Shuttle Mission: STS-111
Orbiter: Endeavour
Date: May 30, 2002

Did You Know?

This month marks the 10-year anniversary of Endeavour's first mission. On May 7, 1992, Endeavour and her crew of seven astronauts launched on mission STS-49 to repair the Intelsat VI satellite. It was the first U.S. orbital flight to feature four spacewalks, two of them the longest in U.S. space flight history to date, and the longest to date by a female astronaut. It was also the first space flight ever to involve three crew members simultaneously working outside a spacecraft, and the first time astronauts attached a live rocket motor to an orbiting satellite.

Mission Specialists Kathryn C. Thornton (foreground) and Thomas D. Akers participate in the last of four spacewalks during mission STS-49, the first for Orbiter Endeavour.

Activities escalate and the launch team's focus intensifies -- only one hour to go before liftoff! 

The orbiter's onboard computers are transitioned to launch configuration.  This includes:

Data processing system engineer confirmation that the onboard computers have been transitioned to the Terminal Countdown configuration.

Primary Ascent Software is loaded into the orbiter's computers and Endeavour' Commander Kenneth Cockrell configures the backup Flight System software to a matching profile.

Verification that a dump of the orbiter's general purpose computer memory has been completed.

A purge of the three fuel cells is underway....

Pilot Paul Lockhart is also busy during this period accomplishing the following tasks:

A gaseous nitrogen purge of the Orbiter's aft skirts is completed.  This flow of inert gas ensures that no explosive or flammable gases accumulate in the bottom of the Solid Rocket Boosters prior to launch. 

All nonessential personnel are cleared from the launch danger area. Final verification is received that all emergency aircraft and contingency support personnel are on station.