Headline News
Internal Communications Branch (P-2) NASA Headquarters

  Wednesday, March 6, 1991	Audio Service: 202 / 755-1788

This is NASA Headline News for Wednesday, March 6, 1991

Technicians continue working on all three orbiters at Kennedy Space 
Center.  On Discovery, hypergolic propellants have been off-loaded 
from the orbital maneuvering system and reaction control system 
tanks.  Rollback to the Vehicle Assembly Building is set for 2:00 
am tomorrow, with arrival at the VAB expected by daybreak.

In the Orbiter Processing Facility, work to prepare Atlantis for 
rollover to the VAB is progressing well.  Midbody and aft compartment 
closeout activity continues.  Technicians are in the process of 
troubleshooting one of the main power busses to determine the 
source of intermittent electrical spikes.  Rollover to the VAB is 
expected to occur no earlier than Friday morning.  During a 
teleconference this afternoon, space flight management will consider 
the impact of several hairline cracks found on Atlantis' external 
tank umbilical door closing mechanism hinges.  The cracks were found 
after several dye penetrant tests and borescope inspections.  Space 
flight management expects to resolve this issue prior to the 
rollover of Atlantis.

Meanwhile, the transfer of Atlantis' STS-37 Gamma Ray Observatory 
payload, from the Vertical Processing Facility, has been rescheduled 
from Friday to early morning Sunday.  On Friday, Kennedy Space 
Center and Gamma Ray Observatory project management will 
hold a press briefing and tour of the spacecraft in the VPF at 
1:30 pm.

Work on Columbia is also progressing on schedule with various 
systems inspections and tests being conducted in the OPF.  
Columbia's Spacelab habitable module is expected to be 
transported from the Operations and Checkout Building to the 
OPF around March 23.

                   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The House Subcommittee on Space has called William Lenoir to 
testify on the Office of Space Flight's budget request.  That 
hearing is set for 1:30 pm today in room 2318, Rayburn House Office 
Building.  It will be televised live on NASA Select TV.  Also today, the 
House Subcommittee on Energy has called Arnold Aldrich, 
Aeronautics and Space Technology chief, to testify about the SP-
100 program.




	
Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA Select 
TV.  All times are Eastern.  NASA Select TV is carried on GE Satcom 
F2R, transponder 13, C-Band, 72 degrees W Long., Audio 6.8, 
Frequency 3960 MHz.

Wednesday, 3/6/91
	 1:15 pm	Magellan-at-Venus status report live from the Jet 
			Propulsion Laboratory.

	 1:30 pm	House Subcommittee on Space hearing, William Lenoir, 
			Associate Administrator for Space Flight, to testify
			on the space transportation budget request, live from
			the Rayburn House Office Building, room 2318.

Thursday, 3/7/91
	12:00 pm	Starfinder program  "Gravity and Weight."

	12:15 pm	NASA Life Sciences Program.

	12:30 pm	Assignment "Shoot the Moon."

	 1:00 pm	Science Education Lecture.

	
All events and times may change without notice.  This report is filed 
daily, Monday through Friday, by 12:00 pm, Eastern.  It is a service of 
NASA Headquarters Office of Public Affairs.  Contact:  CREDMOND 
on NASAmail or at 202/453-8425.