S
shuttle_guy
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<font size="2"><p>The Agency has made the decision to delay the STS-125/HST mission to no earlier than May</p><p>2009, and fly STS-119/15A as scheduled February 12, 2009. Atlantis will</p><p>be destacked and Discovery mated to the STS-125 Tank and SRBs. This is</p><p>being done to free up mobile launch platform (MLP) 1 for the</p><p>Constellation Program as they prepare to launch Ares 1X next summer.</p><p>Flying STS-119/15A with the STS-125 stack increase the STS-119 ascent</p><p>performance margin (APM) by ~800 pounds, which is a very welcomed gain</p><p>which will ensure we fly with a full middeck while maintaining our 5</p><p>minute launch window. </p><p>With the slip to May of the STS-125/HST mission, the STS-119 team is no</p><p>longer responsible for protecting the STS-401 launch on need (LON)</p><p>rescue mission in February. An FIDP will be signed today stopping work</p><p>on the STS-401 Flight Design and Flight Software product development.</p><p>STS-119 is still responsible for the LON rescue operations of STS-126</p><p>should that become necessary; projected launch date for the STS-126 LON</p><p>mission is February 8. </p><p>Upcoming Major Milestones: </p><p>Crew Compartment Configuration Manifest Freeze Point November 14 Crew</p><p>Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) November 21-22 Discovery payload bay</p><p>door close December 5</p><p>S6 final element closeout complete early December Payload Readiness</p><p>Review December 16</p><p>OPF rollout January 5 </p><p>The STS-119/15A Team has done an outstand job getting the flight</p><p>hardware, flight products, flight and ground control teams ready to fly</p><p>the mission. There's still work to be done prior to flight, which is</p><p>now only 104 day away, but the team has met and overcome the many</p><p>obstacles and challenges along the way with great fortitude. Soon all</p><p>eyes will turn to STS-119/20A as we make the final push to fly the last</p><p>major component of the ISS Power Generation system, a critical component</p><p>to meeting NASAs ISS Science Goals and Objectives. </p></font> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>