STS-119 processing

[MeteorWayne]

Just a reminder STS-119 post FRR (Flight Readiness Review) Briefing scheduled for NASA TV NET (No Earlier Than) 2:30 PM EST this afternoon (1930 UT).

 

[MeteorWayne]

FRR is completed, Launch time is official: (12:07 PM release)

NASA managers completed a review today of space shuttle Discovery's readiness for flight and selected the official launch date for the STS-119 mission. Commander Lee Archambault and his six crewmates are now scheduled to lift off to the International Space Station at 9:20 p.m. EDT on March 11.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Just a few quick scibblenotes. Bill Gerstenmair gave huge kudos to the team. At the last FRR he was prepared to just postpone for a while, but the team told him in no uncertain terms they could make the launch.
The poppets in question were examined in great detail using an eddy current technique to verify there are no cracks or even incipient cracks in the parts. Then they went further and examined what the largest pieces that could come off were, very small is the answer. Then they went further and examined the likelyhood of a piece causing damage....also very small. Then they went further to examine whether a worst case event could cause catostrophic damage, and the answer came back no. So everyone is very comfortable that it's time to fly

Future missions, Hubble still on track for May 12, Next ISS mission June 12.

Endeavour is the LON vehicle for this mission with 63 day timeframe, ISS support if needed would be over 90 days.

All in all, it's time to go fly, everyone is on board, so we'll see a countown start late in the weekend!

 

[nimbus]

Future missions, Hubble still on track for May 12, Next ISS mission June 12.

So the Hubble mission isn't cancelled because of the extra orbital debris, after all?

 

[silylene]

NASA has raised the risk of fatal collision with debris was raised 6%, to 1/318.

 

[dragon04]

NASA has raised the risk of fatal collision with debris was raised 6%, to 1/318.

That sounds uncomfortably high.

 

[rubicondsrv]

NASA has raised the risk of fatal collision with debris was raised 6%, to 1/318.

That sounds uncomfortably high.

those are not bad compared to the hubble numbers.

 

[trailrider]

"The poppets in question were examined in great detail using an eddy current technique to verify there are no cracks or even incipient cracks in the parts. Then they went further and examined what the largest pieces that could come off were, very small is the answer. Then they went further and examined the likelyhood of a piece causing damage....also very small. Then they went further to examine whether a worst case event could cause catostrophic damage, and the answer came back no. So everyone is very comfortable that it's time to fly."

O.K., I'll accept that.


petet wrote:
"NASA has raised the risk of fatal collision with debris was raised 6%, to 1/318.

That sounds uncomfortably high."

Question: What are the odds of having a headon, fatal collision driving down U.S. 1 or A1A?

Godspeed, STS119!

Ad LEO! Ad Luna! Ad Ares! Ad Astra!

 

[Zipi]

Nice to see that STS-119 is finally ready for launch and the date has been set. Only a littlebit uncomfortable time to watch here in Finland since it is 2:20AM...

 

[montmein69]

Nice to see that STS-119 is finally ready for launch and the date has been set.

Any idea of what could be the "repair" for the FCV for the next launches ? Some refurbishement like it was done for ST 119 or a more drastic one ? Not easy to decide as the time table until september 2010 is crowded.

My feeling is that NASA, by some aspect is on the way to be hard up (in French the expression is "tirer le diable par la queue" ... that could be translated in "to pull the tail of the devil") but maybe am I too cautious ?

 

[MeteorWayne]

There's a link to a pdf about the FCV here that's informative.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/

Reminder, the Post MMT Pre-Launch News Briefing is at 11 AM EDT this morning, in about 45 minutes, on NASA TV.

 

[MeteorWayne]

The countdown is well underway for the 9:20 PM EDT launch. Currently in the T-27:00:00 hold.

T-27 hours and holding
This is the first built-in hold and typically lasts four hours.
Clear launch pad of all non-essential personnel

When the count resumes, this is next:

T-27 hours and counting
Begin operations to load cryogenic reactants into the orbiter's fuel cell storage tanks


Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:16:09 PM EDT


At the STS-119 mission management's morning news conference, the team reported the weather for launch is looking very good, and there are no technical issues unresolved. The next milestone in Discovery's preparation is fuel cell loading this afternoon at 3 p.m. EDT.

"We had a very short meeting today, which is a record for us for STS-119," said Mission Management Team Chair Mike Moses. "Today we transitioned from readiness to launch ops. We really didn't have that many issues to discuss."

"Yesterday the crew got in on time and are excited to be here. We started the countdown on time and the next major event is fuel cell load this afternoon," added Launch Director Mike Leinbach. "RSS retract is Tuesday night-Wednesday morning. We're not tracking any issues, so the team is anxious to go."

Kathy Winters, shuttle weather officer, gives Discovery a 90 percent chance of good weather for liftoff, and all the transatlantic abort sites will also have favorable weather.

"One nice little touch on the launch this time is that the moon is going to be rising about one hour before launch," said Winters. "So it'll be in the east and it's a full moon, it's a 99-percent moon-illumination night. So it should be a really nice night for a launch and hopefully, you'll get some good snapshots of that."

 

[MeteorWayne]

CSB on NASA TV Now

 

[MeteorWayne]

Real quick notes (time sensitive) on the CSB (Countdown Status Briefing)

All goes well. T-11:00 hold starts at 3 PM EDT; ground comm check begins; 7PM orbital comm check.

Weather still good, 90% go Wednesday and Thursday nights.

All on board reactants loaded, then 300 lbs unloaded since they are not needed, gives more margin for uphill ride; current margin is 1750 lbs.

4:55 AM T-11:00 hold ends, ET tanking scheduled to begin 11:55 AM EDT tomorrow.

More later, I only have limited computer access till after 5 PM.
MW

 

[MeteorWayne]

Some facts about the S6 array being carried up to the ISS on this mission (courtesy of Robby Ashley)

It is the oldest piece of the Solar panels. It was built as the test platform about a decade ago. It has the most road miles going from site to site for testing.

It has been in the payload bay since Jan 17; the doors were close on Jan 21...since then it has been bathed in a dry, temperature controled nitrogen environment.
It began as a qualifying model, and was the first built.

Final weight for the ISS is planned to be 925,000 lbs, with this mission the on orbit weight goes from 76% to 81% of the final weight.

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

Less than 12 hours to go. Really looking forward to this, even re-scheduled my day around this. Hopefully no work related matter pop up to get in the way. See you all around launch time

 

[MeteorWayne]

I'll be here!

 

[arkady]

Seems like a lifetime ago, when I with childish impatience was pondering when the station would be complete. This particular mission holds a special place in my heart. All the best to everyone involved.

 

[CalliArcale]

We should currently be at T minus six hours and holding -- about halfway through this built-in hold. I'll be getting my NASA TV feed up soon. *excited*

 

[MeteorWayne]

We should currently be at T minus six hours and holding -- about halfway through this built-in hold. I'll be getting my NASA TV feed up soon. *excited*

Continuous coverage doesn't start until 4PM

Tanking is scheduled to begin at 11:55 AM.

BTW, launch is currently scheduled at 9:20:14 EDT. (1:20:14 March 12 UT/GMT)

 

[MeteorWayne]

The Mission Management Team met a short time ago and gave approval to begin fueling space shuttle Discovery for tonight's launch. (from Spaceflightnow)

 

[CalliArcale]

We should currently be at T minus six hours and holding -- about halfway through this built-in hold. I'll be getting my NASA TV feed up soon. *excited*

Continuous coverage doesn't start until 4PM

Tanking is scheduled to begin at 11:55 AM.

BTW, launch is currently scheduled at 9:20:14 EDT. (1:20:14 March 12 UT/GMT)

Eh, just as well if coverage doesn't start yet -- I'm having bandwidth issues at work suddenly. *pouts*

T minus 5 hours, 55 minutes and counting!

 

[roocnu]

Fingers and toes crossed, but it all looks pretty favourable so far. Not working any constraints? Weather looks good....

Now, all I have to do is decide how I'm going to watch the launch. NASA TV, CTN Newsnet (up here in Canada), CNN, but since CNN is not the same since Miles O'Brien left I'm also going to check out his new gig at Spaceflightnow.com - they have a webcast from 4.30 EDT.

Countdown clock keeps counting down......

Katrina

 

[MeteorWayne]

My general plan here in the US is that I keep NASA TV running on the computer (since no loud mouthed or ignorant announcers from the networks talk over it) and then watch it live on C-SPAN (if they cover it) or if not that, Fox News Channel. They tend to talk less, and cover it for a longer period of time (usually 5 or more minutes before CNN and MSNBC). However it occurs during Hannity's show tonight, they might decide to not cover the launch. Bloviation might trump scince. NASA TV on my computer runs 30-45 seconds slow, but I prefer their sound.

I was hoping to get a chance to see it out in the sky as it heads up the east coast, but the latest clear sky clock indicates the clouds won't clear till nearly midnight

CNN and MSNBC will also probably cover it live, but I have to keep the sound off, or my screaming at the idiot announcers wakes Ann up

 

[MeteorWayne]

From Spaceflight now:

1827 GMT (2:27 p.m. EDT)

SCRUBBED. A NASA spokesman says today's launch attempt has been scrubbed due to the hydrogen leak. More information to come.

1842 GMT (2:42 p.m. EDT)

NASA spokeswoman Candrea Thomas says there was a leak somewhere around a ground umbilical carrier plate between support equipment and the shuttle. The launch team is draining the liquid hydrogen tank and plan to cycle a valve as part of troubleshooting.

This delay will be at least 24 hours