Wed, 01 Dec 2010
Technicians will remove batteries for the STS-133 crew's spacewalk suits as they prep space shuttle Discovery at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttles airlock was opened yesterday to allow crews access to the batteries. Installation of reference dots on space shuttle Discovery's ground umbilical carrier plate, or GUCP, to monitor for movement during tanking, has been delayed to Dec. 2 and 3, because of rain.
Discovery's launch is currently targeted for no earlier than Dec. 17, after shuttle managers determined more tests and analysis are needed.
The Program Requirements Control Board reviewed on Nov. 23 repairs and engineering evaluations associated with cracks on two 21-foot-long, U-shaped aluminum brackets, called stringers, on the shuttle's external tank. Managers decided the analysis and tests required to launch Discovery safely are not complete. The work will continue through this week.
The next status review by the PRCB will be tomorrow, Dec. 2. If managers clear Discovery for launch on Dec. 17, the preferred time is about 8:51 p.m. EST.
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