Shuttle Tank To Fly Next Spring; Ready For Foam Spray On Intertank

SHUTTLE NEWS

External Tank 120 being transferred. Photo credit: NASA

Huntsville AL (SPX) Sep 14, 2004
Workers at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans have transferred External Tank 120 - the Space Shuttle External Tank slated for the launch of the orbiter Discovery next spring - into the facility's vehicle assembly building.

The tank is erected vertically so that foam insulation can be applied on the liquid hydrogen tank-to-intertank flange area, a tank structural connection point.

The foam will be applied with an enhanced finishing procedure that requires two technicians, a new mold-injection procedure to the intertank's ribbing and real-time videotaped surveillance of the process.

The foam was removed from all existing tanks when the intertank area was identified as a potential debris-shedding source following the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia and her crew on Feb. 1, 2003.

The move - a major step toward returning the Space Shuttle to flight - brings the tank one step closer to its eventual transfer to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

SHUTTLE NEWS

Kennedy Space Center Reopens Sept 13

Cape Canaveral FL (SPX) Sep 13, 2004
NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) will reopen Monday Sept. 13 to all 14,000 employees. KSC has been closed for normal business since Sept. 2 because of Hurricane Frances.

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.