**The most comprehensive collection of Shuttle, Ares, Orion and ISS related presentations and mission documentation, plus expansive daily processing documentation and updates are <\/em>available to download on L2<\/em><\/font> **<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n STS-122 L2 Special NOW LIVE. **Click here for sample of L2 menu and content**<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n <\/font>**STS-122 Special: 12 MOD Flight Readiness Review (FRR) Presentations, Baselines and Mission Overviews. 17 Shuttle FRR Presentations. Payload Presentations and vast amounts of live, uploaded images and presentations. Installation Movies (several) \u2013 already 2100 megabytes strong** <\/font><\/em><\/p>\n **COMPLETE Section on ECO\/Feedthrough Connector issues and troubleshooting, graphical and data based \u2013 expansive.**<\/p>\n **LIVE updates on Atlantis STS-122 Troubleshooting Latest**<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n **LIVE updates on Discovery STS-124 Processing**<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n <\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Space Shuttle models (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n<\/p>\n **LIVE news updates on Endeavour STS-123 Processing**<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n **Click here for FRR overview articles: Article 1 \u2013 Article 2** \u2013 Click *HERE* for all our articles on the STS-122 ECO\/Feedthrough Connector issue. STS-122 Latest:<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n The concern relates to the potential that unacceptable amounts of liquid hydrogen could leak through those cracks during ascent, which would breach safety rules. As a result, engineers are being tasked with understanding and eliminating the concern via testing.<\/p>\n \u2018Provide comprehensive plan to utilize all available connector hardware in the development of flight rationale for the existing feed through connector design. Surface cracks observed on vitreous glass seal using 50x visual inspection on ET-125 feed through connector,\u2019 noted information acquired by L2.<\/p>\n \u2018Surface cracks could result in unacceptable LH2 leakage during ascent (Crit. 1). Rationale required prior to installation and flight.\u2019 <\/p>\n This is currently the main focus of the engineering evaluations on the cracking, after opening results showed that there is neither the flight history, nor the data, that supports any correlation between the observation of cracked glass and the ECO sensor system anomalies. <\/p>\n As a result, MSFC engineers are now tasked with a separate investigation, likely in cooperation with the vendor, to pinpoint the exact cause of the cracks, along with a full understanding of any potential safety implications during the ride uphill.<\/p>\n Opening data shows that engineers have been aware such cracks can exist, and are the result of processing. Sources believe that certain levels of observed cracking leads to hardware being rejected \u2013 via a quality control process. However, such cracking has only when spotted via inspections that are to a certain level of magnification. <\/p>\n Due to the intense focus on ET-125\u2019s connector, the cracking was observed at magnification levels of up to the power of x50. This may add confidence, due to the likelihood that cracking is typical \u2013 though not always spotted \u2013 yet has not exhibited a problem on any flight of the shuttle. <\/p>\n However, NASA aren\u2019t taking any chances with the connector hardware, following the problems associated with STS-122. A full investigation will be utilized in parallel with the MSFC cryogenic testing of ET-125\u2019s connector, as engineers hope to recreate the error seen during the two launch scrubs and subsequent tanking test, with an eye on confirming that the removed external connector is at fault. <\/p>\n \u2018Test-Based Verification Approach: All available hardware assets being used to provide timely data to support two critical milestones \u2013 Production Readiness Review (PRR) and Flight Readiness Review (FRR). Test plan structured to provide sufficient data to proceed with confidence at PRR,\u2019 noted information. <\/p>\n \u2018Data includes multiple leak tests with 50x visual inspections of ET-125 connector. ET-125 connector experienced multiple cryogenic cycles with pressure loading. Provides confidence that cracks are benign.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018(Testing) planned for X-33 connector. X-33 connector qualtest-demonstrated (>6 cryocycles, delta pressure, and vibration),\u2019 added information. \u2018Provides evidence that glass structural integrity not compromised by cracking under combined environment loading.<\/p>\n \u2018Test plan builds on existing database to further increase confidence prior to FRR. Includes additional vibration testing of ET-125 connector with cracks. Ultimate pressure testing at cryoplanned for ET-120, ET-125, Qual, and 1st article units. DPA planned following ultimate pressure testing. 50x visual inspections planned at appropriate points during testing.\u2019 <\/p>\n Confidence is high that this new issue won\u2019t cause a problem with the current efforts of installing the replacement Feed-through connector \u2013 which is an opening process of the forward plan to bring STS-122 back into a launch posture, with rationale already created to \u2018proceed\u2019 with the current plan. <\/p>\n \u2018Rationale for Proceeding with ET-125 Installation: 50x visual inspections show no change in crack characteristic following cryocycling with leak tests (ET-125). Leak testing performed at pressures \u2013 flight limit pressure (100 vs. 34 psig) (ET-125). Leakage within acceptable limits.<\/p>\n \u2018X-33 qualification article (cryo, pressure, vibe) contained cracks consistent with ET-125. Additional cryogenic cycles and pressure testing performed. No crack growth observed following 100 psi leak test at KSC. X-33 connector dissection data to show nature of cracks as superficial \/ benign.\u2019 <\/p>\n The plan is to ship the X-33 connector hardware to the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) early this week, for dissection and testing by Thursday. At the same time, further inspections will be carried out on the ET-125 connector at MSFC on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u2018Coordination with vendor suggests cracks most likely caused by processing and exacerbated by CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion)-effects at cryogenic temperatures. ET-125 and X-33 connectors required to provide data for PRR,\u2019 added information. <\/p>\n \u2018ET-125: Leakage and crack characteristics (MSFC) X-33: (Testing) to assess extent of cracking (MAF). Additional testing planned for ET-125, ET-120, and verification test articles. ET-125: Cryogenic vibration followed by ultimate pressure test (MSFC) and testing (MAF) \u2013 (Same for ET-120). <\/p>\n \u2018Detailed schedule in work to show timeline for additional scope required for flight rationale.\u2019 **STARLIGHT: NEW STS-117 MISSION REVIEW MUSIC VIDEO** \u2013 STS-118 and STS-120 Mission review video also available.<\/font><\/em><\/font> <\/em><\/font><\/p>\n **ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE: STS-117 MISSION REVIEW MUSIC VIDEO \u2013 AS SEEN BY THE STS-117 CREW!!**<\/font> -. A new issue with Atlantis\u2019 External Tank LH2 Feed-through connector hardware will require further investigation, after cracks were found on the glass seal below the pins on ET-125\u2019s removed external connector. At present, engineers do not believe it is related to the Engine Cut Off (ECO) system anomalies, as the process begins at the pad […]<\/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":[],"class_list":["post-41510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41510"}],"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=41510"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41510\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/em><\/font>L2: STS-122 to STS-127 documentation already available.<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n
<\/u><\/em><\/p>\nThe surface cracks were observed on the vitreous glass seal, via initial inspections over the weekend at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Engineers used a magnification of x50 to gain imagery of the \u2018crazed\u2019 cracks. <\/p>\n
**Ride home through the fire, sparks and plasma of re-entry with Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavour. FIVE Stunning high quality 2hr, 355-400mb Camcorder and HUD videos \u2013 from payload bay closure \u2013 through re-entry with an astronaut held camcorder video \u2013 to post landing \u2013 several more videos showing landing from 90,000 ft also available and HUD videos from STA landings. Includes HALO II Re-entry video, and re-entry videos from Gemini and Apollo (converted from 8mm)**<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n
Such is the level of testing that is being carried out on this particular issue, hardware from the X-33 \u2013 the technology demonstrator for the VentureStar program back in the 1990s \u2013 will be called upon, due to the commonality of the connector hardware.<\/p>\n
<\/em>L2 members<\/em><\/font>: All documentation \u2013 from which the above article has quoted snippets \u2013 is available in full in the related L2 sections, updated live.<\/em><\/p>\n
(Video section is FREE, but you need to sign up as a member of the forum to enter the video section of the site. We only use your e-mail to send you your password. It will not be used for spam etc.)<\/em><\/font><\/em><\/font><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"