In all, the first half of 2009 proved an extremely challenging and rewarding time for NASA. Form January to June, NASA completed a complicated analysis of the Space Shuttle fleets Flow Control Valves, launched the Kepler Space Telescope to search for extra-solar Earth-like planets, conducted the STS-119 Shuttle mission, performed a dual-pad flow for STS-125 and STS-400 and the subsequent and highly successful STS-125 mission to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope, and launched LRO/LCROSS.

In a recent interview with NASASpaceFlight.com, Space Shuttle Program Launch Integration Manager Mike Moses talked extensively about the incredible year the Shuttle processing teams had and their ability to accomplish everything they did in 2009.

“It was all about the teams and their ability to create triple and quadruple redundancies in schedules,” Moses said.

“On the surface, it didn’t appear that we had all that challenging of a year. But if you take it month by month you can really see the issues the teams worked through and the amazing jobs those teams did to get us into a launch posture six times this year.”

Flow Control Vales Investigation:

This ability to create multiple processing scenarios was first seen during the Flow Control Valve (FCV) investigation following the STS-126 flight of Endeavour in late-2008.

Click here for NASASpaceflight.com articles on the FCV issue since STS-126.

While 2009 began in earnest for NASA with the mating of Space Shuttle Discovery to her External Tank for the STS-119 mission to the International Space Station in February, the small crack and liberation from one of Endeavour’s (STS-126) Gaseous Hydrogen (GH2) FCVs kicked off an investigation into the integrity of the fleet’s FCVs, prompting NASA to delay Discovery’s mission.

As noted by the Safety Engineering & Integration document for the STS-126 In-Flight Anomaly (IFA) review, “During 2nd stage, there was an uncommanded drop in SSME (Space Shuttle Main Engine) #2 hydrogen outlet pressure. Data indicates FCV #2 opened without removal of close command. Valves #1 & 3 compensated.”

Furthermore, “During ascent and after the thrust bucket, the E2 (Engine #2) GH2 outlet pressure had a 200 psi step down without a corresponding ullage pressure signal conditioner command change,” noted the Orbiter and GFE (Government Flown Equipment) IFA review presentations for STS-126. “The delta outlet pressure for this FCV position was 260 psi during previous command changes before the thrust bucket.”

While the anomaly did not have an impact on ascent performance of STS-126, it did create a constraint to the launch of STS-119 because any failure of the GH2 FCVs is a 1R/2 condition: a condition that must be explained/corrected prior to the next Shuttle launch.

As such, NASA initially delayed the launch of STS-119 by one week, from February 12 to February 20 so engineers could complete an investigation and safety analysis on the FCVs. As the investigation continued and engineers determined that more time was required to adequately complete their investigation and analysis, NASA further delayed STS-119 to February 27, before eliminating a No Earlier Than target launch for STS-119 until all engineering departments arrived at a Flight Rationale acceptance plan.

This decision to postpone the launch of STS-119 until a resolution to the FCV issues could be obtained highlights NASA’s strict attention to safety for the crews of Space Shuttle missions – a theme that pervaded 2009.

Aided by eddy current investigation tactics, NASA engineers were able to create a screening processing for the Shuttle fleet’s FCVs, enabling NASA managers to have the best information possible on the condition of each GH2 FCV prior to and following flight.

Following the implementation of this eddy current inspection procedure, and subsequent testing of various sized FCV liberation pieces, technicians at the Kennedy Space Center replaced all three FCVs on Discovery with FCVs that were deemed “good” via eddy current inspections.

Furthermore, Discovery’s Main Propulsion System (MPS) plumbing was beefed up via the addition of a “doubler” around a 90-degree elbow joint located downstream of the FCVs to ensure that – in the event of the FCV liberation event – any liberated piece of FCV would not cause series damage to the MPS plumbing.

Through these final efforts and analyses, NASA set March 12 as the new No Earlier Than (NET) launch date for STS-119 – a launch date that was eventually advanced to March 11 thanks to the superb efforts of all the engineers and technicians involved in completing work and final analyses ahead of schedule.

NOAA-N Prime, Orbiting Carbon Observatory, & Kepler:

While the investigation into the FCVs took place, NASA proceeded with two satellite launches: the NASA NOAA-N Prime satellite on a Delta II rocket and the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) aboard a Taurus rocket, both from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA.

The NOAA-N Prime satellite was successfully placed into orbit on February 4 while the OCO’s launch unfortunately ended in failure when the pyro bolts used to separate the rocket’s fairing failed to detonate.

As a result, the fairing remained attached to the Taurus rocket, creating an insufficient thrust to weight ratio for the rocket and its engines. The upper stage of the Taurus rocket, with the OCO and fairing still attached, was destroyed when it impacted the Southern Ocean north of the Antarctic ice shelf about 17-minutes after liftoff.

The failure of the OCO mission prompted NASA and its ULA (United Launch Alliance) partner to conduct a thorough investigation into the pyro bolts used on the veteran Delta II rocket’s payload fairing prior to the early March launch of NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope.

This investigation, called mainly because of the similar nature of the pyro bolts on the Taurus’ and Delta II’s payload fairings, revealed that all pyros on the Delta II’s fairing surround Kepler were acceptable for liftoff.

Nevertheless, the resultant investigation pushed back the launch of Kepler by one day. Liftoff occurred on time on March 6 at 10:39:57p.m. with the Delta II rocket placing the Kepler telescope into a Earth-trailing solar orbit.

Dedicated to the detection and study of extra-solar terrestrial planets that orbit their parent stars inside the habitable zone, the Kepler mission is the first in a proposed series of missions that will study the characteristics of Earth-like extra-solar planets.

Unlike previous observations conducted by orbital and ground-base telescopes, Kepler continuously observes approximately 100,000 stars at one time looking for the tell-tale “dimming” effect caused when a planetary body passes in front of its parent star – a detection method known in the scientific community as the transit method of detection.

The Kepler telescope began its official mission two months after its launch. The first results from the Kepler mission will be announced at an American Astronomical Society meeting on January 4, 2010.

STS-119 Launch Campaign:

With the launch of the STS-119 mission postponed until mid-March at the earliest, NASA – once the FCV issue was adequately resolved – began to assess the launch opportunities for Discovery in relation to the Soyuz crew rotation mission to the International Space Station (ISS) later that month.

Click here for NASASpaceflight.com articles covering STS-119

Since Shuttle and ISS Program Flight Rules prohibit the docking and undocking of any spacecraft to/from the ISS while a shuttle orbiter is docked, Discovery/STS-119 was faced with either a three day launch window (March 11 – 13) to ensure full mission duration, or the deletion of mission content and EVAs (spacewalks) for launch attempts from March 14 – 17.

In the end, mission planners and NASA decided that it was in the agency’s and the ISS Program’s best interest to launch STS-119 prior to the Soyuz crew rotation – even if launching in March meant the deletion of up to four Flight Days and three of the mission’s four EVAs to ensure that the S6 truss was delivered to the ISS and Discovery undocked prior to the launch of the Soyuz spacecraft.

This plan – the creation of multiple scenarios to ensure maximum performance from all partners during STS-119 – exemplifies the commitment of all departments in conducting the best mission possible.

Furthermore, due to the multiple plans put in place for contingency launches up to March 17, Shuttle Program managers and launch officials had a clear forward path to follow upon scrubbing the March 11 launch attempt due to a Gaseous Hydrogen leak from the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP) between the External Tank and Gaseous Hydrogen vent line on the launch pad.

In response to this leak, engineers determined that the best option for correcting and eliminating the issue would be to remove and replace (R&R) the GUCP Quick Disconnect seals – the suspect cause of the leak.

Undertaking this effort while launch personnel retargeted STS-119′s launch for March 15 proved to be yet another tremendous demonstration of the team’s abilities. Encountering some problems with alignment of the pivot assembly on GUCP, engineers found themselves eight hours down on the GUCP seal R&R timeline just two days prior to the retargeted launch date.

Nonetheless, engineers successfully completed repairs to the GUCP and the leak did not repeat itself during the launch campaign on March 15.

As a result of all the hard work from engineers around the country, STS-119 and the Space Shuttle Discovery was successfully launched on March 15 at 7:43p.m. in what Launch Director Mike Leinbach described as the “most visibly beautiful Shuttle launch.”

In all, STS-119 was successfully accomplished in 14 Flight Days and three EVAs – two days and one EVA shorter than originally planned. Despite some disturbed weather in the area – which prompted the Entry Flight Director in Mission Control to wave off Discovery’s first landing attempt on March 28 – the vehicle and her seven member crew successfully landed at the Kennedy Space Center on March 28 on their second deorbit and landing opportunity of the day.

STS-125/STS-400 Operations:

Three days after the successful landing of Discovery/STS-119, the flagship mission of the final shuttle flights was transported to Launch Complex 39-A. Atlantis and the STS-125 stack were rolled out to the sea-side launch pad approximately 40-days before the scheduled launch of the fifth and final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.

Click here for NASASpaceflight.com articles covering STS-125 - and STS-400 Launch On Need

Two weeks later, the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the STS-400 stack (the Launch On Need rescue flight for the STS-125 crew) was rolled out to Launch Complex 39B, marking the 19th and final time in Space Shuttle Program history that that both KSC launch pads were occupied at the same time.

In fact, Endeavour’s rollout to Pad-B came just days before the scheduled delivery of the STS-125 payload to Pad-A and one day before a KSC Open House for employees and their families. This provided an even rarer moment of both Rotating Service Structures being retracted from both Endeavour and Atlantis at the same time, giving KSC engineers and their families the opportunity to see both Atlantis and Endeavour on Pads-A and -B in all their glory.

Furthermore, the rollout of Endeavour to Pad-B and the delivery of the STS-125 payload to Pad-A represented the first step in the culmination of a near 3-year effort on behalf of various NASA agencies in what would prove to be the second the final launch campaign for the Hubble servicing mission.

However, while the sight of two shuttles on both pads and the spectacular flight of STS-125 might have been the visual coup de grace of the compilation of the Hubble mission, it is the behind-the-scenes work for thousands of engineers, technicians, and the astronauts that brings to light the true sense of pride and accomplishment felt by all during and after the Hubble flight.

In fact, work on HST-SM4 (Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4) began long before the cancellation of the mission by then NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe following the loss of Columbia in February 2003.

In an interview with NASASpaceFlight.com, engineer Ed Rezac with the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt Maryland stated that HST-SM4 had been in the works for several years and that engineers even began looking at a non-Shuttle way to reach Hubble for servicing after the initial cancellation of the SM4.

“All along the program had been working on SM4 and when we got the news that we might not see another Shuttle flight because of Columbia, the program immediately started looking at other ways to get to the telescope to service it.”

But despite the long lead time in terms of the number of years SM4 had in the planning community, the fact that the mission would be the final servicing mission to Hubble drove engineers to replace and/or fix/repair as much as possible on the telescope to leave it in the best possible condition.

This plan included the addition of two late repairs/replacements – one of which caused NASA to delay the launch of STS-125 by seven months just weeks before the mission was supposed to launch in October 2008.

This delay was caused by the failure of the A-side of the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling Unit (SIC-DH) on September 27, 2008. Even though engineers were able to restore command function via the B-side of the SIC-DH, all redundancy for the system had been lost.

As such, the decision was made to delay the launch of STS-125 until a replacement SIC-DH unit could be ground tested and flight rated for installation to the Telescope – thereby restoring full redundancy to the system.

“There were a couple things that came up at the last minute,” said Ed Rezac. “The SIC-DH had to be replaced and the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) went out in the midst of our planning and we were able to demonstrate a feasible plan to Headquarters for fixing both components.

“At the same time we carried over previous things from other servicing missions that we knew we wanted to accomplish on those missions but couldn’t. So we really made a good effort to leave Hubble in the best possible condition at the end of this mission.”

Furthermore, STS-125 and all the engineers and astronauts involved benefited from a two and half year training period – a training period significantly longer than standard ISS missions.

In fact, this translated to multiple runs of the various EVAs (Spacewalk) in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) at the Johnson Space Center.

As Ed Rezac states, “We had two repairs on the ACS and STIS instruments that necessitated the removal of non-captive parts. So there was a lot of development that went into capturing these pieces and getting an astronaut into the tight confines of the aft shroud. These instruments were never designed to be serviced on orbit, so the NBL was an invaluable tool in helping us develop and refine our procedures.”

Nonetheless, the teams’ ability to create multiple scenarios for the different repairs, as well as the difficulties the astronauts could face once on orbit, allowed ground engineers to trouble-shoot – in real time – during the mission’s five back-to-back EVAs.

It was this type of dedication and forethought that permitted the STS-125 crew to work through a few issues on orbit during the servicing mission – one of which required Mike Massimino to physically break off a handrail on the Telescope in order to gain access to Hubble’s ACS instrument.

In all, STS-125 was a highly successful mission in which all of the mission’s EVA objectives were accomplished. Atlantis was launched from Pad 39-A at 14:01:56 EDT on May 11 and rendezvoused with the Telescope on May 13. The next five days were spent conducting the mission’s five EVAs.

The STS-125 crew released Hubble back into its orbit on May 19 and, after two days of weather wave offs, landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base, CA on May 24 at 11:39:05 EDT – capping a 12-day 21-hour 37-minute 9-second mission.

STS-125 was the first solo flight of Atlantis (meaning it was the first mission for Atlantis that did not involve docking with a Space Station) in 14-years since her STS-66 mission in November 1994. The mission was also Atlantis’ 30th voyage to space and first voyage to the Hubble Space Telescope – which had previously been serviced twice by Discovery and once each by Columbia and Endeavour.

In the end, the STS-125 campaign represented a tremendous effort for all involved. Atlantis was not only successfully processed for STS-125 in April and May but Endeavour was also processed at the same time for her role on STS-400.

In fact, STS-400 was processed out to the L-7 point (Launch minus seven days) at the time that Atlantis launched. This would have allowed NASA to launch Endeavour as early as seven days after the launch of STS-125 should Atlantis have incurred serious Thermal Protection System damage during ascent.

Still, Endeavour was kept on stand-by throughout STS-125 to further act as a quick rescue vehicle in the event of Micro-Meteoroid Orbiting Debris damage to Atlantis.

Once Atlantis safely landed in California, engineers at the Kennedy Space Center deconfigured Endeavour from her launch-ready condition. Endeavour and the STS-400 stack were then re-designated as the STS-127 stack and rolled around from Pad-B to Pad-A for final preparations for the mid-June target launch of STS-127 to the Space Station.

This launch campaign for STS-127 would mark the beginning of the second half of 2009 for NASA.

A second Year in Review article pertaining to the second-half of 2009 for NASA will be published in the coming days.

Related posts:

1. Hubble control system failure – STS-125 launch date delayed A major failure of the “Side A” control system on...
2. Hubble switchover efforts to Side B completed – Suffers more problems The complicated task of remotely switching the Hubble Space Telescope...
3. STS-125 launch target moves to February 17 – crucial week for Hubble STS-125 has been given a new “work-to” launch date of...

Atlantis STS-125 Status:

Two new issues have been reported by the Mission Evaluation Room (MER) on Flight Day 10 – which is mainly an off duty day for the crew.

A simo dump was performed in the morning, followed by berthing of the OBSS (Orbiter Boom Sensor System) – after its use during Tuesday’s Late Inspections of the TPS. The RMS (Remote Manipulator System) was also powered down, ahead of around six hours of off duty time for the crew enjoys around six hours of Off Duty time.

Atlantis continues to perform well on orbit, with all reported MER “Funnies” holding no mission impact, including the two additional items of interest – one relating to an Aft Flight Deck Display (AFD) processor, and another on a previously seen condition with Left OMS Pod temperature readings.

“During on-orbit operations, the crew can replace any failed IDP with the IDP4, recovering full 1R3 redundancy for entry, and continue to NEOM (Nominal End Of Mission.

“‘IDP 4 BITE FAIL’ message – observed during IDP4 power up. Error cleared in 5 seconds. S/W (Software) reports, once and if it clears then won’t repeat. IDP is currently performing nominally,” noted MER information on L2. “Waiting for results of next power cycle (tonight). Expectations are that the error will not repeat.

“Left OMS Pod Lower Fuel Tank Temp: After going to B heaters, increased to near the SM limit of 95 deg F. Prop sent up a TMBU (Table Maintenance Block Uplink) as a precaution. OMS/RCS are watching the issue but are not concerned. Similar signatures observed on STS-115, 117.”

The full overview of Atlantis’ TPS will be collated over the next 24 hours, due to the complexity of the DAT tools for outlining any ROI (Region Of Interest) which can number in the hundreds.

However, the key communication of Flight Day 10 came via DAT engineers noting no ROIs are deemed as a problem for the orbiter’s safe re-entry – which was noted to the Orbiter Project Office (OPO) and the MMT midway through Wednesday.

“The MMT continues to meet daily with no significant issues being worked; the mission continues to proceed as scheduled,” outlined the MMT on the morning of FD10. “All level 1 LDRI (Laser Dynamic Range Imager) and IDC (Digital Camera) imagery has been review and there are no concerns, level 2 screening is continuing. Next status will be reported at the FD10 OPO tag today.”

It was during the OPO tag up meeting later in the day that the DAT confirmation came through, passing the orbiter’s TPS as acceptable for re-entry.

When and where Atlantis lands remains questionable, with three opportunities available for landing at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on Friday, before Edwards Air Force Base (Dryden) and White Sands are called up as additional options on Saturday, should KSC’s weather remain doubtful on the outlook.

“There will be three landing opportunities at KSC on Friday at 1004L, 1141L, and 1319L. KSC will be the only landing site brought up for Friday,” confirmed the MMT. “Edwards, White Sands, and KSC will be available for Saturday landing opportunities, if required.”

The weather for a KSC landing on Friday remains questionable, though a series of powerdowns have been conducted to preserve consumables, allowing for the mission to continue through to EOM+3 (End Of Mission, plus three days), if required.

Endeavour, STS-400/127 Status:

Despite the clearance for entry, Endeavour will – as previously reported – remain on STS-400 standby, holding in the countdown prior to PRSD (Power Reactant Storage and Distributation) loading.

“STS-400 Late LON S0007 Launch Countdown: CTS (Call To Stations) occurred at 0540L this morning,” noted Wednesday processing information (L2). “FD9 late inspection will drive MMT go/no-go direction for PRSD load. The inspection results are expected sometime this afternoon or evening.

“A no-go decision (as is now officially the status) will result in a 24-hour hold in S0007, and the launch team will remain in a LON posture until completion of the de-orbit burn.

“If landing is waived off on Friday, the 24-hour holds will continue until the de-orbit burn has been completed. S0024 Hyper QD (Quick Disconnect) de-mates will be performed in S0007 post-PRSD load.”

Once stood down from STS-400 requirements, Endeavour’s role will official move to her primary STS-127 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) next month. The expected date for her rollaround to Pad 39A is pending the completion of repairs on Pad 39A, after STS-125′s launch damaged part of the SRB flame deflector and associated Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) hardware.

“Work to repair the SRB flame deflector continues. Pneumatic line welding is complete. NDE and cleaning are in work,” added Endeavour’s processing status, with the poor local weather affecting elements of STS-127′s preparations. “S0600 Payload Ops: STS-127 payload delivery was rescheduled due to unacceptable weather and will be attempted again tonight.”

Sandbags and plastic tarping were used on Pad 39B, following a leakage of rain water at the base of camera mounts on the MLP raised deck.

“The water has run under the raised deck to a deck hatch under the raised deck,” noted another report on Wednesday. “Water leaked through this hatch onto a fire alarm panel.”

Another hazard for Endeavour is lightning, although she is ably protected by the three giant towers that were completed for the Ares I flights from Pad 39B. However, strikes close to the pad require the testing of the shuttle systems, to check for potential electronic inference.

“A possible lightning event was detected Monday afternoon about 0.33 nautical miles from Pad B. S0018.100 lightning data collection and analysis is in work. ERB (Engineering Review Board) determined there was no event that would cause further testing.

“Severe weather continues to be a concern. Last night at 0012L, a tornado warning was issued for KSC. No damage was reported, and the warning expired at 0030L. Also detected possible lightning strikes close to the Pad A perimeter. Data collection and analysis is in work.”

Behind the scenes, preparations for STS-127 are proceeding normally, with the MOD Flight Readiness Review (FRR) already complete (13 presentations on L2).

The STS-125 IFA (In Flight Anomaly) review – and its resulting findings for the SSP (Space Shuttle Program) FRR for STS-127 – is currently being collated by orbiter departments.

L2 members: Documentation – from which most of the above article has quoted snippets – is available in full in the related L2 sections, now over 4000 gbs in size

Related posts:

1. Forward Plan: STS-126 rolling to Pad 39A in a few weeks – STS-125 back to VAB While the status of STS-125′s Hubble Servicing Mission remains fluid,...
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STS-400 Status:

The unique rescue mission was designed due to the unavailability of the International Space Station (ISS) as a ‘safe haven’ for the STS-125 crew in the event of serious damage being found on the orbiter.

Following a successful launch and clearance of Atlantis’ Thermal Protection System (TPS) for re-entry, it would take a freak incident – such as a major MMOD strike – to cause managers to place Endeavour into a launch pose.

However, that’s exactly what Endeavour has been working towards over the past few weeks, allowing for a rescue mission to be launched within days – should a major problem be found during Late Inspections.

“STS-400 LON S0007 Launch Countdown pre-ops continue,” noted Endeavour’s processing flow at Pad 39B via L2. “S1287 Orbiter Aft Closeout continues. 50-1/2 door installation and Aft confidence test is scheduled for Friday.

Endeavour will hold at this point of her flow, pending a Mission Management Team (MMT) decision to either proceed or standdown from the STS-400 requirement next week.

In the highly unlikely event STS-400 was required to launch and rescue the STS-125 crew, Endeavour’s main propulsion systems would be pressurized for flight, before heading into S0007 Launch Countdown operations on Wednesday.

“STS-400 Late LON-Launch (5/23/09) Ops – Execution by MMT direction only: CTS (Call To Stations) for S0071, Hyper/MPS (Main Propulsion System) Pressurization for Flight is scheduled for 0530L on Monday 5/18,” added the STS-400 processing flow.

“CTS for S0007, Launch Countdown is scheduled for 0530L on Wednesday 5/20. S0024 Hyper QD (Quick Disconnect) de-mates will be performed in S0007 post-PRSD (Power Reactant Storage and Distributation) load.”

Following the expected STS-400 standdown, Endeavour will be prepared for her rollover to Pad 39A – ahead of her primary STS-127 mission to the ISS, currently scheduled for a June 13 launch date.

STS-125: FD6/EVA-3:

Following Flight Day 5′s lengthy spacewalk – which was the 8th longest EVA in history – Mission specialists John Grunsfeld (EV1) and Drew Feustel (EV2) are conducting several highly complex tasks on EVA-3.

First up was the removal of COSTAR, which includes the corrective mirrors that were required by Hubble’s flawed primary mirror that was suffering from spherical aberration until the STS-61 servicing mission in 1993. COSTAR will be replaced by COS (Cosmic Origins Spectrograph)

“COS: EV2 rides over to the –V2 aft shroud door to open the doors. They both perform removal of the old COSTAR instrument and EV2 takes it over to the ORUC (Orbital Replacement Unit Carrier) for temp stow,” noted the flight plan overview.

“They retrieve COS from the ASIPE (Axial Scientific Instrument Protection Enclosure) and close the ASIPE lid.

“They head over to the –V2 aft shroud location, where EV2 (on the Remote Manipulator System) inserts COS into place. EV1 will mate the 4 connectors pins and install the harness that had been used to keep COSTAR in place.

“EV2 retrieves COSTAR from the temp stow location and rides to the ASIPE to stow it for return. EV1 closes the ASIPE lid and retrieves the STS PFR for use on the ACS task.”

UPDATE: This task has been completed successfully.

The second big task of EVA-3 relates to the repair of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) – which suffered from an anomaly that occurred on January 27, 2007.

The repair will see the replacement of the CCD electronics box (CEB) in the ACS’s Wide Field Channel (WFC). The replacement CEB will be powered by a replacement LVPS (low-voltage power supply), completely independent of the failed unit.

The replacement CEB will communicate with the WFC CCD – as well as with the rest of the instrument for command and data- via the edge connectors in the original CEB. The replacement LVPS draws power from the ACS primary power connectors, accessed via a splitter cable installed by the spacewalkers.

“ACS-Part I: Both crew perform this activity pretty much together. At the –V2 location, the crew removes fasteners from the ACS WFC CCD Electronics Box CEB and installs four guide studs into the fastener holes,” added the flight plan walkthrough.

“They then retrieve and install the grid cutter and ground strap from the New ORU Protective Enclosure NOPE (New ORU Protective Enclosure). Then they cut the grid and remove the grid and the cutter and restow in the NOPE.

“They retrieve and install the ACS Fastener Capture Plate on the guide studs. This allows the crew to remove 32 fasteners and the CEB cover from the ACS so they can access the electronic cards 1 and 2, which will be removed and stowed into a card stowage module.

As Grunfeld was removing the screws, he paid homage to an episode of The Simpsons, noting “To Scooter: This activity is dedicated to the study of tiny screws in space.”

That process essentially concluded ACS for EVA-3. “The temp CEB-R cover is installed,” will follow. “ The –V2 doors are closed.”

With Part I completed well ahead of the timeline, the spacewalk utilized available time to enter a second phase of ACS repairs.

“ACS-Part II: If time permits in this EVA, the crew will proceed with completing ACS install. Otherwise, it will not be completed unless the STIS (Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph) repair was unsuccessful. In that situation, ACS will be completed on EVA-5.

“However, if the crew is pressing on, they will now remove cards 3 and 4. Then they will retrieve the CEB replacement module and the Low Voltage Power Supply (LVPS) from the Large ORU Protective Enclosure (LOPE). The CEB module will be installed on the ACS and the new LVPS will be mounted to the ACS handhold.

“The Power Input Element (PIE) cable (prepared as a get ahead on a previous EVA) will be mated to the LVPS. After the PIE is mated, the power output element (POE) cable to the CEB. This will conclude ACS.”

Part II was also completed well ahead of schedule, with the EVA then moving into clean-up activities, before the spacewalk was concluded after six hours and 36 minutes.

Grusfeld praised the teams involved with making the special tools that worked so well during the EVA, while Feustel added “EV2, just happy to be here!”

L2 members: Documentation – from which most of the above article has quoted snippets – is available in full in the related L2 sections, now over 4000 gbs in size.

Related posts:

1. Dual flow ballet for Endeavour and Atlantis – De-stack debate Preliminary milestone schedules have been created for the complex dual...

As such, Endeavour will undergo pad processing up to L-3 (days) activities. At that time, processing on Endeavour will stop and she will be maintained in that condition through the launch and mission of her sister ship Atlantis.

In fact, Endeavour will remain on standby at launch pad 39B through the completion of the STS-125 flight crew’s late-inspection operations. Furthermore, the Mission Management Team (MMT) will discuss the flight readiness of STS-400 during their daily MMT (Mission Management Team) meetings once Atlantis (STS-125) has reached orbit.

Nevertheless, as the MOD ‘Special Topics’ presentation notes, discussion by the MMT on the readiness of STS-400 ‘will not be LON Activation – rather, it will be continued processing toward T-0.’

In this manner, should a LON scenario be deemed necessary by the MMT and the NASA community, approval would be given to pick up pad processing on Endeavour at the L-3 day mark, with all departments having a clear understanding of the STS-400 readiness.

Furthermore, Atlantis will have consumables to support a Contingency Shuttle Crew Support (CSCS) scenario – albeit without the ‘safe haven’ of the International Space Station, which results in consumables being limited and providing “little margin” for STS-400 rescue operations.

STS-400 Operations:

In the unlikely event that the rescue mission was required, Endeavour would be capable of launching No Earlier Than seven days after the launch of Atlantis.

However, unlike almost all other rendezvous missions, Endeavour’s capture of shuttle Atlantis would occur on Endeavour’s FD-2 (Flight Day-2).

“Launch Window duration varies and is a function of Flight Day 2 rendezvous phasing,” notes the MOD Mission Overview presentation, available for download on L2.

While a FD-2 rendezvous is preferred for STS-400 operations – mainly because of limiting consumables (food, propellant, etc.) onboard Atlantis – the MOD and the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) have agreed to allow the Kennedy Space Center launch team the ability to extend the daily launch window for STS-400 into the FD-3 rendezvous timeframe, to allow additional time in the daily launch windows to get Endeavour off the ground.

Also unlike previous flights, STS-400 will not require a TAL (Transoceanic Abort Landing) site. TAL sites are usually necessary to provide certified, intact abort modes for shuttle crews in the event of an engine/engines or systems failure.

Nevertheless, because Endeavour does not require a payload for STS-400, the vehicle is light enough to ensure that the RTLS (Return To Launch Site), while the ATO (Abort To Orbit) abort mode boundaries overlap, thereby eliminating the need for a TAL abort site.

As such, TAL support personnel will be released from their duties in Moron, Spain – the only viable TAL site for Atlantis on STS-125 – after the mission’s successful launch.

However, should an emergency during Endeavour’s launch be declared, such as a decrease in cabin pressure or a systems malfunction, Endeavour’s crew can still make use of the emergency landing fields on the island of Bermuda and in Banjul, The Gambia.

Nevertheless, those emergency landings would only be considered if the particular failure was critical enough that aborting to orbit was deemed too great a risk for the flight crew.

Furthermore, the STS-400 flight will not be granted any formal changes to its Operations and Maintenance Requirements and Specifications, Launch Commit Criteria, and/or Flight Rules because of the special nature of the mission.

Essentially, there will be no “relaxation of requirements for launch” just because STS-400 is the rescue mission for Atlantis’ crew.

Instead, any violations to the standard rules will be assessed by the launch team on a “case-by-case basis to ensure that critical capability exists to complete the STS-400 mission objectives.”

However, once Endeavour reaches orbit, rendezvous preparations with Atlantis will begin in earnest.

Unlike all previous post-Return to Flight missions, should Endeavour actually be launched on STS-400, the four person crew – Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe, and Missions Specialists Shane Kimbrough and Steve Bowen – and will not perform the standard Thermal Protection System (TPS) inspections on FD-2.

Instead, all TPS inspection related operations will be differed until after the STS-125 flight crew rescue milestones are complete.

For rendezvous operations, Atlantis will be maneuvered to an orientation that places her Payload Bay toward Earth and her starboard side on the velocity bar (Vbar).

Endeavour will then approach Atlantis from the Rbar (from underneath), “flying at a 90 degree angle to Atlantis to minimize RCS plume impingement effects during final braking” to a grapple range of approximately 44ft.

Once Endeavour reaches this position, both Orbiters will be placed in free drift to allow Endeavour’s crew to use their Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) to “grapple Atlantis using the forward grapple fixture on Atlantis’ berthed Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS),” notes a MOD FRR presentation, also available for download on L2.

After Endeavour successfully grapples Atlantis, Endeavour’s crew will nullify any rotational rates between the two orbiters.

Furthermore, the MOD presentation notes that “While in free drift, (Endeavour’s) SRMS maneuvers Atlantis to nose-to-nose relative position needed for vernier attitude control. Rescue Orbiter resumes control in ALT to maneuver stack to long-term mated gravity gradient/Torque Equilibrium Attitude (TEA).”

Finally, after Atlantis’ crew is safely aboard the rescue orbiter, Endeavour’s crew will maneuver the two vehicles to the proper separation orientation. This orientation will see Atlantis flying belly-first along the Vbar with Endeavour right ‘behind’ her.

For separation, the MOD has approved an ungrapple time of sunrise +2minutes to ensure that the ungrapple and first part of separation occur in daylight.

Should the rescue mission be launched, the Ascent/Entry Flight Control Team from STS-125 will move over to support the rescue mission while the STS-125 Orbit 1 and 2 Teams will undertake 13-hour days through the disposal reentry of Atlantis.

Furthermore, the MOD presentation notes the various amounts of time Atlantis’ crew could wait for rescue if unfavorable damage is detected.

If un-repairable damage is detected during the FD-2 TPS inspections, and the decision is made to conduct an immediate Group C+ power-down, Atlantis could act as a life raft for her Flight Crew for just over 24 days if needed.

Similarly, should un-repairable damage be detected on FD-10 during the late inspections, and the decision is made to move immediately into Group C+ power-down, Atlantis could act as a life raft for an additional 16.5 days, with the STS-400 rescue mission arriving No Earlier Than 15 days 16 hours after the damage was detected.

Nevertheless, the likelihood of STS-400 actually flying is very slim. However, Endeavour will not be officially released for her Launch On Need duties until Atlantis and her crew are safely home.

L2 members: Documentation – from which the above article has quoted snippets – is available in full in the related L2 sections, now over 4000 gbs in size.

Related posts:

1. FRR to discuss unique safety requirements for STS-125 and STS-400 As preparations continue on Atlantis and Endeavour for their respective...

STS-400/127 Flow:

Endeavour spent a week inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), prior to rolling out of High Bay 1 shortly before midnight local time.

Engineers were called to stations two hours ahead of first motion, after completing the retraction of platforms that had surrounded the vehicle during ET mate and Shuttle Interface testing (S0008).

“A5214 Shuttle Transfer and Mate to Pad B: “E”, “D” and “B” platform retracts are complete. S0008 Shuttle Interface Testing is complete. SRB HPU checks are complete,” noted pre-rollout processing information on L2. “The SSV has been powered down in preparation for rollout. SRB Hold-down Post Firing Line Checks are complete.”

Only three minor issues of note were worked during Endeavour’s VAB flow, two relating to orbiter camera systems, and one relating to Endeavour turning herself off during an unexpected power loss inside the famous building.

“During S0008, an unexpected power loss occurred resulting in Orbiter/SRB power down (resolved),” added processing information. “During ET Sep Camera testing, the flash module did not flash during testing,” which has also been resolved, although engineering evaluations will continue, due to similar issues with Discovery’s ET camera during STS-119.

“While attempting to download images from ET/TPS DCS Camera to A31P laptop, the following error message was received: ‘An error was detected with reading images from card, retry’,” was noted as the only other problem during the VAB flow. Further troubleshooting resolved the issue.

The Rotating Service Structure (RSS) is not due to be retracted around Endeavour until Monday, which – thanks to Atlantis’ RSS on Pad 39A being retracted on Friday – will allow for the stunning photography of both shuttles being visible on the pads, as was last seen prior to the on orbit issues with Hubble, which ultimately delayed STS-125 last year.

See more: Click here for recent STS-400 related articles
See more: Click here for recent STS-127 related articles

GUCP Testing and Status:

Once Endeavour is put through her STS-400 flow on 39B, engineers will keep a close eye on the mating and installation process of the GUCP, in order to try and gain more data on a potential root cause to the leak observed during STS-119′s opening launch attempt – which caused the launch to be scrubbed.

“STS-119 / ET-127 Performance Summary: Pre-launch: 1st loading resulted in scrub/LCC (Launch Commit Criteria) violation due to GH2 leakage at GUCA (>40,000 ppm. Flight seal/QD (Quick Disconnect) replaced,” noted a post mission IFA (In Flight Anomaly) review presentation on L2, written by the MAF (Michoud Assembly Facility).

“Leakage occurred during transition from fast fill to topping. Vent valve opened when 98 percent level sensor indicated wet. Detected by leak detectors (LD 23 & 25) located in ground umbilical shroud. Isolates leak to either ground side quick disconnect (QD) or interface with flight seal.

“Contingency plans (vent valve cycling) unsuccessful in controlling leakage within acceptable limits. Launch scrubbed, flight seal/disconnect replaced. No GH2 leakage observed during subsequent loading. No other anomalous performance observed during loading.”

No root cause has yet been found, although the leading candidate has been noted on the latest documentation relating to the incident.

“No first-time hardware changes implemented for STS-119/ET-127 GH2 vent system. 31 previous loadings with only 1 leak observed (13,500 ppm). Previous leaks also observed during fast fill to topping transition,” added the MAF presentation.

“Most probable cause identified as momentary breach in flexible flight-seal to bellows probe due to ‘thermal shock’ of GH2/LH2 with vent valve in open position.

“Significant Disassembly Observations: Lower left pad was hard against skin. Other locations were not touching (0.014 – 0.030 gap / 0.001 requirement) indicating a pull downward and to the left. Peripheral seal compressed more on left side and toward bottom of GUCP.

“Left side pivot assembly in hard contact with pivot pin (pin would not rotate). Stain observed on external surface of bellows guard and peripheral seal at 6 o’clock position. Flight-side seal asymmetrically compressed at 3, 7 and 8 o’clock positions.”

However, as per usual, engineers will ensure the problem isn’t related to another factor, such as a problem with the alignment of the hardware on the tank. In order to check their procedures, STS-400′s flow included the addition of tape markers on the alignment pins, to allow the monitoring of the hardware for any movement during the process.

“GUCP Checkout: Engineering added a dev to apply tape to GUCP alignment pins,” noted Endeavour processing information. “The tape application is complete. The procedure on the GUCP Alignment will be worked at the Pad.”

The MAF document also included a full run down on what is required when mating the umbilical and plate to the tank, which is more complex than may be assumed.

“Installation Process: GUCP installed using three (3) guide pins to align. Install / torque pyro bolt to verify distance from tank (7.0 – 7.06”) and ensure proper bellows preload. Adjust pivot assembly feet to contact the umbilical hinge bracket pins and remove guide pins (recent change from hard-down preload requirement, last year).

“Adjust pads between GUCP periphery and tank skin to lightly touch (4 places). Install QD with use of 4 guide pins. Adjust pads (4 places) to verify parallelism and take measurements (Checkout cell and integration cell). Helium leak check at around 6 psig.

“Post vent line installation. Adjust pads (4 places) to ensure around 0.001 clearance and ensure feet contact hinge pins. Helium leak check at around 6 psig.”

Engineers don’t expect the same issue to cause a problem for STS-125′s countdown in less than a month’s time, but have taken precautions on both Atlantis’ ET-130 and Endeavour’s ET-131.

“ET-130 vent disconnect hardware removed, inspected/re-built and replaced in VAB. Micro-fibers observed on flight seal emanating from corners of seal (around 1” length, 0.0003” dia., max). Fibers inherent to manufacturing process and accepted use-as-is,” added the presentation.

“Seal compression (>10x max fiber dia.) due to probe loading sufficient to either liberate or cold flow fibers into seal parent material. Similar fibers observed on seal installed and successfully flown on ET-127. No significant observations noted during disassembly and rebuilding of QD.”

“ET-131 flight seal re-inspected and replaced due to small, isolated indention on sealing surface. Indention not observed / documented during multiple visual / tactile inspections at MAF and initial inspection at KSC (cause indeterminate). Condition not consistent with observations noted on ET-127 seal.”

These precautions have already avoided the STS-119 issue from becoming a topic of concern at next week’s SSP (Space Shuttle Program) Flight Readiness Review (FRR), with managerial approval to fly as-is with the next two tanks.

“Root Cause Fault Tree Investigation and Tests In Progress .STS-125 (ET-130) and LON (ET-131) Hardware and Installation Re-Verified,” confirmed the document. “No Constraints to Flight Identified.”

L2 members: Documentation – from which the above article has quoted snippets – is available in full in the related L2 sections, now over 4000 gbs in size.

Related posts:

1. STS-400 rolls out of VAB – STS-125 payload delay to Saturday A problem during the preparation of Atlantis’ Hubble Servicing payload...
2. STS-126: Super smooth Endeavour easing through the countdown to L-1 A loose washer on a ground support carrier plate is...
3. Dual flow ballet for Endeavour and Atlantis – De-stack debate Preliminary milestone schedules have been created for the complex dual...

Endeavour Processing Latest:

The latter stages of Endeavour’s flow have been uneventful – as preferred – with only a small area of tile damage requiring the attention of engineers ahead of Friday’s rollover.

“Orbiter jack-down and weight/CG (Center of Gravity) was completed Wednesday. While moving an access ladder during the operation, a tile was damaged on the RH ET (Right Hand External Tank) door. The tile has been repaired,” noted L2 processing information on Thursday.

Endeavour was then be loaded onto the Orbiter Transporter System (OTS) for the short journey to the VAB, ahead of S0004 Orbiter/ET mating operations.

“Call to Stations for S0004 Orbiter/ET mate occurred at 06:00 (local),” added Friday processing information. “First motion for rollover to the VAB is expected at 07:00 (confirmed as almost exactly on schedule). Weekend work: S0004 Orbiter/ET mate and preps for S0008, Shuttle interface test.”

Following a week of mating and interface operations in the VAB, Endeavour will be rolled out to Pad 39B, with the ability to launch within seven days – should Atlantis’ crew require rescue during STS-125.

STS-400:

The unique nature of Endeavour’s rescue roll, known as STS-400 LON, is due to the lack of “safe haven” that is provided by the International Space Station (ISS) on all other shuttle missions.

Managers had considered a single pad option, which would have involved utilizing Pad 39A for both STS-125′s launch, and – if required – an accelerated pad flow for STS-400.

However, due to the on-going schedule/funding problems with the Constellation Program (CxP), Ares I-X’s subsequent delays to its test launch allowed the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) to continue to utilize Pad 39B for STS-400, while a level of Ares modifications – including construction of the three 600 foot Lightning Towers (over 500mb of hi res images from blueprints to completion on L2) – were completed.

Endeavour will be protected by two of the new lightning towers during her stay at Pad 39B, following the removal of the mast that was previously located at the top of the Fixed Service Structure (FSS), ahead of Ares I-X’s eventual test launch.

STS-127:

Once stood down from STS-400 requirements, Endeavour will be rolled off Pad 39B, transported down the crawlerway to the fork that splits off to Pad 39A, before being rolled up on to the vacated pad. This was previously seen ahead of STS-126, following Atlantis’ roll back to the VAB due to a mission delay caused by an on orbit issue with the Hubble Space Telescope.

Endeavour will then be processed for her primary mission, STS-127, which includes the delivery of the Japanese Experiment Module – Exposed Facility (JEM-EF) and the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section (ELM-ES) as well as the Integrated Cargo Carrier – Vertical Light Deployable (ICC-VLD).

Attached to the ICC-VLD will be six P6 truss batteries (which will be part of the P6 battery R&R activities during one of the mission’s EVAs), a Linear Drive Unit, Pump Module #2, and a Space to Ground Antennae – all of which will be transferred to ESP-3 (External Stowage Platform-3) during an EVA.

In addition to these primary payloads, Endeavour will fly with DRAGONSAT (Dual RF Autonomous GPS On-Orbit Navigator Satellite), the MAUI (Maui Analysis of Upper-Atmospheric Injections), ANDE-2 (Atmospheric Neutral Density Experiment-2), SEITE (Shuttle Engine Ion Turbulence Experiment), and SIMPLEX (Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed Local Exhaust).

The mission – working to a NET (No Earlier Than) June 13 launch date – is currently under a recommendation of being increased to 16 days (16+0+0) in duration, due to Shuttle Crew Scheduling Constraints (SCSC) rules relating to off duty time during flight.

L2 members: Documentation – from which the above article has quoted snippets – is available in full in the related L2 sections, now over 4000 gbs in size.

No related posts.

STS-125 Ascent:

The Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) Flight Readiness Review (FRR) process is complete for this mission, with the next milestone coming via a new SSP (Space Shuttle Program) FRR later this month.

During this review, the MOD discussed the various parameters pertaining to Atlantis’ and Endeavour’s ascent and entry profiles.

For STS-125, a launch window of approximately 66 minutes will occur everyday, with the opening of each day’s launch window moving about 30 minutes earlier than the previous day’s window.

“Launch Window is around 66 minutes,” notes the MOD mission overview presentation, one of a group of MOD and initial SSP FRR presentations on L2. “Preferred launch time is at the open of the launch window. In-Plane launch time is around 60 minutes past window open.”

Moreover, given that the Hubble Space Telescope’s orbit is inclined to a different azimuth than that of the International Space Station, Atlantis’ launch trajectory will preclude the use of two normally available Trans-oceanic Abort Landing (TAL) sites – Istres, France and Zaragoza, Spain.

The MOD presentation also notes that “TAL site required and Moron is the only one within cross range capability. Ten second gap (exists) between Return To Launch Site (RTLS) Negative Return and Press to ATO (Abort To Orbit) boundary. Moron is the only usable TAL site due to inclination.”

The MOD goes on to say that an emergency landing site at Bermuda will also be available in the event of a multiple failure scenario that would prevent the safe execution of an RTLS or TAL abort. A presentation of all the world-wide abort landing sites is also available on L2.

Also discussed by the MOD is a specific point about the External Tank, with the main point relating to the position at which the ET reenters the atmosphere and impacts the Pacific Ocean after launch.

For the Hubble mission, and associated STS-400 LON (Launch On Need) rescue mission, the ET impact zones are just to the south of the Hawaiian Islands – ranging anywhere from approximately 660nm south of Hawaii to 1100nm west of the Baja Peninsula or just a few miles south of Hawaii’s southern cost to 1100nm from Baja.

Furthermore, should STS-125 incur multiple delays, resulting in a night time launch, ET photography will be satisfied through the use of Atlantis’ ET Umbilical Well camera and associated flash system.

STS-400 Ascent/Rendezvous/Separation:

Despite the fact that, if needed, Endeavour would be launched to the same orbital inclination as Atlantis, there are several aspects to the STS-400 ascent and rendezvous profile that differ from STS-125.

The first difference is that of STS-400′s launch window. “Launch Window duration varies and is a function of Flight Day 2 (FD-2) rendezvous phasing,” notes the presentation. “Preferred launch time will target the beginning of FD-2 phasing/rendezvous capability.”

While a FD-2 rendezvous with Atlantis is the prime choice based on the STS-400 mission timeline, FD-3 rendezvous capability will be granted to the launch team at the Kennedy Space Center to increase the duration of the launch window.

Furthering the difference between STS-125 and STS-400 is the lack of a TAL site for Endeavour’s rescue mission. “No TAL site required for STS-400,” notes the MOD. “RTLS and Press to ATO abort boundaries overlap. TAL Support Team will release support after STS-125 launch.”

Once Endeavour reaches orbit, rendezvous preparations with Atlantis will begin in earnest. Unlike all previous post-Return to Flight missions, should Endeavour actually be launched on STS-400, the four person crew will not perform the standard Thermal Protection System (TPS) inspections on FD-2.

Instead, all TPS inspection related operations will be differed until after the STS-125 Flight Crew rescue milestones are complete.

For rendezvous operations, Atlantis will be maneuvered to an orientation that places her Payload Bay toward Earth and her starboard side on the velocity bar (Vbar).

Endeavour will then approach Atlantis from the Rbar (from underneath), “flying at a 90 degree angle to Atlantis to minimize RCS plume impingement effects during final braking” to a grapple range of approximately 44ft.

Once Endeavour reaches this position, both Orbiters will be placed in free drift to allow Endeavour’s crew to use their Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) to “grapple Atlantis using the forward grapple fixture on Atlantis’ berthed Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS),” added the MOD presentation.

After Endeavour successfully grapples Atlantis, Endeavour’s crew will nullify any rotational rates between the two orbiters.

Furthermore, the MOD presentation notes that “While in free drift, SRMS maneuvers Atlantis to nose-to-nose relative position needed for vernier attitude control. Rescue Orbiter resumes control in ALT to maneuver stack to long-term mated gravity gradient/Torque Equilibrium Attitude (TEA).”

Then, once Atlantis’ crew is safely aboard the rescue orbiter, Endeavour’s crew will maneuver the two vehicles to the proper separation orientation. This orientation will see Atlantis flying belly first along the Vbar with Endeavour right ‘behind’ her.

Both Orbiters will have their payload bays facing each other as Endeavour’s SRMS will still be grappled to Atlantis’ OBSS.

“Atlantis must release in AUTO to allow subsequent commanding by the ground to deorbit into Pacific Ocean,” notes the MOD presentation. “Forty degree attitude and five degree per second rate deadbands in ALT to simulate free drift. Tail-only to avoid pluming Rescue Orbiter with Atlantis nose jets.”

For separation, the MOD has approved an ungrapple time of sunrise +2minutes to ensure that the ungrapple and first part of separation occur in daylight.

Unlike the impingement concerns of Atlantis’ RCS jets on Endeavour, there are no impingement concerns with Endeavour’s RCS jets as Atlantis will be destructively reentered over the Pacific Ocean.

General Ascent/Entry Topics:

The first issues discussed in the general Ascent/Entry topics section of the MOD FRR relate to the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME). The first item discussed by the MOD relates to the capability to downlink Advanced Health Monitoring System (AHMS) data.

“STS-125 (has) new SSME controller software [capable of downlinking] AHMS main engine controller data while on-orbit,” notes the MOD presentation.

This procedure will be performed between MECO and Mission Elapsed Time (MET) 25minutes. In addition, new flight procedures have been developed to support this operation, which involves delaying the power down of the main engine controller.

In addition, the MOD also discussed two aspects of the STS-125/400 entry profiles, the first issue being the public risk assessment for entry and landing operations.

Here, the MOD notes that the same philosophy will be employed for Atlantis’ 28.5 degree inclination mission as is applied to International Space Station missions which fly at 51.6 degrees.

Given that the STS-120 mission performed a reentry over the heartland of the United States (and that NASA was willing to have STS-119 perform a descending node reentry in the event of a late February 2009 launch), Atlantis’ possible reentry over the southern United States is not expected to be an issue as long as her Thermal Protection System is given a clean bill of health.

The EVAs:

With five back-to-back EVAs planned for Atlantis’ Flight Crew, and limited cryogenic consumables, NASA has developed a set of procedures to deal with the possibility that one of the mission’s spacewalkers (EV crewmembers) may be unable to support a planned EVA.

“With 5 ‘back-to-back’ EVAs it was important that we had an agreed upon plan/philosophy/guideline so we could quickly react to this scenario,” notes the MOD FRR presentation.

The MOD goes on to note that all EVAs will be performed in the order they are currently planned.

“Re-sequencing of EVAs results in a significant amount of inefficiencies. EVAs currently optimized and include planned tasks to minimize EVA duration for subsequent EVAs.”

Should an EV crewmember be unable to support a planned EVA, one of the other EV crewmembers will be substituted in his place. “EV crew members cross-trained and can be substituted to support tasks,” notes the MOD presentation.

However, this plan assumes that the affected EV crewmember is able to recover in time to support subsequent EVAs. Nevertheless, should the EV crewmember not recover, the current plan is to execute the EVAs per the pre-launch timeline with some consideration given to EVA elimination or EVA task replanning based on EV crew cross-training and crew fatigue requirements.

LiOH Canisters:

Based on carbon dioxide levels observed on the last Hubble Servicing Mission, and recent ISS shuttle missions, a new LiOH canister change out procedure has been developed for STS-125.

“STS-125/HST LiOH Plan is to perform dual can change outs except Pre-sleep on FD1, FD3, FD4, FD5, FD6, FD7 and FD8 (which are single can),” notes the MOD presentation. “Predicted Levels assume seven hours of crew exercise a day.”

This procedure, whose need will be evaluated real-time by Mission Control, has been reviewed and approved by STS-125 Mission Commander Scott Altman who was also the commander of the last Hubble Servicing Mission: STS-109 in March 2002.

STS-125 CSCS Support:

In the unlikely event that Atlantis becomes disabled, NASA has developed a series of procedures to accommodate two shuttles being on orbit at the same time.

Should the rescue mission be launched, the Ascent/Entry Flight Control Team from STS-125 will move over to support the rescue mission while the STS-125 Orbit 1 and 2 Teams will undertake 13hour days through the disposal reentry.

If this scenario is needed, the Flight Control Team would remotely command Atlantis’ OMS engines for a deorbit burn that would place the vehicle on a destructive reentry profile.

For this operation, Atlantis’ destruction would be targeted for the waters to the north of the Hawaiian Islands.

Furthermore, the MOD presentation notes the various amounts of time Atlantis’ crew could wait for rescue if unfavorable damage is detected.

If un-repairable damage is detected during the FD-2 TPS inspections, and the decision is made to conduct an immediate Group C+ power-down, Atlantis could act as a life raft for her Flight Crew for just over 24 days if needed.

Similarly, should un-repairable damage be detected on FD-10 during the late inspections, and the decision is made to move immediately into Group C+ power-down, Atlantis could act as a life raft for an additional 16.5 days, with the STS-400 rescue mission arriving No Earlier Than 15 days 16 hours after the damage was detected.

Additionally, given the lengthy delay of STS-125 from October 2008 to May 2009, the STS-400 rescue Flight Crew has been revised.

Instead of the STS-400 mission being crewed by the Flight Deck crew of STS-123, it will now be manned by a four person subset of STS-126: Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe, and Mission Specialists Steve Bowen and Shane Kimbrough.

L2 members: Documentation – from which the above article has quoted snippets – is available in full in the related L2 sections, now over 4000 gbs in size.

Related posts:

1. FRR to discuss unique safety requirements for STS-125 and STS-400 As preparations continue on Atlantis and Endeavour for their respective...
2. STS-125 launch target moves to February 17 – crucial week for Hubble STS-125 has been given a new “work-to” launch date of...
3. Atlantis to rollback to VAB on October 20 – Hubble troubleshooting latest As NASA and the SSP (Space Shuttle Program) refine their...

Atlantis/STS-125 Rollout:

Atlantis, mated with ET-130 and her twin Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs), began rolling out on top of the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) and Crawler Transporter (CT) for the seven hour journey to the pad.

“A5214, rollout of STS-125 to Pad A, call-to-stations was completed at 0001L this morning. MLP first motion occurred at 0354L,” noted Tuesday morning processing information on L2. “MLP hard-down at the pad is targeted for 1100L.

“S0009, Launch Pad Validation: Call-to-stations is scheduled for 1030L this morning. All 3 APUs will be hot-fired on 3rd shift tonight. RSS rotation to mate position is scheduled for 0900L Wednesday.”

Atlantis will be joined by her younger sister Endeavour, when she rolls out to Pad 39B – following the approval to opt for the dual pad scenario for STS-400 LON (Launch On Need support.

Due to a “mission duration change” being worked by the SSP (Space Shuttle Program) for her primary STS-127 mission, Endeavour’s rollout date in April is undergoing fine-tuning. However, both vehicles remain on the flow timeline to support the May 12 NET (No Earlier Than) target for Atlantis’ final servicing mission to the HST.

“A mission-duration change will be brought forward for STS-127/2JA,” noted the latest Shuttle Stand-Up/Integration report on L2. “There are several sidewall payloads and a DTO (Detailed Test Objective) that have been worked and will meet the “early rollout date” on OV-105 (Endeavour).”

Flow Control Valve Status:

It was Endeavour’s previous flight on STS-126 that raised the questions surrounding the three LH2(G) Flow Control Valves (FCVs), following the liberation of a small part of the valve’s poppet during ascent.

Click here for NASASpaceflight.com articles on the FCV issue since STS-126.

The liberation failed to cause any issues for Endeavour, notably via the other two valve’s ability to keep the LH2 tank at the required pressure, and no damage was suffered to the internal plumbing of the Main Propulsion System (MPS) from the liberation – which is the main concern surrounding the FCV’s during ascent.

For STS-119, Discovery was fitted with three “cherry picked” valves, which have previously flown multiple times. These valves exhibited no signs of cracking, which is understood to be the first sign of a potential liberation threat on a future ascent.

All three of Discovery’s FCVs worked nominal during ascent, earning deserved praise for the multi-center effort utilized to create the Flight Rationale for STS-119.

Engineers are now looking ahead to the next two flights with Atlantis and Endeavour, in order to guarantee both orbiters have a good set of valves, to “ensure we have the right plan in place to get our assets for STS-125, STS-125(400) LON, and STS-127,” as per the Orbiter Project Office status on the FCVs on L2.

“Will also talk forward plan and make sure there is a good long-term plan to finish out the program.”

At present, Atlantis and Endeavour will require their replacement valves by the start of May, before a long term plan – surrounding newly produced valves at the contractor Vacco – kicks in. For the upcoming missions, previously flown valves have been “cherry picked”, including the re-use of Discovery’s three good FCVs from STS-119.

“Issue: Due to STS-126 GH2 Flow Control Valves (FCV) failure, Orbiter team reviewing options to support near-term requirements. Limited spares with no cracks and rapid flight sequence (STS-119 to STS-125 and STS-127),” noted a SSP overview of the current status.

“In the process of restoring new poppet production capability at Vacco, and they turned on to reinitiate their GN2 test stand capability. It will much more efficient to test and build the valves at Vacco.

“STS-125 and STS-125 LON mission need FCVs by approx May 1, 2009. Orbiter Team reviewed options to install unflown poppets as soon as possible. Current schedules projects FCV delivery in late May/early June as full production capability is restored.”

Discovery’s three nominally performing FCVs will be removed from the vehicle and donated to Endeavour, while Atlantis will fly with three valves that have flow between eight and 12 missions each – all with a nominal track record and no signs of cracking on their poppets, confirmed following extensive testing.

“Orbiter Team recommends the following preliminary FCV configurations: STS-125: (number of flights: 8/12/12, (S/N (Serial Numbers) 1007, 1022, 1023),” added the OPO report. “STS-125(400) LON/STS-127: 5/6/13 (S/N 1006, 1015, 1002) – recycle of STS-119 valves.”

One flown valve and another spare are being prepared to support any issues with the six valves that are to be installed on Atlantis and Endeavour, while other unflown/new valves are being targeted for use with Discovery on STS-128.

“Team working to clear S/N 1017 (10 flight valve) and/or deliver single zero flight poppet valve early as usable spare,” added the OPO. “Schedule supports the 5/1 need date for the STS-125 valves. Team still working to determine exact delivery date for STS-125 LON valves.

“Due to STS-119 valve recycle, date for unflown poppets will move to right. Date should support August STS-128 launch.”

L2 members: Documentation – from which the above article has quoted snippets – is available in full in the related L2 sections, now over 4000 gbs in size.

Related posts:

1. Forward Plan: STS-126 rolling to Pad 39A in a few weeks – STS-125 back to VAB While the status of STS-125′s Hubble Servicing Mission remains fluid,...
2. Atlantis to rollback to VAB on October 20 – Hubble troubleshooting latest As NASA and the SSP (Space Shuttle Program) refine their...
3. STS-126 launch countdown begins – Atlantis heads back to OPF-1 The three day launch countdown for STS-126 has begun, marking...

Ares I-X:

The delay to Ares I-X is not believed to have been caused by SSP’s “wish” to utilize Pad 39B for accommodating Endeavour as the STS-400 LON (Launch On Need) rescue support for Atlantis, but rather a continued fallout from a lack of funds within the Constellation Program, sources note. As a result, Ares I-X may yet be delayed further.

Memos ahead of the decision had referenced that the Single Pad option would be largely determined by Ares I-X being ready to launch “on time” – which was previously slated for July 11 – as a data point for the evaluations. Media materials associated with the mission recently changed their launch date from July to “the summer”.

Ares I-X’s final hardware has been arriving from Utah, and processing has been proceeding to plan, as the test vehicle segments are built-up via flows called “super stacks” inside the VAB’s High Bay 4.  It is not known how many issues remains with Ares I-X, following its negative Critical Design Review (CDR) last year.

Ground testing will also take place at Pad 39B on March 25, when MLP-1 (Mobile Launch Platform) heads over from Pad 39A. STS-119 represented the last use of the MLP-1 for the SSP. A brief ceremony and turnover to the Ares I-X team will take place at the foot of Pad B next week.

STS-400/Dual Pad:

However, the ‘release’ of Ares I-X placing demands on Pad 39B for the short-term future surrounding STS-125 will result in Endeavour taking up residence as the STS-400 Launch On Need (LON) rescue support for Atlantis’ STS-125.

It is understood that NASA plan to officially announce the decision to use both pads for STS-125 and STS-400 at the conclusion to STS-119.

As seen before the previous delay to the STS-125 mission, Endeavour was rolled on to Pad 39B, for the contingency of launching within days of a serious problem with Atlantis on orbit.

This is required due to the unique nature of a Hubble servicing mission, where Atlantis will be unable to provide her crew with the “safe haven” of the International Space Station (ISS).

Instead, Atlantis would undergo a level of powerdowns, and become a lifeboat for her crew, prior to the launch of Endeavour with a four crew subset – which would head to rendezvous with Atlantis, where the two orbiters would grapple via their robotic arms, prior to a transfer of the STS-125 crew to the rescue orbiter.

One open question related to the lightning mast that has since been removed from the top of Pad 39B’s Fixed Service Structure (FSS).

However, engineers responsible for the construction of the 600 ft tall towers for Ares I have created a plan where two of the towers (1 and 2) will ably protect Endeavour. The wiring has already been “strung” between the two towers.

Ares I Schedule/Shuttle Extension:

When those towers are used to protect Ares I on the pad remains unknown, with the projected debut launch date for the new vehicle at the mercy of downstream funding.

Unless there continues to be a gutting of the test schedule for the Ares I vehicle, the FOC (Full Operational Capability) date – otherwise know as Orion 4 and the first crew rotation mission to the International Space Station (ISS) - is threatening to slip on upcoming PMRs (Program Milestone Reviews), with a worst case scenario of 2017.

While downstream schedules are fluid, and will be ultimately based on the potential of additional funds being made available to NASA for either an ‘advancement’ of the Constellation schedule, or for a shuttle extension past 2010, Ares/Orion schedules have already slipped over 18 months since conception on their own accord, mainly via technical challenges associated with Ares I.

Shuttle extension itself was claimed to be dead in the water last month, following a fiscal 2010 NASA budget outline released by the Obama Administration. This even led to shuttle manager John Shannon noting extension efforts were to stop on a Shuttle Stand-up/Integration report soon after.

However, such statements have since been retracted, following high level intervention to emphasis the outline was not a policy statement, and as such NASA should continue to protect shuttle extension ability past the end of April, ahead of an ultimate decision this summer.

That protection has filtered down into the related areas of the shuttle community, with the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) releasing ET-122 for use as the LON tank for STS-134 – which is awaiting funding to carry the AMS to the ISS.

ET-122 - as seen for the first time in the latest FAWG (Flight Assignment Working Group) manifest – has been allocated to STS-135, with Atlantis, as LON support for STS-134. This assignment fills the entire 2010 schedule.

STS-135 also provides a roadmap for extension into at least 2011, with further tanks ready to be produced my MAF, should they receive direction from the SSP.

“ET-138 is the last tank under contract for build,” noted MAF just last week on the Stand-Up report. (ET-122 was already built, but was damaged during hurricane Katrina). “ET-139 will be built, but at this time only the three major components will be assembled – it may be completed at a later date.”

If direction was received to build ET-139, it would provide LON support for STS-135, or become the primary tank for STS-136. Also in pre-emption of a possible extension, MAF have part builds of two more tanks, ET-140 and ET-141 already completed over the last few months.

STS-125:

Atlantis was due to rollover at around 7am on Monday to the VAB – pending favorable weather conditions – for her upcoming STS-125 flight to the Hubble Space Telescope.

However, the expected rollover time was postponed for the interim, due to drizzle in the local area. Atlantis finally started to depart the OPF (Orbiter Processing Facility) at around 11:30am local.

Rollover was completed around 45 minutes later, ahead of being placed on the sling that will transport her over to her awaiting ET/SRB stack.

“All vehicle work has been completed. The vehicle is on the OTS (Orbiter Transport System) to support rollover to the VAB on March 23,” noted processing information on L2. “In the VAB, on the ET/SRB stack, we are changing out the 7-inch QD (Quick Disconnect). The goal is to have the QD re-installed prior to orbiter mate on Monday.

“Working toward a roll out to Pad 39A date of March 31. Pad A assessment showed nominal conditions (post STS-119 launch). On the SRB flame trench left wall, there is a small area (2.5 X 5 feet) that will need repair – this is an older section that was not part of the recent refurbishment.”

Despite Atlantis previously been ready past the point of the SSP FRR (Flight Readiness Review) stage, before the mission was postponed due to the on orbit issues with Hubble, managers are still evaluating late changes to minor mission elements for the May 12 launch.

“An OPO (Orbiter Project Office) technical tagup was held to discuss a potential hardware addition to STS-125/HST-SM4,” added the latest Shuttle Stand-Up/Integration report on L2. “We are currently flying the IMAX camera in the bay and the hand-held camera in the cabin.

“To get good cabin video, a worklight is needed. There is a COTS light that is flying on ISS currently, but some of the internal wiring does not meet the smart short requirements needed to certify it for Orbiter. On Station, it is only used for 45 minutes at full power, but unlimited time at half-power.

“After reviewing this data, it was deemed safe to fly for the mission. A safety briefing will be brought forward to the community.”

A full review of the mission will start with a second SSP FRR to take place on April 20-21, while the Agency FRR – which will confirm the launch date – is set for April 30.

Less than two weeks after Atlantis arrives at Pad 39A, Endeavour will rollover for mating with the recently combined ET/SRB stack in the VAB. Her rollover date is currently set for April 10.

L2 members: All documentation – from which the above article has quoted snippets – is available in full in the related L2 sections, now over 4000 gbs in size.

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ET-131 will ride with Endeavour, currently tasked with both the STS-400 LON (Launch On Need) support for Atlantis’ STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope – currently scheduled for May – and Endeavour’s primary STS-127 mission.

STS-127, currently tracking a June 13 launch date, will complete the assembly of the Kibo Laboratory complex, with Endeavour carrying an array of payloads that will require a 15 day mission with five baselined EVAs.

Aside from installing the Japanese Experiment Module – Exposed Facility (JEM-EF), Endeavour’s crew will be tasked with replacing six batteries on the P6 truss.

The tank’s arrival was ahead of the required timeline by a couple of weeks, which earned thanks from shuttle manager John Shannon, who “congratulated the team at MAF for all of their hard work on getting this tank ready ahead of schedule.”

With four other tanks undergoing major production at the Lockheed Martin run facility, MAF find themselves in a much more comfortable position – compared to previous years since Return To Flight - despite the heavy schedule of downstream flights in 2009 and 2010.

However, ET program manager Mark Bryant noted his insistence that the engineering workforce should continue to ensure the tanks leaving the facility are of the best possible quality, regardless of the high flow of tanks required to complete the current shuttle manifest.

“It’s an ambitious schedule that will require continued high levels of performance from the team,” said Bryant, “performance that we are demonstrating every day in producing safe, high quality tanks.”

All four tanks used in the 2008 shuttle missions lacked any major foam losses, with STS-126′s year-closing flight with Endeavour enjoying a ride uphill with what is widely regarded as the cleanest tank to have ever flown during the eight and a half minute ascent into orbit.

The performance of the tank, ET-129, earned thanks for the MAF workforce from Endeavour’s crew, during their post flight visit to New Orleans.

“I got to space because of the hard work of each of you. It’s a team effort,” said STS-126 mission specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper. “I was just the lucky one to take the ride up.

“Every job here at Michoud contributes to the success of a mission, not just the folks physically working on the tanks. From the person who prepares meals through the purchasing department, I thank you for your work and contributions to mission success.”

ET-129 proved to be a major effort ahead of its trip to Florida, with the tank eventually shipped ahead of its previous planned schedule in support of the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) options to accelerate STS-125, to be used for adding earlier launch opportunities for STS-126′s short launch window in November.

Due to the on orbit issues with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), STS-126 jumped a launch slot. However, the initial push to ship ET-129 to KSC in a timely fashion involved a three shift, round-the-clock, drive at MAF – which was also recognized by their NASA paymasters.

“Looking out across the crowd, there are a lot of folks here who put in a lot of dedicated hours and a lot of hard work to get ET-129 together and prepared for its launch,” said Chip Jones, NASA Michoud chief operating officer during a general assembly at the plant.

“On behalf of NASA, I would like to personally thank you for your dedication.”

Despite the successful turnaround into a smooth schedule for the upcoming tanks, challenges remain, not least via a potential extension of the shuttle manifest, and the requirement to create space for new tooling that will be used to build the Ares vehicles for the Constellation program.

ET-138 was set to be the last shuttle tank to be produced by MAF. However, with STS-134 close to being officially added to the manifest, managers have been working a plan to refurbish ET-122 – which was damaged during Hurricane Katrina, when it was hit by falling roof panels in the facility’s Cell A.

NASA has authorized Michoud Operations to perform a limited scope of work on ET-122 through April, with engineers inspecting the tank for damage to its pressure vessels and metal substrate.

“Transportation and Handling moved the tank to Bldg 420 just before Christmas, and technicians will perform shearography to inspect for possible concrete chips in foam,” noted MAF information.

“Technicians will also remove and replace Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Hydrogen umbilicals; perform borescope inspections; strip foam from damaged areas of the Intertank; and clean its internal surfaces.”

Currently, the plan is to make this tank available for LON requirements associated with STS-134′s mission to carry the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the International Space Station (ISS) – pending funding.

Also, in pre-emption of a possible extension being approved this summer, MAF have completed initial work on two additional tanks, ET-140 and ET-141, alongside a tooling plan that would allow utilization of new Ares machinery on additional shuttle tanks, as and when required.

The next tank due out of MAF is ET-132, which will fly with Discovery on STS-128′s logistics mission to the ISS. The tank is currently in final assembly, with “everything is proceeding nominally.”

L2 members: All documentation – from which the above article has quoted snippets – is available in full in the related L2 sections, now over 4000 gbs in size.

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