{"id":40860,"date":"2010-02-22T22:03:30","date_gmt":"2010-02-22T14:03:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/one-in-one-out-discovery-and-endeavour-tag-for-next-mission\/"},"modified":"2010-02-22T22:03:30","modified_gmt":"2010-02-22T14:03:30","slug":"one-in-one-out-discovery-and-endeavour-tag-for-next-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/one-in-one-out-discovery-and-endeavour-tag-for-next-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"One in, one out \u2013 Discovery and Endeavour tag for next mission"},"content":{"rendered":"

Endeavour has safely returned to her Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF-2), following the highly successful STS-130 mission \u2013 which concluded on Sunday night with a safe landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). Only hours after all three orbiters were reunited in the OPFs, Discovery bid her farewells and rolled over to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), in preparation for her STS-131 mission in April.<\/p>\n

STS-134 Processing Latest:<\/p>\n

Endeavour is technically into STS-134 processing, although the coming weeks will concentrate on safing the vehicle, along with work on what is described as only a few minor dings to her Thermal Protection System (TPS). The current flow is known as \u201cOPF Integrated roll-in ops\u201d.<\/p>\n

At least three windows are expected to be replaced, following the MMOD (Micro-Meteoroid Orbital Debris) events on orbit \u2013 although several windows are usually changed-out as a matter of course for a post-flight flow.<\/p>\n

Engineers have only a few additional items to check as a result of Endeavour\u2019s performance on STS-130, such as Fuel Cell 2\u2019s instrumentation \u2013 which required a workaround after failing a self-test after undocking. All three Fuel Cells performed nominally during the mission \u2013 as did all of the orbiter\u2019s systems, leading to high praise from the crew after departing the vehicle at the SLF.<\/p>\n

STS-130 Specific Articles: http:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/tag\/sts-130\/<\/p>\n

\u201cSTS-130 is complete, we\u2019re safe on deck here at KSC, thanks to the work of a lot of people. Endeavour, my goodness, what a machine, she was perfect during the flight and we brought her back safe,\u201d noted STS-130 Commander George Zamka, shortly after landing.<\/p>\n

STS-134 will be the 133rd flight of the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) and the 25th and final voyage of the orbiter Endeavour, which began service in May 1992 on STS-49.<\/p>\n

Carrying an ISS mission designation of ULF-6 (Utilization and Logistics Flight 6), STS-134 was officially baselined into the Flight Definition and Requirements Document (FDRD) on June 25, 2009 (several mission baselines available on L2) \u2013 initiating production of flight processes to support a No Earlier Than launch date of July 29, 2010.<\/p>\n

Technology News<\/path>NASA mission patches<\/path>Aerospace industry analysis<\/path>\n

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\"\"AMS-02 \u2013 weighing 15,300lbs \u2013 will have four longeron payload latches and one active keel latch for its attachment to the payload bay sidewalls of Endeavour. Additionally, once on orbit, Remotely Operated Electrical Umbilicals (ROEU) will provide AMS-02 with 124V of power for its heaters and avionics. Prior to liftoff, this power will be provided via the T0 umbilicals on the launch pad.<\/p>\n

These T0 umbilicals will also allow launch personnel to monitor the health of AMS-02 prior to liftoff and make sure that Launch Commit Criteria for the AMS-02 are not breached.<\/p>\n

The AMS-02 unit, which was without a ride to orbit until the United States Congress mandated its addition to the Shuttle manifest, will be attached to the Starboard 3 Upper Inboard Command Attach System (CAS) on the ISS.<\/p>\n

The AMS-02 unit is a \u201cparticle physics detector\u201d which contains a large, cryogenic super-fluid helium superconducting magnet. The AMS-02 unit is designed to \u201csearch for antimatter and the origin and structure of dark matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

As noted in the main PRCB (Program Requirements Control Board) baseline presentation, AMS-02 is a complex payload that will require significant testing and payload processing before liftoff, and thus is the main \u201clong lead\u201d item for making the launch date.<\/p>\n

Currently, the payload is expected to ship to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in May, pending extensive thermal vac testing. Concerns about the testing timeline were noted on PRCB documentation last year.<\/p>\n

\"\"Making up the rest of the total payload mass of 36,740lbs is ELC-3, which will be carrying an Ammonia Tank Assembly, a Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator Arm with Orbital Replacement Unit change-out mechanism, a spare ELC pallet controller avionics box, S-Band Antenna Sub-System #2 & 3, High Pressure Gas Tanks, and Space Test Program Houston 3 Department of Defense payload.<\/p>\n

In addition to this manifested and baselined payload on ELC-3, the ISS program is looking at an additional 1,481lbs of payload that they would like on ELC-3 \u2013 payloads that are currently not listed on the mission baseline or accounted for in the mission\u2019s up-mass weight \u2013 as the program attempts to get as much upmass to the ISS as possible prior to shuttle retirement.<\/p>\n

Outside of OPF-2, work is already taking place on the boosters that will fly with Endeavour, as engineers \u2018build up\u201d the left Solid Rocket Booster segments prior to stacking.<\/p>\n

\u201cBI-144 \/ RSRM 112 Left Aft Booster build-up: Splice plate RT-455 application is complete and in cure. ETA Ring Pull Test and PDL Repair; Insta foam application failed pull test (Fwd side of ETA ring),\u201d noted Monday processing information on L2. \u201cInsta foam pull test is scheduled for 2nd shift tonight.<\/p>\n

\u201cSystems tunnel cable installation is in work. Aft IEA Installation; Task is on hold for acceptable Insta foam pull test. Strut Installation; Task is on hold for acceptable Insta foam pull test. Left Forward Center segment: Offload is scheduled for today.\u201d<\/p>\n

STS-131 Processing Latest:<\/p>\n

Discovery was expected to rollover on Tuesday, following an official delay over the weekend, which was again confirmed by the NASA Test Director (NTD) on Monday morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cOrbiter: OV-103 (OPF Bay 3): Rollover to the VAB is planned for Tuesday at 0600 hrs. The orbiter is expected to be spotted in the VAB at 0800. S0008 Shuttle Interface Test Call-to-Stations is planned for 1700 on Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n

See Also<\/h4>\n