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![]() ![]() The United States Congress approved the construction of Endeavour in 1987 to replace the Space Shuttle Challenger, which was destroyed in 1986. STS-134 was expected to be the final mission of the Space Shuttle program, but with the authorization of STS-135 by the United States Congress, Atlantis became the last shuttle to fly. It embarked on its first mission, STS-49, in May 1992 and its 25th and final mission, STS-134, in May 2011. "I truly believe the team will be able to respond well and make up the lost time.Space Shuttle Endeavour ( Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-105) is a retired orbiter from NASA's Space Shuttle program and the fifth and final operational Shuttle built. The two most prominent are overtime and diverting resources from one orbiter processing facility to another," Tenbusch said. "But it will be removed and replaced before Endeavour's next mission."Įven with the challenges, Tenbusch says his turnaround team is doing a great job preparing Endeavour for its piggyback ride to Kennedy.Īnd while many wonder if landing in California put Endeavour behind schedule for its next mission, targeted for May 2009, Tenbusch remains optimistic. "The window is fine for the flight back to Kennedy," Goodmon said. They even commented on the window that was hit by a meteor while orbiting Earth. Tenbusch and Goodmon say Endeavour appears to be in good shape. ![]() "You can explain and send pictures - but it's clearly not the same as being next to the hardware," Tenbusch said. Meanwhile, there are several systems engineers at Kennedy who can't wait to get their hands on Endeavour. To perform these turnaround operations, about 250 NASA and contractor employees are working around the clock. "In order to do that, you have to manipulate the engines and bring them together so the cone will fit over the top of them," said Randy Goodmon, Endeavour flow manager. Then, they install a large cone on the tail of the orbiter, which helps smooth the airflow around it during the ferry flight. Technicians power the orbiter down, safe all the hypergolic propellants and fuel systems, drain the water systems and close the nose and landing gear doors. The way orbiters are processed is different, too.Īt Dryden, crews basically have to winterize the vehicle before it's bolted to a 747 jumbo jet called the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. The wind comes right off of the mountains and if it rains, you're getting rained on." "Over here, you are completely open to the environment. "Processing outdoors offers many challenges," Tenbusch said. But at Dryden, Endeavour is processed outdoors at the Mate-Demate Device with limited resources. Within hours of landing at Kennedy, Endeavour would have been towed into one of the center's orbiter processing facilities - a place where technicians have all of the resources they need right at their fingertips. One of the major differences in processing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California is location. "Not easy when your teeth are chattering." "It's 32 degrees out here," said Ken Tenbusch, Endeavour flow director. In fact, in California's Mojave Desert where NASA and contractor employees are processing space shuttle Endeavour, it's freezing. Photo credit: NASAĭon't let the desert fool you. Photo credit: NASA/Tony LandisĮndeavour atop the carrier aircraft lifts off from Edwards Air Force Base on the first leg of its ferry flight back to Kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Carla ThomasĮndeavour was lifted off the ground and placed atop a modified Boeing 747 carrier aircraft for the piggyback ride back to Kennedy. NASA technicians position an aerodynamic tailcone around the engine nozzles of Endeavour in preparation for its ferry flight. Endeavour is nestled in the Mate-DeMate Device as preparations are under way for its ferry flight. ![]()
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