NASASpaceFlight.com
  • Forums
  • L2 Sign Up
  • SLS/Orion
  • SpaceX
  • Commercial
  • ISS
  • International
    • All Chinese European Russian
      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      Featured

      Iran improving its rockets ten years after its…

      February 2, 2019

      Featured

      UK space sector on an upward trajectory after…

      January 31, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 11 launches with four satellites

      January 21, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 3B lofts Chinasat-2D

      January 10, 2019

      Chinese

      China lands Chang’e-4 mission on the far side…

      January 3, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 2D concludes 2018 campaign with Hongyan-1…

      December 29, 2018

      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      European

      Hera adds objectives to planetary defense test mission

      January 7, 2019

      European

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz 2-1A launches Kanopus-V pair and additional payloads

      December 26, 2018

      Russian

      Proton-M successfully launches with Blagovest No.13L

      December 20, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz MS-09 lands after unprecedented on-orbit repairs, inspections

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

  • Other
    • All Shuttle Uncrewed
      Featured

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Commercial

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Commercial

      Orbex reveals Prime’s second stage as it prepares…

      February 7, 2019

      Featured

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Shuttle

      Saving Hubble: Endeavour’s ambitious mission to rescue the…

      December 13, 2018

      Shuttle

      Two NASA space telescopes returning to work following…

      October 23, 2018

      Shuttle

      Thirty years after Return To Flight from Challenger,…

      September 28, 2018

      Shuttle

      Commercial Crew assignments; NASA nears goal of human…

      August 3, 2018

      Uncrewed

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Uncrewed

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Uncrewed

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Uncrewed

      As new lunar race heats up, the Moon…

      February 1, 2019

Popular
NASA set to purchase more Soyuz seats to...
Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes...
NASA Stennis restarts RS-25 testing after December abort
International partners making progress on ISS funeral plans
Spaceflight notes expanding and evolving offerings as it...
NASA working to minimize shutdown impact to Springtime...
NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,...
Orbex reveals Prime’s second stage as it prepares...
After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire
As Falcon Heavy celebrates anniversary, SpaceX manifest aligns

NASASpaceFlight.com

  • Forums
  • L2 Sign Up
  • SLS/Orion
  • SpaceX
  • Commercial
  • ISS
  • International
    • All Chinese European Russian
      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      Featured

      Iran improving its rockets ten years after its…

      February 2, 2019

      Featured

      UK space sector on an upward trajectory after…

      January 31, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 11 launches with four satellites

      January 21, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 3B lofts Chinasat-2D

      January 10, 2019

      Chinese

      China lands Chang’e-4 mission on the far side…

      January 3, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 2D concludes 2018 campaign with Hongyan-1…

      December 29, 2018

      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      European

      Hera adds objectives to planetary defense test mission

      January 7, 2019

      European

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz 2-1A launches Kanopus-V pair and additional payloads

      December 26, 2018

      Russian

      Proton-M successfully launches with Blagovest No.13L

      December 20, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz MS-09 lands after unprecedented on-orbit repairs, inspections

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

  • Other
    • All Shuttle Uncrewed
      Featured

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Commercial

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Commercial

      Orbex reveals Prime’s second stage as it prepares…

      February 7, 2019

      Featured

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Shuttle

      Saving Hubble: Endeavour’s ambitious mission to rescue the…

      December 13, 2018

      Shuttle

      Two NASA space telescopes returning to work following…

      October 23, 2018

      Shuttle

      Thirty years after Return To Flight from Challenger,…

      September 28, 2018

      Shuttle

      Commercial Crew assignments; NASA nears goal of human…

      August 3, 2018

      Uncrewed

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Uncrewed

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Uncrewed

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Uncrewed

      As new lunar race heats up, the Moon…

      February 1, 2019

Atlantis lands safely in California – Fleet status update

written by Chris Bergin May 24, 2009

Atlantis has landed at Edwards Air Force Base on EOM+2 (End Of Mission plus two days), after Entry Flight Director Norm Knight decided the weather at the Kennedy Space Center had failed to improve to acceptable levels. Atlantis will return to KSC on top of a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) just a few weeks ahead of the launch of her younger sister, Endeavour.

Atlantis latest:

Four landing opportunities were available to Atlantis on Sunday, two at KSC and two at Edwards’ Dryden Flight Research Facility. White Sands was due to be called up on Sunday, before wet conditions on the lakebed landing site ruled out the New Mexico option – which is the third primary landing option.

Knight decided to give a go for Payload Bay Door closure ahead of the opening opportunity at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), followed by the donning of the entry suits by the crew, and the orbiter transition to the entry software mode of OPS3. However, the opening landing option was waved off due to “dynamic” weather.

With the second and final KSC opportunity still not in an acceptable weather pattern, Mr Knight made the call to bring Atlantis and her crew back to Earth for a landing at Edwards.

A small issue with elevated pressure on drain line in APU 2 (Auxilary Power Unit) – noticed shortly after the completion of the deorbit burn – was not classed as a problem, and is within limits.

A perfect re-entry was followed by a super smooth landing on Runway 22 at Edwards, where she will now undergo around a week of deservicing, ahead of flying home to Florida on top of the SCA.

See Also

  • LIVE STS-125 UPDATES
  • L2 STS-125/400 Special Section
  • Click here to Join L2

Meanwhile, the nature of Atlantis’ relatively issue-free flight was emphasized via the mission’s IFA (In Flight Anomaly) review, which was carried out shortly after departure from the Hubble Space Telescope, as opposed to a week or so after landing.

The need to carry out the IFA review earlier than normal relates to the timeline for the Flight Readiness Reviews (FRRs) for Endeavour’s STS-127, which is launching just a month after Atlantis’ ride uphill.

The main focus of the IFA review concentrated on the foam liberation from Atlantis’ External Tank (ET-130), which lost a notable amount of foam from an LOX Ice Frost Ramp (location Xt714) ahead of SRB (Solid Rocket Booster) separation.

a58Although the liberated foam hit Atlantis’ starboard Chine area of the orbiter, the resulting damage was minor. However, the timing of the foam shedding is of a concern and may have breached risk assessment parameters, which would result in an elevated subject for discussion at STS-127’s FRR.

“Came out with four IFAs and one pending associated with release of foam from the IFR (Ice Frost Ramp) and possible connection to the chine damage,” noted JSC’s SE&I department (L2).

“Originally thought that was within risk assessment, but based on review, it may not be. Will bring this forward. Whether this is an IFA or not, will bring the story to FRR.”

The only other items of interest relating to STS-127’s FRR, are the cut glove from EVA-4 and the Aerosurface Servoamplifer (ASA) channel 1 issue suffered by Atlantis.

“On STS-125, there is interest in getting hands on the EVA tools and some instrumentation in the cargo bay involved in the EVA 4 cut glove,” added Flight Operations & Integration (L2).

STS-127 Latest:

Endeavour is on a very tight processing flow, with her move from Pad 39B waiting on repairs to Pad 39A’s SRB flame deflector, which suffered from damage during STS-125’s launch.

“Pad A turnaround activities are going well, repaired high pressure lines, took X-rays, will continue with this and do sampling,” added KSC’s Ground Operations (L2). “On SRB flame deflector, are continuing with repairs. Will apply fondue Fyre next week.”

ssms20071This, along with the ASA-1 issue on Atlantis, in addition to retorquing of two windows on Endeavour, are currently the only pre-FRR topics being discussed by the Orbiter Project Office (OPO).

“Had OPO pre-FRR for STS-127. Don’t have any special topics now. Don’t feel ASA-1 issue is constraint for STS-127, but will need to check OV-104 (Atlantis) after landing to see if have problem with wiring in box, in aft or where wiring issue is,” the JSC body noted (L2).

“Must work on Vespel fastener relaxation issue for STS-127; have new installations on windows 1 and 6, collected data and did some testing. Team recommended that windows 1 and 6 be retorqued on STS-127 before flight.

“Working on that with GO; realize schedule is very tight as roll over from pad B to pad A. Also looking at whether can fly with that. Discussed late breaking ISS (International Space Station) request to provide iodinated water on STS-127 and other flights.”

STS-128 Latest:

Discovery is deep in STS-128 processing inside OPF-3 (Orbiter Processing Facility), with the milestone of booster stacking set to begin on May 28th. The orbiter herself is awaiting the return of her Forward Reaction Control System (FRCS) and right hand OMS Pod, the latter requiring a repair on an attach bolt.

“Continuing processing in OPF-3. In HMF (Hypergolic Maintenance Facility), installed FRCS thrusters; they were mated and backfilled; will continue with closeout activities; plan to deliver pod back to OPF at end of this month.

“On RH repair attach point 2, are getting ready to start repair. Hope to reinstall pod Monday. Have APU 3 (Auxiliary Power Unit) installed; will do SCAPE operations tonight and make those connections. Continuing with TPS (Thermal Protection System) processing.

“In VAB (Vehicle Assembly Facility) and VAB HB 1, are continuing with MLP (Mobile Launch Platform) preps for SRB stacking which picks up next week. Freon Coolant Loop1 servicing was completed. Water Spray Boiler (WSB) checkout and servicing continuing.”

Targeting launch for No Earlier Than (NET) August 6, 2009, Discovery will be prepared for a 13 day, 3 EVA, which includes the first flight of the OI-34 Flight Software and the last scheduled ISS crew rotation to be undertaken by the Space Shuttle Program (SSP).

Discovery’s primary payload will be the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) Leonardo and the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier (LMC).

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

STS-125STS-127STS-128
0
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
previous article
Atlantis targets KSC or Edwards for Sunday – Expansive ASA contingency plan
next article
MOD reviews special topics for Endeavour’s June mission to ISS

Related Articles

Supporting Endeavour – engine installation milestone for Discovery

July 13, 2007

Endeavour preparing for the trip home – TPS...

May 30, 2011

ATK class STS-129 booster motor performance as excellent

December 13, 2009

Ares I-X TVC retesting taking place – Range...

October 16, 2009

Endeavour rollaround moved forward to Thursday – FRR...

October 21, 2008

Modification implemented on SRBs following debris concern

February 9, 2007

STS-135: Soaked Atlantis undergoing checks following lightning storm

June 2, 2011

STS-133: S-Band Antenna Cable Conundrum for Discovery

July 21, 2010

Clean Discovery completes RPM and ISS docking

March 17, 2009

STS-133: Discovery aiming for Feb 1 rollout –...

January 16, 2011

Active Discussions

Loading activity..
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NovaTech
Tweets by NASASpaceflight
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • About Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Advertising Info

©2005-2019 - NASASpaceflight.com

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more