2 shuttles in space at the same time and 3rd not ready?

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fpetrutiu

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Date: May 12 +
Mission: STS-125
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Atlantis
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39A
Description: Space Shuttle Atlantis will fly seven astronauts into space for the fifth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. During the 11-day flight, the crew will repair and improve the observatory's capabilities.

Date: May 15 +
Mission: STS-127
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Endeavour
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center - Launch Pad 39A
Description: Space shuttle Endeavour will deliver the exposed facility of Japan's Kibo laboratory to the International Space Station.
Source: http://www.nasa.gov

It seams we will launch Atlantis and Endeavour into space at the same time, 3 days apart with overlaping mission timelines. Discovery just retuned and cannot be ready for flight for another month or so in case of problems with either orbiters. Are they planning to "rescue" each other in case of problems? Thought after the Columbia disaster, they were under strict guidelines to have an orbiter ready for rescue flight while another is in space. Any thoughts? Have we ever had 2 orbiters in space at the same time before?

Florin - Orlando, FL
 
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MeteorWayne

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I think that's out of date. The latest manifest gives "TBD" (To be Determined) as the launch date for STS 127.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stati ... ifest.html

Updated March 28

I see where you got that; Note the little "+" after the date? That means "targeted for" not an actual launch date. In fact the May 12 date for STS -125 is also in "targeted for" status, since a firm date is not comitted to until after the Flight Readiness Review (FRR). Apparently they haven't update that page with the latest TBD from the manifest. In any case, since Endeavor is the Launch on Need Vehicle for STS-125, it won't even load it's payload for the ISS mission until Atlantis is back on the ground.

Edit: Spaceflight now shows the STS-127 mission on the schedule for June 13th. That would make sense, given that the ISS payload would be loaded after STS 125 has landed.
 
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MeteorWayne

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No. The hypothetical rescue mission would have astronauts in EVA suits moving from one shuttle to the other.
 
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brandbll

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MeteorWayne":2ix95lex said:
No. The hypothetical rescue mission would have astronauts in EVA suits moving from one shuttle to the other.

So would the shuttles be connected in any matter via tether or soemthing?
 
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MeteorWayne

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I don't really recall, sorry. I don't think so, though there might be a line between the shuttles to provide a path for the EVAs. It would certainly not be strong enough to "connect" the shuttles without stationkeeping. You caught me off guard :) I'll have to check out the details of the plan.
 
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brandbll

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MeteorWayne":3i3suoo8 said:
I don't really recall, sorry. I don't think so, though there might be a line between the shuttles to provide a path for the EVAs. It would certainly not be strong enough to "connect" the shuttles without stationkeeping. You caught me off guard :) I'll have to check out the details of the plan.

That sounds about like what i expected. You'd think they wouldn't link them too solidly incase something misfired on one of the shuttles...
 
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venator_3000

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So would the shuttles be connected in any matter via tether or soemthing?[/quote]

I think I read in the STS-400 plan that the two shuttles would be grappled with the mechanical arm of the damaged orbiter. Then a tether would be run between the airlocks.

Endeavour would launch with just an airlock and a crew of 4. It would use its arm to move the crew that needed rescue from the damaged shuttle to some point near Endeavour's airlock.

There would also be several EMU trips to carry LES suits. The crew being rescued would need to have their Launch and Entry Suits aboard Endeavour when they returned. The last two to leave would first operate the damaged shuttle's arm to ungrapple from Endeavour. Then they would transfer over via the arm.

V3K
 
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MeteorWayne

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Thanks, it's a pretty complicated procedure; hopefully one that will never have to be used....
 
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