Hubble Repair (STS-125) Mission Thread

[MeteorWayne]

I agree 100%. While the ISS construction missions are challenging, difficult and show great planning, skill and effort, with the Hubble missions, there is no safety net. If something doesn't get done (especially for this one) you don't get a second chance. Every mission has been jam packed with tasks that had to be done. No matter what. It is a great credit to every one of the thousands of people involved in planning, building and executing each and every one of these missions. And science will never be the same.

 

[job1207]

Note to self. Bolts become stuck, and so you have to keep a set of screw removal tools on your boat.....errr Hubbble or ISS. In my experience, one bit is all you need.

Otherwise this was an excellent mission. Great job.

 

[Zipi]

SRB middle cameras (intertank?) are showing really cool imaginery of SRB separation and burnoff... I'm waiting those to appear in Youtube. Those were just played at NasaTV.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Live News conference underway with the shuttle astronauts.

Anybody have any idea what AFP Mark Correult (sp?) represents?He used to be with the Houston Cjronicle.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Looks like they are accepting the fact that the weather will be bad on Friday.
They are now starting to stretch the cryo by shutting down electricity consumers as they can to get an extra day.

 

[Testing]

Edwards AFB forecast

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... it=0&lg=en

 

[aphh]

How come Hubble's mirror isn't affected by being in space for so long when the outside of the scope looks a bit banged?

 

[MeteorWayne]

In general the HST looks "out" away from the earth. Meanwhile, the majority of the MOID that beats up the spacecraft comes from the "sides" in an earth orbit.
MW

 

[MeteorWayne]

The TPS (Thermal Protection System) has been cleared for landing. The intention is to give three tries at KSC Friday, then possibly bring Edwards up for Saturday if the weather messes it up.

 

[Larryman]

Looks like they are accepting the fact that the weather will be bad on Friday.
They are now starting to stretch the cryo by shutting down electricity consumers as they can to get an extra day.

A 'real' spaceship should be able to land (and launch) any time - irregardless of weather conditions.

 

[StrandedonEarthsince1970]

A 'real' spaceship should be able to land (and launch) any time - irregardless of weather conditions.

Real aircraft do not take off and land regardless of weather, so why should a spacecraft?

That said, I must add my kudos to the astronauts and ground staff for a job well done, showing how wetware beats software once again on a challenging mission.

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

SRB middle cameras (intertank?) are showing really cool imaginery of SRB separation and burnoff... I'm waiting those to appear in Youtube. Those were just played at NasaTV.

Certainly was! Did you hear the sounds those SRB's make too while falling back to Earth? Sounded a bit like the noise a Whale makes.

 

[newsartist]

Live News conference underway with the shuttle astronauts.

Anybody have any idea what AFP Mark Correult (sp?) represents?He used to be with the Houston Cjronicle.

I didn't hear it, but "AFP" is a French news service.; ...similar to the Associated Press.

 

[newsartist]

The first landing attempt at KSC is just after 10 AM EDT Friday AM.



Few airports have a long enough runway, and landing anywhere but at these 3 sites would add many months to the turn around time for Atlantis.

Plenty of airports have enough runway.

They could extract the crew safely, but lack the ground servicing to keep the systems safe and happy. There could be damage to the Orbiter and severe ground crew risk from hazardous materials unless the carts were plugged in by trained personel.

 

[Zipi]

Certainly was! Did you hear the sounds those SRB's make too while falling back to Earth? Sounded a bit like the noise a Whale makes.

Right intertank: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qPd5DxBXGs
Left intertank: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zY8iOO1L8Q

The last sparkles coming out of burning out SRB are looking just so cool...

Left aft SRB cam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YC6glhX2v0
Left fwd SRB cam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LIYlWnvQqA
Right aft SRB cam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAqcT4Mz1ho
Right fwd SRB cam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hbJ-ppGdso

 

[centsworth_II]

How come Hubble's mirror isn't affected by being in space for so long when the outside of the scope looks a bit banged?

Of course the outside can get banged up by impacts from micro debris and perhaps also be degredated by solar radiation while the interior is unaffected by those things. No need to worry about oxidation which can affect things here on Earth even when they are inside a container.

p.s. I don't know what MOID is either. :lol:

 

[MeteorWayne]

My Bad. I was in a rush, and not only mistyped the acronym, I violated my own personal rule by not decoding it for the first use.

MMOD= MicroMeteoroid Orbital Debris

 

[3488]

My Bad. I was in a rush, and not only mistyped the acronym, I violated my own personal rule by not decoding it for the first use.

MMOD= MicroMeteoroid Orbital Debris

Hi Wayne, isn't MOID the Minimum Orbital Intersection Distance?

I'll gem up on the latest with STS 125 Atlantis. I've had another couple of bad days with my health, though not nearly as bad as last time.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

That's right Andrew. Like I said I was typing faster than the brain input was reaching my fingers

At least I got it right the second time with MMOD

 

[Testing]

I'll be out of the loop in 4 hours, headed to the mountains, about 2 hours NW of Edwards. Probably too far to hear it. I'll check back in Monday. The only part that counts is a safe landing, I don't care where.

 

[3488]

That's right Andrew. Like I said I was typing faster than the brain input was reaching my fingers

At least I got it right the second time with MMOD

Thanks Wayne.

I have that problem too. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :ugeek:

Latest Spaceflightnow.com updates, regarding Atlantis landing.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

1452 GMT (10:52 a.m. EDT)
The power conservation steps taken by the Atlantis astronauts to turn off unnecessary equipment in order to extend the landing opportunities an extra day have paid off. The cryogenic reactants of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen used by the orbiter's fuel cells to generate electricity have enough supplies to power landing opportunities through Monday, though NASA would want the shuttle on the ground by Sunday to preserve a backup day in cause of a hardware problem prevented the deorbit burn.
The plan going into landing will see just Kennedy Space Center available on Friday, both KSC and Edwards Air Force Base players on Saturday and then the "pick 'em day" would be Sunday in which Atlantis has to land somewhere that day.

1420 GMT (10:20 a.m. EDT)
Mission Control just told commander Scott Altman that the landing strategy will focus solely on the Kennedy Space Center for Friday despite the gloomy weather forecast. If the weather does not permit a landing tomorrow in Florida, the shuttle would remain in space and NASA would look at Kennedy on Saturday and also have the backup site at Edwards Air Force Base in California available. There's also the chance Atlantis could stay in orbit through Sunday to await improved conditions in Florida.
The weather is supposed to gradually improve through the weekend in Florida, while the alternate site in the high desert of California looks favorable as a backup.


Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Looks like the weather is going to hose up any chances of a Florida Landing tomorrow.

Looks like the Boeing 747 is going for another trip across the country to return Atlantis to KSC, unless there is a break in the weather.

Andrew Brown.

 

[Testing]

Edwards AFB forecast. I forget which way the runway is at Edwards. Wind could be an issue Saturday.

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... it=0&lg=en

 

[aphh]

Of course the outside can get banged up by impacts from micro debris and perhaps also be degredated by solar radiation while the interior is unaffected by those things. No need to worry about oxidation which can affect things here on Earth even when they are inside a container.

p.s. I don't know what MOID is either. :lol:

Well, if you think about it, the mirrors are part of the outside. It has to see, so it can not be shielded other than residing in the tunnel.

But MW's reply is satisfactory, the scope points away from harms way. I just find it incredible that no major impact has occurred on the mirror in almost 20 years in space. It's pretty amazing, don't you think.

 

[_Submariner]

The Atlantis team and flight director for STS-125 PROVED over this mission that NASA has the Astronauts it needs to turn the program around, they just need the right administrator. Charles Bolden definitely looks promising
I trust Obama to make the best choice.
I think this mission is exactly what NASA needed after the Columbia tragedy(R.I.P) to show what can be done. The capabilities and the hands are there, its the administration that look like swiss cheese.
Glad to hear obama ordered a review of the Bed, bath-uh i mean Moon, Mars & Beyond plan, I think it has implementation issues and it needs to be re-examined before they throw away too much $$ on testing.
But this country needs to get its shoes on before Asia and Europe make us look bad

GO Nasa.

 

[MeteorWayne]

As expected, they have waved off any landing attempts today.

Tomorrow they will try In Florida at 9:16 AM, but will be prepared to possibly land at Edwards in California as well.