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#760
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:06
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All testing and efforts to restore indicate total failure. Only option is to switch over to Side B. That is a major event for Hubble. In order to switch over, PSEA hardware safe mode is required (fallback computer when main computer is offline.)
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#761
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:09
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Goddard work:
- Explore failure, make sure no way to workaround other than Side B (or new Side A)
- Prepare to switch to Side B, which takes a lot of work and commanding (fortunately this activity was identified as life extension requirement a while ago.)
Started testing with the ground Hubble testbed of procedures. Test readiness review later this week, at that time they'll assess Side B procedures and risks of doing so.
- Putting together plan to take spare unit on ground, qualify for flight, and assess it's flight worthiness.
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#762
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:10
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Astronauts have already trained for access into the gyro bay - this box hangs on the door of that bay. 10 bolts hold it to the door - single connector to disengage so relatively straightfoward activity. 2 hours or less of EVA time.
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#763
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:11
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John Shannon: Hubble team has kept us well informed. Discussing various options, but very early in anomaly investigation. Will wait for HST to conclude before bringing up new dates. Obvious that Oct 14 is off the table, FRR will not be held this week.
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#764
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:12
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Plenty of time to make decision on STS-125. If HST is significantly delayed, for several months (most probable scenario), we would fly STS-126, around Nov 14th.
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#765
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:12
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Can't move 126 too much before the 14th. Looking at HST next February, another opportunity in April. Would use following ISS mission for LON. RIght now 119 is Feb 12, 127 in May, and we will see where Hubble team ends up and respond appropriately.
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#766
by
STS-500Cmdr
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:14
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Ok, I want to ask about the plan for locusts which i guess would be next..yes, i'm borrowing a great line from Bill Harwood from the hail storm last year.
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#767
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:14
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Ed Weiller: Reason we're looking at spare unit on ground - Side B could be brought up and we could put in the new instruments on October 14th. It's theoretically one route we could take, but we're left with system that has several single-point failures. That threatens entire mission. If we wait a few months, we get the full-up spare tested and ready to go, and we'll have observatory that's doubly redundant.
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#768
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:14
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Done with opening statement - Q&A starting.
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#769
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:16
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Cost estimate?
ED - $10-$11 million per month for their side to support, so about $30 million.
JOHN - No change in costs since same number of flights in fiscal year. So just normal costs. Not sure if STS125 rolls back, but leading candidate is to remove payload, put it in cannister, let Hubble team keep it, and bring stack back to VAB to HB3.
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#770
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:18
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Marcia Dunn - Done deal that if it tests well, it'll certainly fly?
Preston - spare unit was last used on ground in 2001 to support NICMOS cooling system. It worked fine, been stored carefully since then, and older style electronics are pretty robust for 18+ years, so pretty darn good.
Similar unit in Landsat - and that's run since 1983 so don't anticipate that we'll have problems, but need to take one bridge at a time.
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#771
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:20
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Ed - It's old, but duplicate of this system has been in orbit, high radiation, thermally cycled every 90 minutes. This one has been protected on ground.
Marcia - any idea what happened to Side a?
Preston - don't understand precise location of failure inside unit, it runs at relatively high temp, and high temps tend to accelerate degradation, so may be thermal but no exact nature. Probably won't know til unit is on the ground.
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#772
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:21
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EVA's tightly packed - will you trade off?
John - yes. All 5 EVA's were full, but this is high priority, so will fit in most appropriate time.
Preston - since we think job can be done in less than 2 hours, John Grunsfeld might be able to complete ACS repair on EVA 3 which frees up substantial time on EVA 5.
But a lot of things will have to go right, and we don't want to overextend the crew. We will go over the priority list, do want to minimize EVA changes since astro's have trained specifically.
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#773
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:22
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Preston - concerns about throwing wrong switch and blowing a fuse, so that's why we'll extensively test on ground for high current grounds, difficulty in switching, etc. as part of standard risk assessment.
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#774
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:24
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Bill - when do you formally decide 126 is up next? Would it make more sense to launch 119 before 125 due to beta cutouts?
John - 126 decision point, removing payload, putting in canister, rolling 125 stack to HB3, then moving 126 from Pad A to Pad B... If they got go tomorrow, they could launch Nov 2. But crew training or cargo delivery would not support that day - so they have 12 days to make decision and still make Nov 14th. Next Friday make decision.
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#775
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:25
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March 13 - May 28, two Soyuz launches and significant beta cutout which Hubble isn't restricted by. Might want to launch STS119 first, let Hubble fly during that cutout phase.
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#776
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:27
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Tariq - are you preserving chance to launch late October?
John - don't want to answer.
Preston - in order to fly spare unit, have to complete checkout. Ground equipment needs to be pulled in for more rigorous testing, vibration, thermal testing, run-time up, etc. Won't be ready to be delivered until first week of January.
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#777
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:28
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Preston - need hardware fabricated to put the unit on a MULE carrier, so lot of work to get us to point where we're ready to ship hardware to Kennedy. Then install, then put payload back in the bay and get ready to fly. So Feb is looking to be reasonable earliest availability date. Even mid-Jan is out of the question.
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#778
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:29
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Todd - asking philosophical questions.
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#779
by
rdale
on 29 Sep, 2008 22:33
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John Johnson LA Times - can we assume that this mission is going to happen? Any talk that things could go badly enough that Hubble will be abandoned?
Preston - every SM has had some hardware failure immediately before launch. 3B had reaction wheels failed, gyro failure required 3 to be split, solar stuff before SM1 -- anyhow, this failure doesn't put us over the fence and have NASA junk the billions of dollars just because of this.
Even if we're a little heavy on the EVA's and we have to give up an instrument, that's still a valid tradeoff. We won't throw in the towel because we have a spend a bit more to pull this mission off.