LIVE: STS-120 Flight Day 11 - Preps for the epic EVA-4

[nathan.moeller]

Andy_Small - 2/11/2007  3:07 PM

Chris Bergin - 2/11/2007  2:54 PM

"Get some rest, big day tomorrow" - Navias.

stock up on some Red Bull!  Make a pot of coffee!

I just might stay up for a while to see this one!  I can sleep in tomorrow.  In terms of CDT, what time does the EVA begin?

[catdlr]

Thanks for the responses.  This has got to be one of the most exciting EVA for while and I can't wait to watch it tomorrow.  Hope everyone here gets some sleep, as this will be a long night (at least those on the Western Hemisphere).

Tony

[rdale]

Nathan - check the NASA TV schedule. And remember it'll be a long trip out there, so you don't need to watch most of the beginning and end.

[nathan.moeller]

rdale - 2/11/2007  3:10 PM

Nathan - check the NASA TV schedule. And remember it'll be a long trip out there, so you don't need to watch most of the beginning and end.

Found it thanks.  Guess I can turn in and get up early, as the manuever to the worksite doesn't start until a little before 7 am CDT.  Good luck tomorrow Scott.

[Andy_Small]

EVA planned to start at 5:30

however could be earlier if crew gets ahead

[nathan.moeller]

rdale - 2/11/2007  3:14 PM

nathan.moeller - 2/11/2007  4:13 PM
Found it thanks.  Guess I can turn in and get up early, as the manuever to the worksite doesn't start until a little before 7 am CDT.  

...and that process takes up to an hour, so no need to tune in right away because that's a lot of boring motion to watch :>

Yup.  At a max speed of 5 ft per minute, it'll take the MT a little while.  Thanks for the heads-up.

[jeklund]

They have been geting out early on the other EVAs, and they'll be anxious to get out there.  I'll bet they are early.

[rdale]

Andy_Small - 2/11/2007  4:13 PM

EVA planned to start at 5:30

however could be earlier if crew gets ahead

That's CT - and that's just out the door time... P6 troubleshooting is planned for two hours later at 843am EDT (although of course could be earlier.)

[Chris Bergin]

jeklund - 2/11/2007  9:19 PM

They have been geting out early on the other EVAs, and they'll be anxious to get out there.  I'll bet they are early.

A very good point. There's every chance this will happen earlier. Everything will be interesting, including the ride to P6. Anyone thinking just the repair will be interesting are on the wrong site!

[hutchel]

collectSPACE - 2/11/2007  10:36 AM

hutchel - 2/11/2007  5:51 AM

I'm curious - I read in one of the many posts... that the parts for the cufflinks were flown as contingency parts - sheet aluminum, 12 gage wire and connectors - does anyone know when they were brought up?

According to the instructions uplinked to the crew on Thursday, the materials you mention came out of the ISS Pin Kit, Clamp and Bracket Kit and the Large Gauge Pin Kit. I'm not sure how often these are replenished (I'll ask after the briefings today), but a quick web search shows mention of at least the Clamp and Bracket Kit tracing all the way back to ISS Expedition 1 (which started its residency on the ISS seven years ago today, coincidentally).

You can read the seven-part instructions with illustrations that were sent to the crew here: How to build space station-saving cufflinks (link reposted on the advice of Chris).

Cool - thanx - just idle curiousity - I did check out the instructions you posted - definately calls back to Apollo 13!

[rdale]

These kits are up there specifically for the purpose of these types of unknown repairs - I'm not sure Apollo 13 carried spare items like this "just in case"

[Andy_Small]

rdale - 2/11/2007  3:34 PM

These kits are up there specifically for the purpose of these types of unknown repairs - I'm not sure Apollo 13 carried spare items like this "just in case"

well yes they did: socks,  duct tape, plastic bags, a flight plan cover  :laugh:

[ApolloLee]

Thought this was interesting....... Bigelow's Genesis I is right now right on top of the shuttle:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4458/genesispositiongo3.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us"/>

Mind you, Genesis I is about 150 miles higher, but I half wonder if it may end up as another unidentified light source like Peter NASA mentioned earlier...

[Chris Bergin]

Could be a good call, though we don't have a time:

"-Y Star Tracker Unidentified Light Source" - now noted by MMT.

[psloss]

hutchel - 2/11/2007  4:31 PM

Cool - thanx - just idle curiousity - I did check out the instructions you posted - definately calls back to Apollo 13!

Or 51-D.

[Ronsmytheiii]

psloss - 2/11/2007  5:07 PM

hutchel - 2/11/2007  4:31 PM

Cool - thanx - just idle curiousity - I did check out the instructions you posted - definately calls back to Apollo 13!

Or 51-D.

I feel it is more like Skylab 2, solar panel with improvisation.

[psloss]

Ronsmytheiii - 2/11/2007  6:22 PM

psloss - 2/11/2007  5:07 PM

hutchel - 2/11/2007  4:31 PM

Cool - thanx - just idle curiousity - I did check out the instructions you posted - definately calls back to Apollo 13!

Or 51-D.

I feel it is more like Skylab 2, solar panel with improvisation.

Not the repair, just the tools, like the CO2 scrubbing hook up on A13 or the flyswatters.

[Avron]

I note that this deploy will be one bay at a time... now there is caution.. learning?

[rdale]

Wouldn't it make sense to deploy it slow, knowing it's damaged? I'm not sure why you think they'd do it fast...

[JMS]

To be fair, we saw frayed guide wires and sticking grommets in the retraction of the P6 arrays, so we knew there was some damage before this weeks events. In light of that, I think Avron's comment is justified... there is some "learning" going on.
And in hind sight, if NASA could rewind the clock a few days, the initial deploy would most likely have shown the "one bay at a time" caution we'll see tomorrow... don't you think?