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NASA delays launch of space shuttle Discovery

August 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, August 28 (ANI): NASA managers have postponed the launch of space shuttle Discovery to allow engineers more time to develop plans for resolving an issue with a valve in the shuttle’s main propulsion system.

Launch now is targeted for no earlier than 11:59 p.m. Friday, August 28, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

During loading of the shuttle’s external fuel tank for the launch attempt on August 26, a liquid hydrogen fill and drain valve located in Discovery’s aft compartment failed to provide the proper indication when it was commanded to close.

Engineers cycled the valve five times on the evening of August 26 to collect data on the valve and its associated actuator and position indicator.

NASA managers decided on August 27 that more time is needed to analyze the test data and develop alternative procedures for confirming that the valve is closed if the valve fails to provide the proper closed indication during Discovery’s next launch attempt.

Discovery’s 13-day STS-128 flight to the International Space Station (ISS) will deliver storage racks; materials and fluids science racks; a freezer to store research samples; a new sleeping compartment; an air purification system; and a treadmill named after comedian Stephen Colbert. (ANI)

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NASA gives nod for space shuttle Discovery’s launch on August 25

August 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, August 20 (ANI): NASA has given its approval for the launch of space shuttle Discovery on August 25, after a two-day review of the spacecraft’s readiness for flight.

Discovery’s launch date was announced after a flight readiness review at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

During the meeting, senior NASA and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and determined the shuttle’s equipment, support systems and procedures are ready for launch pending the resolution of one remaining issue.

An orbiter power controller that failed to operate properly was replaced, and an analysis was completed.

The issue is expected to be closed when final data from the analysis is presented at the mission management team meeting on August 23.

The readiness review included a thorough discussion about foam insulation that covers the shuttle’s external fuel tank.

The foam helps prevent ice from developing when super-cold propellants are loaded prior to launch.

During shuttle Endeavour’s liftoff on July 15, foam separated from the intertank area and the liquid oxygen tank’s ice frost ramps.

The foam loss led to a detailed examination that determined Discovery is acceptable to fly.

“There was an excellent discussion on foam loss that included input from multiple teams including our NASA safety and engineering communities,” said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations at NASA Headquarters in Washington, who chaired the day and a half meeting.

“After examining the foam releases on recent flights and completing a lot of testing and analysis to improve our understanding of the relative risks, we concluded that we’re ready to go fly. The teams are continuing to learn about foam and have planned additional tests and analysis to continue to improve our understanding of foam loss mechanisms and risks,” he added.

The 13-day flight will deliver science and storage racks to the International Space Station (ISS), a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment, an air purification system and a treadmill named after comedian Stephen Colbert. (ANI)

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Launch of NASA’s Endeavour to take place on Sunday

July 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Cape Canaveral (Florida, US), July 12 (ANI): The lauch of the space shuttle Endeavour will take place on Sunday evening local time (on Monday morning IST) to give technical teams more time to evaluate lightning strikes at the launch pad.

Liftoff is scheduled for 7:13 p.m. EDT, a NASA release said.ensors on Friday indicated that there were 11 lightning strikes within 0.35 miles, which is inside the launch pad’s threshold.

Teams have seen nothing so far that indicates anything has been affected.

The Mission Management Team will meet at 8 a.m. Sunday to evaluate the latest data. Fueling of the external fuel tank is scheduled to begin at 9:48 a.m. Sunday.

The 16-day STS-127 mission will feature five space walks and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory.

Astronauts will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module that will allow experiments to be exposed to space. (ANI)

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Space shuttle Discovery’s next mission postponed to March 15

March 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, March 12 (ANI): NASA managers have postponed Space shuttle Discovery’s launch to the International Space Station (ISS) to March 15.

The planned liftoff on March 11 has been postponed due to a leak associated with the gaseous hydrogen venting system outside the external fuel tank.

The system is used to carry excess hydrogen safely away from the launch pad.

Discovery’s STS-119 flight is delivering the space station’s fourth and final set of solar array wings, completing the station’s truss, or backbone.

The arrays will provide the electricity to fully power science experiments and support the station’s expanded crew of six in May.

The 14-day mission will feature four spacewalks to help install the S6 truss segment to the starboard, or right, side of the station and the deployment of its solar arrays.

The flight also will replace a failed unit for a system that converts urine to potable water.

Commander Lee Archambault is joined on STS-119 by Pilot Tony Antonelli and Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold, John Phillips and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata.

Wakata will replace space station crew member Sandra Magnus, who has been aboard the station for more than four months.

He will return to Earth during the next station shuttle mission, STS-127, targeted to launch in June 2009. (ANI)

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Shuttle launch stopped

March 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington – The launch of the space shuttle Discovery planned for later Wednesday was abruptly cancelled just hours ahead of blast off.

The launch had already been delayed for weeks to allow NASA time to examine valves that control the flow of gaseous hydrogen from the spacecraft’s engine to its external fuel tank. A valve was found to be damaged after the space shuttle Endeavour’s November flight, prompting NASA to delay Discovery’s mission as a precautionary measure. (dpa)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Blast Off, external fuel tank, gaseous hydrogen, NASA, Nasa Time, precautionary measure, Shuttle Launch, space shuttle discovery, Space Shuttle Endeavour, spacecraft

Space shuttle Discovery’s next mission to launch on March 11

March 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, March 7 (ANI): NASA has announced the official launch date for space shuttle Discovery’s STS-119 mission as March 11.

According to a review of Discovery’s readiness for flight, NASA managers have announced that Commander Lee Archambault and his six crewmates would be lifting off to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 11.

The launch date was announced following a Flight Readiness Review.

During the meeting, top NASA and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and determined the shuttle’s equipment, support systems and procedures are ready for flight.

The review included a formal presentation of the shuttle’s flow control valve work, initiated after NASA identified damage to a valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight.

Using detailed inspections, there are three valves that have been cleared of crack indications now installed in Discovery to support the STS-119 mission.

The three flow control valves, one for each space shuttle main engine, channel gaseous hydrogen from the engines through the main propulsion system and back to the external fuel tank.

This flow regulation maintains the tank’s structural integrity and delivers liquid hydrogen to the engines at the correct pressure.

Discovery’s STS-119 flight will deliver the space station’s fourth and final set of solar array wings, completing the station’s truss, or backbone.

The arrays will provide the electricity to fully power science experiments and support the station’s expanded crew of six in May.

The 14-day mission will feature four spacewalks to help install the S6 truss segment to the starboard, or right, side of the station and the deployment of its solar arrays.

The flight will also replace a failed unit for a system that converts urine to potable water.(ANI)

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NASA delays launch date of space shuttle Discovery

February 22, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Feb 21 (ANI): NASA has delayed the launch date of its space shuttle Discovery, after a thorough review of the spacecraft’s readiness for flight.

The decision was taken by NASA managers on February 20, after the review indicated that more data and possible testing is required before launching the STS-119 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Engineering teams have been working to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight.

“We need to complete more work to have a better understanding before flying,” said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations at NASA Headquarters in Washington who chaired Friday’s Flight Readiness Review.

“We were not driven by schedule pressure and did the right thing. When we fly, we want to do so with full confidence,” he added.

The shuttle has three flow control valves that channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external fuel tank.

Teams also have tried to determine the consequences if a valve piece were to break off and strike part of the shuttle and external fuel tank.

The Space Shuttle Program has been asked to develop a plan to inspect additional valves similar to those installed on Discovery.

This plan will be reviewed during a meeting on Wednesday, February 25. Afterward, the program may consider setting a new target launch date. (ANI)

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