STS-124: Rollout and Pad Flow Latest

[cb6785]

Launch countdown milestones for tomorrow:

- Prepare for the start of the STS-124 launch countdown
- Perform the call to stations (2:30 p.m. EDT)
- Countdown begins at the T-43 hour mark (3 p.m. EDT)
- Begin final vehicle and facility closeouts for launch
- Check out backup flight systems
- Configure avionics systems for launch
- Review flight software stored in mass memory units and display systems
- Verify backup flight system software in Discovery’s general purpose computer

[Chris Bergin]

Pre S0007, with an article (that includes processing updates) on Tuesday's PRCB meeting over the ELSA incident with Discovery:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5433

[Chris Bergin]

Really picking up now ahead of S0007.

Waiver requested for a ROMS Propellant Loading Violation. And given. (Will write it up).

[Chris Bergin]

Interesting...

61 things you should know about Discovery's crew:
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS02/805280322/1007/news02

[mkirk]

I know someone already posted today’s countdown milestones but here is a slightly expanded description of today’s countdown milestones that I posted in the Shuttle Update Section at Interspace News (http://www.interspacenews.com)

I thought some of you might appreciate the short descriptions of the events.


Major Countdown Milestones Scheduled for Wednesday (May 28)

Call to Stations:  Located in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center the NASA Test Director (NTD) will poll the launch team and verify their readiness for the start of the Launch Countdown.  Following the poll the NTD will direct the Ground Launch Sequencer (GLS) console engineer to program the countdown clock to start counting at 3:00 pm eastern time.
Countdown begins at the T-43 Hour Mark:  At 3:00 pm EDT the S0007 Shuttle Launch Countdown procedure will begin at the T-43 hour mark.  The countdown, which contains over 34 hours and 57 minutes of built in hold time, will target the opening of the launch window on Saturday at approximately 4:57 pm EDT.  The exact launch time will be determined during the T-9 minute built in hold and will be based on the latest assessment of shuttle performance capability and ISS (International Space Station) tracking data – liftoff will likely occur in the middle of the 10 minute long window at about 5:02 pm.  As the countdown begins the warning lights at Launch Pad 39A and along the pad access roads will be activated, critical commanding by the master events controllers (MECs) will be inhibited, main bus power supplies will be configured, and “end to end” inter-center voice checks will be performed.
Begin vehicle and facility closeouts for launch:  The process of closing out the launch vehicle and ground support equipment for launch will begin.  This involves removing and securing the various work platforms, protective covers, and tools used to prepare the shuttle for launch.  Numerous safety inspections and engineering walk downs will also be performed.
Checkout the backup flight controller:  A test of the switches and circuitry that allow the astronauts to engage the backup flight system (BFS) will be performed.
Avionics Checkout:  The Multifunction Electronic Displays – which provide the astronauts with flight instrumentation (such as altitude, velocity, angle of attack, and heading) and systems status – will be activated and tested along with the flight controllers and heads up displays (HUDs).
Configure the Data Processing System for the Launch Countdown:  Five general purpose computers (GPCs) provide all monitoring and control functions for the space shuttle during all flight phases.  At this time the GPCs are checked out and transitioned to “OPS 9” software in support of the launch count.  OPS 9 is the operational sequence software used by the computers during ground operation and checkout of the shuttle.  The GPCs will remain in OPS 9 until the T-20 minute mark in the countdown at which time they will be loaded with the OPS 101 “Terminal Countdown” software.
Load, Dump, and Compare the backup flight software in general purpose computer 5:  Standard operational practice is to designate GPC 5 as the backup flight computer.  The backup flight computer is loaded with a completely separate software package known as the BFS (backup flight software).  The BFS has a different software design and coding in order to protect against generic software failures in the primary avionics software system (PASS).  Although the BFS is not normally in control of the shuttle during flight it does routinely provide non-critical systems monitoring functions during launch and landing.  At this time the software is loaded into GPC 5 then a line-by-line check is performed to ensure there are no errors in the programming.

Mark Kirkman

[DaveS]

Flight crew arrival at the SLF is coming up momentarily on NASA TV.

[DaveS]

The flight crew has arrived!

[rllacey]

Here they come! http://flightaware.com/live/airport/KTTS

Anyone know who all fly on the Netjet aircraft? From NasaTV, it looked like maybe flight crew's family?

[DaveS]

The 4th and 5th T-38 are now on the tarmac, so now the entire flight crew is at KSC for launch!

[rllacey]

According to Cmdr. Kelly - It looks like the famiies did fly in with them from Houston. Pretty nice fly in a Citation Excel into the SLF. Now on to the launch!

[mkirk]

Here they come! http://flightaware.com/live/airport/KTTS

Anyone know who all fly on the Netjet aircraft? From NasaTV, it looked like maybe flight crew's family?

NASA has contracted with  Netjets to move folks around to the Field Centers and Contractor Facilities.  This theoretically reduces the demand on the NASA fleet and reduces costs.

Mark Kirkman

[rllacey]

Yea, I knew they signed a contract with Netjets back in December. I was just wondering who was flying on the jets today to the SLF. This is the first time I've noticed that they used Citation Excels. Normally I've seen Gulfstream 450s.

[Chris Bergin]

STS-124 S0007 Call To Stations!

[Ford Mustang]

STS-124 Countdown officially underway!  Some of the things happening today are posted below, mkirk has posted an expanded version on the previous page.  Here is the link to the STS-124 Launch Countdown Milestones page on NASA's site, and here's a link to the Space Shuttle Countdown Portal.

Launch-3 Days (Wednesday, May 28)

•Countdown begins at the T-43 hour mark (3 p.m.)
•Begin final vehicle and facility closeouts for launch
•Check out backup flight systems
•Configure avionics systems for launch
•Review flight software stored in mass memory units and display systems
•Verify backup flight system software in Discovery’s general purpose computer

[Justin Wheat]

Crew arrival pics now in the KSC Media Gallery

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=4

[cb6785]

Before I go to bed I'm quickly postin' what's going to happen tomorrow:

Launch-2 Days (Thursday, May 29)

- Complete preparations to load power reactant storage and distribution system (2 a.m. EDT)
- Activate and test navigational systems (4 a.m. EDT)
- Flight deck preliminary inspections complete (7 a.m. EDT)
- Enter first built-in hold at T-27 hours for duration of 4 hours (7 a.m. EDT)
- Clear launch pad of all nonessential personnel
- Perform test of the vehicle's pyrotechnic initiator controllers
- Resume countdown (11 a.m. EDT)
- Enter 8-hour built-in hold at T-19 hours (7 p.m. EDT)
- Begin operations to load cryogenic reactants into Discovery’s fuel cell storage tanks (7 p.m.  EDT)
- PRSD LO2 off-load
- Demate orbiter mid-body umbilical unit (11:30 p.m. EDT)
- Resume orbiter and ground support equipment closeouts

[ChrisGebhardt]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but why was the hold at T-19hrs extended to 8hrs from 4hrs as it was in previous countdowns?

[mkirk]

Before I go to bed I'm quickly postin' what's going to happen tomorrow:

Launch-2 Days (Thursday, May 29)

- Complete preparations to load power reactant storage and distribution system (2 a.m. EDT)
- Activate and test navigational systems (4 a.m. EDT)
- Flight deck preliminary inspections complete (7 a.m. EDT)
- Enter first built-in hold at T-27 hours for duration of 4 hours (7 a.m. EDT)
- Clear launch pad of all nonessential personnel
- Perform test of the vehicle's pyrotechnic initiator controllers
- Resume countdown (11 a.m. EDT)
- Enter 8-hour built-in hold at T-19 hours (7 p.m. EDT)
- Begin operations to load cryogenic reactants into Discovery’s fuel cell storage tanks (7 p.m.  EDT)
- PRSD LO2 off-load
- Demate orbiter mid-body umbilical unit (11:30 p.m. EDT)
- Resume orbiter and ground support equipment closeouts

Some of this is wrong again - this is the 3rd consecutive mission in which the PAO Timline has been incorrect.

For example PRSD loading occurs at T-27 hours (at 11:00 am) and not during the T-19 hour hold (7:00 pm) as listed above.  PRSD loading should be complete by the start of the hold with only the off-load remaining to be done

I am traveling to the Cape now but I will try and supply an expanded (and corrected) timeline first thing in the morning.

Mark Kirkman

[Chris Bergin]

Another article:

STS-124 counting down - Waiver approved for OMS Pod
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5434

This one I'll update again in the morning with processing notes from L2 (Thursday morning, rather than adding Wednesdays- so it'll be bang up to date).

Article is based mostly on the L2 presentation on the ROMS waiver. Brilliant presentation, though I nearly went blind writing it up Some absolutely amazing engineers work on these vehicles, so I hope that's coming across in my articles.

[cb6785]

Some of this is wrong again - this is the 3rd consecutive mission in which the PAO Timline has been incorrect.

For example PRSD loading occurs at T-27 hours (at 11:00 am) and not during the T-19 hour hold (7:00 pm) as listed above.  PRSD loading should be complete by the start of the hold with only the off-load remaining to be done

I am traveling to the Cape now but I will try and supply an expanded (and corrected) timeline first thing in the morning.

Mark Kirkman

Thanks, would be nice to get the correct times 'cause I only have the "official" (and as it seems wrong) timeline...