Shuttle Questions Q and A (2)

• #260 by kneecaps on 14 Aug, 2006 11:03
• I would like to know the management processes that take place for a shuttle flight from initial planning to launch. Just very high level stuff like:
  
  Flightplan ---> Orbiter chosen ---> Flight Readiness Review ----> MMT Approval ----> Launch
  
  I know most of that is probably way off the mark, but thats the sort of outline i'm looking for (and also how do PRCB proceedings affect missions).
  
  Thanks
  
  Pete
• #261 by Jim on 14 Aug, 2006 15:54
• The shuttle program is run by the PCRB (Program Requirements Control Board).  It controls almost all of the aspects of the shuttle program.  All major shuttle schedules, hardware mods, documents, etc must come before the board for approval.   Some tasks are delegated to lower level boards.  For example, Flight crew equipment (tools, laptops, cameras etc) are handled Orbiter/GFE project board.
  
  Here is a short summary of the processes of putting a shuttle flight together:
  
  1.   NASA HQ (with the ISS program) determines what payloads are to fly on the shuttle.  A multi-center organization, the Flight Assignment Working Group, takes these payloads and using other requirements (flight rates, orbiter down times, etc) and produces a planning manifest with the payloads on specific orbiters.
  2.   Once a payload is on the manifest, NASA JSC puts together a MIP/PIP (Mission Integration Plan/Payload Integration Plan).  This document covers all the requirements for the payload, includes an ICD and defines verification tests, power, thermal, crew time needs etc.  Before this document is baselined and accepted by the shuttle program, it will go before the PRCB for approval.
  3.   Two to three years before launch, the mission is added to the FDRD (FDRD) Flight Definition and Requirements Document.  The PRCB approves the addition of the flight to the FDRD.  The FDRD formally documents the Orbiter, ET, SRB, and SSME assignments to this mission.  Additionally, landing sites, orbit, EVA’s, crew size, payloads, mission duration, cryo tanks set, RMS, DTO/DSO’s are defined.  (The FDRD is just a table of info).  Once a mission is in the FDRD, the shuttle program has a go ahead to “build” the mission.
  4.   The information in the FDRD is further defined in a FRD (Flight Requirements Document).  It takes all the requirements from the payloads (MIP’s/PIP’s) and other flight hardware, FDRD, DTO’s, adds Placards/Constraints/Limitations and expands and further defines all the info.  Before this document is baselined and accepted by the shuttle program, it will go before the PRCB for approval.
  5.   After the FRD is baseline, all the flight “production” can start.  The Flight plan is developed, software updates created, all the analyses are performed (thermal, loads, acoustic, power, etc), crew training, payload bay configuration, etc.
  6.   About year before launch a Cargo Integration Review is held.  This is to make sure all the integration is meeting the requirements and will support the mission and schedule.
  7.   Further, down the road a launch site readiness review is held.  This is to make sure KSC has all the requirements and docs to start process hardware for a mission.  
  8.   Incremental readiness reviews are held as hardware approaches certain milestones, such as rollover, rollout, ET/SRB mate, payload ground ops, payload to pad, etc.
  9.   The program holds an FRR.  I believe that the MMT takes over at this point
  10.   The last review is the L-2 review.
  
• #262 by kneecaps on 15 Aug, 2006 07:39
• Thanks Jim! Very informative! So the PCRB has the highest 'authority' over the program, but functions above the individual flight planning level?
  
  Also how many FRRs are there (and by which department/office)?
  
  I used to think there was only one FRR, but its clear that there are several, ie: the MOD FRR and the FRR coming up soon (KSC FRR perhaps?)?
  
  Thanks!
• #263 by Jim on 15 Aug, 2006 12:12
• Don't understand this comment "but functions above the individual flight planning level?"  All the major planning docs for a mission (ie. FRD, MIP) are approved
  KSC's pre FRR used to be call a LRR.  The range also has an LRR
   I don't know which orgs have "pre FRR's"
• #264 by dutch courage on 15 Aug, 2006 15:43
• Anybody got an idea why an empty work stand is going into the vacuum chamber?
  

  ---

  
• #265 by Jim on 15 Aug, 2006 15:59
• storage. It is out of the way
• #266 by ruthsarian on 16 Aug, 2006 14:01
• Ordinance installation is scheduled this Thursday and Friday for Atlantis. My question is what ordinance are we talking about? Self-destruct packages? Chute deployment on SRBs? Explosive bolts on the SRB? All of the above?
  
  If not the SRB bolts, when are those installed?
• #267 by Jim on 16 Aug, 2006 14:34
• The NSI's are installed
• #268 by GLS on 21 Aug, 2006 16:55
• If you stop at T-31 seconds, you can resume the countdown or you can recycle to T-20 minutes. But what happens if you find a problem at T-4 hours, do you count to the next BIH, do you count do T-20 minutes or do you stop there??? Can someone explain me *all* the options (or what can happen) during the countdown. Thanks!
• #269 by mkirk on 21 Aug, 2006 17:03
• Quote

  GLS - 21/8/2006  11:42 AM
  
  If you stop at T-31 seconds, you can resume the countdown or you can recycle to T-20 minutes. But what happens if you find a problem at T-4 hours, do you count to the next BIH, do you count do T-20 minutes or do you stop there??? Can someone explain me *all* the options (or what can happen) during the countdown. Thanks!

  
  
  In the case of an issue at around T-4 hours, it would depend on the nature of the problem.  The general rule is that you procede to the next Built in Hold for all issues from the start of the Countdown at T-43 hours until T-9 minutes.  For problems after T-9 minutes you stop at the next GLS milestone.
  
  Mark Kirkman
• #270 by GLS on 21 Aug, 2006 17:23
• Thanks, mkirk!
  But, what can happen in terms or recycles and scrubs. Let's say you have that problem at T-4 hours, the count would go down to T-3 hours, as you said. And then can you recycle to T-6 hours (for a 24 hour scrub/turnaround), or do you have to go to T-20 minutes. This seems to be a extensive subject, and I probably won't be happy until I kidnapp an expert on this, but I thank anyone that's willing to help me just a bit.
• #271 by Jim on 21 Aug, 2006 17:34
• They can recycle at any hold point.  How far back depends on the reason for the scrub/recycle?
• #272 by mkirk on 21 Aug, 2006 17:41
• Quote

  GLS - 21/8/2006  12:10 PM
  
  Thanks, mkirk!
  But, what can happen in terms or recycles and scrubs. Let's say you have that problem at T-4 hours, the count would go down to T-3 hours, as you said. And then can you recycle to T-6 hours (for a 24 hour scrub/turnaround), or do you have to go to T-20 minutes. This seems to be a extensive subject, and I probably won't be happy until I kidnapp an expert on this, but I thank anyone that's willing to help me just a bit.

  
  Well for a problem in that time frame if a scrub is called it would depend on how long a scrub we are talking about.  A 24 hour would likely result in a recyle to T-6 hours and that would be the trunaround entry point.  If the scrub is longer and lets say they have to service the PRSD then a recycle to T-11 would likely result (this facilitates RSS and OMBUU positioning).
  
  There is also an extended hold option at T-6 hours for problems that occur prior to cryo tanking.
  
  The scrub turnaround procedures are contained in volume 3 of the S0007 (countdown) document.  There are 3 basic sub procedures; initial scrub turnaround (to get you in the correct and safe posture), 24 hour, and 48 hour/or extended (the extended is designed for up to 96 hours).  Each scrub option ahas re-entry points such as T-11 hours and T-6 hours where you would return to the standard countdown procedures for that point in volume 2 of the S0007 document (volume 2 is the countdown control sequence).
  
  It is a little more complex than that but this gives you the basic idea.
  
  Mark Kirkman
• #273 by GLS on 21 Aug, 2006 18:10
• Thanks mkirk, you filled some of the blanks in my knowledge. But not all.... if you scrub after T-20 minutes, you must recycle back to there before you go on to 24H/48H/whatever turnarounds, right? Other thing, if you stop at T-31 seconds you can recycle to T-20 minutes and then resume the count and try again (well not on the ISS flights.... but that's besides the point). But if you pass T-31 seconds you can't "try again", right? And if you scrub after T-31 seconds (I think it's called cutoff) is it the same as scrubbing before?
  
  

  Quote

  mkirk - 21/8/2006  6:28 PM
  
  The scrub turnaround procedures are contained in volume 3 of the S0007 (countdown) document.

  
  I've to get me one of those...
• #274 by kneecaps on 22 Aug, 2006 13:01
• Quote

  GLS - 21/8/2006  6:57 PM
  
  Thanks mkirk, you filled some of the blanks in my knowledge. But not all.... if you scrub after T-20 minutes, you must recycle back to there before you go on to 24H/48H/whatever turnarounds, right? Other thing, if you stop at T-31 seconds you can recycle to T-20 minutes and then resume the count and try again (well not on the ISS flights.... but that's besides the point). But if you pass T-31 seconds you can't "try again", right? And if you scrub after T-31 seconds (I think it's called cutoff) is it the same as scrubbing before?
  
  

  Quote

  mkirk - 21/8/2006  6:28 PM
  
  The scrub turnaround procedures are contained in volume 3 of the S0007 (countdown) document.

  
  I've to get me one of those...

  
  Sadly..I've tried to get my hands on a S0007 many times..I'm told its ITAR.
• #275 by mkirk on 22 Aug, 2006 22:37
• Quote

  kneecaps - 22/8/2006  7:48 AM
  
  Sadly..I've tried to get my hands on a S0007 many times..I'm told its ITAR.

  
  To the best of my knowledge that is not true.  Volume 5/6 which has contingency actions might be sensitive but the other volumes are not.
  
  Mark Kirkman
• #276 by mkirk on 22 Aug, 2006 22:43
• Quote

  GLS - 21/8/2006  12:57 PM
  
  Thanks mkirk, you filled some of the blanks in my knowledge. But not all.... if you scrub after T-20 minutes, you must recycle back to there before you go on to 24H/48H/whatever turnarounds, right? Other thing, if you stop at T-31 seconds you can recycle to T-20 minutes and then resume the count and try again (well not on the ISS flights.... but that's besides the point). But if you pass T-31 seconds you can't "try again", right? And if you scrub after T-31 seconds (I think it's called cutoff) is it the same as scrubbing before?
  
  

  
  If you pass T-31 seconds only cutoff is available and you are done for the day.  The recycle to T-20 minutes serves as the staring point for whatever scrub option is chosen.  This allows all the safing activities to be accomplished as well as the transitioning of the GPCs (general purpose computers) out of OPS101 and back into G9.  OPS101 is the terminal count configuration and G9 is the ground operations/processing config.
  
  Mark Kirkman
• #277 by spaceshuttle on 24 Aug, 2006 21:47
• okay, external tank foam question.
  
  they say that the freon was removed from the tanks STARTING with mission sts-87 (last mission of 1997). now, from what i understood in the beginning was that the non-freon foam would start off as a yellow color.
  nonetheless,
  sts-85 (left) and sts-86's (right) tanks (both before sts-87) started off a beige color, a color you NEVER see at any time on the tanks now-a-days
  http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/85.jpg  http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/86.jpg
  
  sts-87 was beige
  http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/87.jpg
  
  and so was 89 (the mission RIGHT after 87)
  http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/89.jpg
  
  but both 87 (left) & 89 (right) darkened to a flat light-brown color...
  http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/KSC-97EC-1700.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/KSC-98EC-0198.jpg
  
  from what i know, today we use the same foam as sts-87, but here on 90, the foam is bright yellow(left)--a common sighting these days--darkening down to the usual gold-tinted color(right)
  http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/90.jpg  http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/KSC-98EC-0500.jpg
  
  BUT, before 85, the tanks (evidently) began as a tan/light brown, as seen here on 84 (left) and 82 (right)
  http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/84.jpg   http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/82.jpg
  
  ALSO darkening to a brownish/rusty color
  (84 left, 82 right)
  http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/KSC-97EC-0788.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/jjlucash/KSC-97EC-0266.jpg
  
  what's going on with all these changes in the foam formula?
• #278 by Jim on 24 Aug, 2006 21:50
• the foam darkens as it is exposed to UV rays.  Also unless the same cameras and the same film and the same paper and the same lighting conditions are used (same goes for digital cameras and software), you are going to get different tints of same color.  Also light from the SRB's are going to affect the photo
  
  Edit:
  
  The first photos were taken at arrival at the pad and the latter photos were of launches or near launch day.   The shuttle was outside longer in the latter photos
• #279 by Jim on 24 Aug, 2006 21:57
• When you "saw" the tanks, did they all have the exact same exposure to UV?
  
  Edit:
  
  you deleted the post that this one refers to