After the marathon spacewalk (EVA-1) by astronauts John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel on Thursday, Mike “Mass” Massimino and Mike “Bueno” Good have conducted an even longer second EVA, changing out all three units of Rate Sensor Units (RSUs) on the Telescope – one of which is proving to be very problematic – and replacing Hubble’s batteries [...]
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STS-125′s John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel have completed and extended 7hour, 20 minute EVA-1 – the first of five back-to-back spacewalks – which included with the replacement of the troublesome SI C&DH (Science Instrument Command and Data Handling) system. No major issues have been reported with Atlantis, as her Thermal Protection System (TPS) is provisionally cleared for [...]
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With the debris strike on Atlantis’ starboard chine Thermal Protection System (TPS) - now confirmed as a liberation from an Ice Frost Ramp on External Tank (ET-130) – cleared within hours of its observation via the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS), the orbiter and her STS-125 crew have completed rendezvous operations with the Hubble Space Telescope [...]
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STS-125′s Flight Day 2 has been completed, highlighted by the inspections of Atlantis’ Thermal Protection System (TPS) as she prepares for Wednesday’s capture of Hubble. Atlantis’ launch suffered from a few minor issues during ascent – which hold no mission impact – although the blast-off damaged Pad 39A, with up to 50 sqaure feet of Fondu [...]
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Shuttle Atlantis has launched on her flagship mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, as STS-125 completed smooth S0007 (Launch Countdown) operations on Monday. Atlantis’ External Tank (ET-130) enjoyed an issue-free tanking, bar the need for the Orbiter Project Office to issue a waiver for a small amount of ice that built up on the LH2 [...]
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When Atlantis thundered off LC-39B on December 2, 1988 to begin the classified Department of Defense STS-27 mission, the members of the 106th Rescue Wing, performing their first launch support duties for NASA, could hardly have predicted that their prestigious wing would serve in this dignified position for 100 Shuttle missions. And yet, that idea [...]
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Atlantis has entered the complex ballet of S0007 (Launch Countdown) operations for the flagship STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, with no major issues being worked by engineers at Pad 39A. Atlantis – tracking a launch target of 2:01pm local on Monday – and has undergone the closure of her Payload Bay Doors (PLBDs).
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Engineers are pressing through the remaining minor issues – the latest being an obstructive Teflon tube in the Payload Bay – ahead of the start of STS-125′s three day countdown that opens on Friday. Meanwhile, a veteran six person crew has been assigned by NASA for the STS-132 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
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With launch of STS-125 now less than a week away, NASA managers have thoroughly reviewed the performance of the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) from the previous missions, approving several safety and performance upgrades to aid Shuttles Atlantis and Endeavour on their STS-125 and STS-400 missions respectively.
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Engineers will carry out the repair on Atlantis’ damaged port radiator over the weekend, as STS-125 pushes ever closer to the launch countdown for the mission to Hubble. Meanwhile, the issue relating to the Forward Reaction Control System (FRCS) F5R thruster issue on Discovery has been cleared on both Atlantis and Endeavour.
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With Space Shuttle Atlantis officially set for an opening launch attempt on May 11, confirmed after today’s Agency Flight Readiness Review (FRR), NASA managers are continuing their review of a host of ‘special topics’ for the mission’s rescue flight, STS-400, which is enjoying a smooth processing flow on Launch Pad 39B.
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As engineers create their repair plan for what is now observed to be two cracks in Atlantis’ left radiator panel, borescope inspections have been called (see update in article) on both Atlantis and Endeavour, after a broken stud was found on Discovery’s Forward Reaction Control System (FRCS) F5R thruster. Meanwhile shuttle managers have created a contingency [...]
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A crack has been observed on Atlantis’ damaged port radiator, and will undergo a repair – following further evaluations at the pad. The crack is in the area that was accidentally impacted by a socket that fell off the end of a wrench during processing last week, with the subsequent dent initially cleared to fly as is, [...]
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With Space Shuttle Atlantis and her crew now less than two weeks away from launch on the highly anticipated fifth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA managers are continuing their review of all critical elements of the mission ahead of the now planned May 11 launch date.
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Following a meeting of the Noon Board at the Johnson Space Center (JSC), managers have decided to issue a Change Request (CR) and advance the STS-125 launch date by one day to May 11. The Agency Flight Readiness Review (FRR) will set the official launch date next Thursday.
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Managers are close to approving a switch to an advanced May 11 launch date for STS-125, as engineers evaluate damage to Atlantis’ left radiator panel, following an impact from a torque wrench socket. Meanwhile, it has been decided to defer the modification of a doubler plate to the downstream Flow Control Valve (FCV) lines, until after [...]
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The dual processing flows for Atlantis and Endeavour are proceeding to plan, with the main engineering focus on the ET camera flash system, which is undergoing troubleshooting on Atlantis. Managers have also completed the review of the SSP (Space Shuttle Program) Flight Readiness Review (FRR), with evaluations taking place on advancing the launch date by [...]
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Shuttle Endeavour has completed her rollout to 39B, where she will be put through a part flow as the STS-400 LON (Launch On Need) support for Atlantis’ STS-125 mission. During this flow, engineers will test the alignment procedures with the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP) – following the leak during STS-119′s opening launch attempt.
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With less than one month to go before the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis’ flagship mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), NASA managers are busy reviewing final statistics and analyses of the threat posed to Atlantis by Micro-Meteoroid Orbiting Debris (MMOD). With the MOD FRR (Mission Operations Directorate Flight Readiness Review) complete, the [...]
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Aiding the requirement of flight rationale for STS-125, engineers have found that the three replacement Flow Control Valves (FCVs) that flew on STS-119 suffered from no cracking, following inspections on the valves after they had been removed from Discovery. The news comes as managers prepare to conduct both the post flight review of STS-119 and [...]
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