STS-114 Mission Update Thread (Part 2)

[emerrill]

"Come down early and pickup one of our beach bunnies at Shuttles bar."<br /><br />LOL. I think my wife would be... displeased <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[emerrill]

TS Franklin:<br />http://uplink.space.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=forces_nature&Number=283323&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=<br /><br />Opinions everyone?<br /><br />-eric <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bpcooper]

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT06/refresh/AL0605W5+gif/211317W_sm.gif <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[bpcooper]

I am sure it won't affect us, but I can't help think about outlying cloud cover. Hopefully it will be far enough.<br /><br />They have already made the decision following a meeting this afternoon not to make roll preps. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[sabby223]

"LOL. I think my wife would be... displeased"<br /><br />Nah, go for it! <br /><br />Q: After a launch, would one expect to see any of the STS-114 engineers or scientists at Shuttles?

 

[erauskydiver]

There usually are people eating there from KSC anyways since it is one of the closest eateries to KSC... other than the cafeteria. LOL, that place smelled like a urinal mint last weekend.

 

[bpcooper]

ERAU skydiver, check your messages ("my home" at top). I sent you one. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[emerrill]

If the delta iv gives up the range (from what I see, they have it from the 28th-31st? ), and the shuttle goes up the 26th, will they be able to get the range back, and get off in that window?<br /><br />Thanks<br />-eric <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bpcooper]

The Delta 4 will not interfere with the Shuttle. The Shuttle gets priority on the range for this flight and then next due to the windows.<br /><br />If Shuttle slips to the 27th, Delta is NET the 29th; and so on... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[emerrill]

"If Shuttle slips to the 27th, Delta is NET the 29th; and so on..."<br /><br />Ok, so the Delta can launch 2 days after the shuttle? (am i reading that right?) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bpcooper]

Yea, if the Shuttle goes Tuesday, GOES will go Thursday as it stands (pun intended). <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[bpcooper]

Rollover of Atlantis is now 9am Friday "pending weather decisions", as of 9:35 tonight.<br /><br />http://www.sfwmd.gov/org/omd/ops/weather/plots/storm_06.gif <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[robot_pilot]

>If we launch on the 26th the range needs 2 days to reconfigure<br /> />for the Delta. So they should be OK. If we do a 24 hr scrub that<br /> />will impact the Delta due to the time required for the range to<br /> />reconfigure. <br /><br />Was there anything else scheduled for the ETR in the near future that might be impacted by several shuttle turnarounds?<br /><br /> />The standard operation is a vehicle gets to trys then he must<br /> />stand down for the next guy who will get 2 tries. However the<br /> />Shuttle Launch Direct may beable to talk the payload rep on<br /> />the Delta into giving the Shuttle some extra time.<br /><br />We were given a schedule of days to be available to work the launch... this is from memory, but I'm 99% sure these are the launch opportunities that NASA management is giving us:<br /><br />Tuesday, July 26<br />Wednesday, July 27<br />Thursday, July 28<br />Friday, July 29<br />Sunday, July 31<br /><br />We would use all these dates in the event of 24-hour turnarounds (weather scrubs and the like). I've never seen such an ambitious plan before, they usually won't try more than three days in a row before having a 48-hour turnaround (i.e. to give launch support personnel a break). However, it's been so long since I've worked a launch (STS-107 was the last, and that was 2-1/2 years ago) that I don't remember the rule for that.<br /><br />I am nearly certain that the Space Shuttle has priority over the Delta IV launch... also, they want to give the shuttle every possible opportunity since we can't launch at night (a constraint that does not apply to either Delta or Atlas).<br /><br />Is this not the case?

 

[robot_pilot]

>TS Franklin: <br />[link deleted]<br /> /><br /> />Opinions everyone? <br /><br />It's going to make a beeline for Pensacola. ;^)<br /><br />I feel really terrible for the folks there, they've had the lion's share of named storms the past few years. And Huntsville always seems to get the aftermath (just as long as no monster tornadoes are spurned, I'm happy).<br /> <br />Seriously though, I'm hoping Franklin is long gone (out to sea) before Tuesday... I don't want to have to try out that ambitious plan because of yet ANOTHER TS or hurricane.

 

[emerrill]

"Tuesday, July 26 <br />Wednesday, July 27 <br />Thursday, July 28 <br />Friday, July 29 <br />Sunday, July 31 "<br /><br />You have one too many days<br />Its 26, 27, 29, 31. They will replenish one of the fuel cell consumables on the 28th, and the other on the 30th. At least that is what they said yesterday.<br /><br />-eric<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bpcooper]

FYI, The 11pm model has changed radically for the better! It's now going off to the NE, no loop. <br /><br />Very unlikely to come towards the coast the NWS says, "despite those two models, very unlikely."<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[bpcooper]

There is no competition with Delta 4 for next week. Despite what they say about negotiating, I can assure you that the Boeing team has said no problem for the Shuttle. Remember, GOES is a part-NASA payload anyway.<br /><br />The rule in the past was two tries, then give the team a rest before trying again on Shuttle. One time in shuttle history, STS-101, they tried three times in a row. After day three they had to wait three weeks because of three ELV launches.<br /><br />And thus, in the past and normal flights, ELVs would stick to their place before the Shuttle tried again. But for 114 and 121, with such short windows, they won't. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[bpcooper]

Much nicer:<br /><br />http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT06/refresh/AL0605W5_sm2+gif/031313W_sm.gif<br /><br />I won't refer to the weather on this topic further, unless it impacts the launch later on. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[drwayne]

"I feel really terrible for the folks there, they've had the lion's share of named storms the past few years. And Huntsville always seems to get the aftermath (just as long as no monster tornadoes are spurned, I'm happy)."<br /><br />I used to live in Huntsville, before I moved to Navarre in 2000. If this keeps up, I may be moving back.<br /><br />SG, glad to hear you have a "main squeeze" - these days with my allergies, I mostly have a "main sneeze"<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Super <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <br /><br />Why there is ZERO NASA TV coverage of this is beyond me.

 

[ltm_se]

"OV-104 (Atlantis) has (finally) left the building (OPF-bay 1)"<br /><br />How many concurrent shuttle matings can the VAB support at the same time? During apollo one of the four bays was used for storage. If it is the same for the shuttles, has all 3 active bays in the VAB been used at the same time, mating/preparing 3 orbiters?

 

[emerrill]

"How many concurrent shuttle matings can the VAB support at the same time? During apollo one of the four bays was used for storage. If it is the same for the shuttles, has all 3 active bays in the VAB been used at the same time, mating/preparing 3 orbiters?"<br /><br />Ive been told that in the past there have been at least 2 stacked shuttles in the VAB at once. But I'm not sure about that. SG?<br /><br />-Eric <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[ltm_se]

"We can have 3 shuttle stacks in the VAB. The 2 integration bays and bay 4 for a stack hiding from a Hurricane."<br /><br />But to access bay 4 you need to crawl the loop to the other side of the VAB? And there is no crawlerway to access bay 2?

 

[emerrill]

"But to access bay 4 you need to crawl the loop to the other side of the VAB? And there is no crawlerway to access bay 2?"<br /><br />looking at:<br />http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=28.588250,-80.650828&spn=0.010784,0.014208&t=k&hl=en<br /><br />It does appear that there is no crawlerway to the north-west bay.<br /><br />-eric <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[najab]

I'm gonna split this thread while it's quiet!