Four high school experiments will launch Thursday, May 19, aboard a NASA helium weather balloon that will travel to the stratosphere, a near-space environment 19 to 20 miles above sea level.
Monday, May 16, 2011
NASA Ames Research Center News.
NASA to Host Video Chat Showcasing SOFIA Science
Thu, 05 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
NASA invites the public to join an online video chat about viewing the infrared universe with the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).
Three NASA Ames Employees Honored by Space Flight Awareness Program
Sun, 08 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
NASA's Space Flight Awareness Program recently recognized three NASA Ames Research Center employees for their outstanding support of human space flight.
President Obama Meets With STS-133 Crew
STS-133 commander Steven Lindsey, far left, presents a montage to President Barack Obama as crew members Michael Barratt, pilot Eric Boe, Nicole Stott and Steve Bowen look on during a visit to the Oval Office, Monday, May 9, 2011, in Washington.
Image Credit: NASA/Paul E. Alers
Endeavour's Launch Set for May 16
Mon, 09 May 2011 14:40:11 -0500
NASA managers have set the liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour for 8:56 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 16. Space Shuttle Program Launch Integration Manager Mike Moses and Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach announced the date at a news briefing Monday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Tropical Storm Aere (Western North Pacific Ocean)
Sun, 08 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
Tropical Storm Aere dropped heavy rainfall, created mudslides and took lives in the eastern Philippines this weekend.
Engineering Tests Leading The Way For NASA's Next Neemo Mission
Sun, 08 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
To determine how best to explore asteroids in the future, NASA scientists and engineers are taking their experiments underwater in the 15th expedition of NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations, or NEEMO.
Comets WISE -- A Family Portrait
During its one-year mission, NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, mapped the entire sky in infrared light. Among the multitudes of astronomical bodies that have been discovered by the NEOWISE portion of the WISE mission are 20 comets. This collage shows those 20 new comets together in a kind of family portrait.
The fuzzy background in each picture is due to random fluctuations in infrared light, primarily from dust in our own solar system. Stars cannot be seen because they were subtracted during the process of combining multiple WISE pictures to make this view centered on the moving comets.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA
NASA Managers Meet to Discuss Endeavour's Launch
Mon, 09 May 2011 07:37:35 -0500
NASA managers have retargeted space shuttle Endeavour's launch to no earlier than Monday, May 16. After a meeting on Friday, they also extended the length of Endeavour's STS-134 mission to the International Space Station from 14 to 16 days. If Endeavour launches on May 16, liftoff would be at 8:56 a.m. EDT.
At 3 p.m. today, NASA Space Shuttle Program Launch Integration Manager Mike Moses and Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach will hold a news conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to discuss the progress of repairs since Endeavour's launch postponement on April 29. The news conference will air live on NASA Television and online at NASA TV.
Over the weekend, Kennedy technicians installed and checked out new wiring that bypasses the suspect electrical wiring connecting the switchbox to the heaters. They also ran the heaters for up to 30 minutes to verify they are working properly and complete retesting of the other systems powered by the switchbox. Teams will begin closing out Endeavour's aft compartment and will begin launch countdown preps today.
Space Shuttle Endeavour to Launch No Earlier Than May 16
Fri, 06 May 2011 17:30:06 -0500
NASA managers have retargeted space shuttle Endeavour's launch to no earlier than Monday, May 16. After a meeting on Friday, they also extended the length of Endeavour's STS-134 mission to the International Space Station from 14 to 16 days. If Endeavour launches on May 16, liftoff would be at 8:56 a.m. EDT.
At 3 p.m. on Monday, May 9, NASA Space Shuttle Program Launch Integration Manager Mike Moses and Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach will hold a news conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to discuss the progress of repairs since Endeavour's launch postponement on April 29. The news conference will air live on NASA Television and online at NASA TV.
Kennedy technicians are continuing work to resolve an issue in a heater circuit associated with Endeavour's hydraulic system that resulted in the launch postponement. Technicians determined the failure was inside an aft load control assembly, which is a switchbox in the shuttle's aft compartment, and possibly its associated electrical wiring.
Although the root cause of the failure in the switchbox has not been found, technicians are replacing hardware that could have caused the problem. The faulty box was changed Wednesday, and a test of nine shuttle systems powered by the new box is under way.
This weekend, technicians will install and check out new wiring that bypasses the suspect electrical wiring connecting the switchbox to the heaters. They also will run the heaters for up to 30 minutes to verify they are working properly and complete retesting of the other systems powered by the switchbox.
The shuttle has three Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) that provide hydraulic power to steer the vehicle during ascent and entry. The hydrazine fuel lines on each APU have two heater circuits that prevent the fuel from freezing while the shuttle is in space. NASA launch commit criteria and flight rules require all APUs and heater circuits to be operational for launch. On Endeavour's first launch attempt, one of two heaters for APU-1's fuel line did not work. Engineers confirmed the circuit in the original switchbox that directed power to the heaters was shorted out.
Launch attempts are available through May 26. May 21 is the only day a launch is not an option because it would lead to a May 23 docking with the space station. May 23 is when three of the space station's Expedition 27 crew members undock and return home in their Soyuz spacecraft. Managers reviewed the STS-134 mission timeline and determined the Endeavour crew can accomplish all objectives even with the departure of the three station crew members.
NASA's Spaceward Bound Takes Teachers Trekking across the Mojave Dese
Thu, 05 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
What clues found on Earth do NASA scientists use to help them deduce that there may be life on other planets?
Living Space: Endeavour
Fri, 06 May 2011 11:00:00 -0500
Astronauts Chris Hadfield and Stan Love discuss their flights aboard space shuttle Endeavour. Both astronauts made spacewalks during their Endeavour missions to build the International Space Station.
Endeavour Launch No EarlierThan Monday, May 16
Fri, 06 May 2011 12:41:38 -0500
NASA managers met Friday afternoon and determined space shuttle Endeavour will launch no earlier than Monday, May 16 at 8:56 a.m. EDT. This weekend, technicians will continue to repair and retest electrical circuitry that caused a postponement of Endeavour's April 29 launch attempt. NASA will air a news conference Monday at 3 p.m., to discuss the status of the work. This afternoon, NASA will issue a news release with further details about the news conference and the work that will be performed this weekend.
Tropical Depression 03W (Western North Pacific Ocean)
Thu, 05 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
Moderate rainfall abounds in newly strengthened Tropical Depression 03W near the Philippines, according to data from NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite.
Managers to Meet Today about Endeavour's Progress
Fri, 06 May 2011 06:52:19 -0500
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A in Florida continue testing various systems inside space shuttle Endeavour associated with a newly installed power distribution box, called a Load Control Assembly 2 (LCA-2). So far, all systems have checked out. Teams will retest the LCA-2 over the weekend.
Endeavour's no earlier than launch date remains May 10, but senior NASA managers will meet today to evaluate the progress of repairs and select a new launch date for the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.
Engineers have been doing forensic engineering testing on the failed LCA-2, which was removed from Endeavour on Tuesday. The LCA-2 feeds power to a variety of systems, including heaters on the fuel line for Endeavour's auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1). APUs control the shuttle's hydraulic system. Teams are trying to determine what caused a circuit inside the power box to short out.
The APU-1 fuel line heaters did not work on April 29, prompting the launch team to scrub Endeavour's first launch attempt.
Sunset Over South America
The Expedition 27 crew photographed this sunset over western South America from aboard the International Space Station. The station crew sees, on average, sixteen sunrises and sunsets during a 24-hour orbital period. Each changeover between day and night on the ground is marked by the terminator, or line separating the sunlit side of Earth from the side in darkness. While the terminator is conceptualized as a hard boundary--and is frequently presented as such in graphics and visualizations--in reality the boundary between light and dark is diffuse due to scattering of light by Earth’s atmosphere.
This zone of diffuse lighting is experienced as dusk or twilight on the ground--while the sun is no longer visible, some illumination is still present due to light scattering over the local horizon. The terminator is visible in this photograph trending across the image from lower left to upper right. This panoramic view across central South America, looking towards the northeast, was acquired at approximately 7:37 p.m. local time. Layers of Earth’s atmosphere, colored bright white to deep blue, are visible extending across the horizon. The highest cloud tops have a reddish glow from the direct light of the setting sun while lower clouds are in twilight. The Salar de Coipasa, a large salt lake in Bolivia, is dimly visible on the night side of the terminator. The salar provides a geographic reference point that allows the location and viewing orientation of the image to be determined.
Image Credit: NASA
This zone of diffuse lighting is experienced as dusk or twilight on the ground--while the sun is no longer visible, some illumination is still present due to light scattering over the local horizon. The terminator is visible in this photograph trending across the image from lower left to upper right. This panoramic view across central South America, looking towards the northeast, was acquired at approximately 7:37 p.m. local time. Layers of Earth’s atmosphere, colored bright white to deep blue, are visible extending across the horizon. The highest cloud tops have a reddish glow from the direct light of the setting sun while lower clouds are in twilight. The Salar de Coipasa, a large salt lake in Bolivia, is dimly visible on the night side of the terminator. The salar provides a geographic reference point that allows the location and viewing orientation of the image to be determined.
Image Credit: NASA
Monday, May 9, 2011
Endeavour Power Box Testing Continues, New Launch Date Expected Friday
"Thu, 05 May 2011 17:37:22 -0500"
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A in Florida
continue testing various systems inside space shuttle Endeavour
associated with a newly installed power distribution box, called a
Load Control Assembly 2 (LCA-2). So far, all systems have checked out.
Overnight, teams will retest power for Endeavour's reaction control
system. Endeavour's no earlier than launch date remains May 10, but
senior NASA managers will meet Friday to evaluate the progress of
repairs and select a new
launch date for the STS-134 mission to the International Space
Station. Engineers have been doing forensic engineering testing on the
failed LCA-2, which was removed from Endeavour on Tuesday. The LCA-2
feeds power to a variety of systems, including heaters on the fuel
line for Endeavour's auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1). APUs control the
shuttle's hydraulic system. Teams are trying to determine what caused
a circuit inside the power box to short out. The APU-1 fuel line
heaters did not work on
April 29, prompting the launch team to scrub Endeavour's first launch attempt.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
NASA Ames Research Center News and Features Update
Bright Young Minds Present Visions for the Future
Wed, 04 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
High school teams from across the country, plus the Isle of Man, presented their solutions to a variety of 21st century problems during the Conrad Foundation's Innovation Summit held at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., April 28 - May 1, 2011.
Kepler Mission Manager Update
Tue, 03 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
Another 93 Gigabits of Data Added to the Archive
Thursday, May 5, 2011
The Trajectory
Image Credit: NASA
Additional Testing for Faulty Power Box
Thu, 05 May 2011 07:14:12 -0500
Technicians at the NASA Shuttle Logistic Depot in Cape Canaveral, Fla., continue additional testing today on a faulty power distribution box, called a Load Control Assembly 2 (LCA-2). It was removed Tuesday morning from the aft compartment of space shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
Technicians are trying to determine what caused the power box to fail. Initial testing from yesterday shows a driver (circuit) inside the LCA-2 shorted out. The LCA-2 feeds power to heaters on the fuel line for Endeavour's auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1). Initially, when the shorted out driver was replaced, the LCA-2 appeared to worked as designed.
Technicians are performing additional failure analysis on the driver today to confirm whether the short experienced by the system came from inside or outside the LCA-2. Depending on the results, additional testing of the box may be required.
On Launch Pad 39A, a new LCA-2 box was installed into Endeavour Wednesday morning, and technicians are retesting the system before Endeavour's next launch attempt is scheduled. Currently, Endeavour's no earlier than launch date remains May 10.
The APU-1 fuel line heaters did not work on April 29, prompting the launch team to scrub the Endeavour's first launch attempt for the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.
Technicians are trying to determine what caused the power box to fail. Initial testing from yesterday shows a driver (circuit) inside the LCA-2 shorted out. The LCA-2 feeds power to heaters on the fuel line for Endeavour's auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1). Initially, when the shorted out driver was replaced, the LCA-2 appeared to worked as designed.
Technicians are performing additional failure analysis on the driver today to confirm whether the short experienced by the system came from inside or outside the LCA-2. Depending on the results, additional testing of the box may be required.
On Launch Pad 39A, a new LCA-2 box was installed into Endeavour Wednesday morning, and technicians are retesting the system before Endeavour's next launch attempt is scheduled. Currently, Endeavour's no earlier than launch date remains May 10.
The APU-1 fuel line heaters did not work on April 29, prompting the launch team to scrub the Endeavour's first launch attempt for the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.
NASA's Gravity Probe B Confirms Two Einstein Space-Time Theories
NASA's Gravity Probe B (GP-B) mission has confirmed two key predictions derived from Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, which the spacecraft was designed to test.
The experiment, launched in 2004, used four ultra-precise gyroscopes to measure the hypothesized geodetic effect, the warping of space and time around a gravitational body, and frame-dragging, the amount a spinning object pulls space and time with it as it rotates.
GP-B determined both effects with unprecedented precision by pointing at a single star, IM Pegasi, while in a polar orbit around Earth. If gravity did not affect space and time, GP-B's gyroscopes would point in the same direction forever while in orbit. But in confirmation of Einstein's theories, the gyroscopes experienced measurable, minute changes in the direction of their spin, while Earth's gravity pulled at them.
"Imagine the Earth as if it were immersed in honey. As the planet rotates, the honey around it would swirl, and it's the same with space and time," said Francis Everitt, GP-B principal investigator at Stanford University. "GP-B confirmed two of the most profound predictions of Einstein's universe, having far-reaching implications across astrophysics research. Likewise, the decades of technological innovation behind the mission will have a lasting legacy on Earth and in space."
GP-B is one of the longest running projects in NASA history, with agency involvement starting in the fall of 1963 with initial funding to develop a relativity gyroscope experiment. Subsequent decades of development led to groundbreaking technologies to control environmental disturbances on spacecraft, such as aerodynamic drag, magnetic fields and thermal variations. The mission's star tracker and gyroscopes were the most precise ever designed and produced.
GP-B completed its data collection operations and was decommissioned in December 2010.
The experiment, launched in 2004, used four ultra-precise gyroscopes to measure the hypothesized geodetic effect, the warping of space and time around a gravitational body, and frame-dragging, the amount a spinning object pulls space and time with it as it rotates.
GP-B determined both effects with unprecedented precision by pointing at a single star, IM Pegasi, while in a polar orbit around Earth. If gravity did not affect space and time, GP-B's gyroscopes would point in the same direction forever while in orbit. But in confirmation of Einstein's theories, the gyroscopes experienced measurable, minute changes in the direction of their spin, while Earth's gravity pulled at them.
"Imagine the Earth as if it were immersed in honey. As the planet rotates, the honey around it would swirl, and it's the same with space and time," said Francis Everitt, GP-B principal investigator at Stanford University. "GP-B confirmed two of the most profound predictions of Einstein's universe, having far-reaching implications across astrophysics research. Likewise, the decades of technological innovation behind the mission will have a lasting legacy on Earth and in space."
GP-B is one of the longest running projects in NASA history, with agency involvement starting in the fall of 1963 with initial funding to develop a relativity gyroscope experiment. Subsequent decades of development led to groundbreaking technologies to control environmental disturbances on spacecraft, such as aerodynamic drag, magnetic fields and thermal variations. The mission's star tracker and gyroscopes were the most precise ever designed and produced.
GP-B completed its data collection operations and was decommissioned in December 2010.
NASA TV To Air 2011 U.S. Astronaut Hall Of Fame Induction May 7
Tue, 03 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
NASA Television will provide live coverage of the 2011 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame induction ceremony at 3 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 7.
System 93W (Western North Pacific Ocean)
System 93W (Western North Pacific Ocean)
Tue, 03 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
Tue, 03 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
System 93W is a large low pressure area in the Western North Pacific Ocean that appears poised for tropical development in NASA satellite imagery
Forensic Testing on Faulty LCA-2
Wed, 04 May 2011 13:12:23 -0500
Technicians at the NASA Shuttle Logistic Depot in Cape Canaveral, Fla., are doing additional forensic engineering testing today on a faulty power distribution box, called a Load Control Assembly 2 (LCA-2). It was removed yesterday morning from the aft compartment of space shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39A at NASA?s Kennedy Space Center.
Technicians are trying to determine what caused the power box to fail. Initial testing from yesterday shows a driver (circuit) inside the LCA-2 shorted out. The LCA-2 feeds power to heaters on the fuel line for Endeavour's auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1). Initially, when the shorted out driver was replaced, the LCA-2 appeared to worked as designed.
Technicians are performing additional failure analysis on the driver today to confirm whether the short experienced by the system came from inside or outside the LCA-2. Depending on the results, additional testing of the box may be required.
On Launch Pad 39A, a new LCA-2 box was installed into Endeavour this morning, and technicians are preparing to retest the system before Endeavour's next launch attempt is scheduled. Currently, Endeavour's no earlier than launch date remains May 10.
The APU-1 fuel line heaters did not work on April 29, prompting the launch team to scrub the Endeavour's first launch attempt for the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Endeavour's LCA-2 Install to be Completed Today
Wed, 04 May 2011 07:48:20 -0500
Teams on NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A are installing a new power distribution box called a Load Control Assembly-2 (LCA-2) into space shuttle Endeavour.
The LCA-2 distributes power to nine various shuttle systems, including heaters on a fuel line for Endeavour's auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1). The heaters did not work on April 29, prompting the launch team to scrub Endeavour's first launch attempt for its STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.
After the new LCA-2 is installed, technicians will begin testing it and its power distribution system. Managers will continue to evaluate the repair process and make any additional adjustments before scheduling Endeavour's next launch attempt, which remains no earlier than May 10.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, the STS-134 crew is conducting tag ups today in crew quarters with their Flight Directors and Robotics and Spacewalk Officers.
Training Flight
Image Credit: NASA
NASA Dawn Spacecraft Reaches Milestone Approaching Asteroid
Mon, 02 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
NASA's Dawn spacecraft has reached its official approach phase to the asteroid Vesta and will begin using cameras for the first time to aid navigation for an expected July 16 orbital encounter.
Endeavour Power Box Installation Overnight, Atlantis' "Rolls" Move To Avoid Endeavour Launch
Tue, 03 May 2011 18:10:46 -0500
Teams on NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A have disconnected ordinance this evening on space shuttle Endeavour. Once the launch pad is reopened, technicians will return to Endeavour's aft compartment to do some minor work on a cold plate for the power distribution box called a Load Control Assembly 2 (LCA-2). The cold plate is an aluminum plate attached to the box that uses a closed-loop Freon system to cool electronics inside the box.
Following that work, a new LCA-2 will be installed into Endeavour by tomorrow morning. Early this morning, technicians removed the faulty LCA-2 and then transported it to the NASA Shuttle Logistic Depot in Cape Canaveral, Fla., where other technicians began forensic engineering testing to determine what caused the power box to fail. The LCA-2 distributes power to nine various shuttle systems, including heaters on a fuel line for Endeavour's auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1). The heaters did not work on April 29, prompting the launch team to scrub Endeavour's first launch attempt for its STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.
After the new LCA-2 is installed, technicians will begin testing it and its power distribution system. Managers will continue to evaluate the repair process and make any additional adjustments before scheduling Endeavour's next launch attempt, which remains no earlier than May 10.
Related to the ongoing Endeavour repair work, to move away from any potential launch date next week, managers have decided to retarget shuttle Atlantis' move from its hangar, Orbiter Processing Facility-1, to Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building. Atlantis' new "rollover" date now is May 16. The new target date to begin its move to Launch Pad 39A is May 23, depending on when Endeavour actually launches. Atlantis' launch on the final Space Shuttle Program mission, STS-135, remains targeted for June 28.
Following that work, a new LCA-2 will be installed into Endeavour by tomorrow morning. Early this morning, technicians removed the faulty LCA-2 and then transported it to the NASA Shuttle Logistic Depot in Cape Canaveral, Fla., where other technicians began forensic engineering testing to determine what caused the power box to fail. The LCA-2 distributes power to nine various shuttle systems, including heaters on a fuel line for Endeavour's auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1). The heaters did not work on April 29, prompting the launch team to scrub Endeavour's first launch attempt for its STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.
After the new LCA-2 is installed, technicians will begin testing it and its power distribution system. Managers will continue to evaluate the repair process and make any additional adjustments before scheduling Endeavour's next launch attempt, which remains no earlier than May 10.
Related to the ongoing Endeavour repair work, to move away from any potential launch date next week, managers have decided to retarget shuttle Atlantis' move from its hangar, Orbiter Processing Facility-1, to Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building. Atlantis' new "rollover" date now is May 16. The new target date to begin its move to Launch Pad 39A is May 23, depending on when Endeavour actually launches. Atlantis' launch on the final Space Shuttle Program mission, STS-135, remains targeted for June 28.
NASA Ames Research Center News and Features Update
NASA Honors 13 Ames Employees with Silver Snoopy Awards
Mon, 02 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
Q&A With Michael Craig on Cirrus Clouds
Mon, 25 Apr 2011 23:00:00 -0500
Mon, 02 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
Thirteen Ames employees, including eight from the Space Biosciences Division, recently received the prestigious 2010 Silver Snoopy award for their outstanding work and professional dedication.
Q&A With Michael Craig on Cirrus Clouds
Mon, 25 Apr 2011 23:00:00 -0500
The Mid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment is a NASA field campaign, investigating cirrus cloud properties.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Techs to Replace LCA-2 on Endeavour
Tue, 03 May 2011 07:51:33 -0500
Technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A removed the Load Control Assembly-2 (LCA-2) box in the orbiter's aft compartment last night. Teams are evaluating data from inspections and will install a new LCA-2 after evaluations and any repairs, if needed, have been made.
Managers will continue to evaluate the repair process and make any additional adjustments before scheduling Endeavour's next launch attempt for its STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.
The earliest Endeavour could be launched on the STS-134 mission is Tuesday, May 10.
Plans are for managers to reconvene Friday to determine a more definite launch date after the box is removed and replaced and the retest of systems has been completed.
The STS-134 crew is in the motion base simulator this morning, conducting refresher ascent and entry sims prior to their planned return to Kennedy later this week for the second launch attempt.
Prepping Endeavour
Image Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Two Events Commemorate 50th Anniversary of U.S. Human Spaceflight
Sun, 01 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first U.S. manned spaceflight during two events this week around the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA Television will carry both events live.
Endeavour's Launch Will Occur No Earlier Than May 10
Mon, 02 May 2011 16:32:28 -0500
NASA space shuttle and International Space Station managers met Monday and determined that Tuesday, May 10 is the earliest Endeavour could be launched on the STS-134 mission. That date is success oriented based on preliminary schedules to replace a faulty Load Control Assembly (LCA) box in the orbiter's aft compartment.
Plans are for managers to reconvene Friday to determine a more definite launch date after the box is removed and replaced and the retest of systems has been completed.
Space Shuttle Program managers adjusted the date after further evaluating the schedules to change out the box and retest the nine shuttle systems associated with the controller. That work would be followed by the standard closeout of the aft compartment before proceeding into the launch countdown.
Sunday night and Monday, technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A conducted additional testing of systems associated with LCA-2, including testing the box itself, which is expected to be removed late Monday or early Tuesday and replaced with an existing spare.
Managers will continue to evaluate the repair process and make any additional adjustments before scheduling Endeavour's next launch attempt for its STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.
The STS-134 crew is back in Houston and remains in quarantine throughout as it slowly adjusts its wake and sleep schedule to match the new launch time. While at NASA's Johnson Space Center, the crew will conduct a launch and landing simulation with its ascent and entry flight control team based in Mission Control, before returning to Florida for the launch countdown.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Atlantis in Perspective
President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Malia, Sasha, and the First Lady's mother Marian Robinson, are shown the space shuttle Atlantis during a tour of the Orbital Processing Facility by NASA Astronaut Janet Kavandi during their visit to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Friday, April 29, 2011.
Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Techs Identify APU Heater Issue
Mon, 02 May 2011 07:55:35 -0500
Technicians and engineers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida have identified the likely source of what caused heaters on a fuel line for space shuttle Endeavour's auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1) to fail on Friday, scrubbing the first launch attempt for the STS-134 mission.
The failure appears to be a power problem within the aft load control assembly-2 (ALCA-2), a box of switches controlling power feeds.
The plan is to remove and replace the box, but that work and related testing will take several days to complete. Once the new box is installed, the team must verify it's working properly -- at least a two-day process -- and perform forensics on the failed box.
Managers are expected to meet over the next day or two to determine the next launch attempt, but it is expected to be no earlier than May 8.
Workers at Kennedy's Launch Pad 39A have drained space shuttle Endeavour's external fuel tank of all cryogenics. The Rotating Service Structure was moved back around the spacecraft in order to protect the shuttle from the elements and to gain access to Endeavour's aft section.
After returning to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, the six STS-134 astronauts will be involved in some additional training before they return for the next launch attempt.
Shuttle Endeavour Launch No Earlier Than May 8
Shuttle Endeavour Launch No Earlier Than May 8
Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 -0500
Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 -0500
NASA managers have determined Endeavour will not launch before May 8, but will not officially set a new launch date until early this week.
Teams to Replace APU Heater Power Box; Launch No Earlier than May 8
Sun, 01 May 2011 13:31:06 -0500
Technicians and engineers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida have identified the likely source of what caused heaters on a fuel line for space shuttle Endeavour's auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1) to fail on Friday, scrubbing the first launch attempt for the STS-134 mission. The failure appears to be a power problem within the aft load control assembly-2 (ALCA-2), a box of switches controlling power feeds.
"That basically means the power is not getting out to the heaters that weren't working on launch day," said Space Shuttle Program Launch Integration Manager Mike Moses.
The plan is to remove and replace the box, but that work and related testing will take several days to complete. Once the new box is installed, the team must verify it's working properly -- at least a two-day process -- and perform forensics on the failed box.
"We can tell you, pretty much, that it's not going to be any earlier than (May 8)," Moses said. "We're really not even setting the schedules today. There's still a whole lot of short-term work that has to be done."
Endeavour's six astronauts are heading back to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston for a few days of additional training before they return for the next launch attempt, and the crew's families also are going to return home today. The launch team is backing out of launch countdown operations.
"Responding to problems is one of the things we do best around here, and the team always likes a good challenge," said Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach. "I'm sure we're going to be really glad when Endeavour's finally on orbit, but right now, the team is upbeat and ready to execute."
No Launch Attempt Monday, Teams to Replace APU Heater Power Box
Sun, 01 May 2011 09:01:10 -0500
Technicians and engineers are narrowing in on the likely source of what caused heaters on a fuel line for space shuttle Endeavour's auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1) to fail on Friday and scrubbing the first launch attempt for the STS-134 mission. But because of work associated with fixing the problem, launch teams will not be able to make a launch attempt tomorrow. Teams will meet Monday and are expected to determine a new "no earlier than" next launch attempt for Endeavour at that time.
Technicians began testing systems associated with the heaters yesterday afternoon and into the overnight hours. Test results indicate the problem is with a power control box, the aft load control assembly-2 (ALCA-2) in Endeavour's aft compartment. Teams are working on plans to replace the box or any faulty associated hardware. The launch team currently is backing out of launch countdown operations.
There still are numerous factor to be worked out, but just based on the amount of time needed to do the fix, a new launch attempt wouldn't happen before the end of the week, at the soonest.
Endeavour's six astronauts are heading back to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston for a few days of additional training before they return for the next launch attempt.
Managers will hold a news conference update briefing on NASA TV this afternoon. The exact start time still is TBD.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Endeavour APU Issue Testing Under Way
Sat, 30 Apr 2011 16:29:01 -0500
Teams at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A are testing various systems in space shuttle Endeavour to determine the cause of the heater issue associated with auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1).
Technicians gained access to the spacecraft earlier this afternoon. They were able to confirm the cockpit control fuse panel is working.
Teams began testing thermostats associated with the heater connected to the fuel line for the APU. Initial reports indicate the thermostat side that failed during Friday's launch countdown still is not working, as expected. Teams will continue additional testing to help determine whether the thermostat is receiving a current or whether the issue is being caused by another part of the system . Managers are not expected to decide until Sunday morning, at the earliest, whether a launch attempt on Monday is possible.
Flight Dynamics at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston has refined the target launch time for Monday to 2:44:00 p.m. EDT.
Teams expected to access Endeavour by midday
Sat, 30 Apr 2011 08:48:47 -0500
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A have drained space shuttle Endeavour's external fuel tank of more than 500,000 gallons of super cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Excess fuel was boiled off and teams are ensuring any remaining hazardous gasses are vented out. Technicians expect to begin the processes of accessing Endeavour's aft by midday, in order to look at a fuel line heater associated with the auxiliary power unit (APU) system, which caused a scrub of yesterday's STS-134 launch attempt. APUs generate hydraulic power to throttle and gimbal main engines and move the aerosurfaces.
Launch now is planned for no earlier than Monday, May 2 at 2:33 p.m. EDT. A status briefing is expected to be aired live on NASA TV on Sunday morning.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)