Hubble Repair (STS-125) Mission Thread

[MeteorWayne]

They have waved off for the final time, landing attempts at both KSC and Edwards for orbit 196 this morning.

This leaves two chances, both on the next orbit, # 197.

Either 11:42 AM at Edwards, or 11:48 AM (All times EDT) at KSC.

It seems most liklely, despite their best efforts and patience, Edwards it will be.

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

Watching and waiting.
Is Hubble presently operating or are they still in some sort of test mode?

 

[MeteorWayne]

There are several months of testing and calibration ahead; it should be back to full science by September.

Of course there will be "first light" images before then.

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

Thanks Wayne. Sure been quiet around here these days *sniffs for body odour.

 

[3488]

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

1324 GMT (9:24 a.m. EDT)
Now sixty minutes from the first Edwards deorbit opportunity. Houston just told Atlantis that plans will focus on California for now, since it comes first. A decision whether to divert to the West Coast or land in Florida will be made around 10:10 a.m. EDT.

1300 GMT (9:00 a.m. EDT)
Maps showing Atlantis' path to either Edwards Air Force Base or Kennedy Space Center on the Orbit 197 landing opportunities can be seen here.

The next available deorbit burn would ignite at 10:24:41 a.m. EDT to land in California at the backup site of Edwards AFB at 11:38 a.m. EDT.

Performing the deorbit maneuver a few minutes later at 10:40:56 a.m. EDT would set up Atlantis for landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:48 a.m. EDT.

Mission Control has not made any decisions about the upcoming landing options. Florida has not been ruled out, with meteorologists watching to see if the rain and clouds will remain far enough off the coast and not violate any of the weather rules. But diverting to California will be the next course of action if the Florida weather doesn't become acceptable in the next hour.

1252 GMT (8:52 a.m. EDT)
As the sun rises at Edwards Air Force Base in California, astronaut Chris Ferguson is taking off in the Shuttle Training Aircraft to evaluate weather conditions out there. Skies are clear and it appears to be a beautiful morning in the Mojave Desert.

1228 GMT (8:28 a.m. EDT)
WAVEOFF. The day's first shot at landing has been cancelled due to the weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center. "Weather is good, but not good enough," say Mission Control, adding that the situation is just too unstable right now to predict the conditions at the 10:09 a.m. EDT landing time. The official forecast still calls for thunderstorms around the runway.

So Atlantis and crew will add another orbit to their mission and look for the next set of deorbit opportunities that would bring the shuttle into a landing at either Edwards Air Force Base in California at 11:38 a.m. EDT or Kennedy at 11:48 a.m. EDT.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Looks like Atlantis IS going to land somewhere during the next orbit.

DeOrbit burn in 32 minutes??

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

1346 GMT (9:46 a.m. EDT)
With Atlantis going to land somewhere on the next orbit, pilot Greg Johnson has put the Auxiliary Power Units cockpit switches in the ready-to-start configuration.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Waved off KSC, go for Edwards on this orbit. Landing planned 11:39 AM EDT, 8:39 AM PDT, 15:39 UTC.

Burn is 2 minutes 36 seconds in lengthto reduce the speed by 307 mph.

Burn time 24 min after this hour, about 18 minutes from now.

 

[3488]

Atlantis to land in California, Confirmed @ EAFB.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

1402 GMT (10:02 a.m. EDT)
CALIFORNIA BOUND. Space shuttle Atlantis will not touch down at Kennedy Space Center to conclude its mission. Persistent unfavorable weather conditions at the Florida spaceport has forced NASA to divert Atlantis' landing to the backup site at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
The deorbit burn is scheduled for 10:24:41 a.m., leading to touchdown at 11:39 a.m. EDT (8:39 a.m. local; 1539 GMT) to finish the final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

Ideal weather conditions await the shuttle in California's Mojave Desert today. At landing time, meteorologists are expecting clear skies, good visibility and southwesterly winds of 11 peaking to 17 knots down the runway.

1352 GMT (9:52 a.m. EDT)
Another weather briefing is being given to Mission Control as decision time nears.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

I hope they have an IR camera at Edwards. It's pretty awesome seeing it come in (hundreds of?) miles away.

 

[3488]

DeOrbit Burn approval given for Atlantis.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

1412 GMT (10:12 a.m. EDT)
Atlantis is maneuvering to the deorbit burn attitude.

1409 GMT (10:09 a.m. EDT)
A "beautiful day in the desert" awaits space shuttle Atlantis.

1408 GMT (10:08 a.m. EDT)
GO FOR THE DEORBIT BURN! Entry flight director Norm Knight in Mission Control just gave formal approval for Atlantis to perform the deorbit burn that will commit the shuttle for the trip back to Earth.
Touchdown at Edwards Air Force Base in California is set for 11:39 a.m. EDT, based on the latest projections from Mission Control.

1407 GMT (10:07 a.m. EDT)
For the upcoming Edwards Air Force Base opportunity on Orbit 197, if selected, the deorbit burn ignition time will be 10:24:41 a.m. EDT. The twin braking rockets will fire for two minutes and 36 seconds, slowing the shuttle by about 307 mph.

The deorbit burn will drop Atlantis out of its 303 x 160 nautical mile orbit and put the shuttle into a trajectory for entry over the Pacific Ocean and bound for landing at the Mojave Desert military base. Once near Edwards, the shuttle will make a 200-degree left-overhead turn to align with Runway 22 for touchdown at 11:39 a.m. EDT.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

1420 GMT (10:20 a.m. EDT)
Pilot Greg Johnson is activating one of three Auxiliary Power Units in advance of the burn, now four minutes away. The other two APUs will be started later in the descent to provide pressure needed to power shuttle's hydraulic systems that move the wing flaps, rudder/speed brake, drop the landing gear and steer the nose wheel. NASA ensures that at least one APU is working before committing to the deorbit burn since the shuttle needs only a single unit to make a safe landing.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[bobble_bob]

What do the crew do when they wave off a landing for the entire day? For example it was quite early yesterday that they decided not to even bother trying to land, so what would the crew get up to for the rest of the day?

 

[3488]

DeOrbit burn has concluded, as Atlantis passed over the Skeleton Coast of Namibia. Atlantis is now passing over Botswana, then over Mozambique during the deorbit burn.

DeOrbit burn has gone well.

Atlantis will now begin to descend.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

What do the crew do when they wave off a landing for the entire day? For example it was quite early yesterday that they decided not to even bother trying to land, so what would the crew get up to for the rest of the day?

Hi Bob,

I have no idea, but hopefully the crew would be engaged in:

1). Earth Observations.

2). Astronomy Observations.

3). Some onboard experiments.

4). Making triple & quadruple sure that Atlantis is in a fit state to land.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

1444 GMT (10:44 a.m. EDT)
Now over the central part of the Indian Ocean.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

T38 checks out Edwards Airforce Base for Atlantis STS 125 Landing.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Atlantis now passing to the north of Australia & about to pass over Indonesia & the island of Papua New Guinea.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Atlantis has passed over the large steaming tropical island of Papua New Guinea & is now passing over the Pacific Ocean in a North Easterly direction to the south of the Philippines.

From Spaceflightnow.com Justin Ray.

1459 GMT (10:59 a.m. EDT)
Now 40 minutes to touchdown. Atlantis has maneuvered from its heads-down, tail-forward position needed for the deorbit burn to the re-entry configuration of heads-up and nose-forward. The nose will be pitched upward 40 degrees. In this new position, the black tiles on the shuttle's belly and the reinforced carbon-carbon panels on the wing leading edges and nose cap will shield the spacecraft during the fiery plunge through the Earth's atmosphere with temperatures reaching well over 2,000 degrees F. Atlantis will begin interacting with the upper fringes of the atmosphere above the Pacific at 11:08 a.m. EDT.

1455 GMT (10:55 a.m. EDT)
Pilot Greg Johnson has all three Auxiliary Power Units up and running.

From Spaceflightnow.com Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

From Spaceflightnow.com Justin Ray.

1509 GMT (11:09 a.m. EDT)
The shuttle is streaking 350,000 feet over the Pacific at a speed of 16,800 mph now.

1508 GMT (11:08 a.m. EDT)
ENTRY INTERFACE. Atlantis' thermal protection system is feeling heat beginning to build as the orbiter enters the top fringes of the atmosphere -- a period known as entry interface.
The shuttle is flying at Mach 25 with its nose elevated 40 degrees, wings level, at an altitude of 399,000 feet over the southern Pacific Ocean.

Touchdown remains set for 11:39 a.m. EDT in the Mojave Desert.

From Spaceflightnow.com Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

From Spaceflightnow.com Justin Ray.

1526 GMT (11:26 a.m. EDT)
Atlantis is 32 statute miles up, traveling at 8,200 mph.

1524 GMT (11:24 a.m. EDT)
The shuttle is 35 statute miles up, traveling at Mach 15.

1523 GMT (11:23 a.m. EDT)
Atlantis is 202,000 feet in altitude, 1,080 miles away from Edwards Air Force Base.

1520 GMT (11:20 a.m. EDT)
The shuttle remains on course.

1519 GMT (11:19 a.m. EDT)
Twenty minutes to go.

1518 GMT (11:18 a.m. EDT)
Atlantis is 234,000 feet up, some 2,200 miles from Edwards Air Force Base.

1517 GMT (11:17 a.m. EDT)
Communications with Atlantis have been established again. Commander Scott Altman says the shuttle is nearing sunrise over the Pacific. "Looks good."

1516 GMT (11:16 a.m. EDT)
Atlantis' trajectory is taking the shuttle just north of the Hawaiian Islands.

1514 GMT (11:14 a.m. EDT)
As predict, communications between Atlantis and the ground has been temporarily lost during this first turn. Contact should be restored in about five minutes.

From Spaceflightnow.com Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

From Spaceflightnow.com Justin Ray.

1534 GMT (11:34 a.m. EDT)
The crew has been given a "go" for normal deployment of the drag chute after main gear touchdown.

1534 GMT (11:34 a.m. EDT)
Now project a touchdown 2,900 feet down the runway.

1533 GMT (11:33 a.m. EDT)
Atlantis remains on course with good energy.

1532 GMT (11:32 a.m. EDT)
Altitude now 81,000 feet, traveling at 1,700 mph.

1532 GMT (11:32 a.m. EDT)
Seven minutes to touchdown. Air data probes are being deployed from the shuttle's nose to feed air speed, altitude and angle of attack information to the computers for navigation.

1531 GMT (11:31 a.m. EDT)
Altitude now 107,000 feet, 140 miles from the runway, traveling at 3,000 mph.

1530 GMT (11:30 a.m. EDT)
Tally ho on Atlantis. Powerful tracking cameras at the landing site have spotted the descending shuttle as it makes the California landfall near Ventura.

1529 GMT (11:29 a.m. EDT)
Altitude now 135,000 feet, 220 miles from the runway, traveling at 4,100 mph.

1529 GMT (11:29 a.m. EDT)
Ten minutes from landing. Space shuttle Atlantis nearing the western coast of the United States. The spacecraft will fly just south of Point Conception and Vandenberg Air Force Base, traverse the Santa Barbara Channel and make landfall near Ventura.
Taking aim at the Edwards Air Force Base complex, the shuttle will pass just south of the runway and then perform the incredibly wide and sweeping 200-degree left-overhead U-turn to align with Runway 22.

1528 GMT (11:28 a.m. EDT)
Now 11 minutes from touchdown. Mission Control computes Atlantis will land 2,600 feet down the runway at 205 knots.

1528 GMT (11:28 a.m. EDT)
The shuttle is 320 miles from the runway.

From Spaceflightnow.com Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

ATLANTIS down safely Wheels Stop.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

A beautiful landing on a beautiful morning in the desert.

I contacted testing to give him a heads up to look; he's likely too far away, but it was worth a shot. He'll let us know how he made out when he gets back tomorrow.

 

[Zipi]

Really nice landing! Too pity they weren't able to land at KSC, but very good ending for an outstanding mission.

 

[bobble_bob]

Typical media. Being negative after a very successful mission :roll:

 

[3488]

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

1643 GMT (12:43 p.m. EDT)
The Crew Transport Vehicle -- a modified airport "People Mover" -- is pulled up to the side hatch for the astronauts to enter. The CTV features beds and comfortable seats for the astronauts to receive medical checks after returning to Earth's gravity from the weightless environment of space.
Atlantis' side hatch was opened at 12:18 p.m. EDT and all seven crew members have egressed the vehicle now. Commander Scott Altman was the final astronaut to climb out of the shuttle at 12:37 p.m. EDT.

1625 GMT (12:25 p.m. EDT)
A comprehensive directory of more than 240 videos from the STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope is posted for Spaceflight Now+Plus users to watch or download. See the full listing here.
You can become a subscriber today!

1618 GMT (12:18 p.m. EDT)
Shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach, speaking at the post-landing news conference, says Endeavour will make its transfer from pad 39B over to pad 39A next Friday night. The payload for the shuttle's construction flight to the space station has been delivered to the pad. That launch is targeted for June 13.
Atlantis' ferryflight back to Kennedy Space Center from Edwards Air Force Base atop a 747 carrier jet will occur in about a week. Arrival back here at the Cape is expected in 8 or 9 days, Leinbach says.

1601 GMT (12:01 p.m. EDT)
Auxiliary Power Units have been deactivated. The three APUs provided the pressure needed to power shuttle's hydraulic systems that moved the wing flaps and rudder/speed brake, dropped the landing gear and turned the nose wheel during today's entry and landing.

1559 GMT (11:59 a.m. EDT)
Here are the landing times in Eastern Daylight Time and Mission Elapsed Time:

Main Gear Touchdown
11:39:05 a.m. EDT
MET: 12 days, 21 hours, 37 minutes, 9 seconds

Nose Gear Touchdown
11:39:15 a.m. EDT
MET: 12 days, 21 hours, 37 minutes, 19 seconds

Wheels Stop
11:40:15 a.m. EDT
MET: 12 days, 21 hours, 38 minutes, 19 seconds.

1558 GMT (11:58 a.m. EDT)
The astronauts were just given permission to remove their entry spacesuits.

1557 GMT (11:57 a.m. EDT)
The main engine nozzles have been moved. That's the last task for the hydraulics following touchdown, so Atlantis' three Auxiliary Power Units can be shut down now.

1553 GMT (11:53 a.m. EDT)
On the runway, technicians are using instruments to "sniff" the shuttle's exterior to check for any hazardous vapors.

1552 GMT (11:52 a.m. EDT)
The main engine nozzles are being repositioned, or gimbaled, to the "rain drain" orientation.

1549 GMT (11:49 a.m. EDT)
And the body flap is being set by pilot Greg Johnson.

1548 GMT (11:48 a.m. EDT)
The pyrotechnics for the crew module hatch, landing gear and drag chute have been safed by the crew.

1547 GMT (11:47 a.m. EDT)
"Houston, Atlantis. Wheels stopped Edwards, 22," commander Scott Altman radioed as he brought Atlantis to a halt.
"Welcome home, Atlantis. Congratulations on a very successful mission giving Hubble a new set of eyes that will continue to expand our knowledge of the universe," the CAPCOM replied from Mission Control.

"Thank you, Houston. It was a thrill from start to finish. We've had a great ride. It took a whole team across the country to pull it off. My hat's off to you all. Thank you so much."

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Atlantis coming in to land at Edwards.

Andrew Brown.