**The most comprehensive collection of STS-117 onwards related presentions and mission documentation are <\/em>available to download on L2<\/em> <\/em>**<\/em><\/p>\n **LIVE news updates on Atlantis STS-117 Processsing Flow**<\/em><\/p>\n **LIVE news updates on Endeavour STS-118 (LON-318) Processing**<\/em><\/p>\n **LIVE news updates on Discovery STS-122 (LON-322) Processing**<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Spaceflight history books (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n It is not yet clear as to the specific problem with Atlantis \u2013 currently stacked to ET-124 and boosters inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) \u2013 with further details expected early Tuesday. There will be a new article once that information arrives.<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n Other preparations have been proceeding to plan, with Atlantis\u2019 payload reaching the pad early on Monday morning. \u2018Payload delivery to the Pad occurred this morning at 0254 hrs. The canister lift began at 0540 hrs this morning,\u2019 noted Monday\u2019s Launch Operations report (on L2).<\/p>\n \u2018Space Shuttle Vehicle transfer to the pad status: Preps status: VAB platform retract inspections began on 3rd shift with C platform which is scheduled for retraction 1st shift today.\u2019 <\/p>\n While the new NET (No Earlier Than) date has been implemented into the latest FAWG and Launch Schedule manifests (both downloadable on L2), following the presentation to the PRCB, the document gives a fascinating insight into NASA\u2019s evaluations \u2013 and challenges \u2013 when tasked with moving up a launch date.<\/p>\n Those evaluations, in which all relevant NASA departments and shuttle contractors were asked for their appraisal of the new launch date, saw some areas of the program recommending against the move.<\/p>\n The first note of concern came from MSFC (Marshall Space Flight Center), who flagged the SSME (Space Shuttle Main Engine) installation on Atlantis as a \u2018red\u2019 schedule risk. <\/font><\/p>\n \u2018This launch schedule carries significant schedule risk for engine installation. The third HPOTP (high-pressure oxidizer turbopump) delivery required for this mission is currently planned for 24 days before installation,\u2019 MSFC noted.<\/font><\/p>\n \u2018Although this is within the minimum of 21 days, the HPOTP delivery schedule is vulnerable to test delays and the small margin could be easily lost.\u2019<\/font><\/p>\n Most areas of the shuttle program gave their blessing to the new launch date, although there were notes of the change being \u2018demanding,\u2019 as claimed by Kennedy Space Center (KSC): \u2018There will be high Ground Ops resource demands and budget\/overtime issues; the full impact will be dependent on the STS-122 and STS-123 Launch date Milestones.\u2019<\/font><\/p>\n However, the overall recommendation proved to be against moving the launch date up as far as August 26 \u2013 claiming August 30 would be more favorable \u2013 based mainly on \u2018crew loading,\u2019 and overtime costs, as nine full pages of written comments were summarized.<\/p>\n \u2018Based on the response, disapprove this launch date change,\u2019 noted the presentation\u2019s findings. \u2018Based on 6 sets of crews being in front of STS-120\/10A\u2019s crew the chances for the crew loading to increase is likely. Even if you manage crew loading tasks for STS-120\/10A the STS-120 crew could be displaced by other flights\u2019 changes. <\/font><\/p>\n \u2018Consider moving STS-120 to 8\/30. It is on a Thursday and will minimize overtime for KSC (8\/26 is on a Sunday, highest cost). The additional days mitigate the schedule threats expressed by SSME, ET, Shuttle Processing and Orbiter. It provides 8 more days of handheld opportunities and the 8\/30 and 8\/31 would be lighted for ET\/Sep, 7 days of lighted launch.<\/p>\n \u2018Crew loading may stay in the green (needs to be verified by MOD). An initial assessment put crew loading < 46 hours average for 8\/31 launch.\u2019<\/font><\/p>\n Atlantis will be carrying Node 2 for installation on to the International Space Station, after being previously deferred following the Columbia accident.<\/p>\n **INFINITY: 10 minute STS MUSIC VIDEO**<\/font><\/em><\/font> \u2013 **NASASpaceflight.com Job Opportunities**<\/em><\/font> <\/font><\/em><\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Atlantis\u2019 rollout to Launch Pad 39A has been delayed until at least Thursday morning, as engineers work an unspecified issue ahead of STS-117. Meanwhile, NASA managers have been discussing moving Atlantis\u2019 STS-120 launch date up by about 12 days, in order to add lighting opportunities for ET photography, and in mitigation of spacecraft congestion on […]<\/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-41799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41799"}],"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=41799"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41799\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}STS-120 \u2013 which is the mission that will follow STS-117 for Atlantis \u2013 is being moved up to August 26 from September 7, for reasons outlined in a PRCB (Program Control Requirements Board) presentation (downloadable on L2), which noted the change \u2018provides 5 opportunities for a lighted ET\/SEP for ET-120 and it also alleviates potential spacing problems at the space station.\u2019<\/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><\/p>\n
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<\/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