- \n
- STS-134 LIVE UPDATES<\/li>\n
- L2 STS-134 Special Section<\/li>\n
- Click here to Join L2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Furthermore, Endeavour and her six person crew will also be tasked with two Development Test Objectives \u2013 or DTOs. These include DTO 805, Crosswind Landing Performance, and DTO 703, Sensor Test for Orion Relative-Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM).<\/p>\n
Given the numerous slips to her launch date, processing has continued on a smooth and relaxed path, with only one Interim Problem Report (IPR-20) continuing to be under evaluation.<\/p>\n
Should Discovery launch at the opening of her STS-133 launch window, Endeavour will be making her final trip to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) as her older sister is on orbit. The targeted launch date is April 19, 2011 with a window until May 2, 2011.<\/p>\n
STS-134 Specific Articles: http:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/tag\/sts-134\/<\/p>\n
\u201cOV-105 (STS-134) Vehicle processing continues; there are no major concerns. They are working towards a rollover to the VAB on February 28,\u201d noted KSC Integration (L2). \u201cIn VAB HB-3 (High Bay 3), ET-122 was mated to the SRB stack. Post-ops are currently in work and then will pick up with integrated closeouts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Space Technology
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/A3211.jpg\" "\\"A321\\"")
As previously reported, IPR-20 is related to a sensor on her LH (Left Hand) OMS (Orbital Maneuvering System) pod Main Engine Ignition (MEI), which is part of a sensor suite used to gain data on MEI Acoustic and SSME (Space Shuttle Main Engine) Ignition Overpressure (IOP) Environments.<\/p>\nSpecific to an acoustic sensor called V08Y9704A \u2013 which failed to channelize during testing last year \u2013 troubleshooting has been ongoing since, with the latest effort to resolve the issue \u2013 by replacing a suspect component (low pass filter) \u2013 unsuccessful.<\/p>\n
\u201cIPR-0020, MEI troubleshooting installed a new low pass filter yesterday with no success. Engineering evaluation continues,\u201d noted the NASA Test Director (NTD) report (L2), before recently updating with notes that a cable will be changed out as part of the troubleshooting effort. This latest effort is currently undergoing re-tests.<\/p>\n
If \u2013 in the unlikely event \u2013 engineers are unable to resolve the issues with the sensor, no impact to the processing milestones would be suffered, given it is only part of a data gathering effort which is not specific to STS-134.<\/p>\n
Other processing tasks inside OPF-2 are focusing on preparing Endeavour for her final short trip to the VAB, along with a retest of one of her Detailed Test Objective (DTO) payloads.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/A3181.jpg\" "\\"A318\\"")
\u201cOV-105 (OPF Bay 2): Hydraulics was brought up to support positioning elevons to full down position,\u201d added the NTD report. \u201cCOM-456 STORRM retest is planned for today (Wednesday). MADS (Modular Auxiliary Data System) time and cycle testing is planned for today (Wednesday).\u201d<\/p>\nSTORRM is part of an effort to aid Orion\u2019s docking to the ISS \u2013 given Relative Navigation sensors for Orion require special \u2018reflectors\u2019 on the PMA-2 docking target. STORRM may also aid future commercial spacecraft that are set to visit the station in future years.<\/p>\n
The STORRM DTO opened with tasks during STS-131, which involved the crew taking close-out photographs of docking target on the ISS after hatch closure, following the installation of the reflectors by ISS crewmembers.<\/p>\n
STS-134\u2019s primary DTO tasks include the use of a laser system in TCS slot, with a recorder on sidewall. Data collection will be conducted during docking, undocking, and re-rendezvous.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/A102.jpg\" "\\"A10\\"")
With STS-135 flying with the final \u201cnew\u201d tank (ET-138), Endeavour will be riding uphill with the older ET-122 \u2013 which was refurbished following damage sustained during Hurricane Katrina at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans.<\/p>\nIt remains unknown if ET-122 includes stringers which may suffer from the \u201cmottled\u201d material \u2013 which is part of the root cause as to why some of ET-137\u2019s stringers cracked during November\u2019s tanking\/launch countdown \u2013 leading to scans and borescope inspections being carried out inside the VAB.<\/p>\n
\u201cSRB BI-145\/RSRM 113\/ET-122 (VAB HB-3): Borescopes from inside the intertank to detect mottled metal on ET-122 stringers is complete,\u201d added the NTD report. \u201cThe data and results are being passed onto the respective engineering organizations for further analysis and discussions at the Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB).\u201d<\/p>\n
Should the inspections find any defected stringers, it is possible managers may call for radius blocks to be installed on the LO2\/Intertank flange, a process which has been carried out as part of the mitigation drive on ET-137. Although it is possible no issues will be found on ET-122, given its 2000 construction date \u2013 potentially avoiding any suspect material stock being installed on the tank.<\/p>\n
Click here for all recent articles on the ET stringers: http:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/tag\/et\/<\/p>\n
Space Shuttle Program (SSP) managers have already said they are likely to conduct a Tanking Test ahead of STS-134\u2019s launch, as a fail-safe to checking for any cracks on the stringers prior to the April 19 tanking for launch.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/A94.jpg\" "\\"A9\\"")
Meanwhile, processing on the mated tank and boosters is proceeding without issue, with the installation of \u201cmilk cans\u201d around the aft connection points between the ET and SRBs.<\/p>\n\u201cSRB BI-145\/RSRM 113\/ET-122 (VAB HB-3): Left hand and right hand forward skirt separation bolt ordnance installations are complete. Left hand and right hand lower strut closeouts are in work. Milk can work for left and right upper strut fairing installation continues. Milk cans for Left hand and right hand strut fairing installations are complete with RT-455 in cure.\u201d<\/p>\n
The only remaining question relating to STS-134 surrounds who will command Endeavour on her final mission. Understandably, very little is being said on whether the mission\u2019s current commander \u2013 Mark Kelly \u2013 will be available for the mission due to the well-known personal issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause of Commander Mark E. Kelly\u2019s personal situation, Rick Sturckow was named to train as backup Commander, so that the STS-134 crew could continue training,\u201d noted the JSC Flight Crew department. \u201cIt is still in question whether Mark can come back and command that crew.\u201d<\/p>\n
(Further updates and articles will follow. Refer to live coverage threads linked above. L2 members refer to STS-134 live coverage sections for internal coverage, presentations, images and and updates from engineers and managers. Images used, NASA.gov and via L2 acquired PRCB presentations).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Endeavour is set to depart from her Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF-2) on February 28, as milestones begin to align for her April 19 (No Earlier Than) launch to the International Space Station (ISS). With her External Tank (ET-122) and Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) mated, borescope inspections of ET-122\u2019s stringers have been completed. STS-134 Latest: Endeavour\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29632,"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":[9021,3366],"class_list":["post-40543","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-et","tag-sts-134"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40543"}],"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=40543"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40543\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40543"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}