after dark today, watch the liftoff, then

address the KSC launch team afterward. ["Hillary, soccer team to see launch,"

Florida Today, July 19, 1999, p 1A.]

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JULY 19: SpaceShuttleStatusReport, Monday, July 19, 1999. STS-93: The

countdown for Space Shuttle Columbia's launch on mission STS-93 continues on

schedule. Late stowage of the flight crew equipment into the orbiter's crew

compartment concluded at about 12:30 a.m. today. Engineers completed payload

inertial upper stage system checks at about 3 a.m. today and the Rotating Service

Structure moved to the park position at about 7 a.m. At about 3:16 p.m. this

afternoon, chilldown of the liquid propellant lines begins just prior to external tank

loading. Columbia's external tank will be loaded with about 500,000 gallons of

cryogenic propellant by about 6:46 p.m. Weather forecasters indicate a 30 percent

probability that weather could prohibit Tuesday's launch attempt. The primary

concern is the chance of coastal showers. The launch time forecast calls for clouds to

be scattered at 3,000 feet and 25,000 feet; visibility at 7 miles; winds out of the

Southeast at 8 knots peaking to 12 knots; temperature at 80 degrees F and a chance of

coastal showers. The 24-hour and 48-hour delay forecasts improve to 20 percent chance

of weather violation. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 19].]

• Judy Collins honored shuttle Commander Eileen Collins late Monday with a song

commissioned by NASA through the NASA Art Program. Judy Collins performed

the song, "Beyond the Sky," at the preflight briefing Monday night at the Kennedy

Space Center Visitor Complex. The song was written especially for today's launch.

["New song honors Collins' mission," Florida Today, July 20, 1999, p 6A.]

JULY 20: Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, July 20, 1999, 3:30 a.m. EDT. STS93: Space Shuttle Columbia's July 20 launch attempt was scrubbed at the T-7 second

mark in the countdown. Following a virtually flawless countdown, the orbiter's

hazardous gas detection system indicated a 640 ppm concentration of hydrogen in

Columbia's aft engine compartment, more than double the allowable amount. System

engineers in KSC's Firing Room No. 1 noted the indication and initiated a manual

cutoff of the ground launch sequencer less than one-half second before the Shuttle's

three main engines would have started. Standard safing operations followed

immediately. The safety of the flight crew and orbiter were not compromised at any

time. The astronauts have returned to the KSC crew quarters. Following preliminary

system and data evaluation, launch managers are confident that the hydrogen

concentration indication was false and are proceeding with a 48-hour scrub turnaround

plan. A complete review of the Shuttle's main propulsion system and related sensors is

being conducted today, but managers have already determined that the hydrogen

concentration was actually about 114 ppm. This measurement is within allowable

limits. The launch has been rescheduled for July 22 at 12:28 a.m. Because the external

ignitors at Launch Pad 39B were ignited, KSC technicians must replace them over the

next two days. These ignitors burn-off the hydrogen concentration outside the orbiter,

near the Shuttle main engines. The Chandra X-ray Observatory will remain powered

up inside the orbiter and will not be adversely affected by the scrub. Eight middeck

v

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payloadswill beremoved,reservicedandinstalledbackinsidethe orbiter during the

down period. Weatherforecastersindicateonly a 10percentchancethat weather

could prohibit Thursday'slaunchattempt. Theforecastcallsfor scatteredcloudsat

3000feetand25,000feet;visibility at 7 miles; winds from the Southeastat 6 peaking

to 8knots; temperatureat 80degreesF and relativehumidity at 86percent.The only

concernisthe slight chanceof coastalshowers. BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy

SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,July 20].]

• Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, July 20, 1999, 6:51 p.m. EDT. STS-93:

Following thorough evaluation of Space Shuttle Columbia's main propulsion system

and hazardous gas detection system, Shuttle managers are confident in their readiness

to attempt launch again on July 22 at 12:28 a.m. Engineers reviewed data last night

and today that confirmed that a hydrogen leak did not cause the indication at T-8

seconds on the countdown clock. They have also confirmed that the hazardous gas

detection system is working normally. Draining of liquid oxygen from the external

tank was complete at 2:54 a.m. today and liquid hydrogen draining concluded at 4:03

a.m. Boil-off of residual propellants will conclude by midnight tonight. Today

workers are establishing access to the external hydrogen burn-off ignitors at Launch

Pad 39B and the 4-hour ignitor replacement effort begins at about 3 a.m. tomorrow.

The launch team will begin reloading the external tank with 500,000 gallons of liquid

propellant at about 3:38 p.m. tomorrow. Workers have removed 8 of the middeck

experiments for servicing and will reinstall the secondary payloads tomorrow. The

Chandra/IUS payload is ready for Thursday's launch and remains powered up in the

payload bay. Weather forecasters indicate only a 10 percent chance that weather could

prohibit Thursday's launch attempt. The forecast calls for few clouds at 2,500 feet and

25,000 feet; visibility at 7 miles; winds from the Southeast at 6 peaking to 8 knots;

temperature at 80 degrees F and relative humidity at 86 percent. Bruce Buckingham.

(1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available Email: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 20].]

• With their battered and scorched Columbia lunar command module on display

behind them, the crew of Apollo 11 received the nation's highest aviation honor at the

National Air and Space Museum Tuesday, 30 years to the day that their mission put

the first man on the moon. Mission commander Nell Armstrong and fellow

astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins each received the Smithsonian Institution's

much-prized Samuel P. Langley Gold Medal from Vice president A1 Gore, who as a

boy was present at the launch of the Apollo 11 moon rocket from Cape Canaveral in

July 1969. ["Smithsonian prize goes to Apollo 11 astronauts 30 years later," The

Orlando Sentinel, July 21, 1999, p A-8.]

JULY 21: Space Shuttle Status report, Wednesday, July 21, 1999. STS-93: The KSC

launch team continues the smooth implementation of Shuttle Columbia's 48-hour

launch scrub turnaround in preparation for Thursday's 12:28 a.m. launch attempt.

85
The countdown clock begancountingagaintoday at 8:38a.m.at the T-11hour mark.

Replacementof the externalhydrogenburn-off ignitors at LaunchPad39Bconcluded

earlythis morning. In Firing Room No. 1,standardpreflight monitoring of the

Shuttleconfirms that all systemsarein goodhealthandthat Columbia'smain

propulsionsystemandhazardousgasdetectionsystemarereadyto support launchjust

after midnight tonight. The Chandrapayloadis currently in anunpowered,flightreadyconfiguration, andthe inertial upperstage(IUS)remainspoweredup. Engineers

completedIUS inertial measurementunit calibrationandalignmenttoday.

Refurbishmentof the eight middeckexperimentsconcludedyesterday,and the

secondarypayloadshavebeenreinstalledonboardColumbia. Weatherofficials have

improvedthe launchforecasto 100percentfavorable. The forecastcallsfor few

cloudsat 2,500feetand25,000feet;visibility at 7 miles;windsfrom the Southwestat 6

knotspeakingto 8 knots andtemperatureat 80degreesF. BruceBuckingham.(1999).

KennedySpaceCenter SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,July 21].]

• BrevardCounty might havemissedthe boatwhenit tried to attractthe Boeing

Co.'snew Delta 4 rocket factory,but it couldpavethe way for the shipsthat bring the

rocketshereto fly. The country's Public Works Departmentwill helpmanagethe

constructionof a $1million dockat CapeCanaveralAir Stationif the County

Commissionapprovesthe projectTuesdayat its regularmeeting. Rocket components

would beunloadedat the dock. The costof the projectis beingpickedup by agrant

from the Florida Office of Tourism, TradeandEconomicDevelopment. The dock is

oneof the lastcogsin the transportation,assemblyandlaunchingof the rockets,which

arepart of Boeing'sentry into theU.S. Air Force'sEvolvedExpendableLaunch

VehicleProgram. Boeinghasalreadyannouncedplansto build a$250million launch

complexon the north sideof the Cape- at the old LaunchComplex37site- andthe

spaceportFlight Authority will build a $15million, 102,000-square-foot assemblyplant

adjacentto it. The rocketswill beshippedin smallerparts,put togetherandtestedat

the assemblyplant. Boeinghasa$1billion contractwith the Air Forceto launch19of

the rocketsbetween2002and2006. ["County maygetchunk of Delta 4 incomeafter

all," Florida Today, July 22, 1999, p lB.]

• Gus Grissom's Mercury capsule, Liberty Bell 7, after a long series of mechanical

fits and starts, was returned to the same shore from which it blasted into space 38 years

ago to the day. The capsule will be taken to the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space

Center in Hutchinson, Kan., where its 25,000 pieces will be disassembled and

individually cleaned. The craft will be rebuilt and after a tour of the nation, will be

permanently placed on exhibit. ["Liberty Bell 7 comes home," Florida Today, July

22, 1999, p lB.]

• First, it was a faulty sensor. This time, it was bad weather. Early today at

Kennedy Space Center, NASA had to scrub shuttle Columbia's liftoff a second time

when lightning drifted too close to the launch pad. The agency will give it another try

86
early Friday. The launchwindow will befrom 12:24to 1:10a.m. If theship doesnot

getairborne then, it won't fly until mid-August. First lady Hillary RodhamClinton

andother dignitaries- who showedupfor Columbia'sfirst launchtry Tuesday- were

on handagain,only to besenthome without seeingthe startof NASA's 95 _hshuttle

flight. The Tuesday launch attempt was halted seven seconds before liftoff when a

faulty detector gave a bad reading indicating high levels of potentially explosive gas in

the ship's engine compartment. That problem was corrected, but a stubborn

thunderstorm cell 10 miles from the launch pad refused to clear out of the area in time

to allow Columbia to fly. ["Shuttle scrubbed," Florida Today, July 22, 1999, p 1A &

2A.]

JULY 22:STS-93 Launch Weather Forecast, issued Thursday, July 22, 1999, valid

Friday, July 23, 1999. Synopsis: A typical summer weather pattern will prevail for

Friday morning's launch attempt. Upper level high pressure will be centered over

the south Mississippi Valley. An upper level low may also be present in the central

Caribbean. Disturbances will rotate from northeast to southwest over the launch area.

If a disturbance is northeast of KSC near launch time, local thunderstorms are possible;

if the disturbance moves west, conditions should be acceptable for launch. During the

launch window of 12:24 a.m. - 1:10 a.m. EDT on Friday, July 23: Clouds: 2/8 few

cumulus/stratocumulus at 3,000 feet; 3/8 scattered altocumulus at 6,000 feet; 5/8

broken cirrus at 25,000 feet; Visibility: 7 miles; Wind at Launch Pad 39-B: SW at 6-8

knots SLF: Variable at 4 knots; Temperature: 80 degrees Dewpoint: 75 degrees;

Relative Humidity: 86%; Weather: Thunderstorms, rainshowers, anvil clouds;

Probability of weather conditions at KSC prohibiting launch: 30%; Probability of

weather conditions prohibiting tanking: 20%; Solid Rocket Booster Recovery Area:

Wind: SW at 10-12 knots Seas: 3-4 feet Water temperature: 84 degrees; Sunrise:

6:38 a.m. Sunset: 8:20 p.m. Forecast by USAF45th Weather Squadron, Cape

Canaveral Air Station. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 22].]

• Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, July 22, 1999, 4:12 a.m. STS-93: Launch

managers postponed the launch of Space Shuttle Columbia today for 24 hours due to

unacceptable local weather conditions. No significant technical issues were worked

during the countdown and all Shuttle and payload systems remain in excellent health.

The KSC launch team is executing a 24-hour scrub turnaround that will have

Columbia and Chandra in a posture to launch at 12:24 a.m. Friday. Shuttle managers

will convene at noon today to finalize the launch window for tomorrow's launch

attempt. Weather officials are currently indicating a 30 percent probability that

weather could prohibit launch on Friday. The primary threats are thunderstorms, rain

showers and anvil clouds. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 22].]

87
• SpaceShuttleStatusReport,Thursday,July 22,1999,4:52p.m. STS-93"

Preparationsareongoingfor athird launchattemptof the SpaceShuttleColumbia at

12:24a.m.Friday. Following aweatherscrubearlythis morning, Shuttlemanagers

implementedstandardproceduresfor a24-hourscrubturnaround. Columbia's external

tank is beingloadedfor the third time with 500,000gallonsof liquid propellant.

Tanking operationsbeganat 3:15p.m. todayandwill concludeat about6:15p.m. All

Shuttleandpayloadsystemsremainin excellenthealthto support Friday's launch

attempt. During a missionmanagementteammeetingat noon today, Chandra

managersgaveanupdatedstatuson Chandra'sorbital power supplymargins.

Chandra'sability to spendanadditional20minutesin the Earth's shadowon every

orbit with no impactto missionsuccess,addsanadditional70minutesto the planned

46-minutewindow. The window for tomorrow's launchopportunity is now 1hour

and 56minutesin duration. Mission managerstill planto deployChandraon flight

day 1about7 hoursand 17minutesafterliftoff. To preservethe flight crew'son-orbit

sleepandwork schedule,the astronautswill sleepanadditional30minutestoday

beforebeginningtheir preflight preparationtimeline. Eachstepon that timeline will

beginone-halfhour latertonight. The 30minuteswill betransferredfrom the built-in

hold at T-9 minutesto the T-3 hour built-in hold. Weatherofficials haveupdatedthe

forecastto reflecta20percentchancethat weathercouldprohibit launchon Friday.

The primary threatsarecoastalthunderstormswith debrisand anvil clouds. Bruce

Buckingham.(1999).KennedySpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online].

AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,July 22].]

JULY 23: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, July 23, 1999. STS-93: Space Shuttle

Columbia, its five astronaut crew members and the Chandra X-ray Observatory lifted

off from KSC's Launch Pad 39B at 12:31 a.m. today. The launch team worked no

significant technical issues and weather conditions were favorable throughout the

countdown. Today Columbia embarked on its 26th flight, marking the 95th launch in

Shuttle history. The crew will deploy the Chandra payload about 7 hours and 17

minutes after liftoff and one hour later the inertial upper stage (IUS) solid rocket

motor is slated to fire. Chandra's solar arrays will be deployed at 9:24 a.m. today and

IUS separation occurs at 9:43 a.m. NASA's two solid rocket booster recovery ships

Liberty Star and Freedom Star have been on station in the Atlantic Ocean since

Monday. Booster recovery operations will begin this morning and managers expect

the recovery ships to arrive in Port Canaveral Saturday with boosters in tow. Bruce

Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online].

Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 23].]

• Two accidents that led to the loss or damage of multimillion dollar military

satellites are being blamed on human error, investigators said Thursday. Reports

showed that: An $800 million communications satellite was lost April 30 because its

upper stage booster was loaded with software that had been incorrectly written by

computer engineers. A $45 million military navigation satellite was drenched at its

Cape Canaveral launch pad May 8 after a heavy thunderstorm swept through the

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centralFlorida area,causingat least$2.1million in damageto the spacecraft.["Satellite

accidents due to human error, officials say," Florida Today, July 23, 1999, p 2A.]

JULY 25: A potentially dangerous fuel leak in one of shuttle Columbia's main engine

nozzles could explain why the spaceship wound up in an orbit seven miles lower than

planned after liftoff Friday. Pictures taken of the shuttle in flight suggest Columbia's

right nozzle began losing liquid hydrogen a second or two before launch and continued

to do so for the entire 8 1⁄2 minute ascent. One or two cracked coolant lines may have

leaked as much as 5 pounds of hydrogen per second. There have been smaller leaks on

previous flights. But NASA still is not certain a leak occurred on this one. During the

climb to orbit, Columbia's three main engines cut off about a second earlier than

planned. An analysis found the shuttle was short 4,000 pounds of liquid oxygen, used

along with hydrogen to power the engines. Engineers traced the oxygen shortage to

the possible hydrogen leak. Each of the bell-shaped engine nozzles, which stand about

9 feet tall, is made up of 1,080 stainless steel tubes about a 1A-inch in diameter. The

tubes circulate super-cold liquid hydrogen from the shuttle's external tank to the

combustion chamber above the nozzle. This process keeps the nozzle cool and

preheats some of the fuel for more efficient burning. Mission managers theorize that as

hydrogen leaked from one or two of the tubes, the engine's computer compensated by

providing more thrust, depleting the supply of liquid oxygen faster than expected.

Another, unrelated, launch problem may be closer to a quick fix. Less than 10 seconds

after liftoff, computers controlling two of the shuttle's main engines were knocked out

by a short circuit. Backup computers took over, and Columbia continued to fly as

normal. But had one of the backups been lost, an engine would have shut down.

While inspecting circuit breakers for the second time, Collins discovered a tripped

breaker than had been overlooked before. Flight controllers have narrowed the list of

possible causes. ["Shuttle may have leaked hydrogen fuel during launch," The

Orlando Sentinel, July 26, 1999, p A-7.]

• A Delta II rocket lifted off at 3:46 a.m. Sunday, carrying four Globalstar satellites

from Cape Canaveral Air Station. The launch was delayed one day to give shuttle

Columbia another attempt at liftoff. ["Delta II," Florida Today, July 26, 1999, p 1A.]

JULY 26:STS-93 Landing Weather Forecast, Tuesday, July 27, 1999. Date issued:

July 26, 1999, 10 a.m. EDT. Synopsis: Southwesterly low-level winds will slow the

onset of the sea breeze and limit its inland penetration. An approaching weak upper

level trough will help trigger showers and thunderstorms along the sea breeze

tomorrow afternoon. The upper level system is forecast to be just south of KSC by

tomorrow evening. Passage of the upper level system and sunset will combine to

decrease thunderstorm coverage over Florida during the evening hours. There is only

a slight chance that a thunderstorm or shower will be within 30 miles of the Shuttle

Landing Facility for the first landing opportunity. Little change in the forecast is

called for on Wednesday night. Weather at Edwards Air Force Base is expected to

remain hot and breezy in the afternoon with winds slowly subsiding by possible

89
landingtimesTuesdayandWednesdaynights. However, dueto the generally

favorableweatherforecastatKSC, Dryden will not calledup for landingsupport on

Tuesday.KennedySpaceCenterShuttleLandingFacility: Valid: 1i:20EDT; Clouds:

FEW 3,000 FEW 25,000 ( 1/8 - 2/8 sky coverage);Visibility: 7 miles;Wind: SW/3

knots, peak5 knots; Temperature:80;Dewpoint: 74;RelativeHumidity: 82%;

Precipitation: Slightchanceof thunderstormswithin 30milesof KSC locatedmainly

to the westof the SLF at the first landingopportunity. BruceBuckingham.(1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 26].]

• After years of nibbling away at NASA's budget, a key House committee voted

Monday to take a huge bit, cutting almost $1.4 billion from the space agency. The

House Appropriations subcommittee for veterans, housing and other federal agencies

cut NASA's budget as part of a larger effort to stay within tight budget limits.

Democrats accused Republicans of hewing, despite the fact the nation is running a

surplus, in order to fund their tax-cut plans. Monday's vote would shave the combined

budgets of various agencies from $71.9 billion in the current year to $70.5 billion for

the year that begins Oct. 1. NASA bore almost all the brunt, with a cut of about 10

percent. In the past five years, NASA's budget has dropped from about $14.5 billion

to $13.66 billion. The subcommittee voted to cut NASA to $12.3 billion. ["NASA

could face another astronomical budget cut," The Orlando Sentinel, July 27, 1999, p

A-1 & A-4.]

• An asteroid targeted for a close encounter by a NASA spacecraft this week was

renamed Monday to honor Louis Braille, the inventor of the raised-dot alphabet that

enables blind people to read. Kerry Babcock, 38, of Port Orange submitted the

winning entry in naming the contest sponsored by The Planetary Society, a Pasadena

group that promotes interest in space exploration and education. The Kennedy Space

Center software engineer said he has been interested in Braille's work for years and

even named his daughter after the French inventor. The asteroid was formerly known

as 1992KD. ["Spacecraft's target asteroid named after Braille," Florida Today, July 27,

1999, p 6A.]

JULY 28: Space Shuttle Status Report, Wednesday, July 28, 1999. STS-93- Space

Shuttle Columbia and its five astronaut crew members successfully landed late last

night on KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility runway 33, completing its 5 day, 1.8 million

mile journey. July 27, 1999 Eastern daylight landing time events are as follow: Main

Gear Touchdown: 11:20:37 p.m. EDT (MET: 4 days, 22 hours, 49 minutes, 37

seconds); Nose Gear Touchdown: 11:20:44 p.m. EDT (MET: 4 days, 22 hours, 49

minutes, 44 seconds); Wheels Stop: 11:21:22 p.m. EDT (MET: 4 days, 22 hours, 50

minutes, 22 seconds); This was the 19th consecutive Shuttle landing at the Florida

spaceport and the 12th night landing in Shuttle program history. Following an early

morning press conference, the crew of STS-93 flew back to their homes and families in

Houston, TX. Preliminary indications of the orbiter after touchdown show its lower

90
surfacesustained155total hits, of which 40hada major dimensionof 1-inchor larger.

Further assessmentswill continuetoday.The main landinggeartires were reportedto

bein goodcondition for a landingon theKSC concreterunway.Severalhours after

touchdown,Columbia wastowedto orbiter ProcessingFacility bay3wherepost

missioninspectionsbegan.Today,workers areoff loadingthe unusedonboard

cryogenicsandsatingthevehiclefor additionalinspections.Tonight, engineersare

expectedto gainaccessto theorbiter's mainengines.They will then beginpreliminary

inspectionsof what early indicationsshowto beapossiblesmallhydrogenleakthat

occurredduring ascenton the No. 3 enginenozzle.A possiblesourceof the leakis

from smalltubesthat circulatehydrogenaroundthenozzle,cooling the nozzleand

conditioning the hydrogenbeforeit is burned. BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy

SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,July 28].]

• EileenCollins kept calmin the driver's seatwhenshuttleColumbia had some

problemsduring liftoff. Thensheran asmoothmissionin orbit to unleashapowerful

new telescopeon the universe. Collins flew her spaceshipbackto Florida in areturn

sogentleoneof her crewcalledit a "kisslanding." NASA's first woman shuttle

commanderrackedup respectandkudosWednesday,when Columbia'screwleft

KennedySpaceCenterfor awelcomebackparty in Houston with VicePresidentAI

Gore. ["Consensusof mission: 'Eileenrocks'," Florida Today, July 29, 1999, p lB.]

• With the shuttle Columbia back at Kennedy Space Center, NASA confirmed its

suspicions Wednesday that one of the craft's engine nozzles leaked fuel during last

week's liftoff. Engineers began investigating the leak and an unrelated short circuit in

Columbia's computers shortly after the shuttle landed late Tuesday. They hope to

figure out by early next week what caused both problems. The effect on future shuttle

flights remains to be seen. Preparations for the next mission - a Sept. 16 radarmapping mission aboard Endeavour - are moving ahead. ["NASA confirms leak on

engine's nozzle," The Orlando Sentinel, July 29, 1999, p A-11.]

JULY 29- Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, July 29, 1999. STS-93: Following

Columbia's tow to the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 early Wednesday morning at

the conclusion of its STS-93 mission, workers continue sating operations and postmission inspections. Columbia is being readied for ferry to Palmdale, CA at the end of

September for an extended period of structural inspections and orbiter modifications.

Last night, engineers in the OPF made initial visual inspections of the No. 3 main

engine nozzle and the apparent hotwall ruptures in three adjacent coolant tubes.

Engineers believe these ruptures resulted in a small hydrogen leak that occurred during

Columbia's launch last week. Overnight, the damaged area was removed from the

nozzle and sent to the Rocketdyne facility in Conoga Park, CA for analysis. Also,

access to the orbiter's aft engine compartment continues in order to allow workers to

troubleshoot a problem that caused an apparent short circuit on one of the electrical

busses that feed controllers on the right and center main engines. The center main

91
engine primary controller was shutdown shortly after booster ignition and the backup

controller for the right main engine was disqualified. The solid rocket boosters were

towed to Hangar AF and inspections begin July 26. Initial indications show both

boosters to be in excellent condition following launch. Bruce Buckingham. (1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, July 29].]

JULY 30: A gold-plated engine plug the size of a small nail shook loose during shuttle

Columbia's recent launch, apparently triggering a hydrogen fuel leak that could have

led to an emergency landing. That was the word Friday from NASA investigators

who are trying to determine how coolant lines in a shuttle engine nozzle burst during

launch, leaving Columbia short of its intended orbit. Columbia and five astronauts -

including Eileen Collins, the nation's first woman space commander - lifted off from

Kennedy Space Center on July 23 on a successful mission to deploy a $1.5 billion

astronomical observatory. Three coolant loops inside a shuttle engine nozzle,

however, ruptured seconds before liftoff, creating a 5-pound-a-second liquid hydrogen

leak that continued throughout Columbia's 8 _h-minute climb into orbit. NASA

officials said the leak could not have led to an explosion in flight. Soon after Columbia

landed late Tuesday, engineers discovered three ragged holes, each the size of a

fingernail, in cooling lines within the nozzle of one of the ship's three main engines.

Sections of the ruptured lines were removed from the leaky nozzle and sent to a

California engine factory for analysis. Using a scanning electronic microscope to

magnify the holes, engineers discovered tiny dents at the leading edge of each puncture

- a strong indication the bell-shaped nozzle was hit by debris when Columbia's engines

ignited. The debris likely was a small tapered plug that apparently shot through the

engine's combustion chamber at about four times the speed of sound - 3,000 mph.

Made of the metal alloy Inconel, the plug traveled 6 to 8 feet before smashing into the

inside of the nozzle. The plug probably melted in a river of flame after the shuttle's

engines ignited. The plug became NASA's leading suspect after engineers discovered it

missing from the engine's main injector. Columbia also sustained a momentary short

circuit five seconds after liftoff, which knocked out the prime computers for two of its

three main engines. Technicians began inspecting electrical wiring within the shuttle

orbiter Friday in a bid to pinpoint the source of the short. The inspections are

expected to take several days. ["Loose engine plug likely caused shuttle fuel leak,"

Florida Today, July 31, 1999, p 1A & 4A.]

DURING JULY: NASA and Boeing are investigating why technicians here

misaligned the 3,000-lb. FUSE (Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer) when placing it

atop its Delta II booster prior to the observatory's launch June 24. The spacecraft was

launched safely and is operating normally. But the incident, coming in the wake of a

series of launch failures, is another example of how human error can affect space

operations. The 5.3-deg. Misalignment with the Delta's second stage, discovered

several days before launch, forced an exhaustive government/contractor assessment to

determine whether it posed any risk to the $215-million mission. Boeing said the

reviews took place at both its Huntington Beach Calif., and Cape facilities. ["Cape

92
TechniciansMisalignSatellite,"

23.]

Aviation Week & Space Technology, July 5, 1999, p

• A NASA investigative board has determined that the loss of the agency's $73-

million Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (Wire) shortly after launch on Mar. 4 was caused

by an improperly designed electronic component that triggered a premature firing of

pyrotechnics. Electrical power almost instantly reached the pyrotechnics, ejecting the

telescope's cover, as controllers initially had suspected. As a result, frozen hydrogen

used to cool the Wire's infrared detectors was exposed to sunlight, converted to gas and

vented, rendering the telescope unusable. ["Design Flaw," Aviation Week & Space

Technology, July 12, 1999, p 13.]

93
AUGUST

AUGUST 2: BoeingworkersWednesdaywill replaceone of the solidrocket boosters

attachedto aDelta 2 rocket setfor launchlaterthis month, thecompanysaidMonday.

Officials decidedto makethe precautionaryreplacementafter discoveringthe original

boosterhad"superficialscratches"on its outer casing,saidBoeingspokeswomanErin

Lutz. TheJanuary1997mid-airexplosionof aDelta 2 rocketwascausedwhen asolid

rocketmotor casingruptured. Investigatorsdeterminedthe casingwasdamaged

during pre-flight processing.As aresultof the extrawork, the upcominglaunchhas

beendelayedtwo claysto Aug. 17.The three-minutewindow will openat 12:37a.m.

["Delta 2 rocket booster will be replaced," Florida Today, August 3, 1999, p 113.]

AUGUST 4: After its arrival at the Shuttle Landing Facility, the Multi-Purpose

Logistics Module Raffaello was transported to the Space Station Processing Facility

(SSPF). The SSPF now holds two MPLMs, the other being Leonardo. The two

MPLMs are scheduled to launch on back-to-back missions: Leonardo on June 29, 2000,

and Raffaello on July 27, 2000. ["Raffaello moved into SSPF to begin testing," KSC

Countdown, August 10, 1999.]

AUGUST 6: On the last mission to the new international space station, several

astronauts suffered nausea, headaches and other symptoms that have NASA scrambling

for solutions to a suspected air-quality problem before another crew visits the growing

outpost. Moreover, the crew of the shuttle Discovery did not report the difficulties

until debriefings two weeks after their landing, a delay that NASA authorities

acknowledge has hampered the search for possible solutions. The seven-person crew

returned from the 10-day supply mission on June 6. NASA officials say they think

unexpected buildups of carbon dioxide, fumes from chemicals and restricted air

circulation may have been the sources of the problem. Frank Culbertson, NASA's

space station operations manager at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, said the

problems were not serious but the agency was taking steps to see that they did not

recur. ["Space illness puzzles NASA," The Orlando Sentinel, August 7, 1999, p A-3.]

AUGUST 9: A wiring defect that escaped detection prior to shuttle Columbia's recent

launch caused an electrical short that left the crew one failure away from an

unprecedented emergency landing, officials said Monday. With the shuttle back in its

Kennedy Space Center hangar, technicians traced the short circuit to an exposed wire

hidden deep within the ship's 122-foot-long fuselage. "They were able to pinpoint it to

a wire that had worn insulation," said KSC spokesman Bruce Buckingham.

Technicians also found evidence of electrical arcing between the exposed wire and a

metal screw head, which apparently wore through the insulation over 25 previous

flights of Columbia, NASA's oldest orbiter. Coming five seconds after a July 23

liftoff, the short circuit caused the main computers on two of Columbia's three liquidfueled engines to crash. Had backups to either computer failed, Columbia and its crew

would have been forced to make a risky landing at KSC or an emergency runway in

Africa - something never attempted in 95 shuttle flights since 1981. Buckingham said

94
wire harnessinspectionswill continueto bedoneon Columbia aswell asshuttle

Atlantis. However, they will not bedoneon shuttleEndeavour,which isscheduled

for liftoff Sept.16on an 11-dayradarmissionto mapEarth'ssurface.The reasonisthe

radarequipmentis alreadypackedin the ship'scargobay,and would haveto be

removedfor workersto gainaccessto the areawherethe wires arelocated. Engineers

arelessconcernedaboutEndeavourbecauseit isthe youngestship in the fleet, andits

harnesseshavenot beensubjectedto asmuchwearasColumbia's. The short circuit

wasoneof two seriousproblemsthat croppedup during Columbia's8 _,4-minuteclimb

into orbit. One of its enginesstartedleakingpotentially explosivehydrogenfuel after

threecoolanttubeswithin its nozzlewereruptured. That problemwastracedto a

small plugwhich camelooseduringengineignition. Theplug smashedinto the lines,

weakeningthemsomuch that they burst from internalpressure.Columbia'screwledby EileenCollins, the nation'sfirst femaleshuttlecommander- successfully

deployeda$1.5billion astronomicalobservatoryduring afive-dayflight. ["NASA:

Wiring flaw causedelectricalshort on shuttle," Florida Today, August 10, 1999, p

1A.]

AUGUST 10" Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, August 10, 1999. STS-99:

Endeavour is now scheduled to roll to the VAB no earlier than Thursday

morning. This afternoon Shuttle managers reconvened to review the results of

electrical wiring inspections on orbiters Columbia and Atlantis. Also presented in the

meeting were the results of laboratory analysis on Columbia's damaged electrical wire.

The analysis revealed that an isolated incident of mechanical or worker contact with

the wire caused the wire to press against a marred screw head. The subsequent wire

damage lead to the electrical short during Columbia's STS-93 launch. Since the

laboratory results were not available until today, engineers will review the new

information and bring a recommendation to the Shuttle program tomorrow at

midday. Tomorrow afternoon, Shuttle managers will decide if orbiter Endeavour is

ready for Thursday's planned rollout activities. STS-103: Technicians completed

servicing of Discovery's onboard ammonia system. Following successful main engine

installation last week, engine securing efforts are under way today. The payload

premate test is also ongoing. Later this week, workers will install the orbiter's waste

collection system and install the external airlock hatch. STS-101: Orbiter Atlantis is

being temporarily stored in VAB high bay 2, awaiting the departure of Shuttle

Endeavour from OPF bay 2. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center

Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, August 10].]

AUGUST 11: Space Shuttle Status Report, Wednesday, August 11, 1999. STS-99:

Endeavour is scheduled to roll to the Vehicle Assembly Building no earlier than Friday

morning. Postponing Endeavour's transfer to the VAB from today to Friday will not

impact the Sept. 16 target launch date for mission STS-99. Shuttle engineers continue

to review the data gathered during recent wiring inspections of orbiters Columbia and

Atlantis. Also under evaluation are the results from yesterday's laboratory analysis

performed on Columbia's damaged wire in KSC's malfunction laboratory. Tomorrow

95
at middayShuttlemanagerswill determineEndeavour'sreadinessto roll to the VAB.

STS-103:Technicianscompletedtestingof Discovery'spowerreactionandstorage

distribution system. Shuttlemainenginesecuringeffortsandpayloadprematetesting

continue. Later this week,workerswill install the orbiter'swastecollection system

andinstall the externalairlock hatch. STS-101:Orbiter Atlantis isbeingtemporarily

storedin VAB high bay2, awaitingthe departureof ShuttleEndeavourfrom OPF bay

2.BruceBuckingham.(1999).KennedySpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status Report

[Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,

August 11].]

• A work placeaccident- ratherthan wearandtear- likely causedawiring defect

that triggeredaseriouselectricalshort on shuttleColumbia'srecentflight, NASA

officialssaidWednesday.A newlab analysisshowsthat aworker probably steppedon

awire within the shuttle'sfuselage,pressingit up againsthe marredheadof ascrew.

Insulationwasinadvertently nickedasaresult,leavingthe wire exposed,officials said.

Apparently, strong launchvibrationsthenpushedthe exposedwire againsthe metal

screwhead,triggering ashort circuit five secondsafteraJuly 23liftoff. "We feel like it

wasasingleisolatedincidentwhereaworker madecontactwith thewire, which then

madecontract with the screwandnickedthe insulation," saidJoelWells,a spokesman

at NASA's KennedySpaceCenter. The electricalshort crashedthe main computerson

two of Columbia'sthreeliquid-fueledmain engines.Had back-upsto either computer

failed,Columbia's crew- ledby EileenCollins, NASA's first femaleshuttle

commander- would havebeenforcedto makeanunprecedentedemergencylanding

attemptat KSC or a runwayin Africa. Earlier this week,NASA officials believedthe

defectwaswear andtearthe wire hadbeensubjectedto during 25previousflights of

Columbia, NASA oldestorbiter. The new analysishaspromptedanotherround of

extrainspectionsto wiring on both Columbia andAtlantis. The inspectionsare

intendedto give managersanideaof whetherwiring defectsmight existon shuttle

Endeavour,NASA's newestorbiter. Plansto moveEndeavourfrom its hangarto the

VehicleAssemblyBuilding atKSChavebeendelayeduntil at leastFriday. ["Accident,

not wear,linked to shuttleshortcircuit," Florida Today, August 12, 1999, p 9A.]

AUGUST 12- Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, August 12, 1999. STS-99:

Shuttle managers today decided to delay the rollout of Shuttle Endeavour from OPF

bay 2 to the Vehicle Assembly Building to conduct extensive wiring inspections and

preventative wire maintenance in the orbiter's payload bay. In depth evaluation of

payload bay wiring aboard orbiters Columbia and Atlantis revealed the potential for

damaged wire to exist in Endeavour's payload bay. The additional work will delay the

STS-99 launch to at least early October. Tomorrow, workers wilt begin preparations

to remove the SRTM payload from Endeavour's payload bay to gain access to the

lower cable trays that run the length of the orbiter's midbody. Once access is

established, Shuttle engineers and technicians will begin necessary inspection and

mitigation efforts. The impact of this delay and the unplanned wiring work needed on

the rest of the Shuttle fleet is being assessed. STS-103: Technicians completed testing of

96
Discovery'spower reactionandstoragedistribution system. Shuttlemain engine

securingeffortsandpayloadprematetestingcontinue. Laterthis week,workers will

install theorbiter's wastecollectionsystemandinstall the externalairlock hatch. STS101:Orbiter Atlantis isbeingtemporarily storedin VAB high bay2, awaiting the

departureof ShuttleEndeavourfrom OPF bay2. BruceBuckingham.(1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, August 12].]

O The payload flight hardware for the Third Hubble Space Telescope Servicing

Mission (SM-3A) arrived today at Kennedy Space Center aboard a C-5 air cargo plane.

It was shipped from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. After

off loading from the C-5, the shipping container was taken to the Payload Hazardous

Servicing Facility (PHSF) located in the KSC Industrial Area. There final integration

of the payload elements will occur and each will be fully tested. The Third Servicing

Mission (SM-3A) is a "call-up" mission which is being planned due to the need to

replace portions of the spacecraft's pointing system, the gyros, which have begun to

fail. Only three of its six gyroscopes - which allow the telescope to point at stars,

galaxies and planets - are working properly. The telescope needs at least three

gyroscopes to operate properly. ["Payload for Third Hubble Servicing Mission arrives

at KSC," NASA News Release #69-99, August 12, 1999.]

• NASA will delay its next shuttle mission to make sure the type of serious electrical

short encountered on its most recent flight won't endanger future astronaut crews. In

a bid to avoid another close call in flight, NASA on Thursday ordered fleet wide

inspections of suspect wiring - a move that will push back the planned Sept. 16 launch

of shuttle Endeavour to at least Oct.7. A high-priority Hubble Space Telescope repair

mission slated for launch Oct. 14 probably won't fly until late October or early

November. NASA officials said they won't risk a repeat of an electrical short circuit

that left five astronauts one failure away from an emergency landing on shuttle

Columbia's July 23 flight. "This is the prudent thing to do under the circumstances,"

said senior shuttle manager Don McMonagle, a former astronaut. An Oct. 7 launch

for Endeavour's 11-day flight would push back the Hubble mission to at least late

October. The reason: NASA engineers need about nine days between a shuttle

landing and the next launch to review data from the previous flight. ["Next shuttle

won't go up until October," Florida Today, August 13, 1999, p 1A.]

AUGUST 13: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, August 13, 1999. STS-99:

Following yesterday's decision to holdup Shuttle Endeavour's transfer to the Vehicle

Assembly Building, workers moved the orbiter transport system out of Orbiter

Processing Facility bay 2 today. Technicians will gain access to the orbiter's crew

module today and begin preparations to open the payload bay doors tomorrow.

Shuttle engineers and technicians will meet tomorrow to develop a wiring inspection

and preventative maintenance plan to be applied across the Shuttle fleet. Managers

plan to begin removing the SRTM payload from the cargo bay late next week. Once

97
the payloadis removed,technicianswill beginEndeavour'smidbody wiring work.

The additionalwork will delaythe STS-99launchto at leastearly October. STS-103:

Shuttlemanagershavedecidedto employthe samewiring inspectionsandmaintenance

that arebeingplannedfor Endeavouracrossthe Shuttlefleet.SinceDiscovery's

payloadbayis alreadyaccessible,maintenanceeffortswill likely beginearly next week.

TechnicianscompletedShuttlemain enginesecuringeffortsthis week. Main

propulsionsystemandmain engineleakchecksareongoing. Potablewater servicing

andexternalairlock hatchinstallationarein work. Forward reactioncontrol system

installation remainson schedule. STS-101:Orbiter Atlantis is beingtemporarily

storedin VAB high bay 2,awaitingthe departureof ShuttleEndeavourfrom OPF bay

2. Wiring inspectionshavebeenin work all weekin Atlantis andmaintenanceefforts

will beginin the daysahead.BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter

SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online]. AvailableE-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,August 13].]

• Demolition crewsnext month will blow up aCapeCanaverallaunchpadthat

servedasthe startingpoint for historic NASA missionsto exploreother planets.

LockheedMartin engineershavedecidedto demolishLaunchComplex 41'stowering

metal structuresandtransform the 36-year-oldTitan rocketpadinto alaunchsitefor

new Atlas 5 rockets. The eventisafirst for the SpaceCoast. Never beforehasa

commercialcompanyundertakensuchanoperationat theair station. On Sept.12,the

pad'slaunchtower and rolling servicestructurewill betoppled to the ground in less

than aminute by explosivecharges,saidAdrian Laffitte, LockheedMartin's Atlas

programdirector. The hugesteelstructureswon't beneededfor the company'snew

fleet of rockets,which will beginflying from the basein late2001. The reason: The

Atlas 5swill beassembledandreadiedfor launchin anearbybuilding, then rolled to

the opensiteon amobiletransporter24hoursbeforeliftoff. With suchashort wait

on the pad,the new rocketswon't requirestructureslike thosein placeat all other

CapeCanaverallaunchpads.LockheedMartin selectedthe explosivemethod afterits

construction contractor suggestedthe planto savetime andsavemoney. The less

dramaticoption of dismantlingthe towerspieceby piecewould havetakenabout three

months,Laffitte said. Built in the early 1960s,Complex41sawits first launchDec.21,

1965.Alter that, it wasusedto launchNASA's Viking probesto Marsin 1975andthe

two Voyagermissionsin 1977that toured the solarsystem'souter planets. The pad

wasrefurbishedto launchthe Air Force'sTitan 4 rockets,America'smost powerful

unmannedboosters."Thereis alot of history at Complex41," saidBrig. Gen. Randall

Starbuck,45'hSpaceWing commander.["Explosiveswill topple historic pad,"

Florida Today, August 14, 1999, p lB.]

AUGUST 15: The grand finale for this summer's record-setting string of launches by

Boeing's Delta 2 rocket fleet is set for just after midnight. If all goes as planned, the

company will launch another Delta 2 rocket, carrying four Globalstar cellular

telephone satellites, at 12:37a.m. Tuesday from Cape Canaveral Air Station. The

launch team will have 3-minute window to get the mission airborne. The $110 million

98
flight isthe fifth andfinal launchscheduledduring anintense68-dayperiodthat began

June10. The clusterof launcheshasproducedmajor stridesin assemblingGlobalstar's

spacebasedsatelliteconstellationandhasdeliveredaNASA telescopeinto Earth orbit.

With this lastlaunch,if successful,Boeingwill haveplaced17satellitesinto spacein a

recordpaceof just morethantwo months. The launchsurgebeganwhen Globalstar

orderedadditionalDelta 2rocketsto deployhalf of the international consortium's

planned48-satellitesystem. ["Launch will caprecordDelta run," Florida Today,

August 16, 1999, p lB.]

AUGUST 19" Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, August 19, 1999. STS-99:

Yesterday, workers removed the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission payload from

Endeavour's payload bay and today technicians are establishing access to the orbiter's

midbody for planned wiring inspections. Inspections are expected to begin this

weekend. With wiring inspection and maintenance plans now in place,

implementation efforts are in progress across the Shuttle fleet. Shuttle managers are

reviewing several manifest options this week and could establish the new target launch

dates for 1999 as early as next week. Engineers must first define the time that will be

needed to complete the fleet-wide wiring maintenance effort. Shuttle Endeavour

currently remains slated for launch in early October. STS-103: Wiring inspections are

about 25 percent complete aboard Shuttle Discovery. Earlier access allowed workers

to begin inspections on Discovery this week. Technicians have completed installation

of Discovery's external airlock hatch. Electrical connections are complete for the

orbiter's forward reaction control system. Main engine heatshield installation is in

work. STS-101: Orbiter Atlantis is currently being stored inside Vehicle Assembly

Building high bay 2, awaiting the departure of Shuttle Endeavour from OPF bay 2.

Wiring inspections in Atlantis' payload bay are complete and wireless video

modifications have resumed. Atlantis will be moved to the VAB transfer aisle next

week to accommodate external tank transfer activities. Space Shuttle Columbia/OV102: Preparation for Orbiter Maintenance Down Period (OMDP): Orbiter Columbia

is undergoing routine post flight &servicing in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3.

Also, workers are preparing the spacecraft for its upcoming Orbiter Maintenance

Down Period (OMDP) in Palmdale, CA. Columbia is scheduled to be mounted atop

NASA's modified Boeing 747 on Sept. 22. The ferry flight is scheduled to begin on

Sept. 23 with an overnight stop at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Current plans

have Columbia arriving in Palmdale, CA on Sept. 24. Because the orbiter can not be

flown through precipitation of any kind, ferry flight plans are contingent upon

weather conditions in the flight path. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space

Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, August 19].]

AUGUST 24: Beginning a yearlong celebration to mark 50 years of rocket launches

from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan on Tuesday pledged that

Florida will remain a key state for future space flights. Brogan, who is Gov. Jeb Bush's

liaison for space-related issues, said government leaders, the business sector and the

public cooperated to build the state's reputation as the No. 1 location for space

99
launches.That collaborationcould bethe key to continuedsuccess,hesaid. "This

legacy,this history, is really theplatform for what Florida hasthepotential to bein

the 21s'century,if wepartner," Brogansaid. Broganaddressedmorethan 250people

at the gatheringsponsoredby theFlorida SpaceBusinessRoundtable. It wasbilled as

the kickoff for numerouseventsthat will leadto July 24,the 50'hanniversaryof the

first successfullaunchof the Bumperrocketfrom CapeCanaveral.The Bumper wasa

rocket consistingof a GermanV-2missilewith aU.S.Army WAC Corporal rocket as

the secondstage.The first sixBumperswerelaunchedfrom White SandsProving

Groundsin new Mexico. The final two launcheslifted off from CapeCanaveral.As

important asthe Bumper programwasto the developmentof moreadvancedrockets,

including thoseusedby NASA, therehasbeennothing to notethat early launchat the

Air Station. To makeup for that oversight,Brig. Gen.DonaldP.Pettit, the new

commanderof the 45'hSpaceWing atPatrickAir ForceBase,said: "(We are)marking

the spotwhereall this began." At that prompting, Norris Gray, anoriginal member

of the Bumperprogramteam,unveiledastreetsignreading"BumperRoad" marking

the location of the launch. Also unveiledwasacommemorativelogo marking the

Caperocketlaunches.["Broganignitesyearof launchcelebrations," Florida Today,

August 25, 1999, p lB.]

• NASA's next trip to the International Space Station most likely will be delayed

until early next year because of fleetwide inspections to shuttle wiring systems, officials

said Tuesday. A mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, meanwhile, might

move up in NASA's shuttle launch queue, delaying an already postponed radarmapping flight another month. The anticipated changes to NASA's shuttle launch

schedule are expected to be completed late this week or early next week. "It is a direct

result of the fact that we are doing the wiring inspections and repairs," said James

Hartsfield, a spokesman for NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Fleetwide

inspections were ordered after an electrical short circuit caused two engine computers

to fail five seconds into Columbia's July 23 flight. Technicians traced the short to a

defective wire hidden within the shuttle's fuselage. The subsequent discovery of

another damaged wire on Columbia prompted inspections on all shuttles. Since then,

similar damage has been found on Endeavour, Atlantis and Discovery. Once the work

is completed, NASA will lay out a new schedule. ["Wiring checks zap shuttle

schedule," Florida Today, August 25, 1999, p 1A.]

AUGUST 25: A team of KSC experts has developed the complex umbilical system for

the X-33, a half-scale prototype of the planned reusable launch vehicle dubbed

VentureStar. [KSC Countdown, August 26, 1999.]

AUGUST 26: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, August 26, 1999. STS-99:

Following the removal of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission payload from

Endeavour's payload bay last week, technicians are continuing with inspections and

repairs as necessary of the wiring in the orbiter's midbody and aft engine

compartment. These inspections were required for all Shuttle orbiters following

100
missionSTS-93when adamagedwire to amain enginecontroller shortedout.

Preventativemeasuresareunderway to precludesimilar wiring damageon all vehicles.

At this time, over70percentof thework on Endeavouris complete.The SRTM

payloadis currently in the VerticalProcessingFacility andwill remainthereuntil all

wiring work on Endeavouriscomplete. Launchoptionsarebeingreviewedthis week

for Endeavouraswell asDiscovery.No specifictargetlaunchdatesareexpectedto be

announceduntil later next week. STS-103:Wiring inspectionsareabout 50percent

completeaboardthe orbiter Discovery. Launchoptionsarebeingreviewedthis week

for Endeavouraswell asDiscovery.No specifictargetlaunchdatesareexpectedto be

announceduntil laternext week. STS-101:Orbiter Atlantis is currently beingstored

insidethe VehicleAssemblyBuilding,awaitingthe openingof anOrbiter Processing

Facility bay.Wiring inspectionsin Atlantis' payloadbayarecomplete. Atlantis was

moved yesterdayto the VAB transferaislefrom high bay2 to accommodateexternal

tank transferactivities. Shuttlemanagerstoday approvedthe delayof missionSTS-I'01

to Jan.22,2000.SpaceShuttleColumbia/OV-102: Preparationfor Orbiter

MaintenanceDown Period (OMDP): Orbiter Columbia continuesto undergo routine

post flight-deservicingin Orbiter ProcessingFacility bay3. Wiring inspectionsare

completeandthe wire that experiencedthe short on missionSTS-93hasbeenrepaired.

Preventativemeasureshavebeentakento precludesimilar damage.Workers are

preparingthe orbiter for its upcomingOrbiter MaintenanceDown Period (OMDP) in

Palmdale,CA. Columbia isscheduledto bemountedatopNASA's modified Boeing

747on Sept.22. The ferry flight from KSC isscheduledto beginon Sept.23with an

overnight stopat Luke Air ForceBasein Arizona. Current planshaveColumbia

arriving in Palmdaleon Sept.24. Becausethe orbiter cannot beflown through

precipitation of any kind, ferry flight plansarecontingentupon weatherconditions in

theflight path. BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle

Status Report [Online]. AvailableE-mail:domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe

shuttle-status[1999,August26].]

AUGUST 27" A new organizationmeantto boostFlorida-basedspaceresearchwill

meetnext month to decideits "structure,programsandpriorities." The organization,

the Florida SpaceResearchInstitute, initially will helpadminister$200,000in

SpaceportFlorida Authority funds,includingmatchingthem with NASA grantsto

Florida universitiesandcolleges.The institute'sseven-memberboardincludes

representativesfrom the SpaceportFlorida Authority, EnterpriseFlorida Inc., the

Florida Aviation AerospaceAlliance andthe Florida SpaceBusinessRoundtableand

KennedySpaceCentercontractors,includingBionetics,BoeingCo. and Command&

Control Technologies.The institute alsowill supportapartnershipbetweenKennedy

SpaceCenterandFlorida universitiesto developaKSC-basedbiotechnologyand

microgravity payloadfacility that supportsresearchprojectsfor the spaceshuttle, the

SpaceStationandLockheedmartin'sproposedVentureStarreusablelaunchvehicle.

["Group promotesFla.Spaceresearch,"Florida Today, August 28, 1999, p 1C.]

101
• Further inspections of NASA's shuttle fleet have found wire damage in all four of

the agency's orbiters. Future flights were put on hold and inspections ordered after a

short circuit knocked out a pair of main-engine computers seconds after shuttle

Columbia's July 23 liftoff. After the mission, investigators found a wire had been

pressed against the head of a damaged screw during preflight preparations. So far, 20

additional sections of damaged wiring have been found in shuttle Endeavour - the next

orbiter scheduled to fly - including evidence of an old short circuit. Nine damage

areas have been discovered on Discovery. Inspections on those two ships are

continuing. Inspectors are done checking Columbia and shuttle Atlantis. Atlantis had

one area of damage; Columbia had two. Shuttle managers are expected next week to

announce new launch dates for Endeavour's radar-mapping mission and a flight by

Discovery to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. Which mission will go first has not

been determined, but neither is likely to launch before mid-October. NASA already

has moved a space-station supply flight aboard Atlantis from December to January.

Columbia is scheduled for transport to Southern California next month for a year of

refurbishing. ["All 4 space shuttles have damaged wires," The Orlando Sentinel,

August 28, 1999, p A-3.]

AUGUST 31: Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, August 31, 1999. STS-99:

Endeavour's payload bay doors have been reopened following their closure last Friday

due to the potential for tropical storm strength winds from Hurricane Dennis over the

weekend. Technicians this week will continue with inspections and repairs as necessary

of the wiring in the orbiter's midbody. These inspections were required for all Shuttle

orbiters following mission STS-93 when a damaged wire to a main engine controller

shorted out. Preventative measures are under way to preclude similar wiring damage

on all vehicles. Engineers are continuing to analyze a bent freon line associated with

payload bay support equipment for the SRTM payload. The bent line was reported

earlier this month by a technician working on wiring inspections in that area of

Endeavour's cargo bay. The freon line is part of a cooling system for some of the

SRTM electronics. Although the bent line has not shown any evidence of a leak,

engineers are evaluating the possibility of either bracing or replacing the line to prevent

further damage that could result from vibrations experienced at launch. Launch

options are being reviewed this week for Space Shuttles Endeavour and Discovery. No

specific target launch dates will be announced until a review of the wiring inspections

is conducted later in the week and managers are satisfied with the progress of repairs.

STS-103: Wiring inspections and repairs continue aboard the orbiter Discovery. The

payload bay doors are open following their precautionary closure this weekend due to

the potential for high winds from Hurricane Dennis. The crew for mission STS-103

will be at KSC later this week for their scheduled Crew Equipment Interface Test

(CELT). STS-101: Orbiter Atlantis is currently being stored inside the Vehicle

Assembly Building, awaiting the opening of an Orbiter Processing Facility bay.

Preliminary wiring inspections are complete and a more thorough inspection will

begin once Atlantis is moved to the Orbiter Processing Facility. Preparations are

underway at this time to move Atlantis from the VAB transfer aisle to VAB high bay 2

102
on Wednesday.BruceBuckingham.(1999).KennedySpaceCenter SpaceShuttle

Status Report [Online]. AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe

shuttle-status[1999,August31].]

DURING AUGUST: The failure of a Boeing Inertial Upper Stage during the Apr. 9

Titan IVB hunch of a missile warning satellite at Cape Canaveral was caused when a

thermal wrap and tape applied to a harness and connector prevented proper

disconnection of a plug linking the first and second stages of the IUS, according to a

U.S. Air Force investigation. The second stage was therefore still connected to the first

stage at one location in a hinged clamshell fashion when the should have separated

cleanly. When the second stage attempted to deploy its extendible nozzle and fire, the

nozzle was damaged and the stage was in an improper attitude. This resulted in the

$250-million Defense Support Program missile warning satellite being placed in a

useless elliptical orbit. The Air Force has also detailed the cause of a May 8 incident on

Launch Complex 17A here when a USAF/Lockheed martin GPS spacecraft received

$2.1 million in water damage from rain penetrating its clean room atop the pad. The

Air Force determined that rain penetrated the clean room because of "the structural

condition of the room where the satellite [was] kept and the lack of process to discover

holes in the room." The mishap review board also determined that "a failure to follow

procedures for fabricating and installing" a rain shield around the satellite also allowed

the rainwater that penetrated the clean room to reach the satellite. ["Plug Wrap,

Procedures Let to IUS Failure," Aviation Week & Space Technology, August 23,

1999, p 34.]

• The Hughes Space and Communications Co. has asked NASA, on behalf of

international insurance underwriters, to launch the shuttle on a commercial space

salvage mission to capture the wayward Hughes Orion 3 communications satellite so

astronauts can attach a new upper stage rocket motor to the stranded satcom. The

shuttle crew would then release Orion 3 so it could climb into geosynchronous

transfer orbit, then stationary orbit, to complete its communications mission. Loral,

which would have owned the spacecraft, received a $265-million insurance payoff this

month on the failed Delta III mission that stranded Orion 3. Insurance underwriters

now own the spacecraft, ff reconfigured by shuttle astronauts, then boosted as

intended, Orion 3 has the potential of earning $1 billion or more over more than 10

years of service life for whatever communications company the satellite is sold to after

placed into proper orbit. If the shuttle rescue of Orion 3 is approved by NASA, it

would return the shuttle program to the same type of daring commercial space salvage

operations it performed in the mid-1980s and early 1990s. ["Space Shuttle Rescue

Sought for Orion 3," Aviation Week & Space Technology, August 23, 1999, p 36.]

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SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER 2: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, September 2, 1999. Shuttle

managers today reviewed the progress of electrical wiring inspections and repairs on

Endeavour and Discovery. Although the work is progressing well, evaluations of the

findings thus far are continuing and managers have expanded the inspections based on

those findings, including further inspections of areas below the floor of the payload

bay. The time required to complete the work is still being assessed. Managers do not

plan to discuss target launch dates for upcoming missions until more of the work has

been completed, however it is anticipated that no mission could technically be ready

for launch before mid-October at the earliest. Although damage to wiring has been

found and repaired in each orbiter, the primary focus of the inspections and repairs is

to put measures in place that ensure damage to wiring does not recur. Those measures

include installing flexible plastic tubing over some wiring, smoothing and coating

rough edges in the proximity of wiring, and installing various other protective

shielding where needed. Also, the ground procedures and equipment used when

preparing the orbiters for flight are being revised to reduce the potential for technicians

to cause inadvertent damage, and plans are being formulated to ensure that electrical

wiring is subject to a thorough inspection regularly as part of standard shuttle

maintenance. "Our focus is to be absolutely certain that we do our very best to find,

fix and prevent any recurrence of this problem," Space Shuttle Program Manager

Ron Dittemore said. "We will not discuss potential launch dates for upcoming

missions until we are satisfied that we have done everything we need to do to fly

safely. That has and will always be our top priority." When completed, the technicians

will have inspected roughly 100 miles of electrical wiring in each of the four Shuttle

orbiters, comprehensively covering the vast majority of the main electrical wiring

from nose to tail of the spacecraft. The areas designated for inspection have been

identified by gauging their susceptibility to damage by the amount of work generally

performed in those areas in the past; past modifications made to the orbiter in those

areas; and the past record of wiring damage reports in those areas. Although numerous

locations throughout the orbiters have been identified that require additional

preventative measures, the number of places identified in each orbiter where wire has

required repair includes: * Endeavour - 38; " Discovery - 26; * Atlantis -- full

inspections will begin later this month; * Columbia -- other than initial inspections

associated with the short experienced during STS-93, full wiring inspections will be

performed when Columbia arrives at the Boeing North American shuttle factory in

Palmdale, Ca., late this month. The repaired wires include areas such as connectors

that require some additional insulation and other improvements. Less than half of

those identified above are locations where wire repairs related to nicks and other

inadvertent damage were required. The inspections have revealed no wiring problems

related to age or wear factors. Payload engineers have determined that the bent freon

line associated with the SRTM payload will be repaired with a brace and replacing the

line will not be necessary. The bent line was reported earlier this month by a

technician working in that area. The freon line is part of a cooling system for some of

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the SRTM electronics. Orbiter Atlantis is currently beingstoredinsidethe Vehicle

AssemblyBuilding, awaitingthe openingof Orbiter ProcessingFacility bay3. Wiring

inspectionswill beginonceAtlantis is movedto the OPF. Orbiter Columbia

continuesto undergoroutine postflight-deservicingin Orbiter ProcessingFacility bay

3.Workers arepreparingthe orbiter for its upcomingOrbiter MaintenanceDown

Period(OMDP) in Palmdale,CA. OnceatPalmdale,extensivewiring inspectionswill

beconducted.Columbia is scheduledto bemountedatopNASA's modifiedBoeing

747onSept.22. The ferry flight from KSCis scheduledto beginon Sept.23with an

overnight stopat Luke Air ForceBasein Arizona. Current planshaveColumbia

arriving in Palmdaleon Sept.24. Becausetheorbiter cannot beflown through

precipitationof any kind, ferry flight plansarecontingentupon weatherconditions in

the flight path. BruceBuckingham.(1999).KennedySpaceCenter SpaceShuttle

StatusReport [Online]. AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe

shuttle-status[1999,September2].]

• Thethird InternationalSpaceStation(ISS)flight, STS-101,hasbeenrescheduled

for launchof Jan.22,2000. The 11-daymissionis expectedto return to KSC on Feb.

2, 2000.STS-101will includetwo EVAs for externalequipmenttransfer. [KSC

Countdown, September2, 1999.]

• Nudesunbathershavequietly baskedin the sunatPlayalindaBeachthis summer

without beingticketedfor sheddingtheir clothes.The citation-freesummeristhe first

since1995,whenBrevardCounty commissionerspassedanordinanceprohibiting

thongs,T-backsandpublic nudity. Lastyear,Brevardsheriff'sdeputiesissuedtickets

or arrested16nudesunbathersatPlayalindaBeach,which is at CanaveralNational

Seashore,afederalproperty. In 1997, 60 people were arrested or ticketed. ["Nude

Playalinda sunbathers go ticketless," Florida Today, September 3, 1999, p 1A.]

• When Congress returns after Labor Day, one of the first orders of business will be

a spending bill that cuts $1 billion from the NASA budget, a move that could bring

more layoffs. In its current form, the bill gives NASA $12.6 billion. That's enough to

keep the costly International Space Station project going by cutting other missions,

including a satellite Vice President A1 Gore wants launched so it can beam pictures of

Earth to the Internet. NASA supporters are hopeful that between now and Oct. 1, the

start of the new fiscal year, money wilt be found to boost the civilian space agency's

budget allocation. But if the cut sticks, thousands of NASA workers could lose their

jobs, space agency Administrator Daniel Goldin has said. President Clinton had asked

for $13.5 billion for NASA in fiscal year 2000. The space agency's budget for the

current fiscal year is $13.6 billion. ["NASA backers hope House won't Ok cuts,"

Florida Today, September 3, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

SEPTF_.MBER 4" In what would be one of the most significant national space policy

changes in 50 years, the Clinton administration is moving to take away total control of

U.S. launch ranges from the military. The goal: to run the ranges more like civilian

105
airports. That would giveU.S. industry the flexibility to carry out national security

missions for the pentagon and science missions for NASA, while vying for a bigger

share of the global market to launch commercial satellites. The U.S. Air Force for five

decades has run the federal government's Eastern and Western launch ranges, which are

based at Cape Canaveral Air Station and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Each of the ranges includes widespread networks of ground stations used to track

rockets in flight and destroy them if they stray off course and threaten public safety in

the United States or foreign countries. Long the exclusive domain of the Department

of Defense and NASA, the ranges now host more commercial launches than military

or civil government missions. That trend is expected to continue because of global

demand for satellite television, telephone and data relay services, and the fact U.S.

rocket companies will launch most Pentagon and NASA missions during the 21 _

century. In the near term, the Air Force would be ordered to "establish a more

businesslike management organization to balance national security, civil and

commercial interests," the report states. Within a couple of years, the White House

would establish a new federal office - jointly managed by the Air Force, the Federal

Aviation Administration and perhaps NASA - to run the ranges and protect the public

from runaway or exploding rockets. ["Military's role in running ranges may be

reduced," Florida Today, September 5, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

• Thiokol Propulsion has signed a $1.7 billion contract extension to build the space

shuttle's solid rocket boosters through 2005. "This says we're going to be building

solid rocket motors for the shuttle for a long time," said Bob Crippen, president of

Thiokol Propulsion, a division of Salt Lake City-based Cordant Technologies.

Crippen, a former astronaut, said the company expects future extensions and NASA

has said that it will fly the shuttle at least through 2012. The new contract is the sixth

in a series of pacts awarded to Thiokol for the design, development, production and

refurbishment of shuttle boosters. Under its provisions, Thiokol will use new and

refurbished hardware to provide 70 flight motors - enough for 35 space shuttle flights

- and three test boosters. Delivery of the first flight booster is scheduled for this

month. Thiokol has delivered 146 flight rockets since 1988, when NASA reinstituted

shuttle flights following the Challenger explosion, blamed on the failure of seals on the

solid rocket boosters. The boosters were redesigned after the accident and have

performed without serious problems. ["Thiokol signs contract extension for space

shuttle rocket boosters," Florida Today, September 5, 1999, p 1E.]

SEPTEMBER 6: If proposed spaceship called VentureStar flies someday, Florida's

aerospace leaders say they are more confident that ever it will do so from the state's

launch pads. But they admit there's one nagging problem in the 15-state competition

to be the launch site for the Lockheed Martin vehicle. It may never get off the ground.

That's why, although they're focused on VentureStar right now, state officials say they

will broaden their net to try to attract any future launch vehicles. They hope to catch

whatever actually makes it into space. Concerns stem from Lockheed Martin's delays

in building the X-33 vehicle that is meant to test key technologies for the VentureStar

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spaceship.The X-33is ahalf-sizedmodelof VentureStarandmust fly successfully

beforeLockheedMartin decideswhetherto continuedevelopingthe larger,more

complexspaceship.Setto beginthis summer,the X-33'stestflights werepushedback

ayearto July 2000becausemoretime is neededto build the advancedenginesand

lightweight fuel tanksthat will beusedonthe vehicle. NASA - which haspaid

LockheedMartin morethan$900million to usetoward the X-33- would beaprime

customerbecauseVentureStarcouldferry suppliesandcrewsto the International Space

Station. Around the year2012,VentureStarcould replacethe agency'sspaceshuttles

completelywhen they retire after30or moreyearsof service.["Officials surestatecan

lureVentureStar," Florida Today, September 7, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

SEPTEMBER 7: NASA has pulled one of its most experienced spacewalkers from a

space station construction mission for undisclosed reasons, officials said Tuesday. The

astronaut, Mark Lee, is a veteran of four flights with more than 26 hours of

spacewalks, including three excursions to improve the Hubble Space Telescope in

1997. NASA officials won't say why the 47-year-old Air Force colonel was replaced,

or what duties to which he is currently assigned. "It's an internal astronaut office

matter, and because of that I'm not a liberty to discuss the details," said Ed Campion, a

spokesman at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Lee has been replaced by

astronaut Bob Curbeam, who has flown once and was training to perform spacewalks

on another station flight. NASA officials say the switch won't affect the mission.

["Veteran spacewalker bumped from mission," Florida Today, September 8, 1999, p

1A.]

SEPTEMBER 9: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, September 9, 1999. NOTE:

Although inspections and repairs of electrical wiring are continuing, Space Shuttle

managers today announced tentative target launch dates for the next two Shuttle

missions, STS-103 and STS-99. Managers established STS-103, the Hubble Space

Telescope Servicing Mission 3A, as the next Shuttle flight with a launch targeted for no

earlier than Oct. 28, 1999. A target launch date of no earlier than Nov. 19, 1999, was

set for the launch of STS-99, the Space Radar Topography Mission. Managers have

directed all those involved in flight preparations to work toward these dates, however

the launch dates remain tentative pending the outcome of the current wiring work.

"We've established these planning dates so that those involved in flight preparations

can establish the proper order of priority for work on each mission," Space Shuttle

Program Manager Ron Dittemore said. "However, we are continuing to review the

progress of wiring inspections and repairs on Endeavour and Discovery and, as part of

our continuing evaluations of those activities, we may need to revisit the subject and

further adjust our target launch dates as those repairs progress. We will not fly any

mission until we are satisfied that we have safely resolved the all wiring problems we

have found." STS-103: Wiring inspections and repairs continue aboard Discovery.

Most of the work in the forward crew and aft engine compartments is complete.

Emphasis is now being concentrated on work in the midbody. Also, the Crew

Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) was successfully conducted late last week. STS-99:

Wiring inspections and repairs continue in the orbiter's midbody and aft engine

107
compartment.Inspectionsandrepairsin theforward crewcompartmentarecomplete.

Also, fabricationof the SRTM freon line reinforcementclampassemblyhasbegun.

The manufacturingof the clampwasdoneatKSCandwill bereadythis week for afit

check.The fixture isscheduledto beinstalledfor flight in thepayloadbaynext week.

STS-101:Orbiter Atlantis is currently beingstoredinsidethe VehicleAssembly

Building awaiting the openingof anOrbiter ProcessingFacility bay. Preliminary

wiring inspectionsarecomplete.A morethorough inspectionwill beginonceAtlantis

is movedto the Orbiter ProcessingFacility. LastWednesday,Atlantis wasmovedfrom

the VAB transferaisleto VAB high bay2.Preparationfor Orbiter MaintenanceDown

Period (OMDP): Initial wiring inspectionsarecompleteonthe orbiter Columbia in

Orbiter ProcessingFacility bay3. Work continuesto preparethe vehiclefor its ferry

flight to Palmdale,CA, for its scheduledOrbiter MaintenanceDown Period (OMDP).

Columbia is scheduledto betowed to the ShuttleLandingFacility on Sept.22whereit

will bematedto the modifiedBoeing747.The ferry flight from KSC isscheduledto

beginon Sept.23with anovernight stopat Luke Air ForceBasein Arizona. Columbia

will departLuke the following day,arriving in Palmdaleon Sept.24.Ferry flight plans

arecontingentupon weatherconditionsin the flight pathandthe vehiclecould be

divertedto other facilitieswith little notice. BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy

Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, September 9].]

• Turning aside complaints from pro-space legislators, the House of representatives

cut $1 billion from NASA's spending bill on Thursday. Now the measure moves to

the Senate with the thorny question of giving more money to the civilian space agency

at the expense of veterans' health care and low-income housing programs. NASA

Administrator Daniel Goldin warned that a cut that deep would force thousands of

layoffs and lead to closing at least two of the agency's nine space centers. Many prospace legislators anticipate NASA will ultimately get the money back - possibly as part

of a broad, 11th-hour spending deal between congressional leaders and the Clinton

administration. Also, Thursday, the House International Relations Committee passed

legislation to withhold U.S. assistance to support Russia's involvement in the

International Space Station unless the White House certifies Russian companies are not

transferring missile and weapons technology to Iran. ["House trims $1 billion off

NASA budget," Florida Today, September 10, 1999, p 1A & 10A.]

SEPTEMBER 10" As Lockheed Martin prepares one Atlas rocket for launch Monday

after a four-month hiatus, engine concerns have again sidelined two sister vehicles the

company once said were cleared for flight. Officials say the second round of

inspections of an Atlas rocket slated to launch a navy communications satellite later

this month has raised new concerns about one of the two upper stages engines. The

launch has been put on hold, and the suspect engine may have to be replaced. In

addition, an Atlas set to launch NASA's Terra environmental research satellite had

received approval for launch by Lockheed Martin but has been grounded again. The

reason: NASA wants its upper stage engines reinspected. The space agency has not yet

108
approvedthe methodLockheedMartin is usingto clearthe enginesfor flight. The one

Atlas rocket that hasbeengivenacleanbill of healthisawaiting lifioff from Cape

Canaveralearly Monday carryingaTV broadcastingsatellite. The launchwindow will

extendfrom 1:11to 3:10a.m. Air Forcemeteorologistsarepredicting an80percent

chanceof goodweather. ["Atlas rocket launchsetfor Monday," Florida Today,

September11,1999,p 2A.]

SEPTEMBER 11: The chief of Florida's 10 public universities will meet with

Kennedy Space Center Director Roy Bridges on Tuesday (September 14, 1999) to talk

about the state's growing interest in the commercial space industry. University

Chancellor Adam Herbert wants to discuss the Florida Space Research Institute, a

consortium of public and private universities, industry leaders and state officials the

Legislature created this year. ["Universities vie for space research," Florida Today,

September 12, 1999, p 1A.]

SEPTEMBER 13: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, September 13, 1999.

Hurricane Floyd Preparation Status: Over the weekend, KSC workers got a head start

on implementation of the center's standard hurricane preparedness plan. By about 9

p.m. tonight, all possible steps to protect Shuttle flight hardware, payloads, equipment

and facilities will be accomplished at KSC. Should Hurricane Floyd continue on its

predicted track, all KSC employees will be released from work at about 4:30 p.m.

today to allow adequate time for personal hurricane preparation. Forecasters currently

indicate that Central Florida's east coast could experience winds in excess of 50 knots

by 4 p.m. Tuesday and in excess of I00 knots by 2 a.m. Wednesday. Space Shuttles

Discovery, Endeavour and Columbia remain in Orbiter Processing Facility bays 1, 2

and 3 respectively. Orbiter Atlantis is being stored in Vehicle Assembly Building high

bay 2. Today, workers closed the payload bay doors on all orbiters and are protecting

the landing gear as part of standard hurricane protection efforts. Shuttle and payload

test equipment will be raised above floor level to avert flood damage. The Rotating

Service Structures at Launch Pads 39A and 39B will be rotated back to the Fixed

Service Structures to maximize their protection from high winds. Eleven solid rocket

booster segments are being prepared for transport to Tallahassee, FL, by railroad. If

railroad traffic and local evacuation efforts prohibit transport efforts, the segments will

be secured at KSC underneath their railcar covers. The Vehicle Assembly Building and

launch pads can withstand winds of 125 mph. The Orbiter Processing Facility can

withstand winds of 105 mph and other payload and flight hardware support facilities

can endure winds of 110 mph. Besides protecting the orbiters and payloads within the

facilities, the buildings themselves are being secured. This includes boarding windows,

removing or tying down antennas, and sandbagging doors. The Kennedy Space Center

elevation is approximately nine feet, so a concern for water intrusion exists in the

event of a storm surge. The Orbiter Processing Facility is designed to withstand winds

of 105 mph, the VAB, PHSF and launch pads 125 mph, and the other payload and

flight hardware facilities, 110 mph. In the Space Station Processing Facility, the

International Space Station flight hardware is already elevated in test stands but are also

being covered. Test equipment is also being elevated and covered. The SRTM payload

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will ride out thestorm in the SpaceStationProcessingFacility high bay insidethe

payloadcanisterwith the doorsclosed.In the PayloadHazardousServicingFacility,

the Hubble SpaceTelescopeflight elementsarebeingbaggedandthe testequipment

covered. Rideout crews totaling about 120 individuals will be stationed throughout

KSC during the storm. At about 4 p.m. Tuesday, a decision will be made to keep the

rideout crews on location at KSC or to have then evacuate the center as well. KSC is

scheduled to be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy

Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, September 13].]

SEPTEMBER 14: Eighty workers volunteered to stay behind at the evacuated

Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday to ride out Hurricane Floyd, which NASA feared

could destroy the launch pads and shuttle hangars. Forecasters warned the storm could

pass 35 miles to 50 miles offshore, bringing wind of 130 mph Wednesday morning.

NASA evacuated its approximately 12, 500 workers Monday and closed down the

space center. It also reduced its usual skeleton staff of 120. "Everybody else is gone.

It's kind of eerie out here," NASA spokesman George Diller, one of the volunteers,

said by telephone from a fortified building at the space center. "I kind of can feel the

concern growing." NASA feared not only the wind, but the storm surge: The space

center is barely nine feet above sea level. And the facility's space shuttle hangars and

launch pads are designed to withstand wind of no more than 125 mph. All four

shuttles, worth $2 billion apiece, are parked indoors. At the nearby Cape Canaveral

Air Station, four rockets stand exposed to the storm on their launch pads. The next

shuttle mission is scheduled for the end of October but probably will be delayed

because of the interruption in work. ["Small group of volunteers stays at space

center," Florida Today, September 15, 1999, p 2A.]

SEPTEMBER 15: A deep cut in spending that threatened to wreak havoc for NASA

was eliminated Wednesday in the Senate's version of next year's federal budget. The

House voted to cut $1 billion from the agency's existing $13.6 billion budget for space

research and exploration. But the Senate Appropriations subcommittee for space,

veterans programs and housing put the money back in Wednesday by raiding the

human-services budget. Although the transfer will set off other budget problems in

Congress, top senators on the committee were optimistic that NASA's budget, held to

zero growth in recent years, will be spared a reduction when the next fiscal year starts

in October. The full Senate will vote on the budget as early as next week. A

conference committee will then work out differences with the House later this month.

["Senate restores $1 billion to NASA," The Orlando Sentinel, September 16, 1999, p

A-6.]

• Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Station and Patrick Air Force Base

reported only superficial damage from Hurricane Floyd on Wednesday. All three are

expected to operate normally today. NASA's shuttle fleet was kept safe inside facilities

at KSC, where Hurricane Floyd caused only minor damage to the center's grounds and

110
somestructures. Water wasblown underthedoor of a hangarwherethree of NASA's

$2 billion spaceships are being prepared for future missions. But it didn't reach the

shuttles. "God has been good to us," NASA Administrator Dane Goldin told CNN

early Wednesday. Officials had worried that the spaceships could have been damaged

extensively if Floyd had made a direct hit in the region with winds of 140 mph. None

of the shuttles were in facilities built to withstand winds greater than 125 mph. Goldin

said "the space agency will have to look hard" at the precautions it should take for

future hurricanes. "This rings a warning bell," he said. At Cape Canaveral Air

Station, the four rockets that were left outside on their launch pad were not outwardly

damaged by the storm. The rockets are protected by launch towers that can withstand

winds up to 120 mph. "From the outside, there doesn't appear to be any damage," said

Lynda Yezzi, a spokeswoman for the 4Y h Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base.

["NASA, Air Force report superficial damage," Florida Today, September 16, 1999, p

1A.]

SEPTEMBER 17: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, September 17, 1999. NOTE:

Kennedy Space Center employees returned to work Thursday from two days of

administrative leave after Hurricane Floyd headed north along the east coast of

Florida. The Space Shuttle orbiters and associated flight components were undamaged

by the high winds and rain. Also, no damage was reported to any other flight

hardware, the International Space Station elements, the SRTM payload, or the Hubble

Space Telescope servicing mission components. The highest winds recorded were 91

mph from the NNW at 4:50 a.m. on Wednesday at a weather tower located between

Shuttle Launch Pad 39A and Launch Complex 41. The maximum sustained winds

were recorded at 66 mph. The highest amount of rain recorded at KSC was 2.82 inches

as the eye of Hurricane Floyd passed 121 miles east of Cape Canaveral at 4 a.m.

Wednesday. Minor damage at KSC included numerous signs, some trees, and two

traffic lights blown over. Some VAB siding panels were blown off on the east and west

sides of the building, however, no structural damage occurred. There was minor

damage at pad 39B to the weather protection panels that enclose the pad's primary

electrical system. Some water intrusion occurred underneath hangar doors at the

Orbiter Processing Facility high bays, the doors of the adjacent main engine

maintenance facility, and the north door of the VAB transfer aisle. STS-103: Yesterday

afternoon, Shuttle managers reviewed the progress of ongoing wiring inspections and

repairs to orbiters Endeavour and Discovery and adjusted the planning date for launch

of the next Space Shuttle mission to no earlier than Nov. 19. Managers also decided to

preserve the option to launch either STS-99, the Space Radar Topography Mission or

STS-103, the Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 3A, as the next flight.

Although a few work days at the Kennedy Space Center were lost due to Hurricane

Floyd, the primary rationale for adjusting the planning launch dates are the continuing

inspections and repairs of electrical wiring. Technicians are still in the midst of

conducting the work on Endeavour and Discovery, including inspections of wiring

located under the liner of the payload bay that were added to the plans earlier this

month. Managers plan to meet again next week to further review the progress of the

work and possibly set new target launch dates. Managers also conducted a

111
comprehensive review of the electrical wiring on other Shuttle components, including

the solid rocket boosters, external tank and main engines, and found no need for

further inspections of those components. STS-101: Orbiter Atlantis remains inside

Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 2, awaiting the departure of Shuttle Columbia

from OPF bay 3. Managers plan to move Atlantis to the OPF next week. While in the

VAB, Atlantis has undergone midbody wire inspections. Further wire inspection and

repair will be conducted in the OPF. Preparation for Orbiter Maintenance Down

Period (OMDP): Orbiter Columbia's departure for Palmdale, CA has been delayed as

a result of Hurricane Floyd's threat and KSC's mandatory evacuation. Final

preparations for the cross-country ferry flight are under way and managers plan to

move Columbia to the Mate/Demate Device at the Shuttle Landing Facility on Friday.

Columbia will be mounted atop NASA's modified Boeing 747 on Sept. 24 and

departure is currently slated for Sept. 25. An overnight stop at Luke Air Force Base is

currently scheduled to accommodate refueling requirements for the Shuttle Carrier

Aircraft. Current plans have Columbia arriving in Palmdale, CA on Sept. 26.

Because the orbiter can not be flown through precipitation of any kind, ferry flight

plans are contingent upon weather conditions in the flight path. Bruce Buckingham.

(1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available Email: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, September 17].]

SEPTEMBER 18: NASA's stalled International Space Station construction project

soon will get a major jump-start with the long-delayed launch of a crucial Russian

command and control module. Already more than a year behind schedule, Russia's

Zvezda module, which will double as living quarters for early station crews, is

scheduled for launch Nov. 12 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakstan. ["Crucial

station piece set for Nov. launch," Florida Today, September 19, 1999, p 1A.]

SEPTEMBER 19: A NASA name tag coated with lunar dust that was worn by an

astronaut who walked on the moon sold at auction for $310,500. The 6-by-12-inch

cloth keepsake was cut from an insulated jacket worn by an astronaut, the late James

Irwin, during the 1971 flight of Apollo 15. The lunar dust - which created a dark gray

tint around the raised edges of the tag - became embedded into the tag during three

separate moon walks Irwin took. The item, which was sold Saturday by Christie's

auction house on behalf of Irwin's estate, sold for three times its presale estimate and

was the highest-selling lot in the sale of nearly 300 space-related items. ["NASA tag

with moon dust sells for $310,500," Florida Today, September 20, 1999, p 2A.]

SEPTEMBER 20" NASA and Boeing are celebrating the opening of a new NASA

Technical Records Center in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, September 21, at

10:30 a.m. The new facility, completed in June, solved several space issues for NASA

and Boeing through an innovative agreement and excellent teamwork. Boeing gained

the space they needed to support their new Delta IV program and NASA gained a new

records storage site. Center Director Roy Bridges and other officials will be attending

the ceremony. ["Ribbon cutting ceremony for NASA Technical Records Center,"

NASA News Release #73-99, September 20, 1999.]

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• NASA on Monday launched an investigation into the way maintenance work is

done on its space shuttle fleet, a move prompted by the discovery of damaged electrical

wiring on all four vehicles. The problems were detected during inspections that were

ordered after an electrical short knocked out two main engine computers during a July

23 shuttle launch. NASA space flight chief Joe Rothenberg tapped Henry McDonald,

director of NASA's Ames Research Center near Mountain View, Calif., to head the

probe. His job: Review all shuttle maintenance practices at Kennedy Space Center as

well as work done when the vehicles are periodically shipped to California for

modifications. McDonald will form a team that includes top maintenance experts

from NASA, the military and the commercial airline and aerospace industries.

Preliminary findings are due in October. ["NASA team to probe shuttle work,"

Florida Today, September 21, 1999, p 1A]

• Cautious but not alarmed, NASA and Air Force officials made some preparations

Monday for the heavy rains expected today from Tropical Storm Harvey. At Kennedy

Space Center, officials expected no threat to the four shuttles, which remain safely

tucked in their hangars. Minor work was being done to other buildings. "We're

concerned a little bit about the heavy rains, so we're sandbagging some doors in areas

that are prone to (flooding), but overall, we don't expect anything serious," said

George Diller, a KSC spokesman. As a precautionary measure, NASA did put plastic

covers on some pieces of the International Space Station that are undergoing work

inside a KSC facility. Four rockets are on their launch pads at Cape Canaveral Air

Station, but all will be protected inside structures that can withstand winds up to 120

mph. Harvey's top wind gusts should be no stronger than 80 mph. Harvey did scuttle

the planned launch early Wednesday of an Atlas rocket loaded with a TV satellite.

Lockheed Martin officials will now try to launch the vehicle between 1:07 and 3:06

a.m. Thursday, weather permitting. ["NASA, Air Force prepare for Harvey,"

Florida Today, September 21, 1999, p 7A.]

SEPTEMBER 21: From outer space to cyberspace, veteran astronaut Sally Ride on

Tuesday was appointed president of Space.com, the Internet site devoted to covering

the news and science of space. ["Space.com chooses astronaut as president," The

Orlando Sentinel, September 22, 1999, p A-7.]

SEPTEMBER 22: Space Shuttle Status Report, Wednesday, September 22, 1999. STS103: Inspections of the wiring in Discovery's forward and aft compartments are

complete. Inspection and repair of the wiring in Discovery's midbody, above the

payload bay liner, are very near completion. About 50 percent of wiring inspections

and repairs below the payload bay liner are complete. NASA's wiring inspection and

repair efforts have focused on high traffic areas within the orbiter and in areas where

work had recently been performed. This week workers replaced an oxidizer valve on

Discovery's orbiter maneuvering system and wire protection work continues. Shuttle

managers will meet Thursday afternoon to discuss the progress of the ongoing wiring

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maintenanceeffort, andto discussmissionpriority andtargetlaunchdatesfor

upcomingflights. STS-99:Orbiter Endeavourhasundergoneinspectionsof the

forward, midbody andaft compartmentsandrepaireffortsabovethe payloadbay

liner arenearcomplete. Wiring protection effortsareongoingandinspectionsbeneath

the orbiter's payloadbayliner will beginasaccessisestablished.Lastweekend,

workers replacedEndeavour'soxygen/nitrogenpanelandtoday leakchecksareunder

way. In the SpaceStationProcessingFacility, the freonline reinforcementclampwill

beinstalledon the SRTM payloadlaterthis week. STS-101:Orbiter Atlantis remains

insideVehicleAssemblyBuilding high bay2, awaitingthedepartureof Shuttle

Columbia from OPF bay3. Managersplan to moveAtlantis to the OPF on Friday.

While in the VAB, Atlantis hasundergonemidbodywire inspectionsandwireless

videosysteminstallation is ongoing. Further wire inspectionandrepairwill be

conductedin the OPF.Preparationfor Orbiter MaintenanceDown Period (OMDP):

Orbiter Columbia's departurefor Palmdale,CA is currently scheduledto occurat

about7 a.m.Friday. Final preparationsfor the cross-countryferry flight areunderway

andmanagersplan to moveColumbia to the Mate/DemateDeviceat the Shuttle

LandingFacility earlytomorrow morning. Columbiawill then bemounted atop

NASA's modified Boeing747for departurethe nextday.The plannedovernight stop

at Luke Air ForceBasehasbeencanceled.Following the crashof anF-16at Luke on

Monday andanexpectedone-dayslip in Columbia'sarrival in Arizona, Luke officials

expressedShuttlesupport concerns.The currentferry flight plan hasFort Worth, TX

slatedasits only refuelingstopandindicatesaPalmdale,CA arrival beforesundown

on Friday, Sept.24. Becausethe orbiter cannot beflown through precipitation of any

kind, ferry flight plansarecontingentuponweatherconditionsin the flight path.

BruceBuckingham.(1999).KennedySpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status Report

[Online]. AvailableE-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,

September22].]

SEPTEMBER 23: NASA has yet to calculate the cost of the safety stand down that

has idled its space shuttles, but wiring inspections and maintenance alone have cost

about $350,000, a space agency official told a House subcommittee Thursday.

Additionally, United Space Alliance, the private aerospace consortium maintaining the

shuttles, will not receive an estimated $2.5 million payment it would have otherwise

earned for the on-time delivery of an orbiter for the next scheduled shuttle launch.

Former astronaut Michael McCulley, vice president and deputy program manager for

the alliance, told members of the House Space and Aeronautics subcommittee his

company accepts full responsibility for wiring damage found in Columbia, Discovery,

Endeavour and Atlantis. He said the company is doing so even though the problems

may stem from maintenance performed on the orbiters before USA took over

operational responsibility for the craft. Thursday's hearing was the first official

accounting lawmakers received since the decision was made earlier this month to

ground the shuttle fleet pending a thorough inspection for damaged wiring. ["Shuttle

wiring inspections, maintenance cost $350,000," Florida Today, September 24, 1999,

p 4A.]

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SEPTEMBER 24: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, September 24, 1999. STS-103:

Based on the progress of wiring inspections and repairs on Discovery, Shuttle managers

today decided to place priority on launching mission STS-103, the Hubble Space

Telescope Servicing Mission 3A, as the next Shuttle flight. Discovery is now planned

for launch no earlier than Nov. 19, although a target launch date will continue to be

assessed as the inspections and repairs continue. Because the area under the liner of

Discovery's payload bay has been more easily accessible, the planned wiring work has

progressed quicker on Discovery than it has on Endeavour. The decision to plan STS103 as the next Shuttle flight was based on that progress. STS-99: Managers also

continue working toward a possible launch of Endeavour this year on mission STS-99,

the Space Radar Topography Mission. However, according to the current status of

wiring work on Endeavour, it is projected that it could be ready for a launch of STS-99

no earlier than December. Managers plan to continue to assess the progress of the

wiring inspections and repairs on both orbiters weekly and to adjust target launch

dates once the time required to complete the work is better understood. ST8-101:

Atlantis was moved from the VAB to Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2 this morning.

In the OPF, the vehicle will undergo wire inspections similar to those of Discovery

and Endeavour. Preparation for Orbiter Maintenance Down Period (OMDP):

Columbia's ferry flight to Palmdale, CA, began today for its regularly scheduled

Orbiter Maintenance Down Period (OMDP). The orbiter, atop the modified Boeing

747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), departed KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at 12:15

p.m. en route to Whiteman Air Force Base, MO, which is about an hour southeast of

Kansas City, MO. Columbia landed at Whiteman at about 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time

and will remain there overnight. Tomorrow the SCA will depart for Palmdale, CA.,

and arrive at about 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Ferry flight plans are contingent upon

weather conditions in the flight path, and the vehicle could be diverted to other

facilities with little notice. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, September 24].]

• When Columbia made the first shuttle flight in 1981, the future looked promising

for the U.S. space program - and for NASA subcontractor USBI Co. Eighteen years

later, as the sounds of Columbia's engines faded during its July flight into orbit, so did

USBI's involvement in the program. On Thursday, the USBI legacy ends as NASA

prime contractor United Space Alliance takes over USBI's role and absorbs 830 of its

employees. That will boost United Space Alliance into a tie with Harris Corp. as

Brevard County's largest private employer, with 6,000 local employees. ["Rocket

contractor becomes just a memory next week," Florida Today, September 25, 1999, p

1A & 2A.]

• Two Kennedy Space Center employees are among 22 people honored this year by

the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission for acts of heroism. Jerry Bowman, 33, and

Daryl Elder, 37, braved alligator-infested waters to save 50-year-old James Swanson

from his partially submerged car in Titusville on April 16, 1997, the commission said.

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BowmanandElder easilymeasuredup to the commission'srigorous standardson the

drizzly day they pluckedSwansonfrom hiscar, which hadveeredinto adeepcanal

that runsparallelto the NASA Causeway.Elder hadbeenabout waist-deepin the

waterwhenBowman,standingon the shore,sawanalligator gliding toward Swanson's

car. As the secondstickedaway,Elderjumpedon the roof of the caranduseda

hammerto breakthe rearwindow. Bowmanwadedthrough the waterandunlocked

the car'sdoor. The pair eventuallypried Swansonfrom the caranddraggedhim to

safety. BowmanandElder eachwill receivea$3,000checkanda bronzemedalfor

their bravery. ["Group honorstwo KSCworkersfor heroism," Florida Today,

September 25, 1999, p 1A.]

• Shuttle Columbia is on its way to a California plant today to lose weight and get a

$75 million makeover. By the time it's back next summer, NASA's oldest spaceship

will have new equipment in the cockpit, a fresh paint job and a thorough inspection on

about 100 miles of internal wiring. Attached to the back of a Boeing 747 jet, Columbia

was flown Friday from Kennedy Space Center to Whiteman Air Force Base in

Missouri. Its final destination is the Boeing Corp. plant in Palmdate, Calif.

["Columbia heads west for an overhaul," Florida Today, September 25, 1999, p lB.]

SEPTEMBER 28: The 1998 class of astronaut candidates (referred to as ASCANs) is at

KSC this week for training. It's the first visit for some of them. Among the week's

activities are fire training and a flight awareness program, plus touring the

Apollo/Saturn V Visitors Facility, the OPF, SSME Processing Facility, VAB, SSPF,

launch pad, SLF and the crew head-quarters. ["Astronaut candidates touring KSC,"

KSC Countdown, September 28, 1999.]

• An uncomfortably close call with Hurricane Floyd is prompting NASA to look at

the way it safe-guards the nation's $8 billion space shuttle fleet from such devastating

storms. While the agency was moving to better protect its ships prior to Floyd,

officials say little can be done to withstand the fury of the most powerful hurricanes.

The vulnerability of the fleet - as well as shuttle hangars, launch pads and payload

processing buildings - was pointed out as Floyd battered the Bahamas and then made a

beeline toward Cape Canaveral. Even larger than 1992's deadly Hurricane Andrew,

Floyd packed winds topping 150 mph as NASA hurried to secure its four orbiters in

shuttle hangars and the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC. Problem was, the

buildings and launch pads only are capable of withstanding winds between 105 mph

and 125 mph. Had Floyd not turned north, the storm could have done serious damage

to the shuttles and the nation's space program. As it turned out, the eye of the storm

passed 121 miles east of Cape Canaveral at 4 a.m. Sept. 15. Top sustained winds at

KSC were 66 mph with gusts up to 91 mph. Damage was minor. Signs, trees and two

traffic lights were blown down. Some weather-protection material came off a shuttle

launch pad, and about 30 sheets of metal siding blew off the VAB. In the wake of the

storm, though, Goldin ordered a review aimed at determining whether anything can

be done to shore up shuttle hangars and launch facilities. The shuttle facilities review

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team isexpectedto makerecommendationsto NASA spaceflight chiefJoeRothenberg

beforethe end of the year. ["NASA studiesstorm safetyat spacecenter," Florida

Today, September 29, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

SEPTEMBER 29: Marcelite Harris is used to taking the lead. After joining the Air

Force in 1965, Harris worked her way up the ranks to the highest echelons of the

Pentagon and became the first African-American woman major general. Her last job:

overseeing 125,000 people and a $260 billion inventory of some of the country's most

advanced weapons. Today, she is the first Florida site director for United Space

Alliance. The private company is taking over operations of NASA's shuttle fleet at

Kennedy Space Center. Part of Harris' job is to make USA more visible in the

community, increasing its involvement in local affairs and possibly expanding into new

areas of the aerospace industry. ["Space alliance names director," Florida Today,

September 30, 1999, p 14C.]

SEPTEMBER 30: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, September 30, 1999. STS103: Inspections of the wiring onboard orbiter Discovery are about 95 percent

complete, and Shuttle managers expect all remaining wire inspections to conclude next

week. During retests of Discovery's recently replaced right-hand orbiter maneuvering

system (OMS) engine pod, technicians noted an oxidizer isolation valve that did not

cycle properly. Subsequent valve inspections revealed minor corrosion of a manifold

No. 5 oxidizer valve, and managers have decided to replace that valve before the STS103 flight. As a precaution, technicians will conduct thorough inspections of all

manifold No. 5 oxidizer and fuel valves located in both OMS pods and the orbiter's

forward reaction control system. Inspection of these six valves will be performed in

parallel with ongoing orbiter processing and is not expected to further impact the

schedule. In Discovery's payload bay, workers noted a worn latching mechanism on

the housing for the foot restraint that space-walking astronauts install on the Shuttle's

robot arm. Workers will replace the latching mechanism next week. Shuttle managers

will meet again next Thursday to discuss the progress of the wiring maintenance effort,

to receive an updated status on the oxidizer valve and latching mechanism work, and

to assess Discovery's launch date. Space Shuttle Discovery will not launch before Nov.

19. STS-99: Inspections of the wiring onboard orbiter Endeavour are about 81 percent

complete. Wiring protection efforts continue throughout the orbiter. Inspections

beneath the orbiter's payload bay liner are in work as technicians gain access to the

areas to be examined. The retesting of Endeavour's recently replaced oxygen/nitrogen

panel continues. In the Space Station Processing Facility, the freon line reinforcement

clamp has been installed on the SRTM payload. Shuttle managers continue to assess the

option of launching Endeavour in December of 1999 and will discuss the STS-99

launch date next Thursday. STS-101: Orbiter Atlantis moved to Orbiter Processing

Facility bay 3 Friday morning. This week, workers completed payload bay door

functional tests. Preparations to install the right-hand OMS pod on the orbiter are in

work and installation is slated for Monday. Wireless video modifications continue and

wiring inspections are expected to begin in the orbiter's midbody tomorrow.

Preparation for Orbiter Maintenance Down Period (OMDP): Orbiter Columbia

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arrivedin Palmdale,CA, Sept.25just after 1p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Columbia's

ferry flight atop NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft took only one day with a single

refueling stop at Whiteman Air Force Base, MO, on Friday afternoon. The orbiter

stayed overnight at Whiteman and departed for Palmdale, CA, at about 9 a.m. Bruce

Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online].

Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, September

3o].]

• The $125 million spacecraft that was destroyed on a mission to Mars last week was

probably doomed by NASA scientists' embarrassing failure to convert English units of

measurement to metric ones, the space agency said Thursday. The Mars Climate

Orbiter flew too close to Mars and is thought to have broken apart or burned up in the

atmosphere. NASA said the English-vs.-metric mixup apparently caused the

navigation error. ["A math error of galactic proportions," The Orlando Sentinel,

October 1, 1999, p A-1 & A-14.]

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OCTOBER

OCTOBER 1" The latest delay for NASA's International Space Station was

announced Friday when agency officials said the Russian-bulk living quarters - on

which all further construction hinges - won't be launched before Christmas and could

be delayed until mid-January. The decision was made after meetings this week in

Moscow with the Russian Space Agency, which had planned to launch the Service

Module on Nov. 12. Now the segment won't fly until sometime between Dec. 26 and

Jan. 16. ["Yet another space station delay," Florida Today, October 2, 1999, p 1A.]

OCTOBER 3: When a top NASA safety officer told a congressional panel recently

that the space shuttle fleet could operate safely with as few as two flights a year, the

eyebrows of skeptical lawmakers ascended in disbelief. Just two years earlier, another

agency official told the same panel the magic number was five. "Any significant

interruption in International Space Station assembly would drive the shuttle well

below the five to six (per) year minimum rate recommended to maintain a safe,

proficient team," said Wilbur Trafton, who was then NASA's associate administrator

for space flight. With four orbiters idled for repairs to damaged wiring and still

waiting for Russia to launch its key Zvezda service module component to the station,

NASA has a different take on the flight rate. "We did a separate assessment and looked

at, from a safety point of view, how few flights we could fly safely," said Frederick

Gregory, a former shuttle commander who is now associate administrator for safety

and mission assurance. "That number was about two." NASA has launched just two

shuttle missions this year. That's the fewest since 1988, when two missions got off the

ground as NASA returned the fleet to service following the Challenger explosion in

1986. With wiring inspections nearly complete on shuttle Discovery, agency officials

are expected to make a decision soon to lift the launch moratorium. When that

happens, Discovery will be used to fly a servicing mission to the Hubble Space

Telescope in late November or early December, said Michael McCulley, vice president

and deputy program manager for United Space Alliance, the private contractor

responsible for shuttle ground operations. "Two a year is certainly safe." Said

McCulley. Even if NASA could launch only one shuttle flight a year without an

increased risk of human or mechanical error, no one would contemplate such a

schedule because it would be a political, economic and public relations disaster for the

space agency. The older flight rate study, directed by astronaut John Blaha, concluded

eight shuttle flights a year was an optimum number, but added the rate could safely

drop to six at reduced efficiency. The new study, requested by Gregory last year,

concluded two was enough to keep the KSC shuttle workforce in a state of trained

readiness. The study was directed by Michael Bloomfield, chairman of NASA's space

flight safety panel. ["NASA: Two shuttle flights a year needed," Florida Today,

October 4, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

OCTOBER 4" Repairing the high-tech Space Mirror that memorializes America's

fallen astronauts will require some high-tech investigation. Specifically, a linear

accelerator, a device that can take X-rays through 16 inches of steel will be needed.

119
The 300-ton,$6.2million SpaceMirror at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

has been shut down since January, when Astronaut Memorial Foundation officials

heard a grinding noise as the mirror turned. Officials think the lubrication of a

$240,000 two-ton ring on which the mirror rotates is the trouble but have been unable

to figure out exactly where the problem is. Efforts to resolve the problem using

equipment provided by NASA and its contractors have proved unsuccessful. The

linear accelerator, to be brought here from California, is expected to provide a clear

picture within 15 minutes. The X-rays will be shot while the Visitor Complex is

closed. The procedure is expected to take about 2 1⁄2 hours and cost $20,000 to

$30,000. ["X-rays to seek mirror's flaw," Florida Today, October 5, 1999, p 1B &

2B.]

• Kennedy Space Center, the starting point for many missions to the far reaches of

space, has crossed a less distant commercial frontier. A NASA-patented supersonic

cleaning system technology developed at KSC has been transferred to a Dutch firm,

marking the first time in KSC history that a U.S. patent owned by NASA has been

licensed to a foreign company. ["NASA licenses first KSC technology to foreign

company," NASA News Release, October 4, 1999.]

• A NASA subcontractor and its president pleaded guilty last week in federal court

to overcharging the space program more than $16,000 for work on storage pallets.

MET-CON Inc. of Cocoa and its president, Billy Sheffield, each pleaded guilty to one

count of submitting a false and fraudulent claim to NASA. They will be sentenced in

January. ["Subcontractor, its president plead guilty to defrauding NASA," Florida

Today, October 5, 1999.]

Target Launch Dates

Dec. 2, 1999

January 13, 2000

February 10, 2000

(no earlier than)

OCTOBER 7: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, October 7, 1999. With wiring

inspections and repairs of Discovery and Endeavour nearing completion and similar

work beginning on Atlantis, Shuttle program managers today set new planning target

launch dates for the next three Space Shuttle missions. Based on an assessment of the

work remaining on Discovery and Endeavour and the inspections which have begun

on Atlantis, managers set the following as target launch dates for upcoming flights:

Mission/Shuttle Payload

STS-103/Discovery Hubble Space Telescope Servicing-3A

STS-99/Endeavour Shuttle Radar Topography Mission

STS-101/Atlantis ISS Logistics/Assembly Flight 2A.2

"Our number one priority for the Space Shuttle is to fly safely, and that is why we

delayed our launch preparations and have performed comprehensive wiring

inspections and repairs," Space Shuttle Program Manager Ron Dittemore said. "As a

result of our inspections, we've made significant changes in how we protect electrical

wiring. We believe those changes, along with changes to the work platforms and

procedures we use in the Shuttle's payload bay, will prevent similar wire damage from

recurring," Dittemore added. STS-103: Inspections of the wiring on board Discovery

120
shouldbecompleteby the endof the weekastechnicianswrap up final reviewsof the

wiring in the orbiter's crew module.In addition,engineersarecompletingthe

replacementof the manifold# 5oxidizer isolationvalvein Discovery'sright hand

orbital maneuveringsystempod prior to its retestingto insurethat thereis no leakage

in the system.The old valvewasremovedearlierthis weekafterleakagewasfound

within the pod.Rollover of Discoveryfrom the Orbiter ProcessingFacility to the

VehicleAssemblyBuilding isscheduledfor no earlierthan the endof Octoberwith its

rollout to LaunchPad39-Bplannedfor no earlierthan thefirst weekin November. A

launchon December2 would occurat around4:32a.m.ESTat the startof a42-minute

window. Landingwould occurjust after 2 a.m.ESTon Dec. 12.A firm launchdate

will besetat NASA's Flight ReadinessReviewaroundthe secondweekof November.

STS-99:Inspectionsof the wiring on boardEndeavourareabout90per centcomplete

with no significantissueshavingbeenidentifiedby engineers.The SRTM payloadis

expectedto bereinstalledin EndeavouraroundOctober 22with its rollover to the

VehicleAssemblyBuilding plannedfor no earlierthanthe endof November.Rollout

to LaunchPad39-Aisscheduledfor aroundearlyDecember.BruceBuckingham.

(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online]. Available Email: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,October7].]

• LockheedMartin plansto blow up aCapeCanaveralaunchcomplex,clearingthe

way for anew pad. Hundreds,perhapsthousands,of spaceworkers will watch asthe

companycarriesout a launchpaddemolition derbythat will doubleasafundraising

party for charity. A live countdown will blarefrom loudspeakers.TV newschoppers

will bein the air. CNN, ABC, andInsideEdition all areexpectedto beon handfor

what promisesto beaquirky nationalmediaevent. LockheedMartin ispreparingto

bring on the mostpowerful versioneverof its venerableAtlas rocket - theAtlas 5 -

which will makeits maidenvoyagefrom CapeCanaveral'sLaunchComplex41 in late

2001. Now 34yearsold, the complexhasbeenusedto launchtop-secretPentagon

satellitesandfamousNASA spacecraft,includingthe Viking MarsLandersand

Voyagerinterplanetaryprobes,aboardTitan rockets. But the newAtlaseswon't need

the old complex,soin abid to savetime andmoneyits launchtower androlling

servicestructurewill betoppledby 180poundsof explosives.In lessthan aminute, 7

million pounds of steel will collapse in a mushrooming cloud of sand and dust. When

the demolition is done, workers will spend a month hauling the steel debris to a

recycling center. ["Historic launch facility's life to end with a bang," Florida Today,

October 8, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

• An Air Force Delta 2 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Station carrying a

military navigation satellite. Mounted atop a 12-story Delta 2 rocket, the $42 million

Navstar Global Positioning System spacecraft blasted off at 8:51 a.m. The launch

ended a string of failures, workplace accidents and weather delays. The mission

• marked the first successful Air Force launch from Cape Canaveral since May 1998.

["Air Force launch finally a success," Florida Today, October 8, 1999, p 2A.]

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• NASA closedthe book on a budgetdramaThursdaywhen Congressandthe

White Housenegotiatedadealto savethe spaceagencyfrom cutsthis year. A HouseSenateconferencecommitteevotedto giveNASA $13.7billion for the budgetyear

that beganOct. 1- a $100million increaseover lastyear'sbudget. The extra $100

million for NASA will gotoward scienceprograms and space shuttle safety upgrades.

["Deal saves NASA from budget cuts," The Orlando Sentinel, October 8, 1999, p A3.]

OCTOBER 9: On Oct. 16 and 17, the KSC Visitor Complex will host a "Salute to

Scouts" celebration. This year's activities will focus on both the history of space travel

and its future. Called "Honor the Past, Imagine the Future," the event is open to Girl

Scouts from all around Florida. By participating, girls are working toward their

Aerospace Exploration Merit Badges. Scouts can complete a Mars Millennium

Scavenger Hunt and earn a limited edition Kennedy Space Center patch and prize.

The hunt asks girls to search for facts scattered throughout the many exhibits at the

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. ["KSC plans special weekend of activities for

Girl Scouts," Florida Today, October 10, 1999.]

OCTOBER 14:

Target Launch Dates

Dec. 2, 1999

January 13, 2000

February 10, 2000

(no earlier than)

Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, October 14, 1999.

Mission/Shuttle Payload

STS-103/Discovery Hubble Space Telescope Servicing-3A

STS-99/Endeavour Shuttle Radar Topography Mission

STS-101/Atlantis ISS Logistics/Assembly Flight 2A.2

STS-103: Less than t0 electrical panels remain to be inspected on Discovery's

aft flight deck to conclude the orbiter's overall wire inspection effort. This work

should take about 2 days and is expected to conclude early next week. Installation of

wiring protection continues in other areas, and functional tests are under way.

Replacement of the two leaky isolation valves on the right-hand orbital maneuvering

system is complete. Loading of manifold No. 5 occurs this weekend, and thruster leak

checks will follow. After the successful testing of Discovery's repaired wiring, Shuttle

managers plan to transfer the orbiter from Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 to the

Vehicle Assembly Building on Oct. 28. With an on-time move to the VAB, Discovery

could arrive at the launch pad by Nov. 3. A launch on December 2 would occur at

around 4:32 a.m. EST at the start of a 42-minute window. Landing would occur just

after 2 a.m. EST on Dec. 12. A firm launch date will be set at NASA's Flight Readiness

Review on Nov. 19. STS-99: Endeavour's gaseous nitrogen servicing is complete.

Installation of the orbiter's waste control system concluded yesterday. Wiring

inspections on Endeavour are more than 90 percent complete, and wire protection and

repair efforts continue. The SRTM payload is expected to be reinstalled in the payload

bay around Oct. 22 with orbiter rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building planned

for no earlier than late November. Rollout to the launch pad is planned for early

December. STS-101: Wiring inspections on Atlantis are in work. Workers plan to

reinstall the right-hand orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pod on Saturday, following

122
repairof an attachpoint this week. Inspectionsonthe left-handOMS pod arealso

scheduled.Ammonia boiler systemwork continues.Targetlaunchdatesfor other

Shuttlemissionsin 2000will bereviewedby both Shuttleand InternationalSpace

StationProgrammanagersanddiscussedat anOct. 21meetingbeforebeingmanifested

for future vehicleprocessing.BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter

SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, October 14].]

• In what proved to be a quirky media spectacle, hordes of reporters descended on

the Cape by land and air to watch Lockheed Martin's destruction of Launch Complex

41 to a 7-million-pound mountain of twisted steel. Prior to the countdown, launch

manager Adrian Laffitte addressed about 200 people, offering a bittersweet eulogy of

sorts. In its heyday, Laffitte said, the complex was used to launch 27 Titan rockets that

carried payloads including NASA's famous Viking Mars Landers and Voyager

interplanetary probes. Lockheed Martin needed to raze the old launch tower and

service station as part of a $250 million renovation effort necessary to launch the

newest version of its Atlas rocket, the Atlas 5. ["Hundreds cheer last blast at pad,"

Florida Today, October 15, 1999, p 1B & 2B.]

OCTOBER 15: As a result of the threat from Hurricane Irene to the Kennedy Space

Center and the Cape Canaveral vicinity, NASA management decided late today to

cancel all Space Shuttle and payload work scheduled at KSC on Saturday. Though

irene will likely be a tropical storm by the time it makes closest approach to KSC,

personnel scheduled to work on Saturday are being asked not to report during this

period. There is a concern for a sustained wind of 40 knots with higher gusts and the

probability of heavy rain that could flood some KSC roadways. Approximately 250

personnel are affected. ["Hurricane Irene postpones Saturday work at KSC," NASA

News Release, October 15, 1999.]

OCTOBER 18: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, October 18, 1999. Hurricane

Irene Status Report (updated): NASA conducted a preliminary damage assessment of

Kennedy Space Center late Saturday after the passage of Hurricane Irene. The center

of the storm passed approximately 35 miles east of Cape Canavera[ at 2:30 p.m. on

Saturday afternoon. The highest sustained wind velocity measured during the storm

was 69 mph (60 knots) with a peak gust to 83 mph (72 knots) recorded at the wind

tower near Complex 41. However, a sampling of other wind towers around the

Complex 39 area showed the average sustained wind to be approximately 65 mph (56

knots). Total rainfall for the storm at KSC was 6.48 inches. Most of the damage

sustained was similar in nature to that from Hurricane Floyd. There is damage to

trailers, modular buildings, storage sheds and other structures of light construction.

Trees and various signs are blown over with traffic lights malfunctioning, a few blown

off their pedestals. Some additional siding panels were lost from the Vehicle Assembly

Building. There were no problems within the building. There is light roof damage at

the Launch Control Center and there was some minor leakage. This is also the case

123
with variousother buildingsaroundKSC. Therewassomewaterintrusion under the

OPF hangardoorsfrom blowing rain but no roof leakagearoundthe orbiters. There

wassomewaterintrusion in the payloadchangeoutroomat Pad39-Bbut no damage

to either PadA or PadB. Therewasno damageor leakageat the SpaceStation

ProcessingFacility and work resumedthereSaturdaynight.Therewassomeminor

roof leakageat the PayloadHazardousServicingFacility wherethe HST 3A payloadis

located.The flight hardwarewascoveredandelevatedfor the storm andnot at risk.

At the Visitor Complex, notours wererun Saturdayandthe facility closedto visitors

at Noon. Somesidingpanelswerelost from the IMAX Theaterduring the storm and

therewassomeminor leakagein variousfacilities. As aprecaution,NASA

managementdirectedthat no scheduledwork beperformedatKSCfrom 6 a.m.to 6

p.m. on Saturday.As thereisminimal processingactivity scheduledon weekends,

only about 250peoplewereaffected.BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy Space

Center SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online]. AvailableE-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,October 18].]

OCTOBER 21: Before committing large sums of money to upgrading NASA's space

shuttle fleet, Congress should decide what the orbiters will do after the International

Space Station is built, a space systems expert told a congressional panel Thursday. For

the next four years, NASA's shuttles will be almost exclusively devoted to ferrying

people, parts and supplies to the growing space station. But beyond that, there is no

clear mission for the craft, said Stephen Book, an Aerospace Corp. engineer who

participated in a recent National Research Council analysis of shuttle upgrades.

"There ought to be a national policy on the shuttle before deciding on the upgrades,"

Book told members of the House space and aeronautics subcommittee. NASA has

committed to keeping the shuttle fleet flying for at least the next decade. To meet that

goal and continue flying safely, the agency is considering a number of enhancements

and improvements that will make the shuttles more reliable and efficient. Although

the shuttles and their main engine stacks look much as they did when Columbia first

lifted off 18 years ago, the fleet has been in a constant state of improvement and repair,

said William Readdy, NASA's deputy associate administrator for spaceflight. Readdy

said NASA is reviewing its shuttle upgrade priorities and should include its

recommendations in its fiscal 2001 budget request, which President Clinton will send

to Congress early next year. ["Congress needs policy on shuttle, expert says," Florida

Today, October 22, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

OCTOBER 25: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, October 25, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: Wiring protection efforts are nearing completion on board

Shuttle Discovery. Recently completed wiring inspections revealed 57 incidents of

exposed conductors. These damaged areas have been repaired and wiring protection

methods have been implemented. Testing of the orbiter's repaired wiring system

continues this week. Over the weekend, workers completed refilling activities on the

right hand orbital maneuvering system (OMS) manifold No. 5. Ku band system

testing and external tank door retests are also complete. Preparations are in work for

payload bay door closure tomorrow. The Orbiter Rollout Review is scheduled this

124
Thursdayandwill determineDiscovery'sreadinessto leavethe Orbiter Processing

Facility. Discovery isslatedto moveto the VehicleAssemblyBuilding on Nov. 1 to

complete external tank mating activities. Space Shuttle Discovery is then expected to

roll out to Launch Pad 39B on Sunday, Nov. 7. STS-99: Work in progress:

Endeavour's wiring inspections are expected to conclude this week. To date,

inspections have revealed 45 exposed conductors. Wiring protection and repair efforts

continue. Auxiliary power unit wiring tests are in work and main engine controller

verification is scheduled to occur this week. Work on Endeavour's nose and

main landing gear is ongoing. STS-10t: Work in progress: Wiring inspections on

Atlantis are about 85 percent complete and have revealed a total of 34 exposed

conductors to date. Wiring repair and protection efforts are ongoing. Checks on the

water spray boiler are in work and Ku band system testing begins later this week.

Inspections of Atlantis' right and left-hand inboard elevons revealed minor damage to

mechanical actuators. The damaged parts will be replaced over the next several days.

Installation of the right hand orbital maneuvering system pod

will occur this week. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, October 25].]

OCTOBER 27: Future development at Kennedy Space Center will have little or no

effect on access to Playalinda Beach, said an official with Spaceport Florida Authority.

Ed O'Connor told the Titusville City Council that none of the five space vehicles

being proposed for KSC would require the beach access road to be closed for lengthy

periods. "There is no higher priority than preservation of beach access," O'Connor

said of top-level discussions taking place at the space center. Playalinda Beach, which is

part of Canaveral National Seashore, and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

are on NASA-owned property. ["KSC growth won't affect beach access, Spaceport

Flight official tells Titusville," Florida Today, p 1A.]

OCTOBER 29: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, October 29, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: Shuttle managers will resume discussions on Monday at 1

p.m. to determine Discovery's readiness to leave the Orbiter Process Facility. The

orbiter's planned transfer to the Vehicle Assembly Building will now occur no earlier

than Monday evening. The postponement accommodates unplanned work to repair a

temperature sensor on Discovery's No. 2 nitrogen tank, in the orbiter's midbody.

Retests of Discovery's repaired and protected wiring are ongoing and will continue

through the vertical processing flow. Several standard prelaunch tests will

accommodate necessary functional and redundancy checks of the wiring. Once the

orbiter, external tank and booster mating operations are complete, Space Shuttle

Discovery will roll out to Launch Pad 39B. Rollout to the pad is currently slated for

Sunday, Nov. 7. STS-99: Work in progress: Endeavour's wiring inspections, repair and

protection installation continue. The orbiter payload premate test was completed

Thursday. Tests on the auxiliary power unit wiring are in progress, as are Shuttle

main engine controller verifications. Work on Endeavour's nose and main landing

gear continues. STS-101: Work in progress: Shuttle managers announced today that

125
the launchof SpaceShuttleAtlantis on missionSTS-101will occurno earlierthan

March 16. The wiring inspectionsand repairefforts that remainingon the orbiter,

alongwith the unplannedreplacementof the ammoniaboiler will requiretime to

accommodatethe Shuttle'sprocessingneeds.Inspectionsof Atlantis' ammoniaboiler

this week revealedcorrosion,which leadto the replacementdecision. Evaluation of

the orbiter's damagedelevonscontinues.The damagedpartswill bereplacedover the

next severaldayswith no additionalimpactto theschedule.Installationof the right

hand orbital maneuveringsystempod occursthis week.BruceBuckingham.(1999).

Kennedy SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online]. AvailableE-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,October29].]

• TechnicianspreparingspaceshuttleAtlantis for aflight next Marchhave

inadvertently damagedthe ship'swing flaps,NASA saidFriday. Thetechnicianswere

testingthe inboard elevonsonAtlantis' wingslatelastweekwhen they heardanoise,

NASA spokesmanJoelWellssaid. They discoveredthe pushrodson the flaps,or

elevons,hadbeenbentandsomepanelsdamaged.All of the damagedpartsmust be

replaced.Although the mishapstill is beinginvestigated,NASA thinks the technicians

failed to releasesmalldoorsbeforemoving the elevons,Wells said. That apparently

causedthe damage,hesaid. ["Atlantis' flapsdamaged,probably by technicians," The

Orlando Sentinel, October 30, 1999, p A-12.]

DURING OCTOBER: A launch services contract request for proposals (RFP) that

would be worth more than $5 billion to winning contractors has been issued by the

NASA Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The launch services RFP covers a broad range of

planned NASA expendable launch vehicle needs across light, medium and heavy

payloads. Nearly 70 major NASA unmanned launches through 2010 could eventually

be part of several launch service contracts planned to be awarded under the program.

The RFP has special provisions to enable new emerging and innovative launch service

providers to compete for the contracts against established firms. Under a fast-track

plan, corporate proposals are due at Kennedy by Jan. 7, 2000, and the NASA awards

are to be made by June 2000. ["World News Roundup," Aviation Week & Space

Technology, October 25, 1999, p 24.]

126
NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER 1: With a push of 10 buttons, Gov. Jeb Bush launched Brevard

County's new 321 area code Monday with a call to Kennedy Space Center. KSC

Director Roy Bridges was with Bush as he telephoned from the Public Service

Commission in Tallahassee. At the other end of the line, in a conference room at the

space center, about 25 NASA and local officials waited with Jim Jennings, KSC's

deputy director for business operations, who answered the phone. For the next 11

months, callers will be able to use the new area code or the old one, 407. Brevard

County is one of the smallest geographic regions in the state with its own code.

["Governor makes first 321 call to KSC officials," Florida Today, November 2, 1999,

p lB.]

• EG&G, Inc., now operates under a new name - PerkinElmer, Inc. The company

is a former NASA base operations contractor in Brevard County. ["EG&G gets new

name, new focus," Florida Today, November 2, 1999, p 10C.]

• AFL-CIO President John Sweeney met with workers, managers and labor officials

Monday during a tour of Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Station. The

American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations, which has 13

million members, is affiliated with more than 5,000 union members at KSC, Cape

Canaveral Air Station and Patrick Air Force Base. Chris Hunt, vice president of

Transport Workers Union of America Local 525 in Cocoa Beach, which represents

about 2,000 contracted workers at KSC, called Sweeney's visit "historic." ["AFL-CIO

chief visits KSC," Florida Today, November 2, 1999, p 10C & 9C.]

• For the second time this year, an Internet auction site has posted a listing for a

reported piece of wreckage from the space shuttle Challenger disaster. Federal law

prohibits anyone from owning challenger debris, and officials at eBay of San Jose,

Calif., said Monday they were investigating the listing for a thermal tile from the space

shuttle. Challenger exploded a little more than a minute into flight Jan. 28, 1986.

Anyone possessing wreckage could face up to 10 years in prison and fines up to

$10,000. The same site removed an ad for an "authentic Challenger o-ring" in January.

"We are talking with NASA at this point and if it is indeed an illegal item, we will

remove it" from our listings, said Kevin Pursglove, an eBay spokesman. In the

meantime, NASA has turned over the matter to its security office and could take steps

to reclaim the tile if it is from Challenger, agency spokeswoman Kirsten Williams said

in Washington, D. C. The tile's owner claims to have been on the first ship that

arrived at the wreckage site. ["Auction Web site posts 2 _dChallenger piece," Florida

Today, November 2, 1999, p 1A.]

NOVEMBER 2: Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday November 2, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: Yesterday, Shuttle managers concluded the orbiter rollout review

for Shuttle Discovery. However, the decision to proceed with prelaunch processing

127
for mission STS-103 will not be made until after a preflight readiness review which

starts today at 2 p.m. Top Shuttle managers are assembling for the meeting at Johnson

Space Center to conduct a thorough review of Shuttle wiring assessments and

corrective actions taken before transferring Discovery out of the Orbiter Processing

Facility. Wiring repair and protection efforts are complete and the payload bay doors

are closed. Repairs on Discovery's No. 2 nitrogen tank are complete and tests indicate

that the temperature sensor is in working order. Aft compartment close-outs and

structural leak tests are complete and weight and center of gravity tests were conducted

yesterday. Preparations are under way to support Discovery's rollover to the Vehicle

Assembly Building as early as 10 a.m. tomorrow, but a decision to roll will not be

made until after the Shuttle wiring review. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space

Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

do mo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, November 2].]

NOVEMBER 3: Space Shuttle Status Report, Wednesday, November 3, 1999. STS103: Work in progress: Orbiter Discovery is currently slated to roll from OPF bay 1

tomorrow at about 10 a.m. to be mated with its external tank and solid rocket boosters

in the Vehicle Assembly Building. This delay, along with plans to replace main engine

No. 3, have resulted in managers assessing the remainder of Discovery's processing

schedule. Preliminary plans still support a launch date in early December, although a

specific target won't be selected for several days. Managers discussed an issue with

engine No. 3 during their meeting. A broken drill bit measuring one-half inch in

length and weighing less than one-half gram is located in a coolant cavity in the right

engine, serial number 2045. The bit was broken during routine processing of the

engine at KSC. KSC managers are developing a work schedule to replace engine No. 3

at the launch pad. Replacement efforts will take about 10 days with most of the work

conducted in parallel with other launch processing activities. Bruce Buckingham.

(1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available Email: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, November 3].]

NOVEMBER 4: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, November 4, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: Orbiter Discovery rolled out of OPF bay 1 today at about 10 a.m.

Later tonight, workers will begin efforts to mate the orbiter to the external tank and

twin solid rocket boosters located in VAB high bay 1. Current work plans show the

Space Shuttle rolling out to Launch Pad 39B early next week. Once at the pad,

preparations to replace Shuttle main engine No. 3 will begin. Managers expect that

effort to take about 10 days, with most of the work done in parallel with other

prelaunch work. Shuttle managers are assessing the remainder of Discovery's

processing schedule and expect to announce a new target launch date next week. Bruce

Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online].

Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, November

4].]

NOVEMBER 5: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, November 5, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: Orbiter Discovery has been mated to the external tank and solid

128
rocket boostersstackin VAB high bay I. Electricalandmechanicalconnectionswill

concludelateFriday andthe orbiter/external tank umbilical mateoccursSaturday.

Over the weekend,workers will beginpreparationsfor the engineNo. 3 replacement

work scheduledto happenatthe launchpad. Managerscurrently plan to transfer

Discovery out to LaunchPad39BTuesday,Nov. 9 beginningat about2 a.m. Payload

managersplan to transfertheHubble ServicingMissioncargoto thelaunchpad

Monday, Nov. 8 with installationinto the orbiter slatedfor Nov.12. KSC managers

aredevelopingthe remainderof Discovery'sprelaunchprocessingscheduleandexpect

to brief Shuttleprogram managersat ameetingMonday morning. Program managers

arelikely to setanew targetlaunchdatefor STS-103afterthe meeting. Bruce

Buckingham.(1999).KennedySpaceCenter SpaceShuttle StatusReport [Online].

Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, November

5].]

NOVEMBER 6: At 6 feet tall, the rocket will be shorter than your average NBA

player. And it has to hoist only about 9 pounds of cargo into space. But this vehicle is

giving Kennedy Space Center engineers a challenge and a chance to extend their launch

expertise into the solar system by developing a rocket to blast off from Mars. Its

assignment: Carry Martian dust and rocks into orbit around the planet so another

spaceship can retrieve them for delivery to Earth in 2008. The KSC-led team knows

the rocket project has little room for error. "It's a relatively small vehicle, but it has to

do some pretty hard things," said Dave Taylor, KSC project engineer for the Mars

rocket. Given the task of overseeing the project in September, the KSC team in

December plans to choose the company that will build the rocket. The company will

have to begin work immediately, so two rockets can be ready for flights to Mars on a

pair of missions scheduled for launch in 2003 and 2005. KSC officials say the rocket

itself is not hard to design, but getting it to work smoothly from an alien launch site

400 million miles away won't be easy. Beyond its importance to the Mars program, the

new rocket is crucial to KSC if the center is to add new talents to its resume, said Roy

Bridges, KSC's director and a former astronaut. He said the goal is to make KSC a

place where future space technologies are born. ["KSC designs Mars-bound rocket,"

Florida Today, November 7, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

NOVEMBER 8: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, November 8, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: The planned rollout of Space Shuttle Discovery to Launch Pad 39B

has been delayed beyond Tuesday, Nov. 9. During standard Shuttle Interface Test

activities this morning, engineers in firing room No. 1 noted loss of command

capability for a range safety cable that supports both solid rocket boosters. Subsequent

visual inspections revealed damage to the SRB cross-strap cable that runs between the

external tank (ET)/SRB attach points and through the ET intertank. KSC managers

have decided to replace the cable and are developing a plan to accommodate the

unexpected work. The impact of this work on the remainder of Discovery's

processing schedule is being assessed. Preliminary reports indicate that an early

December launch date is still achievable. The Hubble Servicing Mission cargo was

transported to the launch pad early this morning and transfer into the payload change129
out room is in work. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space

Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, November 8].]

NOVEMBER 9: Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, November 9, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39B

on Saturday, Nov. 13, with first motion slated for 2 a.m. The remainder of Discovery's

processing schedule leads to a target launch date of Dec. 6. Workers have already

removed the damaged range safety cable and replacement efforts begin later today.

Engineers plan to retest the range safety system Wednesday and close-out the work

area Thursday. The damaged range safety cable relays a redundant emergency

destruction signal between the solid rocket boosters (SRB) in the unlikely event of a

contingency. The cable being replaced runs from the right-hand SRB forward attach

point, through the external tank and connects to the left-hand booster. The cable was

damaged during close-out operations causing yesterday's test failure. Since the orbiter

will remain in the VAB for cable replacement, Shuttle managers have decided to

replace Discovery's main engine No. 3 in the VAB as well. Engine replacement efforts

are in work and will conclude Thursday. Engine close-outs and verifications will be

performed at the pad. The Hubble Servicing Mission cargo has been transferred into

the payload change-out room at Launch Pad 39B and installation into the orbiter's

payload bay is slated for Nov. 16.

Major Processing Milestones:

Shuttle to the Launch Pad (Nov. 13)

Payload installed into orbiter (Nov. 16)

Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test

(crew dress rehearsal) (Nov. 17)

Shuttle main engine test (Nov. 23)

Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report

[Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999,

November 9].]

NOVEMBER 11: United Space Alliance this week was honored with the 1999 Florida

Civil Rights Corporate Advocacy Award by the Florida Commission on Human

Relations. The award, which was presented at the 9'_ Annual Civil Rights Conference

in Miami, recognizes individuals and organizations who have significantly contributed

to the advancement of fair treatment and equal opportunity in Florida. According to

the nomination, USA was recognized for demonstrating exceptional results in

preventing the formation of barriers that challenge workforce diversity, and for

developing exemplary and novel practices to ensure opportunities for all employees to

advance. ["USA recognized for diversity programs," USA News Release, November

11, 1999.]

NOVEMBER 13: Space shuttle Discovery is sitting on its launch pad today as NASA

begins final preparations for next month's flight to the orbiting Hubble Space

Telescope. Now that wiring problems are fixed and a new main engine is installed,

130
Discoveryis setto fly Dec.6. The mission:to repairHubble's aimingsystem.The

sevenDiscoveryastronautsareexpectedto arriveatKennedySpaceCentertoday from

Houston. During the next severaldays,the crewwill receiveemergencytraining and

participatein apracticecountdown. Discoverymadeaseven-hour,4.2 mile trip from

KSC'sVehicleAssemblyBuilding to launchpad39Bon Saturdaymorning, abouttwo

months behindschedulebecauseof technicalproblemsplaguingtheshuttle program.

["Shuttle on padafterseriesof problems,delays," Florida Today, November 14, 1999,

p 1A.]

• From cellular phone satellites to the laptops that astronauts use aboard NASA's

space shuttles, the aerospace industry claims it is ready for the year 2000. "We are

cautiously optimistic that we have covered everything," said Brian Dunbar, a NASA

spokesman at the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C. "But there are never any

guarantees with anything as unprecedented as this." The National Aeronautics and

Space Administration started working in earnest on Y2K in August 1996. Now, more

than three years and $70 million later, agency officials say critical agency systems are

ready. "We have been incredibly thorough," said Art Beller, year 2000 project

manager at Kennedy Space center. "There isn't a major system or a minor system that

hasn't been touched. The work included checking everything from the elevators inside

KSC buildings to the critical computer software that tracks the health of a space shuttle

as the seconds tick down to liftoff. NASA will not allow any of its shuttles to be in

orbit when the calendar rolls into the year 2000. But that's nothing new.

Traditionally, the last two weeks of the year are "down" periods for NASA. Noncritical systems are turned off, and annual maintenance is done on buildings and

grounds. The tradition could be infringed a little this year, with agency officials saying

they will launch shuttle Discovery on a 10-day repair mission to the Hubble Space

Telescope as late as Dec. 14. They will fly no later, however. Allowing for weather

delays to the landing, the agency does not want to risk flying over the New Year

holiday. ["NASA officials say everything is ready for the big day," Florida Today,

November 14, 1999, p 4A.]

NOVEMBER 15: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, November 15, 1999. STS103: Work in progress: Space Shuttle Discovery rolled out to Launch Pad 39B on

Saturday, Nov. 13. First motion from the Vehicle Assembly Building began a 7:27 a.m.

and the Shuttle was hard down at the pad by 2:17 p.m. Discovery had been scheduled

to begin its transfer to the pad at 2 a.m., but inspections of minor external tank foam

damage delayed the departure. While Discovery was in the VAB, workers completed

efforts to replace Shuttle main engine No. 3 and the solid rocket booster range safety

cable. The Shuttle Interface Test validated all Space Shuttle connections prior to

rollout. Final checks of the replaced main engine will be completed at the pad. Launch

pad validations are under way and installation of the payload into Discovery's payload

bay is slated for tomorrow. The seven-member flight crew arrived at KSC Sunday

afternoon and will participate in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities

through Wednesday. The launch day dress rehearsal concludes Wednesday at 11 a.m.

131
with asimulatedmain engine cutoff. Shuttle managers will convene the STS-103 Flight

Readiness Review on Friday, Nov. 19 to discuss the overall readiness of all Space

Shuttle systems for flight.

Major Processing Milestones (targets only)."

Payload installed into orbiter (Nov. 16)

Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test

(crew dress rehearsal) (Nov. 17)

Flight Readiness Review (Nov. 19)

Shuttle main engine test (Nov. 23)

STS-99: Work in progress: Wiring retests on orbiter Endeavour are ongoing and

midbody closeouts conclude today. Installation of the SRTM payload into

Endeavour's payload bay is scheduled to occur tomorrow.

Major Processing Milestones (targets only):

Payload installed into (Nov. 16)

Orbiter transferred to VAB (Dec. 2)

Space Shuttle rolls out to Launch Pad 39A (Dec. 8)

Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report

[Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999,

November 15].]

NOVEMBER 16: An expensive makeover has given the Kennedy Space Center's

Visitor Complex a sleek new look that includes a high-tech conference center and an

exhibit on early space exploration scheduled to open in the next few weeks. The final

piece of the $120 million project - an exhibit on space exploration in the next

millennium - will be ready soon afterward. The highlight of Early Space Exploration

- which focuses on the Mercury and Gemini programs - arguably begins in the

queuing area, where visitors get background from vintage televisions in a Kennedy-era

kitchen and living room filled with '60s kitsch. From there, they go on to view the

actual Mercury Mission Control Room. "The only thing we had to replace was the

tiles on the floor," said visitor complex spokeswoman Amy Maguire. "All the

consoles have ashtrays except the physician's because he knew better." The adjoining

Kurt Debus Conference Facility is all modern, though. The conference center, named

for the first director of the Kennedy Space Center, has full audio-visual capabilities and

seats 400 or serves 700 buffet style. A glass-walled rotunda overlooks the refurbished

Rocket Garden, one of the visitor center's signature attractions. The $120 million

renovation, which began in 1996 with the opening of the Apollo/Saturn V Center,

marks the first improvements in recent history for the complex as welt as the most

tangible results of new management. In 1995, Delaware North Parks Services of

Spaceport Inc. won the NASA contract to operate the visitor center, which had been

run by TW Recreational Services for nearly 20 years. ["Attraction launches space-age

makeover," The Orlando Sentinel, November 17, 1999, p B-1 & B-6.]

• Just days after NASA's Hubble Space Telescope closed its eye on the cosmos, the

astronauts who will perform a repair mission next month say their flight will be more

v r

132
complicatedthanthey originally thought. Hubble'sprecisionpointing system failed

when the fourth of six devices called gyroscopes malfunctioned Saturday, halting its

science work. The telescope needs three of the units working to observe the universe.

Because of the pointing failure, the new challenge added to Discovery's mission is the

uncertainly of how the telescope will be positioned when the shuttle arrives two days

after its planned Dec. 6 launch. That concern will require precise flying more than 300

miles above Earth by commander Curt Brown, a veteran of five shuttle flights. Brown

and the six other crew members discussed the mission Tuesday at Kennedy Space

Center, where they are participating in a practice countdown today. ["Discovery's

mission gets trickier," Florida Today, November 17, 1999, p 1A.]

• With a practice countdown completed, NASA officials will hold a final review

Friday to firm up the launch date for next month's shuttle mission to service the

Hubble Space Telescope. The space agency hopes Discovery will be ready for launch

at 2:37 a.m. on Dec. 6. "That's our target and that's what we are working toward,"

NASA spokesman Lisa Malone said. Discovery's seven astronauts were aboard their

ship Wednesday morning for the final three hours of simulated launch countdown.

Later, the crew returned to their home base at Johnson Space Center in Houston to

wrap up training. They are due back at Kennedy Space Center on Dec. 2. ["NASA

firms up launch date for Discovery," Florida Today, November 18, 1999, p 5A.]

NOVEMBER 18: The STS-103 crew finished their Terminal Countdown

Demonstration Test activities yesterday with training on emergency egress from the

orbiter plus inspection of the Hubble servicing cargo in Space Shuttle Discovery's

payload bay. They were scheduled to leave KSC in their T-38 jets about 3 p.m. today.

Shuttle managers will convene the STS-103 Flight Readiness Review tomorrow to

discuss the overall readiness of all Space Shuttle systems for flight. ["TCDT complete,

crew on STS-103 mission ready for launch Dec. 6," KSC Countdown, November 18,

1999.]

• NASA has found more damaged electrical wires on shuttle Discovery, officials said

Thursday, prompting new inspections of the ship as work continues toward a Dec. 6

launch to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. Officials don't know whether the checks

and repairs will delay the liftoff, said Kennedy Space Center spokesman Joel Wells.

All the work can be done while the shuttle sits on its launch pad, he said. The new

damage, described as minor, was found on wiring between the spaceship, its external

tank and solid rocket boosters. Originally scheduled for October, the flight was

postponed when NASA ordered wiring inspections on its entire fleet after shuttle

Columbia experienced a troublesome short circuit during a July launch. "The

important thing here is that we are operating in an environment of heightened

awareness over wiring issues," Wells said. "We are being very meticulous in our

inspections." When launched, the ship is to carry seven astronauts to repair Hubble's

precision-pointing system. ["Damaged wires found on shuttle," Florida Today,

November 19, 1999, p 1A.]

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NOVEMBER 19: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, November 19, 1999. STS-103:

Following today's Flight Readiness Review at KSC, managers decided to keep the

target launch date of no earlier than Dec. 6 for mission STS-103. Managers plan to

convene early next week to further address potential changes to Discovery's target

launch date. Also, a follow-up Flight Readiness Review will be held after the

Thanksgiving Holiday weekend to permit managers the opportunity to re-address

outstanding engineering issues and to establish an official launch date. Bruce

Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online].

Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, November

19].]

NOVEMBER 22: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, November 22, 1999. STS103: Work in progress: Shuttle managers today set December 9 as the launch date for

Discovery on STS-103. The adjusted launch date allows technicians time to repair

minor electrical wiring damage that was found recently in an umbilical between the

Shuttle orbiter and the external tank. The schedule also allows the Shuttle workforce

to observe the Thanksgiving holidays. Managers plan to reconvene the STS-103 Flight

Readiness Review on Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. to obtain a final status on the recent work

completed on Discovery. Friday, workers at Launch Pad 39B completed payload

interface verification testing and today are conducting the planned end-to-end test.

Payload bay close-outs begin this week and Discovery's payload bay doors will be

closed for flight Nov. 24. Over the weekend, oxidizer and fuel reactants were loaded

into Discovery's onboard storage tanks. Leak checks on Shuttle main engine No. 3 are

complete and good. Routine inspections of Discovery's aft compartment are in work

in preparation for next week's orbiter aft close-outs.

Major Processing Milestones (targets only):

Shuttle main engine test

Payload bay doors closed for flight

Shuttle Interface Test repeated

Ordnance installation

Orbiter aft compartment closed-out

Launch countdown begins

(Nov. 23)

(Nov. 24)

(Nov. 29)

(Dec. 1)

(Dec. 4)

(Dec. 6)

STS-99: Work in progress: The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission payload was

installed inside Endeavour's payload bay last week and orbiter interface verification

testing has been completed. The payload bay doors are slated for closure this week.

Managers plan to roll Endeavour to the Vehicle Assembly Building Dec. 2 to be mated

to the external tank and solid rocket boosters. Once those activities are complete,

Shuttle Endeavour will roll out to Launch pad 39A.

Major Processing Milestones (targets only):

Payload bay doors closed for (Nov. 28)

Orbiter transferred to VAB (Dec. 2)

Shuttle rolls to Launch Pad 39A (Dec. 7)

134
BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report

[Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999,

November 22].]

• The Navy has a new satellite in orbit today where it's ready to join a network of

pentagon spacecraft linking warships to shore. The $200 million communications

satellite was carried into space Monday on a Lockheed Martin Atlas 2A rocket that

lifted off at 11:06 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Air Station. ["Rocket reaches orbit,"

Florida Today, November 23, 1999, p 1A.]

NOVEMBER 29: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, November 29, 1999. STS103: Work in progress: Last Wednesday, Shuttle workers closed Discovery's payload

bay doors and completed planned main engine testing. Repair efforts on Discovery's

umbilical wiring are complete and validation tests begin tonight. Following the

Thanksgiving holiday, workers resumed orbiter electrical wiring inspections in

Discovery's aft compartmem. Today, engineers will conduct the helium signature leak

test. Ordnance installation is slated to occur midweek and replacement of a leaky quick

disconnect on auxiliary power unit No. 2 is planned for Wednesday evening. Aft

engine compartment close-outs are expected to conclude late Sunday. Workers are

replacing Discovery's mass memory unit No. 1 today. Wednesday afternoon, Shuttle

managers will reconvene a follow-up Flight Readiness Review to obtain a final status

on prelaunch preparations. The flight crew is scheduled to arrive at KSC's Shuttle

Landing Facility Saturday night, and the launch countdown begins Monday, Dec. 6 at

5:30 a.m.

Major Processing Milestones (targets only):

Ordnance installation

Flight crew arrival at

Orbiter aft compartment

close-outs complete

Launch countdown begins

(Dec. 1)

(Dec. 4 at about 8 p.m.)

(Dec. 5)

(Dec. 6 at 5:30 a.m.)

STS-99: Work in progress: Workers began minor repair efforts on Endeavour's

umbilical wiring harness on Sunday, and wiring inspections continue in the orbiter's

aft engine compartment. Orbiter Endeavour's midbody close-outs are ongoing as

workers prepare to close the orbiter's payload bay doors for flight later tonight.

Managers plan to transfer Endeavour to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Thursday

to be mated to the external tank and solid rocket boosters located in VAB high bay 1.

Endeavour's Orbiter Rollout Review is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Major Processing Milestones (targets only):

Payload bay doors closed for flight (Nov. 29)

Orbiter transferred to VAB (Dec. 2)

Shuttle rolls to Launch Pad 39A (Dec. 7)

Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report

[Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999,

November 29].]

135
DURING NOVEMBER: Lockheed Martin has completed one of the most extensive

launch pad modifications in the history of Cape Canaveral to convert Complex 36B

here for Atlas III flights. A major challenge for the Atlas team was modifying Pad B

while also keeping it open for Atlas Centaur missions, said Adrian A. Laffitte, director

of Atlas programs for Lockheed martin. The adjoining Complex 36A Atlas Centaur

pad is being retained in its Atlas IIAS configuration. The $8 million upgrade to Pad B

included 66 major modifications to its 4-million-lb., 250-ft. tall mobile service tower

(MST) and the overall pad. Many of these changes have been to increase the MST

height for the taller Atlas II, while also decreasing its weight and wind cross section.

["Major Pad 36B Mods Support Atlas III," Aviation Week & Space Technology,

November 22, 1999, p 55.]

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DECEMBER

DECEMBER 1: A recent string of multibillion-dollar U.S. space launch failures can

be traced to flawed workmanship and engineering by the contractors who built the

Titan 4 and Delta 3 rockets, a Pentagon study concludes. The report released

Wednesday also cited fragmented lines of authority within the government for

overseeing the space launch program. The study was ordered by the Air Force after

the malfuctioning of a Delta 3 rocket in May left a commercial communication satellite

in a useless lopsided orbit - the fifth failed space launch since August 1998. The May

failure was the second botched flight in a row for the Delta 3 built by Boeing Co.

["Study faults contractors, government alike for string of launch failures," Florida

Today, December 2, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

• Space Shuttle Status Report, Wednesday, December 1, 1999. STS-103: 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. STS-99: 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. Bruce

Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online].

Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, December

i].]

DECEMBER 2: NASA managers today set Saturday, Dec. 11, 1999, as the launch date

for NASA's final Space Shuttle mission this century. The 96 th Space Shuttle mission

will be highlighted by four space walks to service the Hubble SpaceTelescope.

Discovery is scheduled to lift off from Launch Pad 39-B at NASA's Kennedy Space

Center, FL, at 12:13 a.m. EST, the opening of a 38-minute launch window.

Discovery's planned 10-day flight, designated Shuttle mission STS-103, is scheduled to

end with a night landing at Kennedy at about 9:21 p.m. EST on Dec. 20. ["Launch of

Hubble servicing mission set for December 11," NASA News Release #99-141,

December 2, 1999.]

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DECEMBER 3: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, December 3, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: Shuttle managers determined today that an additional inspection of

umbilical wiring is required on Shuttle Discovery. The electrical wire being inspected

supports the pyrotechnic initiator controller for Discovery's left-hand solid rocket

booster and is part of the Shuttle's liquid oxygen umbilical assembly. Recently,

workers were tasked to inspect and repair minor insulation flaws on the wires located

in the orbiter umbilical harnesses. The unplanned work concluded on Wednesday,

Dec. 1. This latest inspection will determine if additional work is required to ensure

the flight readiness of the single pyrotechnic wire. STS-99: Work in progress:

Yesterday afternoon, orbiter Endeavour arrived in the Vehicle Assembly Building and

preparations began to mate the orbiter to the external tank and solid rocket boosters in

high bay 1. Today orbiter/external tank mating activities began and the Shuttle

Interface Test begins early Monday morning. Shuttle managers today decided to

replace Endeavour's main engine No. 3 while the Shuttle is in the VAB. This

additional work will delay the Shuttle's roll out to Launch Pad 39A until Dec. 13.

Analysis of a separate test engine revealed delamination on the wall of the engine's

main combustion chamber following routine testing procedures. Further data

gathering revealed that one of Endeavour's engines had undergone similar testing

procedures and as a precaution managers opted to replace the suspect engine. Bruce

Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online].

Available E-maih domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, December

3].]

DECEMBER 6: NASA's mission to repair the ailing Hubble Space Telescope may

have to wait until at least Saturday night to begin after another faulty electrical wire

was found aboard shuttle Discovery. The problem wire, found Monday inside

Discovery's rear engine compartment, is part of the network of cables attached to one

of the shuttle's three main engines. Final pre-launch inspections revealed the wire had

about one-eighth of an inch of exposed conductor, and managers ordered the wire

replaced, KSC spokesman Joel Wells said. Once the wire is replaced, the new cable

must be tested. "Managers haven't confirmed Discovery's launch date, but a one-day

slip in the launch is possible," Wells said. The mission was first targeted for launch

Oct. 14. Although a new launch date won't be announced until the work is complete,

it will probably be 11:42 p.m. Saturday at the earliest before Discovery can take off.

The previous launch window was from 12:13 to 12:51 a.m. Saturday. ["Wire problem

likely to delay shuttle launch," Florida Today, December 7, 1999, p 1A.]

• Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, December 6, 1999. STS-103: Work in

progress: The seven-member STS-103 flight crew arrived at KSC's Shuttle Landing

Facility tonight at about 8:20 p.m. During the days leading up to launch, the crew will

participate in orbiter and mission familiarization activities. They will take

opportunities to fly in the Shuttle Training Aircraft and will undergo routine preflight

medical exams. At Launch Pad 39B, workers continue efforts to close out Shuttle

Discovery's aft compartment for flight. During routine engine compartment

138
inspectionstoday, workers found a 1/8-inchnick in the insulation of aShuttlemain

enginewire. The wire providescommandandfeedbacksupportfor Discovery's No. 2

main engine.Following anengineeringevaluationmeetingthis evening,Shuttle

managersdecidedto replacethe damagedwire andreportedthat a one-daylaunchslip

ispossible.Managerswill further assessthe impactto the processingscheduleand

expectmoreinformation by latetomorrow. BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy

SpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-maih

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, December 6].]

DECEMBER 7: Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, December 7, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: This afternoon, Shuttle managers moved the launch of Shuttle

Discovery to Dec. 11 at 11:42 p.m. The delay accommodates additional wiring work in

the orbiter's aft compartment. Today, technicians are completing efforts to replace and

retest a wiring harness that provides command and feedback support to the main

engine No. 2 controller. One wire in the harness had a 1/8-inch nick in its Teflon

insulation, and engineers decided last night to replace the entire harness. Engine No. 2

will undergo flight readiness tests, and leak checks will be repeated. Aft compartment

close-outs are expected to conclude early Thursday, and the launch countdown is set to

begin at 4 a.m. Thursday. The flight crew will take advantage of the additional time

to review mission plans and spend time with family members. Bruce Buckingham.

(1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available Email: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, December 7].]

DECEMBER 8: Space Shuttle Status Report, Wednesday, December 8, 1999. STS103: Work in progress: Shuttle managers have decided to delay the start of the

STS-103 launch countdown by at least 24 hours while engineers evaluate a dented main

propulsion system hydrogen line found during closeout inspections of Discovery's

engine compartment. A final decision on whether or not the line must be replaced is

expected tomorrow. If the line requires replacement, it is anticipated that the work

would postpone launch by a minimum of several days. The four-inch diameter line

carries liquid hydrogen fuel for the Space Shuttle main engines. Bruce Buckingham.

(1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available Email: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, December 8].]

DECEMBER 9: U.S. and Russian astronauts working on the international space

station should limit their exposure to radiation during intense solar activity, a scientific

advisory panel recommended Thursday. Plans for construction of the space station by

2004 call for some 43 space shuttle missions and about 1,500 space walks. The work

will coincide with the peak of the ll-year cycle of solar activity next year, the National

Research Council noted in its report. The council is an arm of the National Academy

of Science, which provides scientific advice to government agencies. ["Scientific

advisory panel urges radiation limits for astronauts," Florida Today, December 10,

1999, p 8A.]

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Mission managers decided Thursday to target a new launch date - Dec. 16 - for

Discovery's 10-day flight to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. That's after engineers

came up with a plan to quickly replace a dented fuel line that initially had threatened

to bump the mission into January. The line circulates super-cold liquid hydrogen

between the shuttle's external tank and its three main engines. If all goes according to

plan, Discovery will have three possible launch dates - Dec. 16, 17 and 18 - before the

flight would have to be postponed until next year. The launch window on Dec. 16

would extend from 9:18 to 9:59 p.m. "We will not have a very good idea of how close

we are to making the 16'h until Monday morning," said Ron Dittemore, the shuttle

program manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center. "There's a number of milestones

that have to be accomplished this weekend, since we've never done this particular

change-out." Shuttle managers want Discovery back on the ground no later than Dec.

28 to allow plenty of time for servicing the orbiter and shutting down ground

computers before any potential Y2K problems appear Jan. 1. Allowing two

contingency days for possible bad weather, that means landing will be scheduled for

Dec. 26. ["Latest shuttle launch plan calls for Christmas in orbit," The Orlando

Sentinel, December 10, 1999, p A-6.]

DECEMBER 11: It's still uncertain whether shuttle Discovery will lift off this week

on a mission to restore NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to working condition. To

NASA, it represents much more than a visit to the observatory. After two years with

few flights, Discovery's voyage will signal the start of a demanding launch schedule

that must be met to build the $60 billion International Space Station during the next

five years. The increase to about seven flights a year is not new to NASA, which had

that many or more missions during most of the 1990s. But the renewed push will fall

for the first time on a severely reduced work force at Kennedy Space Center, where the

number of shuttle workers has been cut by 35 percent since 1995. Many experienced

technicians have been lost in the cutbacks, causing concern the smaller work force

could be strained by the high demands and flight safety put at risk. That's why NASA

and independent experts say they'll be watching closely to make sure safety isn't

jeopardized. ["Smaller work force faces tough launch demands," Florida Today,

December 12, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

DECEMBER 13: Union members from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

have voted to accept a contract offer from Delaware North Park Services of Spaceport,

averting the chance of a strike. Members of the International Association of

Machinists Local 773 accepted the contract by a vote margin last week of 53 percent to

47 percent, said Scott Pendergrass, the union's business representative. There are about

300 workers in the union who staff the Visitor Complex, NASA's tourist attraction.

The workers had rejected a previous contract offer and were preparing to go on strike.

The new three-year contract, retroactive to Nov. 1, gives most workers average wage

increases of 3 percent a year. The contract also includes a bidding system for job

assignments, Pendergrass said. ["Strike averted at KSC," Florida Today, December

14, 1999, p 10C.]

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DECEMBER 14: Space Shuttle Status Report, Tuesday, December 14, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: The launch countdown for STS-103 began on schedule today

at 1:30 a.m. Yesterday, workers completed aft compartment close-outs and

Discovery's aft confidence test concluded last night. Current weather forecasts call for

scattered to broken clouds at 3,000 feet and scattered clouds at 25,000 feet; visibility of

7 miles; winds from the north at 12 peaking to 20 knots; temperature at 52 degrees F;

relative humidity at 69 percent; and no chance of showers. Weather officials indicate

an 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for launch attempts on Thursday

or Friday. By Saturday, the forecast declines to a 70 percent chance of favorable

weather. Processing Milestones:

Cryogenics loaded in Discovery's onboard storage tanks (Dec. 15)

Rotating Service Structure moved to park position (Dec. 16 at 3:45 a.m.)

STS-99: Work in progress: Space Shuttle Endeavour arrived at Launch Pad 39A

yesterday at about 12:30 p.m. Launch pad validations are under way and an

auxiliary power unit hot fire test is scheduled today. Bruce Buckingham. (1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, December 14].]

• Technicians at Kennedy Space Center replaced a damaged fuel line on shuttle

Discovery over the weekend, eliminating a potential obstacle to Thursday's planned

launch. Discovery is scheduled to lift off on a 10-day mission to repair the Hubble

Space Telescope during a launch window extending from 9:18 to 9:59 p.m. ["New fuel

line may end Discovery's woes," The Orlando Sentinel, December 14, 1999, p A-9.]

DECEMBER I5: Space Shuttle Status Report, Wednesday, December 15, 1999. STS103: Work in progress: Preparations for the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery

continue on schedule today. Last night, work began to load the orbiter's fuel cell

storage tanks with cryogenic reactants and loading operations concluded this morning.

Discovery's main engines have undergone routine prelaunch preparations today and

orbiter communication system activation occurs tonight. Flight crew equipment late

stowage begins later this evening. Today, Shuttle managers and engineers have

evaluated a welding issue involving external tank pressure lines. While the issue was

identified on hardware intended for use on a future flight, engineers are confirming

that the welding flaw was an isolated occurrence and that the pressure lines on Shuttle

Discovery's external tank are not affected. With the weld analysis all but complete,

managers expect to close the issue early tomorrow. Current weather forecasts call for

few clouds at 3,000 feet and scattered clouds at 25,000 feet; visibility of 7 miles; winds

from the north at 12 peaking to 20 knots; temperature at 52 degrees F; relative

humidity at 69 percent; and no chance of showers. Weather officials indicate a 90

percent that weather will be favorable for a launch on Thursday. Forecasters predict

an 80 percent chance of favorable weather for launch attempts on Friday and Saturday.

Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report

141
[Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999,

December 15].]

DECEMBER 16: Space Shuttle Status Report, Thursday, December 16, 1999. STS103: Work in progress: Space Shuttle managers today announced a 24-hour delay in the

launch of Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-103. The next launch opportunity is at

8:47 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17. Shuttle engineers have requested the additional time to

confirm the quality control processes for Arrowhead Products of Los Alamos,

California. Arrowhead is a vendor that provides welded propellant lines to the Shuttle

Program, including main propulsion system (MPS) lines in the orbiter's aft engine

compartment. On Tuesday, the vendor's quality control personnel notified NASA of

a welding flaw on a pressure line being fabricated for use on a future external tank.

While Shuttle engineers have already exonerated Shuttle Discovery's external tank of

any welding flaws, the on going evaluation will confirm the quality of the procedures

used to manufacture Shuttle MPS lines. Though managers are confident in the

structural integrity of Discovery's MPS lines, this evaluation is being conducted as a

precaution. Launch managers at KSC are not working any significant issues and stand

ready to support tomorrow's launch opportunity. The countdown clock will hold at

the T-I 1 hour mark and a decision to begin tanking operations will be made at about

noon tomorrow. Weather officials indicate a 60 percent chance that weather will

prohibit tomorrow's launch. The primary concern is thick cloud layers and the

possibility of coastal showers. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center

Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, December 16].]

• Boaters and fishermen who are used to seeing weather buoys in the ocean east of

Cape Canaveral may wonder at the unusual devices on new ones recently placed there.

Those devices are vital in relaying hourly weather data, especially during a launch

countdown and landing. The closest is 20 nautical miles offshore from the Cape in the

Gulfstream; another is a distant 110 nautical miles ENE. The National Weather

Service in Melbourne also uses the data for accurate forecasts of wind and seas over the

area offshore from Brevard County. ["Data from weather buoys critical to launch

countdown," KSC Countdown, December 16, 1999.]

• The launch of a NASA satellite that will study Earth's environment was

automatically halted by a computer moments before liftoff Thursday. It was not

immediately known what caused the cutoff. The launch of the Terra satellite aboard

an Atlas IIAS rocket was called off for the day. NASA said it will probably try again

in 24 hours. ["Computer stops liftoff of $1.3 billion satellite," Florida Today,

December 17, 1999, p 2B.]

DECEMBER 17: Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, December 17, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: Loading of Shuttle Discovery's external tank began at about 11:49

a.m. today and concluded at about 2:45 p.m. With Discovery in excellent health and

142
the launchteamreadyto supporttonight's 8:47p.m. launchattempt,Shuttlemanagers

decidedto proceedwith tanking operationsduring astandardpre-tankingmeetingthis

morning. During the missionmanagementeammeeting,Shuttleengineerspresented

the resultsof their recentquality control reviewof vendorArrowhead Products. After

thorough evaluationof Arrowhead'sproduction history andquality control system,

managersgainedincreasedconfidencein the structuralintegrity of Discovery'smain

propulsionsystemlinesandconfirmedthat thesinglewelding flaw identified earlier

this weekwasanisolatedincident. The precautionaryreviewalsoconfirmed

arrowhead'shigh levelof quality workmanship. The weatherforecastcallsfor clouds

to bebroken at 3,000feetand5,000feet,andovercastat 12,000feet;visibility at 5

miles;winds out of the north eastat 12knots gustingto 20 knots; temperature at 69

degrees F; relative humidity at 88 percent and rain showers in the KSC vicinity.

Tonight, forecasters indicate only a 20 percent chance that weather will be acceptable

at launch time. The primary concerns are thick layered clouds and rain showers. The

24-hour delay forecast improves to a 40 percent chance of favorable weather for a

Saturday launch attempt at 8:21 p.m. EST. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space

Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, December 17].]

• Updated Space Shuttle Status Report, Friday, December 17, 1999. STS-103: Space

Shuttle mission managers scrubbed the launch of Discovery on mission STS-103

tonight at about 8:52 p.m. due to numerous violations of weather launch commit

criteria at KSC. A 24-hour scrub turnaround sequence is currently in work at the pad.

Managers will attempt to launch Discovery tomorrow, Dec. 18, at 8:21 p.m. Eastern

Time. The 42ominute window extends to 9:03 p.m. Currently at the pad, operations

to detank the external tank of its unused liquid propellants will continue into the early

morning. Following this operation, Discovery will then be placed in a posture to be

refilled with the cryogenics beginning around 11:30 a.m. The seven-member crew of

Discovery have returned to their crew quarters for the night and will begin their sleep

period about 2:30 a.m. They will awake tomorrow at about 10:30 a.m. and once again

go through their launch day routine. Walkout of the Operations and Checkout

Building is scheduled for 4:47 p.m. Tomorrow's weather outlook is somewhat similar

to tonight's. Forecasters are predicting a 70 percent chance of weather criteria violation

with the primary concerns being for low clouds and possible rain showers in the

vicinity of the pad and the Shuttle Landing Facility. Bruce Buckingham. (1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, December 17].]

DECEMBER 18: Space Shuttle Status Report, Saturday, December 18, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: Today, Shuttle managers decided to delay Discovery's launch due to

the increased threat of unfavorable weather. Launch managers intended to begin

operations to load the external tank at 11 a.m. today, but with a 70 percent chance of

weather violation they delayed a go ahead decision to collect more weather data. By

noon, weather officials reported an 80 percent probability that weather would prohibit

143
tonight's launchattempt. The primary concernsarethick layeredcloudsand rain

showers.Shuttlemanagersareassessingthe possibility of launchingDiscovery on

Sunday,Dec.19. Current forecastsindicatea60percentchanceof favorableweather.

Along with weather,managersarereviewingthefeasibility of supportingcontingency

landing operationsatEdward Air ForceBase,CA, prior to thenew year. Tomorrow's

forecastcallsfor cloudsto bescatteredto brokenat 3,000feet,broken at 7,000feet,and

overcastat 12,000-22,000feet;visibility at 7 miles;winds out of the north eastat 12

knots gustingto 20knots; temperatureat 69degreesF; and rain showersin the KSC

vicinity. BruceBuckingham.(1999).KennedySpaceCenter SpaceShuttle Status

Report [Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status

[1999,December18].]

• A NASA satellitewaslaunchedSaturdayon a$1.3billion-plus missionto observe

the interactionsamongEarth'sland masses,atmosphere,oceanandbiosphere. The

Terra satellite,carrying five sophisticatedinstruments,lifted off at 1:57p.m. atopa

LockheedMartin Atlas IIAS rocket. ["Earth-observingsatellitelifts off in California,"

Florida Today, December 19, 1999, p 1A.]

DECEMBER 19: Space Shuttle Status Report, Sunday, December 19, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: Today, Shuttle managers decided to proceed with the STS-103

launch countdown and loading Discovery's external tank. The tanking activity began

at 10:30 a.m. today and will take approximately 3 hours to complete. The countdown

clock will enter a planned 2-hour built-in hold at the T-3 hour mark at 2 p.m. The

clock will resume at 4 p.m. and enter the next planned built-in hold at the T-20 minute

mark at 6:40 p.m. for 10 minutes. The final planned hold will come at the T-9 minute

mark at 7:01 p.m. for 40 minutes. The clock will resume at 7:41 p.m. for an on-time

launch at 7:50 p.m. Tonight's weather forecast calls for improved conditions as the

weak frontal boundary continues to drift north away from Central Florida. There is an

80 percent chance for acceptable weather conditions tonight. Clouds will be scattered

at 3,000 feet, 8,000 feet, and 25,000 feet; visibility will be 7 miles; winds out of the

southeast at I0 knots; temperature at 65 degrees F; and there is a slight chance of a low

cloud ceiling. Although the Kennedy Space Center is the prime end-of-mission landing

site, Shuttle managers carefully reviewed turnaround-processing operations at Edwards

Air Force Base, CA, should landing be diverted. There are several landing

opportunities in both Florida and California on the planned landing on Dec. 27.

Historical weather data indicates both sites have a high probability of favorable

weather this time of year at the planned landing time. Bruce Buckingham. (1999).

Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, December 19].]

• Updated Space Shuttle Status Report, Sunday, December 19, 1999. STS-103: Work

in progress: Space Shuttle Discovery and a seven-member flight crew liked off from

KSC's Launch Pad 39B on time at 7:50:00:069 p.m. today. The launch team worked

no significant issues during the launch countdown and weather conditions were

144
excellentat launchtime. Discoveryhasembarkedon its 27thspaceflight. Discovery

andcrewwilt rendezvouswith the Hubble SpaceTelescopeonTuesdayafternoon for

aberthing of the spacecraftin the orbiter's payloadbayTuesdaynight. Three space

walksareplannedduring this missionto accomplishplannedHubble servicingefforts.

Discoveryreturns to earthMonday,Dec.27at about5:24p.m. EST. The solid rocket

boosterrecoveryships,Liberty StarandFreedomStar,deployedfrom KSC on

Wednesday,Dec. 15. They areexpectedto arrive at HangarAF with boostersin tow

tomorrow at about 4:30p.m.EST.BruceBuckingham.(1999).Kennedy SpaceCenter

SpaceShuttle Status Report [Online]. AvailableE-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status[1999,December19].]

DECEMBER 20: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, December 20, 1999. STS-103:

Work in progress: Space Shuttle Discovery continues to perform very well on orbit as

the flight crew prepares to rendezvous with, grapple and service the Hubble Space

Telescope. Following Discovery's launch last night, workers completed a preliminary

walk down of Launch Pad 39B. Inspectors report only minimal damage at the pad.

Just before noon today, the solid rocket booster recovery ships began towing

operations and are expected to arrive at Hangar AF Tuesday at about 4:30 a.m. Both

boosters are reported to be in good condition following last night's splashdown in the

Atlantic Ocean. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle

Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail: domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe

shuttle-status [1999, December 20].]

• Kennedy Space Center will reorganize its work force by April to fill "critical skill

shortages" that have developed from NASA staff cuts in recent years, Space Center

Roy Bridges said Monday. Highlights of the plan include hiring 75 additional

engineers and technicians, reducing the number of top managers and shifting an

unspecified number of workers into new jobs and duties. The changes are partly aimed

at fulfilling the Space Center's "commitments for safe operations" in the space shuttle,

International Space Station and Expendable Launch Vehicle programs, according to the

plan. Other goals of the reorganization include improving NASA's expertise and

aligning the agency to "live within available resources," the plan sates. Richard

Blomberg, a member of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel that serves as a NASA

watchdog group for Congress, expressed support. "They recognize the issues and are

taking steps in the right direction," Blomberg said of Bridges' announcement.

"Certainly, bringing in additional engineering talent is a step in the right direction."

Problems with the Space Center's organizational structure include unnecessary

duplication of jobs and diluted authority and accountability, the plan states. The

reorganization will be the largest at the Space Center in more than 15 years, Bridges

said. He said the center's current organization is based on a larger work force and is no

longer suitable. Previously formulated plans call for reducing the number of civilservice employees at the center from 1,665 this year to 1,422 in 2008. But Bridges said

the reorganization announced Monday is not being done to further reduce the work

force. "This is not about downsizing. This is about positioning ourselves for the

145
future," hetold about 275 Space Center workers attending a private presentation of the

plan televised on closed-circuit.television. ["KSC plans work force overhaul," Florida

TodaE, December 21, 1999, p 1A & 2A.]

DECEMBER 27: Space Shuttle Status Report, Monday, December 27, 1999. The

orbiter Discovery landed successfully tonight on the second KSC landing opportunity

at 7:01 p.m. EST. The first landing opportunity was waved-off due to unacceptably

high cross winds at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The landing occurred on KSC Shuttle

Landing Facility (SLF) runway 33. On this mission, STS-103, the orbiter and crew

traveled over 3,267,000 miles.

End of mission elapsed times are:

Eastern Time Mission Elapse Time

Main Gear Touchdown 7:00:47 p.m. 7 days/23 hours/10

minutes/47 seconds

Nose Gear Touchdown 7:00:58 p.m. 7 days/23 hours/10

minutes/58 seconds

Wheels Stop 7:01:34 p.m. 7 days/23 hours/11

minutes/34 seconds

Upon close inspection of the orbiter following touchdown, engineers noted that a

black tile was missing on the right inboard elevon, next to the fuselage. The missing

tile measures 9 inches by 41/2 inches. No significant damage to the orbiter was found

and the flight crew was never in any danger due to the missing tile. Initial indications

are the tile came off sometime just prior to final approach. Further analysis will take

place over the next several days once the orbiter is in the Orbiter Processing Facility.

Tow to the OPF is scheduled to begin at about 12 midnight tonight. Once in the OPF,

the Discovery's systems will be deserviced and vehicle safing will be conducted over

the next two days. Discovery, as well the other two vehicles at KSC, will be powereddown for the remainder of the holidays. Normal vehicle processing is scheduled to

commence Jan. 4. The seven-member astronaut crew will spend tonight in Florida.

Tomorrow they are scheduled to depart at about 2:30 p.m. from Patrick Air Force

Base for their homes in Houston, TX. Bruce Buckingham. (1999). Kennedy Space

Center Space Shuttle Status Report [Online]. Available E-mail:

domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov/subscribe shuttle-status [1999, December 27].]

DECEMBER 28: After an eight-day mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope and

an evening landing Monday at the Kennedy Space Center, shuttle Discovery was

towed Tuesday to its hangar where NASA officials hope it will now be safe from the

Y2K bug. KSC workers spent the day draining hazardous fluids from Discovery and

by early this evening will have the effort completed and the plug pulled on the

spaceship's power supply, KSC spokesman George Diller said Tuesday. "The intent is

to safe and stabilize the orbiter so that we can power it down through the New Year,

Y2K period," Diller said. Discovery's launch and landing was dictated by NASA's

desire to have the shuttle on the ground and turned off by the end of today. The fact

that most space center workers are off this week because o the holidays is helping make

Discovery's hazardous work go faster. That's good news to the 30 technicians and

146
engineersworking in shiftsaroundtheclock to makeDiscoverysafe,becausethe

soonerthey cangetthe work done,the soonerthey canenjoy the restof the weekoff.

Early inspectionsshow Discoveryheldup well during its 27'l' spaceflight. One

problem: a blackheatprotectiontile measuringnineincheslong and4.5incheswide

wasfound missingfrom anorbiter body flap. From the lackof heatdamageto the

underlying orbiter skin, it islikely the tile fell off while the shuttlewasmaking its final

approachto the spacecenterrunway, Diller said. ["Discovery safelyback in hangarin

time for 2000," Florida Today, December 29, 1999, p lB.]

147
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Chronology of KSC and KSC Related Events for 1999

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Elaine E. Liston

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This document is intended to serve as a record of KSC events and is a

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14. SUBJECT TERMS

Chronology, Space Shuttle Orbiters, Expendable Launch Vehicl

Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Safety, Kennedy Space Center

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