Tag: STS-135
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Progress M-04M launches to cost-cutting ISS – STS-135 addition removed
With the International Space Station (ISS) extended to at least 2020, its upmass and downmass lifelines have received a blow – following the decision to remove the possibility of using the Launch On Need (LON) vehicle, Atlantis, for supporting STS-133 as an additional logistics flight (STS-135). Meanwhile, nearly 2,600 kg are enroute to the Station,…
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STS-131: ET-135 arrives at KSC as engineers evaluate intertank foam losses
External Tank ET-135 has arrived at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), following its journey from New Orleans in the Pegasus Barge. The tank will remain inside the barge until the new year, ahead of being towed into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for processing. Meanwhile, engineers are continuing to evaluate the foam loss observed from…
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NASA’s future direction – extra shuttle flights and commerical launcher touted
MOD Director Paul Hill has hinted that there’s a “remote” chance NASA may add one or more shuttle flights, in addition to “under evaluation” STS-135. Mr Hill’s comments came during an address to his team – relating to the upcoming White House decision on NASA’s Human Space Flight program – in which he noted his awareness of discussions relating…
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NASA managers evaluating STS-135 as an addition to the shuttle manifest
NASA managers at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Johnson Space Center (JSC) have confirmed they are working on the addition of STS-135, to fly at end of the shuttle manifest in late 2010, early 2011. Although the mission has some way to go before it is baselined, Atlantis would gain the honor of flying…
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Downstream processing and planning – preparing the fleet through to STS-135
Even though shuttle managers are preparing for two missions in the space of a month, efforts on the downstream flights are at various stages of processing and planning, all the way through to STS-135 – which is currently the LON (Launch On Need) placeholder for what is currently the last shuttle mission – STS-134 –…