November 8, 1976

November 8, 1976

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Special Report: Space Shuttle

Spacelab Faces Critical Design Review

By Robert R. Ropelewski17 min

Special Report: Space Shuttle

Shuttle Opens Door to New Space Era

By William H. Gregory13 min

Special Report: Space Shuttle

Tight Schedule Set for Landing Tests

By Donald E. Fink12 min

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Special Report: Space Shuttle

Spacelab Faces Critical Design Review

Bremen —European Space Agency’s Spacelab program is approaching the critical second stage of its preliminary design review with program officials cautiously optimistic that major design control and interface discrepancies identified earlier this year have been brought under control.

By Robert R. Ropelewski17 min

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Special Report: Space Shuttle

Shuttle Opens Door to New Space Era

Translation of the space shuttle from flip chart drawings into flight test hardware with the rollout of the first orbiter lifts the curtain on an impending reusability revolution in launch vehicle technology—and in the operations and economics of the business of space travel.

By William H. Gregory13 min

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Special Report: Space Shuttle

Tight Schedule Set for Landing Tests

Houston—Shuttle orbiter approach and landing tests beginning next February at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center will involve a tightly scheduled evaluation of the atmospheric flight characteristics of Orbiter 101 before the vehicle is shipped to the Marshall Space Flight Center in early 1978 for vertical vibration tests.

By Donald E. Fink12 min

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Special Report: Space Shuttle

Solid Rocket Booster Nears Milestones

Huntsville, Ala.—Solid rocket booster development for the space shuttle will reach four major program milestones in the next two months that should clear the way for the first firing next May. Originally the firing had been scheduled for July, but program officials believe they are running 2.5 months ahead of schedule. Upcoming milestones are:

By Craig Covault12 min

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Special Report: Space Shuttle

Expanded Utilization of Shuttle Studied

Washington—Development of a permanently manned space station, fabrication of large structures in orbit or space shuttle configuration modifications that would reduce operating costs significantly could become forms of growth for the U. S. space transportation system by the mid 1980s.
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Special Report: Space Shuttle

Boeing747 Prepared for Shuttle Orbiter Ferry Role

Everett, Wash. —Shuttle carrier aircraft now being readied for first night here is a oneof-a-kind vehicle that has had a $30-million modification to equip it for initial orbiter vehicle test flights and ferry missions later. The Boeing 747 wide-body transport in National Aeronautics and Space Administration markings was ready last week for rollout at the company’s 747 final assembly facility here after being equipped to carry on its back a unique payload —the U. S. space shuttle orbiter vehicle.
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Special Report: Space Shuttle

Spacelab Program Entering New Phase

Huntsville, Ala. —Management of the Spacelab program at the Marshall Space Flight Center here will enter a new phase next month with the selection of a Spacelab integration contractor that will take over responsibility from Marshall for a multitude of requirements concerning preparation of the European-built components for each space shuttle flight.
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Special Report: Space Shuttle

Budget Constraints Pare Test Efforts

Houston—Technical experience gained in the Saturn-Apollo program is giving space shuttle managers the confidence to pare their testing effort as needed to meet budget realities. Ranks of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Rockwell International team managing the shuttle program are filled with those who played similar roles in the development of hardware for the Apollo lunar landing missions.
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Special Report: Space Shuttle

Michoud Assembling First External Tank

New Orleans—Space shuttle external tank production at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Michoud facility here is in its earliest stages, with major components of the first structure now undergoing final assembly.
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Special Report: Space Shuttle

Shuttle Crew Training Revision Needed

Houston—High-frequency traffic model planned for the space transportation system is dictating major departures in crew selection, training and utilization for the space shuttle. Shuttle crew configurations, from four to seven members requiring diverse skills and including non-career astronauts, are forcing constant revision in training schedules to fit these to facilities limited by program budget constraints.
November 11976 November 151976