NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

STATUS REPORT : S-101306 NASA's Space Shuttle Processing Status Report Note: NASA's Kennedy Space Center issues Space Shuttle Processing Status Reports periodically and is the source for information regarding processing activities associated with the vehicles and payloads. If you are a member of the media and would like further information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/index.html

Mission: STS-116 - 20th International Space Station Flight (12A.1) - P5 Truss Segment
Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103)
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3
Launch Date: No earlier than Dec. 7, 2006
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Polansky, Oefelein, Curbeam, Higginbotham, Patrick, Fuglesang and Williams
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Technicians continue performing final closeouts on Discovery in preparation for rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building, currently scheduled for Nov. 1. Leak checks of the crew module and external airlock hatch are scheduled for Sunday. The work to repair the damage to orbiter Discovery's right-hand external tank door mechanism is nearly finished. Servicing is complete on the environmental control and life support system.

The STS-116 crew is at Kennedy Space Center for the payload and orbiter crew equipment interface test. A routine part of astronaut training and launch preparations, the test activities allow for equipment familiarization and inspection of the items and hardware that will be used during the mission.

In the Vehicle Assembly Building, the external tank scheduled to fly with Discovery was mated to the solid rocket boosters early this morning during third shift. Technicians will complete closeouts in preparation for orbiter Discovery to be mated to the tank, designated ET-123, on Nov. 1.

Mission: STS-117 - 21st International Space Station Flight (13A) - S3/S4 Truss Segment Solar Arrays
Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104)
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1
Launch Date: No earlier than Feb. 22, 2007
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Sturckow, Archambault, Reilly, Forrester, Swanson and Olivas
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Technicians continue performing post-landing inspections on orbiter Atlantis and are nearly finished with the review of the thermal protection system. The orbiter boom sensor system is scheduled to be removed from the payload bay on Saturday.

During inspections, a 0.1-inch diameter impact was noted on Atlantis' right-hand payload bay door radiator. The cause of the damage has been preliminarily identified as micrometeoroid orbital debris, which passed through the radiator's face (outer) sheet, interior honeycomb structure and inner sheet. The debris did not impact the payload bay door itself. Technicians removed the damaged area and will begin the repair next week.

Endeavour (OV-105)

Endeavour is powered up in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, and technicians continue preparing the vehicle for its first launch following an extensive modification period. Star tracker door functional test is complete.

Work continues on the orbiter boom sensor system manipulator positioning mechanism. The mechanisms serve as the pedestals that hold the boom in place in the payload bay when it is not in use. The shoulder pedestal installation begins on Monday.