[sarex] Shuttle Launch Delay

[Roy Neal <k6due@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS
KSC Contact: Joel Wells
Thursday,
Oct. 5, 2000
                                                (11:48 PM)
LAUNCH DELAY UPDATE

MISSION: STS-92 - 5th ISS Flight (3A) - Z-1 Truss, PMA-3

LOCATION:  Launch Pad 39A
KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: No earlier than Oct. 9, 2000 at about 8:05 p.m.
EDT
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 20, 2000
LAUNCH WINDOW:  No more than 5 minutes
MISSION DURATION: 11 days
CREW: Duffy, Melroy, Wakata, Chiao, Wisoff, Lopez-Alegria, McArthur
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 177 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

Completed Shuttle Processing: Shuttle managers announced tonight that
Shuttle Discovery will launch no earlier than Monday, Oct. 9.  The
decision
allows workers at KSC time to access Discovery's aft compartment to
troubleshoot and replace a pogo suppression valve on the liquid oxygen
side
of the orbiter's main propulsion system.  Meanwhile, engineering
evaluation
of the orbiter/external tank bolt protrusion issue will continue.

Following the announcement of Discovery's launch postponement today,
engineers in KSC's launch control room cycled the orbiter's main
propulsion
system valves as part of standard turnaround procedures. During these
checks, the pogo suppression valve for the liquid oxygen side of the
main
propulsion system responded sluggishly.  Engineering evaluation
determined
that thorough troubleshooting of the suspect valve is required.

Draining of Discovery's onboard cryogenic storage tanks begins at 2 a.m.

tomorrow and concludes about 6 hours later.  When cryogenic offload is
complete, technicians will begin gaining access to Discovery's aft
compartment tomorrow morning. Once access is established, workers will
begin
electrical troubleshooting of the pogo valve followed by valve
replacement
work.  The launch team is scheduled to pickup the launch countdown at
the
T-11hour mark at 5:10 a.m. Monday. The STS-92 flight crew will remain at
KSC
through the next launch attempt.

MEDIA NOTE:  An extended scrub turnaround press conference will be held
tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the KSC Press Site.

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