wet countdown demonstration and flight readiness firing press kit

8/8/2019 Wet Countdown Demonstration and Flight Readiness Firing Press Kit

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National Aeronautics andSpace AdministratkonWashington. D C 20546AC 202 755-8370 L L'-

For ReleaseIMMEDIATE

Press Kit ProjectWet CountdownDemonstration andFlight Readiness

RELEASE NO: 31-19 Firing

ContentsGENERAL RELEASE .............................................. IWET COUNTDOWN DEMONSTRATION TEST/FLIGHT READINESS FIRING .......... 4COUNTDOWN AND FLIGHT READINESS FIRINGG ........................ 5

Countdown Seauence - Flight Readiness Firing ............... 7Flight Readiness Firing ....................................

MISSiON VERIFICAMION TEST..... . ....................................Return-to-Launch-Site Abort Exercise........................9Abort-Once-Around Exercise.................................. 10Mission Simulation.......................................... 107nJ3-of-1ission Exercise .................................... Ii

^ROrRA2'1 NANAGEM'.7 ............................................ 1

January 29, 1981


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I'AS New~sNationa l Aeronaulics andSpace AdministrationWashingtor DC 20546AC, 0? 755-8370

David Garrett For ReleaseHeadquarters, Washington, D.C. IMMEDIA mE(Phone: 202/755-3090)Dick YoungKennedy Space Center, Pla.(Phone: 305/867-2468)'reerry WhiteJohnson Space Center, 'louston, mexas(Phone: 713/483-5111)

RELEAS1F NO: RN-OO

SPACE SHtj m rr.E DRE.SS RrIIEARSAL SET FOR FEBRUARYA cdress rehearsal of all aspects of the first Space shuttle

mission (STS-1) will be conducted by NASA in February to clearthle way for thle launch of the shuttle's first orbit il flight, nowscheduled for no earlier than March 17, lq81.

hoe eoxerciqe will touch upon all segments of the mission --including countdown ani launch, ascent and oroital operations,and reentry and landinq under normal and abort conditions.

-he lI-s3av test series will involve operations at theKennedy p'p-ico (--nt,-r in Flor ida, tlhe Johnson Spuc'e k-entor inTlouston, the Dryden Flight Research Center in Fdwards, Calif.,tho 'Aar-ha1 sIpace ligght Center, luntsville, Ala., and the WhhiteSonds Missil- R3nqo in New Mexico.

Janulry ?9, M9R

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It will be divided into two major seztions: the Wet Count-

down Demonstration Test/Flight Readiness Firing, which will in-

clude a 20-second test firing of the orbit-er's three main en-

gines, and a Mission Verification 'rest, which will be centered

on flight and landing operations.

The first Space ShuttlE mission [SS-l will be 54 hours, 30

minutes in duration with launch from the Kennedy Space Center.

Mission operations will be controlled byi the Johnson Space Cen-

ter. "he Dryden Flight Research Center is the primary landinq

site, but provisions exist [or a return-to-laurnch-site abort

landing at the Kennedy Space Center and an abort landing after

less than a single orbit (abort-once-around) at the Northrop

Strip, White Sands Missile Rarnge, N.M.

Astronauts on the prime crew for the .q-l mission are John

Young, commander, and Robert -rippen, pilot. Backup crew members

are Joe Engle, commander, .and Richard -ruly, pilot.

The STS-l. space vehicle, cons sting of the oi'bitcr ColuIn')i-,

the external tank which supplies liquid hydrogen and liquids oxy-

gen propellants to the orbiter's three main engines, andi two

solid rocket boosters, was moved from Fennedy's Vehirlo AsselilhlyBuilding to nad A at Launch Complex 3q on Dec. 20.

-he space vehicl anl mobile lautncher ol -ttfor . on wh ic h it-rests were connected with qroun. support oquipment for the -n0Validation -ost which beq.gn on Jan. ?.

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An extensive series of flight alnd ground system tests in

January and early February set the stage for the 11-day dress re-

hearsal. which must be successfully completed toclear the way for

I 111ch.

The Wet 2ountdown Dem,-nstrttion "'est/Flight Readiness Firing

and Mission Verification Test will exercise all elements of the

new Space Transportation System, including personnel, facilities,space vehicle and computer programs in a demanding real time en-

vironment to demnonstrate the proper inteqrationof all elements

pli-01- to thle STS-I mission.

TheWct Counltdown Demonstration/Flight Readiness Firing atKennedy wil l be followed by approximately three weeks by a "dry"l-unch 'imnulation wit!h the external tank unI olded and the prime

cr-ow onl boat d. Duri ng this dry couhtdown test, th e space veh icle

will 0e pI ocessed thlrougL th e fi na five h1owUs of thecountdown

to a -imI'ulatedi ignition and liftotf.

iq tc ;t itn whi ch t. e clew ill participato is piim -1rily ao-heCkeut ot fliiqht and q10roun1d SuppOIt Systems.

(END OF ;CWENERtAIL l\FrlhAE)

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WET COUNTDOWN DEMONSTRATION TEST/FLIGHT READINESS FIRINGThe Wet Countdown Demonstration Test/Flight Readiness Firinq

is a detailed practice run for the STS-l launch and is aimed atidentifying any failures or weaknesses in spacecraft and groundsystems before launcl day. Conditions and timelines for the testand firing duplicate as close as practicable those planned forSTS-l launch, and include tanking and detanking of the orbiterColumbia and the external tank (hence "wet") and a completecheckout of Pad A at Complex 39.

Columbia's cabin will be unmanned when propellant loadingbegins, and orbiter systems will be remotely operated during thetest. The six-day demonstration test will culminate in a 20-second firing of Columbia's three main engines at throttle set-tings ranging from 94 to 100 percent of rated thrust while theengine nozzles are tilted in their gimbals as they would be inflight to control the direction of thrust.

Extra experience and training will be gained from the testand readiness firing by other NASA facilities involved in Shuttleoperations. Flight controllers in the Mission Control Center atthe Johnson Space Center in Houston will monitor Columbia's sys-tems during the tests, as will personnel at the Huntsville Opera-tions Support Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville,Ala.While the main engines, orbiter, external tank, solid rocket

boosters and ground support systems have been tested individu-ally, the demonstration test and readiness firing will be theonly chance to test the full vehicle "stack" in launch conditionswithout proceeding to an actual launch.

A successful test will provide confidence that the SpaceShuttle is ready for fliqht.Both wet an J dry launch rehearsals wc e conAdueLed prior to

al' 13 Saturn V and four Saturn lB launches from Complex 39 , butthose tests did no t include the on-pad rocket engine firing whichwill be such a significant part of this exercise.

Amonq the purposes of the test and firing are:* qo test all elements of the Space Transportation Fystem ,na 0eal time1aunch countdown which will culmi nate in the firingof the orbiter's three main engines and a simulated launch to in-

sure thei proper Integration prior to the qST-l flight.* To vet ify the capability of the launch facili ty to providepropellants to the Shutt e under launch conditions. The externaltank and orbiter systems will be exposed to the same thermal en-vironmtent they will experience duzinq SMS-l launch preparations.

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The main propulsion system control elements also will be re-quired to maintain pressure in the external tank and in the malinengines during ,1 ? test firing as they would during an actuallaunch.'Po verify the ability of the orbiter's auxiliary powerunits and hydraulic system, and the flight control system tothrottle and gimbal the main engines.

e To evaluate the performance of avionics anid computer pro-grams in controlling and monitoring the interaction of the exter-nal tank and main engines under the vibration and sound condi-tions they will experience during ignition and the pre-liftoffpha se.* To verify that Kennedy's Launch Processing System andColumbia's bank of general purpose computers can work togetherin control'ing the launch countdown sequence.* To verify compatibility of the Space Shuttle's onboardavionics equipment with the iadio frequencies used by ground sup-port elements during the launch phase.* To assess the "twang" effects of the orbiter's three mainengines. At main engine ignition, a bending movement is created,

causing the upper extremi ties of the entire Space Shuttle "stack"to bend toward the external tank side of the stack and to twangback as the sprinq action of the hold down mechanisms reactagainst the main propulsion system bending forces. Thle twangeffect occuIs ovei a period of a few seconds (approximately 1,seconds) at the end of wlich the solid rocket boosters would oefiled for liftoff This test will certify the time phasing ofthe orbiters main engines and solid rocket booster ignition.

* To exercise the ground data ptocessi nq system and methodsand make any needed fixes before the S'1'-l launch.* 'To ompare earlier dynamic and vibioacoustic testing datato act ual c nd it i OIs dur nq launch.

COUNDO'PWX)\N- AN D FLICI1'PRFADINErqSSq FIUINGTihe Wet Coun ' lown Demons L at i on "e s t /F l i qh t Read i ness F i r i ng

preparation phase begi ns on the first day of the 11-day STS-1simulation and ends of the sixth day. 'he schedule includes anumber of built-in holds. All operational elements suppor tinqthe TS - I mission will par ticipate and demonstrate thei r readi-ness oy i exeIc isincj all countdown functions and interfaces. T-0will he pl1anned to kCCU1 at the opening of the launcnh wiildOw,which is approximately five hours in duration.

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As for the Sq'S-1 lauLIcih, the window will open at sunriseplhq1 * ninutes. 'he Pliqht Roadines Firing is scheduled for noe arlier than Feb. 10. Window opening times fo r that dlate and theF x suhqeO1uent days are a-, follows:

Feb. 10 - ':q0 a.m.. ESTFeb'). 11 - 7 :4q a.m. EST'Feb. 12 - 7:438 a.m. ESTFe'b-. 1 - 7:47 a.mn. FSTFe b. 1 4 - 7: -. a . m. ESTFe b). 1r - 7:4 1 a. . ES.Feb. 16 - 7:14 3.m. EST

h'le firing pre-count will he pickede up at 1-Shours withthle power i nq up o f the soli1d rocket boos ters, orbi te r and groundsupport equipment. "he 3"'S,-l launch pre-countiown begins at '-6Shours. However, for the Flight Readiness Firing, a number ofevents 'wiCh would! normally OCCU! between r"-68 hours and T-ci3hours ('uch aq loading hype.rqol ic propellants fo r the orbiter'sauxiliary power uinits anJ the boostsrs ' hydraulic power units 'will !vive already hoeen iccomplished as I part of earlier testq.!Ivpergo i propell intq (C 1 tLhe orbitor 's orbital m-ineliverinqsyc tern an]3 reaction con t ol svy tern were to be l oaded i n lateJa uar V .

"l'e rl iahlt -Rc-id iness Fi in(i O .- couInt inc-ludoes the capa-hiilitv for thlee built-in holdq. n'nse col' inclutde one of 1?hou I JSt1 tiO l lIt I o-1 I'.ii 3!ni t.t" N :iS )t'I; Ji Iti tionl,o{c Ui i nc -I t - -1 h(u I Z, I ) ninnI)ts Ind at O-rourS, 3I ni LIUteq

Add Liona ' 'ol I ' pI~lanne] Ju! i nq CIOe LM t o(Wn wh ic-!elii ns at "-'; ut 'q.o!.e -iie nic-itod it the approp zi- t"pI iCe4s iI thie Fl iqllt ;eadi ine-'s Fi inq( ('ount lOWn s"eOkuence wh ilhf II1 ow';


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Countdown Sequence - Flight Readiness Firing*'ount T ime FunctionT-S.3 hIours Start of FRF call to stations.T-l1 hours Extend fixed service structureexternal tank gaseous oxygen ventarm/start retraction of rotatingservice structure.T-' hLours, 30 minutes Retract external tank intertan'kaccess arm on Fixed servicestructure.T-5) hours, 10 minutes Clear launch pad to begin countiown.-S hours S3t.irt coLuMLit.wn. 'hi I I ! w n I iq Zji

oxygen,'l iquL)i lhyJ I.Ogen trans;'ersys teln.--1 hOuis , 10 minutes Regjin lii qL i 1 oevq(en fill of externaltank and rL. MPN fac i I i ty/o bi te rchII i I I low n .

,7- hI, 'kIS , 1) in 1uteq I I I Ivlr oqoen fi I of exter--1I t ank,

hu LIIs, 1 r Li 0ree 3n0-hO U LIIi t- in hol.Ii. Tr .oa 111 kj o np ltt ;t ii- r" ' rI e -

I nI i. tipIr tt * t. ) ICl t o0spI aanel0 J (r LI i nq >I -1 lOLunt'iowti,z e .t V * i I q n f ol 1ow I 11 th iho I .i II',] i "t o J by T-I heLu!,

'-1 I :IL t 0!; T11,nu: t .)~ul t - i h l i.- r uI ti 'O o I u h at1 1-I LE 1nsos ' -

I n1" 1 o'ini-il'i t"''rh Iju t n lt i .re

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I ;1 .I ,iI Io, I II I p . , kill.' - .T~ ~~ ~ ~ OliI 0!iF* il 1. ~'v'' l I t'


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T-3 minutes, 30 seconds Orbiter placed on internal power.T-3 minutes, 10 seconds Run gimbal slew profile, Space

Shuttle main engine.T -2 minutes, S seconds External cank oxygen to flightpressure.T-2 minutes, 50 seconds Taxternal tank gaseous oxygen ventarm retracted.T-l minute, S7 seconds External tank hydrogen to flightpressure.T-25 seconds solid rocket booster hydraulic pOWerunits activated/orbiter onboardgeneral purpose computer assumes

control of terminal countiown,,'groundlaunch sequencer remains on lincsupporting.

T-l8 seconds Verify solid rocket booster nozleposition.T-I1 seconds Initiate pre-liftoff sounld suppres-sion syqtem water (post-liftoff qvs-tom - "rainbirds" - inhihited for

F'ight Readiness Firing).T-3.8 seconds Main enqinr tstart seCuence lbeqins.T+.24 second tMl engines at 1)O peicent tHrust.T .R seconds qiiul iteod o'xeinal tank um!i1iC1lretract'qimLIIate1d Solil IocKet

bo t o i q Iit ionI I ' ' i ^ido. ;- :tI C IC , '' .

1 seconds Simulated 1iiftt fI+. to ,O seco nIds M1i n cn1i r-e shutdowLI.trtin 11h1.

i SS Ilied .

T+22 seconds .o i Iock ,t !)oo s t Ihvill U i c Ouniit- s h it down.

*s to ?~' . '( 1'on 'I,1ln en~ i (N ro ' Hx

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Flight Rteadiness FinThe Flight Readiness Firlng operation is limited to approx-imately 20 seconds of main stage operation with t:he start identi-cal to that plarned for the 3's-l launch. "'he engines will betested at q4 percent and 100 percent rated p,*wer level with shut-down occurring from lOO percent. Gimbaling of the main enginewill be performed at both power levels.The three engines are not ignited simultaneously but startcommands are issue(d at intervals of about 1?0 milliseconds. Thestart command for engine 3 is issuied at T-3.8 seconds, that forengine 2 at T-3.68 seconds, followed by the start command forengine I at T-3.56 seconds. The engines 3re throttled to 100percent at approximatel'y T-0. Part way through the burrn, theengines are throttled back to 94 percent of rated thrust. Nearthe burn's end, they are throLttled tp to 100 percent of ratedthrust. The engine nozzles are gnimbaled during both peak andreduced thrust.The Wet Countdown Demtonstzttion Test/Flight Readiness Firinigwill end when all propeliants and cyrogenics have been removedfrom the vehicle after engine firing."'he seventh dav of the overall I-dav d*ress iehearsal willbe reserved foi seuL mijj pad operations and will not include anyflight simulation test activity.

MlI SS 1 ( I IFE' T I ('I A'rI ON '1'F4PA ser i s of foui coord nated tests and simul it ions will f ol -low the Countdown Demonstration -est/Fliiqht Readiness Firing atthe lonnendv .;Pice @entrt. -'he -nimulations begin or the ei qhth dayof tho I I-Jav series.

Oi! 'a .t: 't 'A Ia L -s I tLe aiO I -imuI .it 1r -t thleKennedy Space 'enter's Shuttle tandir'g Facility; an 3bort-cnce-around Iind ri 'imul'ation at the White Sands xlissile Range; a r)(%-hOUI -1 011n1 TI 1i On Sion simulatioon at the Johnson Space C'enterO! tle fi 7Iht phase of t he :. i ssi on from sol i, toctet booster iq-t ion to a out i no I anA i no i.t tlho end of t h- f I iqI t ; aId aI n rnid-ot-n, i;>i lvll rkq eo xI t' ot thle Dr ydeI FlI gh Re ear hen(teri[I ('- . o1sf()t'ot lI fT to atIh - tb e A bo r r'x o cm

Th i .iI I invo'vo Iuot i' e' ur ctv i tties aI t Keonlodv' s'Th t tie And I no Fo i t to dei:n1-n t I at" tLhe qi oimni team'ad i -L v ttv tr 'I t at i n_ 'ls wlo q 1 I rtu n- to- InLNIC-I to abort. ',It oxeleise is a s iml -it ion of the or bi to t appI acha : : '1 'Ik l1i P i '-iO Mt -I (I,., t000eot) ate*1n't:'r ti I unr. t hi I an i no ItJ I)OS' t -Im7o t i nI )I I t (,I '~m I n


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The major differences between this abort exercise and s;uchan actual abort will be related to using a T-38 jet aircraftinstead of an orbiter for the approach and landing and a simu-lated orbiter aircraft with simulated interfaces for groundconnections.

The T-33 landing will be planned tc. occur at a time of daycompatible with a liftoff at the opening of the launch window.The purpose of the simulated return-to-latinch-site abort is toexercise the flight control team, post-landing operations team,crash and rescue team, and airspace and chase aircraft controlorganizations.

Abort-Once-Around ExerciseA similar series of four activities will also be conductedon the eighth day at the Northrop Strip, White Sands MiissileRange, in parallel with the return-to-launch-site abort exerciseat T(ennedy. This exercise is a simulation of approach, landingand post-landing activities following an abort-once-around from

approximately 12,200 mn (40,000 ft.) through orbiter safing. Asat Kennedy, a -- 38 aircraft wiil be used to irnu late thle ci bi-ter's approach and lanling and the post-landing activities on theground.The purpose of the simulated approach -'1id lanling and suh-sequent activities is to exercise the flight c.nttel telm, Ciost-landing operations team, craFh and rescue team. and airspace andchase airciaft control organizations.

Mission SimulationA Shuttle mission simulator and the Mission Control Centerat the Johnson Space Center will be electronically linked to pro-vide a realistic, 56-hour simulation of the I'PS-ission fromsolid rocket booster ignition and liftoff to a landincg at the

primary landing site, th,- Dryden Flight Research Center atEdwards Air Force Base, Calif. This exercise will be conductedon diays 9, 10 a.nd II with the simulated liftoff to occur at theopening of the launch window. This will be the seventh and finallong-duration mission simulation for the STS5-l flight crews.

During the months of training leading up to the MissionVerification Test, prime and bickup flight crews and flight con-trol teams have routinely run mission phase simulation (launch,entry, aborts, on-orbit operations) on a Tuesday and -hurssiayschedule, with long duration simulations spaced a month to sixweeks part.

This full-duration mission simulition during the MissionVerification Test will be the final 'w-ilk-throuilh" of tile qvS-lf]iqht profile and timeline s)efort- the lctinal flight hrninq.

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End-of-Mission ExerciseThis is a series of four activities at Dryden Flight Re-search Center to demonstrate the ground team's readiness to sup-port various situations following the end-of-mission landing atthe primary landing site. They will be conducted on the Ilth dayof the test series and wrap up the combined Countdown Demonstra-tion Test/Flight Readiness Firing and Mission Verification Test.A T-38 jet aircraft will be used to simulate the orbiterapproach and landing phase beginning at an altitude of approxi-mately 12,200 m (40,000 ft.). The landing will be timed so thattouchdown coincides with that of the long-duration mission simu-lation underway at the Johnson Space Center in Texas. After land-ing, the T-38 will taxi past an orbiter .ockup which will beplaced at the nominal wheels stop point. The orbiter mockup hasthe appropriate interfaces for ground connections to enableground crews in the recovery convoy to simulate post-landing saf-ing operations and turnaround initiation. Both on-runway and off-runway contingency situations will also be simulated as they wereduring the return-to-launch-site abort exercise at Kennedy andthe abort-once-around abort exercise at White Sands.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENTNASA Headquarters

Dr. Alan Lovelace Acting 7AlmninistratorJohn F. Yardley Associate Administrator forSpace Transportation SystemsL. Michael Weeks Deputy Associate Administratorfor Space Transportation

SystemsDavid R. Braunstein Deputy Associate Administratorfor Space Transporation

Systems (Management)Daniel M. Germany Director, Orbiter ProgramsWalter F. Dankoff Director, Engine ProgramsEdward P. Andrews Director, Ground Systems and

Flight 'nestLeRoy E. DtiY Director, Systems Engineeringand IntegrationFranK Van Rensselear Director, Expendable Equipment

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Dryden Flight Research Center

Isaa: T. Gillam IV DirectorRobert F. Johannes Deputy Director

John A. Manke Chief of Flight OperationsMel Burke Shuttle Project Manager

Johnson Space Center

Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Director

Robert F. Thompson Manager,Space Shuttle Program

Donald K. "Deke" Slayton Manager, Orbital Flight Test

Aaron Cohen Manager, Space Shuttle OrbiterProject Office

George W.S. Abbey Director of Flight Operations

Maxime A. Faget Direclor of Engineering andDevelopmentLynwood C. Dunseith Director of Data Systems andAnalysis

Kennedy Space Center

Richard C. Smith DirectorGe ald D. Griffin Deputy Director

Raymond I,. lark Associate Director for STSDevelopmentDr. Robert H. Gray Manager, Shuttle ProjectsOffice

George F. Page Director, Shuttle Operations

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Marshall Space Flight Center

Dr. William R. Lucas DirectorThomas J. Lee Deputy DirectorRobert E. Lindstrom Manager, MSFC Shuttle ProjectsOfficeJames E. Kingsbury Director, Science and Engi-neering DirectorateJames B. Odom Manager, External Tank ProjectGeorge B. Hardy Manager, Solid Rocket BoosterProjectJames R. Thompson Jr. Manager, Space Shuttle MainEngine ProjectJames M. Sisson Manager, Engineering and Major'Pest Management Office

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wet countdown demonstration and flight readiness firing press kit

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