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#320
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:07
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Michael Luther:
SOMD is ready to execute the HST SM-4. Will extend the operational capability of the HST, and the selected subsystems of the HST will be upgraded as well. NASA will be able to put the JWST in orbit during the next decade. Want to commend the Shuttle and the MCC teams on the great work they've done.
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#321
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:11
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John Shannon:
FRR could not have gone any smoother. Could not find any big issues today, was very easy to conduct this FRR thanks to a smooth STS-119 flight and the crews for this flight are ready to go, for quite a while now too. [Talking a bit here about the EVAs that have been talked about before] This isn't your average Shuttle flight, not only because we are not going to the ISS, but it is a bit different than the previous HST SM missions. The teams have put together a great timeline for the coverage to check the orbiter TPS when we get on orbit. Have the ability for focused inspection if needed. The sense you got today was that the team is ready, it's not just the EVA guys, or those in MCC, but those in Engineering and Mechanics.
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#322
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:12
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Mike Leinbach:
Not tracking any issues with the orbiters, can fly both if needed. No processing issues have occurred. Better to have the 11th than the 12th for another scrub attempt, should we need it. If we don't need the LON, Endeavour will move to Pad-A on May 29th. Getting ready to go and teams are excited.
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#323
by
Chris Bergin
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:13
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Chris G gets the first question! Nice question to get quotes on the radiator.
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#324
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:15
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Chris Gebhardt got the first question! Asking about the radiator panel on Atlantis, great question.
Leinbach: Caused a couple dents. Starting to stage repair tomorrow, repair is due on Saturday, can go into Sunday if needed. Have NOT damaged the freon tubes.
Followup: Asking if STS-127 can get off the ground a day early.
Shannon: We'll decide after we get off the ground on May 11th.
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#325
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:18
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Bill Harwood asking about LON-400, post Late Inspection, can you launch with a few scrubs?
Shannon: Will be a bit rushed, since the consumables on Atlantis haven't been saved. Will try to get off the first day and if we can't, we can get one more day. If we need to do LON, we'll try a repair, then check it the day after. If we needed LON then, we'd have about two attempts. If there was damage that we could repair, it would be from MMOD. For late things, the confidence in the repair capability is high. If we had something gross in the launch, we've got LON-400 two weeks to get off the pad.
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#326
by
psloss
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:19
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Followup: Asking about the Beta Angle Cutout for 127, I believe.
Shannon: We'll decide after we get off the ground on May 11th.
A nice question: Chris asked if 127 might be moved up a day, to June 12, given that 125 may launch a day early.
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#327
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:21
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Halverson asking how important this mission is to the HST.
Michael Luther: Quite important to us. The Hubble team have done a great job operating the telescope, looking for new techniques to function this long, but have done so while looking for contingency operations that we haven't had to face. Extension of life could be as much as the middle of the next decade. Probably longer, but we say middle because that's when JWST will come online. If we can do that, then we have achieved our mission for our community. This is hugely important.
Followup asking about the jobs to the end of the Shuttle program.
Shannon: We're actually laying off about 160 people tomorrow, and by the end of the program, we'll lay off about 900 people total. Mostly manufacturing people.
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#328
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:21
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Followup: Asking about the Beta Angle Cutout for 127, I believe.
Shannon: We'll decide after we get off the ground on May 11th.
A nice question: Chris asked if 127 might be moved up a day, to June 12, given that 125 may launch a day early.
Thanks, fixed!
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#329
by
psloss
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:25
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Followup asking about the jobs to the end of the Shuttle program.
Shannon: We're actually laying off about 160 people tomorrow, and by the end of the program, we'll lay off about 900 people total. Mostly manufacturing people.
Ouch.
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#330
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:27
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Jay B asking about the $2.5b extra added to the budget:
Shannon: It was added to the currently manifested missions, not adding new flights. Only if we were directed to add more flights, we wouldn't lay off our manufactures. The missions we have to fly, we can probably finish by 2010. We take them one at a time.
Harwood: No change in funding for this year, we've got our budget for the next two years, just need to take the steps to meet that budget. Money to protect if we slip from FY2010 to FY2011.
Luther in response to Jay's science question about how far you can see back with the HST: Can see from about 500 million years from the big bang with the new improvements.
Linebach answering his question about how fast Endeavour can be launched: 7 days away from launching when Atlantis launched. Can't cut too much out of that.
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#331
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:29
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Marcia asking about the protections in use for the Swine Flu since Marshall shut down their daycare.
Gerstenmaier: Not doing anything special, crew goes into the quarantine on Monday. We'll have to wait that out and see what the other centers do.
Marcia asking about 1/221 chance for MMOD strike.
Shannon: Now 1/229 chance, just an average number. Anywhere from 1/167 to 1/302.
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#332
by
DavisSTS
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:30
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#333
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:30
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Irene asked about the layoffs as well.
Shannon: Contractor team members will be cut, not all layoffs though. Will be 400 layoffs, about 350 will be attrition, and then some badge changes.
Asked if the badge changes would be to CxP.
Shannon: Not all, most will go to general processing, but yes, some will go to CxP.
Followup on the HST mission about a reboost of the telescope, still planned?
Shannon: No reboost, we'll save our gas and move Atlantis to a safe orbit. No need to do a reboost, either, Hubble's orbit has degraded a lot less than expected.
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#334
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:34
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Tariq: How does it feel having a final launch date for 125?
Gerstenmaier: The best thing I saw was Angie and the Atlantis team having a "ONE WAY" sign when she was rolling out. It's a good mission to go do, I don't feel any disappointment, it's in the business.. you get used to it. Really good feeling is seeing the teams and seeing them ready to go.
Luther: We'll have a much needed improvement from this flight, we're ready.
Tariq followup about any scrubs, 3 in a row.
Leinbach: We aren't committed to 3 in a row, yet. We ask the teams about that, see if they can support 3 in a row. Barring something unusual, I think you'll see us go 3 in a row if it's needed.
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#335
by
Chris Bergin
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:37
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Ho ho, Gerst intimating he's glad he doesn't work on Constellation!
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#336
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:37
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Marcia asking about how much lower Atlantis will be after that orbital adjustment.
Shannon: We'll drop one side of the orbit down about 100 miles, so 300x200nm orbit.
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#337
by
psloss
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:46
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Cool -- Chris getting in some additional technical questions w/Mike Leinbach to follow up things being reported here from shuttle processing.
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#338
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:47
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Chris Gebhardt also asking about the repositioning the SRB cameras, when and why.
Shannon: Same cameras, just turning them a bit. It's just for engineering data.
Gerstenmaier: We'll lose the ET camera about 450 seconds into flight. We will be out of range, so nothing new.
Gebhardt asking about the stud in the F5R that was found broken.
Leinbach: Prompted us to check the other orbiters. Atlantis is good to go, I expect Endeavour to be good to go, but can not confirm that right now, we have not checked.
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#339
by
Chris Bergin
on 30 Apr, 2009 21:50
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Cool -- Chris getting in some additional technical questions w/Mike Leinbach to follow up things being reported here from shuttle processing.
And the cool thing is when I do a processing report tomorrow on the fleet (post standup - if they had one), there's some nice quotes to pan out the standup or NTD report
Really is helpful.
Really is helpful.