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#600 by MySDCUserID on 08 Jun, 2007 03:51
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Quote
Austin - 7/6/2007 11:49 PM
QuoteZachstar - 7/6/2007 8:30 PM
Let the vets and Chris do the Image posting. It gets very hard to load when you have everyone wanting to post snapshots.
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The retract is looking nice!
And on the subject of "hard to load," those for whom this will be their first NSF launch, please be cognisant of the fact that this site is heavily relied on and monitored by many for updates during the final phases of the coundown -- especially as we enter the terminal count (inside 20 minutes). Unless you are posting accurate updates, or are on a 3-way call with Wayne Hale and Mike Leinbach, please refrain from any unnecessary comments. Just enjoy the professional coverage from a great site! I'm sure that Chris will reiterate this tomorrow, but there will be a lot of traffic here, and unnecessary comments just slow things down.
Not necessary. Chris has enabled automated features on the forum to prevent non-designated persons from posting when coming out of the T-9 minute hold. -
#601 by Zachstar on 08 Jun, 2007 03:53
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Xenon Floodlights coming online!
Makes things quite a bit brighter! -
#602 by MySDCUserID on 08 Jun, 2007 03:53
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Ford Mustang - 7/6/2007 11:52 PM
QuoteMySDCUserID - 7/6/2007 11:47 PM
QuoteFord Mustang - 7/6/2007 11:43 PM
I just heard that they were looking at replacing an avionics system.. Would they do it, or could they fly on a backup.. If they do it, would that postpone launch to Saturday or Sunday?
EDIT: Sorry if this was already answered, I just looked back through 5-6 pages, and couldn't find it.
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5124
This is a news website, not just a forum.
Yes I understand that, I was just wondering, because normally, Chris posts something here that ends up doing with a write-up. I didn't see a post like that, so I asked.
That article has been up and posted for almost half the day. -
#603 by MySDCUserID on 08 Jun, 2007 03:57
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It appears that the xenons are on now.
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#604 by Chris Bergin on 08 Jun, 2007 04:05
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Ok folks, let's try and keep it tidy here. It's an update thread and the moderators will prune it so that people (some of which get e-mail alerts to new posts on here) aren't trawling through lots of posts that are chatter.
Friday's launch day thread will be very much along these lines. Everything will be laid out in the opening post.
You all do a great job in helping this be interactive, and I really want that because people should be involved. Let's just find the balance.
See you all in about five hours. -
#605 by Ford Mustang on 08 Jun, 2007 04:09
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The beanie-cap looks to be all the way on now.. Just noticed that, after watching them turn on one more set of Xenon lights.
EDIT: Beanie cap looks to be playing games tonight. It's now released back into the air. -
#606 by hornet on 08 Jun, 2007 04:12
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When will the official countdown clock come out of its scheduled hold?
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#607 by Ford Mustang on 08 Jun, 2007 04:13
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It should come out around 1 or 2 AM EST. It's a 12-13 hour hold, and went in at 1 PM EST.
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#608 by Michael22090 on 08 Jun, 2007 04:20
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hornet - 7/6/2007 11:12 PM
When will the official countdown clock come out of its scheduled hold?
2:42am EDT
The next hold will be at 7:42am EDT and will last for 2 hours.
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#609 by rdale on 08 Jun, 2007 04:31
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Ford Mustang - 7/6/2007 12:13 AM
It should come out around 1 or 2 AM EST. It's a 12-13 hour hold, and went in at 1 PM EST.
The US (including Florida / KSC ops) are on Daylight Saving Time now so that would be 1 or 2am EDT. -
#610 by jacqmans on 08 Jun, 2007 04:34
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Mission: STS-117 - 21st International Space Station Flight (13A) -
S3/S4 Truss Segment Solar Arrays
Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104)
Location: Launch Pad 39A
Launch Date: June 8, 2007
Crew: Sturckow, Archambault, Reilly, Swanson, Forrester, Olivas and
Anderson
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Preparations continue at the Kennedy Space Center for the launch of
space shuttle mission STS-117 at 7:38 p.m. EDT Friday.
Atlantis' power-producing fuel cells were loaded with liquid hydrogen
and liquid oxygen early Thursday morning after severe thunderstorms
caused a delay of several hours. These reactants will provide launch
managers with the opportunity to try four launch attempts in five
days, should that become necessary. No lightning strikes or hail were
reported at Launch Pad 39A.
While some operations began later than originally scheduled, much of
the remaining work is being performed in parallel and no impact to
the planned launch time is expected. Final preparations of the space
shuttle main engines are under way, and workers are activating
communications systems and stowing final items into Atlantis' crew
cabin.
Solid rocket booster recovery ships Freedom Star and Liberty Star
departed KSC at noon today. Meanwhile, the STS-117 crew continues
practicing landings in the Shuttle Training Aircraft.
The rotating service structure is scheduled to retract at 10:30
tonight, and fueling of the external tank is planned for 9:12 a.m.
Friday.
There is a 20-percent chance that conditions will not meet the weather
criteria for launch Friday. The main concern is clouds associated
with inland thunderstorms.
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#611 by jacqmans on 08 Jun, 2007 04:34
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THIRD PAIR OF MASSIVE LOCKHEED MARTIN SOLAR ARRAYS TO BE LAUNCHED TO INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
SUNNYVALE, CALIF.,June 7, 2007
The third of four pairs of massive solar arrays and a second Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ), built by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] at its Space Systems facility in Sunnyvale, will be launched aboard the space shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station (ISS) as early as June 8, 2007. During the 11-day STS-117 mission, astronauts will connect the package of giant solar arrays and the rotary joint - incorporated into an integrated truss segment - to the Station.
"This third pair of solar arrays will increase power available to ISS in anticipation of the delivery of international science modules over the next two years," said Brad Haddock, Lockheed Martin ISS program director. "The first two pairs of arrays have performed superbly, and beyond expectation, and we're confident that this addition to ISS will provide for increasing power needs as ISS construction continues."
The Space Systems ISS solar arrays are the largest deployable space structure ever built and are by far, the most powerful electricity-producing arrays ever put into orbit. When the Station is completed a total of eight flexible, deployable solar array wings will generate the reliable, continuous power for the on-orbit operation of the ISS systems. The eight array wings were designed and built under a $450 million contract from the Boeing-Rocketdyne Division in Canoga Park, Calif., for delivery to the Boeing Company and NASA.
Each of the eight wings consists of a mast assembly and two solar array blankets. Each blanket has 84 panels, of which 82 are populated with solar cells. Each panel contains 200 solar cells. The eight photovoltaic arrays thus accommodate a total of 262,400 solar cells. When fully deployed in space, the active area of the eight wings, each 107 by 38-feet, will encompass an area of 32,528-sq. ft., and will provide power to the ISS for 15 years.
The SARJ, 10.5 ft in diameter and 40 inches long, will maintain the solar arrays in an optimal orientation to the sun while the entire space station orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes. Drive motors in the SARJ will move the arrays through 360 degrees of motion at four degrees per minute. The joints must rotate the arrays smoothly without imparting vibrations to the laboratories and habitation modules on the station that would impact microgravity-processing activities. At the same time, 60 kW of power at 160 volts and multiple data channels are carried across each joint by copper "roll rings" contained within.
In addition to the arrays and SARJ, Space Systems in Sunnyvale designed and built other elements for the Space Station. The Thermal Radiator Rotary Joints (TRRJ) - each five and a half feet long and three feet in diameter - were launched in 2002. The two joints maintain Space Station thermal radiators in an edge-on orientation to the Sun that maximizes the dissipation of heat from the radiators into space.
Space Systems also produced the Trace Contaminant Control System ?- launched to ISS as an element of the U.S. Destiny Laboratory module in 2001 - an advanced air processing and filtering system that ensures that over 200 various trace chemical contaminants, generated from material off-gassing and metabolic functions in the Space Station atmosphere, remain within allowable concentration levels. It is an integral part of the Space Station's Cabin Air Revitalization Subsystem.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC) is a major operating unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation, designs, develops, tests, manufactures and operates a full spectrum of advanced-technology systems for national security, civil and commercial customers. Chief products include human space flight systems; a full range of remote sensing, navigation, meteorological and communications satellites and instruments; space observatories and interplanetary spacecraft; laser radar; fleet ballistic missiles; and missile defense systems.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2006 sales of $39.6 billion.
Contact:
Buddy Nelson
(510) 797-0349
e-mail: [email protected]
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#612 by Firestarter on 08 Jun, 2007 04:45
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Chris Bergin - 7/6/2007 10:50 PM
Another article: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5125 - post RSS Retract. More on the MLS issue.
All make a note of one manager THANKING people for dissenting opinions...as there's been some old stories of how that was a bad thing in the old days. Not now.
Yes I noticed that. With all that rubbish being said about NASA this is very encouraging and I'm really glad you ran that quote.
To me it seems that contingency/redundancy is fine with two MLS. The third even seems ok, so this is great that they are taking so much discussion on what is maybe a tripple redundancy wish. Really positive. -
#613 by Sandro on 08 Jun, 2007 05:26
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GW_Simulations - 8/6/2007 5:14 AM
If it launches tomorrow, how long will it take to reach the West coast of the UK? I know the ISS is making visible passes over my house about 30 mins before, and 60 mins after STS-117 is scheduled to launch, so I assume I should be able to see Atlantis, provided there is no cloud cover. Does anyone know how long it takes to cross the Atlantic?
It doesn't look good for us waiting in Europe. If all goes as planned, Atlantis will enter at 23:55:34 UTC Earth shadow! That will be aroud the time it would become visible from UK!
If you want to take a look by yourself you can use those TLE's:
MECO
1 99999U 07159.99201389 .01000000 40444-5 44382-6 0 00
2 99999 51.6339 146.7465 0132784 348.8013 68.9735 16.48549729 02
This special TLE works only from 23:48:30 UTC to 00:16:58 UT......
Because the orbit will be at this time very eliptically, some programs might have problems with this TLE's. But i.e. "Guide 8" worked good for me.
Hope this helps you...
Regards, Sandro -
#614 by jacqmans on 08 Jun, 2007 09:24
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#615 by eeergo on 08 Jun, 2007 10:49
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Hopefully, the last dusk before launch:
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#616 by DaveS on 08 Jun, 2007 11:09
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eeergo - 8/6/2007 12:49 PM
Dawn. Dusk is a sunset.Hopefully, the last dawn before launch:
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#617 by DaveS on 08 Jun, 2007 11:27
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ET inspections:
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#618 by Felix on 08 Jun, 2007 11:41
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T-6h and holding (for 2hours)
Upcoming: MMT tanking meeting at 8:30am EDT -
#619 by Chris Bergin on 08 Jun, 2007 12:38
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Thread locked, all move to live launch day thread: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=8272&start=1
