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From: phil@titan.rice.edu (William LeFebvre)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Installation of TDRS
Message-ID: <1836@kalliope.rice.edu>
Date: 29 Aug 88 21:58:24 GMT
References: <13809@ames.arc.nasa.gov> <1271@nunki.usc.edu>
Sender: usenet@rice.edu
Reply-To: phil@Rice.edu (William LeFebvre)
Organization: Rice University, Houston
Lines: 22

In article <1271@nunki.usc.edu> calexand@castor.usc.edu (Craig Alexander) writes:
>	Is the TDRS satellite loaded on the shuttle while its on the
>launch pad in the vertical position, or is the shuttle lowered to the
>surface for payload installation???
>
>	Thanks in advance
>
>	Craig


Vertical.  Once the orbiter is attached to the ET/SRB stack, it cannot
be "lowered to the surface" (at least, not easily or safely).

Some payloads must be loaded horizontally.  They are done in the Orbiter
Preparation Facility (OPF) before the vehicle is rolled over to the VAB.

			William LeFebvre
			Department of Computer Science
			Rice University
			<phil@Rice.edu>

P.S.:  For those who don't know, "VAB" stands for
"Very Awesome Building"!  :-)