Tag: TPS
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STS-127: Engineers carrying out minor repairs ahead of countdown
As STS-127 prepares to enter S0007 Launch Countdown operations on Wednesday night, engineers have carried out repairs on areas of the External Tank (ET-131) Thermal Protection System (TPS) foam, and what appears to be a chip on the left hand Solid Rocket Booster (SRB). All areas are deemed as minor and should be cleared for…
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Discovery handed special heatshield coating DTO on behalf of Orion
Shuttle Discovery has been tasked with a special DTO (Detailed Test Objective) – on behalf of the Orion Project Office – to be carried out during STS-128’s re-entry. A “Catalytic Coating” has been applied to two of Discovery’s Thermal Protection System (TPS) tiles, providing Orion – and shuttle – engineers with refined aeroheating data. STS-128…
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Atlantis tracking KSC return early next week – TPS in good shape
Post flight processing on Atlantis at Edwards Air Force Base (Dryden Flight Research Center) has set an early target of the end of this weekend for the start of her trip back to Florida on top of a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA). The team of engineers working on safing the orbiter ahead of her mating…
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HST farewell ahead of Late Inspections – panel 11R of interest
The last humans to visit the Hubble Space Telescope have departed, leaving behind a rejuvenated spacecraft that will keep astronomers happy well into the next decade. Atlantis’ highly successful mission has completed Flight Day 9, which included Late Inspections – with one RCC panel (11R) deemed to be of increased interest due to a potential…
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STS-125: Eight hour EVA-4 works STIS repair – Atlantis’ TPS overview
For Flight Day 7 of STS-125, Atlantis’ crew turned their attention to the forth EVA of the mission, focusing on the repair of the STIS instrument. Mike Massimino and Mike Good beat EVA-2’s duration by recording an eight hour EVA-4, which was forced to delete one item from the timeline. Meanwhile, the Damage Assessment Team (DAT) have overviewed Atlantis’ TPS to…
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STS-119 BLT test a success, gains a greater understanding of reentry
STS-119’s Boundary Layer Transition (BLT) Detailed Test Objective (DTO) has been deemed a huge success, following the presentation of the test results. The tests will continue on at least two more flights, as engineers gain vital data on the conditions a spacecraft endures during reentry. The goal of the experiment was to measure the effects…
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NASA reviews mission parameters for Hubble flight via FRR
With Space Shuttle Atlantis and her crew now less than two weeks away from launch on the highly anticipated fifth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA managers are continuing their review of all critical elements of the mission ahead of the now planned May 11 launch date. Space Shuttle Program (SSP)…
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Discovery deservicing in OPF-3 – TPS assessment positive
Following her 13 day mission in space on STS-119, Discovery is being deserviced inside her Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF-3), ahead of her next mission, STS-128. Close inspections of her Thermal Protection System (TPS) created a list of work that will be carried during her 101 day processing flow. Discovery touched down on KSC runway 15…
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STS-125 Atlantis suffers tile damage during ET mating
Another major milestone in the flow towards the final Hubble Servicing Mission has taken place, after Atlantis completed mating operations with External Tank (ET-130) inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). However, an incident during mating has resulted in tile damage on the belly of the orbiter, which was repaired on Friday morning. Atlantis rolled over…
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STS-119: Amazing Discovery undocks from ISS, heads to Late Inspection
Shuttle manager John Shannon has described Discovery’s performance as “amazing”, ahead of Wednesday’s undocking from the International Space Station (ISS). Discovery is now heading to Late Inspections of her Thermal Protection System (TPS) on Flight Day 12 of STS-119. Final Shuttle/Station transfers took place prior to undocking, mainly relating to human samples stored in cold…