Discovery is enjoying a nominal pad flow towards the start of the STS-131 countdown on Friday morning. Composite Overwrap Pressure Vessels (COPV) pressurization is currently being finalized, ahead of the closure of the orbiter’s Payload Bay Doors (PLBDs) for flight. The only discussion that has taken place at the Program level this week related to [...]
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The Teal Group – a defense and aerospace consulting firm that provides intelligence to government and industry – estimates 2,229 space payloads will be launched to Earth, Lunar and deep space trajectories from 2010-2029. The Virginia-based group is also predicting a bright future for SpaceX’s Dragon, and Orbital’s Cygnus capsules, as they prepare to come [...]
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With Discovery’s opening launch attempt on the STS-131 mission now officially set for Monday, April 5 at 6:21:22 a.m., final pre-countdown operations are underway at Launch Pad 39A as engineers complete last minute tasks to configure Discovery and the launch pad for S0007 (launch countdown) operations.
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Following its arrival onboard shuttle Atlantis during STS-129, the CRS UHF Communication Unit (CUCU) – a key element for the upcoming demonstration of SpaceX’s Dragon capsule – has passed a series of tests on the International Space Station (ISS), allowing the commercial company to confirm its successful activation.
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The decision to call a Special PRCB (Program Requirements Control Board) meeting on Tuesday paid dividends, as several outstanding issues gained the required flight rationale – with all dissenting opinions removed – to allow for Friday’s Agency-level Flight Readiness Review (FRR) to give a “go” for STS-131 to proceed towards an April 5 launch date.
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With Discovery’s payload now installed into the orbiter’s Payload Bay, all eyes are on Friday’s Agency Flight Readiness Review (FRR). Several items of interest are under review, all of which have flight rationale decisions to allow STS-131 to launch on April 5. One item of interest with the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) already has flight [...]
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As engineering preparations continue in earnest for the April 5 launch of Discovery, KSC engineers continue to work and plan for Discovery’s follow-up flight, the STS-133 mission currently scheduled to launch on September 16, 2010. Among these various preparations include payload processing milestone evaluations, MPLM to PMM configuration change proposals and challenges, and TPS work [...]
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Friday’s Agency Flight Readiness Review (FRR) will have several dissenters pitching against flight rationale for STS-131′s launch, relating to the faulty helium isolation valve on the Right Reaction Control System (RRCS). While dissent is not uncommon – and more so welcomed – the Special Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) meeting still has strong support for [...]
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Atlantis’ next mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has avoided a potential range conflict with a Delta IV launch by negotiating – with the United Launch Alliance (ULA) – priority for a window that will open on May 14. Meanwhile, repairs are nearly completed on Atlantis’ External Tank (ET-136), following observations of delamination on [...]
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A full set of testing on the primary and secondary regulators on Discovery’s Right Reaction Control System (RRCS) – located downstream of the leaking helium isolation valve – has being classed as a success. The health of the system’s redundancy will boost the chances of managers approving flight rational at the upcoming Agency-level Flight Readiness [...]
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International Launch Services (ILS) have launched the EchoStar XIV telecommunications satellite via their veteran Proton-M launch vehicle and Breeze-M upper stage on Saturday. Lift-off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan was on time at 18:26 GMT, ahead of over nine hours of flight until the spacecraft was successfully released into orbit. Meanwhile, ILS have made [...]
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As work continues at Launch Pad 39A in terms of STS-131 payload arrival and transfer to the Payload Changeout Room, engineers are continuing to work an issue with Discovery’s PCMMU (Pulse Code Modulator Master Unit), which first experienced a “momentary failure” on March 5, that kicked off a round of engineering evaluations and troubleshooting efforts.
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Expedition 22 commander Jeff Williams and Russian flight engineer Maxim Suraev have landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 11:24 GMT on Thursday, following the undocking of their Soyuz TMA-16 from the International Space Station (ISS). Meanwhile, ISS managers have reviewed the status of the orbital outpost, including a major debate on STS-133′s addition to [...]
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As the Constellation Program (CxP) splutters along, ahead of its “proposed” cancellation, managers have successfully concluded its Preliminary Design Review (PDR), although several major elements – such as cost and schedule – were omitted from the review due to the “new direction”. Meanwhile, NASA managers preparing a draft document to prospective commercial crew providers, listing [...]
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An Engineering Review Board (ERB) meeting has taken place on Monday to discuss options relating to the leak on Discovery’s Right Reaction Control System (RRCS). Five troubleshooting procedures have failed to correct the issue with a helium isolation valve – with additional troubleshooting set to take place. Should those efforts also fail, flight rationale would be [...]
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A team of engineers have completed evaluations into the condition of the test orbiter Enterprise, in preparation for a potential ferry flight to a new home - should the Smithsonian’s National Aeronautics Space Museum receive one of the current orbiter fleet as a replacement after they are retired. Those evaluations found no show stoppers for Enterprise’s [...]
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A leak relating to Discovery’s RCS (Reaction Control System) Helium Isolation Value – on the Right Hand (RH) OMS (Orbital Maneuvering System) fuel system – is undergoing troubleshooting at Pad 39A. Due to redundancy, flight rationale may be accepted to fly STS-131 “as-is” – should blowdown procedures fail to correct the issue – otherwise rollback and [...]
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As pre-launch processing continues for Discovery’s STS-131 mission, pre-flight planning continues for what is – at this time – the final manifested flight of the Shuttle Program, STS-133. Discovery will be flying with ELC-4 (ExPRESS Logistics Carrier -4) and the PMM (Permanent Multi-purpose Module), as outlined in the latest Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) mission baseline [...]
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As expected, STS-131 has passed its latest milestone, with the approval to push forward to the Agency level Flight Readiness Review on March 26 – following the conclusion of the SSP (Space Shuttle Program) FRR this week. No issues of note are being worked on Discovery out at Pad 39A, as engineers work through hypergolic [...]
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NASA managers are pushing through the shutdown of the Constellation Program (CxP) at a pace, with a series of memos showing all the Ares test flights have already been cancelled, along Orion ‘defunded’ and returned to the sole control of contractor Lockheed Martin. Meanwhile, MOD director Paul Hill has written to NASA administrator Charlie Bolden, [...]
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