MBSU photo.
Quote from: Fuji on 12/05/2012 11:06 pmMBSU photo.As you can see, the MBSU does not have its usual thermal cover installed. This is because it will be launched without it.MBSUs can be completely removed and replaced on-orbit by Dextre, however if the spare unit has its thermal cover installed, then this becomes impossible since the cover must be removed by spacewalkers first - and so the thermal cover alone requires an EVA to be performed to R&R an MBSU.Thus, launching the MBSU without its thermal cover will allow it to be R&Rd using Dextre in the future.
Don't the installed MBSU have its covere installed? Isn't this more about dexter being able to remove it from the HTV without an EVA?
STP-H4 Photo.Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians lower the cover of the shipping container that will enclose the Space Test Program-Houston 4 experiment. The experiment is one of the payloads processed at Kennedy that will be flown to Japan for the HTV-4 launch to the station, which is currently scheduled for this summer. http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=64413
"Additionally, Japan’s H-II Transfer Vehivle-4 (HTV-4) could also now be looking at a launch date of August 4, instead of its previously planned date of July 20, although this delay has yet to be confirmed. The reason for the possible slip in the HTV-4 launch date is not known at this time."http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/02/dragon-third-visit-logistics-schedule-challenges/
ATV Slip!?!
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2013/05/20130521_h2bf4_j.htmllaunch schedule by JAXA.
some pictures of HTV-4from http://twitpic.com/photos/koumeiShibata
HTV4kounotori rollout.