| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 457.1 | HBT to be launched in December of 1989 | MTWAIN::KLAES | Saturn by 1970 | Thu Oct 27 1988 19:44 | 45 |
| Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,sci.space.shuttle
Path: decwrl!labrea!agate!eos!ames!yee
Subject: Earlier launch date set for NASA Hubble Space Telescope (Forwarded)
Posted: 25 Oct 88 15:03:53 GMT
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Xref: decwrl sci.astro:3271 sci.space:7970 sci.space.shuttle:2656
Charles Redmond
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. October 25, 1988
Barbara Selby
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
RELEASE: 88-143
EARLIER LAUNCH DATE SET FOR NASA HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
NASA announced today that it is rescheduling the launch of the
Hubble Space Telescope from February 1990 to an earlier date of
December 1989. The earlier date was made possible following
reassessment of a variety of factors including payload requirements
and Space Shuttle orbiter assignments during the period. The Hubble
Space Telescope is a cooperative project with the European Space Agency.
The telescope, which fills the orbiter cargo bay, will be
deployed by the Shuttle crew with the aid of the orbiter remote
manipulator system.
The Hubble telescope is the first spacecraft designed for routine
on-orbit servicing by the Space Shuttle crew. In the mid-1990's, a
Shuttle crew is expected to revisit the telescope to replace onboard
scientific instruments with new instruments incorporating advanced
technology now under development.
The Astrophysics Division of the Office of Space Science and
Applications, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C., and the project
management center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.,
will establish a new shipping schedule for the Hubble spacecraft,
presently at the Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. facility, Sunnyvale,
Calif. The schedule for a final ground systems test involving the
Hubble spacecraft also may be affected.
"My goal is simple. It is complete understanding of the Universe,
why it is as it is, and why it exists at all." - Stephen Hawking
|
| 457.2 | HST is incredible to see! | ODIXIE::RIDGWAY | For one brief shining moment | Wed Nov 09 1988 15:07 | 13 |
| RE:-2
Mike, I was a system manager for Lockheed at Marshall Space Flight
Center for the Hubble Space Telescope project for two years (84-86).
At LMSC and MSFC we literally had tons of DEC gear stored everywhere.
Most everyone had a PRO 350 on their desk, and most everyone used
it just for a color terminal. At our site most of the graphics
were done on Intergraph boxes (really DEC boxes with mods). Equipment
would come into the facility in large batches. It either rained
or a drought was upon us!
Regards, Keith R>
|
| 457.3 | USAF C-5A Galaxy cargo plane to transport HST | MTWAIN::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Wed Mar 01 1989 12:10 | 56 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle
Path: decwrl!labrea!eos!ames!trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee
Subject: Air Force C-5 to transport Hubble Space Telescope (Forwarded)
Posted: 28 Feb 89 16:43:22 GMT
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Xref: decwrl sci.space:10049 sci.space.shuttle:3368
Charles Redmond
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. February 27, 1989
David B. Drachlis
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
RELEASE: 89-
AIR FORCE C-5 TO TRANSPORT HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
NASA announced today that a modified Air Force C-5A Galaxy will
be used to transport the Hubble Space Telescope from its assembly
contractor in California to its launch site at the Kennedy Space
Center, Fla. Shipment is scheduled to take place in the August 1989
timeframe.
The agency previously was studying two options for shipment of
the optical observatory, scheduled for launch aboard the Space Shuttle
in December. The other option was to move the telescope by Military
Sealift Command ship. The decision to transport the telescope by air
was made following tests which confirmed that the Air Force C-5A
aircraft would meet transportation requirements.
"We opted for the C-5 because it will require significantly less
shipment time and provide us more flexibility in our shipment
schedule," explained Wendell Elrod, Hubble Space Telescope
transportation manager at the Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, Ala., the NASA center responsible for overall management
of the telescope project.
The telescope is presently undergoing final assembly and checkout
activities in a clean room at the Lockheed Missiles and Space Company,
Sunnyvale, Calif.
The Hubble Space Telescope will provide astronomers with a view
of planets, stars and other objects about 10 times better than they
now have with their best optical telescopes on Earth, once the
telescope is in orbit above the atmosphere.
The Hubble Space Telescope was developed by NASA and its
partners, including the European Space Agency, under the auspices of
the Office of Space Science and Applications at NASA Headquarters,
Washington D.C. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.,
developed the science instruments and will operate the telescope and
manages the Space Telescope Science Institute, which will be
responsible for the telescope's observing agenda. The Johnson Space
Center, Houston, is responsible for Shuttle operations during the
mission to deploy the telescope.
|
| 457.4 | Computer problems with the HST | MTWAIN::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Fri Mar 31 1989 13:21 | 111 |
| The following posting just showed up on the latest RISKS Digest:
The info in here is alarming. Considering the enormous slippage in the
HST launch date, it is rather incredible. It appears that if the HST
had been launched on time according to the original schedule, it could
not have been used due to this software problem! So all that delay was
not necessarily a bad thing. Yet the entire system may STILL not be
ready, even after having given the software side vast amounts of extra
development time during all these years of delayed launch.
Will Martin
Item from RISKS:
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 89 14:57:02 PST
From: eggert%stand@twinsun.UUCP (Paul Eggert)
Subject: Will the Hubble Space Telescope Compute?
M. Mitchell Waldrop's article (_Science_, 17 March 1989, pp
1437-1439) on SOGS is notable for its coverage accessible to the
general scientific public, and for its claim that the software
engineering community has switched to rapid prototyping. Selected
quotes follow.
-- Paul Eggert, Twin Sun Inc. <aerospace.aero.com!twinsun!eggert>
Will the Hubble Space Telescope Compute?
Critical operations software is still a mess--the victim of
primitive programming methods and chaotic project management
First the good news: two decades after it first went into
development, the $1.4-billion Hubble Space Telescope is almost ready
to fly....
But now the bad news: the Space Telescope Science Institute in
Baltimore still has dozens of programmers struggling to fix one of the
most basic pieces of telescope software, the $70-million Science
Operations Ground System (SOGS).... It was supposedly completed 3
years ago. Yet bugs are still turning up ... and the system currently
runs at only one-third optimum speed.... If Space Telescope had been
launched in October 1986, as planned at the time of the Challenger
accident, it would have been a major embarrassment: a superb
scientific instrument crippled by nearly unworkable software....
[Chronology:
1980-1 2"-thick requirements doc. written by NASA-appointed committee
1981 contract awarded to TRW; peak team included 150 people
1983 first software components delivered
later SOGS declared utterly unsuitable.]
The problem was basically a conceptual one. NASA's specifications
for SOGS had called for a scheduling algorithm that would handle
telescope operations on a minute-by-minute basis.... The tacit
assumption was that the system would schedule astronomers on a monthly
and yearly basis by simply adding up thousands upon thousands of these
minute-by-minute schedules.
In fact, that tacit assumption was a recipe for disaster.... The
number of possible combinations to consider rises much faster than
exponentially.... In the computer science community, where this
phenomenon has been well known for about 40 years, it is called ``the
combinatoric explosion.'' Accepted techniques for defusing such
explosions call for scheduling algorithms that plan their trips with a
road map, so to speak. And SOGS simply did not have it.
In addition to performance issues, however, SOGS was also
deficient in basic design terms. ``SOGS used last-generation
programming technology,'' says one senior programmer.... ``SOGS was
designed in such a way that you couldn't insert new releases without
bringing down the entire system! For days!'' says the science
institute's associate director for operations, Ethan Schreier....
Indeed, the fundamental structure of SOGS is so nonmodular that fixing
a bug in one part of the program almost invariably generates new bugs
somewhere else....
So, where did SOGS go wrong?...
One of the main villains seems to have been the old-line aerospace
industry approach to software development.... In the wider computer
science community this Give-Me-The-Requirements approach is considered
a dismal methodology at best... Modern programming practice calls for
... a style known as ``rapid prototyping''...
Even more fundamental ... few people at NASA were even thinking
about telescope operations in the early years.... the Space Telescope
project as a whole was saddled with a management structure that can
only be described as Byzantine.... At the hardware level the chaos at
the top was reflected in a raft of independently developed scientific
instruments and onboard computers, none of which were well coordinated
with the others. Indeed, the presumption was that any such problems
would be taken care of later in the software....
So, is SOGS fixed now?
Maybe. With TRW's help, the institute has spent the past several
years beating the system into shape.... On the other hand, such
progress has come at a price. SOGS now consists of about 1 million
lines of programming code, roughly ten times larger than originally
estimated. Its overall cost has more than doubled, from $30 million
in the original contract to roughly $70 million....
In both NASA and Pentagon contracting, the cost of the old-line
approach is becoming all too apparent. Indeed, it has become a real
sore point in the computer community.
``It's the methodology that got us to Apollo and Skylab,'' says
[James] Weiss [data systems manager for Space Telescope at NASA
headquarters]. ``But it's not getting us to the 1990s. The needs are
more complex and the problems are more complex.''
``SOGS,'' he says, ``is probably the last example of the old system.''
|
| 457.5 | HST too sensitive for the job? | MTWAIN::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Tue Apr 04 1989 13:56 | 42 |
| VNS COMPUTER NEWS: [Tracy Talcott, VNS Computer Desk]
================== [Nashua, NH, USA ]
Software - Hubble Space Telescope software was inadequate
As any astronomy enthusiast knows, the Hubble Space Telescope is 2 1/2 years
overdue. This marvel of observational technology was originally scheduled to
have been launched into space in October 1986, before the explosion of the
Space Shuttle CHALLENGER threw the American space program off track. And those
who were so eagerly anticipating the images the scope would produce above the
light-distorting haze of Earth's atmosphere have been decrying the delay ever
since. But now it seems that this wait may have been a blessing in disguise,
as those in charge if the $1.4 billion device admit that the software designed
to operate the telescope is barely doing its job in tests. If the scope had
been launched on schedule, it would have been almost useless, according to a
report in the March 17 issue of Science. This is partly because of the
inherent complexity of the job. For example, the telescope cannot look too
near the Sun or Moon because the light would damage its delicate instruments;
it cannot look too near Earth's edge because sunlight diffracted in the
atmosphere would ruin the image; it cannot look straight along the path its
traveling because atoms at the fringe of the atmosphere would strike and
damage its delicate optical surfaces; it cannot operate at all when traveling
through the so-called South Atlantic Anomaly, where Earth's radiation belt
dips low enough to spoil the data; and, of course, it can't point toward Earth
if it wants to look at stars. All this means the telescope will be able to
collect data only about a third of the time. These difficulties are
exacerbated by the approach taken toward designing the software, according to
the article. NASA used what one official called an "old system" of
programming, in which the computer was supposed to handle, one by one, all of
the thousands of millions of decisions involved in aiming the telescope. A
more sophisticated method is to program in algorithms - that is, series of
instructions that the computer handles together as a group. Furthermore, much
of the hardware used to operate the telescope was developed by different
companies and doesn't work together well, the article said. The effect of all
this won't become clear until the telescope is launched later this year, but
it does not bode well for future missions as the exploration of space becomes
more computer-oriented.
{The Nashua Telegraph, 2-Apr-89, p. G-5}
<><><><><><><> VNS Edition : 1789 Tuesday 4-Apr-1989 <><><><><><><>
|
| 457.6 | See Sky & Telescope for more info | LEVERS::HUGHES | TANSTAAFL | Tue Apr 04 1989 16:57 | 6 |
| While the lastest news to come out exposes the problems with the
ground based support software, there were a number of problems with
the vehicle itself. A brief description of the updates and changes
was given in an issue of Sky & Telescoper a few months back.
Mike H
|
| 457.7 | Heard it Through the Grapevine | HAZEL::LEPAGE | Life is a tale told by an idiot | Wed May 17 1989 15:56 | 7 |
| I heard through the grapevine that the launch of the Hubble Space
Telescope has been delayed from December 1989 to March 1990 due
to orbiter processing delays. A new shuttle manifest should be made
public anytime now.
Drew
|
| 457.8 | If you happen to be in Paris... | RENOIR::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Thu May 18 1989 13:09 | 46 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA to feature Hubble Space Telescope at Paris Air Show (Forwarded)
Date: 17 May 89 19:20:09 GMT
Sender: usenet@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
David W. Garrett
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. May 17, 1989
RELEASE: 89-76
NASA TO FEATURE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE AT PARIS AIR SHOW
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) will highlight the NASA exhibit
at the 38th Paris Air Show, June 9-18.
The NASA exhibit, housed in the United States National Pavilion,
will focus on astronomy in general and the HST in particular. The
HST, a cooperative project with the European Space Agency and
scheduled for launch by the Space Shuttle in early 1990, will allow
astronomers to observe stars, planets and other objects 10 times more
clearly than Earth-bound observatories.
The centerpiece of the 7,000-sq.-ft. exhibit is a full-scale
model of the HST with one side cutaway to show, through pulsed
lighting, the interior components of the spacecraft. Other NASA
programs featured in the exhibit are Space Shuttle, Space Station
Freedom, the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, new space suit
designs, the National Aero-Space Plane and other aeronautical
subjects. Also, to commemorate the 20th anniversay of the first Moon
landing, artifacts from the Apollo 11 lunar mission will be displayed.
Prominently displayed outdoors near the entrance to the pavilion
will be a 75-foot model of the National Aero-Space Plane.
Several press events related to the exhibit are scheduled during
the show. June 9 has been designated Apollo 11 day when the first
lunar landing astronauts - Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael
Collins - will participate in an afternoon press conference. On June
12, astronauts Loren Shriver and Steve Hawley, members of the Space
Shuttle/HST deployment crew, will meet the press.
NASA has been a major participant at the Paris Air Show, Le
Bourget, since the mid-1960s.
|
| 457.9 | HST Update | RENOIR::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Mon Jun 19 1989 18:18 | 87 |
| From: GILL@QUCDNAST.BITNET
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: HST update - from the horse's mouth
Date: 18 Jun 89 03:00:00 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
The following is amalgamated from my notes taken at the recent
(last week) American Astronomical Society meeting. The talk was given
by A. Boggess from NASA/Goddard, and was an update on everything that
is going on with the Hubble Space telescope at this time. My notes of
the talk are chicken scratches, so forgive any errors.
The HST is set to launch March 26, 1990, but is actually ready to
go at any time before that. As mentioned earlier, it is currently at
Lockheed in California and will be moved via an Air Force C5-A to Cape
Kennedy. Certain final checks still need to be done before moving
(and are currently in progress). These are:
- The cataloguing and closing off of all boxes on the HST. (I guess
that these are the accessible compartments on the outside of the
HST.) These will then not be opened again until the HST is in
space, and then only if repair work need be done. When this is
completed, the only opening will be the main mirror aperture.
- It will then be moved into a horizontal position to be ready for
packaging (into a special box designed by the Air Force) and shipping.
- Three potentially loose bolts on the secondary mirror must be checked.
These will be replaced, with the new bolts being affixed with epoxy.
As of June 1, 1989, the schedule for the HST is the following:
July 10-11 Turn horizontal - replace nuts/bolts.
July 24-28 Optical tests.
- illuminate with white light to look for dust/clean
- turn on the instruments, flood with white light,
and do final instrument alignment
October 7-12 Ship to launch site.
October 26 onward
Functional tests at Kennedy Space Centre.
March 10 Place in shuttle and move to launch site
March 26 Launch
- deploy within 2 days (thank you, now go away :-) )
2 months of turn on testing
- power, maneuvering capability, then instruments
Next 5 months
- basic calibrations, simple basic science (3 months, 2 months
respectively, but intermingled)
7 months after launch
- telescope is `open' for business to the general observing public
- currently, there is a 10-1 oversubscription for the available
observing times (first year)
There were also some comments made with respect to questions from
the audience. Even with the solar maximum expected in the next few
years, NASA figures that HST will only require about 1 reboost every 5
years. Any reboost would require a shuttle flight by itself (someone
explain this to me - I didn't get a chance to ask), with the first one
tentatively set for about 5 years down the road. However, if it turns
out that reboosts are required more often, the HST would become
uneconomical. In fact, the suggestion was made to move back the
launch date if newer simulations show this to be the case. Nothing
much else was said about that matter.
For those of you who dislike the idea of spending so much money
on space-based research, you should be glad to hear that the 8-meter
ground-based telescopes look like they have a good chance of getting
the funding needed. Currently, the US will build one of them, and
Canada and Great Britain will split the second. One will go to Mauna
Kea, the other to Chile, with a 2:1:1 subscription ratio for the two
instruments going to the countries involved. Cost is currently
estimated at about $60 million for the Hawaiian telescope, and about
$48 million for the Chilean one. Some of the difference is due to the
Chilean instrument being built second, the rest, I think, is due to
the difference in labour costs. By the way, don't quote me on the
numbers, I didn't write them down - they are accurate within $10
million (a lot better than the government is capable of doing!).
There are, of course, 4 other telescopes of the 8-meter class being
built - by the Keck group, ESO, and Japan.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Arnold Gill | If you don't complain to those who |
Queen's University at Kingston | implemented the problem, you have |
BITNET: gill@qucdnast | no right to complain at all ! |
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|
| 457.10 | Bits on HST mirror and other info | RENOIR::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Fri Jul 14 1989 22:28 | 40 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: HST article in DISCOVER July 89
Date: 14 Jul 89 17:37:20 GMT
Reply-To: johnson@ncrcce.StPaul.NCR.COM (Wayne D. T. Johnson)
Organization: NCR Comten, Inc.
Discover magazine this month has a whole section on SPACE - The
Once and Future Frontier in honor of the 20th anniverary of APOLLO 11.
I will include here a brief list of highlights from their article
of the HST mirror. It is well worth the time to read all 11 pages.
HST has been sitting in a clean room at Lockheed since Nov 4, 1984
at a cost of $10 million a month.
The contract for the primary mirror was awarded to Perkin-Elmer.
A second contract was given to Eastman-Kodak for a spare. Corning
made the original glass blank, two glass plates with a honeycomb of
glass inside to reduce weight.
Perkin-Elmer had earlier dropped a $1 million mirror for Copernicus
in 1968 and had only done a "okay" job on a 60 inch demonstration mirror.
The demo had been scratched and the edge was badly turned.
Perkin-Elmer had its eye on bidding on the Solar Optical Telescope,
a $60 million project, so they were very hot on doing a good job.
The Mirror specs called for the mirror to be ground to a
hyperboloid to within lamda by 64 (a 1/64th of the wavelength of neon
light). That would be equivalant to 1/2 of a millionth of an inch.
The Aluminum coating had to be at least 70% reflective in the
ultraviolet, the absolute limit for aluminum is 84%.
The final mirror came out as lamda by 78, and 80% reflective. Not bad.
Wayne Johnson (Voice) 612-638-7665
NCR Comten, Inc. (E-MAIL) W.Johnson@StPaul.NCR.COM or
Roseville MN 55113 johnson@c10sd1.StPaul.NCR.COM
These opinions (or spelling) do not necessarily reflect those of NCR Comten.
|
| 457.11 | | STAR::HUGHES | | Mon Jul 17 1989 15:11 | 5 |
| HST hasn't been just sitting around. It has been used a few times as a
test article in support equipment intended to be used with other
satellites with large optical system (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).
gary
|
| 457.12 | First group of observers for HST | RENOIR::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Wed Jul 19 1989 19:31 | 116 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Science observations selected for NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope
Date: 19 Jul 89 17:50:22 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Paula Clegget-Haleim
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. July 19, 1989
Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.
RELEASE: 89-121
SCIENCE OBSERVATIONS SELECTED FOR NASA/ESA HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
The Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md., has
completed selection of the first science observation proposals from
the astronomy community to be carried out using the NASA/European
Space Agency (ESA) Hubble Space Telescope.
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST), scheduled for launch in March
1990, is the first major international optical telescope to be
permanently stationed in low-Earth orbit. Capable of viewing the
universe with a tenfold greater resolution than ground based
observatories, the HST has a tremendous potential for fundamental
scientific breakthroughs in astronomy. Observing opportunities on the
powerful space facility are open to the worldwide astronomical community.
"It is exciting to see the many excellant proposals and to think
of the scientific discoveries that will soon emerge when the Hubble
Space Telescope uncovers the mysteries of fundamental scientific
questions," says Neta Bahcall, Head of the institute's Science
Programs Selection Office.
The selected observations will make use of HST's unique
capabilities to study a wide variety of astronomical objects, from
nearby planets to the horizon of the visible universe. The
observations should help to dramatically improve current understanding
of the size, structure, and evolution of the Universe.
Among the accepted proposals are plans to search for black holes
in neighboring galaxies, to survey the dense cores of globular star
clusters, to better see the most distant galaxies in the universe, to
probe the mysterious core of the Milky Way galaxy and to search for
neutron stars that may trigger bizarre gamma-ray bursts.
The 162 proposals were accepted following an intensive scientific
peer review of 556 proposals submitted by astronomers from 30 countries.
Approximately 20 percent of the proposals were from member nations of the
European Space Agency, a joint partner with NASA on the HST project.
The HST is such a powerful, new resource for optical astronomy,
that observing time was heavily oversubscribed. During the first
12-month observing cycle, 11,000 hours of observing time were
requested, with only 1200 hours available. The average length of an
accepted observation is 10 hours.
"Unfortunately, because of the high oversubscription rate, many
excellent proposals could not be accommodated," says Bahcall. "We
expect that the available observing time will be somewhat larger in
the second cycle, due to a higher anticipated HST observing efficiency
and a lower fraction of time committed to guaranteed time observers (GTO)."
When HST is launched, it will undergo a 7 month check-out and
instrument calibration period. During that time some of the first
science observations will be made by the GTOs. They are the astronomers
on the six teams which developed HST instrumentation, as well those
astronomers who contributed to the design of the 12-ton observatory.
General observer proposals will begin 7 months after launch and
most will be completed within a 12-month period, though a few key
projects will be extended over 3 years. Slightly more than half of
HST's observing time for the first year of operation will be available
for general observers. The remainder of the observing time will be
used by the GTO's.
To utilize every moment of observing time and hence maximize
efficiency, HST is "over-booked" with accepted general observer
proposals by a ratio of 3:1. One hundred eight accepted proposals
are high priority and represent 90 percent of HST observing time. The
remaining 54 supplemental proposals essentially "fly standby." They
will only be executed if appropriate scheduling opportunities arise.
Sixty-two scientists including 10 from ESA member nations
participated in the proposal review and selection process. The
scientists were divided into six peer-review panels which covered
sub-disciplines in astronomy such as solar system, stellar
astrophysics, stellar populations, interstellar medium, galaxies and
clusters, quasars and active galactic nuclei.
Each proposal was judged primarily for scientific importance.
Other selection criteria took into account such factors as the
technical feasibility of the proposal and an observer's need for the
unique capabilities of HST.
The ranked lists of proposals assembled by the various panels
were then reviewed by a cross-discipline Time Allocation Committee
(TAC). Space Telescope Science Institute Director Riccardo Giacconi
made the final selection based upon a review of the TAC's recommended
list of proposals.
The proposals now will go through a phase II process where the
guest observers will specify the technical details of their
observations. The proposals then will be checked for technical
feasibility, such as availability of guide stars required to aim the
telescope in space and other possible problems. At the conclusion of
phase II this fall, a catalog of approved observations will be made
available.
The Space Telescope Science Institute is operated for NASA under
a contract with the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., by
the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. The
institute is located on the Johns Hopkins University campus in
Baltimore, Md.
|
| 457.13 | HST has arrived at Kennedy Space Center | RENOIR::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Thu Oct 05 1989 12:27 | 16 |
| From: sims@stsci.EDU (Jim Sims)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle,sci.astro,sci.misc
Subject: HST now in Florida at the Cape!
Date: 4 Oct 89 19:15:14 GMT
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218
HST Transported From Lockheed to KSC - IT'S OFFICIAL
******************************************************
Official confirmation has been received that this morning, 4th
October, 1989, HST arrived at Kennedy 7:45 EDT.
--
Jim Sims Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, MD
UUCP: {arizona,decvax,hao,ihnp4}!noao!stsci!sims
INTERNET: sims@stsci.edu SPAM: SCIVAX::SIMS
|
| 457.14 | More on the HST move to KSC | RENOIR::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Wed Oct 11 1989 17:19 | 81 |
| From: sims@stsci.EDU (Jim Sims)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle,sci.astro,sci.misc
Subject: Official party line on HST prelaunch move.
Date: 11 Oct 89 14:39:38 GMT
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218
Dave Drachlis
Marshall Space Flight Center Oct. 6, l989
RELEASE NO: 89-209
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE MOVES TOWARD LAUNCH
One of the world's premier, space-based astronomical
observatories, scheduled to study the Universe for the rest of
this century and beyond, was moved a giant step closer to the
launch pad this week - literally 2,000 miles closer.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope was transported from its
assembly contractor, Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. in Sunnyvale,
Calif., to the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., where it will be
prepared for launch aboard the Space Shuttle this Spring.
The 43-foot-long, 24,000-pound telescope made the cross
country trip aboard a U.S. Air Force transport aircraft.
"The move was flawless, and all indications are that the
telescope made the trip in fine shape." reported telescope project
manager Fred Wojtalik of the Marshall Space Flight Center in
Huntsville, Ala. "The Hubble is a precious scientific resource,
and a sensitive instrument, and it will be the largest orbiting
astronomical observatory ever built. Any move is a delicate job.
"I congratulate everyone who supported the effort," said Wojtalik.
The move involved the coordinated efforts of literally hundreds of
people from a number of organizations, including Lockheed, the
Marshall Center, the Kennedy Space Center, and the Air Force.
The telescope departed Sunnyvale at Tuesday evening and
arrived at Kennedy Wednesday morning. It was then transferred to
the Vertical Processing Facility at Kennedy where it will undergo
final launch preparations over the next five months.
The telescope is scheduled for launch aboard the Space
Shuttle orbiter Discovery on March 26. Following deployment,
activation, and checkout, it will study the Universe for 15
years or longer.
From above Earth's obscuring atmosphere, it will "see"
planets, stars, and other objects in the Universe about 10 times
better than now possible with the best telescopes on the ground.
The Hubble Space Telescope is a product of international
cooperation and is a major scientific resource that will be shared
by scientists around the world. It will help astronomers answer
key questions about the Universe - How big is it? How do stars
and galaxies form and evolve? What are other planets in our solar
system like? Do other, as yet undiscovered, planets exist?
The Hubble Space Telescope was developed by the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, under the Office of Space
Science and Applications at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C.
The Marshall Center has been responsible for design and
development of the telescope and for its verification on orbit.
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, developed the
science instruments and will operate the telescope and manage the
Space Telescope Science Institute. The European Space Agency has
provided the power producing solar arrays and one of the science
instruments. The Johnson Space Center, Houston, is training crews
for the launch, deployment and maintenance of the telescope and
will be in charge of Shuttle mission operations. The Kennedy
Space Center will process the telescope for launch aboard the
Shuttle. The Space Telescope Science Institute, located at Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore, will be responsible for the
telescope's observing agenda.
Jim Sims Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, MD
UUCP: {arizona,decvax,hao}!noao!stsci!sims
INTERNET: sims@stsci.edu SPAM: SCIVAX::SIMS
|
| 457.15 | TOP SECRET! | VOSTOK::LEPAGE | Truth travels slowly | Thu Oct 12 1989 13:20 | 12 |
| I heard that intially NASA wanted to have a massive public "roll
out" of the HST before it was shipped but the USAF wanted nothing of
the sort. Apparently HST was being shipped in the same container that
the USAF uses to ship its "TOP SECRET" spy satellites. The USAF wanted
to keep the HST shipment secret for fear that someone could figure out
the configuration of their satellite based on the shape of the
container.
BIG DEAL! If HST is using the same container as a USAF spy
satellite chances are that they are almost the same shape. DA!
Drew
|
| 457.16 | | PAXVAX::MAIEWSKI | | Thu Oct 12 1989 16:19 | 15 |
| RE <<< Note 457.15 by VOSTOK::LEPAGE "Truth travels slowly" >>>
> BIG DEAL! If HST is using the same container as a USAF spy
> satellite chances are that they are almost the same shape. DA!
Maybe not. All it means is that the container is large enough to
hold the HST. It could be larger in parts to contain special components
for spy satellites. Or it could be modular in a way that would allow it
to be expanded or contracted for spy satellites.
In any case, it's probably a CYA thing. No Airforce officer wants to
risk his career showing the public something that some General may decide
the public should not see.
George
|
| 457.17 | HST to have wide-field planetary camera | RENOIR::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Wed Dec 20 1989 18:55 | 74 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Wide-field planetary camera to be installed on space telescope
Date: 20 Dec 89 19:38:35 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
George H. Diller
KSC Release No. 135-89 Dec. 20, 1989
WIDE-FIELD PLANETARY CAMERA TO BE INSTALLED ON SPACE TELESCOPE
A significant event in the preparation of the Hubble Space
Telescope for launch next spring occurs today, Wednesday, Dec. 20
in the Vertical Processing Facility at KSC. The Wide-Field
Planetary Camera (WFPC) is under installation and is being
readied for upcoming checkout activity.
This is one of two cameras aboard HST. Unlike the Faint
Object Camera, the Wide Field Planetary Camera will photograph
brighter objects of larger area. It can be used to photograph
the face of a planet in our solar system or hundreds of galaxies
at once.
The installation is being performed by the HST payload test
team from NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Lockheed,
Perkin Elmer, and McDonnell Douglas.
The WFPC arrived at KSC on Dec. 6 from JPL. It was
delivered to NASA's Hangar S on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
for receiving inspection and its initial checks. The camera
weighs 600 pounds, and its dimensions are 7 1/2 feet long, 6 feet
wide, and 2 1/2 feet high. After the installation on the
telescope in the Vertical Processing Facility, a series of
functional tests are required.
Meanwhile, the latest in a series of prelaunch functional
tests on the Hubble Space Telescope was completed on Dec. 8.
Since testing began on Oct. 27, there have been no significant
problems with the telescope itself, and only minor problems with
associated test equipment. Testing is performed via satellite
from the Lockheed Sunnyvale facility, and from the HST Payload
Operations Control Center located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt, Md.
During the tests, the telescope and the onboard science
instruments are operated as they are on-orbit. Test controllers
gain actual operating experience on HST before launch, and also
have an opportunity to de-bug or refine their software programs.
In addition, controllers learn to recognize certain unique
operating characteristics or "signatures" of the telescope and
its science instruments.
The latest test series demonstrated, among other things, the
effectiveness of the fault protection system. The telescope has
the ability to recognize a significant problem, safe itself by
going on stand-by, then signaling controllers and awaiting help
from the ground.
The Hubble Space Telescope has been powered down for the
holidays and functional testing will be resumed in January.
Also scheduled to occur after the first of the year is the
verification testing for electrical compatability with the Space
Shuttle and associated deployment hardware. Called "CITE
Testing," which stands for Cargo Integrated Test Equipment,
these are routine tests for payloads flown on the Space Shuttle
and take about four days.
Based on the current manifest, the Hubble Space Telescope is
scheduled to be transported to Pad B on Launch Complex 39 on
March 9, 1990, placed in the payload bay of Discovery on March
12, and launched no earlier than March 26.
|
| 457.18 | HST launch delayed until April 19 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Mon Jan 22 1990 19:31 | 41 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro
Subject: Launch of HST Rescheduled (Forwarded)
Date: 20 Jan 90 01:23:09 GMT
Reply-To: baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
LAUNCH ADVISORY: LAUNCH OF HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE RESCHEDULED
Launch of STS-31 mission to deploy the Hubble Space Telescope has
been rescheduled for no earlier than April 19. The delay is to allow
time to remove and replace the aft solid motor segment and nozzle of
the right solid rocket booster (SRB) used to help boost the STS-31
Space Shuttle vehicle into orbit.
Engineers decided to change the segment and nozzle because they
could not verify that a critical joint in the SRB nozzle had been
properly leak checked at the factory. "The factory leak check in
question is absolutely necessary to assure that the joint, or the
O-ring on that joint, is not defective in any way," said Space Shuttle
Director Robert Crippen. "In this case, we believe it was necessary
to take a conservative approach and have decided to replace the joint
with one that has an absolutely clean bill of health. All of us in
the program are looking forward to launching the Hubble Space
Telescope, which will be one of the most exciting missions of 1990."
The right-hand aft segment and nozzle will be taken off of the
Mobile Launcher Platform, currently in the Vehicle Assembly Building
at the Kennedy Space Center, and replaced with hardware being shipped
today to Florida from the Thiokol facility in Utah. Delivery to KSC
is planned for next week.
The 43-foot Hubble Space Telescope will be the largest
astronomical observatory ever placed in orbit. Hubble will be
deployed from the Shuttle some 370 miles above Earth where it will
observe the universe for 15 years or longer.
Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov
Jet Propulsion Lab M/S 301-355 | baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov
4800 Oak Grove Dr. |
Pasadena, CA 91109 |
|
| 457.19 | Bugs in the system | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Wed Jan 24 1990 16:10 | 41 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro
Subject: Wasps Sting Hubble Telescope
Date: 24 Jan 90 02:00:35 GMT
Reply-To: baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
Article from "Space News", January 15-21, 1990
Hubble Trouble Leaves a Sting
The clean room at Kennedy Space Flight Center in Florida is designed to
keep even minute dust particles out. But the best high technology
protections were apparently not enough to keep out nine wasps from
setting up house in the air-tight special chamber where NASA is
preparing the Hubble Space Telescope for a schedule April launch.
The invasion of the insects posed a tricky problem for worker who did
not want to risk damage to the telescope's highly polished mirrors in
trying to kill the unwanted guests. James Carlock, Lockheed's program
manager for the Hubble project, said wasp spray was out of the question
because of the risk that the propellant might penetrate the telescope's
protective covering. Eventually, five wasps were caught, while the others
were found dead in the room.
Recurrences of the problem were prevented just before Christmas when
NASA personnel patched a hole in a conduit on the roof that apparently
served as point of entry for the wasps.
The problem is not a new one at this tropical south-Florida site.
Kennedy spokesman George Diller said the Galileo mission was plagued
by mosquitoes and the Magellan project by ants.
At one point, frustated NASA officials employed the services of an
entomologist who was asked to calculate the life span of a wasp
unable to find food. The answer was 48 to 72 hours.
Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov
Jet Propulsion Lab M/S 301-355 | baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov
4800 Oak Grove Dr. |
Pasadena, CA 91109 |
|
| 457.20 | | PAXVAX::MAIEWSKI | | Wed Jan 24 1990 21:02 | 4 |
| "... and there appears to be a giant bug like creature in orbit
around Pluto. ..."
:*)}
|
| 457.21 | RE 457.20 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Wed Jan 24 1990 21:09 | 11 |
| To get slightly off the subject for a moment, there was an
Eighteenth Century astronomer who once seriously reported that
he saw giant ants on the Moon through his telescope. He later
found out that a nest of regular Earth ants were living in his
instrument.
Our telescopes may have become more sophisticated, but we still
have the same old bugs. :^)
Larry
|
| 457.22 | HST Update - January 24 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Wed Jan 24 1990 21:55 | 67 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Payload Summary for 01/24/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 24 Jan 90 22:05:17 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
[For those of you who wondered what CITE stands for, here is the
answer. My apologies for not capitalizing it in my previous payload
status postings -- I didn't know what it meant either. -PEY]
Payload Status Report
Hubble Space Telescope
January 24, 1990
George H. Diller
NASA PA-PIB
Kennedy Space Center
The prelaunch testing of the Hubble Space Telescope in the
Vertical Processing Facility at KSC continues to run on schedule
with only minor problems.
The telescope was powered up after the holidays to resume
tests on Jan. 11th. The first test using the Cargo Integrated
Test Equipment, or the beginning of CITE testing, was
accomplished on Jan. 12 with the successful completion of the
Interface Verification Test (IVT). During this exercise,
electrical and data interfaces to be used with the orbiter were
tested. Only two minor problems involving software were found.
The second CITE test was held yesterday, Jan. 23, the first
of two End-to-End tests. This test verifies the ability of the
Johnson Space Center in Houston and the Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt, Md. to later receive data from the telescope
using the communications systems of the orbiter. There was only
one problem encountered during the test which was associated with
the 1 megabit data uplink from KSC. This was traced to ground
support equipment and did not invlove the telescope. The final
End-to-End test is scheduled for Jan. 27.
Functional testing of HST is also continuing. The powered
up operation of the Wide Field Planetary Camera (WFPC) was
successfully demonstrated last week. The WFPC was installed into
the telescope by the test team just before Christmas.
During aft compartment closeout operations, a short in the
single point grounding wire located within Bay 4 of the telescope
was detected. This was seen once previously while the telescope
was in Sunnvyvale. The test team has traced the problem to a
pinching of the grounding wire by an adjacent bolthead when the
access door of Bay 4 is closed. The wire was repaired and
relocated to preclude further interference.
Partial component reinstallation and testing of the Science
Instrument Control and Data Handler has been successfully
accomplished. A second set of partial components will be
reinstalled and tested this week. This unit is an interface
computer between the main computer and the science experiments.
A revised processing schedule is currently under development
in view of the revised forecasted launch date of Apr. 19. The
most likely effect will be to reschedule remaining work based on
a five-day work week instead of the current six-day week. If
this plan is adopted, HST will be installed into the payload
canister on Mar. 30, moved to the launch pad on Apr. 2, and
installed into the payload bay of Discovery on Apr 5.
|
| 457.23 | Launch Date changed again | KAOA04::KLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Wed Feb 21 1990 16:39 | 46 |
| Mr. Moderator, you might want to rename this note. I would suggest
STS 31 Discovery (Hubble Space Telescope)
From: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: Launch Advisory for 02/21/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 21 Feb 90 16:37:37 GMT
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Ed Campion
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. February 21 , 1990
10 A.M. EST
LAUNCH ADVISORY: NEW TARGET LAUNCH DATE SET FOR HST MISSION
NASA Shuttle managers today announced that the target launch
date for Shuttle Mission STS-31 has been moved from April 18th to
no earlier than April 12, 1990. The primary objective of the
STS-31 mission will be the deployment of the Hubble Space
Telescope (HST) using the orbiter Discovery.
The original target date for STS-31 had been March 26th, but
in January, NASA officials concluded that the righthand aft motor
segment needed to be replaced and set April 18th as the revised
target date. The processing of the segment changeout along with
overall mission preparations have been completed well ahead of
schedule, thus permitting the 6 day advancement in the target
launch date.
"A lot of dedicated NASA and contractor employees were faced
with a big challenge early this year and not only did they meet
the challenge, they surpassed it" said Space Shuttle Director
Robert Crippen. "The new launch date permits adequate time for
completing the work associated with the HST mission and also has
time built in for the team to work issues which might come up
before launch day."
The official launch date for STS-31 will be set at the
flight readiness review meeting conducted at the Kennedy Space
Center approximately 2 weeks before launch. Should launch take
place on April 12th, the launch opportunity window would open at
9:21 A.M. EST. All Shuttle flights after STS-31 keep the same
target dates as shown in the January 1990 Mixed Fleet Manifest.
|
| 457.24 | DISCOVERY rollout on March 16 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Fri Mar 02 1990 12:21 | 37 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Discovery rollover date set (Forwarded)
Date: 1 Mar 90 22:52:06 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
[Somehow I think they meant roll out, not rollover. - PEY]
Bruce Buckingham March 1, 1990
KSC RELEASE NO. 33 - 90
NOTE TO EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
DISCOVERY ROLLOVER DATE SET
The orbiter Discovery, slated for Space Shuttle Mission
STS-31, is scheduled to be transferred from the Orbiter Processing
Facility Bay 2 to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Monday, March 5,
at 9:00 a.m.
In the VAB, Discovery will be mated to the solid rocket
boosters and external tank in high bay 1 on mobile launcher
platform 2. Roll out to launch pad 39-B is set for March 16.
Discovery is targeted for launch on April 12 on a mission to
deploy the Hubble Space Telescope. The launch window on April 12
opens at 9:21 a.m. EST and lasts for four hours.
News media wishing to observe Discovery's rollover to the
VAB should plan on being at the KSC Complex 39 news center by
8:00 a.m., March 5. Media in need of accreditation can make
arrangements by calling 407-867-2468 before the close of business
Friday, March 2. (For media who have their STS-36 credentials,
those credentials will be honored and no further arrangements are
necessary.)
|
| 457.25 | | BEATLE::STRANGE | Steve Strange | Sat Mar 03 1990 14:15 | 7 |
| re: .24
>[Somehow I think they meant roll out, not rollover. - PEY]
Rollout probably means roll out to the pad, rollover means from one
building to another, FWIW.
Steve
|
| 457.26 | HST Update - March 6 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Tue Mar 06 1990 19:55 | 66 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Payload Summary for 03/06/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 6 Mar 90 20:10:06 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Payload Status Report
Tuesday, March 6, 1990
George H. Diller
NASA/Kennedy Space Center
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
Power for the telescope is on today and tomorrow to meet
periodic electrical requirements for the faint object camera and
the wide field planetary camera.
HST closeout operations continue. Last week the "cocoon"
was removed to permit a final cleaning of the telescope. A new
cocoon has now been placed over the spacecraft. This is designed
as a protective sanitary liner which further assures cleanliness.
Other work this week includes an electrical test of the solar
array, configuration of the high gain antenna in preparation for
installation into the payload canister, and removal of "red tag
items" which are nonflight hardware.
Upcoming schedule milestones include the installation of
the spacecraft's nickel hydrogen batteries on Mar. 19, HST
installation into the payload canister on Mar. 23, move to the
launch pad on Mar. 26, and installation of the telescope into the
payload bay of Discovery on Mar. 28. An Interface Verification
Test with the Space Shuttle Discovery to verify connections is
planned on Mar. 30. The payload bay doors are scheduled to be
closed on April 10.
The launch of HST is scheduled at the beginning of a 2 1/2
hour window which opens at 9:21 a.m. EDT. The opening of the
window is determined by sunlight available at the overseas abort
sites and Edwards Air Force Base. The close is limited by the
amount of time the astronauts are in their seats aboard
Discovery. Enough light would be available at the contingency
sites for a four hour "launch period."
GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY
GRO was turned on Feb. 26 to begin Observatory Functional
Testing. Data is collected by test equipment on site at the
checkout facility for analysis by NASA and TRW spacecraft
engineers.
Tests completed include the Electrical Power Distribution
System which checks onboard computers, tape recorders and data
handling systems, and the spacecraft transmitters and receivers.
Also completed is the propulsion system testing, and the
testing of the thermal control system of heaters and thermostats.
The four primary science instruments were turned on for the
first time Mar. 2 and will be on much of this week. Also being
tested this week is the Burst and Transient Source Experiment
which senses bursts of transient Gamma Rays and then activates
other science instruments. To follow is testing of the sensors
used by the Attitude Control and Determination system of the
spacecraft.
|
| 457.27 | DISCOVERY rollout set for March 15 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Tue Mar 13 1990 19:40 | 85 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Shuttle Status for 03/13/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 13 Mar 90 17:37:07 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Tuesday March 13, 1990 (as of 11:00 a.m.)
KSC Space Shuttle Processing Status Report
-----------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 -- Discovery (OV 103) - VAB High Bay 1
Work on the orbiter Discovery in the Vehicle Assembly
Building continues today as engineers plan to complete the
shuttle interface test at 12:00 noon. Following completion of the
test, the vehicle will be powered down at 4:00 p.m. today as
preparations continue for the planned rollout to launch pad 39-B
Thursday March 15. First motion of the shuttle is scheduled for
8:00 a.m. Thursday.
The Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) is
currently scheduled for March 21-22. T-0 is set for 11:00 a.m.
on the 22nd.
Also on Discovery, the T-0 umbilical interface leak checks
are scheduled to be completed today. Yesterday, shuttle stray
voltage checks, ET tumble valve checks, and SRB thrust vector
control flight readiness tests were completed.
At pad 39-B, work to change out the GOX seal continues and
two waves of liquid oxygen are scheduled to be delivered to the
pad today for replenishment operations.
Discovery is slated for the 5-day Space Shuttle mission STS-
31. Launch is targeted for April 12. On this flight, the Hubble
Space Telescope will be deployed.
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Rollout of Discovery set (Forwarded)
Date: 13 Mar 90 20:48:49 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Bruce Buckingham March 13, 1990
KSC RELEASE NO. 40 - 90
NOTICE TO EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
ROLLOUT OF DISCOVERY SET
Rollout of the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Vehicle
Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39-B is scheduled for 8:00 a.m.
Thursday, March 15. Discovery, slated for mission STS-31, will be
making its tenth flight into space and fourth since return-to-
flight.
The Space Shuttle vehicle, atop its mobile launcher
platform, will be carried to the launch pad by the crawler
transporter. The 4.2-mile trip to pad 39-B will take over six
hours to complete.
Discovery was transferred from the Orbiter Processing
Facility to the VAB March 5. While there, it was stacked with the
solid rocket boosters and external tank on mobile launcher
platform 2 in high bay 1. Following mating operations, the
vehicle underwent a series of interface tests to verify all
electrical and mechanical systems essential for launch.
Launch of Discovery is currently targeted for 9:21 a.m. EDT,
April 12, on a 5-day mission to deploy the Hubble Space
Telescope. HST is a multi-purpose optical telescope. Its sharply
defined imagery will enable researchers to better evaluate the
outer boundaries of the universe with a resolution 10 times
greater than that seen from Earth based telescopes.
News media wishing to observe Discovery's rollout to pad 39-
B should plan on being at the KSC Complex 39 news center by 7:00
a.m., March 15. The gate 3 badging station on Route 405 south of
Titusville and the news center will open at 6:00 a.m. Thursday.
Media in need of accreditation must make arrangements by calling
407-867-2468 before 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 14.
|
| 457.28 | DISCOVERY rollout delayed | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Fri Mar 16 1990 11:59 | 48 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 03/15/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 16 Mar 90 07:17:59 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, March 15, 1990 Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Thursday, March 15:
Roll out of the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery to Kennedy Space
Center's Launch Pad 39-B has been delayed until no earlier than 7:30
P.M., Eastern time, today. There is technical concern over a nut that
secures a seal in the orbiter nose wheel. Engineers at KSC report
that a problem developed with the nose wheel nut on the orbiter
Columbia. To allay any concern over the Discovery's nose wheel,
engineers will check it out thoroughly today. A decision will be made
this afternoon if more work must be done on the nosewheel hardware.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are Eastern.
Today:
Hubble Space Telescope briefings from Goddard Space Flight Center.
Monday, March 19: From Johnson Space Center
9:30 A.M. STS-31 flight directors mission overview
10:30 A.M. Secondary middeck student experiments
11:30 A.M. Sts-31 flight crew news conference
Wednesday, March 21:
1-2:30 P.M. Total Quality Management in Action Colloquium
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch, (LPC), NASA
Headquarters.
|
| 457.29 | DISCOVERY on launch pad; may need repairs | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Fri Mar 16 1990 18:41 | 88 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 03/16/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 16 Mar 90 19:42:02 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, March 16, 1990 Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Friday, March 16:
The STS-31 Space Shuttle is at Launch Pad 39-B this morning.
Rollout was delayed Thursday morning until last night while shuttle
managers investigated data on the nose landing gear axle on the
orbiter Discovery. Nose wheel axle problems had been previously
observed on Columbia and Atlantis.
If further analysis indicates a problem on Discovery...and it
would jeopardize the STS-31 mission...the stack would be rolled back
to the Vehicle Assembly Building for demating and repair.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are Eastern.
Today:
12 noon Video tape replay of STS-31 rollout at KSC
Monday, March 21 From Johnson Space Center
9:30 A.M. STS-31 flight directors mission overview
10:30 A.M. Secondary middeck student experiments
11:30 A.M. STS-31/HST flight crew news conference
Wednesday, March 21:
1-2:30 P.M. Total Quality Management in Action
Colloquium
Thursday, March 22:
11:30 A.M. NASA Update will be transmitted
All events and times are subject to change without notice
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA HQ
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Shuttle Status for 03/16/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 16 Mar 90 19:39:45 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 1990 - 11:30 a.m.
STS-31 - DISCOVERY (OV-103) - VAB HIGH BAY 1
Discovery was rolled out to Launch Pad 39-B overnight. First
motion came at 7:55 p.m. and the vehicle was harddown on the
pad's pedestals at 4:30 a.m. today. The Rotating Service Struc-
ture was moved around the vehicle this morning at 9:30 a.m.
Today, workers are hooking up support equipment between the
vehicle and launch pad. Power up is planned for this afternoon.
Preparations to conduct a helium signature leak test of the
orbiter's main propulsion system and three main engines are un-
derway. The test is planned for Monday.
The rollout was delayed about 12 hours while shuttle
managers discussed a bearing nut on Columbia's nose wheel axle.
The nut appears to be cross-threaded on Columbia and Atlantis. An
analysis is underway on Columbia's axle in California. If further
analysis indicates a problem does exist that would jeopardize
Discovery, the vehicle would be brought back to the VAB and
removed from the external tank for access to the forward landing
gear.
Launch pad operations have been rescheduled to preserve
schedule options in case of a rollback. The Terminal Countdown
Demonstration Test has been moved up to begin on Monday, March 19
and will culminate with a simulated main engine cutoff at 11 a.m.
EST Tuesday. The STS-31 flight crew will arrive Sunday to par-
ticipate in the test.
|
| 457.30 | Discovery Nose Gear OK | LEVERS::HUGHES | TANSTAAFL | Mon Mar 19 1990 13:16 | 4 |
| I saw a note in the Boston Globe this AM that Discovery does not have a
problem with the nose gear and rollout is proceeding.
Mike H
|
| 457.31 | STS-31 Update - March 19 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Mon Mar 19 1990 20:37 | 24 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Shuttle Status for 03/19/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 19 Mar 90 19:54:30 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - MONDAY, MARCH 19, 1990 - 11:30 a.m.
STS-31 - DISCOVERY (OV-103) - VAB HIGH BAY 1
Over the weekend, workers completed hooking up support
equipment between the vehicle and launch pad. The helium signa-
ture leak test of the orbiter's main propulsion system and three
main engines is underway and will be completed today.
The Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test began this morning
on time at 8 a.m. at the T-24 hour mark. This routine pre-launch
test will culminate with a simulated main engine cutoff at 11
a.m. EST Tuesday. The STS-31 flight crew arrived yesterday to
participate in the test. Today, the crew will be briefed by mem-
bers of the launch team on the status of the vehicle, payload and
overall launch operations here at KSC. In addition, the crew will
receive emergency egress training at Pad-B.
|
| 457.32 | STS-31 Update - March 20 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Tue Mar 20 1990 18:08 | 58 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 03/20/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 20 Mar 90 18:36:01 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, March 20, 1990 Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Tuesday, March 20:
The countdown demonstration test for the STS-31 mission was
completed today at 11:01 A.M., Eastern time, with a planned cutoff at
T-5 seconds. The crew...Commander Loren Shriver, Pilot Charles Bolden
and Mission Specialists Bruce McCandless, Steven Hawley and Kathryn
Sullivan...entered the orbiter Discovery earlier this morning and
participated in the final hours of the simulated countdown.
The crew returns to Houston later today and will participate in a
news conference on Thursday. NASA Select television will carry a
full morning of STS-31 pre-launch briefings at that time. The Flight
Director's mission overview briefing will be televised at 9:30 A.M., a
secondary payloads briefing will begin at 10:30 and the STS-31 flight
crew will hold their news conference at 11:30 A.M., Eastern time,
Thursday.
A public opinion poll has found that 80 percent of the American
public approves of the U.S. space program. The survey was
commissioned by Rockwell international Corporation, of El Segundo,
Calif. The survey also reported 74 percent of those queried support
a permanently manned space station.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are Eastern.
Wednesday, March 21:
1:00-2:30 P.M. Total Quality Management in Action
Colloquium.
Thursday, March 22:
9:30 A.M. STS-31 flight directors overview briefing
10:30 A.M. Secondary payloads briefing
11:30 A.M. STS-31 flight crew briefing
1:00 P.M. NASA Update will be transmitted.
All events and times are subject to change without notice
----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch, NASA HQ.
|
| 457.33 | Rules for watching the STS-31 launch | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Wed Mar 21 1990 12:01 | 164 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: KSC area boating restricted for STS-31 launch (Forwarded)
Date: 20 Mar 90 23:04:55 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
[Some friendly reminders from the good folks at KSC. So if you're thinking
of going down there to watch the launch, check out these briefs. - PEY]
Bruce Buckingham March 20, 1990
KSC RELEASE NO. 42 - 90
KSC AREA BOATING RESTRICTED FOR STS-31 LAUNCH
Waterways and boating near the Kennedy Space Center will be
strictly controlled prior to and during the launch of the Space
Shuttle Discovery on the STS-31 mission, now targeted for April
12, 1990.
Safety and security requirements, including U.S. Air Force
Range Safety impact limit lines, will go into effect as early as
three days before launch. Other requirements will be phased into
effect through sundown the night before launch. A general
description of the restricted areas follows.
Banana River: Security limits begin at the Banana River
Barge Canal south of KSC at the State Road 528 crossing and
extend north. This restriction goes into effect at sundown the
night before launch.
Atlantic Ocean: Beginning at sundown the night before
launch, a general exclusion zone will be in effect three miles
offshore from the Haulover Canal, north of KSC, to the entrance
of Port Canaveral on the south end of KSC. Four hours prior to
launch, all ocean-going traffic will be restricted from entering
an area measured from five miles north and south of the pad, and
extending 30 miles east into the ocean. Pad B is located at
latitude 28 degrees, 37 minutes, 37.26 seconds north; longitude
80 degrees, 37 minutes, 15.09 seconds west. An additional three
mile wide exclusion zone will be extended eastward through the
projected flight path of the shuttle.
Mosquito Lagoon: This area south of the Haulover Canal is
off limits to all boats beginning at dusk the night before launch.
Indian River: Restrictions apply from the NASA Causeway
north to the Haulover Canal and east of the Indian River's main
channel. Restrictions begin at sundown the night before launch.
All boating restrictions will be lifted approximately one
hour after launch.
The U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
and KSC security forces share responsibility for enforcing the
boating guidelines.
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: KSC area bridge openings to be controlled for STS-31 launch (Forwarded)
Date: 20 Mar 90 23:08:22 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Bruce Buckingham March 20, 1990
KSC RELEASE NO. 43 - 90
KSC AREA BRIDGE OPENINGS TO BE CONTROLLED FOR STS-31 LAUNCH
The opening and closing of bridges over waterways
surrounding the Kennedy Space Center will be strictly controlled
during the hours immediately before and after the launch of the
Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-31, now targeted for 9:21
a.m. EDT, April 12, 1990.
Bridges affected by the launch requirements include:
-- Canaveral Harbor Barge Canal (State Road 401, south of
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Gate 1);
-- Indian River Causeway west, a.k.a. NASA Causeway
(Intracoastal Waterway at Addison Point);
-- Merritt Island Barge Canal (Merritt Island State Road 3);
-- Haulover Canal Bridge (State Road 3, north of KSC).
Restraints on bridge openings for boat traffic will begin
three hours before launch. The bridges may be opened for 5
minutes at the following points in the launch countdown: T-180
minutes, T-150 minutes, T-120 minutes, T-90 minutes, and T-65
minutes.
Bridges will remain closed to boat traffic from T-60 minutes
to 90 minutes after liftoff (T+90). They may then open for 5
minutes at T+90 minutes, T+120 minutes, and T+150 minutes. Bridge
operations will return to normal at three hours (T+180 minutes)
after launch.
Should the Shuttle orbiter be required to perform a Return
to Launch Site (RTLS) landing at KSC, all bridges would remain
closed to boat traffic from 45 minutes before landing to one hour
after landing.
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,rec.aviation
Subject: General aviators restricted from KSC airspace during STS-31 launch
Date: 20 Mar 90 23:11:39 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Bruce Buckingham March 20, 1990
KSC RELEASE NO. 44 - 90
GENERAL AVIATORS RESTRICTED FROM KSC AIRSPACE DURING STS-31 LAUNCH
The airspace immediately surrounding Kennedy Space Center
will be limited to official aircraft only and will be off-limits
to general aviation pilots prior to and during the launch of the
Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-31, now targeted for April
12, 1990.
NOTAMS must be checked by pilots prior to flights near the
KSC area. Pilots are warned that violations of the restricted
airspaces may result in serious penalties, including suspension
or revocation of pilot privileges.
Official aircraft supporting the launch will be in the air.
Pilots must be aware that wandering into a restricted area is not
only forbidden, but will also create a safety hazard to support
aircraft and the errant pilot.
Anyone wishing to view the launch from the air should stay
well west of the Indian River. Pilots should be advised that the
airspace in that area is expected to be extremely congested with
both controlled and uncontrolled aircraft.
Pilots should also be aware of the solid rocket booster
(SRB) exhaust cloud that occurs after launch. They should stay at
least five miles away from that cloud, even if it drifts out of
the restricted area. Research aircraft will be flying into and
out of the cloud, and visibility will be limited.
In general, the airspace restrictions cover a variety of air
ranges from now through launch. In addition to the normal
restrictions over KSC and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the
launch will require that all private aircraft stay out of an area
roughly bounded by the west side of the Indian River on the west,
the Trident Basin (State Road 528 area) on the south, slightly
north of Haulover Canal, and three miles out into the Atlantic on
the east. The restrictions are "surface to unlimited." These
launch-specific restrictions begin three hours before launch.
Pilots should consult the most recent edition of the
Jacksonville Sectional Aeronautical Chart. In addition, they
should contact the St. Petersburg Flight Service Station at 1-
800-99-27433 (1-800-WX-BRIEF). Advisories will be available from
the Patrick Approach Control (VHF 119.25 megahertz), Space Center
Executive Airport Tower (TIX) (VHF 118.9 megahertz), or the NASA
Tower (126.3 megahertz).
Pilots should also refer to the current Patrick Air Force
Base release on restricted airspace.
|
| 457.34 | Bird's Eye View of Launch | PARITY::BIRO | | Wed Mar 21 1990 12:41 | 15 |
| the view from a airplane is spectacular, my wife was on
a commercial airline that was an hour late going to
West Palm Beach Fla, when they were over the KSC the
pilot informed them that they would have to make a
detour as there would be a luanch soon (14 Feb).
Then he said look out the window on the left side,
my wife saw the rocket, could see it's color marking,
contrail and flame, etc. She told be to bad I was not
there as I would have enjoyed it...
Now what are the chances of seeing the STS-31 launch,,,
na
john
|
| 457.35 | | DECWIN::FISHER | Prune Juice: A Warrior's Drink! | Wed Mar 21 1990 15:24 | 9 |
| Are all these restrictions any different from other launches, or did someone
just happen to post them this time?
The bridge stuff was especially interesting. Is that for possible emergency
vehicles? (HA. Good luck. The bridges being up would not be what stopped
anyone from getting through! I was there for a launch; traffic was jammed for
several hours afterwards!)
Burns
|
| 457.36 | STS-31 Update - March 22 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Fri Mar 23 1990 11:16 | 73 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 03/22/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 22 Mar 90 20:41:17 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, March 22, 1990 Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Thursday, March 22:
Workers at Kennedy Space Center have completed loading of
hypergolic fuels into the orbiter Discovery at Launch Pad 39-B. The
pad has now be opened to other work crews. A metal seal on a 12-inch
diameter joint associated with engine number two will be replaced. A
leak was discovered Tuesday. Engineers are analyzing data to see if
any more leaks exist. And preparations are underway to load the
Hubble Space Telescope into its canister for the move to the launch
pad scheduled for next week.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are Eastern.
Monday, March 26:
9:30 P.M. Coverage begins of Delta II launch of
Global Positioning System satellite from
Kennedy Space Center. Launch time is 10:26 P.M.
Thursday, March 29:
11:30 A.M. NASA Update will be transmitted.
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch, NASA HQ.
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Shuttle Status for 03/22/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 22 Mar 90 20:37:46 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1990 - 11:30 a.m.
STS-31 - DISCOVERY (OV-103) - LAUNCH PAD 39-B
This morning, workers successfully completed loading hyper-
golic propellants into Discovery's onboard storage tanks and the
pad has been opened for normal work. Monomethylhydrazine and
nitrogen tetroxide propellants were loaded into the orbital
maneuvering system and reaction control system storage tanks.
Hydrazine was loaded into the orbiter's auxiliary power unit
storage tanks and the boosters' hydraulic power unit storage
tanks.
Today, engine technicians will inspect a teflon coated seal
at the joint between the engine 2 low pressure fuel turbo pump
and the orbiter main propulsion system. A leak was detected at
this joint during the helium signature test. This is a 12-inch
diameter line at the engine to orbiter interface.
STS-38 - ATLANTIS (OV-104) - OPF BAY 2
Post-flight inspections, systems testing and validations of
Atlantis' electrical systems are underway today. Post-flight
thermal protection system operations and waterproofing are under-
way. Tests of the radar altimeter and main propulsion system are
planned today.
|
| 457.37 | Pictures ? | OPG::CHRIS | Capacity! What Capacity ? | Fri Mar 23 1990 16:51 | 4 |
| Do we know how soon real pictures and information will beavailable
from the HT ?
Chris
|
| 457.38 | | STAR::HUGHES | You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred. | Fri Mar 23 1990 17:38 | 12 |
| In the HST science briefing they said there would be about 6 months of
testing and calibration before it is turned over to full production
use, but you can be certain there will pix long before that. The HST
Institute will be involved in determining the targets for calibration
and checkout.
I'd expect to see some pictures real soon, maybe even before the
shuttle returns. My guess is that they'll turn it towards some of the
planets for early use and calibrate against Voyager data. I'd also bet
that Cygnus X-1 will be one of the very early targets.
gary
|
| 457.39 | | PAXVAX::MAIEWSKI | | Fri Mar 23 1990 18:17 | 15 |
| They might want to do something similar to the "contingency sample" collected
by astronauts when they 1st steped onto the moon. In that case, the commander
had a small pocket on the lower part of his suit leg. As soon as he steped
down, he picked up a few rocks and put them into the pocket. The idea was that
if they had to get back into the LEM and make a quick take off due to an
emergency, at least they'd bring back something.
By the same token, once the HST is up there, It would be a shame if we got no
pictures at all because it was destroyed after 3 weeks in orbit and the 1st
pictures weren't scheduled until a month or so later.
I'll bet that part of the calabration will include some early pictures of
interesting things, just to be on the safe side.
George
|
| 457.40 | | DECWIN::FISHER | Prune Juice: A Warrior's Drink! | Tue Mar 27 1990 21:35 | 4 |
| Remember when they kept bugging Neal Armstrong to get the contingency sample
after he got down, but he was too busy (it was said) playing tourist?
Burns
|
| 457.41 | ? launch date | PARITY::BIRO | | Wed Mar 28 1990 11:56 | 4 |
| Rumors have it that the launch may be 2 days early.
john
|
| 457.42 | STS-31 Update - March 27 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Wed Mar 28 1990 12:58 | 65 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 03/27/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 28 Mar 90 09:16:48 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, March 27, 1990 Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Tuesday, March 27, 1990:
Installation of the Hubble Space Telescope into the orbiter
Discovery's payload bay has been delayed at Kennedy Space Center for
24-hours. Technicians are working to rid the Payload Changeout Room
of midges, an insect that looks like a mosquito. By this morning about
30 of the tiny insects had been caught in special traps set up in the
Changeout Room. The midges were on the orbiter's payload bay doors
when the Rotating Service Structure was retracted to receive the
telescope Sunday. The protective cocoon remains around the telescope
until tonight. Transfer to the orbiter is now expected Wedneday
beginning at 8:00 A.M., Eastern time.
Meanwhile, a partial leak test was successfully run on the
orbiter's liquid hydrogen system yesterday following the replacement
of a seal on a joint between the engine number 2 fuel turbopump and
the main engine.
Discovery will be using new carbon brakes during the landing of
the STS-31 mission. The new system will be tested during the landing
on the dry lake bed at Edward Air force Base by an array of instruments
on Discovery. The installation of carbon brakes is one of a number of
steps necessary to land orbiters again at Kennedy Space Center.
Space Shuttle managers meet this Friday to conduct the Flight
Readiness Review for the April 12 launch.
Langley Research Center technicians will finish removing
experiment trays from the Long Duration Exposure Facility this week.
Once all the trays are removed and shipped to principal investigators,
a detailed close inspection and photo survey of the spacecraft's
structural elements will begin.
Aviation Week magazine reports a key member of Congress says NASA
should prepare to trim its fiscal 91 budget request by $1.1 to 1.5
billion. Representative Bob Traxler, chairman of the House
Appropriations subcommittee for NASA, indicated he's doubtful the
agency will gets its requested 23-percent increase. The publication
added Traxler was also pessimistic about NASA getting an okay for
multi-year space station funding.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are Eastern.
Thursday, March 29:
11:30 A.M. NASA Update will be transmitted.
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch, NASA Headquarters.
|
| 457.43 | | DECWIN::FISHER | Prune Juice: A Warrior's Drink! | Thu Mar 29 1990 14:20 | 8 |
| Reminds me of the Farside cartoon where the astronomer is running away from
his instrument in terror. At the other end of the telescope is a spider
calmly making her web.
Re brakes: I thought that landings at KSC had been ruled out more-or-less
permanently due to the capricious weather as much as the brakes!
Burns
|
| 457.44 | STS-31 Press Kit | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Thu Mar 29 1990 15:03 | 16 |
| I have formatted the STS-31 press kit with DECwrite. It isn't great, but I
didn't have a lot of time to spend on the tables, etc.
21 pages long.
PRAGMA::DNS$USER:[Griffin]STS-31.PS
(I did the same this for STS-34 if anyone is interested - same location).
The document may get a bit nicer in the next couple of days if I can find
some time.
- dave
|
| 457.45 | An old problem | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Thu Mar 29 1990 15:49 | 12 |
| There was an astronomer in the 1700s who reported the "discovery"
of giant ants on the surface of Earth's Moon. He later learned that
regular Earth ants had gotten in the tube of his instrument, and as
they crawled across the lens, he saw what he thought were giant ants
on the Moon.
This is from Patrick Moore. Let us hope NASA can keep these
new "bugs" out of the system. It is usually little things like
this that screw up big projects.
Larry
|
| 457.46 | STS-31 Update - March 29 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Thu Mar 29 1990 19:24 | 50 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 03/29/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 29 Mar 90 17:42:13 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, March 29, 1990 Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Thursday, March 29:
The Hubble Space Telescope is being installed in the payload bay
of the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery today. A decision was made to
make the move after it was determined that tiny little winged insects,
called midges, had been sufficiently swept up in Launch Pad 39-B's
Payload Changeout Room. About 40 of the little creatures were trapped
in special cages in the super-clean transfer area. During
installation, pad technicians will make electrical and mechanical
connections between the orbiter and the telescope. An interface
verification test will be conducted Saturday.
In other pad work, a controller will be replaced on engine # 3 in
the next day or so. An internal circuitry problem was discovered late
Tuesday. It will be necessary to remove the heat shield around the
engine to do the replacement work.
The Flight Readiness Review is scheduled to begin tomorrow and
conclude Saturday. A firm launch date will be most likely be
announced Saturday.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are Eastern.
Wednesday, April 4:
1:00 P.M. Television coverage begins of the launch
of the DARPA sponsored Pegasus
air-launched booster by the NASA B-52
aircraft. Takeoff from Edwards Air Force
Base is scheduled for 2:00 P.M. Release
at about 3:10 P.M.
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch, NASA HQ.
|
| 457.47 | HST installed in payload cannister | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Mon Apr 02 1990 16:53 | 66 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Payload Summary for 03/30/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 31 Mar 90 14:24:13 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Payload Status Report
Friday, March 30, 1990
George H. Diller
NASA Kennedy Space Center
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
The installation of the telescope into the payload canister
was completed on Friday, Mar. 23. Transportation of HST on the
ten-mile trip from the Vertical Processing Facility to launch pad
39-B began just after midnight on Sunday morning, Mar. 25. It
arrived at the pad at dawn.
Removal of the protective cocoon from around the telescope
and opening of Discovery's payload bay doors was rescheduled by
one day to Tuesday, Mar. 26, to deal with insects. Midges, an
insect resembling a small mosquito, was observed on the payload
bay doors of the orbiter. Some escaped into the payload
changeout room. Those remaining were vacuumed off. Seven traps
were placed in the PCR. Collectively, a total of 40 midges were
removed from the facility.
Because the cocoon remained in place around HST there was no
path for the midges to enter the telescope. The cocoon removal
did not begin until traps provided confidence that there was not
additional risk. At 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 28, the traps
were removed. Telescope installation was rescheduled for one day
later to schedule crews and permit some Space Shuttle ordnance
work to be accomplished.
The transfer of the Hubble Space Telescope into the payload
bay of Discovery began at 10:40 a.m. on Thursday, Mar. 29. The
HST was locked into the first of four payload bay retention
latches at 3:55 p.m. and into the last latch at 4:40 p.m.
Electrical connections were established between the HST and the
orbiter overnight and this morning, leading to a 6.5 hour
Interface Verification Test scheduled to begin at the start of on
second shift at 4:00 p.m. to verify those connections.
At midnight on Sunday morning, Apr. 1, a 52-hour of Pad
Confidence Test will begin as a final check of the telescopes's
systems and its onboard science instruments.
These tests will also verify remote communications
capability to the Space Telescope Operations Control Center
(STOCC) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.,
the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) at the Marshall
Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the Lockheed
plant at Sunnyvalve, Calif. The STOCC will be able to receive
data and send commands through Discovery's communications systems
which are connected to the Hubble Space Telescope in the payload
bay. The HOSC and Lockheed Sunnyvale will be monitoring the
spacecraft systems.
The final work to be performed will be approximately 132
hours of battery charging scheduled to be completed 68 hours
before launch, after which the payload bay doors of the orbiter
are to be closed.
|
| 457.48 | STS-31 Update - April 3 | WRKSYS::KLAES | N = R*fgfpneflfifaL | Wed Apr 04 1990 12:25 | 78 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 04/03/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 3 Apr 90 18:31:13 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, April 3, 1990 Audio service: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Tuesday, April 3:
Technicians are surveying damage that resulted from a broken water
pipe in a support building next to the Vehicle Assembly Building at
Kennedy Space Center, yesterday. It's not believed the mishap will
delay launch of Discovery on April 10. A deluge of water caused an
electrical short-circuit shutting down a variety of computer
operations and temporarily halting work on STS-31 launch preparations.
A back up power system at Launch Pad 39-B kept the air
conditioning system working for the Hubble Space Telescope, but
battery charging for the telescope was stopped.
The orbiter was powered up at 6:30 A.M., Eastern time, today, and
pad workers are continuing pre-launch processing.
Launch is scheduled for 8:47 A.M., EDT, on April 10. Landing at
Edwards Air Force Base is scheduled for 10:02 A.M., Sunday, April 15.
Rockwell International will provide NASA with an equipment pallet
designed to extend Space Shuttle missions for periods up to 16 days.
Rockwell and NASA have inked an agreement which calls for the
aerospace firm to build the extended duration orbiter pallet. Rockwell
will fund design and construction. NASA, after receiving the platform
in 1991, will pay the firm in three annual installments. Initial use
is scheduled for 1992.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are Eastern.
Wednesday, April 4:
1:00 P.M. Coverage starts of the B-52 deployment of
the Pegasus orbital booster. Aircraft
departure at 2:00 P.M. EDT; Air launch at
about 3:10 P.M.
Note: A time change for NASA Update
Friday, April 6:
11:30 A.M. Because of priority use of the
transponder, NASA Update will
be transmitted at 11:30 A.M.,
Friday, April 6.
Sunday, April 15: [My guess is that should be the 8, not the 15. -PEY]
9:00 A.M. STS-31 pre-launch mission status briefing.
9:30 A.M. Mission specific briefings begin on
Hubble Space Telescope.
1:30 P.M. Secondary payloads briefing
Monday, April 9:
11:00 a.m. L-1 STS-31 pre-launch press conference
Detailed briefing schedule will be filed tomorrow.
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
EDT.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch, NASA HQ.
|
| 457.49 | Slight change of plans pointed out | ANVIL::BUEHLER | Art is Science elevated | Wed Apr 04 1990 20:20 | 9 |
| > Launch is scheduled for 8:47 A.M., EDT, on April 10.
For those of you who don't necessarily read the whole message, I point out
this little ditty. The launch was moved forward two days as of Saturday. I
can imagine the pandemonium this caused with people's reservations. All the
hotels and motels in the Cape area were filled for the 11th and 12th. Now I'm
sure they're quickly filling up for the 9th and 10th.
John
|
| 457.50 | Digital gear for HST support | CURIE::HARRIS | En cherchant des cieux bleus | Mon Apr 09 1990 17:43 | 46 |
|
Author: Frank Donovan
Date: 30-Mar-1990
Posted-date: 30-Mar-1990
Precedence: 1
Background information on Digital's involvement in the
Hubble Space Telescope (HST):
* Digital is a subcontractor to Ford Aerospace on the
HST program.
* Ford Aerospace won the contract to build the HST
Operations Control Center at NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center.
* The Operations Control Center for the HST is equipped
with VAXstation 3200s, VAX 8650s, VAX 6000s and VAX 11-785s.
The computers will monitor the launch and the
condition/safety of the telescope in space.
* The Data Acquisition and Distribution Center for the
HST utilizes VAX 6000 series computers and VAXstation 2000s.
The center is responsible for processing and storing data
collected by the telescope.
* The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is an observatory to
be placed in space beyond the earth's atmosphere with an
unobstructed view into space and back in time. The telescope
will detect light sources as small and as far away as a
flashlight on the moon, and probe a distance of 14 billion
light years. The HST is part of a major scientific
exploration program developed by NASA that will eventually
feature four orbiting satellites. Each of these so-called
Great Observatory satellites will concentrate on a different
segment of the electromagnetic spectrum, from the far
infrared through very high energy gamma rays. Data gathered
by the telescope will be available to the astronomical
community.
* The launch of the HST is scheduled for April 12.
^^^^^^^^
NOTE: Launch now scheduled for 10 April at 8:47 EDT -- Mac.
|
| 457.51 | Pictures Please ? | 42399::CHRIS | Capacity! What Capacity ? | Tue Apr 10 1990 11:23 | 7 |
|
Will the pictures generated be available for display on
Digital's internal VAX stations.
Chris
|
| 457.52 | | STAR::HUGHES | You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred. | Tue Apr 10 1990 13:09 | 4 |
| Today's launch was scrubbed soon after APU start at approx t-5
min.
gary
|
| 457.53 | More about the recycle | 19458::FISHER | Prune Juice: A Warrior's Drink! | Tue Apr 10 1990 15:41 | 21 |
| A bit more:
All was going extremely cleanly and the weather cooperating (with a minor issue
of winds at the TAA site) until APU Start. At that point APU #1 show unstable
speed. I believe the commander said he was getting intermittant overspeed
warnings. At that time, the commander switched APU #1 to high speed, where it
stablized nicely. They called a hold at T-4 minutes and after a few (very few)
minutes of discussing the situation ask the commander to switch back to normal.
I did not hear the results of this switch, but almost immediately, the flight
director announced that the situation violated LCC (launch commit criterion)
# so and so and initiated a recycle.
It is not yet known when the retry attempt will be, since it will depend on
what they have to do to fix the APU problem.
HST has to launch by Friday or else they will have to open up the cargo bay
doors and recharge its battery.
Sigh.
Burns
|
| 457.54 | STS-31 on shortwave radio | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Tue Apr 10 1990 16:03 | 66 |
| From: winter@apple.com (Patty Winter)
Newsgroups: ba.general,rec.radio.shortwave,sci.astro,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Listen to Shuttle, HST deployment
Date: 9 Apr 90 18:23:22 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
>From: karn@ka9q.bellcore.com (Phil Karn)
>Newsgroups: rec.ham-radio
>Subject: Shuttle audio
>Message-ID: <21894@bellcore.bellcore.com>
>Date: 8 Apr 90 21:02:30 GMT
Posted: Sun, Apr 8, 1990 3:49 PM GMT Msg: LGJA-4222-2312
From: DCOWDIN
To: ANS
CC: NCS, AMSAT, IS, W1AW
Subj: SHUTTLE AUDIO REBROADCAST INFO
SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-098.01
SHUTTLE AUDIO REBROADCAST
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 098.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD APRIL 8, 1990
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
WA3NAN TO RE-BROADCAST HUBBLE TELESCOPE DEPLOYMENT STARTING 4/10/90
On Tuesday, April 10, 1990 at 8:47 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) the
Shuttle Discovery will lift off carrying the most complicated unmanned
spacecraft ever launched. [THIS HAS BEEN DELAYED] The Hubble Space
Telescope will lofted to an orbital altitude of 400 statute miles and
will be deployed with a 28.5 degree orbital inclination. Radio
amateurs will have an opportunity to hear all the excitement "live"
from NASA thanks to the hams at the Goddard Amateur Radio Club (GSFC
ARC) and the other NASA affiliated radio clubs, eg., W5RRR at JSC,
W6VIO at JPL. The following frequencies will be used to re-broadcast
the live audio during the six-day mission:
3860 KHz
7185 KHz
14.295 MHz
21.395 MHz
28.650 MHz
The Shuttle audio re-broadcast will start about ONE HOUR BEFORE
LAUNCH and will only be in operation when the astronauts are awake.
The astronauts' work day will commence at around 3:00 A.M. EDT and
they will turn in around 7:00 P.M. EDT. The Hubble Telescope will be
deployed at 7:30 A.M EDT on Wednesday April 11, 1990. Amateurs and
space enthusiasts might particularly want to listen during that time
because it will be a period filled with a lot of activity. For those
who wish to track the Shuttle for the purposes of visual contacts,
Frank Bauer (KA3HDO), President of the Goddard Space Flight Center
Amateur Radio Club (WA3NAN) says that every hour the orbital elements
will be read by the GSFC club members who will be operating the
station. AMSAT encourages all radio amateurs to listen to the live
audio from the Shuttle during this history-making flight.
[For those who would like to download more information about this Shuttle
Mission, all are invited to check into the NASA sponored SPACELINK BBS at
(205) 895-0028. The phone number of the GSFC ARC hamshack is (301) 286-6673]
[Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, shuttle audio is also carried
on 145.580 MHz, a frequency available on many scanners. That service
is courtesy of the Ames Amateur Radio Club.]
|
| 457.55 | | STAR::HUGHES | You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred. | Tue Apr 10 1990 16:16 | 6 |
| further re .53 (thanks for typing that in, line noise was terrible when
I dialed in)
They have decided NOT to retry tomorrow. HST has been powered down.
gary
|
| 457.56 | Back to the 900 number for me... | 19458::FISHER | Prune Juice: A Warrior's Drink! | Tue Apr 10 1990 19:24 | 12 |
| I tried the given shortwave frequencies, btw, and could not get anything. Will
have to try later with a ground and an antenna :-).
Seriously, can anyone with a "real" rig pick up this stuff from Goddard in
Southern NH, or is it hopeless? I have a Radio Shluck receiver which is as
reasonable a piece of equipment as they make, but with only a whip antenna.
I'll go to more work next time if there is any hope at all.
BTW, the Dial-A-Shuttle folks are getting darn nearly as wordy as the news
commentators.
Burns
|
| 457.57 | Re: shortwave... | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Apr 10 1990 21:30 | 10 |
| Yes, could someone please size the type of receiver and antenna that would
be needed for this. I can't afford to put a satellite dish on my roof
(for NASA Select), so this seems like the next best thing. But if it would
take $500 worth of equipment to just listen in - I'll stick with this notes
conference and usenet (the fifth best thing next to being there...).
Anybody interested in submitting a mass request into WGBH to have them run
NASA Select on channel 44 (between 3AM and their normal wakeup)?
- dave
|
| 457.58 | Details on APU operation? | 7744::POPIENIUCK | | Wed Apr 11 1990 12:27 | 9 |
| Moderator: please move this elsewhere if more appropriate.
I know the launch yesterday was postponed due to problems with an APU.
Can someone more knowledgeable than me give a brief summary of how the
APUs work? I seem to recall that there was some controversy a few
years back about how exotic (and tempermental) these pieces of the
shuttle were. I can't recall the specifics though, like fuel(s) used
in them, or reason these devices were used as opposed to alternatives.
Anyone care to refresh my memory? Thanks.
|
| 457.59 | note 608 reposted | LEVERS::HUGHES | TANSTAAFL | Wed Apr 11 1990 13:22 | 13 |
| Moved by moderator -
================================================================================
Note 608.0 WHY WAS IT STOPPED 1 reply
42431::LOG_1 6 lines 11-APR-1990 06:28
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I just caught the end of the news last night,and heared that the
launch of the shuttle Discovery,was terminated at T-4minutes.
Doe's anyone no what the problem was,and if the launch has been
resheduled,?.
Cheer's Chris.
|
| 457.60 | Re: .58 - APUs | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed Apr 11 1990 14:46 | 25 |
| This is from memory, but it should get you started.
APU (Auxiliary Power Units) are, basically, pumps for the hydraulic systems
of the shuttle.
There are 3 APUs in the shuttle. They are powered by hydrazine (that nasty
stuff that they use for the RCS motors). Each of the APUs powers one of the
three redundant hydraulic line sets. The hydraulics are used to move the
rudder, ailerons, and (most important for the launch) the gimballing of the
main engines (SSME's). I believe that they need 2 of the 3 APUs to be running
for activities like landing and launching (although, obviously they want them
all humming nicely before launch).
APUs have two speeds, high and low. I really don't know the difference, but
I'd guess that the low speed is like an idling mode that conserves fuel.
The launch sequence has them going through a prestart phase and then they
are started at T-05:00:00 (I think).
I assume they are temperamental because they are small, very powerful, and
(next to the SSME's) one of the most "mechanical" parts of the shuttle. I'll
bet they make one hell of a noise too...
- dave
|
| 457.61 | The problem | 19458::FISHER | Prune Juice: A Warrior's Drink! | Wed Apr 11 1990 15:06 | 28 |
| The problem with APU#1 was traced to a valve. They have to replace the whole
thing (APU that is). The replacement will take around a week. Since that is
outside of the HST window for battery life, they will also need to recharge the
HST batteries. This takes about 8 days (mostly opening up closing down and
keeping clean). It is not clear yet how much of these two items can be done
in parallel. There are parts of each operation that will take all the power
available at the pad, so that means at least these portions can not be done
in parallel.
Heaven only knows why they did not design in a small wire running from the HST
to the battery charger through the shuttle so they would not have to open the
bay each time. You would think it would not be that expensive or heavy a thing
that they would feel compelled to trade it off.
The odd thing about the APUs, btw, is that they are only on the order of 130
horsepower. Presumably they must be a lot lighter than most engines of that
size (which is what makes them so special). Of course, they also have to
operate with no atomsphere.
Trivia: During at least one launch, one or more APUs were shut down on the
way up. Because of this, they could not close the SSME fuel/oxy valves with
the normal hydraulic method; they had to use a backup compressed gas method
which just slams them shut rather than being more gradual. So apparently
3 APUs is not completely a case of triple redundancy. They actually either
use each for slightly different things or else they need the full pressure
to do everything or some such. I would hope that the most critical actions
like engine gimballing and control surface motion would be doable with only
one APU running.
|
| 457.62 | Recycle schedule parameters | LEVERS::HUGHES | TANSTAAFL | Wed Apr 11 1990 17:01 | 9 |
| I got a question. The Boston Globe quoted a NASA official as saying
that the APU replacement would take 7 days and the battery charging
would take 8 days, (actually 2 1/2 days to charge, the remainder
is access and closeout), _but_ at least some portions of the two
activitys could not take place concurently because there was not
enough _power_ available at the launch site. Any speculations as
to what these power limits might be, like AC for hoists, or what?
Mike Hughes
|
| 457.63 | loooong delay???? | 4581::DENSMORE | Dirty deeds & they're done dirt cheap | Thu Apr 12 1990 13:13 | 8 |
| I just heard a report on a CBS radio affiliate. It was one of those headline
things so there was absolutely *no* detail. The report said that the HST
launch could be postponed for months, perhaps after the October Discovery
launch. Anyone hear anything more substantial? I can only speculate that
the delay is going to be significant and rather than disrupt the 1990
schedule, NASA will replan the flight in 1991.
Mike
|
| 457.64 | It must be a plot to outwait us all. | DNEAST::SEELEY_BOB | | Thu Apr 12 1990 20:40 | 10 |
| Oh God.
They're NEVER going to launch the damn thing. Lets build another,
newer, version and get it launched by the year 2086. That should
be more than enough time to insure that we never live to see it
launched :').
Seriously, although.... please let .63 be only a rumor (??). I think
that we've waited long enough for this thing to get into space.
|
| 457.65 | News from the Grapevine | 15372::LEPAGE | Life is a tale told by an idiot | Thu Apr 12 1990 21:00 | 8 |
| Re: The past couple
The latest news I have heard (this afternoon) about HST is that
there will be about a two week delay to replace the errant APU and
inspect its controller and recharge HST's batteries. I've heard nothing
about any multi-month delay (at least not yet!).
Drew
|
| 457.66 | Here's the last UPI and Shuttle status reports that have come in over the wire... | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Thu Apr 12 1990 21:25 | 205 |
| Article 138 of clari.news.urgent:
Path: shlump.nac.dec.com!decwrl!uunet!looking!clarinews
From: clarinews@clarinet.com (WILLIAM HARWOOD, UPI Science Writer)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space,clari.news.urgent
Subject: Shuttle Discovery delayed at least a week
Keywords: space, science, air transport, transportation, air force,
military
Message-ID: <28Rshuttle_ec@clarinet.com>
Date: 10 Apr 90 23:18:01 GMT
Lines: 88
Approved: clarinews@clarinet.com
Xref: shlump.nac.dec.com clari.tw.space:65 clari.news.urgent:138
Location: california
ACategory: regional
Slugword: shuttle
Priority: regular
Format: regular
X-Supersedes: <27Rshuttle_ec@clarinet.com>
ANPA: Wc: 972; Id: c2980; Sel: sc--u; Adate: 4-10-410ppd; Ver: ld
Codes: ynssrca., ybtarca., ynmfrca., xxxxxxxx
Note: (refiling to fix coding)
(complete writethru -- quotes and details)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (UPI) -- The shuttle Discovery's historic
flight to launch the $1.5 billion Hubble Space Telescope was delayed
Tuesday at least a week and possibly two because of last-minute trouble
with the ship's power steering system.
``It's going to take time to sort that out and we don't have a
specific target for a new launch date,'' said NASA launch director
Robert Sieck. ``But it's going to be probably between a week and two
weeks down the road.''
The delay was a frustrating disappointment to Discovery's veteran
five-member crew and for hundreds of scientists with the space telescope
project, already running seven years behind schedule and some $1 billion
over budget because of technical problems and, ultimately, the 1986
Challenger disaster.
``The universe is 15 billion years old. What's a few more days?''
asked a stoic Eric Chaisson, a senior scientist with the Space Telescope
Science Institute in Baltimore. ``The main concern is that the vehicle
and payload remain safe. We'll go when we're ready to go.''
Still, the disappointment was apparent in the bloodshot eyes of
NASA astronomer Edward Weiler, who said: ``I don't know how many days of
this we can take, emotionally.''
Discovery's countdown was ticking smoothly toward a liftoff at 8:47
a.m. EDT until shortly after the T-minus five-minute mark when co-pilot
Charles Bolden, 43, fired up the shuttle's three ``auxiliary power
units.''
The ``APUs'' provide the hydraulic muscle to move the ship's wing
flaps, rudder and engine nozzles for steering during launch and 20
seconds after Bolden started Discovery's power units, commander Loren
Shriver, 45, reported a problem.
``We have an intermittent APU speed high on APU 1,'' he radioed the
launch control center.
Discovery's countdown then went into an unplanned ``hold'' at the
T-minus four-minute mark while NASA engineers debated their options.
Engineers initially held out hope that launch could be rescheduled
for later in the day, but it soon became clear the problem was not
easily correctable and a few minutes later, Sieck canceled the
countdown.
``It appears when we started unit No. 1 there was an internal
failure, a valve that failed to respond properly,'' Sieck said. ``It let
too much fuel go into the unit, which caused an overspeed condition (in
a turbine).''
He said launch would be delayed at least a week and possibly two
because of work to replace the suspect APU inside Discovery's cramped
engine room and to recharge the space telescope's batteries.
Shriver, Bolden and their crewmates -- flight engineer Steven
Hawley, 38, Bruce McCandless, 52, and Kathryn Sullivan, 38 -- took the
delay in stride and climbed out of the still-fueled space shuttle about
45 minutes after the countdown was stopped.
For astronomer-turned-astronaut Hawley, veteran of two previous
shuttle missions, the postponement marked the ninth time he has boarded
a space shuttle and not made it off the ground. As he climbed out of
Discovery Tuesday, he smiled at launch pad technicians and held up nine
fingers.
All five astronauts planned to fly back to their homes near the
Johnson Space Center in Houston early Wednesday.
The goal of the 35th shuttle flight, the third of nine missions
planned for 1990, is the deployment of the 24,330-pound Hubble Space
Telescope, the most advanced astronomical instrument ever built and one
expected to revolutionize humanity's knowledge of the birth and ultimate
fate of the universe.
Telescope project manager Frederick Wojtalek said the telescope and
its ultra-clean 94.5-inch mirror, the most perfect ever made, was not in
any danger of contamination during its extended stay in the relatively
clean but less-than-ideal environment of Discovery's cargo bay.
``The shuttle payload bay is clean, it's been treated very
carefully,'' he said. ``None of the contamination people in the program
are concerned for the period of time we're talking about.''
One problem for the space telescope, however, is that its six
high-tech 520-pound nickel-hydrogen batteries must be recharged, a
week-long task that will require Discovery's cargo bay doors to be
opened.
The batteries are crucial for providing electricity to the
telescope's sensitive instruments from launch until the satellite's
solar panels can be unrolled in orbit. With a full charge, the batteries
can support four straight launch attempts.
Along with delaying the debut of the Hubble Space Telescope, the
launch delay Tuesday could have major ramifications for the rest of the
year's shuttle schedule.
Given a post-Challenger guideline requiring two to three weeks
between missions, the shuttle Columbia's launch in early May would
appeared to be threatened with a delay. NASA managers already were
expected to delay an August mission because of technical problems.
As for Discovery, Sieck said engineers have never attempted to
replace an APU in a shuttle at the launch pad.
Technically, the space shuttle can fly with just one operational
APU but conservative flight rules require all three to be performing
properly before a ship can be cleared for liftoff. The shuttle system
cannot survive the failure of all three APUs during flight.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ath: shlump.nac.dec.com!decuac!haven!aplcen!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ames!trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee
From: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Shuttle Status for 04/11/90 (Forwarded)
Message-ID: <47172@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 12 Apr 90 00:55:07 GMT
Sender: usenet@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Lines: 61
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT -- TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1990 12 NOON
STS-31 - DISCOVERY (OV 103) - PAD 39-B
Launch of Discovery was scrubbed yesterday at the T minus 4
minute mark when a problem was detected with auxiliary power unit
number 1. The three APUs provide pressure for the orbiter's three
hydraulic systems. Operation of all three APUs is required before
launch.
Today, the launch team will remove one of the flight doors
from the aft engine compartment where the APU and its controller
are located. Technicians will remove and replace the controller
for APU 1 later today. The controller is 6 inches wide, 7.5
inches high and 19 inches long and weighs about 15 pounds. It
controls the speed of the APU. The controller will be shipped to
the vendor, Sunstrand Corp, Rockford, Ill.
Officials are continuing to analyze data to determine
whether the APU itself needs replacing. Hubble Space Telescope
managers will be assessing the best method of charging the
nickel-hydrogen batteries. The options are hooking up the charge
to the six batteries or removing them for charging at another
facility.
Meanwhile, after the controller is replaced, technicians
will drain liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen reactants from the
power reactant storage and distribution system. Tomorrow morning,
ordnance devices on the vehicle will be safed.
The STS-31 flight crew left the Shuttle Landing Facility in
T-38 aircraft at 10:30 this morning enroute to Houston, Texas.
A new launch date will be determined once the work necessary
to get the vehicle and payload ready for launch has been iden-
tified and scheduled.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Path: shlump.nac.dec.com!decuac!haven!ames!trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee
From: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Launch Advisory for 04/11/90 (Forwarded)
Message-ID: <47173@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 12 Apr 90 00:57:28 GMT
Sender: usenet@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Lines: 28
STS-31/HST SCRUB TURNAROUND STATUS
Wednesday, April 11, 1990 - 3:00 p.m. EDT
NASA and contractor personnel continue processing of Space
Shuttle Discovery and the Hubble Space Telescope following
the launch scrub of the STS-31 mission at 8:46 a.m. EDT
yesterday.
No new launch date has been determined. Launch delay
estimates continue to be approximately 7-14 days. Engineers
are looking at both APU #1 and its controller as part of their
efforts to determine the cause of yesterday's problem. All
indications point to a problem in the APU but the controller
will be checked to assure it is not the problem. Procedures for
APU removal and options for recharge of the HST batteries
are being reviewed.
Immediate processing work will involve extending the
Rotating Service Structure, installing access platforms and
removal of the controller for APU #1. The controller will
be sent to the contractor to verify that it did not cause the
intermittent chamber pressure indication.
The decisions on whether or not to remove and replace the
APU and the procedures for HST battery recharge are
expected either late tomorrow or Friday.
|
| 457.67 | | STAR::HUGHES | You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred. | Thu Apr 12 1990 22:33 | 3 |
| April 25, according to a Usenet posting from someone at JPL.
gary
|
| 457.68 | music only... | 4581::DENSMORE | Dirty deeds & they're done dirt cheap | Fri Apr 13 1990 12:12 | 9 |
| Damn. I gotta stop listening to the news on radio. I can only surmise
that some bozo in CBS or the affiliate misunderstood some statement from
NASA and translated into a multimonth delay. If later flights are being
affected, maybe it was a multimonth "effect".
For the record I have not heard anything else to support that "headline"
on CBS-TV, CNN or the same radio station.
Mike
|
| 457.69 | 27th ? | 3168::BIRO | | Fri Apr 13 1990 12:46 | 6 |
| NPR RADIO had the new launch date as the 27th, I did not write it
down so it could have been the 29 but I am almost sure it was the
27th... just keep the bugs out...
john
|
| 457.70 | STS-31/HST SCRUB TURNAROUND STATUS - April 12, 1990 - 1:30 p.m. EDT | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Fri Apr 13 1990 14:22 | 32 |
| From: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Launch Advisory for 04/12/90 (Forwarded)
Message-ID: <47246@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 13 Apr 90 01:13:18 GMT
Sender: usenet@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Lines: 22
STS-31/HST SCRUB TURNAROUND STATUS
Thursday, April 12, 1990 - 1:30 p.m. EDT
NASA managers today set April 25, 1990 as the new
target launch date for Shuttle Mission STS-31. This date is
based on the decision to remove and replace APU #1 on
Space Shuttle Discovery and to allow time for recharging
the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) batteries.
The decision to replace APU #1 comes after examination
of the APU controller by the manufacturer, which verified
that no problems existed within the controller. A new APU,
scheduled for delivery to KSC this week, will serve as the
replacement APU on Discovery.
The recharging of the HST batteries will be accomplished
by removing the batteries from the telescope and charging
them in a laboratory. This allows the batteries to be
serviced under the most favorable conditions while HST
remains in the clean environment of the cargo bay.
|
| 457.71 | Is it a lemon? | 5235::BALSAMO | Save the Wails | Fri Apr 13 1990 14:28 | 15 |
|
Has there ever been a planned launch of the Shuttle that wasn't
delayed? I can't seem to remember one! It kind of reminds me of cars that
are lemons...they spend more time in the shop than on the road. I don't
know about you guys, but if I were a shuttle astronaut, I would not want to
be launched into space is a vehicle that breaks down as often as this does.
I mean, imagine if the sensors hadn't detected the faulty unit. It could
have been disastrous. At the rate that this thing breaks down, what do
you think the chances are that there will be an undetected critical fault
at launch time.
Sorry, but this is unsettling to me.
Nobody asked...
Tony
|
| 457.72 | Yes, they have launched on schedule | VINO::DZIEDZIC | | Fri Apr 13 1990 15:07 | 11 |
| Yes, some launches HAVE gone off on schedule.
Chances of an undetected critical fault? Based on past history,
we'd have to say 1 in 25. THAT'S one of the reasons NASA is
trying to be EXTREMELY conservative about launch commit criteria
and other policies; to change the "observed" rate into something
which is reasonable.
I'd rather they delay/reschedule the launch a dozen times if it
means the actual launch will be safer. Unfortunately, all the
press does is harp on the fact NASA just can't get off on time.
|
| 457.73 | | 4581::DENSMORE | Dirty deeds & they're done dirt cheap | Fri Apr 13 1990 16:15 | 12 |
| re .-2
What scares me more sometimes is how many airline flights take off
more or less on schedule. The number of aborted takeoffs, returns
to the airport, etc seem to be getting higher by the month. At least
they decide before takeoff on the shuttle!
On a more serious note, does anyone know offhand what percentage of
delays are caused by weather? How many are caused by a non-vehicle
problem (eg; range safety computers burped)?
Mike
|
| 457.74 | the cost of complexity | 60608::MANSFIELD | | Sat Apr 14 1990 06:58 | 41 |
| re. lemon
Don't know if anyone knows about the science of systems information
management of such complex and large component sub-assemblies such
as shuttles (I would suspect that the VAX 9000 would be approaching a
similar component complexity), - but it seems to me after 10 years and
35? launches that the shuttle is simply too complex a device.
Its information heirarchy keeps breaking down. NASA knows all about
the science of information heirarchy - it helped invent it. But the
shuttle was built over a decade ago and our understanding information
flows' are a lot better these days.
Components also don't act in a vacuum. The engineers that designed the
shuttle designed it within terms of their own design biases.
In the US space industry this has tended to be 'a go for the most
high-tech, most complex' design method. A bias that tends to deliver
a complex and fragile solution. When let lose in the real
world - that elegant sub-assembly may interact and behave in a manner
not considered in the initial design process.
In response the project requires even more complex information
heirarchies to make the sub-assemblies interact at least somewhat
efficently. Mix all this up with Washington politics and you got a really
difficult design process that keeps getting stalled.
The information overload has reached a critical point. Does the cost of
the shuttle warrant it's continued heavy use. Should the system be
de-evolved and anew system brought into service.
regards,
simon
ps --
The system nonetheless does work and the cost is massive to replace and
with the US and the world pretty tight on funds, potically there is little
choice - the shuttle will remain in service for at least another
decade or until put out of business by private and international
competiton.
|
| 457.75 | Wait too long and we won't need it | 42070::HAZEL | Intelligence > knowledge + memory | Tue Apr 17 1990 08:53 | 14 |
| The most ironic thing about all these delays to the HST launch is
the fact that, since it was first conceived, the technology of
ground-based telescopes has improved considerably. There are now
telescopes which use active and adaptive optics to try to remove
some of the main sources of image aberration (such as atmospheric
turbulence and gravitational distortion of the mirror). Some of
these telescopes are comparable to the HST in terms of resolving
power. About the only thing they can't change is the atmospheric
absorption of light.
Isn't technology a funny thing?
Dave Hazel
|
| 457.76 | Re: .61 - charging the batteries | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Apr 17 1990 17:06 | 12 |
| >Heaven only knows why they did not design in a small wire running from the HST
>to the battery charger through the shuttle so they would not have to open the
>bay each time. You would think it would not be that expensive or heavy a thing
>that they would feel compelled to trade it off.
It occurred to me over the weekend why this won't work: heat. Charging the
batteries heats them up. Special cold air ducts were in place during the
pre-launch charging. Based on this purely anecdotal observation, I would
conclude that it would be a bit more than a small wire needed to charge
the batteries.
- dave
|
| 457.77 | | STAR::HUGHES | You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred. | Tue Apr 17 1990 18:17 | 5 |
| According to AvLeak, the Nickel/Hydrogen batteries can be charged to a
higher capacity in 'a reasonable amount of time' if they are kept cold
(32F).
gary
|
| 457.78 | next Tuesday | 30686::STRANGE | Steve Strange | Wed Apr 18 1990 12:54 | 5 |
| I heard on the radio this morning that a test APU firing was
successfull, and this may allow NASA to push the launch ahead to next
Tuesday. No official word yet, though.
Steve
|
| 457.79 | STS-31 Update - April 17 | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Wed Apr 18 1990 13:28 | 104 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 04/17/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 17 Apr 90 23:56:26 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, April 17, 1990 Audio Service: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Tuesday, April 17:
A new Auxiliary Power Unit installed in the orbiter Discovery
will undergo a "hot fire" test on Wednesday. A 20-30 second
firing will qualify the unit for the STS-31 launch scheduled for
April 24 at Kennedy Space Center.
The batteries which were removed from the Hubble Space Telescope
last Saturday are undergoing charging and will be reinstalled in
the telescope on Saturday.
A careful check of detectors in the payload bay indicate no signs
of contamination to the telescope.
A heater cable leading from Discovery's aft compartment to a rear
External Tank strut has been disabled. It shorted out during
last week's countdown. Warm weather at the Cape precludes the
need for the heater during launch next week.
* *
The crew for the STS-35 mission will conduct a news conference
Friday, April 20, at Johnson Space Center. They will discuss
their roles in the flight set for mid-May. The orbiter Columbia
will carry the Astro payload into Earth orbit to conduct a series
of astronomical observations.
The news conference begins at 10:30 a.m., EDT, and will be
carried on NASA Select TV.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are EDT.
Thursday, April 19:
11:30 a.m. NASA Update will be transmitted.
Friday, April 20:
10:30 a.m. STS-35 Astronaut News Conference from
Johnson Space Center.
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
NOTE: During the STS-31 mission NASA Select TV will provide
daily mission highlights on Satcom F1R at midnight, EDT. F1R is
located so that TV stations and educational institutions in
Hawaii and Alaska may access the NASA Select video.
----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
EDT.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch, NASA Hq.
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Shuttle Status for 04/17/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 17 Apr 90 23:53:52 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT -- TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1990 11:30 AM
STS-31 - DISCOVERY (OV 103) - PAD 39-B
Discovery's number 1 auxiliary power unit was serviced with
hydrazine yesterday in preparation for testing and flight. A "hot
fire" of the newly installed auxiliary power unit is planned
early Wednesday. This involves running the APU for about five
minutes, 12 seconds. Running the new APU for this length of time
will give it the same amount of ground run-time the other two
units have and will give engineers an opportunity to evaluate its
performance. Hookups of ordnance devices and loading of the liq-
uid hydrogen and oxygen dewars at the pad are scheduled for
Thursday.
The Hubble Space Telescope nickel-hydrogen batteries are in
the battery lab in the Vehicle Assembly Building where they are
being charged for 130 hours. The payload bay doors will remain
closed while the batteries are being charged. They will be
reinstalled in the payload bay next Saturday.
Launch of Discovery is targeted for April 24. The countdown
will begin on Sunday, April 22.
STS-35 - COLUMBIA (OV 102) - VAB
Columbia has been soft mated to the aft external tank at-
tachments and work is underway on the forward attachment. "Hard
mate" is scheduled to be accomplished by the end of first shift
today. Columbia was transferred to the Vehicle Assembly Building
yesterday at 11:06 a.m. While in the VAB for about six days,
Columbia will be attached to its external tank before rolling out
to Launch Pad 39-A. Rollout to the pad is planned for no earlier
than Sunday, April 21 at 12:01 a.m. EDT.
|
| 457.80 | First time both launch pads are simultaneously occupied? | 6056::GAUDET | Nothing unreal exists | Wed Apr 18 1990 15:43 | 8 |
| .79> Columbia will be attached to its external tank before rolling out
.79> to Launch Pad 39-A. Rollout to the pad is planned for no earlier
.79> than Sunday, April 21 at 12:01 a.m. EDT.
If STS-35 rollout occurs on this schedule, will this be the first time launch
occurs from one pad while the other pad is occupied by a shuttle?
...Roger...
|
| 457.81 | 2 PADS + KSC Support | LANDO::STONE | | Wed Apr 18 1990 16:02 | 10 |
| re: .-1 No this will not be the first time that both pads are occupied
at once. At 51L's launch from 39B, 39A had the orbiter Discovery (
I forgot what mission number it was).
One other comment, I am more than impressed with the KSC technical
support. It should be remembered that the APU changeout had never
been done on the pad before (from a vertical position). It shows a lot
of flexibility on their part.
-J
|
| 457.82 | STS-31 launch set for Tuesday, April 24 | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Wed Apr 18 1990 20:38 | 34 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Launch Advisory for 04/18/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 18 Apr 90 18:06:12 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Ed Campion April 18, 1990
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. 12:30 p.m.EDT
(Phone: 202/453-8536)
Lisa Malone
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 407/867-2468)
STS-31 LAUNCH ADVISORY
Space Shuttle managers today announced that the target launch
date for Shuttle mission STS-31 will be advanced by one day to
Tuesday, April 24, 1990. The launch opportunity period on the 24th
will begin at 8:31 a.m. EDT.
The decision to move the launch date comes after testing and
inspection of the replacement auxiliary power unit (APU) which
verified it is operating properly and after discussions with each of
the Shuttle launch and Hubble Space Telescope team managers, all of
whom said they could support an advancement in the launch date.
"The launch team has done a super job" said Robert Crippen, Space
Shuttle director. "Safety continues to be our number one priority and
that is why the APU on Discovery was replaced. Everyone believes we're
now ready to fly and all of us are looking forward to the data the
Hubble Space Telescope will produce as it begins its exploration of
the Universe."
|
| 457.83 | STS-31 ON ITS WAY - AT LAST! | 18583::STRZEPA | | Tue Apr 24 1990 13:02 | 5 |
| STS-31 was launched successfully this morning after an unexpected hold
at t-minus 31 seconds. The hold related to a sticky valve in the main
oxygen feed line (at least according to the network chatter...) They
cut away shortly after SRB sep, so I wasn't able to follow it all the
way to MECO. - Mike
|
| 457.84 | | STAR::HUGHES | You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred. | Tue Apr 24 1990 13:25 | 11 |
| Performance nominal, OMS-1 not required. A valve in the LOX feed was
not in the correct position at t-31 so the ground launch sequencer
would not hand over to the flight computers. Controllers manually
cycled the valve. Curiously, NASA had rented another transponder for
this launch and it was showing a constant view of the rear ET/orbiter
connections during the countdown and launch. I wonder if it was
suspect.
OMS-2 occuring as I type.
gary
|
| 457.85 | The universe is go | STAR::HUGHES | You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred. | Tue Apr 24 1990 13:29 | 3 |
| They're back from TDRS handover. OMS-2 nominal.
gary
|
| 457.86 | HST's first task in Earth orbit | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Tue Apr 24 1990 13:30 | 91 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA to brief media on Hubble Space Telescope instrument test
Date: 23 Apr 90 21:28:57 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Paula Cleggett-Haleim
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. April 23, 1990
(Phone: 202/453-1547)
N90-26 Editors Note
NASA TO BRIEF MEDIA ON HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE INSTRUMENT TEST
Approximately 7 days after deployment of the Hubble Space
Telescope (HST), NASA engineers will be obtaining a test image of star
field NGC 3532 from the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt,
Md. Media can view this image from the HST newsroom, located in the
GSFC Visitors Center.
Prior to NASA's reception of this first test image, media will be
briefed on how the telescope is focused and the image is captured.
The exact time of the image capture cannot be determined until after
deployment and a number of maneuvers have been successfully conducted.
During the mission of STS-31, an update will be given on the
approximate time of the engineering test briefing at a change-of-
shift news briefing.
The complete orbital and science verification period, which
ensures that all systems and instruments are functioning properly,
extends over an 8-month period.
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: NASA to brief media on Hubble Space Telescope instrument test
Keywords: HST NGC 3532
Date: 23 Apr 90 22:49:11 GMT
Reply-To: mikec@phx.mcd.mot.com (Michael Collins)
Organization: Motorola Microcomputer Division, Tempe, Az.
To head off the inevitable questions, according to the 1987
Observer's Handbook of the RASC (most recent edition at my desk), NGC
3532 is an open cluster at RA 11h 05.5m, Dec -58d 33m (1980).
Apparent integrated photographic magnitude 3.4, diameter 55
arc-minutes, distance 1400 l.y., spectral class B8. The constellation
in which this cluster is located is not listed, though, of course, it
much too far south to be see from North America or Europe.
-- MC --
--
Michael P. Collins | mikec@phx.mcd.mot.com
Motorola Microcomputer Division | {noao|asuvax}!mcdphx!mikec
2900 S. Diablo Way | These are not Motorola's official
Tempe, AZ 85282 (602) 438-3776 | views or policies.
From: henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: NASA to brief media on Hubble Space Telescope instrument test
Date: 24 Apr 90 03:35:39 GMT
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
In article <12761@motpe.phx.mcd.mot.com> mikec@phx.mcd.mot.com
(Michael Collins) writes:
> To head off the inevitable questions, according to the 1987 Observer's
>Handbook of the RASC (most recent edition at my desk), NGC 3532 is an open
>cluster at RA 11h 05.5m, Dec -58d 33m (1980)...
....and to head off some more, it's in the constellation Carina,
and there is no intrinsic interest in it -- that's just the direction
HST will happen to be pointed at the time. The image is not expected
to reveal anything, except perhaps that more work is needed on focusing. :-)
If you really want to see fancy pictures, you should cultivate
patience. Engineering tests, alignment work, and precise focusing are
expected to take *three months*. After that there will be five more
months of fiddling with details, measurement of distortion and
internal scattering, tracking tests, fine-tuning of the instruments
(as opposed to the main optics), etc. There will be some science done
during this latter period, though.
And oh yes, while I'm being the party-pooper :-), note that the
claims about planetary images comparable to those from Voyager are
overblown. There will be images of Jupiter comparable to those
Voyager got about five days before encounter. Note, "Jupiter", "five
days before encounter", not, say, the moons of Uranus *at* encounter.
--
If OSI is the answer, what on | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
Earth could be the question?? | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu
|
| 457.87 | If I opened my windows... | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Apr 24 1990 15:58 | 14 |
| ... I think I could hear thousands of us yelling: "SHUT UP BRYANT!" (during
the T-30 hold)
Man, I gotta get me one of those dishes to pick up NASA Select, the networks
are starting to *really* bug me.
Looked like a beautiful launch.
- dave
p.s. Have you ever thought about those people who work at the KSC who may have
never seen a launch in person? - they have to watch their stations. After 30+
flights I suppose they have had off days to watch, but still....
|
| 457.88 | | 25453::MAIEWSKI | | Tue Apr 24 1990 17:02 | 12 |
| RE <<< Note 457.87 by 4347::GRIFFIN "Dave Griffin" >>>
>... I think I could hear thousands of us yelling: "SHUT UP BRYANT!" (during
>the T-30 hold)
I'll bite, what did Bryant say during the hold?
RE in general
Any late news?
George
|
| 457.89 | Re: .88 | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Apr 24 1990 17:24 | 25 |
| Sorry - I didn't mean to confuse things with an open-ended statement like that.
First of all they picked up the launch at T-49 seconds. More like a
"launch-bite" than "launch coverage".
I don't know what Bryant said - the problem was he (and the others) were
jabbering: What happened? Will this scrub the launch? Will this cut into
the interview about cats we have lined up?
All this 10 seconds after the hold. Patience is not a word in a TV show
host's vocabulary I guess. While they were discussing how it might
scrub for the day, the count had already clicked off 6 seconds. If people had
just clammed up for a minute or so and listened to NASA, I felt it would have
been a lot more interesting. [I remember the days when TV correspondants
knew they didn't know anything about the space program, didn't pretend that
they did, and let the people who knew do the talking (or not talking). The
most pleasant phrase they can say is: "Let's stop talking now and listen
to launch/mission control".]
I don't want to turn this into a soapbox. Its the way things are right now
and it probably only bugs me and a few others. Back to space topics...
- dave
|
| 457.90 | | 38597::GERMAIN | Improvise! Adapt! Overcome! | Tue Apr 24 1990 18:14 | 7 |
| Dave,
By Bryant, I take it you mean Bryant Gumbel?
Did anyone catch the CNN coverage? Was it any better?
Gregg
|
| 457.91 | CNN was much better | 21535::FRIEDMANN | moderate extremism | Tue Apr 24 1990 18:38 | 14 |
| > <<< Note 457.90 by 38597::GERMAIN "Improvise! Adapt! Overcome!" >>>
>
> Dave,
>
> By Bryant, I take it you mean Bryant Gumbel?
>
> Did anyone catch the CNN coverage? Was it any better?
Funny you should ask; I was just going to say that while the CNN announcers
did talk, I was able to hear launch control confirm that the valve had been
recycled, and that the countdown was ready to resume -- could even hear a burst
of applause in the control room.
/dan_who_may_still_have_some_code_left_in_the_High_Resolution_Spectrograph
|
| 457.92 | Yak Yak Yak | 58447::KLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Tue Apr 24 1990 18:48 | 15 |
|
Re: last couple
I was flipping back on all three major channels, ABC, CBS and NBC
during the launch coverage. All three couldn't shut up and your right
they didn't notice that the count had resumed. I would really
like them to say nothing from T-31 to after liftoff. It really
amazes me how little they know and how quick they are to find an
analyst (any will do) to tell them anything, which NASA is already
doing if they would only listen.
Still I always get excited and nervous by a launch. Only a few weeks
until the next one.
Susan
|
| 457.93 | Good Radio Coverage | LANDO::STONE | | Tue Apr 24 1990 19:27 | 11 |
| Just another coverage note, CBS radio (WEEI here in Boston) did a
credible job with the hold. While there was some quick speculation
and questions on the reporter's part, he did note the expended APU
time (before the NASA spokeperson-George Diller mentioned it). They
also had good audio coverage of the test conductor's loop when they
confirmed proper valve configuration and specified "immediate" pick
up of the count. Unfortunately, like everyone else they covered the
launch through SRB sep (you would think that at a minimum, they would
cover it through the negative return call).
/J
|
| 457.94 | | 4973::SULLIVAN | Steven E. Sullivan | Tue Apr 24 1990 19:47 | 5 |
| This morning NPR stopped coverage seconds after the hold and reported the
launch was a minute into flight about a minute and a half after that.
Sigh!
-SES
|
| 457.95 | | STAR::HUGHES | You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred. | Tue Apr 24 1990 20:21 | 12 |
| From the post launch press conference, the hold was apparently caused
by a late software change made to correct for some unlikely problem
that occured after the last launch attempt. Sounds just like making
changes to the VMS class drivers just before code freeze :-)
AvLeak will probably have the details; I wasn't paying close attention
when the conference started.
re network coverage
Yup, its the pits. Its one of the reasons I bought into TVRO.
gary
|
| 457.96 | STS-31 Update - April 24 | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Tue Apr 24 1990 21:28 | 88 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 04/24/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 24 Apr 90 18:04:41 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, April 24, 1990 Audio Service: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Tuesday, April 24:
The launch of Discovery, carrying the Hubble Space Telescope, was
near perfection today. Liftoff occured at 8:34 a.m., EDT.
Shortly before engine ignition, a valve on a liquid oxygen line
showed that it had not operated properly. A recycling of the
system cleared the problem and the countdown proceeded to liftoff.
The crew of commander Loren Shriver, pilot Charles Bolden and
mission specialists Bruce McCandless, Steve Hawley and Kathryn
Sullivan began space operations once word was received from
Mission Control.
The crew will carry out a series of pre-deploy activities today
with release of the Hubble Telescope scheduled for tomorrow.
Deployment of the telescope is scheduled for about 1:55 p.m.,
EDT, Wednesday.
NASA Select TV will provide near continuous coverage of the STS-
31 mission through the duration of the flight.
* *
The Washington Post says Wall Street brokerage firms have given
support to Orbital Sciences Corp., of Fairfax, Va., for sale of
2.4 million shares of stock. Last month the firm was forced to
cancel a stock offering to the public because of a negative story
about Orbital's viability published in the Wall Street Journal.
The company's Pegasus air-launched-booster performed flawlessly
on its maiden flight recently.
* *
The European Space Agency and the Soviet Union have signed a ten-
year agreement to cooperate on "exploration and use of space for
peaceful purposes". Space Fax Daily reports the agreement was
signed yesterday in Paris. There will be no exchange of funds
under the pact which has the option to be renewed for an
additional decade.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are EDT.
Near-continuous coverage of the STS-31 mission will continue
through landing on Sunday, April 29.
Here's a list of mission highlights which are scheduled for
television coverage:
Today:
2:35 p.m. Replay of HST inspection.
4:10 p.m. Telescope orientation from MSFC.
6:00 p.m. Replay of Day 1 flight activities.
Wednesday, April 25:
7:41 a.m. Telescope Deploy operations begin.
1:54 p.m. Telescope deploy.
3:16 p.m. Replay of telescope deploy/release.
5:00 p.m. Change of shift briefing.
6:00 p.m. Replay of Day 2 activities.
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12:00
noon, EDT. Additional reports as required during mission
operations.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch, NASA Hq.
|
| 457.97 | CNN | 16646::DRAKE | Dave (Diskcrash) Drake DTN 534-2660 | Wed Apr 25 1990 06:11 | 4 |
| The CNN coverage was probably the best. Long shots well after SRB
sep. They also provide more time on their spots after the launch.
The CBS coverage this evening lasted 10 (count'em TEN) seconds.
Manure... I wore my space shuttle tie today!
|
| 457.98 | Go to the source | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Wed Apr 25 1990 12:57 | 16 |
| If you have a problem with the way the networks cover space
events, complain to the networks in question. Writing it here will
do little good, other than venting your own disatisfaction.
Yesterday a radio station I listen to said that the STS-31 was
to deploy the Hubble Space *Microscope* (twice!), and that it could
see a mosquito ten thousand miles away. I called up the station
and corrected them on these errors. Though the person I talked to
seemed apathetic to my complaint, I noticed that the HST was referred
to properly in their next newscast.
STS-31 news: The HST will be deployed from the Discovery today
starting at 1:55 pm EDT.
Larry
|
| 457.99 | | 5874::SCOLARO | Loren Marie - born 2/2/90 | Wed Apr 25 1990 13:09 | 7 |
| In regards to the 'contingency sample discussion, it appears as if the
HST will be looking at things all of the time, just that they believe
that it will take a number of months to get the pointing,
station-keeping and drift down to the point where HST will be able to
take shots better than earth based telescopes.
Tony
|
| 457.100 | Media blunders | 6056::GAUDET | Nothing unreal exists | Wed Apr 25 1990 16:24 | 9 |
| RE: .98
Yeah, before the last scrub, a Boston radio station was reporting about the
capabilities of the HST, saying it would be able to see objects 14 billion
*miles* away! Ah well, sometimes ya just gotta bite your tongue and realize
that the difference bewteen "miles" and "lightyears" isn't that important to
your average John/Jane Q. Public.
...Roger...
|
| 457.101 | | 25453::MAIEWSKI | | Wed Apr 25 1990 16:59 | 8 |
| The media sure messes up when talking about space but don't we have
another note dedicated to that? I searched for it but couldn't find it.
If there is none, maybe we should start a new note and put that discussion
there. I'd like to hear more progress about the HST in this note.
Moderator feel free to delete this note when the issue is resolved.
George
|
| 457.102 | Problems deploying solar panels...EVA possible | 8713::J_BUTLER | Leave it better than you found it... | Wed Apr 25 1990 19:43 | 24 |
| During the attempt to deploy the HST one of the solar panels failed
to deploy. Efforts from ground control so far have failed to fix
the problem. Two astronauts are now suiting up for a probable EVA
to try to either fix the problem or manually deploy the panel.
Apparently, the other panel also had problems also. CNN reported
that sensors stopped its deployment when stresses exceeded what
was thought to be safe. Ground control reported that the panels
in question were sufficiently deployed to generate their share
of the power requirements.
This mission is certainly going to have an interesting 'after action
report.'
By the way, CNN also reported that the astronauts suiting up had
trained for just such a contingency. I hope the problems they
encounter can be fixed.
If the HST cannot be successfully deployed, does anyone know if
a contingency plan is available to re-load the HST into the
payload bay for a return to earth? I would think HST would be even
heavier than LDEF.
John B.
|
| 457.103 | Re: bringing it back | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed Apr 25 1990 20:18 | 8 |
| I believe the flight plan called for leaving it in orbit even if there are
problems. [I could be wrong here - and, if not, they can always change
their minds.]
K. Sullivan didn't get her wish apparently (she hoped she would be "grossly
overtrained and underworked"). The adventure just got a little tense...
- dave
|
| 457.104 | crank that sucker up! | 32542::FLIS | come to me... | Wed Apr 25 1990 20:33 | 14 |
| At last report (from CNN about an hour ago) one solar panel is fully
deployed and functioning. The second is about 20% deployed and
functioning at a lower level. This is enough power to maintain scope
systems but not enough for full operation.
The plan right now is to send two 'nauts out to hand crank the panel to
full deploy. My only questions is that if the motor sensors detected
too much power being needed to deploy it (ie: the deployment is placing
too much of a load on the motors) it seems to me that something may be
jamed causing and obstruction. Hand cranking, if this is the case, may
cause more harm than good.
jim
|
| 457.105 | Kathy got her wish after all | 19458::FISHER | Prune Juice: A Warrior's Drink! | Wed Apr 25 1990 20:36 | 6 |
| All is well. They fired up the deploy sequence for the last solar wing
for the third time and it worked. They released the HST from the arm
about 3:40 PM EDT (if I remember right). Kathy was overtrained.
Burns
|
| 457.106 | Dial-A-Shuttle 900-909-6272 | 19458::FISHER | Prune Juice: A Warrior's Drink! | Wed Apr 25 1990 20:37 | 7 |
| BTW, re the commentators: Bring a phone into the TV room and listen to
the audio via Dial-A-Shuttle and the video via CNN. It seems to be the
best combination. CNN held the video for so long that I had hopes we
would see MECO!
Burns
|
| 457.107 | | 19458::FISHER | Prune Juice: A Warrior's Drink! | Wed Apr 25 1990 20:41 | 13 |
| (3 in a row!) Re Jim's comment about stresses: Loren Shriver and the
other's did a thorough visual survey over the wing. They could not see
any jams. All the guides etc that might have jammed seemed completely
clear. This is most likely why they felt the crank would be ok. I
expect they would have done a close-up visual inspection before
cranking it also.
Interesting that they had all the h/w built to do this manually as
though they expected trouble with it. How many unstaffed satellites
have panels that unfurl without any help at all? Odd.
Burns
|
| 457.108 | | 25453::MAIEWSKI | | Wed Apr 25 1990 22:02 | 10 |
| This seems to be a common occurance. Didn't Sky Lab have that same
problem just after it was launched?
So what's next on the schedule?
I wonder if those reports of many months for good pictures are accurate?
Does it really take that long to stabalize a space craft? That seems like
something that you would be able to do fairly quickly or not at all.
George
|
| 457.109 | Re: .108 | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed Apr 25 1990 23:20 | 33 |
| Re: Skylab -- you mean besides the one that got torn off during launch? :-)
Re: Schedule
What's next for who?
The shuttle schedule includes more IMAX filming, an Ion Arc experiment,
monitoring the Protein Crystal Growth Experiment, and starting the
Investigation into Polymer Membrane Processing Experiment.
HST has a long "Orbital Verification" program in place, and yes it will take
some time before "good pictures" are available. "Good pictures" mean different
things to different people. To average Joe on the street, a good picture might
be available in the first couple of weeks. To an astronomer, "good pictures"
aren't expected in any quantity for 5 months (after the orbital and science
verification periods).
Stabilization of this beast will take quite a while - it is an incredibly
sensitive instrument. Example: water vapor trapped in various parts of the
optics and structure affect the focus of the telescope. It will also take
quite a while to get the instruments at their proper operating temperatures.
The South Atlantic Anomaly (a point in the orbit where the Van Allen belts
dip in a bit) could also affect the instruments, and they have to learn about
that as well.
Some science activities will begin prior to the scope being fully commissioned
into service. Not to rekindle the prior TV discussion, but I wouldn't expect
to see these pictures on the 6PM news anyway. Watch your local bookshop for
the Sky&Telescope (or Astronomy) magazine with "We've the the first HST pictures
inside!!!" pasted on the cover.
- dave
|
| 457.110 | Are my eyes going or what? | NAC::THOMAS | The Code Warrior | Thu Apr 26 1990 02:12 | 5 |
| For those you who saw the lauch (or have videotape)...
Did you notice that on the left SRB for about 5 seconds before
separation that flames seemed to coming from *above* the exhaust
nozzle?
|
| 457.111 | A known phenomenon, I believe... | 8713::J_BUTLER | Leave it better than you found it... | Thu Apr 26 1990 12:34 | 12 |
| Re .110
I saw the flames above the SRB, also, but have seen them on other
launches, too. I believe the phenomenon is a kind of 'blowback'
due to pressure differentials created between the SRBs and SSMEs
as the vehicle moves into lower pressure regions of the atmosphere.
I think it has been discussed in some other notes in this conference
as well. Even though I know it is expected, my pulse rate goes up when
I see it!!
jb
|
| 457.112 | Re-Broadcasts STS-31 receiving in Europe | JGO::NILLISSEN | Harrie Nillissen | Thu Apr 26 1990 13:08 | 17 |
| Greetings from the Netherlands,
Great action those re-broadcasts (reply .54), I can receive it over here
in Europe.
Until now I only succeed in receiving these re-broadcasts on the 21.395 MHz,
and although there is a lot of interference, I can follow the conversation
word by word.
Only when it's getting dark (21.00 Hour GMT) I loose contact.
I love it to listing in, so keep the good work up....
My exact location is, Nijmegen in the Netherlands, that's in the east
side of the country.
Bye,
Harrie Nillissen
Engineering
Nijmegen
|
| 457.113 | STS-31, HST orbital elements | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Thu Apr 26 1990 15:09 | 28 |
| From: tkelso@blackbird.afit.af.mil (TS Kelso)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: NASA Prediction Bulletins: Space Shuttle
Keywords: Space Shuttle, Orbital Elements, Keplerian
Date: 26 Apr 90 02:01:17 GMT
Organization: Air Force Institute of Technology; WPAFB, OH
The most current orbital elements from the NASA Prediction
Bulletins are carried on the Celestial RCP/M, (513) 427-0674, and are
updated several times weekly. Documentation and tracking software are
also available on this system. As a service to the satellite user
community, the most current elements for the current shuttle mission
are provided below. The Celestial RCP/M may be accessed 24 hours/day
at 300, 1200, or 2400 baud using 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity.
STS 31
1 20579U 90037 A 90115.92010824 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0018
2 20579 028.4695 222.0079 0005057 294.6488 065.4027 14.83847627000216
HST
1 20580U 90037 B 90115.92009663 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0019
2 20580 028.4696 222.0073 0004592 305.5468 054.5145 14.84125499000213
--
Dr TS Kelso Assistant Professor of Space Operations
tkelso@blackbird.afit.af.mil Air Force Institute of Technology
|
| 457.114 | let it breath a bit... | 5393::PAULHUS | Chris @ MLO6B-2/T13 dtn 223-6871 | Thu Apr 26 1990 19:00 | 4 |
| re. when for pictures: The article in AW&ST mentioned that they were
not even going to take the covers off the optics for many days so that
outgassing deposits would not form on them. Gotta be patient, doncha
know! - Chris
|
| 457.115 | STS-31 schedule | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Fri Apr 27 1990 17:18 | 624 |
| From: garry@ezra.mcs.anl.gov
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: NASA Select Schedule for STS-31 (Fo
Date: 25 Apr 90 22:17:00 GMT
References: <48055@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
/* Written 1:52 am Apr 24, 1990 by yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov in
ezra:sci.space.shuttle */
/* ---------- "NASA Select Schedule for STS-31 (Fo" ---------- */
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z T-1 DAY PAGE 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
8:00 13:00 LAUNCH COUNTDOWN STATUS. KSC-PAO
9:00 14:00 HST/APU BRIEFING. KSC-PAO
10:00 15:00 WEATHER BRIEFING. KSC-PAO
10:30 15:30 PRELAUNCH PRESS CONFERENCE. KSC-PAO
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z LAUNCH DAY PAGE 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
7:31 12:31 0:00:00 ****************************************
****************************************
LAUNCH OF
MISSION STS-31
FROM KSC
****************************************
****************************************
7:45 12:45 0:00:14 LAUNCH REPLAYS KSC-NF-TV
8:20 13:20 0:00:49 KSC SWITCH OFF GE DOMSAT. KSC-NF-TV
8:20 13:20 0:00:49 BEGIN NASA SELECT TELEVISION PROGRAMMING HOUSTON TV
FROM JSC VIA GE DOMSAT.
9:00 14:00 0:01:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSTAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
9:00 14:00 0:01:29 KSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. KSC-TV
9:00 14:00 0:01:29 KSC POST LAUNCH PRESS CONFERENCE. KSC-PAO
9:31 14:31 0:02:00 KU BAND ACTIVATION (NOT TELEVISED)
10:00 15:00 0:02:29 KSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. KSC-NF-TV
10:00 15:00 0:02:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
10:06 15:06 0:02:35 AOS TDRW/E FOR DOWNLINK OF TVO1 AND HOUSTON TV
TVO2:
PAYLOAD BAY VIEWS,
RMS POWERUP/CHECKOUT,
HST INSPECTION.
(ORBIT 2)
10:26 15:26 0:02:55 LOS TDRW/E.
11:00 16:00 0:03:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(RON DITTEMORE, ASCENT FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
11:43 16:43 0:04:12 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
11:43 16:43 0:04:12 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
11:43 16:43 0:04:12 STOCC ORIENTATION FROM GSFC. GSFC TV
11:48 16:48 0:04:17 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
11:48 16:48 0:04:17 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
13:00 18:00 0:05:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z LAUNCH DAY PAGE 3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
13:00 18:00 0:05:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC-TV
13:00 18:00 0:05:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(MIKE HARRINGTON - DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
13:30 18:30 0:05:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC-TV
13:30 18:30 0:05:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
13:36 18:36 0:06:05 AOS TDRW FOR VTR PLAYBACK OF HST HOUSTON TV
INSPECTION.
13:56 18:56 0:06:25 LOS TDRW. HOUSTON TV
14:00 19:00 0:06:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
14:00 19:00 0:06:29 KSC LAUNCH VIDEO REPLAYS. KSC-NF-TV
14:14 19:14 0:06:43 KSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. KSC-NF-TV
14:30 19:30 0:06:59 KSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. KSC-NF-TV
14:30 19:30 0:06:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC-TV
15:10 20:10 0:07:39 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
15:10 20:10 0:07:39 MSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. MSFC-TV
15:10 20:10 0:07:39 MARSHALL HOSC ORIENTATION. MSFC-PAO
15:16 20:16 0:07:45 MSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. MSFC-TV
15:16 20:16 0:07:45 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
18:36 23:36 0:11:05 BEGIN CREW SLEEP PERIOD.
19:00 0:00 0:11:29 REPLAY OF STS-31 FLIGHT DAY 1 SHUTTLE TV JOHNSON TV
20:30 1:30 0:12:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(MILT HEFLIN-ORBIT 2 FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
22:30 3:30 0:14:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
22:30 3:30 0:14:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC-TV
22:30 3:30 0:14:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(RON SCHLAGHECK-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z LAUNCH DAY PAGE 4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
23:00 4:00 0:15:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC-TV
23:00 4:00 0:15:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z WEDNESDAY APRIL 25 PAGE 5
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
2:36 7:36 0:19:05 CREW WAKE UP.
6:00 11:00 0:22:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(LEE BRISCOE-PLANNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
6:41 11:41 0:23:10 AOS TDRE/W FOR DOWNLINK OF HST DEPLOY HOUSTON TV
OPERATIONS.
(ORBIT 15 - 19)
12:54 17:54 1:05:23 AOS TDRW FOR HST RELEASE. HOUSTON TV
(ORBIT 19)
*THROUGHOUT ORBITS 15 - 19, THE
OPPORTUNITY EXISTS FOR ALMOST CONTINUOUS
LIVE TELEVISION DOWNLINK BETWEEN 6:57AM
AND 13:10 PM.
14:16 19:16 1:06:45 AOS TDRW/E FOR VTR PLAYBACK OF HOUSTON TV
HST DEPLOY/RELEASE.
(ORBIT 20)
14:46 19:46 1:07:15 LOS TDRW/E. HOUSTON TV
15:00 20:00 1:07:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(BILL REEVES-ORBIT 1 FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
16:00 21:00 1:08:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
16:00 21:00 1:08:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC-TV
16:00 21:00 1:08:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(MIKE HARRINGTON-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
16:30 21:30 1:08:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC-TV
16:30 21:30 1:08:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
18:31 23:31 1:11:00 BEGIN CREW SLEEP PERIOD.
19:00 0:00 1:11:29 REPLAY OF STS-31 FLIGHT DAY 2 SHUTTLE TV JOHNSON TV
20:00 1:00 1:12:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(MILT HEFLIN-ORBIT 2 FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
23:30 4:30 1:15:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
23:30 4:30 1:15:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC-TV
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z WEDNESDAY APRIL 25 PAGE 6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
23:30 4:30 1:15:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(RON SCHLAGHECK-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z THURSDAY APRIL 26 PAGE 7
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
0:00 5:00 1:16:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC-TV
0:00 5:00 1:16:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
2:31 7:31 1:19:00 CREW WAKE UP.
4:00 9:00 1:20:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(LEE BRISCOE-PLANNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
7:16 12:16 1:23:45 AOS TDRW/E FOR DOWNLINK OF TV05 HOUSTON TV
STUDENT EXPERIMENT - ION ARC
(ORBIT 30)
7:31 12:31 2:00:00 LOS TDRW/E.
7:46 12:46 2:00:15 AOS TDRE FOR DOWNLINK OF CREW CHOICE TV HOUSTON TV
OPPORTUNITY.
(ORBIT 31)
8:15 13:15 2:00:44 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
8:15 13:15 2:00:44 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
8:15 13:15 2:00:44 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(STEVE TERRY-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
8:45 13:45 2:01:14 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
8:45 13:45 2:01:14 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
11:30 16:30 2:03:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(BILL REEVES-ORBIT 1 FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
13:06 18:06 2:05:35 AOS TDRE FOR DOWNLINK OF CREW CHOICE HOUSTON TV
TV OPPORTUNITY.
(ORBIT 34)
15:30 20:30 2:07:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
15:30 20:30 2:07:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
15:30 20:30 2:07:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(MIKE HARRINGTON-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
16:00 21:00 2:08:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
16:00 21:00 2:08:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z THURSDAY APRIL 26 PAGE 8
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
17:31 22:31 2:10:00 BEGIN CREW SLEEP PERIOD.
18:00 23:00 2:10:29 REPLAY OF STS-31 FLIGHT DAY 3 SHUTTLE TV JOHNSON TV
19:00 0:00 2:11:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT HOUSTON TV
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(MILT HEFLIN-ORBIT 2 FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
23:30 4:30 2:15:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
23:30 4:30 2:15:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
23:30 4:30 2:15:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(RON SCHLAGHECK-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z FRIDAY APRIL 27 PAGE 9
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
0:00 5:00 2:16:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
0:00 5:00 2:16:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
1:31 6:31 2:18:00 CREW WAKE UP.
3:00 8:00 2:19:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(LEE BRISCOE-PLANNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
6:16 11:16 2:22:45 AOS TDRE FOR DOWNLINK OF CREW CHOICE HOUSTON TV
TV OPPORTUNITY.
(ORBIT 45)
8:01 13:01 3:00:30 AOS TDRE FOR DOWNLINK OF CREW CHOICE HOUSTON TV
TV OPPORTUNITY.
(ORBIT 46)
9:00 14:00 3:01:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
9:00 14:00 3:01:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
9:30 14:30 3:01:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
9:30 14:30 3:01:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
9:30 14:30 3:01:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(STEVE TERRY-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
10:30 15:30 3:02:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(BILL REEVES-ORBIT 1 FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
11:26 16:26 3:03:55 AOS TDRE FOR DOWNLINK OF CREW CHOICE HOUSTON TV
TV OPPORTUNITY.
(ORBIT 48)
12:46 17:46 3:05:15 AOS TDRW FOR DOWNLINK OF TV05 HOUSTON TV
MIDDECK ACTIVITIES.
(ORBIT 49)
13:06 18:06 3:05:35 LOS TDRW.
15:30 20:30 3:07:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
15:30 20:30 3:07:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
15:30 20:30 3:07:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC TV
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(MIKE HARRINGTON-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z FRIDAY APRIL 27 PAGE 10
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
16:00 21:00 3:08:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
16:00 21:00 3:08:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
16:31 21:31 3:09:00 BEGIN CREW SLEEP PERIOD.
18:00 23:00 3:10:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(MILT HEFLIN-ORBIT 2 FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
19:00 0:00 3:11:29 REPLAY OF STS-31 FLIGHT DAY 4 SHUTTLE TV JOHNSON TV
23:30 4:30 3:15:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
23:30 4:30 3:15:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
23:30 4:30 3:15:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(RON SCHLAGHECK-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z SATURDAY APRIL 28 PAGE 11
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
0:00 5:00 3:16:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
0:00 5:00 3:16:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
0:31 5:31 3:17:00 CREW WAKEUP
2:00 7:00 3:18:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(LEE BRISCOE-PLANNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
3:01 8:01 3:19:30 AOS TDRE FOR DOWNLINK OF CREW CHOICE HOUSTON TV
TV OPPORTUNITY.
(ORBIT 57)
4:46 9:46 3:21:15 AOS TDRE FOR DOWNLINK OF CREW CONFERENCE HOUSTON TV
VOICE CHECK.
(ORBIT 59)
5:06 10:06 3:21:35 LOS TDRE. HOUSTON TV
5:56 10:56 3:22:25 AOS TDRW FOR DOWNLINK OF TV09 HOUSTON TV
PROTEIN CRYSTAL GROWTH EXPERIMENT.
(ORBIT 59)
6:16 11:16 3:22:45 LOS TDRW/E.
6:31 11:31 3:23:00 AOS TDRE FOR DOWNLINK OF TV07 HOUSTON TV
CREW CONFERENCE .
(ORBIT 60)
6:51 11:51 3:23:20 LOS TDRE.
6:56 11:56 3:23:25 AOS TDRE FOR DOWNLINK OF NBC INTERVIEW. HOUSTON TV
7:06 12:06 3:23:35 LOS TDRE.
7:30 12:30 3:23:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
7:30 12:30 3:23:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
7:30 12:30 3:23:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(STEVE TERRY-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
8:00 13:00 4:00:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
8:00 13:00 4:00:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. JSC TV
10:00 15:00 4:02:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(BILL REEVES-ORBIT 1 FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
10:31 15:31 4:03:00 CABIN STOW (NOT TELEVISED)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z SATURDAY APRIL 28 PAGE 12
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
15:30 20:30 4:07:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
15:30 20:30 4:07:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
15:30 20:30 4:07:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(MIKE HARRINGTON-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
16:00 21:00 4:08:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
16:00 21:00 4:08:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
16:31 21:31 4:09:00 BEGIN CREW SLEEP PERIOD.
18:00 23:00 4:10:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(MILT HEFLIN-ORBIT 2 FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
19:00 0:00 4:11:29 REPLAY OF STS-31 FLIGHT DAY 5 SHUTTLE TV JOHNSON TV
23:30 4:30 4:15:59 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
23:30 4:30 4:15:59 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. GSFC-TV
23:30 4:30 4:15:59 BEGIN MULTILOCATION STOCC CHANGE OF GSFC-PAO
SHIFT PRESS CONFERENCE.
(RON SCHLAGHECK-DIRECTOR OF ORBITAL
VERIFICATION)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-31 TV PLAN VALID APR 20 2036Z LANDING DAY PAGE 13
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDT GMT MET OPERATION-EVENT-REMARKS RESPONSIBLE
----- ----- -------- ---------------------------------------- -------------
0:00 5:00 4:16:29 GSFC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. GSFC TV
0:00 5:00 4:16:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
0:31 5:31 4:17:00 CREW WAKE UP.
2:00 7:00 4:18:29 BEGIN MULTILOCATION CHANGE OF SHIFT JSC-PAO
PRESS CONFERENCE.
(LEE BRISCOE-PLANNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR)
8:00 13:00 5:00:29 JSC SWITCH NASA SELECT OFF GE DOMSAT. HOUSTON TV
NASA SELECT AVAILABLE TO USERS AT JSC.
8:00 13:00 5:00:29 DFRF SWITCH NASA SELECT ONTO GE DOMSAT. DFRF-TV
8:46 13:46 5:01:15 ****************************************
****************************************
LANDING AT
EDWARDS
****************************************
****************************************
10:16 15:16 5:02:45 BEGIN POST-LANDING PRESS CONFERENCE DFRF-TV
FROM DFRF.
/* End of text from ezra:sci.space.shuttle */
|
| 457.116 | Open the Door HAL | 3625::BIRO | | Fri Apr 27 1990 18:18 | 6 |
| latest word is that they have open the door, but in doing
so they upset the gyros and lost track of TDRS, so back to
think thank to see if they will or have to do anything....
john
|
| 457.117 | "Control, Control, you must learn _Control_ !" | 8713::J_BUTLER | Leave it better than you found it... | Fri Apr 27 1990 19:29 | 10 |
| I also heard they had lost communications via the main antenna prior
to opening the aperture door. HST went into a 'safe' mode when commo
was lost to prevent REALLY bad things from happening. Ground control
re-established contact via a secondary antenna and the aperture
door was opened.
It looks like this 'bird' is going to take some more-than-expected
skill to 'fly!'
John B.
|
| 457.118 | Several interesting articles from ClariNet... | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Fri Apr 27 1990 19:35 | 237 |
| Path: shlump.nac.dec.com!e2big.dec.com!decwrl!looking!clarinews
From: clarinews@clarinet.com (United Press International)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space,clari.tw.aerospace,clari.news.aviation,clari.news.top
Subject: Shuttle flight plan
Keywords: space, science, aerospace, defense industry, air transport,
Message-ID: <2Rshuttle-plan_fb@clarinet.com>
Date: 25 Apr 90 04:26:02 GMT
Lines: 31
Approved: clarinews@clarinet.com
Xref: shlump.nac.dec.com clari.tw.space:118 clari.tw.aerospace:61 clari.news.aviation:209 clari.news.top:229
ACategory: usa
Slugword: shuttle-plan
Priority: major
Format: regular
X-Supersedes: <1Rshuttle-plan_fa@clarinet.com>
ANPA: Wc: 326; Id: a0147; Sel: na--a; Adate: 4-25-1215aed; Ver: sked
Codes: ynssrxx., ybearxx., ybtarxx.
Here is a timeline of events planned for Thursday, the third day of
the shuttle Discovery's five-day mission to launch the Hubble Space
Telescope (all times in EDT and subject to change):
Thursday, April 26:
3:34 a.m. -- Commander Loren Shriver, 45, co-pilot Charles Bolden,
43, Steven Hawley, 38, Bruce McCandless, 52, and Kathryn Sullivan, 38,
end an eight-hour sleep period, one day after launching the $1.5 billion
Hubble Space Telescope.
5:46 a.m. -- Discovery's orbit is adjusted to keep it on station
with the telescope. Another rocket firing is conducted 49 minutes later.
7:04 a.m. -- The astronauts activate a protein crystal growth
experiment in research to help scientists learn more about making drugs.
8:19 a.m. -- The crew beams down television views of a study
experiment.
8:24 a.m. -- A student experiment is activated.
9:18 a.m. -- Steve Terry, an engineer directing the space
telescope's orbital checkout, holds a briefing at the Goddard Space
Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
9:34 a.m. -- The astronauts film scenes with a large-format IMAX
camera.
10:34 a.m. -- The astronauts take an hour off for lunch.
12:33 p.m. -- Shuttle flight director William Reeves holds a
change-of-shift briefing at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
4:34 p.m. -- Space telescope orbital verification engineer Mike
Harrington holds a change-of-shift briefing at Goddard.
5:54 p.m. -- Another orbital correction maneuver is performed.
6:34 p.m. -- The astronauts begin an eight-hour sleep period.
8:03 p.m. -- Flight director Milt Heflin holds a change-of-shift
briefing at the Johnson Space Center.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Path: shlump.nac.dec.com!e2big.dec.com!decwrl!looking!clarinews
From: clarinews@clarinet.com (ROB STEIN, UPI Science Editor)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space,clari.news.aviation,clari.news.top
Subject: Hubble Space Telescope calibration begins
Keywords: space, science, air transport, transportation
Message-ID: <Utelescope_fb@clarinet.com>
Date: 25 Apr 90 20:58:57 GMT
Lines: 56
Approved: clarinews@clarinet.com
Xref: shlump.nac.dec.com clari.tw.space:123 clari.news.aviation:212 clari.news.top:243
ACategory: usa
Slugword: telescope
Priority: major
Format: regular
ANPA: Wc: 609; Id: a2452; Sel: na--a; Adate: 4-25-430ped; Ver: sked
Codes: ynssrxx., ybtarxx.
GREENBELT, Md. (UPI) -- NASA engineers began a painstaking
eight-month chore Wednesday of fine-tuning the Hubble Space Telescope to
ensure the high-tech orbiting outpost is focused, aimed and aligned
properly to peer into space.
``We have to crawl before we walk, walk before we run,'' said NASA
scientist Albert Boggess. ``It's a very complicated process.''
The work began after the railroad-car sized telescope was placed
safely into orbit 380 miles above Earth's surface by the crew of the
shuttle Discovery, which blasted off Tuesday from Kennedy Space Center
in Florida.
After extending the telescope's two main communications antennas,
technicians overcame technical problems to finally coax open the
telescope's balky 40-foot-long wing-like solar panels to collect power
for the craft.
The astronauts then released the 24,322-pound telescope, setting
the stage for opening the telescope's ``aperture door,'' a hatch that
opens and closes like a camera shutter to allow the light to hit the
telescope's mirror.
Technicians will also begin focusing the telescope's mirrors and
activating and checking the telescope's computers and precise guidance
system, which includes three sensitive sensors.
``This is a process that is very much like adjusting the sight on a
rifle so that you can make sure that the rifle is actually aiming to
where the crosshairs are pointed,'' Boggess said. ``In this case it's
much more complicated.''
Those critical steps will be followed by about eight months of
intense work that includes systematically calibrating the telescope's
two cameras, two light-splitting spectrographs and a high-tech light
meter called a photometer.
Scientists at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville,
Ala., relay computer commands through the agency's Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt to conduct the extensive testing.
``The precision steps of Hubble Space Telescope verification could
be compared to those required for cutting a fine diamond,'' a NASA
information sheet says. ``Each step is important. Each must be completed
correctly. Rushing or skipping a step could be disastrous. But in the
end the finished product is one of incalculable value.''
The first phase includes checking the system that propels the
telescope -- 23-inch wheels on either side that spin in opposite
directions in a gyro effect that moves the telescope about the speed of
a clock's minute hand.
Scientists will complete a series of trial runs with the
telescope's various instruments, pointing them at targets and checking
the accuracy of what they receive, he said.
``As in any kind of endeavor of this sort, the proof of the pudding
is in the eating. We want to ... try it out in conducting some
scientific research to make sure the results make sense to us (and) give
us confidence that what we have done is correct and are ready to go on
to the next stage,'' Boggess said.
One test will entail aiming one of the telescope's cameras to check
to see if an image it produces of two stars matches what technicians
earlier determined they should receive.
``I can tell you we will be dancing in the aisles if that's the
case,'' said Peter Jakobsen, a project scientist from the European Space
Agency.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Path: shlump.nac.dec.com!e2big.dec.com!decwrl!looking!clarinews
From: clarinews@clarinet.com (WILLIAM HARWOOD, UPI Science Writer)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space,clari.news.aviation,clari.news.military,clari.news.bulletin
Subject: Space telescope back in action
Keywords: space, science, air transport, transportation, air force,
Message-ID: <60Rshuttle_fc@clarinet.com>
Date: 26 Apr 90 19:31:14 GMT
Lines: 87
Approved: clarinews@clarinet.com
Xref: shlump.nac.dec.com clari.tw.space:125 clari.news.aviation:219 clari.news.military:380 clari.news.bulletin:58
ACategory: usa
Slugword: shuttle
Priority: urgent
Format: breaking
X-Supersedes: <59Rshuttle_fc@clarinet.com>
ANPA: Wc: 957; Id: a2046; Sel: na--a; Adate: 4-24-315ped; Ver: ld
Codes: ynssbxx., ybtabxx., ynmfbxx.
Note: urgent
(15grafld-pickup15thgraf: the astronauts -- telescope communications
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (UPI) -- Relieved ground controllers fixed a
potentially serious communications glitch with the orbiting Hubble Space
Telescope Thursday, with the Discovery astronauts sticking close by the
satellite in case of additional problems.
Anxious engineers reoriented the 12-ton observatory after its
critical science antennas failed to lock onto a NASA relay satellite as
planned. When contact was finally established late in the day,
controllers burst into applause.
``We have confirmation that we have achieved communication with the
tracking and data relay satellite through the high-gain antenna
system,'' NASA spokesman David Drachlis said.
It was the second straight day of drama for the $1.5 billion Hubble
Space Telescope, launched Wednesday from Discovery in what shuttle
co-pilot Charles Bolden's wife, Jackie, said was ``a little like
birthing a baby.''
Bolden, commander Loren Shriver, 45, co-pilot Charles Bolden, 43,
Steven Hawley, 38, Bruce McCandless, 52, and Kathryn Sullivan, 38,
launched the telescope into a 380-mile-high orbit above Earth's
obscuring atmosphere.
Since then, engineers at the Goddard Space Flight Center in
Greenbelt, Md., have been carefully activating and testing its myriad
electronic and mechanical systems in the early stages of an eight-month
checkout procedure.
The work proceeded smoothly until 6:44 a.m. EDT Thursday, when
controllers at Goddard attempted to use the telescope's two ``high-gain
antennas'' for the first time to ``lock'' onto a NASA tracking and data
relay satellite.
The telescope was unable to establish the crucial link, forcing
ground controllers to utilize a low-speed radio system instead while
they worked to pin down whether the telescope and its antennas were
pointed in the wrong direction for some reason.
``Unfortunately, we don't have any easy system of executing a
search and having it lock on,'' Albert Boggess, director of space
telescope science verification, said by telephone from Goddard. ``It's
kind of an unforgiving system. When it isn't right, we don't have a
simple, straightforward way of fixing it.''
The space telescope was designed to beam science data back to Earth
at 1 million bits per second, fast enough to transmit the contents of a
30-volume encyclopedia in 42 minutes.
The high-gain antenna link between the telescope and NASA's data
relay satellite is crucial to the observatory's operation because,
without it, images and other digital data gathered by Hubble's sensitive
instruments cannot be relayed back to Earth.
After the initial attempt to establish high-speed communications
failed, engineers sent commands reorienting the cylindrical telescope,
returning it to the position it was in when launched from Discovery
Wednesday.
Controllers then were able to precisely determine the telescope's
exact orientation in space. They quickly discovered it was aimed some 6
degrees away from where it should have been pointed during the initial
communication attempt.
The next major milestone for the telescope's checkout will come
Friday when commands are sent to open a protective door allowing
starlight to fall on the observatory's near-perfect 94.5-inch mirror for
the first time.
The Discovery astronauts trailed the space telescope by less than
60 miles, following pre-launch plans to stick close by for a possible
rendezvous and spacewalk repair job in case the door fails to open on
command at 12:27 p.m. Friday.
The astronauts spent the day Thursday conducting experiments,
taking pictures of the blue Earth below and sightseeing from Discovery's
record-high orbit, looking down at the Kennedy Space Center at the
precise moment the crew of the next shuttle flight arrived for a
practice countdown.
``The view from 330 nautical miles is absolutly spectacular,''
McCandless radioed mission control in Houston. ``You can very distinctly
see the curvature and the spherical nature of the Earth. It's a really
spectacular day up here.''
Space shuttles are typically launched into 180-mile-high orbits,
but Discovery was fired to a record 380 statute miles up to minimize the
effects of friction with the tenuous outer reaches of the atmosphere on
the space telescope. Such ``drag'' could cause the observatory to slowly
fall back to Earth.
``The amazing thing to us here on board is we have a perfect view
of Lake Michigan,'' Shriver said as Discovery sailed over the Gulf of
Mexico. ``It's like you could look out and touch it. You can see the
entire eastern coastline here. Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. You can see
Long Island.
``I'm sorry if we're boring you with this commentary, but the view
is just so fantastic, we've got to tell somebody about it.''
The astronauts used a large format ``IMAX'' camera to shoot scenes
of San Francisco and California, operated a protein crystal growth
experiment and activated another designed by a high school student.
The shuttle fliers plan to wrap up their five-day mission with a
touchdown Sunday at Edwards Air Force Base in California's Mojave
Desert.
|
| 457.119 | View from 380 miles up... | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Fri Apr 27 1990 19:43 | 52 |
| Path: shlump.nac.dec.com!e2big.dec.com!decwrl!looking!clarinews
From: clarinews@clarinet.com
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space,clari.news.aviation,clari.news.military
Subject: Shuttle view `fantastic'
Keywords: space, science, air transport, transportation, air force,
Message-ID: <Ushuttle-view_fc@clarinet.com>
Date: 26 Apr 90 19:31:42 GMT
Lines: 35
Approved: clarinews@clarinet.com
Xref: shlump.nac.dec.com clari.tw.space:126 clari.news.aviation:220 clari.news.military:381
ACategory: usa
Slugword: shuttle-view
Priority: regular
Format: regular
ANPA: Wc: 380; Id: a1917; Sel: na--a; Adate: 4-24-245ped
Codes: ynssrxx., ybtarxx., ynmfrxx.
SPACE CENTER, Houston (UPI) -- The Discovery astronauts beamed down
spectacular television views of Earth Thursday from a record
380-mile-high orbit, marveling at vistas stretching from the Gulf of
Mexico to the Great Lakes.
``I hope you guys are really taking maximumn possible advantage of
the payload bay TV (cameras) here to show the American people and the
people around the world a view of the Earth like they've never, ever
seen from the space shuttle before,'' astronaut Kathryn Sullivan said in
a radio transmission to mission control.
Shuttle commander Loren Shriver took time out early in the day to
describe the view as Discovery sailed over the Gulf of Mexico.
``We're coming over the Texas coastline there and we saw the big
storm system that's causing all the problems there in southeast Texas
today,'' he told engineers at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. ``It
looks pretty extensive.
``The amazing thing to us here on board is we have a perfect view
of Lake Michigan. The other Great Lakes are less well-defined, but Lake
Michigan is standing right there. It's just like you could look out and
touch it.
``I wasn't expecting quite this perspective on it, but you've got
to stop and think about it a little bit, how high we are, I guess,'' he
said.
``Yep, you all are way out,'' replied astronaut Story Musgrave from
the mission control center.
Space shuttles are typically launched into 180-mile-high orbits,
but Discovery was fired to a record 380-mile altitude to minimize the
effects of friction with the tenuous outer reaches of the atmosphere on
the shuttle's cargo, the $1.5 billion Hubble Space Telescope.
``It's an amazing sight on the Eastern Seaboard,'' Shriver said as
Discovery sailed across Florida. ``You can see the entire eastern
coastline here. Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. You can see Long Island.
``You can see well to the north of those places. I'm sorry if we're
boring you with this commentary, but the view is just so fantastic we've
got to tell somebody about it.''
|
| 457.120 | Found: 1 wristwatch | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Fri Apr 27 1990 19:46 | 36 |
| Path: shlump.nac.dec.com!decwrl!looking!clarinews
From: clarinews@clarinet.com
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space,clari.news.aviation,clari.news.military,clari.news.interest.quirks
Subject: Lost wristwatch found in space
Keywords: space, science, air transport, transportation, air force,
Message-ID: <1Rshuttle-watch_fc@clarinet.com>
Date: 25 Apr 90 21:49:05 GMT
Lines: 18
Approved: clarinews@clarinet.com
Xref: shlump.nac.dec.com clari.tw.space:132 clari.news.aviation:225 clari.news.military:389 clari.news.interest.quirks:219
X-Supersedes: <Ushuttle-watch_fb@clarinet.com>
ACategory: usa
Slugword: shuttle-watch
Priority: regular
Format: breaking
ANPA: Wc: 195; Id: a2762; Sel: na--a; Adate: 4-25-545ped
Codes: ynssbxx., ybtabxx., ynmfbxx.
SPACE CENTER, Houston (UPI) -- A wristwatch apparently lost in space
by astronaut Manley ``Sonny'' Carter last year turned up aboard the
shuttle Discovery Wednesday shortly after the successful launch of the
Hubble Space Telescope.
``I think if our good friend Sonny Carter is still in the office
you might give him a call and see how much he wants his watch,''
Discovery skipper Loren Shriver radioed mission control.
``OK, we'll ask him about that. Is he going to give us a story
behind this?'' asked astronaut James Voss from Houston.
``If he doesn't, why maybe we can once we get back,'' Shriver
joked. ``Do the words `we have located it' mean anything?''
Later, Voss delivered a response from ``Sonny Bob'' Carter, who
flew in space aboard Discovery last November to launch a secret military
satellite.
``He sends his congratulations to you,'' Voss radioed. ``He said
you really didn't have to go to all that trouble just to get his watch
back.''
|
| 457.121 | STS-31 Update - May 1 | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Tue May 01 1990 21:44 | 87 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 05/01/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 1 May 90 18:16:15 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, May 1, 1990 Audio Service: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Tuesday, May 1:
The Dryden Flight Research Facility reports ground crews at Edwards
Air Force Base in California give the orbiter Discovery a clean bill
of health. Approximately 33 tiles were slightly damaged and only 5
appear to need replacement. The one-day ferry flight return to
Kennedy Space Center is scheduled for Saturday, May 5 with a stop over
to refuel at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
An OMS/RCS maneuvering thruster has been sent to the malfunction
laboratory at Kennedy Space Center for analysis. The orbiter has been
towed to the Mate/Demate Device and connected to the sling that will
be used to lift the vehicle onto the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
Later today, workers will continue post-flight inspections of the
thermal protection system.
********
Astronomer Carl Sagan told USA Today he and Soviet space scientist
Roald Sagdeev plan to send a message to the superpowers during the
talks scheduled in Washington through June 3. The two scientists will
urge President Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev to take an early step toward
the grand exploratory endeavor of sending missions to the Moon and
Mars. The National Research Council has recommended the U.S. and
Soviet Union conduct coordinated but independent missions.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA
Select TV. The following times listed are Eastern.
Wednesday, May 2:
10:00 A.M. STS-35 Astro-1 mission and
science briefing at Kennedy
Space Center.
----------------------------------------------------------------
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12:00
Noon, EDT. This is a service of the Internal Communications
Branch, NASA Headquarters.
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Orbiter Status Report for 05/01/90 [No. 2] (Forwarded)
Date: 1 May 90 19:00:28 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
DISCOVERY -- STS-31 -- ORBITER STATUS REPORT # 2 MAY 1, 1990
DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER, CALIF.
Work on the orbiter Discovery continues today following
completion of the jack and level operations yesterday in the
Mate/Demate Device. Engineers are currently assessing the accumulation
of water found in the aft compartment, believed to be rain water from
yesterday's showers. Mapping of the water intrusion has been completed
and samples were taken for analysis.
The Shuttle's main engine purge and drying operations and thermal
protection system inspections have been completed. Also, the orbiter's
communication system has been powered down.
A trickle purge on the orbiter crew compartment and payload bay
will continue today. The power reactant and storage distribution tanks
will also continue to be vented. The elevon carrier plates and the
orbiter's forward ferry fitting have been installed and installation
of the tail cone fittings is scheduled to begin later today.
Residual cryogenics will be offloaded from the orbiter beginning
this evening. This will be followed by the removal of an OMS/RCS
thruster that failed during the mission. The thruster will be sent to
the KSC malfunction laboratory for analysis.
Ferry flight managers continue to work toward a Saturday, May 5,
departure from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Plans are to depart
Edwards at first light, make a two hour stop over for re- fueling at
Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, and continue on to KSC the
same day.
|
| 457.122 | Post=flight condition, new carbon brakes status | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed May 02 1990 17:07 | 94 |
| Path: shlump.nac.dec.com!e2big.dec.com!decwrl!looking!clarinews
From: clarinews@clarinet.com
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space,clari.news.aviation,clari.news.bulletin
Subject: Discovery in good shape
Keywords: space, science, air transport, transportation
Message-ID: <118Rshuttle_100@clarinet.com>
Date: 30 Apr 90 21:09:21 GMT
Lines: 75
Approved: clarinews@clarinet.com
Xref: shlump.nac.dec.com clari.tw.space:149 clari.news.aviation:254 clari.news.bulletin:64
ACategory: usa
Slugword: shuttle
Priority: regular
Format: breaking
X-Supersedes: <117Rshuttle_100@clarinet.com>
ANPA: Wc: 836; Id: a2439; Sel: na--a; Adate: 4-30-5ped; Ver: sub
Codes: ynssbxx., ybtabxx.
Note: (4grafsub3rdgraf xxx the ship; picksup8thgraf: other than -- fixing
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (UPI) -- The shuttle Discovery's new
all-carbon brakes showed no signs of damage after landing Sunday, but
officials said Monday many more California touchdowns are needed before
shuttles can resume landings in Florida.
``The brakes, they were excellent,'' said John ``Tip'' Talone, the
engineer in charge of Discovery's ground processing. ``There was no sign
of any heating, no sign of any damage and they looked essentially just
like they looked when we put them on the ship.
But Discovery skipper Loren Shriver did not pump the brakes very
hard for their first test and while their post-landing condition is
encouraging, ``obviously we're going to need several more data points on
carbon brakes'' before shuttle landings resume in Florida, Talone said.
``I think carbon brakes still have to prove themselves and I know
that is a big condition to landing at (the Kennedy Space Center),'' he
said. ``But I think everybody believes they're one of the best things
that have happened to us in the brake world.''
Discovery and its four-man, one-woman crew blasted off April 24 and
landed Sunday at Edwards to close out a successful five-day mission
highlighted by the deployment of the $1.5 billion Hubble Space Telescope
last Wednesday.
The spacecraft is scheduled to be flow back to Florida on a
transport plane this weekend.
Talone said the veteran spaceplane came through its 10th mission in
good condition with minimal tire damage and only a half-dozen
heat-shield tiles that might need replacement.
Other than a small rocket thruster that developed a leak shortly
after launch and work to troubleshoot an apparently minor glitch with
one of the shuttle's three electrical generators, Talone said Discovery
was in the best shape of any shuttle to date after a landing.
``It is the best yet,'' he said. ``The fact of the matter is, each
time we fly one of these things it appears that it gets even better.
We're really getting a clean vehicle back, we really are. It was an
excellent flight.''
The final objective of Discovery's mission was the first flight
test of the new all-carbon brakes, developed as part of an extensive
program to improve safety and to allow shuttles eventually to resume
landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Landings in Florida have been banned since 1985 when one of
Discovery's right-side brakes locked up after touchdown in a stiff
crosswind. The new brakes tested Sunday brought Discovery to a smooth
stop after being subjected to relatively minimal braking energy.
``Our intent was not to work them real hard, but to put normal
pressure on them,'' shuttle chief William Lenoir said Sunday. ``They
worked very well. Loren Shriver said they felt good. They felt firm and
comfortable.''
The new carbon brakes are the result of a major drive by NASA to
eliminate potentially dangerous and definitely costly wear and tear that
had become routine during the pre-Challenger era.
The last shuttle landing in Florida came April 19, 1985, the two
brakes on Discovery's right landing gear locked up and a tire blew out
after commander Karol Bobko used varying brake power during the
crosswind to bring the spaceship back to the runway's centerline.
With the wind blowing from the right, Bobko applied about 40
million foot pounds of energy to the shuttle's right-side brakes -- twice
as much as on the left side -- to steer the big space freighter down the
runway.
The brakes locked up and the tire blew out seconds before the
shuttle rolled to a stop and as a result, all subsequent shuttle flights
have been diverted to the broad, more forgiving runways at Edwards until
the landing gear system can be beefed up to improve safety.
The first stage involved the implementation of nose wheel steering,
thicker axles less susceptible to flexing at touchdown and improvements
to the landing gear hydraulic system to ensure even braking.
The second stage was the design, manufacture and test of the new
all-carbon brakes, which debuted Sunday with Discovery's landing at
Edwards.
While similar to the older carbon-lined beryllium brakes used in
the past, the new design has a longer life expectancy -- up to 20
landings or more before replacement -- and can withstand temperatures of
up to 2,100 degrees. The normal operating range for a shuttle landing is
just 1,200 degrees.
In addition, shuttle commanders will be able to apply the new
brakes at landing speeds of up to 260 mph. The old brakes could not be
used above about 207 mph.
|
| 457.123 | Postflight activities, Crew press conference on NASA Select | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed May 02 1990 22:13 | 86 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Orbiter Status Report for 05/02/90 [#3] (Forwarded)
Message-ID: <48523@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 2 May 90 20:26:20 GMT
Sender: usenet@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Lines: 37
DISCOVERY -- STS-31 -- ORBITER STATUS REPORT # 3 MAY 2, 1990
DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER, CALIF.
Work on the orbiter Discovery continues today with efforts
being concentrated on the aft end work necessary to support the
OMS/RCS thruster removal. Preparations continue for thruster
drying and flight cap removal. Following this, the oxidizer
manifold purge will commence later tonight. The thruster is
scheduled to be removed tomorrow. Following the eight hour
operation, it will be sent to the vendor for a complete analysis
prior to being returned to KSC.
Today, installation of the ferry flight fittings is in work,
the Shuttle's main engine covers will be removed and airlock
closeouts will be performed.
Operations to drain the hypergolic propellants from the
orbiter began last night and will continue through tomorrow.
Also, cryogenic offload of the PRSD tanks has been
completed. Follow-on purge, warm-up, and re-pressurization of the
onboard tanks was completed last night. Also overnight, covers
were installed on the orbiter's startracker and a routine
inspection of the ET attach area was made.
Overnight, engineers completed the pre-ferry flight Thermal
Protection System waterproofing. A review of the TPS ferry flight
constraints list will be made today.
Ferry flight managers are continuing to track for a Saturday
morning departure from Edwards Air Force Base of Discovery atop
the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. Plans call for a two hour re-
fueling stop at Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, before
completing the final leg of the trip to Kennedy Space Center.
===============================================================================
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: STS-31 postflight crew press conference set (Forwarded)
Message-ID: <48524@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 2 May 90 20:29:22 GMT
Sender: usenet@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Lines: 29
Ed Campion
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. May 2, 1990
(Phone: 202/453-8536)
Barbara Schwartz
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone: 713/483-5111)
RELEASE: N90-30
EDITORS NOTE: STS-31 POSTFLIGHT CREW PRESS CONFERENCE SET
The STS-31 astronaut crew will meet with news media at the
Johnson Space Center on Wednesday, May 9, to discuss the recent
mission to deploy the Hubble Space Telescope. The event will
begin at noon EDT and consist of a slide and video presentation
by the astronauts, followed by media questions.
News media may participate in JSC building 2, room 135, or
via two-way communications from NASA Headquarters, Washington,
D.C., the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., the
Kennedy Space Center, Fla., or the Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, Ala.
Live NASA Select television coverage will be carried on
Satcom F2R, transponder 13, 72 degrees west longitude, frequency
3960.0 MHz.
|
| 457.124 | STS-31 Update - May 3 | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Thu May 03 1990 18:16 | 65 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 05/03/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 3 May 90 16:45:02 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, May 3, 1990 Audio Service: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Thursday, May 3:
Work progresses smoothly on the space shuttle Discovery for a
Saturday arrival at the Kennedy Space Center. The STS-31
astronaut crew will meet with news media at the Johnson Space
Center next week, Wednesday, May 9, to discuss the recent mission
and the successful release of the Hubble Space Telescope. The
noon conference will highlight the mission with a slide and video
presentation by the crew and media questions. The Discovery
achieved the record high altitude at 330 nautical miles.
********
At Kennedy Space Center, workers have completed a hot fire test
of the auxiliary power unit #3 on the orbiter Columbia. Because
the rotating service structure was rolled back for the hot fire
test, the payload bay doors were closed and will remain so until
the ordnance devices are installed on Columbia over the
weekend. The payload bay doors will be opened Monday to permit
Argon servicing to the Astro-1 payload. The target launch date
remains May 17.
********
Technology 2000, NASA's first national technology conference,
will highlight new ideas on November 27 and 28. Speakers and
exhibitors will focus on research in the Mission to Planet Earth
and the National AeroSpace Plane as well as activities involved
in the lunar base and the Mission to Mars. Also, potential
commercial applications that will provide innovative ways to
improve daily life will showcase the event.
********
NASA's new mobile teacher resource center, LASER will be on
display tomorrow and open to hundreds of District of Columbia
teachers during the U.S Department of Education's tenth
anniversary celeration. Teachers and students are encouraged to
tour this new resource and attend the ceremony at noon in front
of the NASA/Education building at 400 Maryland Street.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are Eastern.
Wednesday, May 9:
12:00 Noon STS-31 crew post flight
news confernce at Johnson
Space Center.
Thursday, May 10:
11:31 A.M. NASA Update will be transmitted.
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
Please note, due to coverage of the STS-31 flight scheduled for
May 16, NASA Update will transmit next week, May 24.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12:00
Noon, EDT. This is a service of the Internal Communications
Branch, NASA Headquarters.
|
| 457.125 | STS-31 Update - May 3 | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Fri May 04 1990 15:38 | 38 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Orbiter Status Report for 05/03/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 3 May 90 21:21:49 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
DISCOVERY -- STS-31 -- ORBITER STATUS REPORT # 3 - MAY 3, 1990
DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER, CALIF.
Turn around work on the orbiter Discovery continues today as
engineers prepare for a Saturday morning, May 5, departure from
Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The modified 747 Shuttle Carrier
Aircraft with the orbiter bolted on top is scheduled to make a two
hour re-fueling stop at Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas,
before completing the final leg of its trip to Kennedy Space Center,
Fla. Based on an early morning departure, ferry flight managers hope
to make the cross-country trip in a single day.
A Saturday morning departure depends on progress today to
remove an OMS/RCS thruster from the orbiter's aft end. The day-long
operation commenced this morning and the thruster is expected to be in
the hands of the vendor for malfunction analysis by late afternoon.
Follow-up operations are scheduled to be completed by mid-night tonight.
After thruster removal, work access stands will be retracted,
covers on the Shuttle's main engines will be removed and the tail cone
will be installed over the three engines.
Hypergolic propellant drain and offload operations continue in
parallel with thruster operations today and are scheduled to be
completed by late tonight.
Power checks of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft are also on schedule
for today. Following completion of these checks, tomorrow the SCA will
be moved into position to begin mating operations with the orbiter
Friday evening.
|
| 457.126 | At Robins AFB | 33972::KWOODS | | Mon May 07 1990 13:06 | 8 |
| The space shuttle has spent the night at Robins AFB due to bad weather
in Florida. According to base ops, it is scheduled to leave at 10:30
for KSC.
According to the news, the shuttle can not fly through the rain? Is
this correct and if so, why??
Karen
|
| 457.127 | Suttle flying in the rain | 15372::LEPAGE | Life is a tale told by an idiot | Mon May 07 1990 14:07 | 9 |
| Re:.126
It is true that the shuttle is not suppose to fly through rain.
This is primarily because there is a chance that rain drops hitting the
thermal tiles at a few hundred miles per hour could damage them.
Whenever there is any reasonable chance of damage to the shuttle, NASA
will tend to be conservative if there is a choice.
Drew
|
| 457.128 | Discovery returns to KSC | 26523::KLAES | The Universe, or nothing! | Mon May 07 1990 22:33 | 62 |
| Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 05/07/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 7 May 90 21:30:49 GMT
Reply-To: yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, May 7, 1990 Audio Service: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is NASA Headline News for Monday, May 7:
The orbiter Discovery returns to Kennedy Space Center today following
a weather delayed cross-country flight from Dryden Flight Research
Facility. The southwestern United States was hit with severe
rainstorms again over the weekend. Stops were required in Texas and
Georgia. The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft with the Discovery aboard can
only fly in clear rainless weather during a cross country flight.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are Eastern.
Tuesday, May 8:
11:00 A.M. ROSAT news briefing
and satellite showing at KSC.
Launch date is May 31.
Wednesday, May 9:
12:00 Noon STS-31 crew post flight
news conference at Johnson
Space Center.
1:49 P.M. DARPA launch of Scout/MACSAT's.
Thursday, May 10:
11:30 A.M. NASA UPDATE will be transmitted.
Friday, May 11:
11:00 A.M. Dr. Clifford Stoll, author of
"The Cuckoo's Egg" will lecture
on computer security.
Monday, May 14-16:
9-11:00 A.M. STS-35 Pre-Launch Briefing.
Please note: Due to coverage of the STS-35/ASTRO-1 flight
scheduled for May 17 at 12:45 A.M. NASA Update will transmit the
next week on May 24.
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NASA Select TV: Satcom F2R, Transponder 13, 72 Degrees West
Longitude, Audio 6.8, Frequency 3960 MHz.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12:00
Noon, EDT. This is a service of the Internal Communications
Branch, NASA Headquarters.
|
| 457.129 | Re: .95 - The valve glitch | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Mon May 14 1990 23:34 | 114 |
| [From Risks Digest 9.88]
Date: 1 May 90 19:52:42 CDT (Tue)
From: karl@sugar.hackercorp.com (Karl Lehenbauer)
Subject: Software Bug Causes Shuttle Countdown Hold at T-31 Seconds
According to Aviation Week (April 30, 1990, pg. 24), a software problem caused
a three minute hold at T-31 during the launch countdown of the shuttle mission
that orbited the Hubble Space Telescope on April 24th.
At T-48 seconds, newly written software detected that the outboard external
tank liquid oxygen fill and drain valve was open when it should have been
closed. The ground launch sequencer (GLS) stopped the countdown clock at
T-31 seconds.
George T. (Ted) Sasseen, director of shuttle engineering, said that the
software changes were made after an incident that occurred on April 2nd,
where a pipe burst and sprayed water over a 4,000 volt motor control
assembly, shorting it and causing the launch processing system (LPS)
control room to go down, prompting concern that the LPS could lose power
in the last few seconds of the countdown. Sasseen said that unless oxygen
is drained within nine minutes after the flow is stopped, a phenomenon
called "geysering" could rupture plumbing and destroy the tank.
"So the fix was to put a purge in that [liquid oxygen] line
and to put a small gas pad in it. We did that by hand after
the inboard valve was closed and before the outboard valve
was closed. The GLS sent its 'close outboard' command at
48 sec."
He said that about 10 sec. after this happened, "everyone
looked around and said, 'Oh boy. We were dumb.'..."
Sasseen said the processing team violated one of its own
cardinal rules that says: Never make a software change
unless you can run it many, many times in simulations and
tests. He said, "There are oddities about software changes
that you don't always get the first time through. And the
basic rule we violated is that it wasn't tested enough."
He said the purge/gas pad software may be removed because it
is unlikely that there would be a total launch processing
system launch between T-31 sec. and T-0. "But I want to
emphasize that the software safed the system as it was
supposed to."
To their credit, the system engineers were able to determine what the problem
was and fix it within three minutes. A more cautious approach might have been
to scrub the launch until a more careful analysis and review was performed.
-------
[I picked this up some time ago.. This seems like a nice place to record it. The
real-time version of the above problem. -dg]
From: techpubs@PRC.Unisys.COM (Technical Pub. Vince Short)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: STS31 Launch Hold At T-31 Seconds
Message-ID: <13685@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM>
Date: 25 Apr 90 13:35:09 GMT
Organization: Unisys Corporation, Paoli Research Center; Paoli, PA
Lines: 48
. Countdown will hold at T-31 seconds due to a failure. .
. Its the LO2 outboard fill and drain valve. .
. Its LPC MPS8 and PD9 outboard fill and drain closed power is off, it should
be on. .
. Recommendation? .
. We're in a no-go situation, we should have open power and we do not, er,
excuse me, closed power. .
. And MPS can we verify that the valve is closed? .
. Negative, we right now show an open position. We can not verify that the
valve is closed. .
. We have the closed power on and the open position off, we can try cycle one
time and try to pick up the closed position but ah we don't think its closed
power. .
. OK and MPS we have a message that we were blocked by a prerequisite
sequence DCL18. .
. (Garbled) .
. Ah, holding 2 minutes. .
. We're going to make an attempt to pressure(?) that valve closed, we've got
the (?) off, at this point we should be in good shape. .
. I copy. Proceed. .
. The valve is closed, we're go. .
. OK and we're (?) going to pick up here in the terminal sequence, MPS? .
. That's affirmative here, we're go, we're in good shape. .
. OK you have a go to proceed. .
. GLS pick up the count immediately. .
. I copy. Mark. GLS is go for auto-sequence start. .
. 25 . . . 20 . . . 15 . . . Go for main engine start . . T-6 . 5 . 4 . 3 .
2 . 1 . and liftoff. .
And NASA follows through with a picture perfect lift off and orbital
insertion of Discovery and its HST cargo. So, can anyone out there interpret
what was going on here? Was there a problem with the closure of the LOX fill
and drain valve? Or was it a faulty indicator? Or was it "blocked by a
prerequisite"? And if it was is that a software glitch or what? Anyone care
to explain? .
The above was transcribed from a tape recording of the amateur radio
rebroadcast of Shuttle audio from Goddard Space Flight Center. All acronyms
are questionable and I tried to pick out the content from in between the
statements by the announcer who kept speaking over the important
communications. But perhaps it is good enough for someone who knows what's
going on to explain it to the rest of us interrested observers. .
. .
. Joseph M. Fedock .
. Technical Publications .
. Unisys Corporation .
. Defense Systems/EISG/VFO .
. Paoli, PA 19301 .
. (215) 648-2495 .
. techpubs@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM .
|
| 457.130 | | 19458::FISHER | Prune Juice: A Warrior's Drink! | Tue May 15 1990 16:21 | 17 |
| I read the s/w explanation in AWST also, and I did not get it.
"So the fix was to put a purge in that [liquid oxygen] line
and to put a small gas pad in it. We did that by hand after
the inboard valve was closed and before the outboard valve
was closed. The GLS sent its 'close outboard' command at
48 sec."
Is a purge a valve? Or is it a procedure? What is a gas pad? Here they
say the gls send the close command at t-48. Earlier, they say that it detected
the open condition at t-48.
Does anyone follow this? Does anyone even know what the ground controllers
did to fix the problem?
Burns
|
| 457.131 | Shuttle film fogged | 4347::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue May 22 1990 15:50 | 79 |
| From: clarinews@clarinet.com (WILLIAM HARWOOD, UPI Science Writer)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space,clari.news.aviation,clari.news.military,clari.news.top
Subject: Shuttle film fogged
Keywords: space, science, air transport, transportation, air force,
Message-ID: <Ushuttle_113@clarinet.com>
Date: 19 May 90 16:32:01 GMT
Lines: 72
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (UPI) -- Some of the color film carried into a
record high orbit aboard the shuttle Discovery last month was fogged by
space radiation but officials say the crew was not in any danger.
Discovery and its five-member crew were launched into a
380-mile-high circular orbit April 24 to deploy the $1.5 billion Hubble
Space Telescope high above Earth's obscuring atmosphere.
At that altitude, roughly twice as high as shuttles typically fly,
the astronauts were exposed to more radiation than usual from the Van
Allen belts, doughnut-shaped clouds of charged particles that spiral
about magnetic field lines between the north and south magnetic poles.
The belts begin in earnest about 600 miles up and Discovery flew
closer to them than any previous shuttle flight.
Arnauld Nicogossian, director of life sciences at NASA headquarters
in Washington, said Friday the radiation the Discovery crew was exposed
to during the mission was ``like having several chest X-rays.''
Among the film that apparently was damaged by exposure to space
radiation: spectacular high-resolution 70 mm ``IMAX'' footage shot for a
commercial film designed to be shown on giant seven-story-tall screens.
``Apparently, there was some radiation damage,'' said a NASA
official in Washington.
One of the experiments launched aboard Discovery involved a human
skull loaded with sensors in an continuing project to characterize the
threat posed by space radiation for crews on long-duration or
high-altitude flights.
Andrei Konradi, a radiation expert at the Johnson Space Center in
Houston, said data from the skull had not been analyzed but readings
from dosimeters mounted in the crew cabin showed a total exposure over
the five-day flight of about 1.8 ``rad.''
``Rad'' stands for ``radiation abosorbed dose'' and the unit is
used to describe the amount of radiation actually absorbed by a
substance.
``The dosimeter at location No. 2, on the starboard wall of the
crew cabin, which probably gets the highest exposure of all the passive
dosimeters we have, read something like 1.8 or so rad,'' Konradi said.
``We expected just about that. We expected a fairly high dose on this
mission.''
Nicogossian said astronauts on previous long-duration missions like
those aboard the Skylab space station in the 1970s received far more
radiation than Discovery's crew.
``If you look at the previous missions, the long-duration missions,
they can get up to 10 rads, cumulative dose,'' he said.
A physics textbook said an exposure to between 20 and 50 rad would
cause ``some blood changes; 100-250 R, severe illness but recovery
within six months; 400 R, fatal to 50 percent of the persons affected.''
Konradi said Discovery's crew was not in any danger from the
radiation they were exposed to during the mission.
``It's not something I'm overly concerned about,'' Discovery
co-pilot Charles Bolden said before launch. ``I feel the gain from this
is far greater than the risk.''
Officials with IMAX Systems Corp. could not be reached for comment
Friday on the condition of their film, but a NASA manager in Washington
said the fogging only affected some of the footage.
``I haven't seen their footage yet,'' he said. ``The way they talk
about it, most of it is useable and generally speaking, they're more
critical than most people. We're expecting to see that footage here next
week.''
Other NASA film aboard the shuttle also was slightly fogged by
radiation exposure, according to William Robbins at the Johnson Space
Center.
``We had some minor fogging on our film,'' he said. ``It was not to
the extent where we lost any or there was any noticable damage to the
image. The film that was affected was the color negative film because it
has a lot of silver in it.
``We do know the exposure inside the spacecraft was within the
limits that were expected for the mission and were safe for the
astronauts.''
He said NASA workers plan to assemble a data base on radiation
exposures for different altitudes ``so we can anticipate on different
missions what type of exposure you could expect film to get.''
As for the film aboard Discovery, Robbins said, ``I'd rather have
my film go through that than the Frankfort (West Germany) airport.''
|