STS-122

Admin · December 09, 2007, 01:42:28 PM

OK - the truth is that they are waiting for SSM2007 to launch this Christmas! What an honor!

/Admin

dembree · December 09, 2007, 02:27:19 PM

STS-122 LAUNCH MOVED TO JANUARY 2, 2008!

Firefighterdan · December 09, 2007, 03:50:34 PM

Quote from: Admin on December 09, 2007, 01:42:28 PM
OK - the truth is that they are waiting for SSM2007 to launch this Christmas! What an honor!

/Admin

That is funny.

Cthulhus · December 09, 2007, 04:36:49 PM

yes ! They prefer to play at SSM07 !!! No problems like this on SSM07 !

Admin · December 09, 2007, 06:43:04 PM

Quote from: dembree on December 09, 2007, 02:27:19 PM
STS-122 LAUNCH MOVED TO JANUARY 2, 2008!

DARN! I made a joke and look what happened!

Note to self: never joke about a real Space Shuttle launch!

/Admin

simking · December 09, 2007, 08:16:20 PM

The failure of a fuel gauge-like sensor in Atlantis' 15-story external tank during a countdown test today forced NASA to call off a planned afternoon launch for the second time. Engineers will now scour the sensor system in hopes of pinning down the malfunction in time for a potential Jan. 2 launch attempt.

dembree · December 10, 2007, 01:54:11 PM

The STS-122 crew is set to return to Houston today to receive further training and wait it out. They are currently set to return KSC for launch on December 30. Meanwhile at KSC engineers and technicians will troubleshoot and try to find root cause of this sensor problem. This morning troubleshooting continues. With the time the MMT and launch team has they may do another tanking test soon. When they scrubbed yesterday it basically turned in to the first tanking test.

Firefighterdan · December 10, 2007, 02:00:03 PM

If they launch on December 30th they will get 5 day's to play SSM07 before they go.

dembree · December 10, 2007, 03:46:14 PM

I'm saying the crew will return to KSC on December 30 for a January 2 launch date. Crews usually arrive 3-4 days before launch. Launch is stiil scheduled for NET January 2. I worded my last post wrong.

dembree · December 10, 2007, 05:07:45 PM

No hope of playing SSM07 before Atlantis goes.

dembree · December 11, 2007, 04:15:09 AM

Space Shuttle Mission STS-122

Shuttle: Atlantis
Mission: STS-122/1E
Primary Payload: Columbus
Launch Date: No earlier than Jan. 2
Launch Time: 5:41 a.m.
Launch Pad: 39A
Landing Site: Kennedy Space Center
Inclination/Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Crew: Stephen frick(commander), Alan Poindexter(pilot), Mission specialists: Leland Melvin, Stanley Love, Rex Walheim, Hans Schlegal(ESA), Expedition 16: Leopold Eyharts(ESA) UP, Daniel Tani(Down)

dembree · December 11, 2007, 07:50:06 PM

TANKING TEST NEXT WEEK! The Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) has decided on a troubleshooting plan which will include a tanking test next week. The main purpose of this test is to check the status of the 4 ECO sensors that failed on both launch attempts on Thursday and Sunday. Launch still remains scheduled for the morning of January 2.

dembree · December 14, 2007, 12:22:26 AM

STS-122 LAUNCH RESCHEDULED! Mission managers think they have found root cause for the ECO sensor failures. They have targeted NET January 10, 2008 for the next launch attempt. A tanking test is still scheduled for Dec. 18. Liftoff time from Kennedy Space Center is: 2:26 A.M.

Twabi2 · December 16, 2007, 10:39:32 PM

I got this from an unofficial source, but still...
The reason for the ECO sensor failure was a malfunctioning cable. The cable was manufactured by a new company and had not been tested for cryogenic temperatures.
As soon as the temperature dropped too low, the insulation of the cable started cracking and the connector deformed, causing bad contact with the ECO sensor.
Replacing the cable should solve the problem.

-Toine Out-

Firefighterdan · December 17, 2007, 02:23:18 AM

That is amazing that a cable can cause a multi million dollar mission to be scrubbed.