Tag: STS-133
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STS-133: ET-137 ready for Friday’s Tanking Test – GUCP to be monitored
Pending acceptable weather conditions on Friday, all systems are go for ET-137’s Tanking Test – a key milestone in the effort to gain data on both the health of the tank and the root cause investigation into four cracks sustained during the previous STS-133 tanking. The November launch attempt was scrubbed due to a leak…
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STS-133: Tanking Test plan outlined – Rollback to allow for additional ET scans
With unacceptable weather at KSC restricting preparations for STS-133’s Tanking Test, managers decided to delay the test until at least Friday. With the Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) approving the plan to collect data from ET-137’s stringers, a decision was also taken to roll the stack back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) next week…
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STS-133: Pad work progressing for next week’s instrumented Tanking Test
Engineers are pressing forward with work relating to next week’s instrumented Tanking Test – a key milestone in gaining data towards the root cause of the cracks found two of ET-137’s stringers – with Thermal Protection System (TPS) foam already removed from the tank, allowing for the installation of strain gages and thermocouples into two…
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NASA managers realigning ISS manifest following STS-133 slip to February
Following the decision to move Discovery’s STS-133 launch date target to No Earlier Than (NET) February 3, NASA managers have begun realigning the International Space Station (ISS) manifest. An April 1 placeholder has been selected for Endeavour’s STS-134 mission, while Japan’s HTV resupply vehicle is also involved in supporting the manifest changes. STS-133 Delay: With…
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STS-133: Tanking Test planned – Launch slips to Feb 3, 2011
The all-powerful Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) met on Thursday to discuss the status of ET-137’s stringer crack root cause, as part of their effort to gain flight rationale for STS-133. Forward options range from conducting a Tanking Test, through to the contingency of rolling back and destacking the vehicle – in order to carry out modifications to…
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STS-133: Evaluating the concern of stringer foam loss – 2011 launch more likely
The main drive to return ET-137 to flight status is continuing this week, with focus being placed on assurances a stringer defect does not result in foam liberations during ascent, with new documentation showing even small foam losses from the flange area has the ability to cause critical damage to the orbiter. Meanwhile, managerial memos…
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STS-133: The battle continues for ET-137 flight rationale
Despite the large amount of progress made towards flight rationale – called for in relation to Discovery’s External Tank (ET-137) stringer cracks – teams are heading into another week of deliberations, with a large amount of work ahead of them. Although STS-133 is threatening to move into next year, NASA managers will continue to evaluate…
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STS-133: NASA managers decide to slip to a NET December 17 target
A Christmas mission may be the cards for Discovery’s final mission, as managers at the Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) decided against shooting for the early December launch window opportunities. More work is required on assessing the status of External Tank (ET-137), resulting in a move to the December 17-20 window – although this target…
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STS-133: ET-137 flight rationale progress – Two launch date options prepared
Progress continues to be made in returning Discovery’s External Tank (ET-137) back to flight status, as nearly all of the physical repairs are completed on what were two cracked stringers on the LOX/Intertank flange area. With flight rationale work building, December 3 and December 5 – the latter including a Tanking Test – are being…
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NASA Reviews Beta Angle Constraints for STS-133 Launch Date Options
As Shuttle Program engineers continue to work through the final phases of repairs to Discovery’s External Tank Intertank stringers, focus now turns in earnest toward a discussion on the development/approval of flight rationale for ET-137, as well as the available launch opportunities for STS-133/Discovery in December 2010 and potentially early January 2011 – before a…