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ET-123 may hold back STS-115
by
Chris Bergin
on 07 May, 2006 00:01
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#1
by
Chris Bergin
on 07 May, 2006 00:29
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Images for the article taken from the related L2 thread.
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#2
by
James (Lockheed)
on 07 May, 2006 02:03
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Good article! People underestimate the amount of work going on with the tanks. Very good at least this site covers it.
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#3
by
shuttlefan
on 07 May, 2006 02:44
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I might add--the best coverage of ET processing I've seen as well, Chris.
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#4
by
hyper_snyper
on 07 May, 2006 02:51
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I was under the impression that the contingency launch requirement was going to be relaxed after STS-121?
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#5
by
James Lowe1
on 07 May, 2006 02:52
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#6
by
hyper_snyper
on 07 May, 2006 03:06
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James Lowe1 - 6/5/2006 10:52 PM
hyper_snyper - 6/5/2006 9:51 PM
I was under the impression that the contingency launch requirement was going to be relaxed after STS-121?
Nope. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?id=4392 or view the full manifest on L2.
Oh I see. Is it ever going to be relaxed because I don't see a CSCS listing after STS-115? Sorry if this is an obvious question, I'm not an L2 subsrciber.
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#7
by
Mark Max Q
on 07 May, 2006 03:10
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They review as they go it would seem.
Given the TPS article that will appear on the main site in a day or so, I bet they will keep rescue missions longer.
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#8
by
Chris Bergin
on 07 May, 2006 13:22
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Yes, there is a current STS-301 (which reverts to STS-300 after STS-121's 300 is stood down).
On the tanks:
ET-119 = STS-121 (Discovery)
ET-118 = STS-300 - then STS-115 (Atlantis)
ET-123 = STS-301 (300) *** then STS-116 (Discovery)
***= Three tanks required 119,118,123 to make two flights in 2006 (given STS-301).
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#9
by
psloss
on 07 May, 2006 13:24
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It would seem that the CSCS capability is going to be an important factor -- 121 will add logistics, but also a third crew member to the ISS Expedition...I wonder what the CSCS prediction is for 115 given the current schedules (including the Progress flights). And there's probably a more direct link between the ET-123 delivery and launching 116/12A.1 as currently scheduled.
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#10
by
HKS
on 07 May, 2006 13:30
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Interesting and good article Chris!
Do we know which tanks that will folow after ET-123? It's also posible that both ET-118 (STS-115/STS-300) and ET-123 (STS-116/STS-301) will need modifications in the ice/frost ramps after windtunnel tests are complete, and after STS-121 has flown.
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#11
by
Chris Bergin
on 07 May, 2006 13:46
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HKS - 7/5/2006 2:30 PM
Interesting and good article Chris!
Do we know which tanks that will folow after ET-123? It's also posible that both ET-118 (STS-115/STS-300) and ET-123 (STS-116/STS-301) will need modifications in the ice/frost ramps after windtunnel tests are complete, and after STS-121 has flown.
Thanks - more to come as you'll already know.
We don't have a schedule past ET-123 - but I'll see if such hardware has been given designations. ET-120 is obviously in the loop for a return at some point and there's ET-93 (test article) also.
It is very much a case of working with the wind tunnel results being favourable, but it's all going to be work-as-you-go with the tanks.
Ironically, I had NASA PAO telling me that we were inaccurate to claim ET-119 has less data instrumentation on it as ET-118 in the tanking test article (after they apparently had media asking them about this in reference to the article I wrote).
However, NASA PAO is wrong.
DFI is not flying on ET-119, as KSC (USA) ET Electrical confirmed this just the other day. I mailed NASA PAO twice on this to say we were right (which means they - if they answered the media with their information - are misleading media). I've had nothing back from them.....and I've given this nearly three days for a response before nothing this here.
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#12
by
shuttlefan
on 07 May, 2006 14:54
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Chris, will this be the first time Development Flight Instrumentation ( DFI ) will fly on a shuttle since the first 4 test flights?
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#13
by
Chris Bergin
on 07 May, 2006 15:11
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shuttlefan - 7/5/2006 3:54 PM
Chris, will this be the first time Development Flight Instrumentation ( DFI ) will fly on a shuttle since the first 4 test flights? 
No idea. I just know it's debuting again on ET-118, not ET-119.
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#14
by
DaveS
on 07 May, 2006 15:20
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shuttlefan - 7/5/2006 4:54 PM
Chris, will this be the first time Development Flight Instrumentation ( DFI ) will fly on a shuttle since the first 4 test flights? 
The DFI is on the ETs, not in the orbiter's payload bay like on STS-1 through 4.
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#15
by
Jason Sole
on 07 May, 2006 17:15
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But they should be ok for 2007's flow of tanks?
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#16
by
Chris Bergin
on 07 May, 2006 20:18
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Jason Sole - 7/5/2006 6:15 PM
But they should be ok for 2007's flow of tanks?
It would appear so.
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#17
by
psloss
on 12 May, 2006 11:15
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