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You're watching NASA Direct.

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Next on the NASA Space Shuttle Status Report:

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Getting ready - Orbiter Discovery gets ready for NASA's 18th International Space Station flight.

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Close behind- Atlantis is also preparing for flight at Kennedy Space Center.

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And, orbiter Endeavour sports a partially new paint job. The NASA Space Shuttle Status Report starts right now.

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Music.

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I'm Mark Ross, NASA test director, and this is the NASA Space Shuttle Status Report.

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Topping NASA's orbiter news this week: In Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3,

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work continues progressing for Discovery's second Space Shuttle return-to-flight test mission, STS-121.

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The remote manipulator system, or space shuttle arm, that was removed from orbiter Atlantis is now installed on Discovery.

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The arm has special instrumentation to gather data from the STS-121 mission.

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Also, a high-tech, post-flight inspection of Discovery's wing leading edge reinforced carbon-carbon panels is now complete.

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A technique known as "thermography" was used to search for microscopic flaws in the orbiter's panels.

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The inspection revealed two areas that will need repair prior to the next flight.

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And new gap filler installation procedures are now being considered,

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after careful analysis of the two gap fillers found protruding from the underside of Discovery during last summer's return-to-flight mission.

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These procedures will ensure the gap fillers stay in place and do not pose any hazard on re-entry to the atmosphere.

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More than 2,000 gap fillers will be replaced in one zone on the underside of each orbiter.

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The gap fillers are installed with a special red, glue-like substance known as Room Temperature Vulcanization or RTV.

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Atlantis is also undergoing gap filler work as processing continues on schedule in Orbiter

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Processing Facility Bay 1 for its mission to the International Space Station.

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Atlantis' thermal protection system gap filler inspections and measurements continue in the forward and mid-body areas of the vehicle.

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Also this week, technicians are preparing to install the Forward Reaction Control System.

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This system fits behind the nose of the vehicle and houses all of the forward thrusters and instruments that

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control the attitude and direction of the vehicle. And Endeavour is sporting a new paint job! A partial paint job, at least.

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Technicians continue to process Endeavour in Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2,

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following a nearly two-year orbiter major modification period.  Endeavour's mid-body received fresh paint late last month.

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And technicians haven't stopped there: thermal protection system blanket work is under way in the area of the reinforced carbon-carbon nose cap.

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That's all the time we have for this week's Space Shuttle Status Report.

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Stay with NASA TV and nasa.gov for the latest in mission news. For the NASA Space Shuttle Status Report, I'm Mark Ross.

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Music.

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