STS-114 Mission Update Thread (Part 2)

[erauskydiver]

Florida Today is reporting that a Sunday launch is a "No-Go" because of the draining of the Fuel Cells.

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

This is a pretty good wrap up (IMHO) of where STS-114 is. I've just taken a few interesting snips, please find the rest of the article on SDC here , it's an interesting read, but theres nothing much there that hasn't been posted on this thread.<br /><br />Discovery's Launch Date Shifts as Engineers Investigate Sensor Glitch<br /><br />By Tariq Malik<br />Staff Writer<br />posted: 14 July 2005<br />5:49 p.m. ET<br /><br />Shuttle engineers are more likely to spend several days troubleshooting Discovery’s external tank fuel sensor system in hopes of isolating the problem, Hale added.<br /><br />In that case the launch could push into early next week, shuttle officials said. While Discovery’s STS-114 astronaut crew – which was strapping into the orbiter when their launch was scrubbed – will stay on at KSC for the time being, they will likely return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center if the liftoff date stretches further out, they added. Discovery must launch by July 31 to make its current launch window. The next opportunity to launch after that runs between Sept. 9-24.<br /><br />Engineers are still unclear whether the fuel sensor glitch resides with the actual sensor itself, the wiring between it and Discovery or the sensor box inside the orbiter that processes the fuel readings. The box does contain transistors that engineers have found faulty in the past, but the malfunction seen Wednesday is not indicative of a transistor failure, shuttle managers said.<br /><br />“The indications are not consistent with what a transistor failure would indicate,” Hale said. “That’s part of the trouble here…if we really thought that was the smoking gun, I think we’d have something to go after.”<br /><br />For now, all troubleshooting plans assume that fixes to Discovery’s ECO sensor system can be made at the pad, with mission managers hoping they will not have to roll the shuttle launch stack back to the 5 <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------- </p><p>Wanna see this site looking like the old SDC uplink?</p><p>Go here to see how: <strong>SDC Eye saver </strong>  </p> </div>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

If you read what engineers have to say you'd already know that. The NASA PR machine has been working overtime with some of the managers to spread out the bad news, and it's really transparent (when speaking to engineers.).<br /><br />This is a UA. They've already taken action on the previous ECO sensor issue on Tanking Test 1, it looked like it worked as it didn't play up on Tanking Test 2, it came back on launch attempt.<br /><br />Way too much downplaying of just how serious this is when it could be anything from the Orbiter avionics box, anywhere on the wiring, or in the ET. <br /><br />I've also noted that there does seem to be some underlying friction between different departments pointing at each other. i.e. ET techs tend to think it's the Orbiter, Orbiter techs tend to point at ET.

 

[erauskydiver]

Oh... I knew it was coming. I just reported Florida Today's article for info. Personally, I dont think this thing is getting off the ground this month. Though, I'd certainly like it to.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Yep I know and all info is welcome <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[Leovinus]

Maybe they should just replace everything and be done with it. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[lunatic133]

This is depressing. There was something wrong this month, and there will be something wrong in September, and in November too. I just have to wonder how long it's going to continue like this before NASA decides to either go ahead and launch, or accept that it's NEVER going to be ready and focus their energy on the CEV. Unfortunately, I don't think either option is politically feasible, but since the only other option is end manned spaceflight, I'd really like them to hurry up and pick one.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

It's bound to be something small and simple. Finding it is another question.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Thanks SG. Silly question time. <br /><br />Are there any affects on a Shuttle being left out on the pad for an amount of time. I'm thinking either the Orbiter outside of the OPF and the ET in the open air?

 

[cyrostir]

I agree<br /><br />these delays just show how much went wrong before columbia, but NASA didn't release any of the info to the public........they should go ahead and face it, the shuttle is obselete..................

 

[farmerman]

I agree Leo, replace everything from wiring, "the box", the sensor, and whatever else is involved. With this type of problem one can search for days.

 

[redgryphon]

From www.spaceflightnow.com:<br /><br /><font color="yellow">Launch of space shuttle Discovery will be delayed until at least "late next week," NASA announced this afternoon. The seven astronauts plan to depart Kennedy Space Center and return to their home base near Houston tonight or tomorrow.</font><br /><br />Next press conference NET 5 pm EST (after the MMT).

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Remember, any internal work on the ET would be a rollback, as it's closed out and can only be worked on in a cleanroom situation (in the VAB).

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Thanks. That's interesting.

 

[redgryphon]

A little more detail from Florida Today<br /><font color="yellow"><br />The agency says a troubleshooting plan being developed today does not appear to require rolling the shuttle back to the Vehicle Assembly Building, a sign liftoff could come during the window ending July 31.<br /><br />NASA plans a news conference no earlier than 5:30 p.m. to announce a detailed troubleshooting plan for the engine cutoff sensor problem that scrubbed Wednesday's scheduled launch.<br /></font>/safety_wrapper>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

That's good info, although I'm not sure what will come from the conference, given I know they are still, right now, building the troubleshooting team and everything seems open for being looked at, including the SSMEs!

 

[redgryphon]

The way I understand it, they will try to close off all those branches of the fault tree that they can at the pad, and only if all of them come up blank will they roll back.<br /><br />The latest story on Spaceflightnow.com suggests the program is looking at extending the window to August 4, with loss of some on orbit imagery of the ET. I think it would be hard for them to rationalize that, after they have emphasized the importance of verification of the ET modifications and the "test" nature of the flight.

 

[abq_farside]

Can somebody provide a good explaination (or link to one) as to why there is no launch window in August. I remember seeing a very short one explaination in a early post but do not really understand why we can lift off in August.<br /><br />Thanks.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em><font size="1" color="#000080">Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be!</font></em></p> </div>

 

[larper]

Off hand, I would guess because there is no ISS orbit on an ascending node over the cape during daylight hours in August. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Vote </font><font color="#3366ff">Libertarian</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

That's what I said, but that's what they noted. Maybe something else, don't know anymore at the moment.

 

[dougbaker]

any idea when the news conference will start?<br />

 

[farmerman]

Hmmmm... back to square one. I've been thinking about the sensor itself. Does the hydrogen come into contact directly with the sensor? or is it mounted to the pipe and measures flow without direct contact with the hydrogen? Could the change in temperature to the sensor cause the sensor to malfunction? Is this the same numbered sensor that caused the problem earlier?

 

[ltm_se]

Is the sensor located in the same area that is chilled down before tanking and do the new heaters cover the outside?<br /><br />

 

[ltm_se]

So nothing has been modified or changed with the, and in the area of the sensors/wires/eletrical boxes in the scope of RTF?

 

[star_sirius]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p> It just finished. Hale said we are 4 days from a launch once the problem is found and fixed. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />That's great but I thought NASA officials said today that Launching is on hold until late next week at the earliest? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="0" color="#10bdee"><strong>A dazzling bluish luminosity from A distant south pacific.</strong></font><p><br /><img id="cb51e87e-8221-424c-8ff2-78c95122196c" src="http://sitelife.livescience.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/11/15/cb51e87e-8221-424c-8ff2-78c95122196c.Large.jpg" alt="blog post photo" /></p> </div>