zerofay32
Buckeye
July 03 2011
Enterprise is ready for her Fourth of July launch to begin missions for the Helios Project. On board is the prototype version of the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV-00) and a satellite that will be used in the communications network for the new station and transferring OMVs. Enterprise is currently the only orbiter that will have the Centaur Integrated Support System or CISS needed to transport OMVs. When the Centaur G was originaly going to fly, Atlantis and Challenger were the Obiters that had the systems installed. After the cancelation of the Shuttle-Centaur program these systems were removed. This mission will test the performance characteristics of the OMV and provide data on the operations of the vehicle. The vehicle will be controlled from both on orbit (shuttle) and from the ground just as it will during Helios operations. The shuttle will fly to the same altitude as the SSF and will deploy the OMV to simulate launching it from the SSF. Prox ops will be controlled from the shuttle until the separation burn. The OMV will travel to a 36000km circular orbit where it will release the satellite. After release the OMV will conduct Prox Ops around the satellite in the same manor as it will around the Helios Station. After transfer back to the shuttles orbit and once it gets to around 600 km to the shuttle, the shuttle will finish the capture operations due to flight rules. After retrieval, the shuttle crew will dump any remaining fuel from the OMV for the trip home. Landing will be at KSC about a week after launch.
Launch will be at 17:00:00 UTC tomorrow.
July 04 2011
Enterprise has lifted off and is currently in orbit. Her crew is working on PI checklist and will be deploying the OMV later this evening.
UPDATE:
The OMV has been released and is on its way to its 36000km orbit.
July 05 FD2:
The OMV has reached the target altitude and is ready to begin a day of prox ops before heading back the the Enterprise. Meanwhile, on the shuttle the crew will be doing the OBSS survey and a number of experiments on the middeck.
July 07 FD4:
The OMV is closing in on shuttle Enterprise. Capture with the RMS will be around 5:00pm EST. After the OMV is back in the payload bay the crew will vent the remaining OMV fuel overboard using the CISS installed on Enterpise duing the last trunaround.
UPDATE:
The OMV is back in the bay and safed for landing. This concludes the crew's day. Tomorrow, they will get ready for deorbit and landing which will take place the following day July 9 FD6.
July 09 FD6:
Enterprise has landed completing mission STS-205.
The next launch will be T3HL20-4 to the SSF. This mission is to deliver the crew of Freedom Expedition 5 to the station along with the CRV Justice. FE4 will leave in the CRV Independence after briefing the new crew. This will be the last crew transfer that will use the HL-20. Crew transfers from now on will use the Ares I and Orion.
The next shuttle launch is STS-207-LF5 (a logistics flight to the SSF) in August.
Enterprise is ready for her Fourth of July launch to begin missions for the Helios Project. On board is the prototype version of the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV-00) and a satellite that will be used in the communications network for the new station and transferring OMVs. Enterprise is currently the only orbiter that will have the Centaur Integrated Support System or CISS needed to transport OMVs. When the Centaur G was originaly going to fly, Atlantis and Challenger were the Obiters that had the systems installed. After the cancelation of the Shuttle-Centaur program these systems were removed. This mission will test the performance characteristics of the OMV and provide data on the operations of the vehicle. The vehicle will be controlled from both on orbit (shuttle) and from the ground just as it will during Helios operations. The shuttle will fly to the same altitude as the SSF and will deploy the OMV to simulate launching it from the SSF. Prox ops will be controlled from the shuttle until the separation burn. The OMV will travel to a 36000km circular orbit where it will release the satellite. After release the OMV will conduct Prox Ops around the satellite in the same manor as it will around the Helios Station. After transfer back to the shuttles orbit and once it gets to around 600 km to the shuttle, the shuttle will finish the capture operations due to flight rules. After retrieval, the shuttle crew will dump any remaining fuel from the OMV for the trip home. Landing will be at KSC about a week after launch.
Launch will be at 17:00:00 UTC tomorrow.
July 04 2011
Enterprise has lifted off and is currently in orbit. Her crew is working on PI checklist and will be deploying the OMV later this evening.
UPDATE:
The OMV has been released and is on its way to its 36000km orbit.
July 05 FD2:
The OMV has reached the target altitude and is ready to begin a day of prox ops before heading back the the Enterprise. Meanwhile, on the shuttle the crew will be doing the OBSS survey and a number of experiments on the middeck.
July 07 FD4:
The OMV is closing in on shuttle Enterprise. Capture with the RMS will be around 5:00pm EST. After the OMV is back in the payload bay the crew will vent the remaining OMV fuel overboard using the CISS installed on Enterpise duing the last trunaround.
UPDATE:
The OMV is back in the bay and safed for landing. This concludes the crew's day. Tomorrow, they will get ready for deorbit and landing which will take place the following day July 9 FD6.
July 09 FD6:
Enterprise has landed completing mission STS-205.
The next launch will be T3HL20-4 to the SSF. This mission is to deliver the crew of Freedom Expedition 5 to the station along with the CRV Justice. FE4 will leave in the CRV Independence after briefing the new crew. This will be the last crew transfer that will use the HL-20. Crew transfers from now on will use the Ares I and Orion.
The next shuttle launch is STS-207-LF5 (a logistics flight to the SSF) in August.
