Technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida have begun preparations to replace two seals for a fuel line, which had been leaking, for shuttle Discovery’s orbital maneuvering system engines. Crews will pump out propellants already inside the tanks and will replace the primary and secondary seals at a flange located at the interface where two propellant lines meet in the shuttle’s aft compartment.


Replacing the seals allows NASA managers to have the highest confidence in the system and will allow the seals and flange to be inspected.

Work to replace the seals and reload propellants into the orbital maneuvering and reaction control systems should be completed on Oct. 25 and is expected to still support Discovery’s targeted Nov. 1 launch date

Technicians completed a checkout of the Extra-vehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) for the STS-133 mission yesterday. Preparations for the upcoming launch countdown are under way.

The STS-133 astronauts will practice procedures for the mission's first spacewalk in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.

Space Shuttle Mission: STS-133

Flange location in doghouse door
Image above: The connecting point in a fuel line, which had been leaking, for space shuttle Discovery’s right-side orbiter maneuvering system engine. Two seals will be replaced in the flange. Photo credit: NASA/KSC

During space shuttle Discovery's final spaceflight, the STS-133 crew members will take important spare parts to the International Space Station along with the Express Logistics Carrier-4. Discovery has been moved to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. STS-133 is slated to launch Nov. 1.

0 comments:

Post a Comment