Tag: FCV
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Diligent to the end – Endeavour’s engineers spot 0.005 inch FCV defect
Space Shuttle Program (SSP) manager John Shannon has praised the team responsible for installing the Flow Control Valves (FCVs) on Endeavour, after they spotted a 0.005 inch shim was missing from one of the three valves. Endeavour – processing for next year’s STS-134 – wouldn’t of suffered from any ill effects, had she launched with…
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Flow Control Valve Investigation reveals probable cause of failure
A one-year long investigation into the liberation of part of a Flow Control Valve (FCV) poppet during Endeavour’s STS-126 launch in November 2008 has concluded with a recommendation to close the official investigation after findings revealed the most probable cause of the STS-126 liberation and subsequent eddy current reading increases following some of the Shuttle…
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STS-125: Radiator repair working two cracks, FRCS inspections, Swine Flu plan
As engineers create their repair plan for what is now observed to be two cracks in Atlantis’ left radiator panel, borescope inspections have been called (see update in article) on both Atlantis and Endeavour, after a broken stud was found on Discovery’s Forward Reaction Control System (FRCS) F5R thruster. Meanwhile shuttle managers have created a contingency…
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Atlantis suffers slight damage to radiator – FCV plan eases for STS-125
Managers are close to approving a switch to an advanced May 11 launch date for STS-125, as engineers evaluate damage to Atlantis’ left radiator panel, following an impact from a torque wrench socket. Meanwhile, it has been decided to defer the modification of a doubler plate to the downstream Flow Control Valve (FCV) lines, until after…
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Managers considering May 11 for STS-125 – ET camera/flash troubleshooting
The dual processing flows for Atlantis and Endeavour are proceeding to plan, with the main engineering focus on the ET camera flash system, which is undergoing troubleshooting on Atlantis. Managers have also completed the review of the SSP (Space Shuttle Program) Flight Readiness Review (FRR), with evaluations taking place on advancing the launch date by…
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NASA updates milestones for Atlantis’ STS-129 mission
With Atlantis and Endeavour now in their dual processing flows for the STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA managers have updated plans for shuttle Atlantis’ next mission – STS-129 – via the Launch Site Flow Review (LSFR). Highlighting the ever-fluctuating nature of the Space Shuttle Program (SSP), STS-129 was originally scheduled to fly…
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STS-119 FCV performance boosts flight rationale for STS-125
Aiding the requirement of flight rationale for STS-125, engineers have found that the three replacement Flow Control Valves (FCVs) that flew on STS-119 suffered from no cracking, following inspections on the valves after they had been removed from Discovery. The news comes as managers prepare to conduct both the post flight review of STS-119 and…
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Atlantis rollout to Pad 39A – FCV plan set up for STS-125/400
Atlantis has rolled back out to Pad 39A for her re-aligned STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. First motion for the stack was registered at 3:54am local time, for a 11am arrival at the pad, after which the vehicle will undergo a hotfire of all three of her Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) tonight. Meanwhile…
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STS-119: Opening TPS inspections complete – several issues being worked
Discovery is completed her opening Thermal Protection System (TPS) inspections on Flight Day 2 of STS-119, as engineers on the ground evaluate ascent imagery and the opening ‘funnies’ reported to the Mission Evaluation Room (MER). In total, engineers have reported eight issues – all of which are minor and have no mission impact. Flight Day 2 opened…
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FRR clears STS-119 for March 11 launch, pending SRB resolution
As expected, the Flight Readiness Review (FRR) has cleared Discovery to target a launch at 9:20pm on March 11, following a final review of the Flow Control Valve (FCV) flight rationale. One constraint – relating to the left SRB (Solid Rocket Booster) Range Safety System – will be worked over the weekend. Engineers will replace…