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Constellation battle numerous Top Risks - Orion loses unmanned capability

The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) is undergoing further reductions in its capability - including the elimination of the vehicle’s unmanned ability - as Constellation managers attempt to resolve numerous issues ahead of the Orion Project PDR (Preliminary Design Review). Issues noted in the recent “Top Risks” review list 10 serious issues with the Ares and Orion vehicles, ranging from Ares I-X, through to Orion itself.

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STS-133: Final Space Shuttle flight baselined into FDRD by NASA

July 2nd, 2009

After nearly thirty years of Space Shuttle operations - with only eight flights remaining on the Space Shuttle Program manifest - NASA’s Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) has officially baselined the STS-133 mission into the Flight Definition and Requirements Document (FDRD) - a mission that, at this time, is expected to be the final flight [...]

ET-131 Tanking Test success - STS-127 now officially tracking launch on July 11

July 1st, 2009

STS-127’s External Tank (ET-131) has completed a tanking test on the realigned Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP) and a two-part seal, with no leaks detected. As a result, NASA is officially a go for a launch attempt of Endeavour on July 11.

Knob removed, Atlantis window inspection begins - longerons in cart accident

June 29th, 2009

Engineers have successfully removed the work light knob - embedded between the pressure pane on Atlantis’ pilot window and the dashboard panel - late on Monday night, after pressurizing the orbiter to aid its liberation. Meanwhile, a cart full of payload bay equipment has fallen off a truck, leading to evaluations on the state of [...]

STS-134: PRCB Baselines Penultimate Shuttle Flight to Take AMS to Station

June 28th, 2009

NASA mission planners have officially baselined the final two scheduled missions of the Space Shuttle Program, STS-133 and STS-134 - of which STS-134 is expected to fly first, in July 2010, based on an expected Change Request (CR) to move the flight that will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the International Space Station [...]

ET-131 repair proceeding to plan - confidence root cause has been found

June 26th, 2009

Preparations for next Wednesday’s tanking test are proceeding well, with the flight seal now replaced ahead of weekend work to reinstall the Quick Disconnect (QD) on the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP). A successful tanking test is expected, due to “high confidence” a misalignment was responsible for at least STS-127’s scrub.

Window damage on Atlantis threatens six month delay to STS-129

June 24th, 2009

Meetings have been taking place on Wednesday into evaluating damage to the pressure pane on Atlantis’ number 5 window, after a work light knob was observed to be embedded between the pane and the dashboard panel. The damage can only be fully assessed once the knob is removed, with the threat of a six month [...]

STS-127 Tanking Test set for next Wednesday - GUCP repair work begins

June 23rd, 2009

Managers have set next Wednesday morning for a full-up tanking test of External Tank ET-131 to test a potential solution to the leaking Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP). The leading candidate for the cause of the leaks is believed to be related to the External Tank Carrier Assembly (ETCA) mounts, a problem engineers had documented [...]

Discovery handed special heatshield coating DTO on behalf of Orion

June 22nd, 2009

Shuttle Discovery has been tasked with a special DTO (Detailed Test Objective) - on behalf of the Orion Project Office - to be carried out during STS-128’s re-entry. A “Catalytic Coating” has been applied to two of Discovery’s Thermal Protection System (TPS) tiles, providing Orion - and shuttle - engineers with refined aeroheating data.

Root cause found on Atlantis’ STS-125 ASA issue - SSMEs removed

June 20th, 2009

Engineers have found the root cause of the Aerosurface Servoamplifer (ASA) channel 1 failure on Atlantis, after an expansive failure analysis effort found a short in the wiring. Atlantis is being processed for STS-129, following the highly successful STS-125 mission to Hubble. As part of her turnaround, the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs) that helped [...]

STS-127: Don’t worry about the schedule, let’s fix the problem - Cain

June 19th, 2009

Endeavour will launch only when engineers are happy they have a full understanding of the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP) leak, even if that means slipping STS-127 past the current July 11 NET (No Earlier Than) launch target. A troubleshooting plan is currently being drawn up - which is understood to include a tanking test [...]

NASA Successfully Launches LRO/LCROSS for Return to the Moon

June 18th, 2009

An Atlas V rocket carrying NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and sister payload Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) has launched from complex 41 at Cape Canaveral on Thursday evening. Both its payload passengers were successfully sent on their journey to the moon.

SCRUB: STS-127 suffers another GUCP leak - Launch moves to NET July 11

June 16th, 2009

STS-127 has been scrubbed for the second time due to another leak at the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP). The leak, first registered as within an acceptable range, before rising to breach the four percent (40,000PPM) limits, appears to point to a different issue with the hydrogen vent system. Endeavour will now have to wait until NET (No Earlier Than) [...]

STS-127 wins range priority for June 17 - GUCP investigation latest

June 15th, 2009

Endeavour has won the right to make a launch attempt on June 17 (Wednesday), following NASA discussions relating to the schedule priorities of the Eastern Range. The decision was made easier thanks to good progress on replacing hardware on External Tank ET-131’s Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP), as engineers work around the clock to “safely [...]

GUCP troubleshooting continues as MMT push for launch on June 17

June 13th, 2009

In a similar event to STS-119’s scrub, Endeavour’s launch has been delayed due to a significant leak registered in the region of the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP). Engineers will dismantle the troublesome hardware at the pad, with the aim to attempt a single launch opportunity on June 17.

STS-127: Ice in focus as RSS retracts - GUCP leak, launch scrubbed

June 12th, 2009

The ascent threat of ice liberation, as observed on STS-126 and potentially STS-125, will be closely monitored during Endeavour’s launch - which has been delayed by a scrub - following an expansive overview by NASA’s Space Shuttle Systems Engineering and Integration Office (SE&I) to the Flight Readiness Reviews (FRRs).

Endeavour enjoying a smooth countdown heading into L-2 MMT milestone

June 10th, 2009

STS-127 is on track for a Saturday launch, with no issues of note being worked on the vehicle. The Mission Management Team (MMT) will meet - as per usual - on Thursday morning, in order to check on the progress of the Launch Countdown which began at 9am local time on Wednesday.

Supporting Endeavour: OPO check previous flights to ensure STS-127 safety

June 9th, 2009

With Endeavour’s June 13 launch to the ISS now counting down, engineers are continuing to work towards the safe flight of the fleet’s youngest orbiter and her crew. To aide in this effort, the Orbiter Project Office (OPO) examined the flight performance of STS-126 (Endeavour) and STS-125 (Atlantis) - the previous vehicle flight and previous program [...]

STS-127 crew land at KSC as engineers push towards June 13 target

June 8th, 2009

The STS-127 crew - led by Commander Mark Polansky - have arrived at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), while engineers out at Pad 39A are continuing to work towards the opening launch attempt of Endeavour on June 13 - with a review at Thursday’s L-2 (days) meeting scheduled to take a closer look at the [...]

Ares I-X slips to September 18 as processing edges towards stacking

June 7th, 2009

The Ares I-X test vehicle is scheduled to begin stacking in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the end of the month, despite continued slips to the launch date - the latest of which places Ares I-X as lifting off from Pad 39B NET (No Earlier Than) September 18.