STS-134 Shuttle Mission to the International Space Station Launches Monday 16th @ 13:56 BST

Cosimo · 29 Apr 2011 at 17:22

Two of the heaters appear to have failed on Endeavour's Auxiliary Power Unit No. 1 The APUs provide the hydraulic power to drive the ship's aerosurfaces, deploy the landing gear and gimbal the main engine nozzles.

Once again:

Mission scrubbed for at least 48 hours.

Cosimo · 29 Apr 2011 at 17:25

Berserker said:
So I won't even see the launch then.

Next attempt - NET Sunday.

What a shame.

Where are you going to be?

Cosimo · 29 Apr 2011 at 18:37

The launch will now be no earlier than 19:33 BST (14:33 EDT) Monday 2nd of May.

Cosimo · 29 Apr 2011 at 19:16

Berserker said:
Should I put my post in bigger print next time?

How very childish.

Why not if it make you feel better.

Cosimo · 30 Apr 2011 at 07:49

Cosimo · 1 May 2011 at 17:07

The will be no launch attempt tomorrow. A faulty APU heater power box is going to be replaced. There will be a meeting tomorrow to decide a new launch date and this is unlikely to be before the end of the week.

Cosimo · 2 May 2011 at 09:09

The good news is that the source of the failure with the APU Heater Power Box has been identified. The bad news is that launch will be delayed until the 8th of May or possibly later.

Cosimo · 3 May 2011 at 12:54

Work on testing/replacing the distribution box continues. Launch will be delayed until at least the 10th of May. A new date will probably be announced on Friday.

Cosimo · 3 May 2011 at 16:28

While we wait a little more on Endeavour and it's mission:

Cosimo · 5 May 2011 at 12:11

Back in time again showing Endeavour with people for a size comparison. One from December 1999 ahead of STS-99 and the other from April 2009 ahead of STS-127:

Back to the present. The faulty electrical distribution Load Control Assembly 2 (LCA-2) box has been replaced and forensic engineering testing is taking place on the faulty box. Testing of the new box will take place before managers meet tomorrow to give us a firm launch date.

Cosimo · 5 May 2011 at 13:50

Slightly off topic. A minutes silence in memory of Maria Motta, ISS Flight Engineer’s mother who passed away on May 2nd:

RIP

And on a lighter note 50 years ago on May 5th 1961 Alan Shepard became the first American in space:

Cosimo · 6 May 2011 at 19:04

Managers have met and said that the earliest Endeavour can now launch is Monday, May 16 at 13:56 BST (08:56 EDT). Work will continue testing/repairing the electrical circuitry.

Cosimo · 10 May 2011 at 09:14

Yesterday’s press conference and confirmation of launch next Monday at 13:56 BST (08:56 EDT):

Cosimo · 12 May 2011 at 14:25

A brief update - The crew have just arrived to prepare for Monday’s launch. There is nothing else to report apart from saying that the countdown clock will start at 12:00 BST (07:00 EDT) tomorrow.

So while we wait a look back at Discovery’s last mission:

Take some time out to watch the great video and its comprehensive look at a complete mission to the ISS. Enjoy.

Cosimo · 14 May 2011 at 12:14

Yesterday's briefing:

The forecast is at 70% favourable conditions for launch on Monday.

The plan for today:

56...56...00...05:00 .....SRB PIC test
56...11...00...05:45 .....Master events controller pre-flight BITE test

53...56...00...08:00 .....Resume countdown

52...26...00...09:30 .....Fuel cell oxygen loading begins
49...56...00...12:00 .....Fuel cell oxygen load complete
49...56...00...12:00 .....Fuel cell hydrogen loading begins
47...26...00...14:30 .....Fuel cell hydrogen loading complete
46...26...00...15:30 .....Pad open; ingress white room

45...56...00...16:00 .....Begin 8-hour built-in hold

45...56...00...16:00 .....PRSD offload
44...56...00...17:00 .....Crew module clean and vacuum
41...56...00...20:00 .....Remove APU vent covers
40...56...00...21:00 .....SSME throat plug removal
39...26...00...22:30 .....OMBUU demate

Sunday

37...26...00...00:30 .....Countdown resumes

37...56...00...00:00 .....Main engine preps
37...56...00...00:00 .....MECs 1 and 2 on; avionics system checkout
34...56...00...03:00 .....FRCS Tyvek cover removal/inspect

31...26...00...06:30 .....Deflate RSS dock seals; tile inspection
30...56...00...07:00 .....Tile inspection
30...56...00...07:00 .....TSM prepped for fueling

29...56...00...08:00 .....Begin 13-hour 36-minute hold

Cosimo · 15 May 2011 at 12:10

All looking good for tomorrow:

The plan for today:

31...26...00...06:30 .....Deflate RSS dock seals; tile inspection
30...56...00...07:00 .....Tile inspection
30...56...00...07:00 .....TSM prepped for fueling

29...56...00...08:00 .....Begin 13-hour 36-minute hold

28...26...00...09:30 .....RSS rotation preps
28...26...00...09:30 .....OIS communications check with JSC
28...11...00...09:45 .....Crew weather briefing
27...36...00...10:20 .....JSC flight control team on station
26...56...00...11:00 .....L-1 engineering briefing
26...26...00...11:30 .....Comm activation
25...56...00...12:00 .....Crew module voice checks
24...56...00...13:00 .....Flight crew equipment late stow
20...56...00...17:00 .....RSS to park position
19...56...00...18:00 .....Final TPS, debris inspection
19...26...00...18:30 .....Ascent switch list

16...20...00...21:36 .....Resume countdown

16...00...00...21:56 .....Pad clear of non-essential personnel
16...00...00...21:56 .....APU bite test
15...10...00...22:46 .....Fuel cell activation
14...20...00...23:36 .....Booster joint heater activation

Monday

13...50...00...00:06 .....MEC pre-flight bite test
13...35...00...00:21 .....Tanking weather update
12...50...00...01:06 .....Final fueling preps; launch area clear
12...20...00...01:36 .....Red crew assembled
11...35...00...02:21 .....Fuel cell integrity checks complete

11...20...00...02:36 .....Begin 2-hour built-in hold (T-minus 6 hours)

11...10...00...02:46 .....Safe-and-arm PIC test
10...32...00...03:24 .....Crew wakeup
10...20...00...03:36 .....External tank ready for loading
10...02...00...03:54 .....Mission management team tanking meeting
09...46...00...04:10 .....NASA TV fueling coverage begins

09...20...00...04:36 .....Resume countdown (T-minus 6 hours)

09...20...00...04:36 .....LO2, LH2 transfer line chilldown
09...10...00...04:46 .....Main propulsion system chill down
09...10...00...04:46 .....LH2 slow fill

08...40...00...05:16 .....LO2 slow fill
08...35...00...05:21 .....Hydrogen ECO sensors go wet
08...30...00...05:26 .....LO2 fast fill
08...20...00...05:36 .....LH2 fast fill
06...25...00...07:31 .....LH2 topping
06...20...00...07:36 .....LH2 replenish
06...20...00...07:36 .....LO2 replenish

06...20...00...07:36 .....Begin 2-hour 30-minute built-in hold (T-minus 3 hours)

Cosimo · 15 May 2011 at 17:43

rainmeister said:
assuming a clear sky, will the shuttle be visible at 1415, or will the sky be too bright to see it? Frustrating how the window has changed from evening to early afternoon.

The shuttle will already be in a low earth orbit and won't be visible.

Cosimo · 15 May 2011 at 17:45

NathanE said:
Lame. That launch time window sucks for us Brits The previous window was going to be so awesome to watch

It's only at the tail end of lunchtime and there will be replays. Can't you get to a PC around then?

Cosimo · 16 May 2011 at 07:42

Today's plan:

06...20...00...07:36 .....Begin 2-hour 30-minute built-in hold (T-minus 3 hours)

06...20...00...07:36 .....Closeout crew to white room
06...20...00...07:36 .....External tank in stable replenish mode
06...17...00...07:39 .....Ascent flight control team on console
06...05...00...07:51 .....Astronaut support personnel comm checks
05...35...00...13:21 .....Pre-ingress switch reconfig
05...16...00...13:40 .....NASA TV launch coverage begins
04...25...00...09:31 .....Final crew weather briefing
04...15...00...09:41 .....Crew suit up begins

03...50...00...10:06 .....Resume countdown (T-minus 3 hours)

03...45...00...10:11 .....Crew departs O&C building
03...15...00...10:41 .....Crew ingress
02...25...00...11:31 .....Astronaut comm checks
02...00...00...11:56 .....Hatch closure
01...30...00...12:26 .....White room closeout

01...10...00...12:46 .....Begin 10-minute built-in hold (T-minus 20m)
01...00...00...12:56 .....NASA test director countdown briefing
01...00...00...12:56 .....Resume countdown (T-minus 20m)

00...59...00...07:57 .....Backup flight computer to OPS 1
00...55...00...13:01 .....KSC area clear to launch

00...49...00...13:07 .....Begin final built-in hold (T-minus 9m)
00...24...00...13:32 .....NTD launch status verification
00...09...00...13:47:28 ..Resume countdown (T-minus 9m)

00...07...30...13:48:58 ..Orbiter access arm retraction
00...05...00...13:56:28 ..Launch window opens (placeholder; not needed for STS-134)
00...05...00...13:51:28 ..Hydraulic power system (APU) start
00...04...55...13:51:33 ..Terminate LO2 replenish
00...04...00...13:52:28 ..Purge sequence 4 hydraulic test
00...04...00...13:52:28 ..IMUs to inertial
00...03...55...13:52:33 ..Aerosurface profile
00...03...30...13:52:58 ..Main engine steering test
00...02...55...13:53:33 ..LO2 tank pressurization
00...02...35...13:53:53 ..Fuel cells to internal reactants
00...02...30...13:53:58 ..Clear caution-and-warning memory
00...02...00...13:54:28 ..Crew closes visors
00...01...57...13:54:31 ..LH2 tank pressurization
00...00...50...13:55:38 ..SRB joint heater deactivation
00...00...31...13:55:57 ..Shuttle GPCs take control of countdown
00...00...21...13:56:07 ..SRB steering test
00...00...07...13:56:21 ..Main engine start (T-6.6 seconds)

00...00...00...13:56:28 ..SRB ignition (LAUNCH)

All looking good and the forecast remains at 70% favourable conditions for launch today.

Cosimo · 16 May 2011 at 07:54

Merlin5 said:
Where's that picture from?

It's from the ISS taken on the 11th of September 2010. That is Caldwell Dyson in the ISS Cupola which was installed on the STS-130 mission. She was part of the Expedition 24 crew on the ISS between April 4, 2010 and September 25, 2010.