STS-117: Atlantis in the VAB Updates

• #60 by nathan.moeller on 08 Feb, 2007 03:47
• Well...we've got a little shot of the MLP and CT in the upper right-hand corner.  I'm thinking we'll have to wait for pictures later tonight or tomorrow morning.

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• #61 by marsguy on 08 Feb, 2007 03:50
• Interesting...I didn't know that the CT was already in the VAB at this point.
• #62 by nathan.moeller on 08 Feb, 2007 04:00
• Quote

  marsguy - 7/2/2007  10:50 PM
  
  Interesting...I didn't know that the CT was already in the VAB at this point.

  
  That's how they got the MLP inside But yeah, it usually stays there the whole time they're getting ready to haul an orbiter out to the pad.  I'm not sure the VAB has pedestals for the MLP to rest on but I could easily be mistaken.  Someone correct me if I am indeed wrong about that.  I imagine she's about to be lowered to the rest of the stack.
• #63 by spaceshuttle on 08 Feb, 2007 04:11
• Where are y'all getting those video stills from?
• #64 by nathan.moeller on 08 Feb, 2007 04:16
• http://webcams.ksc.nasa.gov/ImgCap/camera2/Camera2Java.htm
• #65 by DaveS on 08 Feb, 2007 05:55
• Quote

  nathan.moeller - 8/2/2007  6:00 AM
  
  

  Quote

  marsguy - 7/2/2007  10:50 PM
  
  Interesting...I didn't know that the CT was already in the VAB at this point.

  
  That's how they got the MLP inside

  Only the MLP is in the VAB right now. The crawler rolls into the high bay on rollout day.
• #66 by punkboi on 08 Feb, 2007 06:34

• Atlantis part of the stack

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• #67 by Chris Bergin on 08 Feb, 2007 11:15
• Good work with the images overnight guys.
• #68 by Chris Bergin on 08 Feb, 2007 12:09
• Looks like a shot of part of Atlantis' FRCS:

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• #69 by DaveS on 08 Feb, 2007 12:32
• Here's a view between ET-124(left) and Atlantis(right):

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• #70 by nathan.moeller on 08 Feb, 2007 12:46
• Quote

  DaveS - 8/2/2007  12:55 AM
  
  Only the MLP is in the VAB right now. The crawler rolls into the high bay on rollout day.

  
  Whoops Must have mistaken some shapes in the image for the crawler, and I was indeed wrong about the VAB not having pad pedestals.  Thanks for the images guys.  Great to see her being stacked up again.
• #71 by KSC on 08 Feb, 2007 13:06
• A nice image from yesterdays roll over in the dawn

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• #72 by Chris Bergin on 08 Feb, 2007 14:24
• And the OPF she came out of was evacuated after a suspected ammonia leak.
• #73 by Wisi on 08 Feb, 2007 14:24
• Great image, thanks for sharing!
  
  Which building is the OPF? The one at the very left of the image?
• #74 by Chris Bergin on 08 Feb, 2007 14:58
• Oh wow, Pad Rat!
  
  http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/photos/photo-main.asp?viewmember=2585
  
  Awesome.
• #75 by STS Tony on 08 Feb, 2007 15:00
• Quote

  pad rat - 8/2/2007  9:27 AM
  
  It takes roughly 24 hrs. from the time the orbiter rolls into the VAB until the time "hard mate" is complete. Just getting the orbiter into position beside the ET and soft-mating the aft attachment posts takes about 12-14 hrs. Installing the bolts is a tedious process that really eats up time.
  
  I've created a photo album of photos I took during some lift/mate operations several years ago. Look at the S0004 album.

  
  Now THAT's what I'm talking about. No need for coffee this morning, cool photos will do it for me!
• #76 by nathan.moeller on 08 Feb, 2007 15:27
• Quote

  Wisi - 8/2/2007  9:24 AM
  
  Great image, thanks for sharing!
  
  Which building is the OPF? The one at the very left of the image?

  
  Yes that's OPF Bay 1.  Endeavour is in Bay 2 right next to it.  Bay 3 houses Discovery just across the road and down a bit.
• #77 by Chris Bergin on 08 Feb, 2007 15:37
• Operations are four hours behind schedule on the mating.
  
  Doing an article to round up where we are.
• #78 by nathan.moeller on 08 Feb, 2007 15:49
• Not terribly uncommon for this to get behind.  Perhaps they'll make up for it by rolling out on the first try.  It took them three tries last time they took Atlantis to the pad due to weather and everything went fine.  To think...had they not launched 115 in September, we'd probably be looking at the first real launch attempt 11 days from now, as the first daylight window of the year opens February 19.  And we got TWO launches off! Looking forward to the article Chris.
• #79 by Chris Bergin on 08 Feb, 2007 16:27
• USA guys during soft mate:

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