Mar 30 1992
From The Space Library
A 22-second Flight Readiness Firing (FRF) of the Space Shuttle Endeavour's three main engines was scheduled for Monday, April 6, 1992, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Prior to launch, a successful main engine test firing is required of all new Space Shuttle orbiters. A primary objective of the mission was to capture, retrieve, repair, and redeploy an INTELSAT VI communications satellite that had been stranded in an incorrect orbit since March 1990. An additional goal was to demonstrate and verify Space Station Freedom EVA maintenance and assembly capabilities. (NASA Note N92-26)
It was reported that a set of briefings on Endeavour's maiden flight were scheduled for April 7 and 8, 1992, at the Johnson Space Center, Houston (JSC). The Space Shuttle Mission STS-49 crew members were to rendezvous, capture, repair, and deploy the stranded International Telecommunications Satellite (INTELSAT) and test and evaluate a variety of Space Station Freedom assembly techniques during three space walks. (NASA Note N92-25)
Dr. William B. Lenoir, NASA's Associate Administrator for Space Flight, submitted his letter of resignation to NASA Administrator Richard H. Truly, to be effective May 4, 1992. During Dr. Lenoir's tenure, NASA safely and successfully launched the Space Shuttle 17 times and completed a major restructuring of the Space Station Freedom program, reducing its development costs by $6 billion, simplifying its subsystems and improving its on-orbit assembly process. (NASA Release 92-41)
NASA officials added an extra day to the environmental mission of the Space Shuttle Atlantis so its seven-member crew could conduct more research on the atmosphere. (P Inq, Mar 30/92; NY Times, Mar 30/92; USA Today, Mar 30/92)
James Edwin Webb, 85, whose work as the chief of America's Space Agency was instrumental in putting a man on the Moon, died March 27 at Georgetown University Hospital. During Mr. Webb's tenure, America's first manned space flight took place as well as the first orbital flight by John Glenn and the first walk in space by Edward H. White. (W Times, Mar 30/92; USA Today, Mar 30/92; NY Times, Mar 29/92; W Post, Mar 29/92)
Chinese engineers blamed a faulty ignition circuit for botching the launch of an Australian communications satellite. Investigators checking the Long March-2E rocket that failed to blast off on March 22 found a fault in the ignition system circuits that led to an emergency engine shutdown. According to Chinese officials, the launch will be attempted again later during the year. (P Inq, Mar 30/92)
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