Question General Spaceflight Q&A

[garyw]

No more shuttle missions. there is talk of an extension but it'll take two years to build new tanks unless they refurbish some older ones.

I just love the poster!

 

[DaveS]

No more shuttle missions. there is talk of an extension but it'll take two years to build new tanks unless they refurbish some older ones.

Not quite. They have a few almost ready to fly SLWTs left, then additional materials for another two SLWTs and one LWT that would need the RTF mods. So all in all, they have about 7 ETs before any new orders would have to be made.

 

[garyw]

What's the status of the tooling at Michoud?

Staff note: Moved this and the previous three posts to the Q/A thread

 

[Urwumpe]

What's the status of the tooling at Michoud?

AFAIR, the tooling was not yet changed for the Ares V, and the early iterations had been within the design limits of the tools.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

on the Dutch television was something about more shuttle missions. did someone heard it to? (I don't know the details because I heard it from my dad )

There is a possibility that STS-134 may be delayed into mid 2011, due to problems with AMS-02.
If that happens, NASA may fly STS-133 in September this year as planned, and add one or two missions in the first half of 2011 before STS-134 flies. These missions would likely carry an MPLM and use recently flown crewmembers.
Thus, a “mini extension” would occur.

(Note: All the above is purely speculation. At this time, it is nothing more than chatter amongst the space community, and is neither confirmed nor denied by NASA.)

 

[Kyle]

Why where the callouts 'PC-50, Preformance nominal, 40 seconds' ect removed?

Why were there structural spares for an OV-106?

Can a Shuttle TAL at a 51.6 degree inclination to BEN? (b/c during STS-125 I heard
Moron called up, and that was a straight east flight)

What is the highest inclination a Shuttle can achive from KSC?

Would ISS missions be possible out of Vandenberg AFB?

I read in the book 'Universe in a Mirror: The Story of the Hubble Space Telescope' that there was some small talk about a HST Servicing mission in 2010, 2 years after the planned STS-125 mission but the talk was quickly abandoned, could this have been possible?

Is there some specific reason that Atlantis has yet to carry an MPLM to ISS? Does Atlantis have some specific reason that could have been easily fixed yet never was, hence forth an MPLM on 135?

Why was ISS placed into a 51.6 degree inclination? Shuttles can go to a 62 degree if necessary (STS-36)

 

[Urwumpe]

Why where the callouts 'PC-50, Preformance nominal, 40 seconds' ect removed?

Because they are useless.

"PC<50" is indicated shortly before SRB separation, since it is the first separation cue.

"Performance nominal" is just informative to the crew.

"40 seconds" is only for people who can't see the watch.

Why were there structural spares for an OV-106?

Because there are none. The structural spares had been used already, they had been created for building Discovery and Atlantis and used already for building Endeavour. There are not enough spares for a second orbiter.

Can a Shuttle TAL at a 51.6 degree inclination to BEN? (b/c during STS-125 I heard
Moron called up, and that was a straight east flight)

No, it is not designated TAL site.

What is the highest inclination a Shuttle can achive from KSC?

62.5°

Would ISS missions be possible out of Vandenberg AFB?

No, Vandenberg is only polar orbit or retrograde.

I read in the book 'Universe in a Mirror: The Story of the Hubble Space Telescope' that there was some small talk about a HST Servicing mission in 2010, 2 years after the planned STS-125 mission but the talk was quickly abandoned, could this have been possible?

Sure, if the shuttle program wouldn't have been ended.

Is there some specific reason that Atlantis has yet to carry an MPLM to ISS? Does Atlantis have some specific reason that could have been easily fixed yet never was, hence forth an MPLM on 135?

Atlantis lacks the hardware modifications for ISS flights, because it had its last periodic maintenance too soon for them. The other orbiters have extra hardware for getting power supplied from the ISS and supply power to the MPLM, while it is in the payload bay.

Why was ISS placed into a 51.6 degree inclination? Shuttles can go to a 62 degree if necessary (STS-36)

because higher inclination means lower payload mass for all launchers. The 51.6° is the standard inclination of Russian space stations, simplifying operations.

 

[DaveS]

Atlantis lacks the hardware modifications for ISS flights, because it had its last periodic maintenance too soon for them. The other orbiters have extra hardware for getting power supplied from the ISS and supply power to the MPLM, while it is in the payload bay.

The system you're talking about the Station To Shuttle Power Transfer System(SSPTS). Endeavour was the first orbiter to get it prior to her RTF in 2007, Discovery got it after STS-116 in 2006. Atlantis has never been outfitted with it as she was set for retirement after STS-125 so they never made time in her turnaround schedule for installation of SSPTS.

 

[Urwumpe]

The system you're talking about the Station To Shuttle Power Transfer System(SSPTS). Endeavour was the first orbiter to get it prior to her RTF in 2007, Discovery got it after STS-116 in 2006. Atlantis has never been outfitted with it as she was set for retirement after STS-125 so they never made time in her turnaround schedule for installation of SSPTS.

There is also interface hardware in the Payload bay walls for the MPLM for all MPLM capable orbiters.

Look here, there is a lot of stuff that is not standard on Atlantis:

http://www.unitedspacealliance.com/icd/mplm/contents.html

 

[DaveS]

There is also interface hardware in the Payload bay walls for the MPLM for all MPLM capable orbiters.

Which is what Atlantis is. The interface hardware you're talking about is the Remotely Operated Electrical Umbilical(ROEU). It's considered payload hardware as it's not standard orbiter hardware.

 

[Urwumpe]

Which is what Atlantis is. The interface hardware you're talking about is the Remotely Operated Electrical Umbilical(ROEU). It's considered payload hardware as it's not standard orbiter hardware.

Not alone this, there should also be different power supply gear for this one.

 

[astrosammy]

Looking at some STS-131 images I noticed this:

That seem to be the old helmets that were used from STS-5 to STS-51-L.
Does anyone know a reason for that?

 

[Arrowstar]

Another question about ascent call outs: What is the purpose of the commander calling "Houston, <Orbiter>, roll program"? Does it designate anything other than what I would assume to be obvious (that is, the roll program)?

 

[DaveS]

Another question about ascent call outs: What is the purpose of the commander calling "Houston, <Orbiter>, roll program"? Does it designate anything other than what I would assume to be obvious (that is, the roll program)?

It's essentially a comm check as prior to launch all comms has been through hardlines(IE, orbiter-MLP-LCC-MCC). This is the first time the orbiter antennas have been used.

 

[tblaxland]

It's essentially a comm check as prior to launch all comms has been through hardlines(IE, orbiter-MLP-LCC-MCC). This is the first time the orbiter antennas have been used.

I also understood that the call serves a dual purpose to acknowledge the formal hand off of the vehicle from KSC to JSC. (I can't recall where I read that now...)

 

[Urwumpe]

I also understood that the call serves a dual purpose to acknowledge the formal hand off of the vehicle from KSC to JSC. (I can't recall where I read that now...)

The formal hand-over happens right at lift-off, practically when clearing the tower. The roll program is really just the first communication to the MCC. Also, it is not too redundant as it seems, only because the telemetry says so, this does not mean this significant maneuver happens as planned.

 

[T.Neo]

Looking at some STS-131 images I noticed this:

<image>

That seem to be the old helmets that were used from STS-5 to STS-51-L.
Does anyone know a reason for that?

I second this question... it looks really odd and it doesn't make much sense...

 

[garyw]

Not a flight helment. Probably just used for an intergrated sim or such. they tend to use older aces suits as well.
The idea is not to simulate anything to do with the suit but to simulate a sim and give the crew an idea of what wearing the suits feels like.

 

[Arrowstar]

Thanks for the info, guys.

 

[Dambuster]

It's essentially a comm check as prior to launch all comms has been through hardlines(IE, orbiter-MLP-LCC-MCC). This is the first time the orbiter antennas have been used.

Where are these hardlines? Also, how are they broken at launch?