Updates STS-133 Updates

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASA: "NASA Reschedules Shuttle Launch Status Meeting, Discovery's Launch No Earlier Than Dec. 3".

NASA managers have postponed a launch status meeting and news conference planned for Monday, Nov. 22. The events were rescheduled after a Space Shuttle Program meeting Thursday determined more analysis is needed before proceeding toward the launch of space shuttle Discovery on its STS-133 mission.

The Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) identified the analysis and repairs required to safely launch Discovery. This analysis will be done during the next five days and reviewed at a special PRCB on Wednesday, Nov. 24. Pending a successful review of the flight rationale at that meeting, a launch status briefing will be held with senior NASA managers on Monday, Nov. 29.

Work has been under way to fix a leaking hydrogen system that caused the initial delay, and to repair cracks atop two 21-foot-long support beams, called stringers, on the exterior of the shuttle's external fuel tank.

The Kennedy Space Center will begin the launch countdown no earlier than Nov. 30. That would support a launch attempt for Discovery no earlier than Dec. 3 at approximately 2:52 a.m. EST.

For STS-133 crew and mission information, visit:
www.nasa.gov/shuttle

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Here's an updated STS-133 flight plan for a Dec. 3 launch from Spaceflight Now.

---------- Post added 19th Nov 2010 at 07:14 PM ---------- Previous post was 18th Nov 2010 at 11:17 PM ----------

NASASpaceFlight: "Shuttle Program Updates Discovery’s December Launch Opportunities".

---------- Post added at 11:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:14 PM ----------

NASA TV Video: Repairs Made to Shuttle Discovery's External Tank.​

---------- Post added 20th Nov 2010 at 12:07 AM ---------- Previous post was 19th Nov 2010 at 11:33 PM ----------

Check out this amazing photo of Discovery's intertank!

Hi-res version.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASASpaceFlight: "STS-133: ET-137 ahead on repairs as Cain dismisses schedule pressure claims".

 

[orb]

Florida Today - The Flame Trench: Foam applied to Discovery fuel tank as repairs continue:

NASA contractor technicians over the weekend sprayed a fresh layer of insulating foam over a section of Discovery's external tank where cracked support beams were replaced.

Protected by a specially constructed enclosure to maintain proper environmental conditions at launch pad 39A, the roughly inch-thick foam takes about four days to cure. Some detail work to trim and shape the foam will follow.

The foam application was the last major step in repairs to two cracked support beams called "stringers," located on the ridged intertank that sits between the internal liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant reservoirs, roughly at the level of the orbiter's nose.

{...}

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

SPACE.com: "Space Shuttle Discovery Repaired for Final Voyage".

NASASpaceFlight: "NASA Reviews Beta Angle Constraints for STS-133 Launch Date Options".

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

The STS-133 launch is now NET Friday 17th December at 8:52 PM EST / Saturday 18th December at 1:52 AM GMT.

That would mean a landing on Tuesday 28th December.

---------- Post added at 06:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:18 PM ----------

NASA: "NASA Schedules News Conference About Next Space Shuttle Launch".

NASA managers will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. CST today from the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston to provide the status of the next space shuttle mission, STS-133, and the progress of repairs since Discovery's launch was delayed Nov. 5.

The news conference will follow today's Space Shuttle Program Requirements Control Board. Program officials reviewed repairs and engineering evaluations associated with cracks on two 21-foot-long, U-shaped aluminum brackets called stringers on the shuttle's external tank.

The briefing participants are:

-- Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations
-- John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program manager

The news conference will air live on NASA Television and the agency's website. Reporters may ask questions from participating NASA centers or by calling into a phone bridge.

To use the phone bridge, reporters must have valid media credentials issued by a NASA center or issued specifically for the STS-133 mission. Journalists planning to use the phone bridge must contact the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than 15 minutes before the news conference. Newsroom personnel will verify credentials and transfer reporters to the phone bridge. Capacity is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

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Spaceflight Now: "Shuttle officials discuss tank repairs, 'flight rationale'".

NASASpaceFlight: "STS-133: ET-137 flight rationale progress – Two launch date options prepared".

 

[N_Molson]

Looks like that the astronauts will celebrate the New Year in orbit after all

 

[SiberianTiger]

Looks like that the astronauts will celebrate the New Year in orbit after all

Have they overcome the "New Year crossing bug" in their legacy software?

 

[N_Molson]

I read somewhere (SpaceFlight Now I believe) that programmers were working the code of the antique software to make sure there will be no problem.

I guess they have called back retired programmers from the 70's :lol:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Spaceflight Now: "Discovery's launch delayed until at least mid-December".

NASASpaceFlight: "STS-133: NASA managers decide to slip to a NET December 17 target".

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASA TV Video: NASA Managers Discuss Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-133 Mission.​

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASASpaceFlight: "STS-133: The battle continues for ET-137 flight rationale".

Florida Today: "John Kelly: Look back before moving forward".
^Very important to remember indeed.^

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Aviation Week: "Shuttle Cracks Baffle NASA".

SPACE.com: "NASA Ponders December Launch Options for Shuttle Discovery".

---------- Post added at 11:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:29 PM ----------

Uh-Oh.

NASASpaceFlight: "STS-133: Evaluating the concern of stringer foam loss – 2011 launch more likely".

 

[SiberianTiger]

I think that keeping her further on the launch pad is simply crazy. I'm afraid, more cracks might appear out of pure metal fatigue.

 

[Donamy]

Like we didn't know that was coming.

 

[orb]

NASASpaceFlight: STS-133: Tanking Test planned amid rollback and ET-137 modification options.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASASpaceFlight: STS-133: Tanking Test planned amid rollback and ET-137 modification options.

This mission just keeps getting worse & worse.

 

[Donamy]

I can't understand it. I already released the 133 payload for the Fleet.:shrug:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

I can't understand it. I already released the 133 payload for the Fleet.:shrug:

I think you need to modify the PMM interior mesh to include Robonaut. Then it'll launch! :lol:

 

[Donamy]

Maybe robonaut snuck out one night, and beat the ET with a sledgehammer.

 

[Kyle]

This mission just keeps getting worse & worse.

I haven't heard much news out of the GUCP either, that's why they scrubbed in the first place on the 5th of November. Man this reminds me of last year's STS-127 mission.. wouldn't fly!