STS-129 News and Updates

[Orbinaut Pete]

Space Shuttle Atlantis is currently in OPF-1, undergoing its postflight deservicing after STS-125.

Technicians have encountered a problem - a knob has been found wedged between pressure pane 5 (PLT window) and the Orbiter dashboard panel.
The knob most likely entered the space during flight, when the Orbiter was expanded to its maximum size. But now that the Orbiter is back on Earth - and has contracted back to its original size, the knob is wedged tightly in the space.

The knob must be removed before Atlantis can fly again.

So far however, technicians have been unable to free it - they have tried freezing the knob with dry ice in an effort to make it contract, but this method has proven to be unsuccessful.

A few more repair options are currently available, but there is little confidence in these techniques.

The most radical repair option is to remove the dashboard panel, and free the knob from below. However, this would severely impact the Shuttle's manifest - Atlantis's next mission (STS-129, currently scheduled for Nov 12, 2009), would be set back by six months!

Worst case scenario, is that Atlantis could be retired, and Discovery & Endeavour could complete the manifest by themselves (although, due to LON requirements, this option would push the Shuttle program into 2011).

For the full story, and more detailed info, see
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009...tlantis-threatens-six-month-delay-to-sts-129/

 

[SiberianTiger]

What kind of a knob is that?

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

What kind of a knob is that?

It's a quick shoe mount knob from a crew work lamp.

 

[Kyle]

Wait? This knob might kick Atlantis out for good? Then STS-125 would have been its last flight.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Wait? This knob might kick Atlantis out for good? Then STS-125 would have been its last flight.

That is worst case scenario, yes.

It would be terrible if Atlantis never flies again - it would have ended it's career without any media interest, ceremony or tribute.

 

[dougkeenan]

What will happen to the knob? Sold on ebay?

 

[Artlav]

Can't they cut it out with a remote saw or torch?
A loose knob knocking out a shuttle? That will end NASA's reputation.

 

[DaveS]

Can't they cut it out with a remote saw or torch?
A loose knob knocking out a shuttle? That will end NASA's reputation.

The problem is the schedule impact as the R&R of a flight-deck window pressure pane has never been done at KSC.

Remember, that this doesn't just affect STS-129 but also STS-128 which depends on STS-129 as the LON mission.

And don't think about swapping orbiters for the LON mission as Endeavour won't be ready until the CSCS supplies on ISS and Discovery has totally run out. It's a minimum of 3 months of OPF processing that needs to be done before Endeavour is ready to be stacked again.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Can't they cut it out with a remote saw or torch?
A loose knob knocking out a shuttle? That will end NASA's reputation.

They could cut it out, but the problem is that it will cause damage to the pressure pane, which means that the pane will have to be replaced, which means that Atlantis's next mission will be delayed by 6 months.

 

[ryan]

I like the STS-129 patch, it really shows where we're going with the space program.

 

[jlinscheid]

Could they stick on the carrier and fly it as high as possible in an attempt to release some of that pressure?

 

[DaveS]

Could they stick on the carrier and fly it as high as possible in an attempt to release some of that pressure?

They can technically but understand this: The orbiter is unpowered while on the SCA and it takes time to mate/de-mate the orbiter from the SCA.

So there's no power or breathing air in the orbiter crew module and the orbiter CM is very leaky in nature. The orbiter ECLSS can make up for this leak by simply replacing the leaked atmosphere.

 

[ryan]

Could a wire that has a retractable claw so it can grap on it could be possible, becuase Atlantis doesnt deserve a warehouse retirement.

 

[jlinscheid]

No matter what happens, we can be very thankful this didn't cause that window to fail on re-entry. It seems to have that potential, obviously since it is grounded.

 

[Andy44]

Okay, dumb question, but why not pump air inside and expand the cabin a bit? Seems awful for such a setback from a stinking knob.

For want of a nail, the horse was lost, and so on...

 

[dougkeenan]

They're trying that.

 

[tblaxland]

Okay, dumb question, but why not pump air inside and expand the cabin a bit? Seems awful for such a setback from a stinking knob.

It is one of the options mentioned in the article. They can only get to about 17psi (3psi-delta) compared to 14psi-delta on orbit, so "a bit" might not be enough. We shall see.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Atlantis was pressurized last night, and the knob was successfully removed. :speakcool:

Evaluations into whether Atlantis will require the replacement of the pressure pane are now taking place.
Small areas of damage have already been observed where the edges of the knob are embedded into the pane, although engineers are hoping the borescope images are showing mainly cosmetic damage, as opposed to a breach of the pane’s safety criteria.

Meanwhile, a cart containig payload bay longerons (structural beams that hold payloads in the Shuttle's payload bay), has fallen off a truck at KSC, potantially damaging them. An investigation is underway. At this time, it is not known whether this issue will impact the STS-129 processing schedule.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/06/atlantis-window-pane-begins-longerons-damaged-accident/

 

[tblaxland]

Meanwhile, a cart containig payload bay longerons (structural beams that hold payloads in the Shuttle's payload bay)...

???

 

[Arrowstar]

???

Yeah, no kidding. Two issues and we haven't even gotten off the pad yet...