RGB Spaceport News

April 12, 2001 Vol. 40, No. 8 Spaceport News America’s gateway to the universe. Leading the world in preparing and launching missions to Earth and beyond. http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/snews/snewstoc.htm John F. Kennedy Space Center First Shuttle launch anniversary – April 12, 2001 Team members look back 20 years When Columbia lifted off the pad the morning of April 12, 1981, becoming the first Space Shuttle to launch – thousands of Kennedy Space Center team members watched with fervent emotions. The launch of an orbiter strapped to an external tank and two solid rocket boosters was a spectacle that had never been seen before. KSC workers knew they had contributed to the success of a new vehicle that would transform the space program. The new Space Transportation System program had been under development for 10 years, and the launch was a tremendous payoff. This space vehicle was no “one (See LAUNCH, Page 8) Crew: John W. Young, Commander Rollout: Columbia rolled to Pad Landing: April 14, 1981, at 10:21 a.m. Robert L. Crippen, Pilot 39-A on Dec. 29, 1980. PST, Edwards Air Force Base,Calif. STS-1 Backup: Joseph H. Engle, Commander Launch: Columbia launched on Mission duration: 37 orbits, two days, six Richard H. Truly, Pilot April 12, 1981, at 7 a.m. EST hours, 20 minutes, 53 seconds Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS April 12, 2001 KSC director led processing efforts Dick Smith was KSC’s director when Columbia rolled out to the pad for her first launch. One of the biggest chal- Of course, it was a big media event, and the reporters wanted a quote from the Center lenges of the workforce dur- Director. He gave them one, but Smith, origi- nally from Decatur, Ala., asserts that they got it ing Dick Smith’s tenure as wrong. “I said ‘Ain’t it purty,’ but they quoted me as saying ‘Ain’t it pretty.” director of Kennedy Space Center Director at KSC from September 1979 Center was developing to August 1986, Smith first arrived just shortly after Columbia was delivered to KSC. Smith had ground processing routines been deputy director of the Marshall Space Flight Center, but was serving as the deputy and procedures for the or- associate administrator for Space Transporta- Former KSC Director Dick Smith is pictured in biters that have become so tion Systems at NASA Headquarters before he the Vehicle Assembly Building during the processing of Columbia for STS-1. arrived at KSC. streamlined today. It was a He was in much better condition than Colum- One of the biggest challenges of the bia, though, which still needed a lot of process- workforce during Smith’s tenure as director was slow, painful process. ing before its first launch. developing the ground processing routines and Smith remembers talking to one KSC em- procedures for the orbiters that have become so ployee, a grandfather, who fondly recounted streamlined today. It was a slow, painful because they forget the trivial things,” Smith bringing his young grandson out to the Shuttle process. observed. “KSC is unique in that a launch is Landing Facility to witness history unfolding: Every procedure was being done for the first like a crisis, a scheduled crisis. If you watch the Columbia perched atop the Shuttle Carrier time. Every step was like pulling a tooth. “We team closely, you see petty quarrels and Aircraft before its move into the Orbiter Pro- had a lot of toothaches,” Smith laughed. Then, squabbling fade away as the team heads into a cessing Facility. as now, KSC was very fortunate to have the launch. The team pulls together to handle the His grandson was unimpressed, however, and quality and dedication of the employees. crisis.” observed “that airplane sitting on top is sick.” “What brings people together is a crisis – Kay Grinter Launch director kept team ‘keyed up’ Despite the computer trouble that scrubbed the first launch attempt of Columbia on STS-1, “(STS-1) was the most George Page said the Kennedy Space Center team still felt fully prepared. satisfying program I ever “I felt a tremendous relief when Columbia did launch on the second attempt. We had worked worked on. To see it go and very hard, and I spent most of my awake time out here. To see it go so well was very satisfy- know it was safely on orbit, ing,” said Page, who served as launch director and then see it come back for the first three flights of the Shuttle program, starting with STS-1 in April 1981. to Earth – incredible.” Page had already worked for NASA for 18 years, as a spacecraft test conductor on the George Page Gemini Program; chief spacecraft test conductor STS-1 Launch Director George Page speaks to Launch Director, STS-1 for Gemini and Apollo launch operations; chief the media after the first Space Shuttle launch. of Spacecraft Operations Division for Apollo, was a challenging time. Everyone involved Skylab and ASTP launch operations; director of deserves a lot of credit.” That interest must be an inherited trait since, Cargo Operations; and director of Shuttle The distant future wasn’t a concern for those said Page, “my son works on the Shuttle Operation working to launch the first Shuttle. “Most of us program for NASA in California and my grand- The biggest challenge to make that first then were so wrapped up doing the job we son works on launches from the firing room at launch “was keeping everyone keyed up and didn’t think much into the future,” said Page. KSC.” ready to go,” Page said. “The schedule had “We didn’t think, though, that we would still be When asked for any final thoughts about dragged out – the original schedule was very flying Shuttle. We thought it would have launching STS-1, Page stated, “It was the most optimistic and we worked under a lot of pressure progressed to other vehicles.” satisfying program I ever worked on. To see it to meet it. We had trouble installing tile on the Page retired from NASA in 1984. He remains go and know it was safely on orbit, and then see vehicle, the solids of that size were new to us, on the Space Coast with continued interest in it come back to Earth – incredible.” there were new hardware and new systems. It the Shuttle launches and evolving program. – Anita Barrett April 12, 2001 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Reyes’ team met tile challenges Ernie Reyes was enjoying his job in payload planning in 1979, working with both expendable “Not near enough credit has ever vehicles and to transition been given to all the people at the deployable payloads to the Space Shuttle program. end of the rope. We had strong His goal was to develop a technicians doing the job and a ground support system to meet the customer need for payloads to strong shop to support them.” arrive at the pad as close to launch as possible. Columbia, however, was to draw Ernie Reyes, Reyes away from that task after a Thermal Protection System Lead for STS-1 call from George Page, the Space Shuttle launch director. The installation of the thermal protection tiles had run into difficulty and was behind schedule. A view of Columbia in an Orbital Making good progress on the Processing Facility at Kennedy payload ground support system, Space Center before the first Reyes was reluctant to change Shuttle launch. The orbital’s exterior assignments. But Page wanted looks damaged because it had lost Reyes to become the Kennedy many of its Thermal Protection Space Center “tile czar.” System tiles during a test flight “We don’t need any payloads if aboard its carrier aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base. the Space Shuttle doesn’t work,” launch director Page reminded The tile work for STS-1 was a Reyes. tremendous undertaking. At that Good point, and Reyes became time there were no computers to the NASA-KSC Thermal Protection help with the job. It was all done System lead. His job description with books of drawings, pencil, Jeff Andress, now a Thermal Protection System manager with was simply to get all the tiles in- paper and colored crayons. Tags United Space Alliance, was one of the first tile technicians hired. stalled on Columbia before launch. were affixed to tiles indicating Above, he takes a look at Columbia’s modern tile system. Initially the tiles were not some stage of repair or the status passing a required “pull test,” a of other work in progress. Tile technicians had hands full rigorous test to assure the tiles The technicians became proud of would not fall off Columbia during working on what looked like a huge Processing Columbia for the first Shuttle launch was a steep its first launch. jigsaw puzzle, wearing shirts that learning curve for everyone, especially those in tile installation. “Because the tiles had the read “Power to the Puzzle People.” “Tile installation was the most demanding, tedious process at consistency of Styrofoam, we were “Not near enough credit has ever KSC, “ recalled Dick Smith, director of the Kennedy Space Center popping them right off,” recalled been given to all the people at the when Columbia was being prepared for launch for the first time. Reyes. end of the rope. We had strong A 15-minute test flight of the orbiter-Shuttle Carrier Aircraft He joined the Thermal Protection technicians doing the job and a combination at Edwards Air Force Base resulted in extensive System team, NASA and Rockwell strong shop to support them.

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