Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:14:11 -0600
Technicians will begin disconnecting space shuttle Discovery’s ground umbilical carrier plate this evening by unhooking and lowering the hydrogen vent line that attaches to the GUCP on the external tank. Teams will take a careful step-by-step look as the GUCP is disconnected and will assess repair options. Tomorrow, crews will begin to remove the 7” quick disconnect. Technicians will wait until morning to take advantage of the daylight in order to assist in their visual inspections. Teams continue analyzing and inspecting the approximately 20-inch long crack in the external tank foam. Today, technicians took samples of the foam and will perform dissection analysis tonight. On Thursday, teams expect to begin using terahertz or backscatter scans to see beneath the foam to look for any other potential issues. Teams still are working out plans to reapply foam to the external tank after inspections are complete. Shuttle managers continue evaluating the data to determine the best repair methods and next launch opportunity for Discovery’s STS-133 mission to the International Space Station, which currently remains no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST.
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