KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- -- In Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) high bay 4, installation of a Payload Bay Door Drying Enclosure is in progress. The enclosure will keep moisture from being absorbed into the graphite epoxy used on the payload bay doors of the Shuttle orbiters with the assistance of mini-Portable Purge Units (PPUs). Once in operation, the enclosure will allow NASA the option to store an orbiter in the VAB bay up to 180 days in a "standby-to-stack" mode.
Location Kennedy Space Center, FL
Date July 26, 2002