For NASA, 2009 proved to be a stellar year, one filled with five extremely successful Space Shuttle missions (one of which repaired the Hubble Space Telescope), the test flight of the Ares I-X rocket, the launch of the Kepler Space Telescope, the launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and companion spacecraft the Lunar CRater [...]
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As Atlantis’ launch date nears, engineers, Space Shuttle Program managers, and Agency personnel are continuing their analysis of the Main Engine Ignition acoustic environment on the Stinger pods of orbiter Atlantis – an analysis they are able to devote a great deal of time to thanks to an issue-free pad flow and excellent prior mission [...]
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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 [...]
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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 [...]
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Atlantis has returned to Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF-1) in preparation for her flow towards the STS-129 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Marking a busy period for the fleet, Discovery is receiving her SSMEs (Space Shuttle Main Engines) for STS-128, while Endeavour’s SSMEs are being evaluated – after corrosion/contamination was seen on tubing associated [...]
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NASA officials have cleared Space Shuttle Endeavour for launch on June 13 at 7:17a.m. This mission, the STS-127/2J/A flight, will complete assembly of the Japanese Kibo Laboratory complex during the 16-day journey to space. With this approval for flight comes one of the final steps of flight rationale for Endeavour’s Reusable Solid Rocket Motors (RSRMs) [...]
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Atlantis is finally home after a cross-country trip on top of a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) and will now be prepared for rollback to her Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF). Meanwhile, Endeavour’s preparations for launch head into another milestone on Wednesday, when managers meet at the Agency level Flight Readiness Review (FRR), which will set the [...]
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Atlantis’ piggyback ride back to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is expected to come to a conclusion between 6pm and 6:30pm at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). Meanwhile, managers have been reviewing the foam loss from STS-125’s External Tank (ET-130) as part of the STS-127 Flight Readiness Review (FRR).
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The high tempo pace of shuttle processing continues through the weekend and earlier into next week, with Atlantis’ departure from California on top of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) set for Monday and Endeavour’s pad swap on Sunday morning. Endeavour will be arriving at a Pad 39A that has undergone several repairs, following damage sustained during [...]
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Endeavour remains on track for the setting of a June 13 or 14 launch date at next week’s Agency level Flight Readiness Review (FRR), despite the requirement for additional SSP (Space Shuttle Program) level evaluations. Several factors, including Atlantis’ In Flight Anomalies (IFAs) – notably the Aerosurface Servoamplifer (ASA) channel 1 fault – are still up [...]
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Post flight processing on Atlantis at Edwards Air Force Base (Dryden Flight Research Center) has set an early target of the end of this weekend for the start of her trip back to Florida on top of a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA). The team of engineers working on safing the orbiter ahead of her mating [...]
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Atlantis has landed at Edwards Air Force Base on EOM+2 (End Of Mission plus two days), after Entry Flight Director Norm Knight decided the weather at the Kennedy Space Center had failed to improve to acceptable levels. Atlantis will return to KSC on top of a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) just a few weeks ahead of [...]
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Atlantis is still waiting on the weather in Florida, with the preferred return to KSC still on the cards for Sunday. Four landing options – including two opportunities in California - are available on Sunday, although the first KSC landing possibility has been waved off. Meanwhile, the Aerosurface Servoamplifer (ASA) channel 1 failure received a series of [...]
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Following the early wave off of two landing opportunities at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on Friday, Atlantis and her STS-125 switch their attentions to four opportunities on Saturday, which includes two options for landing at Edwards Air Force Base. Meanwhile, Endeavour is being prepared for her move to Pad 39A ahead of STS-127, pending repairs to [...]
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STS-125 is pressing through EOM (End Of Mission) activities, following the successful testing of Atlantis’ flight systems by the flight crew on FD11 ahead of the return home. With the Thermal Protection System (TPS) cleared for entry, Atlantis was hoping to land on one of two opportunities in Florida, before both attemtps were waved off.
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The DAT (Damage Assessment Team) have completed the review of Atlantis’ Flight Day 9 Thermal Protection System (TPS), with no concerns noted, as the STS-125 crew close in on three landing opportunities at the Kennedy Space Center on Friday – weather permitting. Meanwhile, Pad 39A repairs are continuing, ahead of expected rollover of Endeavour for [...]
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The last humans to visit the Hubble Space Telescope have departed, leaving behind a rejuvenated spacecraft that will keep astronomers happy well into the next decade. Atlantis’ highly successful mission has completed Flight Day 9, which included Late Inspections – with one RCC panel (11R) deemed to be of increased interest due to a potential [...]
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The STS-125 crew are completing the final servicing tasks on the Hubble Space Telescope via the fifth and final spacewalk of the mission. EVA-5 spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel have completed all the required tasks to ensure full mission success on the servicing mission.
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For Flight Day 7 of STS-125, Atlantis’ crew turned their attention to the forth EVA of the mission, focusing on the repair of the STIS instrument. Mike Massimino and Mike Good beat EVA-2’s duration by recording an eight hour EVA-4, which was forced to delete one item from the timeline. Meanwhile, the Damage Assessment Team (DAT) have overviewed Atlantis’ TPS to [...]
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While STS-125 continues to enjoy a successful Hubble servicing mission – marked by a hugely successful third spacewalk - Endeavour has progressed to a standby point for her STS-400 LON (Launch On Need) role, which is expected to be stood down after the Damage Assessment Team (DAT) evaluation of Late Inspection data near the end of Atlantis’ mission.
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