STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion ( NET Mid Dec)

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

SDC : Space Shuttle Discovery Set for Last Trip to Launch Pad

By Denise Chow
SPACE.com Staff Writer
posted: 20 September 2010
07:41 am ET



Space shuttle Discovery is set to make one last trip to the launch pad late Monday (Sept. 20) to gear up for its final mission as NASA moves closer to retiring its orbiter fleet for good.

The shuttle is slated to begin the hours-long launch pad trek at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT) tonight at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Hundreds of NASA workers and their families are expected to be on hand to watch the shuttle's move.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

www.spaceflightnow.com : Mission Status Center

By Justin Ray

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1930 GMT (3:30 p.m. EDT)
Weather forecasters are predicting favorable conditions for Discovery's rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building tonight. The outlook includes some scattered clouds, good visibility, northeasterly winds of 12 to 17 knots and a temperature in the low 80s F.

There is no chance of any lightning in the area or violating the wind limits.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

http://www.universetoday.com : Discovery, Bathed In Light, Conducts Final Rollout

Sep 20th, 2010

by Jason Rhian


Discovery emerges from the Vehicle Assembly Building on its way to LC39A. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian

CAPE CANAVERAL – The space shuttle Discovery, its nosed pointed toward the sky, its belly attached to the massive, orange External Tank (ET) and twin Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) slowly but surely emerged from the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building at 7:24 p.m. EDT on Sept. 20. This marks the final time Discovery is scheduled to make the 3.4 – mile trip to Launch Complex 39A (LC39A) in preparation for her last planned mission – STS-133.

Bathed in spotlights Discovery’s last rollout was a bittersweet moment for workers that have cared for the orbiter. Discovery was rolled out four hours earlier than normal so that workers could take pictures. Rollout is conducted in the evening hours to prevent potential damage from possible lightning strikes. The crawler-transporter moves at a blistering mile-an-hour, but despite this slow speed, the vehicle and its precious cargo create an amazing spectacle.

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Great view of Discovery in the VAB. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com)

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Discovery on the way to the launchpad. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today.

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Gleaming in white, Discovery reflects the glory of the shuttle program onto the waters of the Turn Basin. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian

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Discovery arrives at the launchpad. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today

Non-official on-site video :
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVTEsI_HE20[/youtube]

CitadelFilms19 | September 20, 2010

Got passes from a family member to the rollout of the second to last scheduled space shuttle mission!
Taken by me 09/20/10

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

Official rollout videos :

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJu7Y-yCMiw[/youtube]

NASAtelevision | September 21, 2010

On September 20, Space shuttle Discovery left the Vehicle Assembly Building headed to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. It arrived the morning of September 21, where it will stay until its scheduled launch on Nov. 1 for its STS-133 mission. The move is called a "rollout."

(HD)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5taj-wYhJI[/youtube]

NASAKennedy | September 21, 2010

 

[3488]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

Thanks EarthlingX.

A lot of great stuff there

Love these from the Roll Out of Discovery to Pad 39A for launch of STS 133 Discovery.

Andrew Brown.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

Oooh, very pretty pictures

 

[JasonChapman]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

God's speed Discovery.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

http://www.spaceflightnow.com : Shuttle Discovery on the pad one last time

BY JUSTIN RAY

Posted: September 21, 2010

The incredible machine that is the space shuttle has been the central feature in America's space program for the past three decades. But as forced retirement looms, the orbiters are flying their final missions before becoming museum pieces. Spaceflight Now had the rare treat to visit shuttle Discovery at launch pad 39A and create this photographic collection of the venerable spaceplane.

Spaceflight Now photos by Ben Cooper and Justin Ray

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Photo credit: Justin Ray/Spaceflight Now

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Photo credit: Ben Cooper/Spaceflight Now

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Photo credit: Justin Ray/Spaceflight Now

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Photo credit: Ben Cooper/Spaceflight Now

and many more

 

[3488]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

Think we're trying to do out do each other. :lol:

Some more nice Discovery images. Seems strange that I have actually seen the VAB, crawler & Pads 39 A & B with my own eyes & have actually been there. KSC is a fantastically GREAT place.

I felt & was made very welcome & had a real sense of purpose & belonging there.



Below three favourites of Discovery roll out from Jen Scheer.



Shadowed side of Space Shuttle Discovery with the waxing Gibbous Moon in the backround.


Space Shuttle Discovery, Jupiter & Moon.


Andrew Brown.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

Thanks to Emily Lakdawalla some more photos by Ben Cooper :

Final rollout for Discovery as it departs the VAB :
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Pre-dawn photos of Discovery as sits atop Pad 39A
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[bushwhacker]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

This is probably a really dumb question, but one thats bothered me for a while.

You always hear of the crawler transporter and the launch pad like they are two separate things.
To me it appears that the stack is already on the launch pad, and when they get it out there they just jack it off the crawler and drive it out of the way.
Am I anywhere near the right answer?

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

I think you are, but probably somebody else could do a better explanation

In two posts here you can see launch pad and then in the next, crawler going away, if that helps.

I'll just drop in more images :

http://www.spaceflightnow.com : Discovery's payloads getting packed up for

BY JUSTIN RAY

Posted: September 27, 2010

The Express Logistics Carrier No. 4 for the International Space Station was loaded into the transportation canister at Kennedy Space Center this morning, bound for shipment to launch pad 39A.

The ELC will be trucked to orbit aboard the space shuttle Discovery and robotically installed onto the station's exterior.

This pallet-like structure holds a spare thermal radiator, folded up in accordion fashion. If one of the station's existing radiators needs replacing in the future, this spare will be available for astronauts to use.

The flip-side of the ELC features several attachment fixtures to accommodate on-orbit equipment stowage.

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[Zipi]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

This is probably a really dumb question, but one thats bothered me for a while.

You always hear of the crawler transporter and the launch pad like they are two separate things.
To me it appears that the stack is already on the launch pad, and when they get it out there they just jack it off the crawler and drive it out of the way.
Am I anywhere near the right answer?

Yes, you are correct with this. Somebody who have time can search pictures of the launchpad when crawler is under it and another when it is not.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

I linked this above, but yea, no problem :

Photo credit: Justin Ray/Spaceflight Now

spaceflightnow.com : STS-133 Launch Windows

COMPILED BY WILLIAM HARWOOD

Updated: September 27, 2010

Editor's Note: The launch window for STS-133 is 10 minutes long, centered on the moment when Earth's rotation carries the pad into the plane of the space station's orbit. To optimize ascent performance, NASA targets the "in-plane" time.

As it now stands, NASA is targeting Nov. 1-5 for the STS-133 launch. The shuttle cannot launch between Nov. 8 and Nov. 23 because of a so-called beta angle cutout. Such cutouts are defined by the angle between the sun and the plane of the space station's orbit. When it the beta angle is too high or too low, temperature constraints for the docked shuttle-station stack can exceed safety guidelines.

All times are Eastern.


DATE.......WINDOW OPEN...IN PLANE......WINDOW CLOSE..DOCKING

11/01/10...04:35:20 PM...04:40:20 PM...04:45:20 PM...Flight Day 3
.......................................04:48:35 PM...FD-4

11/02/10...04:12:49 PM...04:17:49 PM...04:22:49 PM...FD-3

11/03/10...03:47:06 PM...03:52:06 PM...03:57:06 PM...FD-3
.......................................04:00:21 PM...FD-4

11/04/10...03:24:35 PM...03:29:35 PM...03:34:35 PM...FD-3

11/05/10...02:58:53 PM...03:03:53 PM...03:08:53 PM...FD-3
.......................................03:12:07 PM...FD-4

11/06/10...02:36:21 PM...02:41:21 PM...02:46:21 PM...FD-3

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

www.nasaspaceflight.com : STS-133 completes hyper loading – Discovery may star in Transformers movie

October 2nd, 2010

by Chris Bergin

With the departmental Flight Readiness Reviews (FRRs) ongoing – leading up to the SSP (Space Shuttle Program) FRR set for next week – Discovery continues to enjoy a smooth pad flow, as the milestone of hyper loading (S0024) was completed on Saturday. The veteran orbiter is also enjoying a weekend at the movies, as filming of Transformers 3 picks up at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

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Upcoming for Discovery will be the opening of the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) ahead of the arrival of the STS-133 payload, which is expected in the early hours of Wednesday.

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[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, 4:33 PM EDT)

www.nasaspaceflight.com : Standard, Non-Standard Work, and Procedure Changes Reviewed for STS-133

October 4th, 2010 by Chris Gebhardt

With just under one month to go before the final launch of Discovery, the tell-tale series of Flight Readiness Reviews (FRRs) are underway as NASA prepares to close out the year with the STS-133 flight to the ISS. Among the various items discussed at the STS-133 Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) FRR was the remaining standard and non-standard open work to be completed before Discovery’s launch.

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[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, ~4:40 PM EST)

http://www.spaceflightnow.com : Mission Status Center

By Justin Ray

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2010
The rotating service structure at pad 39A was retracted away from space shuttle Discovery this morning in preparation for arrival of the payloads early Thursday.

The gantry features a payload changeout room and the equipment to insert the mission hardware into Discovery's cargo bay. After the payload canister reaches the pad, it will be hoisted into the tower and the contents unloaded into the cleanroom. The canister then lowers away and the gantry placed back around the orbiter to transfer the payloads to Discovery.

The payload transporter left the Space Station Processing Facility on Tuesday and was taken to the special building where today it was turned vertically to stand upright. The four-hour journey to pad 39A begins at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.

Meanwhile, the space shuttle program's flight readiness review began this morning to assess technical status and the progress of pre-launch work. The meeting's findings will be rolled into the agency-level review later this month that establishes the official launch date. For now, Discovery remains scheduled for blastoff on November 1.


MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2010
The Permanent Multipurpose Module was plucked from the scaffold-like workstand and stowed within the payload transporter early this morning for the journey to launch pad 39A.

The mission's other payload -- the Express Logistics Carrier No. 4 -- was installed in the transporter last week.

The trip out to the pad has been rescheduled to start at 12:01 a.m. EDT Thursday and take about four hours, as a motorized trailer hauls the canister from Kennedy Space Center's Industrial Area to Launch Complex 39.

Both payloads will be attached to the International Space Station during shuttle Discovery's mission next month. The PMM becomes a bonus room for storing equipment and the ELC 4 will serve as another external spare parts depot.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, ~4:40 PM EST)

http://www.spaceflightnow.com : Roomy addition for space station ready to launch

BY JUSTIN RAY

Posted: October 7, 2010

An Italian-made module that will give the International Space Station a float-in closet and help ease the outpost's storage woes arrived at the launch pad this morning for loading aboard space shuttle Discovery.

File image of payload canister at Discovery's launch pad. Credit: NASA

The Permanent Multipurpose Module has visited the station seven times already as the "Leonardo" reusable cargo hauler. But since its most recent flight in April, ground crews have modified and armored the cylindrical vessel for its new role as a long-term fixture in orbit.

Originally constructed make roundtrips aboard shuttle missions to ferry supplies to the station and return items to Earth, project officials decided to launch the module one more time and then leave it attached to the complex as a valuable additional room.

"It's like that extra garage bay or that extra closet in the house that you always wished you had. It's just a place to park things so they're not cluttering your workspace," said Scott Higginbotham, KSC's STS-133 payload mission manager.

"There's no intent to go live or work inside that module -- it's the pantry, the garage, the place to put things away. It really solves a growing problem on the ISS. We always knew we were going to have to carry a lot of supplies. With the end of shuttle program, however, we realized we needed to preposition a lot of things. This gives us more flexibility to do that."

File image of Discovery at the space station with Leonardo in the payload bay. Credit: NASA

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Italian engineers work on the module's insulation. Credit: NASA

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A file image shows an astronaut working inside Leonardo at the station. Credit: NASA

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[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, ~4:40 PM EST)

www.nasaspaceflight.com : PMM Leonardo: The Final Permanent U.S. Module for the ISS

October 6th, 2010

by Chris Gebhardt

Arriving at Pad 39A on Thursday, prior to marking a significant milestone for not only the Space Shuttle/International Space Station Program, but also the U.S. space program in general, the flight of PMM Leonardo – the premiere payload element for Discovery’s final flight – to the ISS will mark the delivery and installation of the final permanent module from the United States for the orbital outpost.

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[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, ~4:40 PM EST)

www.universetoday.com : Optimus Prime Defends Kennedy Space Center! Transformers 3 Filming at Spaceport

Oct 8th, 2010

by Jason Rhian


Located at NASA's KSC press site parking lot was the staging area for the Transformers 3 film set. Photo Credit: Universe Today/Alan Walters

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center came under attack from the merciless Decepticons this week. However, Optimus Prime and his valiant band of Autobots fended them off, and then stood watch over the space center for the remainder of the week – along with the cast and crew of “Transformers 3, The Dark of the Moon.” Although the set was closed – there were some interesting revelations about what one can expect to see in the third installment of the highly-successful film franchise – including a very special guest star.

Journalists that were present on Oct. 7, for the delivery of STS-133’s payload were treated with the sights and sounds of Hollywood. Although these reporters and correspondents were kept on a very short leash the journalists present still managed to see the Autobots leader in truck mode, some actors in black soldier gear and some other tantalizing tidbits.

Numerous KSC employees have been selected to act as extras in the film. This serves the purpose of creating added realism to the film. Instead of training someone to “look” they know what they’re doing – more-likely-than-not those are the actual workers who do that job at America’s spaceport everyday. Outside of this film being a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to appear in a big budget summer blockbuster, it also provided an opportunity to rub shoulders with real and upcoming movie stars.

Already, John Turturro, the actor that portrays Agent Simmons in the film has been spotted wheeling in and around the Vehicle Assembly Building. Shia LaBeouf (Sam Witwicky) has been seen with his character’s new love interest Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (Carly) wandering the set.

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBoMOn0atRs[/youtube]

MarathonMarisa | October 07, 2010

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[Gravity_Ray]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, ~4:40 PM EST)

A couple of questions for those involved with STS-133, or the more informed than me (which is pretty much most people).

1. Wouldn’t it have been better to install Node 3 in the nadir port of Node1 rather than the PMM? Wouldn’t you get better visibility from the copula for Canada arm work from the nadir side rather than the port side of node 1?

2. If robonaut 2 is going to get tested inside the ISS, are there plans to test it outside of the ISS? If so, how is that robot going to be differentiated from DEXTER? Are they going to do the same type of work, or different and if different what differences?

Sorry if these have been asked and answered before, but I have looked on line and cant find a good source for these questions. I will be just happy with a link if explanation is too complicated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, ~4:40 PM EST)

I can only say that i don't know of any specific plans to use Robonaut 2 outside of ISS, except possibilities shown in videos and similar. I'm also not sure if the one going up is ready to be outside. It will very likely be a lot of testing, poking and probing before it's allowed to do something like that, and i really don't remember seeing this one being ready for that. Next one, much more possible, perhaps even this one with a mod or two.

SDC thread : RoboNaut2: NASA+GM

As for the instalment of Node 3 - no clue.


http://www.nasaspaceflight.com : NASA Discusses STS-133 Mission Timeline Requirements And Guidelines

October 11th, 2010

by Chris Gebhardt

With the MOD FRR (Mission Operations Directorate Flight Readiness Review) and the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) FRR complete, NASA is quickly approaching the final stretch of Discovery’s pad processing for her capstone mission. Among the various items to receive attention at these two FRRs were the various mission timelines that might play out during the STS-133/ULF-5 mission – including a nominal timeline and a Minimum Duration Flight timeline.

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[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, ~4:40 PM EST)

http://www.spaceflightnow.com : Payloads loaded aboard shuttle Discovery for launch

BY JUSTIN RAY

Posted: October 11, 2010

Space shuttle Discovery's cargo bay was filled Monday with the orbiter's final payload complement, a new module and platform that are among the last accouterments for the International Space Station after a decade of construction.

The Permanent Multipurpose Module that will serve as the station's storage closet and the Express Logistics Carrier No. 4 to hold external spare parts will be delivered by Discovery and installed during the November mission.

PMM is the retrofitted Leonardo reusable cargo module flown up and down on several previous shuttle flights to the station. Technicians have armored it with a bullet-proof vest to safely reside in space as a lasting part of the outpost, becoming an extra room to stow hardware and supplies.

ELC 4 joins similar deck-like structures attached along the station's truss backbone to store large pieces of equipment outdoors. The platforms have allowed the final shuttle missions to pre-stage hefty replacement parts at the station for future use.

PMM will be berthed to the Earth-facing side of the Unity connecting hub and ELC 4 goes onto the underside of the Starboard 3 truss. They take up most of Discovery's cargo bay and their combined weight consume the orbiter's payload-carrying capability.

"Our primary objective, the way I describe it for people in a nutshell, is to basically leave space station in the best possible shape for the next era which is the era when we're no longer flying space shuttles," says mission commander Steve Lindsey. "We're delivering logistics and supplies and doing some maintenance and some outfitting to leave it in the best condition we can with what we can carry up."

On Saturday, Discovery's 60-foot-long payload bay doors are scheduled to be closed and locked for flight. The launch countdown begins on October 29, leading to the orbiter's final blastoff on November 1 at 4:40 p.m. EDT.

These photos from inside the launch pad 39A cleanroom illustrate the Payload Ground Handling Mechanism maneuvering PMM and ELC into Discovery on Monday.

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[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, ~4:40 PM EST)

www.spaceflightnow.com : Shuttle crew comes to town for practice countdown

by Justin Ray

Posted: October 12, 2010

The six astronauts to fly Discovery's final orbital voyage have jetted into the Kennedy Space Center for this week's countdown dress rehearsal with the space shuttle launch team.

Credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now

Commander Steve Lindsey, pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Al Drew, Tim Kopra, Mike Barratt and Nicole Stott are scheduled for blastoff November 1 on the venerable spaceplane's 39th and last flight before retirement.

Traveling today from their training base in Houston, the astronauts arrived at the Cape in waves of T-38 jets between 3:30 and 4:40 p.m. EDT.

"It's really an amazing thing to go through a training flow with the most incredible half-dozen shipmates that's possible to assemble," Barratt said. "And then fly one of these magnificent little airplanes down here and see your shuttle on the pad getting ready to go. It's an incredible honor and it's a breathtaking sight and we can't wait to get this training done and get ready to shoot."

Every shuttle crew undergoes the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, in the final weeks before a planned launch. While in Florida, the astronauts will spend time learning how to evacuate pad 39A if an emergency arises, including procedures to operate the slide-wire baskets that would quickly whisk the crew from the launch tower to a bunker west of the pad, and test-drive an armored tank available for the astronauts to escape the area.

On Friday, the crew will board Discovery for a full countdown simulation. The astronauts will follow a normal launch morning routine with breakfast, a weather briefing on conditions at the Cape and various abort landing sites, then don their suits and depart crew quarters at about 7:45 a.m. to board the Astrovan that will take them to pad 39A.

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Posted on October 12, 2010
by NASAKennedy :

Discovery's six astronauts arrived at Kennedy for their launch dress rehearsal, known at TCDT.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: STS-133 Pre Launch Discussion (Target Nov 1, ~4:40 PM EST)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhyIg2Jszfs[/youtube]

NASAtelevision | October 12, 2010

The six-member crew of the next space shuttle mission, STS-133, arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Oct. 12 to participate in a full launch dress rehearsal, known as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, and related training. The test provides an opportunity for the crew and ground teams to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency exit training. Shuttle Discovery's crew members are Commander Steve Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Michael Barratt, Tim Kopra and Nicole Stott. Discovery is targeted to launch Nov. 1 on its final scheduled flight.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jxp5g6wciM[/youtube]

spacevidcast | October 12, 2010