Conference 7.286::space

40.0. "CHALLENGER, TDRSS, Sen. Garn" by ISTARI::HELSEL () Tue Mar 19 1985 15:22

IN AN ATTEMPT TO UPDATE THIS FILE, I'LL TRY AND RELATE WHAT'S BEEN 
HAPPENING WITH THE BOYS AT THE CAPE.

TWO LAUNCHES WRE SCHEDULED FOR MARCH.  THE FIRST WAS FOR ABOUT MARCH 4.
THIS WAS TO BE CHALLENGER WITH A TDRS PAYLOAD.  ALSO REMEMBER SEN. GARN
(HEAD OF APPROPRIATIONS COMMITEE) WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY WITH ANOTHER
POLITICAL PAYLOAD NAMED BAUDRY FROM FRANCE.

WHEN THEY GOT CHALLENGER OUT TO THE PAD PROBLEMS BEGAN TO ARISE.  FIRST,
DURING S00017 (MOCK COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH) A CRITICAL ERROR OCCURRED.  THERE
IS A 17" PLATE THAT OPENS AND CLOSES ACTING AS THE VALVE BETWEEN THE 
EXTERNAL TANK AND THE ORBITER.  THIS SLAMMED SHUT DURING COUNTDOWN AND 
HAD THIS BEEN AN ACTUAL LAUNCH, IT'S LIKELY THAT THE ORBITER WOULD HAVE
BLOWN UP!

YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW THAT SAT WITH THE NASA PEOPLE.  TO CHECK IT PROPERLY,
THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO ROLL BACK TO THE VAB AND DEMATED.  SO A BIG 
DECISION HAD TO BE MADE: ROLL BACK AT A COST OF MEGABUCKS OR TAKE A CHANCE 
AND LAUNCH IT.  WHILE THEY TOSSED IT AROUND OTHER PROBLEMS BEGAN TO ARISE.
NEXT A HYDRAULIC ACCUMULATOR USED TO POWER THE ACCESS ARM LEAKED.  
HOWEVER, THROUGH THE EXPERT WORK OF THE GROUND LAUNCH ACCESSORIES TEAM THIS 
WAS REPAIRED.

THEN CAME THE CRUSHING BLOW.  THE BLACK BOXES ON THE TDRS SATTELITE WOULD NOT
RESPOND.  WHAT AN EXPENSIVE DISSAPPOINTMENT FOR THE BOYS AT TRW, BUT WHAT A
BREAK FOR THE NASA GUYS.  HERE'S AN EXCUSE TO ROLL HER BACK WITHOUT TOO MUCH
BLAME.

THE PLAN WAS TO RECONFIGURE THE PAYLOAD BAY OF DISCOVERY AND COMBINE LAUNCHES.
ONE CATCH; ON THE SECOND LAUNCH SCHEDULED FOR MARCH (RECORD TWO LAUNCHES IN
ONE MONTH) A MCDONNELL DOUGLASS SCIENTIST WAS SCHEDULED FOR A FLIGHT (CASH
WAS PAYED TOO NASA).  EXIT FREELOADER FRENCH SCIENTIST BAUDRY.

SO THEY RECONFIGURED THE PAYLOAD BAY OF DICOVERY WHILE CHALLENGER WAS 
THOROUGHLY CHECKED OUT AND TDRS RETURNED TO SENDER.  UNTIL THOSE SAME
CRACK ENGINEERS WHO FIXED THE ACCUMULATORS AT THE PAD MADE A LARGE ERROR
IN THE ORBITER PROCESS FACILITY (OPF).  THERE ARE BUCKETS WHICH MOVE BACK
AND FORTH ACROSS THE CIELING FOR ARIEL ACCESS.  WELL, THERE WERE BUCKETS.
ONE FELL THROUGH THE PAYLOAD DOOR OF THE READY ORBITER DISCOVERY.

THIS CAUSED A SLIGHT DELAY, BUT HAS BEEN REPAIRED AS OF THIS WEEK.  SO,
NOW IT LOOKS LIKE ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO FOR THE NEXT LAUNCH.  I DON'T HAVE A
DATE ON WHEN DISCOVERY WILL GO TO THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING (VAB) TO
BE MATED WITH THE ET AND SRB'S BUT IT SHOULD BE SOON.

THE NEXT LAUNCH IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 12 (DISCOVERY) WITH SEN. GARN.
CHALLENGER IS SCHEDULED TO BE ROLLED OUT THE FOLLOWING MONDAY (15)
PROVIDED ALL GOES WELL.  THEY REALLY HAVE A FULL SCHEDULE DOWN THER AND WILL
HAVE TO REALLY WORK HARD TO CATCH UP.  LET'S WISH THEM A LOT OF LUCK, AS
THEY ARE WORKING VERY HARD, UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE!  

THE KSC GUYS WERE/ARE SUPPOSED TO LAUNCH ONE SHUTTLE PER MONTH AND THE
VANDENBURG TEAM IS SUPPOSED TO LAUNCH THIER FIRST SHUTTLE IN OCTOBER.
VAFB IS OUT IN CALIFORNIA AND WILL GIVE THEM THE CAPABILITY OF A NORTH-
SOUTH ORBIT INSTEAD OF KSC'S EAST-WEST ORBIT.

IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE HEADED TO FLA SOON, YOU ARE LIKELY TO SEE A LAUNCH,
AS THEY WILL BE LAUNCHING MANY MISSIONS IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.  IF
YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN A LAUNCH AND YOU ARE IN THE AREA, ISUGGEST YOU STOP 
BY.  IT IS RATHER BREATHTAKING, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU WITNESS IT!