#sts-50

Space Shuttle Columbia “roll into new OPF Bay 3 fit checks the 1st spot of the OPF.”

“Columbia was the first on-line orbiter to undergo the scheduled inspection and retrofit program. It was transported August 10, 1991, after its completion of mission STS-40, to prime Shuttle contractor Rockwell International's Palmdale, California assembly plant. The oldest orbiter in the fleet underwent approximately 50 modifications, including the addition of carbon brakes, drag chute, improved nose wheel steering, removal of development flight instrumentation and an enhancement of its thermal protection system. The orbiter returned to KSC February 9, 1992 to begin processing for mission STS-50 in June of that year.”

Posted on Flickr by Mike Acs.

Date: February 9, 1992

"Columbia (OV-102) returned to KSC after its 2nd Orbiter Maintenance Down Period (OMDP) overhaul to prepare for its 12th mission (STS-50 USML-1) in June. Later in the OPF Columbia was fitted with the 1st Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) kit allowing for 14+ day missions."

Date: February 9, 1992

"The Space Shuttle Columbia arrived at Launch Pad 39A for final preparation on its launch of STS-50 scheduled for later this month. The journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began shortly before midnight and ended six hours later. STS-50 will be Columbia's first space flight since June 1991, after which the oldest orbiter in the fleet was removed from operational service for extended checkout and modification. STS-50 also will be longest Shuttle flight to date, slated to last 13 days.* *Because of inclement weather at the prime landing facility, STS-50 landed one-day later, marking a Shuttle record 14-days in orbit."

Date: June 3, 1992

"In Orbiter Processing Facility High Bay 3, workers continue establishing the mechanical interfaces between the U.S. Microgravity Laboratory (USML-1) and the orbiter Columbia. Electrical connections will be performed next. To left of the laboratory module is the Extended Duration Orbiter pallet. Columbia is targeted for liftoff this summer on the STS-50 mission, the first extended duration flight with a scheduled stay of 13 days. Because of inclement weather at the prime landing facility, STS-50 landed one-day later, marking a Shuttle record 14-days in orbit."

Date: April 14, 1992

"CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This orbiter tribute of space shuttle Columbia, or OV-102, hangs in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The tribute features Columbia, the “first of the fleet," rising above Earth at the dawn of the Space Shuttle Program. Columbia's accomplishments include the launch and deployment of NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory on STS-93, the first shuttle landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico on STS-3, the first deployment of commercial satellites and the first four-member crew during STS-5, the first Spacelab mission and first six-member crew on STS-9, the first female commander, Eileen Collins, on STS-93, as well as several laboratory missions with international partners. Crew-designed patches for each of Columbia’s missions lead from Earth toward a remembrance of the STS-107 crew, which was lost during re-entry on Feb. 1, 2003. Five orbiter tributes are on display in the firing room, representing Atlantis, Challenger, Columbia, Endeavour and Discovery."

Date: July 29, 2010