RSS Closes Around Atlantis, Endeavour's Retirement Processing Begins

At NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, teams closed the rotating service structure (RSS) this morning and will evaluate data from a storm that passed over Kennedy yesterday. A lightning strike was detected about half a mile from the pad. Teams will perform walkdowns and evaluate the data.

Meanwhile, technicians completed a hotfire of space shuttle Atlantis' auxiliary power unit and connected the ground umbilical carrier plate Wednesday.

At Kennedy's Orbiter Processing Facility-1, technicians will begin draining the residual cryogenic fuel from shuttle Endeavour's power reaction control distribution system today.