Aresearch.187
net.columbia
utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!mhtsa!research!sjb
Sat Dec 5 15:39:04 1981
turnaround work
The Columbia returned in such good condition that NASA officials
think they may be able to have it and the Challenger running
operational flights by the end of 1982. STS-3, the third of
four test flights, has been tentatively set for 19 March, with
a crew of Robert Lousma and Charles Fullerton. This would
mean a turnaround of four months, compared to the seven month
turnaround between STS-1 and STS-2. If all proceeds fine then,
STS-4 would be scheduled for June or July, with a crew of Vance
Brand and Bob Overmyer. STS-4, the last scheduled test flight,
would land on the 15,000 foot runway at Cape Canaveral. Rockwell
International is supposed to deliver Challenger by June, 1982,
for six months of pre-flight work, and then two more shuttles,
Atlantis and Discovery, over the next two years.
Plans for STS-3 include a more extensive test of the ship's
systems, more testing of the RMS, and some more scientific
experiments.
Of the 30,572 tiles taken up into space on STS-2, all came back,
32 needed replacement, 54 others were loosened slightly, and 334
nicks were detected, fixable without removal.
Work before STS-3 includes:
-Replacement and servicing to the bad fuel cell that
shortened STS-2. A fourth fuel cell will be installed to
accommodate the length of STS-3, scheduled to last seven days.
-The APU that didn't function correctly on STS-2 will be
replaced, and oil filters in the other two will be changed.
-The three main engines will be thoroughly inspected, and
the power drive unit in the rudder brake system will be removed
for an overhaul which will take a month.
-Specialists will work on a problem with the RMS. This
will be done without removing it from the cargo bay.
If all goes well with STS-3 and STS-4, the first operational
flight could be scheduled for October or November, 1982, with
a cargo of three commercial communications satellites.
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