**The most comprehensive collection of STS-117 onwards related presentions and mission documentation, plus expansive daily processing documentation and updates are <\/em>available to download on L2<\/font><\/em> <\/em>**<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n **LIVE news updates on Atlantis STS-117 PAD FLOW \u2013 LIVE**<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n **LIVE news updates on Endeavour STS-118 (LON-318) Processing**<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n **LIVE news updates on Discovery STS-120 (LON-320) Processing**<\/font><\/em> <\/font><\/p>\n ET-120 has had an eventful life already, having been one of four ETs that were sent back to MAF in New Orleans from the Kennedy Space Center for modifications, following the loss of Columbia. <\/font><\/p>\n ET-120 was originally set to fly on Discovery\u2019s RTF mission STS-114, until it was replaced by ET-121 following ECO (Engine Cut Off) sensor problems during tanking. <\/font><\/p>\n The tank was also at the center of the NASA decision to remove the PAL ramps from all tanks ahead of STS-121, after visible cracks were observed on ET-120\u2019s foam surface. The PAL ramps came into focus following a liberation event during STS-114, where a chunk of the ramp came loose during ascent \u2013 although questions remain on the actual cause of the foam release<\/font>. <\/font><\/p>\n With ET-120 being recycled for flight, work is still being completed on the final stages of its RTF modifications, most notably on the Ice Frost Ramps (IFRs) validation procedures. <\/font><\/p>\n <\/font> The tank was set to leave MAF for the five day transport by barge on June 4, but that date has now slipped twice this month.<\/p>\n However, the slip isn\u2019t damaging the processing flow of Discovery at present, with a 30 day buffer \u2013 aided by the recent changes to the launch manifest which also changed the flight from Atlantis to Discovery \u2013 before there\u2019s an impact to the required date for ET mate with the Solid Rocket Boosters. <\/p>\n \u2018Completion is about 24 days down to schedule (was June 4),\u2019 noted PRCB (Program Requirements Control Board) information earlier in the month on L2. \u2018Challenges with non-recurring verification and validation is driving the late completion, but KSC says they have about 30 days they can absorb with no impact to ET Mate.\u2019 <\/font><\/p>\n 24 days became four weeks this week, as per information in the latest Shuttle Standup\/Integration report (L2), although Lockheed Martin sources note they are confident that any further delays will not breach the 30 day ET mate buffer. <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018ET-120 progressing at MAF. Critical path still runs through station 1593 ice\/frost ramp V&V (verification and validation),\u2019 added the Standup report. \u2018Showing themselves as four weeks down on schedule. Working through non-recurring scope. Making progress putting pressurization lines down and on remainder of RTF mods.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n STS-120, commanded by US Air Force Colonel Pam Melroy, will deliver launch package 10A, which consists of the US Node 2 (with four DC-to-DC Converter Unit (DDCU) racks and three Zero-g Stowage Racks (ZSR) installed), a Power and Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF) for the station\u2019s robot arm, and a Shuttle Power Distribution Unit (SPDU). <\/font><\/p>\n The mission will have new elements to deal with, which were handled by the PRCB (Program Requirements Control Board) re-baselining in June 2006.<\/font><\/p>\n \u2018STS-120 was originally baselined in the FDRD on January 23, 2003 with a February 19, 2004 launch date. Following the Columbia accident, the mission was removed from the FDRD. Recently the ISSP has decided to accelerate the ISS International Partner (IP) Module missions by one flight. This includes the STS-120\/ISS-10A (Node 2) mission,\u2019 noted the presentation.<\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018The STS-120 mission requirements have been updated to include not only the Node 2 installation but also the definite transfer of the OBSS Integrated Boom Assembly and the P6 relocation task (previously planned for the STS-119 (ISS-15A) mission). The STS-119 mission has been deferred until after the delivery of the IP Modules.<\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n Mission objectives include: Unberthing Node 2 from PLB and install on ISS Node 1 Port ACBM. A Crew Rotation, involving Expedition 15 Flight Engineer Clayton Anderson, who will return on STS-120, which also carries his replacement, Daniel Tani, to the station. Tani will return on shuttle mission STS-122.<\/font><\/p>\n Following the re-baseline, the mission may be extended past its initial 11 day mission, with the post-Columbia mission elements coming into play. This includes Late Inspection, which is required after undocking to check for any damage on orbit from space debris. <\/font><\/p>\n \u2018Late inspection cannot be accommodated with current mission content; mission duration increase to 13+1+2 would be required to support pre-undocked late inspection but not possible on non-SSPTS OV-104 vehicle; moving the OBSS IBA transfer task to STS-118\/ISS-13A.1 would allow pre\/post-undock late inspection,\u2019 added the presentation.<\/font><\/p>\n At present, the OBSS (Orbiter Boom Sensor System) role in future missions includes stowing the arm on the ISS due to clearance issues with some future payloads. <\/font>Recently, NASA cancelled the option of building a mini-boom to mitigate this issue<\/font><\/font>.<\/font><\/p>\n **INFINITY: 10 minute STS MUSIC VIDEO**<\/font><\/em><\/font> \u2013 COMING SOON: Atlantis\/Starlight. **NASASpaceflight.com Job Opportunities**<\/em><\/font><\/em> <\/font><\/em><\/p>\n <\/font><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Engineers at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) are no strangers to the battle of protecting the shuttle launch schedule by shipping their External Tanks on time \u2013 and this battle has now moved to ET-120. The tank is set to fly on STS-120, Discovery\u2019s October mission to install the Node 2 \u2018Harmony\u2019 module on the […]<\/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-41711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41711"}],"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=41711"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41711\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/font><\/p>\n
\n<\/font><\/p>\n<\/font>**Ride home through the fire and plasma of re-entry with Atlantis on STS-115 \u2013 And now also with Discovery on STS-116 \u2013 TWO Stunning high quality 2hr, 355mb videos \u2013 from deorbit burn to post landing**<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n
<\/font>Node 2 \u2013 which will also provide a docking port for future shuttle missions \u2013 will be the first pressurized habitable module delivered to the station since the Quest Airlock was installed in June, 2001. Also on this flight, the P6 solar arrays will be moved from the Z1 truss on top of the Unity module to its final position at the port end of the truss.<\/font><\/p>\n
<\/font>Other mission elements for the six docked days on the ISS include the Transfer Water and Critical Items. Transfer OBSS IBA to ISS. Relocation of P6 from Z1 to P5 and re-activate P6, which requires back-to-back EVAs. Protect P6 52 Hr Deact-to Reactivation thermal constraint. Get Ahead Tasks \u2013 and ISS Reboost and Flyaround Imagery \u2013 Prop Margin Dependent.<\/font><\/p>\n
\n<\/font><\/p>\n<\/font><\/p>\n
<\/em>(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><\/p>\n
\n<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n