Tag: STS-135
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STS-135: Atlantis heads to VAB for mating with ET-138
Atlantis has rolled over to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for mating operations ahead of her July mission to the International Space Station (ISS) – the final scheduled shuttle mission. NASA managers are expected to set a realigned planning date for Atlantis’ launch, which – according to preliminary schedules – ranges between July 10-12. STS-135…
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STS-135: KSC realign schedule targets for a preliminary July 12 launch
Kennedy Space Center (KSC) engineering teams have realigned processing targets for STS-135 to point towards a July 12 launch date. The preliminary target is dependant on numerous – and upcoming – factors, not least the need for Endeavour to launch on her re-planned May 16 date, but also a nominal pad turnaround and a smooth…
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STS-134: Endeavour receives her new LCA – Blown driver examined
Teams at launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, FL have completed operations to install a replacement Aft Load Controller Assembly (ALCA) into one of Endeavour’s aft avionics bays. Meanwhile, the ALCA that failed during the April 29th launch attempt for Endeavour is undergoing testing to isolate the cause of the failure and enable…
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STS-135: Atlantis tracking May 12 rollover – Final Shuttle milestones
Atlantis is pressing towards a May 12 rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) as her engineers work on resolving a few minor Interim Problem Reports (IPRs) on the vehicle. Atlantis’ STS-135 processing flow is marking what is likely to be the final milestones to be worked by the Shuttle teams, with the last ever…
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Troubled STS-135 mission timeline under review
With just over two months to go before the farewell flight of NASA’s long-running Space Shuttle Program, mission managers for the STS-135/ULF7 flight of middle-child orbiter Atlantis are expressing rather significant concerns over the mission’s stretched-thin timeline. In fact, as it currently stands, the already maxed-out terminal flight of the Shuttle program is simply too…
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STS-134: Endeavour heading towards S0007 preparations – mission extended
With a large amount of contingency in her pad flow, Endeavour’s processing pace has slowed down this week. The flow is expected to ramp up on Friday as preparations begin for S0007 (Launch Countdown) operations. While the feared government shutdown was averted, memos pre-empting the possibility revealed some insight into the latest launch window planning…
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STS-134 Soyuz Flyabout Cancelled – Planning switched to STS-135
Following a meeting between NASA and Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) managers on Friday, a decision was made to call off the planned Soyuz documentary flyabout of the International Space Station (ISS) and Endeavour during the STS-134/ULF-6 mission, due to concerns with crew impacts in the event that the Soyuz should fail to re-dock with the…
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STS-135: Final shuttle mission preparing for SRB stacking – Mission tweaking
Preparations for Atlantis’ honor of rounding off the 30 year long Space Shuttle program are proceeding to plan, with processing about to enter the latest milestone of Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) stacking inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Minor alterations to the mission content – as is normal for this stage in the planning –…
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STS-135: Atlantis in smooth flow as ET-138 undergoes mods – Hale on stringers
Atlantis is continuing to enjoy a smooth processing flow inside her Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF-2) for the late June STS-135 mission, while her External Tank (ET-138) undergoes radius block modifications to avoid the potential of cracks forming in the intertank stringers. Former SSP manager Wayne Hale also noted the observation of such cracks is a…
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NASA managers insist STS-135 will fly – Payload options under assessment
As the future of NASA’s budget finds itself under scrutiny again this week, managers have told their workforce that STS-135 will fly “regardless” of what happens with the funding situation via the Continuing Resolution (CR). Atlantis’ preparations for the final flight of the Space Shuttle are continuing without issue, as managers debate the payloads which…