STS-115 Status - Part II

[SpaceKiwi]

Crew's up, Flight Day 2. Moon River was the ditty of choice for wake-up, and moves into an early lead for the naffest tune played on orbit this mission.<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[lysol]

I was out on the gun range today training the grunts and i looked at the horizion and then looked up at a blue sky and thought about the type of horizion the crew is looking at right now.<br /><br />

 

[lysol]

oooh oohh What manuever with ISS!!!! 15:30:37!<br /><br />250,108pds<br /><br /><br />Both OMS!<br /><br />Delta V 51.5 ft/sec<br />TOG 33sec!<br />171 nm orbit!<br /><br />So basically this is how i figure whats happening...STS is catching up to ISS in a lower and faster orbit. Thier inc. is already aligned. So they just need to do a burn to raise thier orbit up for RDV with ISS. Kill the additional drift and dock....piece of cake.<br /><br />God i love this crap...I could dock the shuttle from here.

 

[scottb50]

Sure you could or anyone could. It's not magic, it's math. I just wish I could understand it completely, like Spaceter does, instead of conceptually. I can see the big picture but the numbers elude me. <br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[SpaceKiwi]

I'm not sure who the NASA commentator is right now, but he just walked us though the OMS burn on a console screen. I've never seen that done before by a commentator. Normally they'll tell you what's going on in general terms, but I've certainly never seen a console screen like that. He showed where all the figures plug in, what each figure refers to, what the actual figures are for this upcoming burn.<br /><br />Really interesting stuff, I hope he gets plenty of commentary time! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[llivinglarge]

How long until Endeavour is flight-worthy again?

 

[llivinglarge]

S_G, I was referring to how the maintenance is coming along...

 

[brellis]

good call to watch NASA-TV instead of anchor-babble. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[paul_bacon]

These inspections they do of the shuttle's heat shield tiles, how long are they planning on doing them for? Will they continue to do them until the shuttle retires, or just until the get comfortable about the reliability of the tiles

 

[erioladastra]

"These inspections they do of the shuttle's heat shield tiles, how long are they planning on doing them for? Will they continue to do them until the shuttle retires, or just until the get comfortable about the reliability of the tiles "<br /><br />Most probably. Currently that is the thinking. Even after we install the Columbus and JEM modules they are developing the mini boom since if we need to inspect after docking the OBSS won't reach. I think the open question is still the late inspection (done either just before undock or just after undock) for orbital debris hits.

 

[halman]

shuttle_guy,<br /><br />I am curious when the last time the U. S. had a woman on a spacewalk was? It surely is a good thing that comm does not have to use Heidimarie's full name, I would say.<br /><br />During these long spacewalks, do the astronauts have sugar water, or some other thing that they can consume to keep their energy up? I have heard that they really burn up the calories while spacewalking. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> The secret to peace of mind is a short attention span. </div>

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

Docking in progress! <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>

 

[SpaceKiwi]

Docking complete, leak checks complete, just pressurising the vestibule now. Hatches open in the next 15 or so. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[SpaceKiwi]

Interesting to see Pam Melroy on CapCom duties. You'd think a Shuttle Commander had better things to do, and they'd leave that work to the rookie Astronauts. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[astrowikizhang]

The max-Q happens on T+48sec this time. If I am right, most missions experience that on around T+60sec. Does that mean STS-115 flight profile calls for a very fast initial ascent because of the heavy payload?

 

[paul_bacon]

Was just looking at the missions ahead for the shuttle right up until it retires in 2010. Seems its a very ambitious plan, and if anything goes wrong technically (almost like this mission), it could seriously effect the finishing of the ISS.<br /><br />Whats the backup plan incase something happens to delay or ground the shuttle. Is the retirement date of 2010 flexible, or once that date comes do you just leave the ISS as it is?

 

[rybanis]

I was out of town this weekend for a wedding, so I didn't get to see the launch.<br /><br /><br />However, Youtube comes in handy. Congrats on a great launch, and lets hope the truss attachment goes well <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[flynn]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>However note that the STS-115 delays did not impact the next launches at all.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

ROTFLMAO<br /><br />That audio feedback loop cracked me up.<br /><br />I had two thoughts, one of the infinite images when you are between two mirrors, and the other of Jon Luc Picard singing the french rounds in the turbolift with the kids.<br /><br />Ain't technology wonderful? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[bobw]

The crew just got the wake-up song so we've got space trolley, robot arm, and SPACEWALK tonight! <br /><br />Edit:<br />Two hours later-- the P3/P4 truss is moving now. NASA TV had some pretty tough camera angles with intense blooming on every shiny surface. TDRS switchover left us with those great computer graphics, I could tell what was going on a lot better. Things look pretty good now on the new TDRS downlink. (maybe that was a slow scan shot; it doesn't look like they are really in the new TDRS zone yet.)<br /><br />There was some discussion about moving the suit-up time line ahead. It was decided that things would be OK for helmets on in about an hour.<br /><br />The blooming is back in the angle with the shuttle arm now. I hate it when that happens <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bobw]

Oh WoW! Great new camera angle from above the trolley. The truss is almost ready to bolt.. You people are going to be really sorry if you missed that view. <br /><br />Edit:<br />They are letting the vibrations dampen out now. It looked like they were showing some computer vision related software showing the dots on the trusses.<br /><br />3:03 AM EDT<br />The crew is re-configuring the Artificial Visual Unit for the move to the Ready To Latch position.<br />They said "it doesn't look like the motion will allow for the circles to overlap" or something like that and are going for manual acquisition. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bobw]

It sounds like manual acquisition has locked up most of the dots now. <br />Helmet donning is on hold pending robotics.<br />Space Vision System is working OK now after re-configuring some synch signals.<br />Donning helmets. Spacewalk to start in about 45 minutes. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bobw]

Brakes off, hand mode, pressing in to 30 centimeters. <br />Super clear NASA TV now. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bobw]

30cm and holding. Instruments indicate a "Y axis error" Steve is correcting it manually.<br />Everything OK pressing in to 6cm. Ahead of schedule <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bobw]

3 Ready to Latch indicators gone green at 7cm. Dual redundant microswitches on each probe. Only one probe required for driving latches.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>