MissionUpdate Vol. 36, No. 18 September 12, 1997 Shuttle- Spaceport News America's gateway to the universe. Leading the world in preparing and launching missions to Earth and beyond. John F. Kennedy Space Center

External EVA: Mir 24 cosmonaut Mir supply needs Anatoly Solovyev and U.S. Flow director team completed performed test mettle of KSC a six-hour Sept. 6 to inspect damage on Mir's module, but could not find payloads team a puncture. They also repositioned When the Space Shuttle a solar array to increase its ability to collect solar energy, and Atlantis soars into space later retrieved a U.S. radiation detection this month, it will carry for the monitor left by Jerry Linenger first time six yellow spherical during an April EVA. bottles containing what could literally be “the breath of life” for the crew of the Russian STS-87 Space Station Mir. The bottles of breathing air are similar to the container of air used by the Mir crew in June during the critical minutes it took to seal a hatch when a Russian cargo ship FULL HOUSE — The recent addition of Pepper Phillips to the orbiter flow director banged into Mir’s Spektr team at KSC fills a fourth and final slot, providing a NASA overseer for each Columbia (24th flight OV-102) module, puncturing its vehicle in the fleet. From left are Phillips, named Endeavour flow director in 88th Shuttle flight aluminum hull and causing August; Grant Cates, who has been Columbia's flow director since October Pad 39B depressurization of the 1995; Scott Cilento, named to oversee Discovery in September 1996, and Conrad Launch date: Nov. 19, 2:18 p.m. Nagel, who has managed processing of Atlantis since May of 1985. USMP-4; Spartan 201-04 (See STS-86, Page 4) Crew: Kregel; Lindsey; Scott; Chawla; Doi (Japan); Kadenyuk (Ukraine). USMP-4 is the fourth U.S. Microgravity Payload. It will NASA workers get buyout opportunity feature six experiments in the All permanent civil service Advanced Development and expected to be honored, but payload bay and three additional investigations in the middeck area. employees are eligible for a Shuttle Upgrades Directorate. additional requests may be The approximately 16-day flight buyout opportunity that opens Attorneys and physicians also accepted. To date, 489 federal duration allows extended research Oct. 1. Eligible employees who are excluded. The number of civilian workers at KSC have that capitalizes on the microgravity voluntarily leave NASA within eligible positions in Shuttle taken advantage of buyout environment. the established timeframe will processing is limited to no opportunities since the first receive separation incentive more than 40. one in 1994. A Web site with Lunar Prospector pay in an amount equal to According to the KSC more information is at: http:// their calculated severance pay Administration Office, up to www.ksc.nasa.gov/hmper/ entitlement, up to a maximum 236 buyout requests are buyout98.html of $25,000, or a year's salary, whichever is less. KSC is trying to reduce its Hispanic music program set for civil service work force of 1,895 permanent employees by 424 Sept. 16 in the Training Auditorium people by fiscal year 2000 — a Launch date: No earlier than Nov. little more than two years from Mark your calendars to entertain employees. Center 23 (tentative) now. Normal attrition with no attend the kickoff for Hispanic Director Roy Bridges Jr. will Launch vehicle: Lockheed Martin Heritage Month. From 10 be the keynote speaker. Launch Vehicle-2 new hires will not achieve the Launch Pad: Launch Complex 46, required reduction. a.m. – 12 p.m., Sept. 16, in Employees are Cape Canaveral Air Station Certain organizations/ the KSC Training Auditorium, encouraged to attend the The spacecraft will be shipped to professions are not being dancers from the Ballet program with permission of Florida in late October. Meanwhile, Folklorico Alma Mexicana their supervisor. the LMLV-2 third stage, an Orbus offered the buyout. These are 21D® solid rocket, was to be the Space Station Hardware and the singer Antonio Hispanic Heritage Month is placed atop the rocket at the end Integration Directorate, the Infante, accompanied by the being held this year from of this month. Checkout and Launch Control Mariachi Bravo group, will Sept. 15 – Oct. 15. System Directorate, and the Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS September 12, 1997

NASA team to investigate Cassini launch delay main engine test stand fire NASA Headquarters into a planned 710-second test, WORKERS in the Payload Hazardous Associate Administrator for the engine was operating at Servicing Facility Space Flight Wilbur Trafton 109 percent power when the remove protective has appointed a major incident turbine discharge temperature covering from around investigation board to exceeded its limits. This the Cassini spacecraft with its attached determine the cause of a fire caused an automatic cutoff of Huygens probe. The that occurred on a the engine. At that point, or spacecraft was developmental Space Shuttle subsequent to it, a fire destacked from the main engine being tested at occurred on the stand. launch vehicle and brought back from NASA’s Stennis Space Center What impact, if any, this Launch Pad 40 on (SSC), on in late August. incident will have to the Cape Canaveral Air The fire happened at upcoming STS-86 launch date Station after damage approximately 3:16 p.m. EDT is currently unknown. to thermal insulation was discovered inside on the A-1 test stand at However, the Space Shuttle Huygens, caused by a Stennis, located in Bay St. Main Engine (SSME) high flow rate of Louis, Miss. There were no configuration used in the test conditioned air. injuries caused by the was significantly different Further internal inspection, insulation incident. than the current SSME repair and a cleaning The engine being tested at configuration on Shuttle of the probe are now the time, engine number 0524, Atlantis. required. Mission was a developmental engine The incident board is managers are targeting a mid- used for testing new engine expected to report its findings October launch date components. It was not a to senior NASA managers in rather than the flight engine. At 568 seconds about 45 days. originally scheduled Oct. 6. Changes announced in KSC travel service and mail delivery Effective Aug. 30, American numbers are 867-3927/455- Express Government Services 9871 for the Headquarters Florida attractions offer specials became the provider of NASA branch, and 853-9528/730- travel service, replacing All 1277 for the Cape office. Universal Studios Florida per adult. Children age two World Travel Official and Effective Sept. 8, centerwide and Wet 'n Wild are offering years and under are admitted Leisure Travel Offices at KSC. mail delivery was reduced KSC employees free. The tickets are Chris Bowman, formerly with from twice a day to just once, special rates this valid until Dec. 31 All World, returns as manager due to budget constraints. fall. of this year. and most of the travel agents Time of delivery will depend Tickets are Universal are the same. New phone on location. available at all Studios Florida: NASA Tickets are $26 per adult or Exchange child, with admission free for Wanted: Walkers and runners for retail stores, children age two years and and can be under. This special rate cannot the Fall Intercenter Run Oct. 7 purchased be purchased at the gate, and Sept. 1 – 30: is valid through the end of Wet 'n Wild: Tickets are $12 September. Fitness and contractor enthusiasts personnel are should mark their eligible and KSC employees join Leadership calendars now for registration is free. the Fall Stop by either Brevard Class of 1998 Intercenter Run, KSC Fitness Center Five KSC employees have The Leadership Brevard set for Oct. 7, 5 to register or contact been named to the 1998 program is a 10-seminar series p.m., at KSC's Shuttle Cheryl Tragesser, 867-7829, Leadership Brevard class: aimed at educating, preparing Landing Facility runway. for details. Steve Chance, NASA; and inspiring leaders on the The 10K, 5K, and 2-Mile Registration deadline is Jennifer Kunz, NASA; challenges facing Brevard run/walk offer a great way to close of business, Sept. 26. T- Jennifer Lyons, NASA; County and to enhance have some fun and friendly shirts and tank tops will be Russ Pierce, United Space leadership skills. The overall competition against coworkers available for purchase at any Alliance; and goal is to connect community and friends. All civil service NASA Exchange Store. Jill Rock, NASA. leaders for positive impact. September 12, 1997 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Center gets another rebate check from Florida Power & Light Florida Power & Light (FPL) Company officials recognized KSC’s commitment ACE hurtles into a cloud- to reducing overall energy studded sky as onlookers consumption and costs with a try to capture the image. The Delta II launch was rebate check for $195,000, the second under the presented to Center Director Boeing name and the first Roy Bridges at KSC Aug. 27. from Cape Canaveral Air KSC has received FPL rebates Station. Liftoff was CENTER Director Roy Bridges Jr. (right) delayed one day by the for its energy-saving efforts accepts a rebate check from FPL Vice presence of two since 1993. President Larry Laseter. This is the second commercial fishing The check, presented by rebate KSC has received from FPL in four vessels in the launch years. Larry Laseter, vice president danger area. of Sales and Marketing for and maintenance. FPL, is the largest single- Additionally, the new project rebate to date. The chillers use more center received a $220,000 environmentally friendly rebate from FPL in 1993 for refrigerants, reducing several energy-conservation potentially hazardous effects measures it had implemented. to the Earth’s ozone layer. The energy savings realized Expansion of the chiller by KSC comes as a direct plant also allows KSC to result of installing new chilled produce an additional 7,500 ACE spacecraft operating well, water systems hardware, also tons of air-conditioning known as ‘chillers’ (used to capacity. fate of Lewis is less certain produce air conditioning inside The FPL rebate came as a the-art instruments to facilities), in the KSC result of the commitment KSC NASA's Advanced demonstrate next generation Industrial Area Chiller Plant. has demonstrated to energy- Composition Explorer (ACE), remote sensing technology. Previously, individual chillers saving modifications now and launched from Cape Canaveral Launch aboard the LMLV was were located in various in the future. Federal Air Station Aug. 25 aboard a flawless, but an errant buildings in the industrial regulations state that 50 Boeing Delta II, is operating thruster firing placed Lewis in area. The new hardware percent of KSC’s rebate will be nominally and en route to its an excessive spin mode. reduced the number of smaller deposited in the U.S. Treasury. final on-orbit position. Less Mission managers continue to chillers in KSC’s Industrial The other half will be retained certain is the fate of the Lewis work a recovery plan to return Area from 18 to six, thereby by KSC for use in future spacecraft, launched three the satellite to normal reducing the cost of operations energy-saving initiatives. days earlier from the West Coast aboard a Lockheed operations. Martin Launch Vehicle (LMLV). Rocking around the rocket The 1,731-pound ACE is already halfway toward a point about a million miles from Earth called the Libration Point, where the gravitational pulls of the Earth and the Sun are balanced. This balance keeps ACE at an ideal location to sample the matter that comes near the Earth from the Sun. ACE is designed for a two- year mission that could extend to five years. Lewis is one of two AGAINST the backdrop of a Saturn V rocket (left) and space memorabilia, British spacecraft developed as part of rock group Genesis debuted its new album, Calling all Stations, live from the NASA's Small Spacecraft Apollo/Saturn V Center Aug. 28. The two-hour program was aired live across a network of more than 100 radio stations as well as via the Internet. The event Technology Initiative. Named LEWIS spacecraft is secured to the LMLV also marked the debut of new lead singer Ray Wilson, who follows in the footsteps for the 19th century American payload adapter during preflight preparations at Vandenberg Air Force of Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins. About 200 KSC employees attended the late- explorers, Lewis and Clark are night event, which will be followed by a North American concert tour this fall. Base. Lewis is part of NASA's Small satellites containing state-of- Spacecraft Technology Initiative program. Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS September 12, 1997

extremely high air pressuriza- in January on the STS-89 that was only up to 4,000 psi.) STS-86. . . tion requirements. mission, the eighth of nine Compressed air at 6,000 psi (Continued from Page 4) The Russians need the air planned dockings. Each unit was brought in “tube banks” to interior. “If they hadn’t had because they are planning at with two bottles can provide KSC. The air pressurization one of these air containers least six — and up to eight — approximately 425 cubic feet of units were filled to about 5,400 when the collision occurred, spacewalks to make all the breathing air. Five of the units psi. After proof tests and leak they would not have had the necessary repairs from the would repressurize a module checks, the compressed air had extra 20 critical minutes collision of the Progress about the size of the nearly 43- to be “bled down” to its flight needed to seal the hatch on vehicle and Spektr. The units foot-long Spektr which has a pressure of 4,641 psi. The Spektr,” said Frances Stadler, would be used to repressurize pressurized volume of almost process was a lot more KSC Boeing environmental the airlocks after the 2,200 cubic feet. complex — and time- control system/fluids lead spacewalks. The U.S. One unit consists of two 20- consuming — than filling a systems engineer. living aboard Mir, liter titanium spheres, each scuba tank, for example. KSC employees have including Michael Foale slightly smaller than a “Because of the high responded to last-minute cargo (currently) and basketball, mounted on a base pressure, you can’t fill a bottle requests on more than one of (who transfers to Mir on STS- plate. Altogether, the three too quickly or bleed it off too the six previous Shuttle-Mir 86), are expected to participate units will comprise only a quickly because it will result dockings. On the most recent in some of those spacewalks. fraction — approximately 289 in a drastic temperature docking mission, STS-84, a Russian Progress supply pounds — of the three-and-a- increase,” Stadler said. Also, Russian oxygen generating ships already have or will half tons of science/logistical since the compressed air was unit was added to the cargo transport six of the units. equipment and supplies that well over the 3,000 psi range, manifest only a few weeks Those, plus the three brought will be exchanged between the it had to be treated as if it before launch to replace a by Atlantis on STS-86, are two orbiting spacecraft during were pure oxygen with more malfunctioning unit on Mir. expected to fulfill the the scheduled 10-day mission. stringent requirements in But the request for the three spacewalk needs on the Mir Once KSC payload officials place. For instance, alcohol air pressurization units for through the next several had a full understanding of the could not be used to clean the Mission STS-86 was unique. It months. Stadler said that the Russian requirements, they containers. The transfer of air was a first for Shuttle payload Shuttle may have to bring had 13 days to get ready for took about a week. workers because of the another three units up to Mir the arrival of Russian engineer “Everybody did their part. Sergei Romanov and Everybody had a ‘can-do’ technician Anatoli Karpov, and attitude and did what it took - the filling task to begin. Even overtime, working weekends without the tight time — to get the job done. In the constraints, it proved to be a true sense of the word, it was a challenging job. team effort,” said Stadler, who First, they had to hunt far led the KSC effort involving and wide for available parts Boeing engineers, logistics and then build a portable personnel and facilities gauge regulator assembly that fabrication shop workers. was oxygen-compatible and “Frances Stadler and her could accommodate pressures team did an outstanding job of up to 6,000 pounds per pulling this effort together on square inch (psi). (The closest such short notice,” agreed high pressure used around the STS-86 KSC Payload Manager center was in life support, and Todd Corey.

John F. Kennedy Space Center Spaceport News

The Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space Center and is published on alternate Fridays by the Public Affairs Office in the interest of KSC civil service and contractor employees. THE KSC AND RUSSIAN TEAM which prepared air pressurization units, shown in Contributions are welcome and should be submitted two weeks be- foreground, for launch aboard the Shuttle Atlantis on STS-86 under a tight timetable fore publication to the Media Services Branch, AB-A, or sent via e-mail to posed for a group photograph after their work was complete. From left, are Dave Bush, the following SMTP: [email protected] NASA fluids systems engineer; Anatoli Karpov, Russian technician with RSC Energia; Managing editor...... Bruce Buckingham Rich Martucci, NASA launch site support manager; Frances Stadler, Boeing Editor...... Paula Shawa environmental control system (ECS)/fluids lead systems engineer; Julia Bateman, Editorial support provided by Sherikon Space Systems Inc. Writers Group. Russian interpreter; Jim Bancroft, Boeing logistics support; Garry Eggleston, Boeing Photographic support provided primarily by The Bionetics Corp. and ECS/fluids systems engineer; Mary Chetirkin, Boeing requirements implementation Photographer George Shelton, also of Bionetics. engineer; Sergei Romanov, RSC Energia senior engineer; and, kneeling, Rolande Purcell, Boeing technician. The air pressurization units will be used to support USGPO: 532-112/20055 spacewalks on the Russian Space Station Mir over the next few months.