Space Shuttle Program FRR Concluded

NASA managers, at the conclusion of The Space Shuttle Program Flight Readiness Review (FRR) this afternoon, unanimously recommended proceeding to the agency-level FRR Friday, Feb. 18.

The main topics discussed today included briefings from all elements updating any changes or issues that surfaced since the Nov. 5, 2010 launch attempt. Items included repair of the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank; investigation, testing and repair of the tank’s support beams, called stringers; and a debris risk assessment if foam insulation comes loose in the stringer area because of a crack in the first two minutes and 15 seconds of flight.

Managers also received a crew update following Mission Specialist Steve Bowen's addition to the STS-133 crew.

At the agency-level FRR, NASA officials will discuss the readiness of flight crew and hardware and announce a launch date for Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station, now targeted for 4:50 p.m. EST Feb. 24.