STS-127 Updates

[Orbinaut Pete]

More info:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009...to-plan-confidence-root-cause-has-been-found/

 

[ryan]

I just saw on the KSC video feed that engineers are now putting on the supply arm to the GUP, another sign that there go for the fueling test.

 

[DaveS]

I just saw on the KSC video feed that engineers are now putting on the supply arm to the GUP, another sign that there go for the fueling test.

It's a vent line, not a supply line. It doesn't supply anything. And it's a tanking test, not a "fueling" test. That's the extremely dumbed down and incorrect term. And it's GUCP which is short for Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate. "Gup" is just how it is pronounced.

The fuel is the LH2 but a rocket engine requires two components, a fuel and a oxidizer. In this case, LOX.

 

[ryan]

Gaseous Hydrogen Leak Repair Nearing Completion

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:01:07 AM UTC+1000


At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, repairs are nearing completion on the plate that attaches a gaseous hydrogen vent line to space shuttle Endeavour's external fuel tank. The new, two-piece seals were installed and tightened Friday, new washers were installed Sunday and the vent line has been reattached to the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate. Today, the vent line bolts will be tightened and the line tested for leaks using helium at ambient temperatures.

The repairs will be verified Wednesday when Endeavour's external tank is filled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The tanking test will start at 7 a.m. EDT and last about three hours, followed by a news conference to discuss the results. Both events will be shown live on NASA TV.

Endeavour's airlock was closed and checked for leaks Friday. Replacement spacesuit batteries will be stored in the orbiter's middeck for flight. The next launch attempt for Endeavour is targeted for July 11 at 7:39 p.m.

Endeavour's STS-127 astronauts are conducting an integrated entry simulation today in the motion based simulator at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

 

[ryan]

Found a couple of diagrams of the payloads on 127.

 

[Donamy]

Here's another.

 

[ryan]

Hey guys, Donamys picture of the 127 payload on orbiter and i realised that maybe NASA can use orbiter as illustrations, during 125 i noticed they played graphics of the EVAs did anyone notice them, i mean would orbiter be more useful then the one NASA uses.
It would certainly give Orbiter attention
Thanks.
Ryan.

---------- Post added at 05:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:08 AM ----------

The RSS has been retracted to its fully retracted position and the beanie cap is in place, now lets all pray to the all mighty probe that everything works.

 

[DaveS]

Just a summary of today:

The tanking test officially began at 6:53 am EDT this morning when both the LOX and LH2 chilldowns commenced. About 20 minutes later, both propellants were in slow-fill. As the LH2 transitioned from fast-fill to topping mode the GH2 vent valve was commanded to the full open mode.

This is when higher than allowed GH2 leaks have been observed on the past two tankings. But today, no leakages were noted at the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate(GUCP) and GH2 vent line.

As a result, the MMT have decided to press forward with a launch attempt on July 11.

 

[agentgonzo]

Time lapse of the ET work done so-far after Launch Attempt 2.

 

[ryan]

Endeavour, Crew Preparing for July 11 Launch

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:25:36 AM UTC+1000


Launch preparations are under way at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following Wednesday's successful test fueling of space shuttle Endeavour's external tank.

Two previous attempts to launch Endeavour on the STS-127 mission were halted by a leak in the area of the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate, which attaches a gaseous hydrogen vent line to the external tank. After several days of investigation and repair work, the massive orange tank was filled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as controllers watched for evidence of leaks. The system performed well, verifying the success of the repair.

"There were absolutely no leak indications whatsoever noted on the two leak detectors," said Launch Director Pete Nickolenko. "We'll continue to look at the data, and our next step is to move toward launch."

Endeavour's astronauts are taking the holiday weekend off and will go into quarantine Sunday evening. They are due to arrive at Kennedy on July 7 at 2 p.m. EDT. The countdown will officially begin Wednesday at 10 p.m. when clocks begin ticking backward from T-43 hours. Liftoff is set for July 11 at 7:39 p.m.

 

[DaveS]

NASA TV schedule for STS-127:

-Tuesday, July 7
2 pm EDT: Flight crew arrival at SLF

-Wednesday, July 8
10 am EDT: L-3 Countdown Status Briefing

-Thursday, July 9
10 am EDT: L-2 Countdown Status Briefing

-Friday, July 10
10 am EDT: L-1 Countdown Status Briefing
11 pm EDT: Rotating Service Structure Retraction

-Saturday July 11
10 am EDT: Tanking coverage
2:30 pm EDT: Launch coverage

 

[DaveS]

Flight crew arrival at the SLF is now targeted for 1 pm EDT(1700 UTC).

 

[ryan]

A bad omen?

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

The initial forecast for KSC on Saturday predicts a 40% chance of launch.
Showers and thunderstorms are expected.

 

[agentgonzo]

The initial forecast for KSC on Saturday predicts a 40% chance of launch.
Showers and thunderstorms are expected.

40%? Poo. That's not very good. Hopefully it will be launched within a few days if the weather puts it off on Saturday. The ISS does many visibile flybys a day at the moment, so the shuttle would do too. Plenty of sighting opportunities if it launches in the coming week.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

40%? Poo. That's not very good. Hopefully it will be launched within a few days if the weather puts it off on Saturday. The ISS does many visibile flybys a day at the moment, so the shuttle would do too. Plenty of sighting opportunities if it launches in the coming week.

According to several tracking websites (and assuming Endeavour launches on time Saturday), the following should be visible from my house over a 10 minute period:

(In order) ISS > Progress 33 > Endeavour > Endeavour’s jettisoned ET

I hope it's a clear night on Saturday (Sunday morning for me). It would be great if all those were visible!!!

 

[Kyle]

weathers always crap in Florida for launches.
Would make it the 3rd scrub if the weather screws up.

 

[agentgonzo]

According to several tracking websites (and assuming Endeavour launches on time Saturday), the following should be visible from my house over a 10 minute period:

(In order) ISS > Progress 33 > Endeavour > Endeavour’s jettisoned ET

I hope it's a clear night on Saturday (Sunday morning for me). It would be great if all those were visible!!!

Pete, where do you get expected passes of STS shortly after it has launched. I use www.heavens-above.com, which (AFAIK) gets its TLEs from Norad periodically, meaning that shuttles don't appear on it until they are in stable orbit (which is not soon enough after launch to be able to see it). Thus I've never had a prediction of when the shuttle will come over directly after launch. Also, I've never seen a jettisoned ET (for the same reasons - that would be awesome!). Though the way the clouds are rolling in, the chances of seeing it are small anyway.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Pete, where do you get expected passes of STS shortly after it has launched. I use www.heavens-above.com, which (AFAIK) gets its TLEs from Norad periodically, meaning that shuttles don't appear on it until they are in stable orbit (which is not soon enough after launch to be able to see it). Thus I've never had a prediction of when the shuttle will come over directly after launch. Also, I've never seen a jettisoned ET (for the same reasons - that would be awesome!). Though the way the clouds are rolling in, the chances of seeing it are small anyway.

Don't you have Orbiter for making such a prediction?

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Pete, where do you get expected passes of STS shortly after it has launched.

I use the NASA HSF site - just select your location:
http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/index.html

Providing it's a clear night, and you look in the right place in the sky, at generally ~40-50 mins after launch, you should be able to see the Shuttle even without a prediction - it's unmissable. If you get the predictions for the ISS, once that has passed, the Shuttle usually follows about ~10 mins after. I remember Endeavour was seen over England just after it launched on STS-126 back in Nov '08.

The weather is supposed to clear up here on Sat, so I'm hoping for a good sighting!!! :speakcool: