NASA is evaluating the possibility of moving the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission from April 2008, to December 2007 – following a request to the Shuttle Program from the group in charge of the telescope.
STS-125, currently manifested to launch with Shuttle Discovery, will receive final authorisation next month, with plans for a unique LON (Launch On Need) rescue mission also in works.
**Latest manifests and FAWG updates available to download on L2**
The flagship mission for the final run of launches prior to Shuttle retirement, HSM-04 will be the final life extending mission to the telescope. The last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission took place on STS-109, with one of the most spectacular launches ever witnessed at the Kennedy Space Center, as Columbia’s dawn launch pierced through low clouds, lighting up the State of Florida in the process.
**Click the image to view the camcorder video recording of STS-109’s launch (free to view for forum members)**
The mission has already been moved up one step in the ladder, but if the proposed jump to 2007 is approved, large scale changes in the ever-evolving manifest would be required.
Such changes would see the Hubble mission sandwiching the two JAXA (Japanese Space Agency) missions, currently flight 7: December 6, 2007 – STS-123 – 1J/A – Endeavour – JEM ELM-PS, SLP-D1 with SPDM Dextre – and flight: 8: February 7, 2008 – STS-124 – 1J – Atlantis – JEM PM, JEM RMS.
‘Hubble Space Telescope (HST): Hubble Servicing Mission is currently slotted for around April 2008, HST project would like to go in December 2007,’ noted a NASA update on the current STS manifest.
‘Japanese flights (1J/A & 1J) would stay were they are manifested, the HST mission would be between 1J/A and 1J. Space Shuttle Program (SSP) is looking at other options. Decision expected by end of October.’
Other notable changes on the latest manifest include: STS-116 has a new flight duration (11+1). Rotations of ISS crewmembers on STS-118 and STS-120. STS-322 is LON for STS-120. STS-122, STS-123 and STS-125 have new launch dates.
**HSM-04 LON Mission Article**
Below is the current STS launch manifest (updated).
1 – September 6, 2006 – STS-115 – 12A – Atlantis – P3/P4
(November 11, 2006 – STS-301 – LON for STS-115 – Discovery)
2 – December 14, 2006 – STS-116 – 12A.1 – Discovery – P5, Spacehab-SM, ICC
(February 9, 2007 – STS-317 – LON for STS-116 – Atlantis)
3 – February 22, 2007 – STS-117 – 13A – Atlantis – S3/S4
(May 8, 2007 – STS-318 – LON for STS-117 – Endeavour)
4 – June 11, 2007 – STS-118 – 13A.1 – Endeavour – S5, Spacehab-SM, ESP3
(July 26, 2007 – STS-320 – LON for STS-118 – Atlantis)
5 – August 9, 2007 – STS-120 – 10A – Atlantis – Node 2, PDGF
(September 28, 2007 – STS-322 – LON for STS-120 – Discovery)
6 – October 17, 2007 – STS-122 – 1E – Discovery – Columbus, ICC-Lite
7 – December 6, 2007 – STS-123 – 1J/A – Endeavour – JEM ELM-PS, SLP-D1 with SPDM Dextre
8 – February 7, 2008 – STS-124 – 1J – Atlantis – JEM PM, JEM RMS
9 – April 17, 2008 – STS-125 – HST SM-04 – Discovery
10 – June 19, 2008 – STS-119 – 15A – Endeavour – S6
11 – August 21, 2008 – STS-126 – ULF2 – Atlantis – MPLM Leonardo (last flight of OV-104)
12 – October 30, 2008 – STS-127 – 2J/A – Discovery – JEM EF, JEM ELM-ES, SLP-D2
13 – January 22, 2009 – STS-128 – 17A – Endeavour – MPLM Donatello, LMC
14 – April 30, 2009 – STS-129 – ULF3 – Discovery – ELC1, ELC2 (last flight of OV-103)
15 – July 16, 2009 – STS-130 – 19A – Endeavour – MPLM Donatello, LMC
(October 22, 2009 – STS-131 – ULF4/CLF – Discovery – ELC3, ELC4)
16 – January 21, 2010 – STS-132 – 20A – Endeavour – Node 3 with Cupola (last flight of OV-105)
(July 15, 2010 – STS-133 – ULF5/CLF – Endeavour – ELC5, ELC1)
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