Mission update Vol. 35, No. 1 January 19, 1996 Spaceport News America's gateway to the universe. Leading the world in preparing and launching missions to planet Earth and beyond. John F. Kennedy Space Center STS-72 provides bright start to new year Managers commend team for professionalism despite Mission: Delta II-XTE record federal furlough Launch date, time: 8:48 a.m., KSC officials expressed pride Dec. 30, 1995, from Launch in the commitment shown by the Complex 17, Pad A, Cape work force that resulted in the Canaveral Air Station. flawless launch of STS-72 Jan. 11. Mission synopsis: The XTE "The professionalism of the spacecraft is outfitted with three scientific instruments that will KSC team is highlighted by a study X-rays, including their origin continuing commitment to ex- and emission mechanisms, and cellence,” said Center Director the physical conditions and Jay Honeycutt. Despite unre- evolution of X-ray sources within solved budget issues, “our team the Milky Way galaxy and beyond. does not compromise when it The Delta II 7920 expendable comes to getting the job done.” launch vehicle is provided by The 4:41 a.m. launch was de- McDonnell Douglas. layed 23 minutes due to commu- nications problems; however, the liftoff from Pad 39B was without any serious technical glitches. Launch Director Jim Harrington said he had full con- fidence in the KSC team as the count toward liftoff progressed. “With the test team being the professionals that they are, THE SPACE SHUTTLE Endeavour lights up the night as it thunders aloft from Launch there wasn’t any doubt in my Pad 39B at 4:41 a.m. Jan. 11, kicking off the 1996 Shuttle launch schedule. During mind that we were ready to go their nine-day mission crew members will retrieve the Japanese Space Flyer Unit and deploy and later retrieve the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology Flyer (OAST- into the count,” he said. Mission: STS-75 on Flyer). At press time landing was scheduled for Jan. 20 at 3:17 a.m. at KSC. (See LAUNCH, Page 6) Columbia. Launch date, time: Feb. 22, Challenger anniversary events look toward the future 3:08 p.m. from Launch Pad The NASA Kennedy Space best honor the memory of the NASA and contractor employees 39B. Center and community organi- Challenger astronauts and will be excused from their work zations associated with the other astronauts who have lost stations to step outside for a mo- Synopsis: The seven- space program will commemo- their lives in advancing ment of silence. At 11:38 a.m., member international STS- rate the 10th anniversary of the humankind’s quest to use (the time of the Challenger 75 crew will conduct Challenger accident on Sunday, space,” KSC Center Director Jay launch), a “missing man” forma- scientific investigations with Jan. 28 and Monday, Jan. 29. both the Tethered Satellite Honeycutt said. “I don’t think tion of T-38 jets flown by mem- System-1R (TSS-1R) and Planned events will emphasize there has ever been a more com- bers of the astronaut corps will United States Microgravity the future and acknowledge the mitted and hard-working group fly over the space center fol- Payload-3 (USMP-3) extraordinary efforts of the con- of people anywhere. The nation lowed by the dropping of a primary payloads during the tractor and civil service team can be proud of them.” wreath at sea by helicopter. At 75th Space Shuttle mission. which has safely launched 49 An observance for Kennedy Johnson Space Center a similar shuttle missions since that time. Space Center employees will be observance will be held at the Landing date, time: March 7, “It is the day-to-day work and held on Monday, Jan. 29, the same time. 7:38 a.m. at Kennedy Space care by the men and women of day following the actual anni- Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. NASA and its contractors who versary date. At 11:30 a.m. (See ANNIVERSARY, Page 6) Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS January 19, 1996 Key custodian honored THE KSC CLEANING Facility, operated by the Wiltech Corp., is implementing environmentally sound cleaning utilizing aqueous (water-based) methods developed in conjunction with the NASA Material Science Laboratories. The label above will appear on all hardware processed at the KSC Cleaning Facility utilizing aqueous methods. It depicts the Earth being cradled by an outstretched human hand, symbolizing the concern that humans have for the environment. Water, nature's own cleansing medium, is symbolized by the acronym WIN, Water Is Natural, found in the shadowed background of the statement "Environmentally Sound Cleaning." By the end of 1997, more than 80 percent of KSC cleaning production is expected to be processed aqueously. I-NET Inc. employee Jerry Davis is presented with the Key Control Custodian of the Year Award for 1995 by NASA Installation Security Officer Cal Burch. Davis has served as a key custodian since June of 1991 and is responsible for tracking approximately 1,105 keys from 40 different series. She also takes care of key issues and returns for 206 I-NET employees. She is known for exceptional reliability, accuracy and efficiency in her dealings with the KSC Locksmith Services Office. The Key Control Custodian award was established to provide formal recognition to deserving key control custodians who stand out among their peers. One small step . ROCKWELL EMPLOYEES accepting that company's Chairman's Team Award include, front row from left, Donald Beall, Dennis Connelly, Thomas Blomster, Paul Shashaguay and Ronald Hively. Back row, from left, are Jennifer Arrington, Mark Hahn, Marianne Rigolini and John Morefield. Shuttle work wins highest Rockwell honor Rockwell’s Chairman’s Team and repair components for the Award, the highest recognition Shuttle orbiters. As a result, within the company for accom- costs will be significantly cut. plishments by an employee Leaders of the team received team, has been presented to a the award during a dinner Dec. group of Rockwell employees in 10 at the Cocoa Beach Holiday Brevard County whose continu- Inn. ous improvement efforts will The Chairman’s Team Award save the Shuttle program an was initiated in 1991 to honor estimated $3.5 million over the outstanding team achievements next three years. from each of Rockwell’s core The 150-member team imple- businesses. The presentation mented a series of computer marks the first time Rockwell applications and new business employees in Cape Canaveral processes called AWCS (Auto- have won the award. THE SATURN V launch vehicle currently on display in front of the Vehicle Assembly mated Work Control System), “It’s a big honor and we are Building (VAB) is being prepared for its move this spring to the new Apollo/Saturn V which is being used at very proud,” said Lee Solid, vice facility under construction near the Banana Creek viewing site. The first stage of the Rockwell’s Space Systems Divi- president and general manager vehicle was moved back 12 feet last week in order to make room for a temporary tent to be erected over the other stages. Once the tent is in place, the vehicle will be power- sion in Cape Canaveral to re- of Rockwell’s Florida Opera- washed in preparation for its final move which is scheduled to take place in April. duce the time it takes to process tions. January 19, 1996 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 USBI receives major KSC sharing safety ozone protection award methods with Japan Kennedy Space Center is helping USBI Co., a subsidiary of United Tech- shape the Japanese space agency’s nologies Corporation and part of Pratt & safety program. NASA safety engineers Whitney Propulsion Operations, has been recently answered questions from the awarded the 1995 Stratospheric Ozone Pro- National Space Development Agency of tection Award by the United States Envi- Japan (NASDA) regarding the Shuttle’s ronmental Protection Agency. solid rocket motors (SRM) and the SRM USBI was presented with the award for retrieval methods. work performed on replacing the chemical Though the two space agencies have 1,1,1-Trichloroethane (methyl chloroform) been sharing information since as a hand-wipe solvent, previously used on NASDA’s inception in 1969, NASDA’s more than 2,000 processes performed by direct application of KSC’s safety pro- USBI on the Space Shuttle’s solid rocket cedures is especially flattering, KSC boosters (SRBs). safety officials said. “We have an ongo- This effort began in 1991 when USBI was ing relationship with their safety engi- issued a directive to assess the impact of neers — a mutual sharing of informa- environmental regulations on the materi- DICK BEAGLEY, USBI director of Safety , Reliability and tion,” said KSC’s Safety and Reliabil- Quality Assurance, and Catherine Clayton, USBI's als and processes used on the Shuttle’s ity Director Joel Reynolds. SRBs. supervisor of Lab Operations and Test, accepted the 1995 Stratospheric Protection Award for USBI. NASDA safety engineers have vis- “Searching and testing for replacement ited KSC several times beginning in materials that met all manned space flight Catherine Clayton, supervisor of USBI 1992 when they observed the first Japa- specifications was not an easy task,” said Lab Operations and Test, conducted thou- nese astronaut on the Spacelab-J mis- Richard Beagley, USBI director of Safety, sands of tests involving contaminates and sion and compared notes on launch and Reliability and Quality Assurance. cleaners, finally identifying two aqueous ground operations safety. More re- “Initial assessment indicated one of the and two low volatile cleaners as substitutes cently, NASDA Senior Safety Engineer materials and processes which would be sig- which do not contain any listed hazardous Yukio Hyodo, Associate Senior Engi- nificantly impacted by concern for the ozone materials or ozone depleters.