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NASA Shuttle Specific Sections => Atlantis (Post STS-135, T&R) => Topic started by: Lindsay on 07/10/2008 02:41 am

Title: STS-125 launch personnel listing error?
Post by: Lindsay on 07/10/2008 02:41 am
CBS have a listing of the mission personnel for STS-125:  http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/current.html

For launch it says: 
Launch director: Ed Mango
NTD: C. Blackwell-Thompson
OTC: TBD
PAO: George Diller

I thought Charlie Blackwell-Thompson was an ANDT and not qualified to work prime NTD so would not work prime NTD.  I also thought Ed Mango would be working as assistant launch director as Mike Leinbach is the launch director most of the time with Doug Lyons the assistand launch director and so maybe it should it be:

Launch director:  Mike Leinbach (or Doug Lyons)
Assistant launch director:  Ed Mango (or Doug Lyons)
NTD:  Steve Payne (or Jeff Spaulding)
ANTD:  Charlie Blackwell-Thompson
OTC: TBD
PAO:  George Diller
Title: Re: STS-125 launch personnel listing error?
Post by: Lindsay on 07/10/2008 03:29 am
Update:  http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/shuttleflametrench.html says Ed Mango will be the launch director for STS-125.  I'm still not sure Charlie Blackwell-Thompson will be NTD though as the NASA website lists her as an ANTD and not one of the two qualified Shuttle Test Directors that would work prime NTD.
Title: Re: STS-125 launch personnel listing error?
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 07/10/2008 05:24 am
CBS have a listing of the mission personnel for STS-125:  http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/current.html

For launch it says: 
Launch director: Ed Mango
NTD: C. Blackwell-Thompson
OTC: TBD
PAO: George Diller

I thought Charlie Blackwell-Thompson was an ANDT and not a qualified STD so would not work prime NTD.  I also thought Ed Mango would be working as assistant launch director as Mike Leinbach is the launch director most of the time with Doug Lyons the assistand launch director and so maybe it should it be:

Launch director:  Mike Leinbach (or Doug Lyons)
Assistant launch director:  Ed Mango (or Doug Lyons)
NTD:  Steve Payne (or Jeff Spaulding)
ANTD:  Charlie Blackwell-Thompson
OTC: TBD
PAO:  George Diller


Well, Blackwell-Thompson has been an Assitant NTD for the last few missions, but that would put her in-line to become a NTD. Remember Doug Lyons was Assistant LD before taking the reigns of STS-122.  At a certain point, you have to step up and pass the final certification test. I believe I remember Leinbach saying back in January that Doug's final certification was to actually conduct a launch countdown (after several practice runs and launches as Assistant LD mind you). It very well could be the same for the NTD position.

Furthermore, there has to be a first time for everything.
Title: Re: STS-125 launch personnel listing error?
Post by: Zoe on 08/07/2008 10:23 pm
I know there is a tradition of tie-cutting for first-timers at launch control but if Blackwell-Thompson is the launch NTD I'm not sure what they will do.  I don't think it's been an issue before now as there has never been a female launch NTD.

There will still by Ed Mango's tie to cut though.
Title: Re: STS-125 launch personnel listing error?
Post by: DaveS on 08/07/2008 11:00 pm
I know there is a tradition of tie-cutting for first-timers at launch control but if Blackwell-Thompson is the launch NTD I'm not sure what they will do.  I don't think it's been an issue before now as there has never been a female launch NTD.

There will still by Ed Mango's tie to cut though.
Mike Leinbach cut a bunch of ribbons that Angie Brewer wore for the launch countdown following the succesful launch of STS-115/12A back in September 2006. That was her first launch as the flow director for Atlantis. Screengrab of Mike performing the first launch ceremony for Angie Brewer is attached to this post.
Title: Re: STS-125 launch personnel listing error?
Post by: Zoe on 08/29/2008 03:27 am
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts125/launch/launch_team.html

This confirms Charlie Blackwell-Thomspon will be the "Test Director" and Jeff Spaulding the "Assistant Test Director" but the for some reason NASA has been omitted from Test Director.