Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) managers have been busy discussing the launch dates for what are currently the final flights of the manifest, although STS-131 remains on track for April 5. With STS-134’s Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) issue now confirmed to be a thermal leak observed during ongoing testing in Holland, STS-132 and STS-133 have [...]
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Despite new concerns about the readiness of the AMS-02 (Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer -02) payload to meet the currently targeted July 29, 2010 launch of the STS-134 mission, Space Shuttle Program mangers and flight planners are continuing their efforts to prepare all necessary components for flight on the 133rd Space Shuttle mission. No launch date decision [...]
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No major topics are expected at next week’s Space Shuttle Program (SSP) Flight Readiness Review (FRR), as Discovery continues to push towards her April 5 launch date. Processing is also proceeding well for May’s STS-132 flight with Atlantis, although Endeavour’s STS-134 mission is subject to program level meetings – starting next Monday – due a [...]
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A redesign to the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) Thrust Vector Control (TVC) Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) fuel pump will be implemented on STS-134 and STS-133 – currently the final two “scheduled” shuttle flights. The redesign will eliminate the highest – although extremely unlikely to occur – “critical 1″ failure scenario, which holds the potential of [...]
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Endeavour has safely returned to her Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF-2), following the highly successful STS-130 mission – which concluded on Sunday night with a safe landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). Only hours after all three orbiters were reunited in the OPFs, Discovery bid her farewells and rolled over to the Vehicle Assembly Building [...]
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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 [...]
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As the International Space Station (ISS) continues to build up to a six man crew, managers are looking into adding a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) permanently on Station at the conclusion to the last logistics mission for the shuttle. Assessments are also taking place on potentially swapping the yet-to-be-baselined STS-134 with STS-133’s place in the manifest.
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Even though shuttle managers are preparing for two missions in the space of a month, efforts on the downstream flights are at various stages of processing and planning, all the way through to STS-135 – which is currently the LON (Launch On Need) placeholder for what is currently the last shuttle mission – STS-134 – [...]
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External Tank (ET-131) is being safely housed in the Vehicle Assembly Building (High Bay 2E), following its arrival from New Orleans this weekend. Manufactured by the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF), the team earned praise from managers and astronauts alike, following their successful fight back from schedule issues, and the phenomenal performance of ET-129.
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US lawmakers have agreed on a stimulus package that includes just over $1 billion in additional funds for NASA, to be utilized during 2009 and 2010. While the $400m allocated towards “Exploration” is not specifically earmarked for extension of the shuttle program, it could allow NASA to take the first steps in reducing “The Gap” [...]
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Shuttle managers have made extensive changes to their 2010 launch schedule ambitions, with the “inclusion” of STS-134 as an additional flight. Meanwhile, three additional External Tanks being worked on at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in pre-emption of a shuttle extension.
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