Community
On Orbit => Real NASA Space Shuttle Missions => Topic started by: spaceboy7441 on March 07, 2010, 05:59:09 AM
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Boom time for a new thread already!
STS-130 is scheduled for early April (Can't remember the exact date)
Roll-out has already occurred
TCDT has just been completed yesterday.
Here comes another mission!
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The Launch date as of now is April 5, about 6:30am KSC time..
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YAY CANT W8
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Testing of Discovery's Systems Continue
Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:47:00 AM CDT
On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians completed a test to pressurize space shuttle Discovery's Right Reaction Control System's helium tank to verify the overall health of the regulators downstream of the helium isolation valves. Preliminary data shows positive results for the test. Today, crews will begin preparing Discovery for further testing on the system.
The testing was initiated because of an issue that occurred over the weekend while Discovery's aft fuel propellant tanks were being vented in preparation for fuel loading. The Right Reaction Control System, or RRCS, fuel helium tank pressure unexpectedly decreased in unison with the RRCS fuel propellant tank when the fuel tank was vented. This indicates that at least one of the two parallel helium isolation valves is leaking or is remaining in the open position when it is expected to be closed.
The two helium system regulators, a primary and a secondary, will be tested to verify they are functioning correctly. The regulators are "downstream" of the isolation valves, and help to maintain helium pressure to the fuel tank. Knowing whether the regulators are operating correctly is a key factor for managers who must decide whether to launch with the errant condition of the isolation valves. The test is expected to occur late this week once a ground support equipment test panel has been calibrated. The helium system will be brought to flight pressure and engineers monitoring the panel will ascertain whether the regulators function properly.
Also this week, managers are targeting Friday to move Discovery's payload to Launch Pad 39A, starting at 12:01 a.m. EDT.
There still are a few days of contingency left in the schedule to make the targeted launch date of April 5.
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Cheers.
Im still waiting for then to release the press kit.
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Hi Jeff..
Me too..
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according to the rss feed, all of the astronauts are now boarded, seated and strapped in
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Nice job guys! If you have the time and connection please post in real-time - on the STS-131 thread!
If you have time, connection AND the necessary bandwidth, post pics in the forum. Width size is 600 pics. Height is no limit. If you don't have the tools, time, etc. to resize, email to groundcrew and we'll upload them on the forum for you, with due credits.
Can we have a quick comms-check?
Who is present at the STS-131 launch at KSC?
Austromir - check
Uri-Ba - check
Schmidtrock - check
... any others?
/Admin
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At the t-9 hold. Weather is reported favorable, no issues at this time. Sky is completely clear from my view across the river from the pad. Beautiful half moon. Can't wait to see the liftoff!
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Godsped Discovery!
/Admin
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I'm at work, a newspaper office, and NASATV bombed out 5 mins before launch.... great. But the RRS feeds on my mobile are working and I believe we had lift off :)
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Even the NASA iPhone App bombed on me :(
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I'm at work, a newspaper office, and NASATV bombed out 5 mins before launch.... great. But the RRS feeds on my mobile are working and I believe we had lift off :)
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Even the NASA iPhone App bombed on me :(
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Clean liftoff and now at "Negative Return" :)
/Admin
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Gone baby gone..good luck just walked in the door in time to see her go
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Great launch for STS-131! Godspeed the crew of Discovery.
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First "dangerous" phase of the mission is behind us now. MECO has been performed, and tank separated without any issues.
Now let's see what that OBSS thermal tiles inspection will reveal ;)
/Admin
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STS-131 topics merged.
/Admin
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I must say ive been to about 13 or so launchs now.....by far the best view and best conditions for a launch ive seen yet from the causeway at CCAFS, was thinking about going to the VAB but the causeway was the place to be, i wana give a shout out to the launch director too who gladly pointed out the ISS was coming up behind us got a great view of the station as well
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So my fellows here are my pics from today. Greetings to Uri_ba / was nice to met You.
Greets from the Space Coast, Marius
(http://geizhalsforum.666kb.at/files/119812/DSC02635.JPG)
(http://geizhalsforum.666kb.at/files/119812/DSC02765.JPG)
(http://geizhalsforum.666kb.at/files/119812/DSC02774.JPG)
(http://geizhalsforum.666kb.at/files/119812/DSC02779.JPG)
(http://geizhalsforum.666kb.at/files/119812/DSC02788.jpg)
(http://geizhalsforum.666kb.at/files/119812/DSC02791.jpg)
(http://geizhalsforum.666kb.at/files/119812/DSC02793.JPG[/img)
[img]http://www.geizhalsforum.666kb.at/files/119812/DSC02812.JPG)
(http://geizhalsforum.666kb.at/files/119812/DSC02843.JPG)
(http://geizhalsforum.666kb.at/files/119812/DSC02915.JPG)
(http://geizhalsforum.666kb.at/files/119812/DSC02917.JPG)
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Here's my youtube video from the launch. It's not very good but definitely is my I was there moment. Great launch, so glad I was there. Will get some pics up later, need a nap right now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtSVW0uoUZo
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"Kick :o " !!! Wait, lets not get carried away....errmmm... Very nice vid, schmidtrock. ;D
Those photos are definitely on point also Austromir91 ;)
Pretty cool you ran into Uri_ba. :D
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Nice shots and video :)
/Admin
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FYI, breathing the same air and watching the same launch from the Causeway, was Astronaut (ret) Scott Parazynski ;)
/Admin
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So how many of us were actually at the causeway today? I know i was down by the CCAFS side and from the soudns of it 2 to 3 others? but from the pics looks like you all are NASA side
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Just read in the rss that they are having issues with the ku antenna. The shuttle can still perform the mission, docking and communications, but data with have to be prioritized, I.e. The OBSS inspection will be videoed and sent down later, rather than having a 'live show' in Huston.
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That means no live video from the shuttle that sucks :(
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The KU will be missed by those of us that are earthbound. Once docked we'll get our live TV back via the station KU, correct??
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Here's some shots I got yesterday of launch and the crazy colors the contrails left.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/schmidtrock/Space%20Shuttle%20Discovery%20STS131%20April%204%202010/candleslit_640x480.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/schmidtrock/Space%20Shuttle%20Discovery%20STS131%20April%204%202010/godspeeddiscovery_640x480.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/schmidtrock/Space%20Shuttle%20Discovery%20STS131%20April%204%202010/P4050972_640x480.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/schmidtrock/Space%20Shuttle%20Discovery%20STS131%20April%204%202010/P4050980_640x480.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/schmidtrock/Space%20Shuttle%20Discovery%20STS131%20April%204%202010/P4050998_640x480.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/schmidtrock/Space%20Shuttle%20Discovery%20STS131%20April%204%202010/P4050992_640x480.jpg)
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Crew are now inspecting the tiles and recording to tapes. The recording will then be transmitted to GC, for analysis.
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I just LOVE those contrails.
/Admin
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The KU will be missed by those of us that are earthbound. Once docked we'll get our live TV back via the station KU, correct??
Yup! Not only will they downlink all the video up to then that they couldn't due to the failed shuttle KU, but there will be live video up until undocking. I think all live video while docked was always done via station KU. Now... as for the late OBSS survey... they're evaluating whether to do it WHILE docked in order to downlink via station KU.
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Just thought you might like these two as much as I do : as you know, the ISS was passing right in front of the moon moments before liftoff :
(http://i67.servimg.com/u/f67/13/87/70/81/sans_247.jpg)
(http://i67.servimg.com/u/f67/13/87/70/81/sans_248.jpg)
(look on the right of the second picture)
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Extremely cool!! From vantage point in Orlando, it was just below the Moon by say an "inch or so" -- it cruises pretty fast across the sky -- was really surprised.
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Hmm. Although I think this is cool, no offense, but I usually question the veracity of this kind of pics - especially if they are on the Internet :)
I've seen enough fabrications and Photoshopped images doctored to be cool, or serve a political or propaganda purpose, not to question pics like these.
Who took the pic? How do you know its source is credible?
/Admin
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Well, from my perspective, it looked just like -a blob of light- that's what I saw "live" with my MK-1 Eyeball - but it was below the Moon as it passed ...
Eyewitness News - Channel 2007 - bradleyjs Reporting.... now back to you Mike ;D
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Yes from Space View Park 12 miles west of the pad, it looked like a really large star perhaps or airliner without red and green blinkers LOL! Man was it cruising!! For the next 3 days there are more viewing opportunities, tomorrow should be really good with Discovery closing fast if not already docked. I haven't checked the schedule but know it's FD 3 for docking. More here http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/04/06/watch-the-skies-for-the-shuttle-and-iss/
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Yep, it was really moving fast and as I heard today on NASA TV the docking with ISS will be sometime shortly after 0200 EDT tonight.
And, yes it did look like an airliner w/out the Nav/Anti-Collision lights.
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Docking timeframe and possible RSB liberation event
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/04/sts-131-discovery-iss-rsb-liberation-during-ascent/
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Yep, it was really moving fast and as I heard today on NASA TV the docking with ISS will be sometime shortly after 0200 EDT tonight.
And, yes it did look like an airliner w/out the Nav/Anti-Collision lights.
Which sucks for people in our area. Gonna be a late night for me ;)
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What is the difference in docking manually without radar in terms we can understand with our SSM? Are we able to do it in SSM?
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I don't have the answer to your question spaceboy, but should make for an interesting MP! :D
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Hmm. Although I think this is cool, no offense, but I usually question the veracity of this kind of pics - especially if they are on the Internet :)
I've seen enough fabrications and Photoshopped images doctored to be cool, or serve a political or propaganda purpose, not to question pics like these.
Who took the pic? How do you know its source is credible?
/Admin
:D Well... do you think NASA is reliable ? :P After all... they DID fake moon landing, so who knows what they are capable of faking now :D :D :D
So yes, I believe the source is quite reliable (if you still don't believe me, go there : http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=212 and you'll find it). I'm just sad not to be trusted after all this time on being careful enough to crosscheck my sources :'(
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Ah, it's from NASA! Well, that settles it :)
AMOF it was not you who I didn't trust Nephi. Too many intelligent people fell for s****d ideas or fake pictures - nobody is immune - not even perfect-me ;)
/Admin
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They showed it on NASA tv too as it passed over the pad just as we on the ground would see it and yep looked the same as it does when I see it fly over head.
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STS-131 is due home. First landing attempt scrubbed. During the 90 minutes delay NASA will check the weather for a second attempt. Corrently however, weather looks bad, reduced visibility and rain.
/Admin
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I hope it lands tomorrow TBH, tomorrow's landing opportunity is the most visible from where I live <_<
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Landing cancelled for today. Weather not cooperating. Next attempt in 24hrs.
/Admin
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What is the difference in docking manually without radar in terms we can understand with our SSM? Are we able to do it in SSM?
I got to visit the MPSR for the STS-130 docking. This didn't get much press, but the TCS CW laser range/range-rate data for that rendezvous was flaky. The backup is a handheld laser that they shine out of the Shuttle window at the ISS. As for implementation in SSM, well...I'm not ground crew, so I have no comment there :).
More info (but you'll have to dig in the articles a little bit):
-http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/shuttle-space-station-docking-100210.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+spaceheadlines+%28SPACE.com+Headline+Feed%29 (http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/shuttle-space-station-docking-100210.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+spaceheadlines+%28SPACE.com+Headline+Feed%29)
-http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/02/sts-130-eva-3-cupolas-opening-comm-issues-evaluated/ (http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/02/sts-130-eva-3-cupolas-opening-comm-issues-evaluated/)
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Oh yeah, I'd also nominate STS-131 for inclusion as an add-on mission. 3 EVA's, and a Ku antenna failure leading to a late inspection while still docked to the station...some pretty tight RMS clearances, from what I hear. That'd definitely be a challenge to pull off.
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Discovery is home safe!! I saw the streaking contrails and heard the sonic booms from my front yard! Most awesome especially since I was at the launch! Man that thing was moving!
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I followed it almost syncronized with the iPhone App mentioned in the update 5.30 thread.
The NASA-TV stream was lagging terribly but that app is cool.
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The clouds prevented me from seeing it x.x