ET-123 may hold back STS-115

[Chris Bergin]

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?id=4484

[Chris Bergin]

Images for the article taken from the related L2 thread.

[James (Lockheed)]

Good article! People underestimate the amount of work going on with the tanks. Very good at least this site covers it.

[shuttlefan]

I might add--the best coverage of ET processing I've seen as well, Chris.  

[hyper_snyper]

I was under the impression that the contingency launch requirement was going to be relaxed after STS-121?

[James Lowe1]

hyper_snyper - 6/5/2006  9:51 PM

I was under the impression that the contingency launch requirement was going to be relaxed after STS-121?

Nope. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?id=4392 or view the full manifest on L2.

[hyper_snyper]

James Lowe1 - 6/5/2006  10:52 PM

hyper_snyper - 6/5/2006  9:51 PM

I was under the impression that the contingency launch requirement was going to be relaxed after STS-121?

Nope. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?id=4392 or view the full manifest on L2.

Oh I see.  Is it ever going to be relaxed because I don't see a CSCS listing after STS-115?  Sorry if this is an obvious question, I'm not an L2 subsrciber.

[Mark Max Q]

They review as they go it would seem.

Given the TPS article that will appear on the main site in a day or so, I bet they will keep rescue missions longer.

[Chris Bergin]

Yes, there is a current STS-301 (which reverts to STS-300 after STS-121's 300 is stood down).

On the tanks:

ET-119 = STS-121 (Discovery)
ET-118 = STS-300 - then STS-115 (Atlantis)
ET-123 = STS-301 (300) *** then STS-116 (Discovery)

***= Three tanks required 119,118,123 to make two flights in 2006 (given STS-301).

[psloss]

It would seem that the CSCS capability is going to be an important factor -- 121 will add logistics, but also a third crew member to the ISS Expedition...I wonder what the CSCS prediction is for 115 given the current schedules (including the Progress flights).  And there's probably a more direct link between the ET-123 delivery and launching 116/12A.1 as currently scheduled.

[HKS]

Interesting and good article Chris!

Do we know which tanks that will folow after ET-123? It's also posible that both ET-118 (STS-115/STS-300) and ET-123 (STS-116/STS-301) will need modifications in the ice/frost ramps after windtunnel tests are complete, and after STS-121 has flown.

[Chris Bergin]

HKS - 7/5/2006  2:30 PM

Interesting and good article Chris!

Do we know which tanks that will folow after ET-123? It's also posible that both ET-118 (STS-115/STS-300) and ET-123 (STS-116/STS-301) will need modifications in the ice/frost ramps after windtunnel tests are complete, and after STS-121 has flown.

Thanks - more to come as you'll already know.

We don't have a schedule past ET-123 - but I'll see if such hardware has been given designations. ET-120 is obviously in the loop for a return at some point and there's ET-93 (test article) also.

It is very much a case of working with the wind tunnel results being favourable, but it's all going to be work-as-you-go with the tanks.

Ironically, I had NASA PAO telling me that we were inaccurate to claim ET-119 has less data instrumentation on it as ET-118 in the tanking test article (after they apparently had media asking them about this in reference to the article I wrote).

However, NASA PAO is wrong.

DFI is not flying on ET-119, as KSC (USA) ET Electrical confirmed this just the other day. I mailed NASA PAO twice on this to say we were right (which means they - if they answered the media with their information - are misleading media). I've had nothing back from them.....and I've given this nearly three days for a response before nothing this here.

[shuttlefan]

Chris, will this be the first time Development Flight Instrumentation ( DFI ) will fly on a shuttle since the first 4 test flights?

[Chris Bergin]

shuttlefan - 7/5/2006  3:54 PM

Chris, will this be the first time Development Flight Instrumentation ( DFI ) will fly on a shuttle since the first 4 test flights?

No idea. I just know it's debuting again on ET-118, not ET-119.

[DaveS]

shuttlefan - 7/5/2006  4:54 PM

Chris, will this be the first time Development Flight Instrumentation ( DFI ) will fly on a shuttle since the first 4 test flights?

The DFI is on the ETs, not in the orbiter's payload bay like on STS-1 through 4.

[Jason Sole]

But they should be ok for 2007's flow of tanks?

[Chris Bergin]

Jason Sole - 7/5/2006  6:15 PM

But they should be ok for 2007's flow of tanks?

It would appear so.

[psloss]

FYI, Bill Harwood now has a story on this and a sensor swap on ET-118:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts121/060511ecoreplace/