Posts Tagged ‘DAT’

STS-135: GPC-4 issue awakens crew – TPS clearance overview

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

A master alarm onboard Atlantis woke the crew from their sleep, after a General Purpose Computer (GPC-4) suffered a problem. The issue follows the failure – and subsequent recovery – of GPC-3 earlier in the mission. Meanwhile, the Damage Assessment Team (DAT) provided their full review of the orbiter’s Thermal Protection System (TPS), which has [...]

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Endeavour preparing for the trip home – TPS clearance overview

Monday, May 30th, 2011

After nearly 12 days of docked operations with Space Station Alpha, the Space Shuttle Endeavour, NASA youngest Shuttle orbiter, departed the international outpost to begin her final journey home. Thanks to the superb work by her flight crew and her thousands of support staff on terra firma, Endeavour’s Thermal Protection System (TPS) was formally cleared [...]

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STS-134: Mammouth EVA-2 completed – Endeavour TPS clearance overview

Sunday, May 22nd, 2011

Endeavour’s flight crew have completed the second of four planned EVAs/spacewalks - focusing on port SARJ and Dextre lubrication and ammonia coolant line and tank work - lasting an epic eight hours and seven  minutes. The spacewalk came after mission managers officially cleared Endeavour’s Thermal Protection System for reentry, following a multi-day review process of the vehicle’s ascent data, [...]

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STS-134: Focused Inspection clears TPS – Pope blesses the crews

Saturday, May 21st, 2011

Following the decision made by the Mission Management Team (MMT) to press ahead with a Focused Inspection (FI) on one area of Thermal Protection System (TPS) damage located on Endeavour’s belly, the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) was used to gain imagery which has successfully allowed managers to clear the vehicle for entry. Later on Flight Day [...]

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STS-134: EVA-1 complete – Focused Inspection confirmed on TPS damage

Friday, May 20th, 2011

Endeavour’s flight crew have completed the mission’s first EVA, focusing on MISSE experiment swap outs and ammonia jumper line installations. Meanwhile, engineers on the ground poured over imagery data from FD-3′s RPM (R-bar Pitch Maneuver) which helped engineers identify a debris impact area on Endeavour which will require a Focused Inspection (FI) during FD-6 (Saturday).

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STS-134: NASA managers reviewing Endeavour’s TPS dings

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

The STS-134 crew have completed the installation of ExPRESS Logistics Carrier -3 (ELC-3) to round up a busy Flight Day 3, which opened the docked phase of the mission. Meanwhile, the Damage Assessment Team (DAT) are carrying out a Focused Inspection (FI) review of the additional imagery gained during Endeavour’s R-Bar Pitch Manuever (RPM), which [...]

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STS-133: Pristine Discovery enjoying her docked mission swansong

Sunday, February 27th, 2011

The Damage Assessment Team (DAT) confirmed Discovery’s clean ascent into space by clearing the orbiter from a Focused Inspection, as STS-133′s mission continues to proceed flawlessly. With a host of robotic operations picking up shortly after Discovery arrived at the orbital outpost for the final time, the crew are heading toward the opening spacewalk – [...]

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STS-133: Healthy Discovery completes FD2 inspections on RCC panels

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Now safely on orbit, Discovery has completed inspections on her Reinforced Carbon Carbon (RCC) panels – the main task of STS-133′s Flight Day 2 (FD 2). Only two minor indications were registered by her sensor equipment embedded into her Wing Leading Edge (WLE) during ascent, while two noticeable debris events are of no concern from [...]

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STS-132: Atlantis arrives home to KSC – FCS debris events noted

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Shuttle Atlantis has managed to dodge unacceptable weather at her home port of the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on Wednesday, taking the first of the two Florida landing opportunities, ending in a graceful landing. For what may of been her final day in space, Atlantis continued to be in great shape, with only the observation [...]

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STS-132: DAT Clear Atlantis’ Thermal Protection System for Landing

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

As Atlantis’ crew complete final checkouts for entry and arrival back home at the Kennedy Space Center, the Damage Assessment Team (DAT) have successfully concluded their thorough review of Atlantis’ fragile Thermal Protection System (TPS) – clearing the vehicle’s heat shield for entry. Two landing attempts available for Atlantis on Wednesday morning – the first at [...]

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STS-132: Extensive evaluations allow for nominal Late Inspection plan

Friday, May 21st, 2010

The Damage Assessment Team (DAT) arm of the Mission Management Team (MMT) are no strangers to high praise for their work in ensuring an orbiter is safe to return home, and once again they have proved their worth – as they worked through an array of imagery, data, and historical experience to fill in the [...]

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STS-132: Russia’s MRM-1 installed – Port Wing clearance boost

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

Russia’s Mini Research Module-1 (MRM-1) “Rassvet” has been successfully docked and installed on to the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS). Meanwhile, the Mission Management Team (MMT) are close to clearing Atlantis’ Thermal Protection System (TPS) for Entry, after additional imagery of her Port Wing was acquired during EVA-1.

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STS-131 EVA-1 completed – No FI required for Discovery’s clean TPS

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Flight Day 5 (FD-5) for STS-131 has seen the completion of the first of three scheduled EVAs (Spacewalks) of the mission. Astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Clay Anderson performed all of the EVA tasks, placing them in a good stance for the remaining two EVAs for this flight. Meanwhile, the Damage Assessment Team (DAT) have cleared Discovery’s [...]

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STS-127: Foam loss observed on ET intertank images – FD2 inspections

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Flight Day 2 for the crew of STS-127 focused on carrying out inspections of Endeavour’s Thermal Protection System (TPS), following Wednesday’s launch enroute to the International Space Station (ISS). Several debris events were noted during ascent, with ET photography showing numerous areas of missing foam on ET-131 – especially at the intertank region.

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Complex robotics complete S6 removal – TPS cleared from Focused Inspection

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

A complex ballet of robotics between the Shuttle and Station arms took place on Wednesday, as the S6 is transitioned out of Discovery’s payload bay ahead of installation on Thursday. Engineers on the ground have also cleared Discovery’s Thermal Protection System (TPS) from requiring a Focused Inspection.

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