STS-127 Prelaunch Thread,July 11 7:39 PM EDT

[scottb50]

Re: STS-127 Pre Launch Thread -- June 13 ppd

The tanking test went very well, however if I had had a vote it would have been to go for the launch. It is expensive to do a tanking test, it damages the tank foam (loading then draining causes the foam to form cracks and somtimes worse damage is caused), and the tanking test exposes the program to the loss of the vehicle due to a on pad explosion or fire.

I'm not real sure exactly where the leaking fitting is located, but unless there is somewhere for Hydrogen gas to collect, in large quantities and I can't imagine that was a design consideration. Once free, Hydrogen atoms disperse rather rapidly, and would be unlikely to ignite.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: STS-127 Pre Launch Thread -- June 13 ppd

Well, however confined it was, the max level allowed is 4% hydrogen (40,000 ppm) and during both leak events it exceeded 6%. After the repair it was 0.0012% (12 ppm)

MW

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: STS-127 Pre Launch Thread -- June 13 ppd

Pre Launch Schedule, all times EDT (UT/GMT - 4 hours)



All briefings are held inside the Kennedy News Center auditorium and will be carried live on NASA Television unless otherwise noted.

L-4 Days - Tuesday, July 7

2 p.m - Crew arrival

L-3 Days - Wednesday, July 8

10 a.m. - Countdown Status Briefing
- Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, NASA test director
- Kathy Winters, shuttle weather officer

10 p.m. - Launch countdown officially begins (not on NASA TV)

L-2 Days - Thursday, July 9

10 a.m. - Countdown Status Briefing
- Steve Payne, NASA test director
- Scott Higginbotham, payload manager
- shuttle weather officer

L-1 Day - Friday, July 10

11 a.m. (no earlier than) - Prelaunch News Conference
- Mike Moses, chair, Mission Management Team
- Pete Nickolenko, shuttle launch director
- JAXA representative
- Kathy Winters, shuttle weather officer

1 p.m. - Ares I-X Stacking Vehicle Assembly Building Media Event (not on NASA TV)

11 p.m. - Rotating Service Structure begins move to launch position

Launch Day - Saturday, July 11

10 a.m. - Fueling commentary begins

Approx. 10:14 a.m. - Fueling begins (not on NASA TV)

2:30 p.m. - Live launch commentary begins

Crew Activities: (times may vary slightly)
8:45 a.m. -- Crew wakes up (not on NASA TV)
3:09 p.m. -- Weather briefing (commander, pilot and mission specialist 2) (not on NASA TV)
3:19 p.m. -- Astronauts don flight suits
3:49 p.m. -- Depart for launch pad
4:19 p.m. -- Arrive at White Room and begin to board Endeavour
5:34 p.m. -- Close crew hatch

7:39 p.m. -- Launch

Launch + 1 hour - Post-launch News Conference
- Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Representative
- Canadian Space Agency Representative
- Mike Moses, chair, Mission Management Team
- Pete Nickolenko, STS-127 shuttle launch director

 

[MeteorWayne]

L-3 CSB (Countdown Status Briefing)

Working no issues. Call to stations 9:30 PM tonight for pickup of the countdown at 10 PM.

Launch weather:

Only 40% Go Saturday, 60% Sunday, 70% Monday. Problem would be Thunderstorms within the pad area, or anvils from TRW's to west overhead.

All 3 days, 2 Good CONUS abort sites, 3 good TAL sites.

MW

 

[MeteorWayne]

L-2 CSB.

No change to weather from yesterday, still 40% go Saturday, 60% SUnday, 70% Monday.

There will be a few satellite releases after undocking, 2 picosats (very small satellites...will try and find out the sizes) one from U of Texas and one from Texas A&M....perhaps they will smash each other in the head, though I'm sure that's not the goal

Also a DOD sat called DragonSat (Hmmmmm) will release two smaller beach ball sized sats called Castor and Pollux (the Gemini Twins) to investigate the dynamics of the atmosphere.

Also carried up will be some spare parts to be stored for future use such as a spare KU band antenna (no HAL to use it for nefarious purposes) and a spare pump module for the cooling system.

MW

 

[roocnu]

Flying down to Florida from Toronto tomorrow night, can't get any time off work so I just have 2 opportunities to see launch: Saturday and Sunday. I also flew down last month for the last attempt, so I am really hoping they find a window in the weather to get the vehicle off the ground!

Katrina

 

[MeteorWayne]

I wish you good luck!!

 

[MeteorWayne]

Prelaunch News Conference next on NASA TV.

 

[MeteorWayne]

L-1 News Conference scribblenotes (post MMT meeting)

NO change in weather offs, still 40% go Saturday, 60% SUnday, 70% Monday. Of course the scenario would be a 24 hour delay, then a dwn day with two more attempts Tuesday and Wednesday.

MMT discussions, not much there. Some weather issues:

They had a small hail event a few days ago....cosmetic damage to tank, no issue.
Something blew into the left SRB and scratched the paint. They went out and inspected it, then did a primer and topcoat to repair the paint.
Lightning strike to the caternary mast (yesterday?). It worked as it was supposed to , and all systems check out.

I'm sure our favorite disaster forecaster will have afield day with these...

Old issues were discussed since there wasn't much else to talk about.
Remember the ESA (I don't know the correct acronym, will check and correct) wiring short during one mission? Due to the delay for this flight they got to the root cause. It was a bracket rubbing on a wire near the elevons, abraded all the way through the shield and caused a short. They have modified the other orbiters with some more protection.

Issue with some relay failures in Power control assemblies; none have ever failed in flight, but two ground units failed within a wek of each other. They understand the cause and even if one should fail would be able to work around. The flight ones have worked fine for 31 years... They are used in many location on the shuttle, it's sort of a standard module used to change power levels.

2 minor ISS issues. The P6 beta gmbal joint is stalled. this happens when it is exposed to full sunlight; as the beta angle changes over the next few days it should free up, and the minor power reduction would not effect the mission.

They also have a bad color printer on the ISS; it only prints in Blue. Mr Moses suggested that it's likely the ISS and shuttle crew will be able to negotiate a swap with the one on the shuttle when they depart

Tanking scheduled to begin at 10:14 AM EDT tomorrow, on track for a 7:39 PM launch, weather permitting.

 

[Testing]

Flying down to Florida from Toronto tomorrow night, can't get any time off work so I just have 2 opportunities to see launch: Saturday and Sunday. I also flew down last month for the last attempt, so I am really hoping they find a window in the weather to get the vehicle off the ground!

Katrina

Have you tried hooking up with Shuttle Guy? Highly recommended. Go back in the threads and he states his favorite spot. You can always shout, Shuttle Guy! I hope to make it for a launch before the end of the program.

Testing

 

[MeteorWayne]

Tanking has been delayed a bit; there was 1 or more lightning strikes near the pad last night, so they had to do a damage inspection. It should begin shortly...

 

[3488]

Today's launch attempt has been scrubbed owing to post lightning safety inspection checks. Endeavour should launch OK tomorrow.

From Spaceflightnow. Justin Ray.

1442 GMT (10:42 a.m. EDT)
NASA is planning an 11 a.m. EDT news conference about today's decision to postpone Endeavour's launch by 24 hours. The delay will give engineers more time to ensure the lightning strikes around the pad last night didn't cause any damage.

1438 GMT (10:38 a.m. EDT)
SCRUB! Today's launch attempt has been called off.

1422 GMT (10:22 a.m. EDT)
There were 9 lightning strikes within close proximity to the launch pad during storms that rolled over the Cape Canaveral area last night. Engineers are making sure those strikes did not cause any harm to ground equipment or systems aboard Endeavour.
NASA pushed back the start of this morning's pre-fueling Mission Management Team meeting to give engineers more time to check systems.

From Spaceflightnow. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

News Conference at top of the hour (estimated time) on NASA TV.

 

[3488]

Some doubts about the weather for tomorrow. Monday looks better.

From Spaceflightnow. Justin Ray.

1503 GMT (11:03 a.m. EDT)
The weather forecast for Sunday's planned 7:13 p.m. EDT launch of shuttle Endeavour predicts a 40 percent chance that weather will prevent a liftoff due to thunderstorms and electrically-charged clouds.
The specifics at launch time include showers and thunderstorms in the vicinity, scattered clouds at 3,000 and 8,000 feet, broken cirrus at 25,000 feet, visibility of 7 miles, launch pad winds from the southeast at 8 peaking to 12 knots and a temperature of 82 degrees F.

The outlook for Monday's 6:51 p.m. launch time has only a 30 percent chance of unfavorable weather.

1500 GMT (11:00 a.m. EDT)
"The launch of space shuttle Endeavour has been postponed for 24 hours to allow the launch team sufficient time to perform evaluation and retesting of launch pad and launch vehicle sytems as the result of lighting strikes near the launch pad last night. So far, no damage to the space shuttle Endeavour or to launch pad systems have been found. Launch of Sunday is targeted for 7:13 p.m.," NASA spokesman George Diller says."

1450 GMT (10:50 a.m. EDT)
The targeted liftoff time for Sunday's launch opportunity is 7:13:55 p.m. EDT. That's the moment when Earth's rotation carries the launch pad into the plane of the station's orbit.
The official window for extends from 7:08:55 p.m. to 7:18:55 p.m. EDT. Launching within that 10 minute period will enable Endeavour to dock with the International Space Station on Tuesday.

An additional three minutes and 11 seconds in the form a second pane of the launch window exists until 7:22:06 p.m. EDT. However, launching within that pane would lead to a later rendezvous and a Wednesday docking.

From Spaceflightnow. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

1527 GMT (11:27 a.m. EDT)
The official tally on the lightning strikes from last night is 11 hits within 0.3 miles of the pad. The pad's lightning mast was hit a couple of times along with the water tank.

1523 GMT (11:23 a.m. EDT)
Mission Management Team chairman Mike Moses says additional checks are needed to build confidence that there's no problems with orbiter electronic boxes and the solid rocket booster pyrotechnic circuitry.
No damage has been found in the shuttle and ground systems that have been checked so far.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

scribblenotes:

Yesterday around 3 PM Big storm hit.

11 strikes within 0.3 nm.

7 hit the lightning protection system

Of particular interest are strikes # 5 and 6 which occurred 13 milliseconds apart.

Over the years the entire ligtning monitoring system has been improved, with more things monitored in more locations. One system watches voltages on the caternary system, but now also there are monitors for magnetic fields, and electrical induced voltage monitors on electrical systems all over the place. Strike 6 induced a voltage of 110V on Main Bus A and C on the orbiter, just above the action potential of 100 volts, so this initiates a series of tests to ensure no damage has occurred.

(BTW, the orbiter itself has never been hit in the history of the program; that would surely cause damage)

The amount of testing and analysis required as a result of this new type of data would have been too rushed to complete until well into tanking, so they decided to delay 23 1/2 hours to allow the teams to finish testing and analysis of the systems. MMT will convene at 8 AM tomorrow, then tanking decision around 9 AM...tanking would probably start around 9:50 AM, if no problems are found and everyone is comfortable that the completed testing gives 100% confidence in all the systems.

MW

 

[3488]

Launch Pad 39 A being struck by lightning during the thunderstorm on the afternoon of Friday 11th July 2009. Eleven lightning strikes were detected within half a KM, thus raising safety fears regarding possible lightning damage, that is being checked for thus delaying the launch for approx 24 hours.

See Wayne's scribblenotes above.

Andrew Brown.

 

[samo]

As the resident "Cassandra" ... I declare that Lightning that HITS a Lightning Rod ...
... ? how can that be a problem ?
... If there was wind-driven rain over 50 mph, especially with extensive Hail impacts, see "the Unexplained" for my theories. In the meantime: why worry over something so visibly made into nothing ?
... May I say: Congratulations to NASA & her people -- for another danger forseen, prepared against, & deflected.

 

[MeteorWayne]

The commander has tweeted that they are go for tanking

"Just got the word that we are GO to fuel the external tank. Hope that today is the day! Watching the Tour de France at the moment."

After the Mission Management Team cleared the lightning event that delayed yesterday's launch attempt, a "GO" was given for external tank fueling. Tanking operations will start at approximately 9:48 a.m. EDT. Liquid Hydrogen “topping” (gaseous Hydrogen vent valve cycling) will begin at about noon. Weather permitting, launch is scheduled for 7:13 p.m. The forecast is 70 percent “go” for liftoff.

 

[3488]

Looks like things are continuing to be going well. Launch is still on as scheduled.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

1505 GMT (11:05 a.m. EDT)
After filling a small portion of both the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tanks in slow-fill mode, both loading operations have transitioned to fast-fill. NASA says no problems are being addressed and launch remains scheduled for 7:13 p.m. EDT.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Just a heads up, the NASA TV feed at spaceflightnow.com is not delayed like the NASA TV Feed on the NASA site is.
It is also available in full screen mode.

Since they have "team coverage" I have no idea if I'll have to shut the sound off as the launch approaches if they talk over the NASA TV audio, but it seems to be a good option as far as the real time imaging is concerned.

So I'll keep the NASA TV feed running as well and adjust the sound levels as required.
MW

 

[MeteorWayne]

LH2 tank is in replenish mode with no signs of a leak, so all appears well

 

[droffatsx3]

Hi! I'm over just south of Orlando on vacation. Any idea if we will be able to catch a glimpse of the launch from here?

 

[dragon04]

Hi! I'm over just south of Orlando on vacation. Any idea if we will be able to catch a glimpse of the launch from here?

If you look ENE at launch time, you should be able to see the Orbiter launch. If you have binoculars, that would be sweet.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Here's some useful weather links:

Visible Satellite photo:

http://wwwghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/GOES/goeseastconus.html

Select 100% from the "Quality" Dropdown box.

To get the latest image, just click on the right (Atlantic) side of the Florida coast.

If you want to see an animation, click the "Animation" radio button and select the number of frames first; I usually use 12, that covers about 3 hours.

For radar, I generally use this site:

http://www.intellicast.com/national/nex ... imate=true

It's far enough away that there's no ground clutter.

The closer one is this:

http://www.intellicast.com/national/nex ... imate=true

But it's so close there's a lot of artifacts that make it hard to see.

In both sat and radar, the Cape is on the bump that sticks out to the east (right) about 1/3 way down from the northern Atlantic Coast to the Keys.

For reference, launch time of 7:39:38 PM EDT is 23:39:38 UT, which is the time is displayed on both.

Oh, BTW, neither the sat or radar update automatically; you must manually refresh the (on IE7 or 8, the box with the up and down arrows to the right of the URL Box)

Good luck!

MW