KSC-05-S-00062

Now on NASA's Space Shuttle Status Report: Getting ready to roll: Final work is progressing for Space Shuttle Discovery's roll over to the Vehicle Assembly Building later this month_ Two plus one equals a Return to Flight milestone_ Discovery's External Tank meets its mate_ Plus, close behind, the pieces are coming together as orbiter Atlantis takes shape for its mission to the ISS. I'm Spencer Woodward, NASA test director, and this is the NASA Space Shuttle Status Report. It's been an exciting couple of weeks at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as NASA moves closer to safe Return to Flight. Orbiter systems testing is nearly complete on Discovery for its mission, designated STS-114, to the International Space Station. In preparation for payload bay door closure, processing continues with work on the assembly fasteners for the Boom Manipulator Positioning Mechanism and other system installations. The payload bay doors will close a final time for flight in the coming weeks. Another exciting milestone: Space Shuttle Discovery's External Tank was mated, or attached, to its twin Solid Rocket Boosters inside the Vehicle Assembly Building on February 28. With the tank successfully attached to the SRBs, technicians can now perform final closeouts prior to orbiter Discovery joining the stack. And finally, rack installation into the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello began on March 4. Raffaello will deliver a variety of supplies, to include clothing, food and spare parts to the International Space Station. Up next for Space Shuttle Discovery: roll over to the Vehicle Assembly Building in a few weeks. Then it's roll out to the launch pad_ Space Shuttle Atlantis is also accomplishing milestones. Processing continues on Atlantis in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1. Initial leak checks of the crew module were successful. In addition, all Reinforced Carbon-Carbon panels and components have been installed on Atlantis' wing leading edge. The Remote Manipulator System, or Space Shuttle arm, was also delivered for installation into Atlantis' payload bay. Work is ongoing for Atlantis' mission, designated STS-121, to the International Space Station. Orbiter Endeavour remains in the Florida Space Authority's reusable launch vehicle hangar at Kennedy Space Center. Endeavour is undergoing testing to see how orbiters respond to a new radar system that will be used to detect debris during launch. Endeavour left the OPF in February and will remain in the hangar for approximately 30 days. That's all the time we have for this week's Space Shuttle Status Report. Be sure to mark your calendars for May 15 to June 3, 2005, NASA's official window for Space Shuttle Discovery's Return to Flight mission, designated STS-114 to the International Space Station. Until next time, log on to nasa.gov for the latest in Return to Flight and NASA mission news. I'm Spencer Woodward for NASA's Space Shuttle Status Report.