| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 951.1 | | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Tue Jan 09 1996 06:21 | 14 |
|
Any news on this ??
What with the American Government employees pay wrangle, Christmas
and another American Government employees wrangle , ( is the
snow/weather affecting it as well ? ) news has been in extremely short
supply here in the UK. So short I havn't heard anything !!
PS. American Government employees pay wrangle comment is aimed the
leaders of the said country, not the actually affected people, who
I have doubt have nothing to wrangle and would just like their
money. :-).
|
| 951.2 | | skylab.zko.dec.com::FISHER | Minister of Acronyms, Holder of Past Knowledge, DNRC | Tue Jan 09 1996 16:02 | 7 |
| I heard that they declared all the shuttle folks "essential" and made them come
in without pay. Of course now that things are settled for another couple of
weeks the pay will be forthcoming.
Anyway, it appears that the launch will not be delayed by the debacle.
Burns
|
| 951.3 | | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Wed Jan 10 1996 06:44 | 46 |
| Typical, the very next day - information coming through now !!
Mission Objectives:
The primary objective of the STS-72 mission is to capture and return to
Earth a Japanese research spacecraft known as Space Flyer Unit (SFU).
SFU was launched by Japan's National Space Development Agency (NASDA)
from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan on March 18, 1995 aboard a
Japanese H-2 rocket. The mission will also deploy and retrieve the
Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology Flyer (OAST-Flyer)
spacecraft.
OAST-Flyer is the seventh in a series of missions aboard reuseable
free-flying Spartan carriers. It consists of four experiments: Return
Flux Experiment (REFLEX), Global Positioning System Attitude
Determination and Control Experiment (GADACS), Solar Exposure to Laser
Ordnance Device ( SELODE) and Spartan Packet Radio Experiment (SPRE).
Other experiments onboard STS-72 include SSBUV-8, EDFT-03,
SLA-01/GAS(5), VDA-2, PARE/NIH-R, Space Tissue Loss Experiment (
STL/NIH-C), Pool Boiling Experiment (PBE) (hardware previously flown on
STS-47, STS-57 and STS-60) and the Thermal Energy Storage (TES-2)
experiment (previously flown on STS-69). Endeavour's 10th flight also
include two spacewalks.
Launch:
Launch January 11, 1996 at 4:18am EST (ESTIMATED). Launch window is 49
min 30sec and extends until 5:07:30 a.m. EST. The exact length of the
window may vary slightly depending on the location of the Japanese
Space Flyer Unit. (ReferenceKSC Press Release 1-96).
The countdown started on time at 7:30 am in Firing Room 1 of the Launch
Control Complex (LCC) at the T-43 hour mark. The astronaut crew landed
at the Shuttle Landing Facility at 9:30am on 1/8/96 ( Reference KSC
Shuttle Status 1/08/1996). The countdown includes 25 hours and 48
minutes of built-in holds. (ReferenceKSC Press Release 2-96).
On 11/28/95, work continued to prepare Endeavour for rollover to the
Vehicle Assembly Building at about 10 a.m. Wednesday 11/29/95. The
payload bay doors were closed and the vehicle rested on the orbiter
transporter. Final preparations in work on 11/28/95 included topping
off pressure in the landing gear tires and making final weight and
center of gravity assessments. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status
11/28/1995).
|
| 951.4 | STS 72 EVAs | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Wed Jan 10 1996 14:38 | 100 |
| 951.5 | On-time launch! | STRATA::PHILLIPS | Music of the spheres. | Thu Jan 11 1996 11:36 | 3 |
| Heard on the 6am news - they're off!
--Eric--
|
| 951.6 | | skylab.zko.dec.com::FISHER | Minister of Acronyms, Holder of Past Knowledge, DNRC | Thu Jan 11 1996 15:13 | 5 |
| Actually, it was 22 (or some such) minutes late due to some com difficulties
with TDRSS. (Heard on the 6:30 news :-)
Burns
|
| 951.7 | Mission Control Status Report #1 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Fri Jan 12 1996 06:10 | 40 |
| Mission Control Status Report #1
STS-72
Thursday, January 11, 1996 6:30 a.m.
Endeavour lit up the Florida sky as it rocketed into orbit at 3:41
a.m. CST today on a Japanese satellite retrieval mission. The launch
was delayed 23 minutes due to communication configuration problems
between the Mission Control Center in Houston and ground control
stations near the launch site. The problems were quickly resolved and
Endeavour embarked on its 10th flight and the first flight of the new
year. Today's launch also marked the 74th shuttle launch in the
program's history.
At launch time, the Japanese Space Flyer Unit satellite was over
central Australia, about 7,961 nautical miles ahead of Endeavour. The
six member crew is expected to grapple and capture the satellite early
Saturday morning.
Once on orbit, the astronauts began to configure Endeavour for
on-orbit operations. The shuttle's payload bay doors were opened
about 90 minutes into the flight, followed by a 'go' for
on-orbit operations from flight director Jeff Bantle.
During the nine day mission, the international crew will retrieve the
SFU, a science satellite launched by the Japanese last
March. Additionally, the crew will deploy and retrieve a second
spacecraft carrying NASA-sponsored experiments. Later in the mission
crew members Dan Barry, Leroy Chiao and Winston Scott, will conduct
two six-hour spacewalks to test tools and procedures that will be used
in the assembly and maintenance of the International Space Station.
The astronauts will begin an eight-hour sleep period at 11:11
a.m. CST, and will receive a wake-up call from Mission Control at 7:11
p.m. today to begin their first full day on orbit.
All systems on board Endeavour are performing well with the shuttle
traveling around the Earth in a 246 x 95 nautical mile orbit.
|
| 951.8 | Collision avoidance system apparently working fine.. :) | NETCAD::BATTERSBY | | Fri Jan 12 1996 15:16 | 23 |
| There was also another very minor hold at about 5 hrs before
launch, when the FDO (Flight Dynamics Officer), sent a Predicted
OMS-2 TIG state vector to Norad (now called SPADOC), for them to run
a collision analysis (COLA). SPADOC sent a message back saying there
was some space debris in the path of the shuttl launch. Apparently
there is a football shaped spheroid (size of which I am not sure of),
which NASA defines and when sending a state vector prior to launch
determines that nothing could encroach that spheroid when the shuttle
reaches orbit. So they had to hold for a few minutes to get this data
back from SPADOC.
Now apparently early this morning (about 1:30 or so) Endeavour's
Commander Duffy had to do a small burn to avoid getting too close
to a non-working Air Force Satellite launched in May 1994 called MSTI.
If they hadn't done the small orbit maneuver they would have come within
8/10ths of a mile of this satellite. So they did the OMS burn so that
the closest they would come is 5-6 miles. Now what I don't know is
if the distances in each case are distances relative to the threshold
of entering the aformentioned football shaped spheroid, or whether the
5-6 mile limit is the absolute distance between the orbiter and the
other satellite. In any case they have safely steered clear of some
space debris. Fun stuff.
Bob
|
| 951.9 | NASA TV schedule | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Fri Jan 12 1996 17:32 | 440 |
|
[Downloaded from NASA Spacelink]
*********************************************************************
NASA TELEVISION SCHEDULE
STS-72/SFU Retrieval/OAST-Flyer
01/05/96
*********************************************************************
NASA Television programming can be accessed through GTE Spacenet 2,
transponder 5. The frequency is 3880 MHz with an orbital position
of 69 degrees West Longitude. This is a full transponder service
and will be operational 24 hours a day.
This NASA TV schedule of mission coverage is available on Comstore,
the mission TV schedule computer bulletin board service. Call
713/483-5817, and follow the prompts to access this service. The
schedule is also available via the Internet. The address is
FTP://FTP.HQ.NASA.GOV/PUB/PAO/STATRPT/JSC/TVSKED/TVSKED.TXT.
*********************************************************************
****** PROGRAMMING NOTE ******
For STS-72 the Johnson Space Center Public Affairs Office will not
provide commentary on mission activities between the hours of
approximately 10am and 6pm Central Time while the astronauts are
asleep. During that time views of the Earth from Endeavour, and
views of Mission Control will be carried on NASA TV. A Public
Affairs Officer will be on call and available to return to Mission
Control on short notice, if necessary. Programming information will
be carried in the form of graphic advisories on NASA TV during the
period the Public Affairs Console is unstaffed.
During STS-72, some elements of mission programming may be affected
due to the continuing lack of appropriations for NASA because of the
government budget impasse. The daily Mission Status Briefing,
Mission Update and Flight Day Video File may be subject to
cancellation.
----------------------------- WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10 -----------------
L -1 DAY
SUBJECT SITE CST
------- ---- ---
NASA TELEVISION COVERAGE BEGINS KSC 10:00 PM
----------------------------- THURSDAY, JANUARY 11 ------------------
FD 1
ORBIT SUBJECT SITE MET CST
----- ------- ---- --- ---
LAUNCH KSC 00/00:00 03:18 AM
NASA TELEVISION ORIGINATION JSC 00/00:05 03:23 AM
SWITCHED TO JSC
MECO 00/00:09 03:27 AM
1 NASA TELEVISION ORIGINATION KSC 00/00:14 03:32 AM
SWITCHED TO KSC
1 LAUNCH REPLAYS KSC 00/00:14 03:32 AM
(APPROX. 5 MIN. AFTER MECO)
T=30:00
1 NASA TELEVISION ORIGINATION JSC 00/00:44 04:02 AM
SWITCHED TO JSC
1 NASA TELEVISION ORIGINATION KSC 00/01:12 04:30 AM
SWITCHED TO KSC
1 POST LAUNCH PRESS CONFERENCE KSC 00/01:12 04:30 AM
2 NASA TELEVISION ORIGINATION JSC 00/01:42 05:00 AM
SWITCHED TO JSC
2 Ku BAND ANTENNA DEPLOY & ACTIVATION 00/03:55 07:13 AM
(not televised)
4 "MISSION UPDATE" JSC 00/04:12 07:30 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
5 NASA TELEVISION ORIGINATION KSC 00/04:42 08:00 AM
SWITCHED TO KSC
5 ENGINEERING LAUNCH REPLAYS KSC 00/04:42 08:00 AM
T=30:00
5 NASA TELEVISION ORIGINATION JSC 00/05:12 08:30 AM
SWITCHED TO JSC
5 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE JSC 00/06:42 10:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
5 CREW SLEEP 00/07:30 10:48 AM
8 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 00/10:42 02:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
9 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 00/12:42 04:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
11 CREW WAKE UP 00/15:30 06:48 PM
----------------------------- FRIDAY, JANUARY 12 --------------------
FD 2
17 MIDDECK ACTIVITIES TDRW 01/01:55 05:13 AM
T=17:00
18 MIDDECK ACTIVITIES TDRE 01/02:25 05:43 AM
T=30:00
20 "MISSION UPDATE" JSC 01/05:42 09:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
20 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING JSC 01/06:42 10:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
21 CREW SLEEP 01/07:00 10:18 AM
21 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE JSC 01/08:12 11:30 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
22 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 01/10:42 02:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
25 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 01/12:42 04:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
26 CREW WAKE UP 01/15:00 06:18 PM
28 SFU RENDEZVOUS OPERATIONS TDRE 01/17:14 08:32 PM
(may not be televised live)
29 CONFIGURE Ku FOR RADAR MODE 01/19:38 10:56 PM
----------------------------- SATURDAY, JANUARY 13 ------------------
FD 3
32 CONFIGURE Ku FOR COMM MODE 02/00:05 03:23 AM
32 SFU GRAPPLE TDRE 02/00:20 03:38 AM
(may not be televised live)
32 SFU BERTHING TDRW 02/00:40 03:58 AM
(may not be televised live)
33 VTR DUMP SFU GRAPPLE TDRW 02/01:40 04:58 AM
T=20:00
33 JAPANESE VIP CALL TDRE 02/02:20 05:38 AM
T=15:00
35 "MISSION UPDATE" JSC 02/05:42 09:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
36 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING JSC 02/06:42 10:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
36 CREW SLEEP 02/07:00 10:18 AM
37 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE JSC 02/08:12 11:30 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
39 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 02/10:42 02:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
40 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 02/12:42 04:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
41 CREW WAKE UP 02/15:00 06:18 PM
----------------------------- SUNDAY, JANUARY 14 --------------------
FD 4
49 OAST-FLYER DEPLOY OPERATIONS TDRW 03/01:25 04:43 AM
(may not be televised live)
49 CONFIGURE Ku FOR RADAR MODE 03/02:15 05:33 AM
49 OAST-FLYER DEPLOY 03/02:25 05:43 AM
(may not be televised live)
50 CONFIGURE Ku FOR COMM MODE 03/03:25 06:43 AM
51 "MISSION UPDATE" JSC 03/05:42 09:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
52 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING JSC 03/06:42 10:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
52 CREW SLEEP 03/07:00 10:18 AM
53 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE JSC 03/08:12 11:30 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
54 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 03/10:42 02:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
56 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 03/12:42 04:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
57 CREW WAKE UP 03/15:00 06:18 PM
61 AIRLOCK EGRESS TDRW 03/19:45 11:03 PM
T=15:00
61 EVA 1 ACTIVITIES TDRE 03/20:00 11:18 PM
T=35:00
----------------------------- MONDAY, JANUARY 15 --------------------
FD 5
62 EVA 1 ACTIVITIES TDRW/E 03/20:55 12:13 AM
T=75:00
62 EVA 1 ACTIVITIES TDRW 03/22:30 01:48 AM
T=19:00
63 EVA 1 ACTIVITIES TDRW/E 03/22:55 02:13 AM
T=61:00
64 EVA 1 ACTIVITIES TDRW/E 04/00:06 03:24 AM
T=76:00
65 AIRLOCK INGRESS TDRW 04/01:50 05:08 AM
T=15:00
67 "MISSION UPDATE" JSC 04/05:42 09:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
68 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING JSC 04/06:42 10:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
68 CREW SLEEP 04/07:00 10:18 AM
69 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE JSC 04/08:12 11:30 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
70 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 04/10:42 02:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
72 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 04/12:42 04:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
73 CREW WAKE UP 04/15:00 06:18 PM
76 OAST-FLYER RETRIEVE OPERATIONS TDRE 04/18:20 09:38 PM
(may not be televised live)
77 CONFIGURE Ku FOR RADAR MODE 04/20:20 11:38 PM
----------------------------- TUESDAY, JANUARY 16 -------------------
FD 6
80 CONFIGURE Ku FOR COMM MODE 05/00:35 03:53 AM
80 OAST-FLYER GRAPPLE 05/00:32 03:50 AM
(may not be televised live)
80 OAST-FLYER BERTHING TDRE 05/00:42 04:00 AM
(may not be televised live)
83 "MISSION UPDATE" JSC 05/05:42 09:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
84 CREW SLEEP 05/06:30 09:48 AM
84 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING JSC 05/06:42 10:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
85 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE JSC 05/08:12 11:30 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
86 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 05/10:42 02:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
88 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 05/12:42 04:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
89 CREW WAKE UP 05/14:30 05:48 PM
92 AIRLOCK EGRESS 05/19:15 10:33 PM
(not televised)
93 EVA 2 ACTIVITIES TDRW 05/19:30 10:48 PM
T=15:00
----------------------------- WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17 -----------------
FD 7
92 EVA 2 ACTIVITIES TDRW 05/19:50 11:08 PM
T=30:00
94 EVA 2 ACTIVITIES TDRE 05/20:45 12:03 AM
T=12:00
94 EVA 2 ACTIVITIES TDRW 05/21:26 12:44 AM
T=33:00
95 EVA 2 ACTIVITIES TDRE 05/22:08 01:26 AM
T=14:00
95 EVA 2 ACTIVITIES TDRW 05/23:11 02:29 AM
T=19:00
96 EVA 2 ACTIVITIES TDRE 06/23:45 03:03 AM
T=26:00
96 EVA 2 ACTIVITIES TDRW 06/00:50 04:08 AM
T=21:00
96 AIRLOCK INGRESS TDRE 06/01:20 04:38 AM
T=15:00
99 "MISSION UPDATE" JSC 06/05:42 09:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
99 CREW SLEEP 06/06:30 09:48 AM
100 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING JSC 06/06:42 10:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
101 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE JSC 06/08:12 11:30 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
102 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 06/10:42 02:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
104 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 06/12:42 04:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
105 CREW WAKE UP 06/14:30 05:48 PM
----------------------------- THURSDAY, JANUARY 18 ------------------
FD 8
115 CREW SLEEP 07/05:30 08:48 AM
115 "MISSION UPDATE" JSC 07/05:42 09:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
116 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING JSC 07/06:42 10:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
117 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE JSC 07/08:12 11:30 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
118 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 07/09:42 01:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
120 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 07/11:42 03:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
120 CREW WAKE UP 07/13:30 04:48 PM
124 CREW NEWS CONFERENCE TDRW 07/20:00 11:18 PM
T=30:00
(Subject to cancellation)
----------------------------- FRIDAY, JANUARY 19 --------------------
FD 9
127 Ku BAND ANTENNA STOW 07/23:30 02:48 AM
(not televised)
131 CREW SLEEP 08/05:30 08:48 AM
131 "MISSION UPDATE" JSC 08/05:42 09:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
132 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING JSC 08/06:42 10:00 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
132 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE JSC 08/08:12 11:30 AM
(Subject to cancellation)
134 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 08/09:42 01:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
135 FLIGHT DAY VIDEO FILE REPLAY JSC 08/11:42 03:00 PM
(Subject to cancellation)
136 CREW WAKE UP 08/13:30 04:48 PM
----------------------------- SATURDAY, JANUARY 20 ------------------
FD 10
141 DEORBIT BURN 08/21:36 12:54 AM
(not televised)
142 KSC LANDING KSC 08/22:36 01:54 AM
LANDING REPLAYS KSC L+20 MIN
POST LANDING PRESS CONFERENCE JSC L+60 MIN
(Subject to cancellation)
ASTRONAUT POST LANDING KSC L+6 HRS
PRESS CONFERENCE
(includes CDR and available Crewmembers)
(Subject to cancellation)
*********************************************************************
DEFINITION OF TERMS
*********************************************************************
CDR: COMMANDER
CST: CENTRAL STANDARD TIME
EMU: EXTRAVEHICULAR MOBILITY UNIT
EVA: EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITY
FD: FLIGHT DAY
HRS: HOURS
JSC: JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
KSC: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
L: LAUNCH OR LANDING TIME
MECO: MAIN ENGINE CUT-OFF
MET: MISSION ELAPSED TIME. THE TIME WHICH BEGINS AT THE
MOMENT OF LAUNCH AND IS READ: DAYS/HOURS:MINUTES.
LAUNCH=00/00:00
MIN: MINUTE
OAST-FLYER: OFFICE OF AERONAUTICS AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY-FLYER
SATELLITE
RMS: REMOTE MANIPULATOR SYSTEM
SFU: SPACE FLYER UNIT (JAPANESE) SATELLITE
STS: SPACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
T=: TIME EQUIVALENT; USED FOR DURATION OF EVENT
TBD: TO BE DETERMINED
TDRE,W: TRACKING AND DATA RELAY SATELLITE, EAST AND WEST
TDRSS: TRACKING AND DATA RELAY SATELLITE SYSTEM
VTR: VIDEOTAPE RECORDER
|
| 951.10 | EVA Info | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Fri Jan 12 1996 18:38 | 109 |
| January 10, 1996 96-01
Missiles & Space
Public Relations Office
Contact: Andrea Lee (408) 742-7606
Email: andrealee@lmsc.lockheed.com
SHUTTLE CREW TO FLIGHT-TEST LOCKHEED MARTIN'S
SPACE STATION ASSEMBLY EQUIPMENT
SUNNYVALE, California, January 10, 1996 -- Astronauts
on this month's mission of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-
72, will conduct two space walks to test tools and equipment
developed by Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space (LMMS) that
eventually will be used to assemble and service the
International Space Station.
The tools and equipment are being produced by LMMS
under a five-year, $29 million contract with NASA's Johnson
Space Center.
In two, 6-1/2-hour space walks, or EVAs (extravehicular
activities), mission specialists Leroy Chiao, Daniel Barry,
and Winston Scott will take turns using a portable work
platform (PWP) designed to hold an astronaut and the tools
he or she will need to assemble the station or to perform
maintenance on it later.
"The PWP can be compared to the mobile, extendible
scaffolds used by construction crews to assemble or install
equipment in otherwise inaccessible locations," said Ed
Collins, LMMS extravehicular activity system project
manager.
"The PWP is more compact and provides much more utility
than a construction scaffold," he said. "It can be
positioned for optimum viewing and for working at both
planned and unplanned work sites around the station. The
platform also has provisions to hold space station equipment
that will be replaced during servicing, as well as the new
replacement equipment, and the tools and crew aids that will
be needed by a crewmember working alone and unassisted."
The first EVA will take place on day five of the
mission. Chiao and Barry will remove the three Portable Work
Platform hardware components from their restraining latches
in Endeavour's payload bay and assemble them to create the
PWP. Then they will install the platform onto the end of the
space shuttle Remote Manipulator System, or "robot arm," and
take turns using it to practice space station assembly and
servicing tasks. Pilot Brent Jett will operate the robot arm
from inside the shuttle, transporting Chiao and Barry to the
work site and positioning them to do the job.
In a second space walk two days later, Chiao and Scott
will further test the tools, methods, and hardware designs.
The PWP components include the LMMS-produced Temporary
Equipment Restraint Aid (TERA) and Portable Foot Restraint
Workstation Stanchion (PFRWS), plus the Articulating
Portable Foot Restraint (APFR) provided by LMMS sister
company, Lockheed Martin Services, in Houston.
The Temporary Equipment Restraint Aid provides a
stowage place for orbital replacement units (ORUs) and crew
support equipment and tools during assembly and maintenance
operations. The TERA attaches to the robot arm of the
shuttle or space station by a flight-releasable grapple
fixture.
The Articulating Portable Foot Restraint attaches to
the TERA to provide the crewmember with a stable work
platform. The crewmember can pitch the APFR from 45 degrees
forward to 90 degrees away from the worksite before getting
onto it and, without having to leave the APFR, he or she can
use foot pedals to rotate up to 90 degrees to the right or
left (roll) or up to 360 degrees clockwise or
counterclockwise (yaw).
The Portable Foot Restraint Workstation Stanchion
(PFRWS) attaches to the APFR. It rotates 360 degrees about
the APFR long axis and will pitch up to 30 degrees away from
the crewmember. The PFRWS provides a tool board support
assembly that can accommodate two outfitted tool boards,
four receptacles and slide locks for restraining additional
crew equipment and tools, and two rigid tether assembly
sockets for attaching ORU restraint tethers. It also helps a
crewmember enter and leave the APFR.
During the space walks, the crew will also evaluate
installation and removal of another LMMS-provided hardware
element, an on-orbit-installed slidewire assembly. The
slidewire provides a sliding EVA tether that can be used
along planned travel paths. The equipment is designed to be
installed by a crewmember working alone. It includes a
cable assembly with two standoff bracket assemblies and two
sliding tether loops for attaching crewmember safety
tethers. A special slidewire carrier permits the astronaut
to transport and play out a 13- or 24-foot slidewire cable
without the benefit of a foot restraint.
This will be the second of three shuttle flights to
feature LMMS space station EVA equipment. In April 1991, STS-
37 astronauts Jerry Ross and Jay Apt successfully tested the
company's Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) Cart and
Tether Shuttle inside the Atlantis payload bay. The two
devices were created to move astronauts and equipment around
outside the space station. Of three designs tested during a
six-hour space walk, the Lockheed Martin CETA Cart was
selected by NASA for the space station. It will be delivered
for launch in 1999.
Additional LMMS hardware critical to the assembly and
maintenance of the International Space Station will be
tested by the crew of Columbia in November 1996 during STS-
80, and the STS-72 Portable Work Platform hardware will be
flown again for additional evaluation and to test
improvements incorporated as a result of the Endeavour
mission.
# # #
|
| 951.11 | Mission Control Status Report #2 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Mon Jan 15 1996 06:18 | 38 |
| Mission Control Status Report #2
STS-72
Thursday, January 11, 1996 5 p.m.
After a flawless launch, Endeavour is well on its way toward the first
primary objective of its flight -- the retrieval on Saturday of the
Japanese Space Flyer Unit satellite and its cargo of long-term space
experiments.
The crew -- Commander Brian Duffy, Pilot Brent Jett and Mission
Specialist Leroy Chiao, Winston Scott, Koichi Wakata and Dan Barry --
set up shop in orbit early today and checked out systems that will be
used during the SFU retrieval. Wakata put the shuttle's mechanical arm
through its paces in a thorough check out, finding all of the
equipment in good shape. Duffy checked out the aft cockpit controls he
will use to rendezvous with the satellite and found them ready and
able as well.
The crew also activated many of the secondary experiments aboard
Endeavour, including the Get-Away Special packages in the cargo bay,
the Shuttle Laser Altimeter and the Commercial Protein Crystal
Growth. Duffy also completed the first in the series of engine firings
that, during the next two days, will culminate in Endeavour's
rendezvous with the SFU.
The small engine firing slightly raised the low point of Endeavour's
orbit, adjusting the rate at which the shuttle is closing in on the
satellite. At 5 p.m. CST, Endeavour was trailing the SFU by about
8,100 nautical miles, continuing to close in at a rate of more than
750 nautical miles with each 90 minute orbit of Earth.
The crew began an eight-hour sleep period at 11:11 a.m. CST and will
awaken for Day 2 of STS-72 at 7:11 p.m. CST. The Johnson Space Center
newsroom will be closed from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. CST today. Mission
commentary on NASA Television will resume at crew wakeup.
|
| 951.12 | STS-72 Status Report # 3 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Mon Jan 15 1996 06:19 | 60 |
| STS-72 Status Report # 3
Mission Control Center
Friday, January 12, 5am CST
Endeavour's six astronauts spent their first full day in orbit
activating secondary experiments and checking out the spacesuits they
will wear next week during a pair of 6 1/2 hour spacewalks.
Commander Brian Duffy, Pilot Brent Jett and Mission Specialists Leroy
Chiao, Winston Scott, Koichi Wakata and Dan Barry were awakened at
7:11 Central time Thursday night to the music from the motion picture
"Star Wars." At the time the astronauts were awakened, Endeavour
trailed the Japanese Space Flyer Unit satellite by about 6600 nautical
miles and was closing the distance between itself and the 4-ton
science satellite by about 762 nautical miles per orbit.
Wakata is scheduled to use Endeavour's 50-foot long robot arm early
Saturday to retrieve the SFU, which was launched on March 18, 1995
atop a Japanese H-2 rocket from the Tanageshima Space Center in Japan
for 10 months of materials science studies and biological
experiments. Flight controllers reported that the SFU, which is
orbiting at an altitude of about 257 nautical miles, is in good shape
despite the loss of two jet thrusters which are part of the reaction
control system for the satellite. The thruster problem will not affect
the SFU's retrieval.
Japanese engineers at the Sagamihara Control Center south of Tokyo
turned off the satellite's major thruster system overnight as
planned, one of the final major events prior to the SFU retrieval
Saturday.
At 1:38 AM this morning, Duffy and Jett conducted a brief firing of
the orbiter's reaction control system jets to alter Endeavour's
orbit slightly and to avoid a close encounter with an orbiting Air
Force satellite nicknamed MISTY (MSTI). The satellite was launched in
May 1994 from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base on a Scout
rocket, but is no longer active. Without the maneuver, Endeavour would
have passed within 8/10 of a mile of the satellite. With the maneuver,
Endeavour remained more than 5 miles away from MSTI.
Near the end of their workday, Chiao, Barry and Scott tested the the
three spacesuits they will wear during their two spacewalks, making
sure that the various systems in the suits were working
properly. Chiao and Barry will conduct the first spacewalk starting
Sunday night. Chiao will be joined by Scott Tuesday for the second
excursion into Endeavour's cargo bay. Both spacewalks are designed
to test tools and techniques for the assembly of the international
Space Station.
The crew will begin an eight-hour sleep period at 10:41 AM Central
time and will be awakened early this evening for the start of the
final phase of the rendezvous to capture the Space Flyer Unit.
Endeavour is orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes at an altitude of 287
statute miles with all of its systems in excellent shape. The JSC
newsroom will close for the day at 5 PM Central time and will reopen
at 11 PM. The next status report will be issued at 5 PM Central time.
|
| 951.13 | STS-72 Status Report # 4 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Mon Jan 15 1996 06:20 | 45 |
| STS-72 Status Report # 4
Mission Control Center
Friday, January 12, 1996, 5 p.m. CST
A day of preparation for events to come concluded aboard Endeavour
this morning, and Endeavour is now on course for the planned retrieval
early Saturday of the Japanese Space Flyer Unit satellite.
Following an orbit-raising burn early this morning, Endeavour is now
less than 300 statute miles from the SFU and closing in on the
satellite at a little over 60 statute miles per orbit. The crew began
an eight-hour sleep period at 10:41 a.m. CST and will awaken for Day 3
of the mission at 6:41 p.m. CST today.
During their second day in space, Pilot Brent Jett and Mission
Specialist Koichi Wakata performed a survey of Endeavour's cargo
bay using the shuttle's robot arm, finding everything in excellent
shape. Also, astronauts Leroy Chiao, Winston Scott and Dan Barry
checked out the spacesuits and spacewalking gear they will use later
in the flight to perform two spacewalks. All three suits were found to
be in good condition. Chiao and Barry are planned to conduct the first
spacewalk starting on Sunday night. Chiao will be joined by Scott on
Tuesday for the second excursion into Endeavour's cargo bay. Both
spacewalks will test tools and techniques for the assembly of the
international Space Station.
For Day 3, the primary objective will be the capture and berthing of
the SFU. Rendezvous operations will begin in earnest at about 12:44
a.m. CST Saturday as Endeavour, then eight nautical miles from the
SFU, starts the Terminal Initiation burn to close the final distance
to the satellite. As Endeavour approaches the final half-mile,
Commander Brian Duffy will begin manually flying the shuttle. Wakata
is planned to capture the SFU using the robot arm at about 3:24
a.m. CST Saturday.
The SFU was launched on March 18, 1995 atop a Japanese H-2 rocket from
the Tanageshima Space Center in Japan for 10 months of materials
science studies and biological experiments.
Endeavour is now in a 251 by 246 nautical mile orbit. The JSC newsroom
will close for the day at 5 p.m. Central time and will reopen at 11
p.m. The next status report will be issued at 5 p.m. Central time.
|
| 951.14 | STS-72 Status Report # 5 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Mon Jan 15 1996 06:23 | 57 |
| STS-72 Status Report # 5
Mission Control Center
Saturday, Jan. 13, 6 a.m. CST
Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata used Endeavour's robot arm to
retrieve the Japanese Space Flyer Unit satellite at 4:57 a.m. central
time completing its 10-month scientific voyage and the primary
objective of the first Shuttle mission of the year. Berthing of the
SFU was completed at 5:39 a.m. as Endeavour passed southeast of
Madagascar.
The retrieval followed jettison of both solar arrays when sensors
indicated the panels did not latch properly against the satellite
after being retracted. The jettison procedure was trained for
preflight as a contingency in the event of just such an occurence.
The cannisters housing the arrays were jettisoned 12 minutes apart --
at 3:35 and 3:47 this morning -- as Endeavour and the SFU traveled
across Africa on the thirtieth orbit of the STS-72 mission.
The contingency procedure delayed the capture of the satellite by
about an hour and half from its originally scheduled 3:26
a.m. retrieval. The SFU was placed on internal battery power prior to
the solar array retraction activity giving it four hours of electrical
power. Once in Endeavour's payload bay, the satellite's
internal batteries were bypassed following connection of a remotely
operated electrical cable to the side of the satellite.
Wakata grappled the SFU satellite following a flawless rendezvous to
catch the 4-ton spacecraft. Commander Brian Duffy flew Endeavour
during the final phase of the rendezvous from the Shuttle's aft
flight deck controls, moving the orbiter to within a few feet of the
SFU allowing Wakata to attach the robot arm to the satellite's
grapple fixture. Endeavour was orbiting the Earth over the Gulf of
Mexico near the western tip of Cuba at an altitude of about 290
statute miles at the time of the retrieval.
The retrieval of SFU capped off 10 months of scientific investigations
involving almost a dozen experiments ranging from materials science to
biological studies. The satellite was launched on March 18, 1995
aboard a Japanese H-2 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in
Japan.
The astronauts were awakened last night by a traditional Japanese
song, "Sea in Springtime", in honor of the retrieval of the
Space Flyer Unit.
The astronauts will begin an eight-hour sleep period at 10:41 this
morning and will wake up tonight at 6:41. The crew's fourth day in
space will be highlighted by the deployment of a NASA science
satellite called the OAST-Flyer. The satellite will be retrieved
later in the flight.
The Johnson Space Center Newsroom closes this morning at 11 and will
reopen at 11 tonight. The next status report will be issued at 5
a.m. Sunday.
|
| 951.15 | STS-72 Mission Status Report # 6 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Mon Jan 15 1996 06:25 | 53 |
| STS-72 Mission Status Report # 6
Mission Control Center
Sunday, Jan. 14, 6 a.m. CST
Using Endeavour's robot arm for the second time in as many days,
Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata released a NASA satellite into orbit
this morning for two days of free- flying scientific investigations.
The OAST-Flyer was deployed by Wakata at 5:32 a.m. Central time as
Endeavour crossed the equator just east of South America. Within
minutes, Commander Brian Duffy and Pilot Brent Jett backed Endeavour
away from the 2600-pound satellite.
The OAST-Flyer contains four experiments that will study spacecraft
contamination, the use of the Global Positioning System for spacecraft
attitude control, laser-initiated pyrotechnic devices in the
environment of space, and an amateur radio experiment to allow radio
operators on the ground to track the satellite.
The satellite will operate about 45 nautical miles from Endeavour
during its two days of freeflight, awaiting its retrieval Tuesday to
complete the second satellite capture of the mission.
Prior to the satellite's release, crewmembers Leroy Chiao and Dan
Barry inspected a host of tools they will use during the first of two
6 1/2 hour spacewalks Sunday night to practice methods for the
assembly of the International Space Station. That spacewalk is
scheduled to begin about 11:30 p.m. Central time.
Winston Scott spent most of his day conducting secondary experiments
in the Shuttle's middeck before assisting in the deployment of the
OAST-Flyer.
This morning, flight controllers monitored colder than expected
temperatures observed on a fuel line of the Japanese Space Flyer Unit
satellite. The concern was for the potential of a hydrazine leak if
the fuel lines froze. It appears that the fuel line thermostats are
working properly and maintaining reaction control system temperatures
at acceptable levels.
At the time of crew wakeup, the two solar panels which were jettisoned
from the Space Flyer Unit prior to its retrieval Saturday were more
than 5300 nautical miles behind Endeavour, seperating from the shuttle
at a rate of 830 nautical miles with every orbit of the Earth.
Endeavour is orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 190 statute miles,
circling the Earth every 90 minutes.
The JSC newsroom will close at 11 a.m. today and will reopen at 10:30
p.m. The next status report will be issued at 7 a.m. Monday.
|
| 951.16 | | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Mon Jan 15 1996 06:27 | 7 |
|
How were the solar panels jettisoned from the SFU before it was
captured ??
Explosive bolts/cut/broken off ??
Tom.
|
| 951.17 | | skylab.zko.dec.com::FISHER | Minister of Acronyms, Holder of Past Knowledge, DNRC | Mon Jan 15 1996 15:30 | 9 |
| Everything I have heard indicates that they had some sort of built-in abilitly
to jettison them, and that they were jettisoned by ground command, not by
physical force. I assume this means some sort of pyrotechnic deal like
explosive bolts and a wire-harness guillotine.
I think there have been other satellites retrieved by the shuttle which had this
capability just-in-case. At least it seems familiar.
Burns
|
| 951.18 | STS-72 Mission Status Report # 7 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Tue Jan 16 1996 06:02 | 63 |
| STS-72 Mission Status Report # 7
Mission Control Center
Monday, Jan. 15, 7 a.m. CST
Astronauts Leroy Chiao and Dan Barry spent more than six hours in
Endeavour's cargo bay this morning, conducting the first of two
spacewalks on the STS-72 mission to test tools and techniques which
may be used in the construction of the International Space Station.
With Winston Scott acting as the spacewalk coordinator from the aft
flight deck, Chiao and Barry floated out of Endeavour's airlock at
11:35 Sunday night to begin the 31st spacewalk in Shuttle history.
After taking a few minutes to acclimate themselves in the payload bay,
first-time spacewalkers Chiao and Barry attached a portable work
platform to the end of the robot arm, operated by Pilot Brent Jett and
Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata. Jett used the arm to grapple
various pieces of hardware designed to hold large modular components,
mimicking the way equipment boxes and avionics gear will be moved back
and forth in assembling the Space Station.
Chiao and Barry unfolded a cable tray diagonally across the forward
portion of the cargo bay housing simulated electrical and fluid lines
similar to those which will connect modules and nodes of the Space
Station. The rigid umbilical, as it is known, was tested for its ease
of handling and the ability of the astronauts to hook up the lines to
connectors on the side of Endeavour's bay.
While Chiao unraveled various lengths of cable from a caddy device,
Barry spent time practicing the hookup of the various cables in the
rigid umbilical to connectors in the bay, testing his ability to
manipulate tiny bolts and screws in weightlessness. He reported that
most tasks could be accomplished with little difficulty. Barry and
Chiao then traded places, as Barry mounted the portable work platform
to evaluate its worth.
The astronauts stayed ahead of their timeline throughout the night,
finally concluding their spacewalk at 5:44 Monday morning. In all,
Chiao and Barry spent six hours and nine minutes in the cargo bay.
Throughout the spacewalk, flight controllers kept tabs on the
temperature of thruster fuel lines in the Japanese Space Flyer Unit
satellite, which was retrieved Saturday by Wakata. Fluctuating
temperatures in the fuel lines, possibly caused by the erratic
performance of the SFU's thermostats, resulted in the development
of a series of procedures for reorientating the Shuttle to warm up the
satellite, if required, to prevent hydrazine in the thruster lines
from freezing.
The astronauts were awakened Sunday night at 6:41 to the theme from
"Star Trek, The Next Generation." Within hours, the astronauts began
a series of jet thruster firings to increase the distance between
Endeavour and the OAST-Flyer science satellite which Wakata deployed
Sunday. The satellite is scheduled to be retrieved tomorrow morning.
Endeavour is orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes at an altitude of 192
statute miles with all of its systems in excellent shape. The next
status report will be issued Tuesday morning. The JSC newsroom will
close at 11 today and will reopen at 11 tonight.
|
| 951.19 | STS-72 Mission Status Report # 8 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Wed Jan 17 1996 06:12 | 56 |
| STS-72 Mission Status Report # 8
Mission Control Center
Tuesday, January 16, 5 a.m. CST
Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata extended Endeavour's robot arm
early today and plucked a NASA science satellite out of orbit to
successfully complete the second satellite retrieval of the STS-72
mission.
The 2600-pound OAST-Flyer satellite was grappled at 3:47 a.m.,
following two days of free-flying investigations by a group of
experiments sponsored by NASA's Office of Aeronautics and Space
Technology.
Within minutes of capturing the satellite, Wakata lowered the
OAST-Flyer onto its truss platform in Endeavour's cargo bay, just
as he did with the Japanese Space Flyer Unit following its retrieval
on Saturday.
The capture of the OAST-Flyer culminated a textbook rendezvous
performed by Commander Brian Duffy and Pilot Brent Jett, who guided
Endeavour alongside the satellite through a series of maneuvering jet
firings.
The satellite retrieval clears the way for the next major event of the
flight --- a six hour spacewalk by astronauts Leroy Chiao and Winston
Scott. It will be the second spacewalk for Chiao and the first for
Scott. The second spacewalk is scheduled to begin about 11 p.m.
Chiao and Scott will conduct more tests of tools and procedures to be
incorporated in the assembly of the International Space
Station. During the spacewalk, Scott will be maneuvered away from the
payload bay on the end of the robot arm to evaluate his spacesuit's
resistance to extreme cold.
Flight controllers, meanwhile, continue to keep an eye on one of two
components of the Shuttle's flash evaporator system, which provides
cooling for Endeavour and its associated avionics. The low-end cooling
system, called the topping evaporator, shut down early Monday because
of what is believed to be a formation of ice in the system. Plans
currently call for another attempt to flush out the ice once the
second spacewalk is completed. Endeavour's cabin pressure will be
raised to 14.7 pounds per square inch to force warm air into the
system which could help melt the ice. The cooling system problem had
no impact on the retrieval of the OAST-Flyer and is not expected to
affect the second spacewalk. Endeavour is receiving adequate cooling
from a primary cooling system and the radiators which are deployed on
the payload bay doors.
Endeavour is currently orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 190
statute miles, completing one orbit of the planet every 90 minutes.
The next status report will be issued at 5 p.m. when the JSC newsroom
closes. The newsroom will reopen at 10 p.m.
|
| 951.20 | STS-72 Mission Status Report #9 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Thu Jan 18 1996 06:07 | 72 |
| STS-72 Mission Status Report #9
Mission Control Center
Wednesday, Jan. 17, 8 a.m. CST
Astronauts Leroy Chiao and Winston Scott tested connectors, cables and
work platforms for almost 7 hours in Endeavour's cargo bay this morning
during the second spacewalk of the STS-72 mission. Shortly after the
astronauts completed their spacewalk, Endeavour's flash evaporator
system
was successfully purged and is again working at full capacity.
Chiao and Scott floated into the bay at 11:54 p.m. Tuesday as
Endeavour passed over the African continent. The spacewalk began about
one hour later than expected as the astronauts took longer to don
their suits than had been expected. The spacewalk concluded at 6:34
a.m., with the two astronauts logging 6 hours 53 minutes and 41
seconds working in the vacuum of space.
Chiao and Scott worked with utility boxes, slidewires and a portable
work stanchion affixed to Endeavour's robot arm to gather
additional data on methods and procedures which may be incorporated in
the techniques which will be used to assemble the International Space
Station.
Flight controllers had to juggle spacewalk activities throughout the
night due to the delayed start and a drop in temperature in the
thruster fuel lines on the Japanese Space Flyer Unit satellite.
Commander Brian Duffy maneuvered Endeavour to a warmer attitude
allowing SFU temperatures to increase. The maneuver slightly delayed
one of the priority tasks of the spacewalk --- a test of how well
Scott's spacesuit would repel the freezing temperatures of space.
Late in the spacewalk, Scott finally climbed into foot restraints on
the OAST-Flyer satellite platform for the thermal evaluation
exercise. Endeavour was maneuvered to the coldest position possible,
with its payload bay facing out toward deep space and allowing
temperatures to dip to about 104 degrees below zero at the point where
Scott was positioned to test the ability of his spacesuit to repel the
bitter cold temperature of space.
It was Chiao's second spacewalk and the first for Scott, who
choreographed the first spacewalk of the flight early Monday. Scott
traded places with Dan Barry, who acted as spacewalk coordinator
throughout tonight's EVA.
Pilot Brent Jett and Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata worked alongside
Barry on Endeavour's aft flight deck, operating the ship's robot
arm to move Chiao and Scott about the cargo bay in support of their
various tasks.
As Chiao and Scott began their spacewalk, flight controllers
repressurized Endeavour's cabin to 14.7 pounds per square inch to
help warm the Shuttle in an effort to dislodge ice from the ship's
flash evaporator system. The system is used to dissipate heat from the
Shuttle and its avionics in association with radiators which are
mounted on the inside of the payload bay doors. Shortly after 7:30
a.m., the FES core was successfully purged and the system is working
at full capacity.
Earlier, Wakata fielded questions from Japanese schoolchildren
representing Houston schools as part of a television program about the
mission which was aired in Japan.
Endeavour is currently orbiting the Earth at an altitude of about 192
statute miles.
An update to this status report will be issued at 5 p.m. The Johnson
Space Center newsroom will close at 5
p.m. today, reopening at 2 a.m. Thursday.
|
| 951.21 | STS-72 Mission Status Report # 10 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Fri Jan 19 1996 06:13 | 41 |
| STS-72 Mission Status Report # 10
Mission Control Center
Thursday, Jan. 18, 6 a.m. CST
Endeavour's astronauts enjoyed a day off today as they neared the
end of their 9-day mission. Commander Brian Duffy, Pilot Brent Jett
and Mission Specialists Leroy Chiao, Winston Scott, Koichi Wakata and
Dan Barry relaxed and took in the view of Earth from orbit after
completing a full week in space and all of their mission objectives.
The relaxed schedule for the astronauts came as the crew headed into
the homestretch of its mission, in which the Japanese Space Flyer Unit
satellite was retrieved, the NASA OAST-Flyer satellite was deployed
and retrieved and two spacewalks were conducted to test tools and
techniques for the development of the International Space Station.
After four hours of free time, the astronauts completed some secondary
experiments in the middeck and stowed several spacewalk tools. They
now will turn their attention to the scheduled return to Earth early
Saturday morning. Endeavour's landing is scheduled for 1:42
a.m. Saturday at the Kennedy Space Center.
As the crew wrapped up its day, Duffy, Scott and Wakata took time out
to discuss the progress of the flight with South African students in
Johannesburg as part of the United States Information Agency's
"Worldnet" program.
The astronauts will begin an 8-hour sleep period at 9:11 a.m. They
will awaken at 5:11 p.m., and begin a checkout of Endeavour's
flight control systems and steering jets, which will be used during
the Shuttle's hour-long descent back to Earth.
Endeavour is orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes at an altitude of 192
statute miles. All of the ship's systems are functioning normally.
The JSC Newsroom will close at 5 p.m. today and will reopen at 10
p.m. to support the Crew News Conference from orbit which begins at
11:41 p.m.
|
| 951.22 | STS-72 Mission Status Report #11 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Mon Jan 22 1996 06:09 | 48 |
| STS-72 Mission Status Report #11
Mission Control Center
Friday, January 19, 6 a.m. CST
With all mission objectives accomplished, Endeavour's astronauts
packed up their ship for its return trip back to Earth on
Saturday. Endeavour is scheduled for a 1:42 a.m. landing at the
Kennedy Space Center.
Two landing opportunities are available Saturday at the Kennedy Space
Center for Endeavour's homecoming. The first calls for a firing of
Endeavour's braking rockets at 12:41 a.m. Saturday resulting in a
1:42 a.m. touchdown on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The
second landing opportunity is about one hour and a half later.
Weather conditions are predicted to be acceptable to support landing
in Florida.
The crew's sleep period lasts from 9:11 a.m. to 5:11 p.m., when the
astronauts will be awakened to begin deorbit preparations. Endeavour's
cargo bay doors are scheduled to be closed about 10 p.m.
In preparation for tomorrow's return home, Commander Brian Duffy
and Pilot Brent Jett tested Endeavour's flight control systems and
aerosurfaces by activating one of three hydraulic power units. Duffy
also cycled the ship's rudder, speed brake and elevons and
test-fired the Shuttle's 44 steering jets to validate their
health. Two of the jets failed, but will have no impact on the landing
since redundant jets will be selected to perform the same function.
Duffy conducted communications checks with ground support sites in
California and Florida as crewmates Leroy Chiao, Winston Scott, Koichi
Wakata and Dan Barry stowed cabin gear and spacewalk hardware which
was used during the two spacewalks conducted during the mission.
Earlier, the astronauts participated in a crew news conference, which
featured questions from U.S. and Japanese reporters at the Kennedy
Space Center and the Johnson Space Center.
Endeavour is orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes at an altitude of 192
statute miles with all of its systems functioning normally as the
Shuttle heads for the end of a 3.7 million mile mission.
The JSC newsroom will close at 5 p.m. and will reopen at 10 p.m. to
support landing. The next status report will be issued after Endeavour
completes its flight.
|
| 951.23 | STS-72 Mission Status Report # 12 | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Tue Jan 30 1996 06:29 | 30 |
| STS-72 Mission Status Report # 12
Mission Control Center
Saturday, Jan. 20, 3 a.m. CST
Endeavour wrapped up the first Shuttle mission of the year in the
predawn hours this morning, swooping to an ontime landing at 1:42
a.m. central time at the Kennedy Space Center completing a 3.7 million
mile flight. It was the sixth straight Shuttle landing at the Florida
spaceport.
Commander Brian Duffy and Pilot Brent Jett guided Endeavour to its
landing in perfect weather after firing the Shuttle's braking
rockets an hour earlier over the Indian Ocean. During the mission,
Endeavour's six astronauts retrieved the Japanese Space Flyer Unit,
which had been launched on a Japanese rocket 10 months ago, deployed
and retrieved a NASA science satellite called the OAST-Flyer, and
conducted a pair of spacewalks to test tools and refine techniques for
the assembly of the International Space Station.
About an hour after landing, Endeavour's crewmembers left the
Shuttle, inspecting the vehicle in the cool Florida nighttime air.
The astronauts will return to Ellington Field in Houston later today,
with arrival expected sometime about Noon.
|