Aresearch.130
net.columbia
utzoo!decvax!duke!mhtsa!research!sjb
Sun Nov  1 15:34:31 1981
progress report
The $2 million water spray system, hoped to alleviate the
SRB shock wave problem of STS-1, was loaded with water today
-- 400,000 gallons of it to be sprayed in 35 seconds into the
SRB exhaust.  Shock waves that rebounded off pad 39A in
april bent 5 struts, two of which supported the external
fuel tank.

Also today, windows were cleaned and rockets were ``closed
out for flight'' (ready) for the 5 day, 4 hour, 10 minute
flight, which will cover 83 orbits.

A scheduled 8 hour hold began on schedule today at 1500 EST
and almost all activities planned to be finished by then were.

The only thing officials are worrying about now is the weather.
Predictions say that cloud cover, winds, and temperature should
be in the ``acceptable range'' for a Wednesday lift off.