New issue found on Atlantis’ removed ET Feed-through connector

by Chris Bergin

A new issue with Atlantis’ External Tank LH2 Feed-through connector hardware will require further investigation, after cracks were found on the glass seal below the pins on ET-125’s removed external connector.

At present, engineers do not believe it is related to the Engine Cut Off (ECO) system anomalies, as the process begins at the pad to install a replacement Feed-through connector system into the tank, in time to allow STS-122 to launch in early February.

**The most comprehensive collection of Shuttle, Ares, Orion and ISS related presentations and mission documentation, plus expansive daily processing documentation and updates are available to download on L2 **

L2: STS-122 to STS-127 documentation already available.

STS-122 L2 Special NOW LIVE. **Click here for sample of L2 menu and content**

**STS-122 Special: 12 MOD Flight Readiness Review (FRR) Presentations, Baselines and Mission Overviews. 17 Shuttle FRR Presentations. Payload Presentations and vast amounts of live, uploaded images and presentations. Installation Movies (several) – already 2100 megabytes strong**

**COMPLETE Section on ECO/Feedthrough Connector issues and troubleshooting, graphical and data based – expansive.**

**LIVE updates on Atlantis STS-122 Troubleshooting Latest**

**LIVE updates on Discovery STS-124 Processing**

 **LIVE news updates on Endeavour STS-123 Processing**

**Click here for FRR overview articles: Article 1Article 2**  – Click *HERE* for all our articles on the STS-122 ECO/Feedthrough Connector issue.

STS-122 Latest:

The surface cracks were observed on the vitreous glass seal, via initial inspections over the weekend at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Engineers used a magnification of x50 to gain imagery of the ‘crazed’ cracks.

The concern relates to the potential that unacceptable amounts of liquid hydrogen could leak through those cracks during ascent, which would breach safety rules. As a result, engineers are being tasked with understanding and eliminating the concern via testing.

‘Provide comprehensive plan to utilize all available connector hardware in the development of flight rationale for the existing feed through connector design. Surface cracks observed on vitreous glass seal using 50x visual inspection on ET-125 feed through connector,’ noted information acquired by L2.

‘Surface cracks could result in unacceptable LH2 leakage during ascent (Crit. 1). Rationale required prior to installation and flight.’

This is currently the main focus of the engineering evaluations on the cracking, after opening results showed that there is neither the flight history, nor the data, that supports any correlation between the observation of cracked glass and the ECO sensor system anomalies.

As a result, MSFC engineers are now tasked with a separate investigation, likely in cooperation with the vendor, to pinpoint the exact cause of the cracks, along with a full understanding of any potential safety implications during the ride uphill.

**Ride home through the fire, sparks and plasma of re-entry with Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavour. FIVE Stunning high quality 2hr, 355-400mb Camcorder and HUD videos – from payload bay closure – through re-entry with an astronaut held camcorder video – to post landing – several more videos showing landing from 90,000 ft also available and HUD videos from STA landings. Includes HALO II Re-entry video, and re-entry videos from Gemini and Apollo (converted from 8mm)**

Opening data shows that engineers have been aware such cracks can exist, and are the result of processing. Sources believe that certain levels of observed cracking leads to hardware being rejected – via a quality control process. However, such cracking has only when spotted via inspections that are to a certain level of magnification.

Due to the intense focus on ET-125’s connector, the cracking was observed at magnification levels of up to the power of x50. This may add confidence, due to the likelihood that cracking is typical – though not always spotted – yet has not exhibited a problem on any flight of the shuttle.

However, NASA aren’t taking any chances with the connector hardware, following the problems associated with STS-122. A full investigation will be utilized in parallel with the MSFC cryogenic testing of ET-125’s connector, as engineers hope to recreate the error seen during the two launch scrubs and subsequent tanking test, with an eye on confirming that the removed external connector is at fault.

‘Test-Based Verification Approach: All available hardware assets being used to provide timely data to support two critical milestones – Production Readiness Review (PRR) and Flight Readiness Review (FRR). Test plan structured to provide sufficient data to proceed with confidence at PRR,’ noted information.

‘Data includes multiple leak tests with 50x visual inspections of ET-125 connector. ET-125 connector experienced multiple cryogenic cycles with pressure loading. Provides confidence that cracks are benign.’

Such is the level of testing that is being carried out on this particular issue, hardware from the X-33 – the technology demonstrator for the VentureStar program back in the 1990s – will be called upon, due to the commonality of the connector hardware.

‘(Testing) planned for X-33 connector. X-33 connector qualtest-demonstrated (>6 cryocycles, delta pressure, and vibration),’ added information. ‘Provides evidence that glass structural integrity not compromised by cracking under combined environment loading.

‘Test plan builds on existing database to further increase confidence prior to FRR. Includes additional vibration testing of ET-125 connector with cracks. Ultimate pressure testing at cryoplanned for ET-120, ET-125, Qual, and 1st article units. DPA planned following ultimate pressure testing. 50x visual inspections planned at appropriate points during testing.’

Confidence is high that this new issue won’t cause a problem with the current efforts of installing the replacement Feed-through connector – which is an opening process of the forward plan to bring STS-122 back into a launch posture, with rationale already created to ‘proceed’ with the current plan.

‘Rationale for Proceeding with ET-125 Installation: 50x visual inspections show no change in crack characteristic following cryocycling with leak tests (ET-125). Leak testing performed at pressures – flight limit pressure (100 vs. 34 psig) (ET-125). Leakage within acceptable limits.

‘X-33 qualification article (cryo, pressure, vibe) contained cracks consistent with ET-125. Additional cryogenic cycles and pressure testing performed. No crack growth observed following 100 psi leak test at KSC. X-33 connector dissection data to show nature of cracks as superficial / benign.’

The plan is to ship the X-33 connector hardware to the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) early this week, for dissection and testing by Thursday. At the same time, further inspections will be carried out on the ET-125 connector at MSFC on Tuesday.

‘Coordination with vendor suggests cracks most likely caused by processing and exacerbated by CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion)-effects at cryogenic temperatures. ET-125 and X-33 connectors required to provide data for PRR,’ added information.

‘ET-125: Leakage and crack characteristics (MSFC) X-33: (Testing) to assess extent of cracking (MAF). Additional testing planned for ET-125, ET-120, and verification test articles. ET-125: Cryogenic vibration followed by ultimate pressure test (MSFC) and testing (MAF) – (Same for ET-120).

‘Detailed schedule in work to show timeline for additional scope required for flight rationale.’

L2 members: All documentation – from which the above article has quoted snippets – is available in full in the related L2 sections, updated live.

**STARLIGHT: NEW STS-117 MISSION REVIEW MUSIC VIDEO** – STS-118 and STS-120 Mission review video also available. 

**ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE: STS-117 MISSION REVIEW MUSIC VIDEO – AS SEEN BY THE STS-117 CREW!!** -.
(Video section is FREE, but you need to sign up as a member of the forum to enter the video section of the site. We only use your e-mail to send you your password. It will not be used for spam etc.)

Related Articles