-
#560 by Chris Bergin on 08 Jun, 2007 00:13
-
Quote
Astromattical - 8/6/2007 1:00 AM
Thanks Chris. Who has the final word about whether or not to swap? It *seems* from what I've read that #3 being out still meets launch criteria, but I get the impression that they're hesitating over there about what route to go for some reason.
MMT are all powerful, headed by Wayne Hale...so we're in good hands, and he has an awesome team, with the likes of Leroy Cain, Steve Poulos etc. etc.
MMT decided that they could fly with one of the three elements failed. OPO met tonight to look at historical data. "Need to look at the history and what the data is telling us," as Leroy Cain said in the MMT L-1 Day Overview Presentation on L2.
Speaking of that, the presentation contains a brilliant transcript of about seven managers having an open conversational about this issue. I want to quote out of this for an article (writing now) but I wish I could copy and paste the whole lot into here as it's NASA at work and it's brilliant. The issue we get is some other media then taking it out of context as a problem, so we usually only publish out of L2 in context as an article, which invokes journalist rules of accreditation.
Anyhoo. They've not classed number 3 as failed, but as suspect. They think they've got a reason for this occuring: "Leading theory is ingestion of gas that caused start up transient, later gas heated up and cleared," said Poulos.
The discussion is with one potentially classed as failed, they are one failure away from breaching LCC. And as you know, it's all about safety and having two fault tolerance.
They have GPS, but "GPS is great tool, but not a MLS replacement. MLS takes precedent at lower altitudes, but in a pinch could take GPS if we lost all MLS," manager Knight.
So, as Leroy Cain states: "...are not declaring it failed, there is work to do before get into final countdown. I consider it suspect. As to whether we declare it failed we need to do some more work. That’s where I think we are."
OPO haven't (at least I've not recieved note) declared their position as per their meeting, but given the transcript of MMT meeting, they will proceed and can launch even with number three failed, but will watch for anything during the count.
Hope that helps. Will try and be clearer in an article. -
#561 by Astromattical on 08 Jun, 2007 00:17
-
Wow...thanks for that awesome info Chris. That perfectly explains what I was wondering.
-
#562 by Lee Jay on 08 Jun, 2007 00:22
-
Okay, that leads to a question. As gliders go, the Shuttle is about as bad as it gets. However, as raw stick-and-rudder skills go, their pilots tend to be about as good it gets. Could these guys dead-stick an orbiter in safely from 15,000 without MLS or GPS?
-
#563 by TFGQ on 08 Jun, 2007 00:43
-
that Pad looks awesome all lit up
-
#564 by DaveS on 08 Jun, 2007 00:44
-
Pad floodlights activated:
-
#565 by Mark Dave on 08 Jun, 2007 00:54
-
RSS rollback is what time tonight?
-
#566 by DaveS on 08 Jun, 2007 01:01
-
Quote
MarkD - 8/6/2007 2:54 AM
10:30 pm EDT.
RSS rollback is what time tonight? -
#567 by on 08 Jun, 2007 01:04
-
Live views of Atlantis at the pad!
-
#568 by on 08 Jun, 2007 01:06
-
Quote
Michael22090 - 7/6/2007 6:58 PM About the NASA TV Live View; are they going to turn on the xenon lights at the launch pad?
Yes, after the RSS is retracted and has been complete, they will then turn on the xenon lights at the pad.
-
#569 by Chris Bergin on 08 Jun, 2007 02:02
-
Call To Stations for RSS retract.
-
#570 by Chris Bergin on 08 Jun, 2007 02:26
-
Keep your eyes peeled...warning, this is where we all think the RSS is moving, as it plays tricks with your eyes if you stare at it enough
-
#571 by GoForTLI on 08 Jun, 2007 02:39
-
Can someone tell me what I'm looking at in this side view of the pad? I'm talking about the bottom part of the picture, on the pad itself. Where the lights are.
-
#572 by Ford Mustang on 08 Jun, 2007 02:41
-
Quote
GoForTLI - 7/6/2007 10:39 PM
Can someone tell me what I'm looking at in this side view of the pad? I'm talking about the bottom part of the picture, on the pad itself. Where the lights are.
Look right under the SRB. There's a solid part that has a 'track' like a tank on it. That, I am almost positive, is what will be moving. -
#573 by Namechange User on 08 Jun, 2007 02:44
-
It's part of the actual launch "pad". The shuttle stack and MLP (mobile launch platform) are sitting on a concrete pad that forms the flame trench underleath.
-
#574 by GoForTLI on 08 Jun, 2007 02:44
-
Quote
Ford Mustang - 7/6/2007 9:41 PM
QuoteGoForTLI - 7/6/2007 10:39 PM
Can someone tell me what I'm looking at in this side view of the pad? I'm talking about the bottom part of the picture, on the pad itself. Where the lights are.
Look right under the SRB. There's a solid part that has a 'track' like a tank on it. That, I am almost positive, is what will be moving.
I'm wondering about the pad itself, not the MLP and the RSS on top. There should be a flame deflector down there, and then hot gases get deflected fore and aft. But this is the side view, and it looks like a room of some kind. And I'm wondering what I'm seeing.
If you look at the picture on Chris Bergin's last post, there are 5 columns in front of what I'm looking at, with lights behind and some kind of equipment there. It's right at the bottom portion of the latest screen capture from NASA TV. -
#575 by Namechange User on 08 Jun, 2007 02:46
-
By the way, for all those that are waiting to see the RSS move, it's been my experience that it rarely moves ontime even when they issue Call to Stations.
-
#576 by Astromattical on 08 Jun, 2007 02:48
-
Is it just me, or is there no audio during this feed currently?
-
#577 by GirlygirlShuttlefan on 08 Jun, 2007 02:48
-
Quote
OV-106 - 7/6/2007 9:46 PM
By the way, for all those that are waiting to see the RSS move, it's been my experience that it rarely moves ontime even when they issue Call to Stations.
It's cool. It's more interesting than what is on TV right now. There's always something special about a shuttle being revealed in this event. She'll look beautiful in the floodlights. -
#578 by Ford Mustang on 08 Jun, 2007 02:50
-
There is no audio, Astromattical. I do not think they will have shuttle commentary for anything except the Launch Coverage and the regular.
EDIT: When is the shuttle 'skin' thing going to be retracted? It's the thing covering the shuttle from weather.. I forgot the name of it.. -
#579 by gocamels on 08 Jun, 2007 02:52
-
Quote
Astromattical - 7/6/2007 10:48 PM
Is it just me, or is there no audio during this feed currently?
This is normal...No PAOs are on console until full launch commentary begins.
