WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:25.000
We've got video now that we'll show you of some of the processing of orbiter Atlantis for STS-115.

00:00:25.000 --> 00:01:00.000
Some of the tile work is under way. Orbiter's payload bay and the installation of one of the Canada arms.

00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:16.000
Moving over to the Vehicle Assembly Building to the start of stacking of the solid rocket boosters.

00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:34.000
Work on one of the orbiter's windows. Window installation.

00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:45.000
This is the external tank arriving by barge into the turn basin adjacent to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:52.000
Coming from Michoud in Louisiana by barge.

00:01:52.000 --> 00:02:04.000
It is offloaded and towed to the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building, where it is then raised to vertical and hoisted

00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:14.000
into a test cell, and that's where it can be checked out and any final work that needs to be done can be

00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:32.000
performed before it moves to the other side of the transfer aisle to be mated to the solid rocket boosters.

00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:41.000
It's in the test cell and here we see, it's actually mated here to the tank and the boosters, and the next step will be to bring

00:02:41.000 --> 00:03:00.000
over the orbiter to mate to that stack. Rollover from the Orbiter Processing Facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building transfer aisle.

00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:30.000
About a 20-minute trip from the hangar over to the VAB. The lifting sling is attached and then the transporter is moved

00:03:30.000 --> 00:04:03.000
out from under it so that the orbiter can be rotated to vertical.

00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:09.000
It is then mated to the stack we saw previously, the external tank/solid rocket booster stack,

00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:27.000
and then the sling is removed. After the shuttle interface test to verify all of the electrical/mechanical connections,

00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:35.000
which takes about five to seven days, rollout occurs, with the crawler transporter lifting up underneath the mobile

00:04:35.000 --> 00:05:33.000
launcher platform and hoisting it off the pedestals to carry it out to Launch Pad 39B.

00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:43.000
Once at the pad, all the pad validations are done, that's establishing the electrical, mechanical connections with the pad,

00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:48.000
that sets the stage for the astronauts' terminal countdown demonstration test, a countdown

00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:53.000
dress rehearsal which customarily occurs the following week.

00:05:53.000 --> 00:06:00.000
Again, here we see members of the final inspection team looking up at the external tank from the mobile launcher platform,

00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:08.000
looking for any signs of, of ice. But most frost that's forming, as we can see, is melting right off.

00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:19.000
This is the bottom of the tank, where the interface with the orbiter is.

00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:25.000
The final inspection team has been fairly quiet this morning. They haven't had anything of note to

00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:30.000
report back to the firing room. But as we said, they'll be giving a final report to

00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:35.000
the mission management team after they leave the pad later on this morning.

00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:35.000