posted 07-21-2009 03:24 PM               

This thread is intended for comments and questions regarding the STS-128 mission and the reports published as part of collectSPACE's Flight Day Journal.

Discovery is scheduled to launch the STS-128 crew in August 2009 to deliver supplies, including the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT), to the International Space Station.

posted 07-24-2009 03:30 PM               

Our launch date is now tentative set to no earlier than August 25th.

posted 07-31-2009 03:36 PM               

NASA Crew Takes YouTube Questions In Spanish And English

NASA's next space shuttle crew will answer questions submitted by YouTube users in both English and Spanish during the upcoming mission to the International Space Station. The crew is targeted to launch on the STS-128 mission in late August.

Questions may be submitted at: youtube.com/user/ReelNASA

Several questions will be selected to be answered live from orbit by the crew during a special event that will be broadcast on NASA Television. STS-128 astronaut Jose Hernandez, one crew member who will answer questions, is providing insights on his training in both English and Spanish via Twitter.

Shuttle Discovery's 13-day flight will deliver supplies and equipment to the station and a new crew member. The station equipment includes new science hardware and experiments, additional sleep quarters, an air purification system and the COLBERT treadmill.

Astronaut Rick Sturckow will command Discovery. He will be joined by Pilot Kevin Ford and Mission Specialists Pat Forrester, Hernandez, Danny Olivas and European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang.

NASA astronaut Nicole Stott will fly to the complex aboard Discovery to begin a scheduled three-month mission as a station resident, replacing NASA's Tim Kopra, who will return home on Discovery. STS-128 is the first shuttle mission to feature two Latino astronauts among the crew. Hernandez and Olivas are both of Mexican descent.

posted 08-25-2009 07:14 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by jimsz:
Just how did NASA get to the moon?

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posted 08-25-2009 09:24 AM               

He has a good sense of humour! I have witnessed it first hand.

posted 08-25-2009 01:25 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by jimsz:
Just how did NASA get to the moon?

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posted 08-25-2009 03:49 PM               

An hour and 15 minutes later (at midnight EDT), I will be a guest on Florida Today's launch webcast with host Todd Halvorsen.

posted 08-25-2009 05:02 PM               

Early word is that we're looking at a 48 hour turnaround at least.

posted 08-25-2009 05:43 PM               

Just got the news that we are scrubbing again, due to technical problem. Bad luck again, but maybe we can have dinner with the families.

Drats! 24 hour scrub! Won't launch until tomorrow! I guess I get to sleep one more night in a bed! More to come...

posted 08-25-2009 07:48 PM               

No attempt tomorrow either. Earliest Fri 28th, just after midnight our time. Indeed, we can make 2 attempts 28th, also right before midnight.

Earliest launch attempt Fri 28th after midnight @ 00:17 but can make 2nd attempt on same day @ 23:50.

posted 08-25-2009 09:36 PM               

The data collected from those tests will be what leads mission managers to decide whether to press forward with another launch attempt or whether the valve needs to be inspected and/or replaced, requiring access to the orbiter's aft compartment.

posted 08-26-2009 12:01 PM               

As for the ET, no, they would likely drain it and begin tanking again as normal (would waste too much cryo to keep the ET tanked that long due to heat loss and fuel boil off at the pad). It would be no different then a "24 hour" turnaround. Technically it would be about a 23 1/2 hour turnaround since the orbit track of the ISS just moves the launch attempt up by about 25 minutes each day.

posted 08-26-2009 12:48 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by DCCollector:
If a launch goes ahead this Friday or this weekend, any chance that it could be seen from the Washington, DC area?

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posted 08-26-2009 08:41 PM               

Valve Cycle Test Complete, No Issue, Other Testing Continues

Teams at Kennedy Space Center have completed a portion of the testing of a liquid hydrogen fill and drain valve in space shuttle Discovery’s main propulsion system. The valve opened and closed when commanded five different times with no issues. This "cycle testing" of Discovery began at 6:28 p.m. EDT and finished at 6:59 p.m.

Teams are now performing a pressure test of the propulsion system, and recording the leak rate of small amounts of liquid hydrogen. Data from tonight's tests will be brought to tomorrow’s mission management team for evaluation at the noon meeting.

NASA is targeting Discovery's next launch attempt for no earlier than Friday, Aug. 28 at 12:22 a.m., depending on the results of the testing and a review of the data by the mission management team.

Discovery's countdown is expected to resume at the T-11 hour mark at 8:57 a.m. Thursday.

posted 08-27-2009 09:19 AM               

Mission Managers to Meet Today at Noon

The testing of the liquid hydrogen fill and drain valve in shuttle Discovery's main propulsion system is complete. The valve and its position indicator both operated normally during yesterday's testing. And all leak checks were within specification.

The evaluation of the low-level hydrogen leak detected in a tail service mast on the mobile launcher platform on Launch Pad 39A following Tuesday's launch scrub is complete, and no leaks were detected.

All the test data will be brought to the mission management team for review at the noon EDT meeting. Mission managers also are scheduled to meet at 2:15 p.m. to give the "Go - No Go" for tanking.

If Discovery gets the "Go", tanking commentary on NASA TV will begin at 2:45 p.m. and fueling operations will start at approximately 3 p.m. Launch commentary will begin tonight at 7 p.m.

Discovery's seven astronauts are sleeping and will wake up for their launch day preps at 1:30 p.m.

posted 08-27-2009 12:58 PM               

All seemed well until about 11.00pm on the Monday evening a few distant lightning strikes and rumbles of thunder but odds were still good for launch at that point.

Then what seemed like minutes a breeze built up and suddenly we were looking at thick low lying cloud on the shore side of pad 39 the causeway sky above was quite clear by this time we had a 40% go 60% no go.

Fingers crossed I was ever hopeful. We then reached 4 minutes to the end of final hold time and launch control at KSC had given a green light on all counts as the storms seemed to have moved away.

I was praying we could get through those final minutes then came the devastating ruling from Houston it was a no go due to the 20 mile rain violation.

posted 08-28-2009 01:11 PM               

Tanking is scheduled to begin at 2:34 p.m., weather pending.

I will be a guest on Spaceflight Now's launch webcast with Miles O'Brien, David Waters and Leroy Chiao at 9:15 p.m.

At 10:30 p.m., I will be a guest on Florida Today's launch webcast with host Todd Halvorsen.