STS-134 Endeavour

clln

Press conference on NASA TV at 7pm in GMT/UTC +1 land.
i am hoping they will explain why the problem did not show up during tests before launch day.
Does anybody know?
i could proably read through reams of articles on NSF but this weather is too good to waste.
on the subject of NSF has anybody signed up to L2?
i am wondering does it have sections devoted to pre shuttle spaceflight?

i see it is six years old and Chris Bergin is appealing for subscriptions,i did not realise it is non profit and he pays for the server out of his own pocket.
it is such a great site with so many 'insiders' with so much knowledge i would be lost without it!
Cheers!

thecommander

clln wrote: »

Press conference on NASA TV at 7pm in GMT/UTC +1 land.
i am hoping they will explain why the problem did not show up during tests before launch day.
Does anybody know?
i could proably read through reams of articles on NSF but this weather is too good to waste.
on the subject of NSF has anybody signed up to L2?
i am wondering does it have sections devoted to pre shuttle spaceflight?

i see it is six years old and Chris Bergin is appealing for subscriptions,i did not realise it is non profit and he pays for the server out of his own pocket.
it is such a great site with so many 'insiders' with so much knowledge i would be lost without it!
Cheers!

I think a combination of twitter and NSF tells you pretty much everything you need to know. Some of the nasa people I was out with were saying they go to L2 to find out info. The chatter for this mission was really hi gh with ops from pad talking openly about what was going on. Saw a message on twitter this morning from NASA PR to tell people to keep their mouths shut. One of the astronauts posted that launch would happen today early this morning, and it was then deleted. Must have got a phone call.

In Orlando airport now, really busy with work so best off just coming home. Was a horrible phone call to make to change the flights. I walked into the KSC shop in the airport, and they had a launch on screen. Had to walk out. I know that safety is paramount, but its still tough to come home. Met some wonderful people, both workers and fans. That was worth the trip for.

It was great to hear all the differences of opinion on the values of different missions, what programs are worth scrapping etc. Also some stuff that I've never heard of, semi classified stuff. I could tell you, but you know what I'd have to do...

clln

Thanks for the comprehensive reply thecommander.
helps to explain why Bergin came down like a tonne of bricks on those who were retweeting tweets from the guys who were heading out to work on the 133 mission and forbid it.

on top of that he asks that the Maxqent video's not be uploaded to youtube as MAXq were getting into music copyright problems.
the youtube maxquent site has had nearly all of its video's removed even the ones that are no longer available on their home website.:(

i think you must know by now how much empathy we feel for you,and are grateful to you for your pics.
You tried!and as the saying goes: it is better to have tried and failed,than to never have tried at all!
Thanks!:)

Just wanted to say really gutted for you Commander, such a let down for you. But you seem to have taken it in your stride better than I would :)Fair play to you.

clln

Recording of the presser at link below,it runs to about 45 minutes.
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6671

very much a hang on until we know more type from Mike Moses chairman of the Mission management team and Mike Leinbach Shuttle launch director.

Some things of note if the link is dead by the time you view it or can't spare the 45 minutes.

The reason at present for no attempt on the 9th is they want to keep the option of the extra two days which they said they are 99% sure they want to take.if they launched on the 9th then they would be undocking the same day as a Soyuz,against rules so would only allow one extra day.

The unit to be replaced is the 'fusebox' for 70-80 critical systems,Leinbech speculated that it could be something as simple as a solder joint having coming loose on Launch day.
He said they are using all the info from the last mission this unit caused problems as a template as to what to expect.
It was STS-70,Beeker you got anything on that by way of documents?

Crew are back at JSC and remain under quaratine for now until things are a bit clearer.

lord lucan

A seldom seen view inside an Orbiter!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKKxpO62PrE

lord lucan

clln wrote: »

Press conference on NASA TV at 7pm in GMT/UTC +1 land.
i am hoping they will explain why the problem did not show up during tests before launch day.
Does anybody know?
i could proably read through reams of articles on NSF but this weather is too good to waste.
on the subject of NSF has anybody signed up to L2?
i am wondering does it have sections devoted to pre shuttle spaceflight?

i see it is six years old and Chris Bergin is appealing for subscriptions,i did not realise it is non profit and he pays for the server out of his own pocket.
it is such a great site with so many 'insiders' with so much knowledge i would be lost without it!
Cheers!

I've been an L2 subscriber for a couple of years. The level of detail and information available is staggering. There is quite a bit on historical spaceflight. Tbh it takes an age to get through everything that's there but there's something there for fans of very facet of spaceflight.

I'd recommend it just for some of the re-entry videos filmed from the crew cabin over the years. Amazing footage beginning with de-orbit burn and ending with landing. Well worth the subscription imo.

Beeker

lord lucan wrote: »

I've been an L2 subscriber for a couple of years. The level of detail and information available is staggering. There is quite a bit on historical spaceflight. Tbh it takes an age to get through everything that's there but there's something there for fans of very facet of spaceflight.

I'd recommend it just for some of the re-entry videos filmed from the crew cabin over the years. Amazing footage beginning with de-orbit burn and ending with landing. Well worth the subscription imo.

Yeah the stuff there is staggering OK. I was a member but did not re subscribe this year.

thecommander

lord lucan wrote: »

A seldom seen view inside

shows you how big it really is.

lord lucan

thecommander wrote: »

shows you how big it really is.

I fully expect when i go see Atlantis at KSC post-retirement that i'll be amazed at the size of her in real life. They don't look much when combined with an ET & SRB's but that video gives a good idea of just how big the Orbiters really are.:)

e04bf0c8

I know this is a bit off topic but just talking about the size of the orbiter reminded me of a couple a pics I had of Atlantis rolling out for STS 125. They really give a good sense of scale of the size of everything. In the first if you see the stairs in the bottom left corner they are about equivelant to a set of stairs in a normal 2 story house. And in the second pic there is a man just by the left track of the crawler and another on top of the MLP. This really shows how big the whole system is.

lynchie

So looks like launch is now NET 10th May. Was thinking about staying another week here but looks like Ill be heading home tomorrow.

clln

So if the new LCA is fitted without problems,
if the two days of testing it run smoothly,
if the Atlas that has the range Fri launchs ok,
if the new launch date becomes the 11th,
if the Weather is GO for the 11th,
if Endeavour faces nothing to force a scrub on the 11th.
if the two day extension to Endeavours flight goes ahead.
It will mean that Endeavour will still be docked when the Soyuz departs the day before Endeavour would be due to.
this would give Roscosmo's no excuse not to do the flyaround as Soyuz would not be redocking anyway!
did i mention that if my Aunty had a set of..............

Beeker

clln wrote: »

So if the new LCA is fitted without problems,
if the two days of testing it run smoothly,
if the Atlas that has the range Fri launchs ok,
if the new launch date becomes the 11th,
if the Weather is GO for the 11th,
if Endeavour faces nothing to force a scrub on the 11th.
if the two day extension to Endeavours flight goes ahead.
It will mean that Endeavour will still be docked when the Soyuz departs the day before Endeavour would be due to.
this would give Roscosmo's no excuse not to do the flyaround as Soyuz would not be redocking anyway!
did i mention that if my Aunty had a set of..............

:D:D

Beeker

Repairs underway inside Endeavour. Launch Tuesday May 10 at 16:21 Irish time.

backboiler

Anyone know what parts we're looking at in that second snap? Fuel distribution, HVAC, jacks pipes, ...?

BULLER

backboiler wrote: »

Anyone know what parts we're looking at in that second snap? Fuel distribution, HVAC, jacks pipes, ...?

Em, lemme see.... I see a bendy pipe, a straight pipe and a few knobs. All made of some strange shiney metal.

....I'm sure beeker will know!

lord lucan

backboiler wrote: »

Anyone know what parts we're looking at in that second snap? Fuel distribution, HVAC, jacks pipes, ...?

They're working inside the aft Avionics bay(#5). The tubes and pipes that pass through there carry a variety of things. The only one i'm sure of is LH2 to the SSME's.















wanders off to consult some diagrams

clln

Well why did'nt you's just ask me

images in the MPS

Q= Would anybody be able to identify hardware in these pictures? i.e. the silver tanks contain ____ for the _____. The big silver tubes route _____ to the _______ etc etc.

A=Tanks - High Pressure He for purges and pneumatic actuators

Tubes - LH2 or LO2 to SSME's

i am tired answering the same question on so many websites!

and this little critter the LCA is what slayed the mighty Goliath(they think)

Beeker

backboiler wrote: »

Anyone know what parts we're looking at in that second snap? Fuel distribution, HVAC, jacks pipes, ...?

As others have said they are the feed lines for the liquid oxygen and hydrogen from the External tank to the Shuttle main engines.

lord lucan

clln wrote: »

and this little critter the LCA is what slayed the mighty Goliath(they think)

And this is the replacement unit.:)

clln

lord lucan wrote: »

And this is the replacement unit.:)

I saw Dell-Boy selling them down the market on Sunday!:eek::)

lord lucan

clln wrote: »

I saw Dell-Boy selling them down the market on Sunday!:eek::)

It actually reminded me of the car radio he was flogging in the 'jolly boys outing' episode!:pac:

clln

lord lucan wrote: »

It actually reminded me of the car radio he was flogging in the 'jolly boys outing' episode!:pac:

would this be a bad time to call you a plonker?:D

lord lucan

clln wrote: »

would this be a bad time to call you a plonker?:D

Yes.:pac:

clln

lord lucan wrote: »

Yes.:pac:

clln

This picture gives a good idea of how many systems are routed through the Load Control Assembly that is being replaced, they know for a fact that it failed and shorted.
their big worry is that when replaced they will discover that some other part of Endeavour is the cause of the shorts.then it would be the case that any new launch date could slip to ???
as of the last report from them they are a bit behind were they expected to be,not looking too good for an attempt on the 10th.
Mission Management team meet on Friday to confirm the No Earlier Than 10th launch attempt.



and some more problems;

Subsequent inspections of the cold plate where the unit is mounted inside the shuttle revealed a spot of raised metal. Engineers are studying that situation to determine if any repairs are necessary before the new box can be installed.

thecommander

Question

Was at one time 133 and 134 swapped in the launch schedule. Seem to remember it.

Beeker

thecommander wrote: »

Question

Was at one time 133 and 134 swapped in the launch schedule. Seem to remember it.

Yeah they sure were. Last year 134 was due to launch in the spring followed by 133 in the summer which at the time was going to be the last Shuttle flight. In fact 133 commander Steve Lindsey was chief astronaut and steped down from that role in order to take up the command of the then last flight. In the mean time the 134 payload, AMS suffered a delivery delay so they swapped the flights around allowing 133 to fly first. 135 was then added to the schedule and 133 became the third last instead of the last.

thecommander

Beeker wrote: »

Yeah they sure were. Last year 134 was due to launch in the spring followed by 133 in the summer which at the time was going to be the last Shuttle flight. In fact 133 commander Steve Lindsey was chief astronaut and steped down from that role in order to take up the command of the then last flight. In the mean time the 134 payload, AMS suffered a delivery delay so they swapped the flights around allowing 133 to fly first. 135 was then added to the schedule and 133 became the third last instead of the last.

Thought so. Couldn't work out when it happened and when it swapped back. Thanks

thecommander

2nd LCA box has failed too. So problem must lie somewhere else.

clln

thecommander wrote: »

2nd LCA box has failed too. So problem must lie somewhere else.

This very bad news thecommander because STS-134 really needs a crew of six on the ISS to complete its four spacewalks and other tasks.
they will now have to wait until the Soyuz due to undock late April and the next one is not launced two weeks later and the new crew get a chance to adjust.

Endeavours launch will not happen until at least June now IMO.
otherwise the mission will have cut back on some of its many tasks that really are essential for the ISS.

thecommander

clln wrote: »

This very bad news thecommander because STS-134 really needs a crew of six on the ISS to complete its four spacewalks and other tasks.
they will now have to wait until the Soyuz due to undock late April and the next one is not launced two weeks later and the new crew get a chance to adjust.

Endeavours launch will not happen until at least June now IMO.
otherwise the mission will have cut back on some of its many tasks that really are essential for the ISS.

Least we'll get another bit longer out of it. Interested to find out what the issue is.

clln

thecommander wrote: »

Least we'll get another bit longer out of it.

Well no joking i would love it to go on forever but 135 may have to be just forgotten about,as it stands NASA are lucky to have enough staff for one shift per day let alone three,more staff leaving every day.:(

thecommander

clln wrote: »

Well no joking i would love it to go on forever but 135 may have to be just forgotten about,as it stands NASA are lucky to have enough staff for one shift per day let alone three,more staff leaving every day.:(

The staff are kept until the final mission has landed. All depends on what the last mission is.

clln

thecommander wrote: »

The staff are kept until the final mission has landed. All depends on what the last mission is.

No matter how loyal the staff are they cannot turn down good jobs forever.
best hope is a leave of absence promise from their new employer for 135,
or like the issue on the 133 tank the many came back to NASA unpaid just to see it go and safe it.

Engineers inspecting a suspect electrical distribution box removed from the shuttle Endeavour after a launch scrub last week have found blown internal fusing that could be the result of an external, yet-to-be-identified short circuit somewhere in the ship's complex electrical system, officials said Wednesday. But they cautioned that troubleshooting is not yet complete and a problem with the box itself has not yet been ruled out.

So it is a bit clearer now that the 2nd LCA has not failed during testing yet,
although the first reports read like that was the case,it is just that engineers do not like the look of what they have found in the removed LCA and it is highly likely to put it in NASAs terms that it "might be the victim,not the cause". the APU heaters were found to be working when fed current directly.

clln

I like this courtesy of Geo Eye;:)



This half-meter resolution satellite image shows the Space Shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida, awaiting launch to the International Space Station. According to news reports, as of May 4, 2011, Endeavour will launch no sooner than May 10, 2011, which would be the 36th shuttle mission to the station and the 134th and final flight of Endeavour. GeoEye tasked it's GeoEye-1 satellite on May 1, 2011 to collect this image of Cape Canaveral at 10:53 a.m. local time, while flying 423 miles above the Earth at an average speed of 17,000 mph.

Beeker

Could well slip into June. This could push 135 into late July or early August. I hope not as i am away on holidays in August and following the mission would not be as easy. Really do not want to miss the last flight:(
Fingers crossed for Endeavour:eek::pac:

lord lucan

Beeker wrote: »

Could well slip into June. This could push 135 into late July or early August. I hope not as i am away on holidays in August and following the mission would not be as easy. Really do not want to miss the last flight:(
Fingers crossed for Endeavour:eek::pac:

It's ok Beeker,i'll keep an eye on Atlantis for you.;)

Beeker

lord lucan wrote: »

It's ok Beeker,i'll keep an eye on Atlantis for you.;)

No better man!!:D

clln

Yeah Beeker there is a Beeker Beta angle cut out built into every launch as a testament to your loyalty to the STS, You cannot miss a Launch now after seeing,listening to ,or attending every Launch.

BTW, be careful of LL,when he says he will keep an eye on Endeavour for you ,its difficult to know due to his fetish exactly what eye it will be!

Beeker

clln wrote: »

Yeah Beeker there is a Beeker Beta angle cut out built into every launch as a testament to your loyalty to the STS, You cannot miss a Launch now after seeing,listening to ,or attending every Launch.

BTW, be careful of LL,when he says he will keep an eye on Endeavour for you ,its difficult to know due to his fetish exactly what eye it will be!

No chance of me missing 135. I will climb a mountain or dive in a lake to get live coverage no matter where I am, even the good Mrs Beeker could not prevent me from seeing the launch:D

clln

Beeker wrote: »

I will climb a mountain or dive in a lake

Have you been at your Christy Moore collection again?

even the good Mrs Beeker could not prevent me from seeing the launch:D

Unless of course i tell her you posted that and she scrabs your eyes out!:D

Beeker

clln wrote: »

Have you been at your Christy Moore collection again?



Unless of course i tell her you posted that and she scrabs your eyes out!:D

:D:D

lord lucan

clln wrote: »

BTW, be careful of LL,when he says he will keep an eye on Endeavour Atlantis for you ,its difficult to know due to his fetish exactly what eye it will be!

clln

Still no time for the announcement of the NET launch date, but Chris Bergin says he is hearing it is may 16th,he cautions to wait until official announcement but he is usually right from the source's he never reveals!

Coverage is ongoing on Spaceflight Now of the Launch of the Atlas that could impact on Shuttle Launch dates if it does not launch;
Weather is 60% No Go for todays attempt at 19.14,(14.14 EDT)
it has a 40 minute launch window.

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av022/status.html

CO19

What exactly is the problem now with launching Endeavor ?

Beeker

clln wrote: »

Still no time for the announcement of the NET launch date, but Chris Bergin says he is hearing it is may 16th,he cautions to wait until official announcement but he is usually right from the source's he never reveals!

Coverage is ongoing on Spaceflight Now of the Launch of the Atlas that could impact on Shuttle Launch dates if it does not launch;
Weather is 60% No Go for todays attempt at 19.14,(14.14 EDT)
it has a 40 minute launch window.

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av022/status.html

That would be a 13:56 launch

Beeker

CO19 wrote: »

What exactly is the problem now with launching Endeavor ?

Same problem, they have replaced the problem part but must now test and verify the new part is ready for flight.

clln

Beeker wrote: »

That would be a 13:56 launch

You do of course mean the launch of Endeavour there now don't you Beeker,not the Atlas!
are you trying to make a show of me?
thank you but i can do that without any help from anybody!:pac: