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\u201cThe 11,970,000 pound stack arrived at Pad A and was hard-down at 0329 EDT (Wednesday morning).\u201d<\/p>\n
While waves of tankers full of Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) continue to replenish the spheres at the pad complex, engineers have been working through the initial flow operations to hook up the STS-135 stack with the launch pad.<\/p>\n
Integrated power up was achieved at 7am local on Wednesday morning, allowing for an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) hotfire and the testing of Atlantis\u2019 Reaction Jet Drivers. The Engine Firing Readiness Test (FRT) and Helium Sig Test was also carried out on Thursday.<\/p>\n
STS-135 Specific Articles: http:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/tag\/sts-135\/<\/p>\n
\u201cS0009 operations continue to proceed well: APU hotfire was successfully completed at 2237 EDT Wednesday evening. RJD Test was successfully completed at 0207 EDT early Thursday morning,\u201d added the NTD report. \u201cThe Rotating Service Structure (RSS) was rotated to the Park position at 0700 EDT Thursday.\u201d<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/A8.jpg\" "\\"A8\\"")
However, the protection of the RSS and associated weather protection did not occur in time to stop Atlantis of receiving a soaking during a localized thunderstorm, which resulted in a small water intrusion, via a leak in the White Room hatch located on the end of the Orbiter Access Arm (OAA).<\/p>\n\u201cDue to the weather a leak around the White Room hatch seal allowed a small amount of water intrusion inside the forward of the orbiter,\u201d the NTD report added. \u201cThe water was isolated to just inside the hatch near the Waste Containment System (WCS) and was cleaned up.\u201d<\/p>\n
The main area of concern, as much as it appears the stack suffered from no ill effects, was a lightning strike near to the recently arrived Atlantis stack, which was still without the protection of the RSS. However, the lightning mast on top of the Fixed Service Structure (FSS) would have provided protection had a strike directly impacted the pad structure.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/A4.jpg\" "\\"A4\\"")
\u201cAdverse weather rolled through the area early Wednesday. A lightning strike was detected within 0.32 nm of Pad A by CGLSS (Cloud to Ground Lightning Surveillance System); StrikeNet measured it at 0.87 nm. Initial analysis indicates very limited concern but engineering will continue their evaluation,\u201d the NTD confirmed.<\/p>\n\u201cAppropriate evaluation operations from S0018 (Adverse Environment and Lightning Procedure) will pickup this morning. (Op 11 & 12 for lightning and Op 210 for water intrusion).\u201d<\/p>\n
The ability to monitor the pads for lightning strikes is often-underestimated, with four main systems are used to monitor, register and observe lightning strikes, namely the CWLIS (Catenary Wire Lightning Instrumentation System), the LIVIS (Lightning Induced Voltage Instrumentation System), the aforementioned CGLSS and the OTV (Operational Television) cameras.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/A5.jpg\" "\\"A5\\"")
Observed\/registered strikes at the pad result in the generation of a \u201cQuick Look Lightning Notification Report\u201d for any valid indication of a lightning event as seen by LIVIS or CWLIS.<\/p>\nThe hardware elements of the overall lightning detection system were also modified ahead of STS-117\u2032s launch.<\/p>\n
\u201cLIVIS Background: Designed 25 years ago as an advisory tool. Limits were originally determined through modeling and analysis. Analysis based on an anticipated transient value produced as a result of a 100KA lightning strike to the ET,\u201d noted one of seven presentations related to the system (available on L2).<\/p>\n
\u201cModification: Coils placed downstream of ground points. Reconfigure existing LIVIS channels to directly monitor Orbiter Main and Preflight Buses. Physical connections made in the ITCU (Impedance Transient Control Unit).<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/A10.jpg\" "\\"A10\\"")
\u201cCGLSS is the lightning detection system designed to record cloud-to-ground lightning strikes near the Pads. Utilizes an integrated magnetic detection\/time-of-arrival technology.<\/p>\n\u201cCGLSS reports are posted at the beginning of each hour and captures all lightning strokes (1st return stroke only) that have during the previous 60 minutes that have occurred within 5NM of Pad. Four Dimensional Lightning Surveillance System (4DLSS) being certified that will capture all return strokes.<\/p>\n
\u201cCape Weather provides an automated Pad Overview Plot showing position of lightning strike(s), within 0.45 NM, in relation to the Pad.<\/p>\n
The CWLIS \u2013 which is a system that provides adequate lightning detection on the lightning mast and catenary wire \u2013 utilizes two current sensing coils, one on each end of the catenary wire connected to high-speed digitizers.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/A3.jpg\" "\\"A3\\"")
Visible indications of lightning strikes are captured on numerous cameras placed in view of all areas of the pad and from the roof of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) \u2013 as used ahead of STS-134\u2019s launch, when one lightning strike was determined to be within 0.45NM, while others were classed as out at sea.<\/p>\nSome of the cameras around the pad were repositioned during the upgrades to the lightning detection system back in 2007, allowing for additional views of any lightning strikes on the pad.<\/p>\n
\u201cSix additional OTV cameras are to be re-positioned to monitor for lightning strikes at Pad: Camera 35 and 44 monitor Fuel Storage Area. Camera 40 monitor Oxidizer \u2013 Hypergolic Storage Area. Camera 58 monitor LH2 storage. Camera 36 and 38 monitor LO2 Storage.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pre-set plan for the observation of a lightning strike at the pad \u2013 put into effect for the latest lightning observation \u2013 was also noted in the system overview.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/A9.jpg\" "\\"A9\\"")
\u201cDecision Point: IF a lightning event was confirmed via LIVIS, CWLIS, CGLSS or OTV, THEN perform lightning strike work steps\/data gathering and analysis. OTV\/CGLSS will be used to determine whether a lightning strike has actually occurred within the Pad perimeter,\u201d added one presentation.<\/p>\n\u201cIf unable to verify that the lightning strike was outside of the Pad perimeter, and CWLIS or LIVIS indicates that a lightning event has occurred, then the conservative approach is to be taken, and the data collection and analysis process performed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf able to confirm that lightning strike occurred outside of the Pad perimeter and there are no CWLIS and LIVIS indications of a lightning event, then the data collection and analysis process is not required.\u201d<\/p>\n
As engineering teams confirm the stack is in good health, which is expected, S0024 Pre-Launch Propellant Servicing preparations are picking up, ahead of Hyper Loads which are set to begin next Monday. The Tanking Test remains on the schedule for June 15.<\/p>\n
(Images: L2 Photos, Larry Sullivan, MaxQ Entertainment\/NASASpaceflight.com and L2 presentations. Further updates on STS-135\u2032s status will be provided as information arrives, driven by L2\u2032s new and expanding STS-135 Special Section.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As the procession of \u201clasts\u201d continue for the Space Shuttle Program (SSP), Atlantis is undergoing her final pad flow ahead of the STS-135 mission in July. No Interim Problem Reports (IPRs) are being worked at present, bar checks into the stack\u2019s systems following a thunderstorm, which registered a lightning strike near the pad, coupled with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3659],"class_list":["post-40435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-sts-135"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40435"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40435"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40435\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}