STS-125 Hubble Repair Mission (Atlantis) [May 2009?]

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MeteorWayne

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<p>Bottom line on the teleconference, the earliest the unit ready for the repair mission will be delivered is April, so the earliest STS 125 mission might be May.</p><p>The flight unit had been partially disassembled in support of previous missions to put parts on an engineering unit.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It will take plenty of testing to make sure it's ready, meanwhile Hubble is back on line, so there's no rush, other than the downstream effects on the ARES/Constellation fufture, but we knew tose dates were going to slide anyway, so I see it as a good tradeoff.</p> <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>
 
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emerrill

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>So from the posting over at TFT, they are saying that the destack would (will) be a complete disassembly of the stack... is that correct? They are saying it would be because the SRBs have been in the stacked config too long, and to hand over the MLP to the Constellation program for Ares 1X. Do the SRB segments (a 'fueled' segment, not the casing) become completely unusable after some amount of time, or do they just have to be 'reconditioned' in some way before they can be restacked? Also, is there something special about the MLP that the current stack is on, that Ares 1X needs that one instead of the currently unoccupied one (or have they stated stacking for STS-119 - I saw it was moved into high bay 1 when I was there a few weeks ago)? Article here: http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/space/2008/10/listen-watch-live-hubble-faces-delay.shtml <br /> Posted by emerrill</DIV></p><p>Well I guess the disassembly of the SRBs was incorrect. Based on the notes if seen from the STS-126 press conf, OV-104 will be destacked, and OV-103 will be attached for STS-119 in Febuary. After STS-119 is off the pad, the MLP will be turned over to Constellation. </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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trailrider

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Well I guess the disassembly of the SRBs was incorrect. Based on the notes if seen from the STS-126 press conf, OV-104 will be destacked, and OV-103 will be attached for STS-119 in Febuary. After STS-119 is off the pad, the MLP will be turned over to Constellation. <br />Posted by emerrill</DIV></p><p>By turning over the MLP to Constellation do you mean they will start modifying SLC39B?&nbsp; How can they do that prior to the Hubble mission?&nbsp; Don't they still need the STS-400 capability?</p>
 
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thor06

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Bottom line on the teleconference, the earliest the unit ready for the repair mission will be delivered is April, so the earliest STS 125 mission might be May.The flight unit had been partially disassembled in support of previous missions to put parts on an engineering unit.&nbsp;It will take plenty of testing to make sure it's ready, meanwhile Hubble is back on line, so there's no rush, other than the downstream effects on the ARES/Constellation fufture, but we knew tose dates were going to slide anyway, so I see it as a good tradeoff. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>Thanks for the update MW,</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Glad to hear Hubble is OK, and I agree, and agree. </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> <font color="#0000ff">                           www.watchnasatv.com</font></p><p>                          ONE PERCENT FOR NASA! </p> </div>
 
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bpcooper

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>By turning over the MLP to Constellation do you mean they will start modifying SLC39B?&nbsp; How can they do that prior to the Hubble mission?&nbsp; Don't they still need the STS-400 capability? <br /> Posted by trailrider</DIV></p><p>The MLP is the Mobile Launch Platform, which the shuttle sits on during launch and is carried to and from the VAB on the crawler. There are three of them; they want to use MLP-1 for the transition, and that is what is currently being used for 125 turned 119. So after 119 launches they can work on that. But the pad itself will wait until after 125 has launched. </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>
 
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shuttle_guy

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>The MLP is the Mobile Launch Platform, which the shuttle sits on during launch and is carried to and from the VAB on the crawler. There are three of them; they want to use MLP-1 for the transition, and that is what is currently being used for 125 turned 119. So after 119 launches they can work on that. But the pad itself will wait until after 125 has launched. <br />Posted by bpcooper</DIV></p><p>The destack of the Orbiter from what will become the STS-119 ET/SRB stack is now set for one week from today pending management direction.</p><p>We are hearing (hall way rumor) that the spare avionic boxes need to be rebuilt and that the best way to do that is to build all new boxes using the latest proven technology. This will take months.</p><p><br /><br />&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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shuttle_guy

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<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">Oct. 30, 2008</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">RELEASE: 08-280</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">NASA MANAGERS DELAY HUBBLE SERVICING MISSION</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">WASHINGTON -- NASA managers have announced that they will not meet a </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">February 2009 launch date for the fifth and final shuttle mission to </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">the Hubble Space Telescope. The decision comes after engineers </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">completed assessments of the work needed to get a second data </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">handling unit for the telescope ready to fly. The unit will replace </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">one that failed on Hubble in late September, causing the agency to </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">postpone the servicing mission, which had been targeted for Oct. 14. </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">"We now have done enough analysis of all the things that need to </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">happen with the flight spare unit to know that we cannot be ready for </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">a February launch," said NASA's Astrophysics Division Director Jon </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">Morse at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The February date was an </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">initial estimate, assuming minimal hardware preparations and test </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">durations that are no longer viewed as realistic. We've communicated </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">our assessment to the Space Shuttle Program so it can adjust </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">near-term plans. We will work closely with the Shuttle Program to </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">develop details for a new launch opportunity." </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">"Getting ourselves in a position to be ready to launch the Hubble </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">mission will involve many steps, and a significant one took place </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">earlier today," said Hubble Program Manager Preston Burch at NASA's </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "We held a flight </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">certification peer review meeting where every aspect for doing this </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">effort -- the inspections needed, all the tests to be conducted, the </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">certification process and the final flight preparations -- was </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">examined. The conclusion was that we indeed have a very good plan in </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">place." </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">The Hubble flight spare, known as the Science Instrument Command and </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">Data Handling system, has been at Goddard since it was originally </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">delivered as a back-up system in 1991. The unit currently is </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">undergoing testing and examination to identify and correct any </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">problems. That work will continue until mid-December. </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">The unit will then undergo environmental assessments that include </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">electro-magnetic interference checks, vibration tests, and extended </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">time in a thermal vacuum chamber. Environmental testing is </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">anticipated to run from mid-December to early March 2009. Final </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">testing will be conducted on the unit, and delivery to NASA's Kennedy </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">Space Center in Florida is expected in early April. </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">"The equipment we are dealing with has a flight-proven design," said </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">Burch." The original unit on Hubble ran for more than 18 years. We </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">have a lot of spare parts if we encounter problems, and we have most </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">of the same test equipment that was used with the original unit. We </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">also have a lot of experience on our Hubble electrical replica, which </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">uses the engineering model data handling unit." </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">The vast majority of the flight hardware, tools and support equipment </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">that will be used during the mission will be stored at Kennedy. A </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">small amount of new work such as re-lubricating the latches on the </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">Soft Capture Mechanism and testing the motors on the Flight Support </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">System will be conducted. The Wide Field Camera 3 will remain in its </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">carrier. The Cosmic Origins Spectrograph is in a special </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">double-layered purge system in its shipping container to help support </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">its environmental needs. The new batteries to be installed during the </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">mission are in cold storage at Goddard and will be returned to </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">Kennedy in 2009. </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">In the meantime, science observations on Hubble that had been </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">suspended continue to move toward standard operations. The current </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">primary camera on the telescope, the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2, </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">was brought back online. On Wednesday, calibration images with the </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">Advanced Camera for Surveys' Solar Blind Channel were completed. </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">Regular science observations resumed Thursday, and the first science </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">image from the camera was released. </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:'CourierNew'">&nbsp;</span> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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shuttle_guy

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<p>Orbiter destack and roll to OPF Bay 1 is now scheduled for Monday Nov. 10th.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p>Status Report</p><p>Science observations using Hubble&rsquo;s Wide Field Camera 2 and the Advanced Camera for Surveys&rsquo; Solar Blind Channel began last week, and a full schedule of observations are planned for this week. <br /><br />Hubble engineers remain on track to restart the NICMOS cryocooler around mid-November.<br /><br />Hubble engineers completed initial testing on Side B of the spare Science Instrument Command and Data Handling (SI/C&DH) system, currently in the cleanroom at NASA&rsquo;s Goddard Space Flight Center. Over the weekend the team continued troubleshooting the intermittent problem with Side A. <br /></p> <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>
 
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Testing

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Status ReportScience observations using Hubble&rsquo;s Wide Field Camera 2 and the Advanced Camera for Surveys&rsquo; Solar Blind Channel began last week, and a full schedule of observations are planned for this week. Hubble engineers remain on track to restart the NICMOS cryocooler around mid-November.Hubble engineers completed initial testing on Side B of the spare Science Instrument Command and Data Handling (SI/C&DH) system, currently in the cleanroom at NASA&rsquo;s Goddard Space Flight Center. Over the weekend the team continued troubleshooting the intermittent problem with Side A. <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>In the STS 126 post launch news conference the question of status of the at Goddard flight spare box was raised. Current status is the ground spare is a better unit than what is on HST at this time and will have a good shot at a May launch.&nbsp; Next status report December.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p>Not much info but pretty pictures of the processing of the -2 unit being prepared for launch on STS-125:</p><p>http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/servicing/SM4/news/SIC_and_DH_20081117.html</p> <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>
 
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shuttle_guy

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<p>The planning date for the launch is May 12th. There shoul be an update in 2 weeks as to&nbsp;how the checkout of the replacement avionics is going</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>The planning date for the launch is May 12th. There shoul be an update in 2 weeks as to&nbsp;how the checkout of the replacement avionics is going <br />Posted by shuttle_guy</DIV><br /><br />Official Announcement:</p><p><span class="bold">RELEASE : 08-320</span> </p><p><span class="bold">NASA Sets Target Shuttle Launch Date for Hubble Servicing Mission </span></p><p>HOUSTON -- NASA announced Thursday that space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope is targeted to launch May 12, 2009. <br /><br />The final servicing mission to Hubble was delayed in September when a data handling unit on the telescope failed. Since then, engineers have been working to prepare a spare for flight. They expect to be able to ship the spare, known as the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling System, to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in spring 2009. <br /><br />STS-125 is an 11-day flight featuring five spacewalks to extend Hubble's life into the next decade by refurbishing and upgrading the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments and swapping failed hardware. Scott Altman will command STS-125, with Gregory C. Johnson serving as pilot. Mission specialists are veteran spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Mike Massimino, and first-time space fliers Andrew Feustel, Michael Good and Megan McArthur. <br /><br />The manifest has been adjusted to reflect current planning. The next space shuttle mission, STS-119, is targeted for launch on Feb. 12, 2009. Preparations continue for the STS-127 mission, currently targeted for launch in May 2009. That launch will be further assessed and coordinated with NASA's international partners at a later date. STS-128 is targeted for August 2009, and STS-129 is targeted for November 2009. All target launch dates are subject to change. <br /><br />The shuttle launch manifest is available at: <br /></p><p align="center">http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/iss_manifest.html </p><p><br />For more information&nbsp;about the Hubble repair mission, visit: <br /></p><p align="center">http://www.nasa.gov/hubble </p> <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>
 
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MeteorWayne

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I think we should scuttle the Hubble..&nbsp; <br />Posted by kevin_space_001</DIV><br /><br />There are few who agree with you (though surely some) it is still the premier space telescope in existence and can make observations no other tool can. With the completed repair mission it can give us another decade of it's unique observations. <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>
 
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shuttle_guy

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The Orbiter processing is proceeding with no problems. Very little work remains before the March 26th roll over to the VAB. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>The Orbiter processing is proceeding with no problems. Very little work remains before the March 26th roll over to the VAB. <br />Posted by shuttle_guy</DIV></p><p>Hopefully, the payload will be ready when the Shuttle is. I'm sure the astronauts will be by then.</p> <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>
 
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shuttle_guy

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hopefully, the payload will be ready when the Shuttle is. I'm sure the astronauts will be by then. <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>We have not heard any official reports on the status of the Hubble replacement avionics boxes however un-officially we heard that they are&nbsp;"<span class="307235115-22012009"><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#0000ff">'proceeding on schedule'".</font></span></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>We have not heard any official reports on the status of the Hubble replacement avionics boxes however un-officially we heard that they are&nbsp;"'proceeding on schedule'". <br />Posted by shuttle_guy</DIV><br /><br />Thanx for the update, such as it is... ;) <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>
 
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shuttle_guy

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<font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">With preparations for the Feb. 12 launch of shuttle Discovery on a space station assembly mission in high gear, NASA managers met today and agreed to press ahead with plans to launch the shuttle Atlantis as early as May 12 on a final mission to service and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. </font></font><p style="margin-top:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">More at: </font></p><p style="margin-top:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts125/090122pads/</font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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shuttle_guy

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<p>Notes on the&nbsp;program status:</p><strong><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">STS-125</span></font></strong><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">:&nbsp; (Hubble) Hardware still has 4 to 6 weeks of schedule margin.&nbsp; Mitigation plans are in place for issues that may arise during testing.&nbsp; Everything looks good for the 5/12/09 launch.&nbsp; In mid-March, the Program will decide whether to use single or dual pad operations for STS-125 / 400.&nbsp; Ares 1-X believes they are still capable of making the 7/11/09 launch date.&nbsp; They&nbsp;have a number of critical deliveries scheduled for late February / early March.&nbsp; The status of these deliveries will be used&nbsp;to determine whether&nbsp;they can meet the 7/11/09 launch date and also will support the single&nbsp;-vs- dual pad resolution.</span></font><strong><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">STS-127</span></font></strong><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">: CR S042013HT&nbsp;is out for review to move the launch to 6/13/09.&nbsp; This CR will also move STS-130 to 2/4/10.&nbsp; The CR is scheduled to go to PRCB for approval on 2/19/09.&nbsp; STS-127 is the LON for STS-119.</span></font> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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rocketwatcher2001

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Notes on the&nbsp;program status:STS-125:&nbsp; (Hubble) Hardware still has 4 to 6 weeks of schedule margin.&nbsp; Mitigation plans are in place for issues that may arise during testing.&nbsp; Everything looks good for the 5/12/09 launch.&nbsp; In mid-March, the Program will decide whether to use single or dual pad operations for STS-125 / 400.&nbsp; Ares 1-X believes they are still capable of making the 7/11/09 launch date.&nbsp; They&nbsp;have a number of critical deliveries scheduled for late February / early March.&nbsp; The status of these deliveries will be used&nbsp;to determine whether&nbsp;they can meet the 7/11/09 launch date and also will support the single&nbsp;-vs- dual pad resolution.STS-127: CR S042013HT&nbsp;is out for review to move the launch to 6/13/09.&nbsp; This CR will also move STS-130 to 2/4/10.&nbsp; The CR is scheduled to go to PRCB for approval on 2/19/09.&nbsp; STS-127 is the LON for STS-119. <br />Posted by shuttle_guy</DIV><br /></p><p>I noticed the other day that 39B had new lightning towers.&nbsp; </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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shuttle_guy

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I noticed the other day that 39B had new lightning towers.&nbsp; <br />Posted by rocketwatcher2001</DIV></p><p>Yes the third and final one is going up now. These towers are for Ares 1 (not Ares 1X, however they my be for Ares 1X if the 1X launch slips to the fall)</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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rocketwatcher2001

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Yes the third and final one is going up now. These towers are for Ares 1 (not Ares 1X, however they my be for Ares 1X if the 1X launch slips to the fall) <br />Posted by shuttle_guy</DIV><br /><br />Thanks.&nbsp; I guess the Ares 1X will use the lighning tower that is already installed on the top of the existing shuttle tower?&nbsp; I never really thought about how they work, I just thought that they worked simply by being the tallest thing sticking up, but I guess there is more to it than that. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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shuttle_guy

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Thanks.&nbsp; I guess the Ares 1X will use the lighning tower that is already installed on the top of the existing shuttle tower?&nbsp; ..............Posted by rocketwatcher2001</DIV></p><p>The existing tower on top of the launch pad Fixed Survice Structure (FSS)&nbsp;is planned to be raised up by adding a tower extension for the one flight od the Ares 1X. However that extensionhas not been installed because the pad has not been released by the Shuttle program. The final use of the Shuttle for pad B is the rescue mission for STS-125 (Hubble rescue).&nbsp; If the Program decides to use Pad A for the Hubble launch and the rescue mission the extension will be installed on pad B.</p><p>The three&nbsp;large towers&nbsp;going up are away from&nbsp;Pad B and are not a constraint to Shuttle ops from pad B.</p><p>If Ares 1X slips to the fall the 3 tower config will be ready to support Ares 1X and Ares 1 and the FSS tower extension will not be used.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;"I never really thought about how they work, I just thought that they worked simply by being the tallest thing sticking up, but I guess there is more to it than that. "</p><p>&nbsp;You are essentially correct. However there is much more to the system than the tower or towers. There is instrumentation to measure the lighting strike intensity as well as cables to&nbsp;increase the effectivity of the tower or towers.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>BTW: when are you moving your airplane to DunnAirpark?<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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