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#520
by
dsmillman
on 01 May, 2010 14:46
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KSC status reported (as of 5:55 AM EDT) that Hypergolic load was complete.
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#521
by
Space Pete
on 01 May, 2010 19:40
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It seems that MRM-1 will now be (albeit partially) ingressed during STS-132.
From ISS Daily Report for 01/05/2010:
STS-132/Atlantis/ULF-4 Flight Plan Preview:
. MRM-1 Main Activities:
-FD7:
-MRM-1 Hatch Open/Leak Check:
-Initial ingress to scrub air.
-Hatch will be left “ajar”.
-Final, full ingress to occur TBD date post flight.
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#522
by
D.A.
on 01 May, 2010 19:54
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Does launch window in May end on the 18th or the 23rd? Spaceflight Now says that a Delta 4 is booked for the 20th.
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#523
by
psloss
on 01 May, 2010 20:04
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Does launch window in May end on the 18th or the 23rd? Spaceflight Now says that a Delta 4 is booked for the 20th.
As ChrisG
posted earlier, the window ends on the 23rd. Range availability might reduce the number of launch attempts in the window; however, assuming processing stays on schedule, the launch team should still get multiple attempts to launch before that would become an issue.
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#524
by
D.A.
on 01 May, 2010 20:06
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Does launch window in May end on the 18th or the 23rd? Spaceflight Now says that a Delta 4 is booked for the 20th.
As ChrisG posted earlier, the window ends on the 23rd. Range availability might reduce the number of launch attempts in the window; however, assuming processing stays on schedule, the launch team should still get multiple attempts to launch before that would become an issue.
What happened to the Delta 4 launch which was scheduled for the 20th?
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#525
by
psloss
on 01 May, 2010 20:13
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What happened to the Delta 4 launch which was scheduled for the 20th?
It's still there, but it doesn't change the window, only the number of attempts the launch team might make in the window. But they might only need one.
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#526
by
steveS
on 02 May, 2010 01:17
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It seems that MRM-1 will now be (albeit partially) ingressed during STS-132.
From ISS Daily Report for 01/05/2010:
STS-132/Atlantis/ULF-4 Flight Plan Preview:
. MRM-1 Main Activities:
-FD7:
-MRM-1 Hatch Open/Leak Check:
-Initial ingress to scrub air.
-Hatch will be left “ajar”.
-Final, full ingress to occur TBD date post flight.
What is the reason behind this?
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#527
by
psloss
on 03 May, 2010 13:12
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Program overview part of the 132 preflight briefings underway. A lot of the Shuttle Program information is really more broad in scope than just the upcoming mission. I'll add notes below from John Shannon's opening remarks.
He noted that the Ku-band failure on the unit from the last flight is similar to the one on STS-92. I believe he said a transistor in the exciter failed.
ET-137 is on the barge at MAF and ready for delivery to KSC; however, the big oil spill in the Gulf forced them to come up with an alternate plan. Freedom Star could only make it as far as Gulfport (Mississippi); the route around the oil slick to New Orleans is too shallow for it. MAF has got some tugs to take the tank to Gulfport and hand off to Freedom Star.
Due to the loss of a ceramic plug on the last flight, they are replacing the plugs on Atlantis' windows and side hatch.
(He did not mention downstream flights, but I'm expecting that to come up in the Q&A.)
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#528
by
psloss
on 03 May, 2010 13:32
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On the question of the Leonardo schedule to make the STS-133 target date, Mike Suffredini said that it can make the date. He said there are a couple of major ORUs that the ISS program would like to fly if the date were to slip; however, they aren't necessarily going to wait for the ORUs -- it's under discussion, but no change to the 133 target date as of now.
Bill Harwood and Robert Pearlman asked the LON-335 and 135 questions:
John Shannon said that there's still no discussion on STS-135.
Mike Suffredini said that if he could fly an extra flight, he would prefer to fly it in about the summer of next year. There are several cargo flights in between now and then (Progress, ATV, HTV), so summer would be the point in the schedule that would be most favorable for the ISS program.
No change to orbiter assignment for STS-335 -- still Atlantis. If things change, then they would discuss possible changes to that.
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#529
by
psloss
on 03 May, 2010 13:39
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Unsurprisingly, more on continuing Shuttle:
From questions by Eric Berger, John Shannon said that in the current state, where the program is mostly only doing operations (vs. ops and production), they could operate at about $1.8 billion annually. (To do operations and production would probably be around $2.8 billion annually.) They are able to fly through the end of the calendar year, but they are saving money wherever they can and could probably make it as far as the February timeframe.
(After February, they would need more funding from Washington to continue.)
On ISS CRS schedule, Mike Suffredini said that the program could probably tolerate a slip of about a year from the current CRS schedule (where the first flights begin next year).
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#530
by
psloss
on 03 May, 2010 13:52
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On AMS status and STS-134 target date, nothing really new -- as was reported when the delay was announced, they are going to wait to see how the magnet changeout work progresses before setting a target date. John Shannon did say that they may be able to set a target date in the early summer, after STS-132 has flown and the AMS schedule becomes clearer.
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#531
by
psloss
on 03 May, 2010 13:56
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Answering another what-if question on a 135 cargo manifest, Mike Suffredini said that they'd fly internal and possibly external logistics. The former in MPLM FM-2 and possibly a LMC to swap out external hardware, if necessary. (So at a high level, the cargo manifest would look very similar to the last few MPLM missions, ULF-2/STS-126, 17A/STS-128 and 19A/STS-131.)
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#532
by
psloss
on 03 May, 2010 13:59
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Program overview briefing is over...Kyle Herring says to stand by for a special guest at the mission overview briefing.
Briefing is starting ahead of schedule -- the "guest" is Jerry Ross. (As Rob Navias notes, he's the only astronaut to fly on Atlantis five times. He is currently the chief of the Vehicle Integration Test Office at JSC.)
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#533
by
psloss
on 03 May, 2010 14:34
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It seems that MRM-1 will now be (albeit partially) ingressed during STS-132.
From ISS Daily Report for 01/05/2010:
STS-132/Atlantis/ULF-4 Flight Plan Preview:
. MRM-1 Main Activities:
-FD7:
-MRM-1 Hatch Open/Leak Check:
-Initial ingress to scrub air.
-Hatch will be left “ajar”.
-Final, full ingress to occur TBD date post flight.
What is the reason behind this?
As just noted in the Mission Overview briefing, the module is so packed full of cargo it has to be relocated elsewhere on the station and there's not enough room inside while the combined crews are there.
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#534
by
psloss
on 03 May, 2010 14:44
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Jerry Ross is making a presentation on his favorite orbiter, Atlantis. (Unusual for these preflight briefings, but understandable since this is planned to be her last flight.)
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#535
by
robertross
on 03 May, 2010 15:10
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On the question of the Leonardo schedule to make the STS-133 target date, Mike Suffredini said that it can make the date. He said there are a couple of major ORUs that the ISS program would like to fly if the date were to slip; however, they aren't necessarily going to wait for the ORUs -- it's under discussion, but no change to the 133 target date as of now.
Thanks for the notes.
I particularly like this one for obvious reasons, but won't take it further for now due to the thread. I'll just keep this one in my back pocket
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#536
by
psloss
on 03 May, 2010 15:20
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On the question of the Leonardo schedule to make the STS-133 target date, Mike Suffredini said that it can make the date. He said there are a couple of major ORUs that the ISS program would like to fly if the date were to slip; however, they aren't necessarily going to wait for the ORUs -- it's under discussion, but no change to the 133 target date as of now.
Thanks for the notes.
I particularly like this one for obvious reasons, but won't take it further for now due to the thread. I'll just keep this one in my back pocket
Quick general add on this: John44 has posted the video, so that's a more reliable source than my interpreted notes. On this specific topic, my parsing of what MikeS said is that the ORUs might be able to make the current date, but there's no guarantee. (But again, the video is available for anyone to watch/listen to.)
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#537
by
cd-slam
on 03 May, 2010 16:12
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ET-137 is on the barge at MAF and ready for delivery to KSC; however, the big oil spill in the Gulf forced them to come up with an alternate plan. Freedom Star could only make it as far as Gulfport (Mississippi); the route around the oil slick to New Orleans is too shallow for it. MAF has got some tugs to take the tank to Gulfport and hand off to Freedom Star.
That sounds a little garbled. Freedom Star can not make it to MAF under any circumstances due to the shallow intracostal waterway; the normal method is to ship by barge to Gulfport.
I think he may be referring to the route from Gulfport to KSC - that route will need major revision to avoid the oil spill which is directly south of Gulfport.
I suppose there might also be an issue with the barge route from MAF to Gulfport - however per the latest USCG map it's well clear of the spill zone.
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#538
by
psloss
on 03 May, 2010 16:58
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ET-137 is on the barge at MAF and ready for delivery to KSC; however, the big oil spill in the Gulf forced them to come up with an alternate plan. Freedom Star could only make it as far as Gulfport (Mississippi); the route around the oil slick to New Orleans is too shallow for it. MAF has got some tugs to take the tank to Gulfport and hand off to Freedom Star.
That sounds a little garbled. Freedom Star can not make it to MAF under any circumstances due to the shallow intracostal waterway; the normal method is to ship by barge to Gulfport.
I think he may be referring to the route from Gulfport to KSC - that route will need major revision to avoid the oil spill which is directly south of Gulfport.
I suppose there might also be an issue with the barge route from MAF to Gulfport - however per the latest USCG map it's well clear of the spill zone.
Certainly possible I garbled it -- as noted before, John44 made the video available for viewing and that is the most accurate source of what was said at the briefing.
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#539
by
John44
on 03 May, 2010 17:30
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