STS-135 On Track for Early Thursday Landing

NASA:

MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-151

NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO EARTH FOR FINAL TIME THURSDAY

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The final flight of NASA's 30-year-old space shuttle program is scheduled to end on Thursday, July 21, when Atlantis and its STS-135 crew return to Earth. The landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida marks the completion of a 13-day mission to supply the International Space Station for the post-shuttle era.

Thursday's Kennedy landing opportunities are at 5:56 a.m. and 7:32 a.m. EDT. Atlantis' entry flight control team, led by Flight Director Tony Ceccacci, will evaluate weather conditions at the landing site before giving approval to Atlantis to return. If the shuttle is unable to come home Thursday, additional opportunities are available on Friday at Kennedy and at the backup landing site, Edwards Air Force Base in California. Recorded updates about landing are available at 321-867-2525.

Journalists are invited to cover news briefings and special events to commemorate the historic event. To cover landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) runway, reporters must sign up at Kennedy's press site for transportation. NASA will accommodate as many news media representatives as possible, but the number is limited because of safety requirements.

At about 7:45 a.m., NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson will make comments at the shuttle runway. The remarks will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

>From about 8 - 9 a.m. on Thursday, following the astronaut's departure from the shuttle runway, a limited number of journalists at the SLF will be allowed near Atlantis for a photo opportunity and comments from Bolden and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana. Interested journalists must e-mail Allard Beutel at allard.beutel@nasa.gov by 5 p.m. Wednesday. Space is limited.

At 10 a.m., NASA officials will hold a briefing at Kennedy's press site to discuss Atlantis' STS-135 mission. The event will be broadcast live on NASA TV and the agency's website. The participants will be:
- Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations, NASA Headquarters
- Bob Cabana, director, Kennedy Space Center
- Mike Moses, space shuttle launch integration manager
- Mike Leinbach, space shuttle launch director

Also at about 10 a.m., Atlantis will be towed from the runway and parked outside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 (OPF-2) for several hours to give employees an opportunity to walk around and photograph the shuttle. Reporters interested in covering the move must sign up at the press site for transportation to the photo opportunity locations. These events will not be carried live on NASA TV.

At 11:45 a.m., Bolden and Cabana will host an employee appreciation event outside OPF-2. Journalists can cover the event from a designated media area near the main stage. News media representatives interested in covering the event must sign up at the press site for transportation. The event will be broadcast live on NASA TV and the agency's website.

At about noon, following opening comments at the employee event, the STS-135 crew is expected to participate in a post-landing news conference from the press site. The astronauts' availability is subject to change. Immediately after a 20-minute media question-and-answer session, the astronauts will go to the employee appreciation event to talk briefly to the work force. The events will be broadcast live on NASA TV and the agency's website.

The Kennedy press site will open for shuttle Atlantis' landing at 8 a.m. Wednesday and remain open until 6:30 p.m. Thursday. News media representatives approved for STS-135 mission badges can pick them up at NASA's Pass and Identification Building on State Road 3 on Wednesday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Thursday from 2 - 4 a.m. The last bus will depart from the press site for the SLF about one hour before landing.

If the shuttle landing is diverted to Edwards after Thursday, reporters should call the public affairs office at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at 661-276-3449 for access. Dryden has limited facilities available for previously accredited journalists.

If Atlantis lands Thursday, it will have spent 307 days in space and traveled nearly 126 million miles during its 33 flights. Atlantis launched on its first mission on Oct. 3, 1985. For the latest information about the STS-135 mission and accomplishments, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
The NASA News Twitter feed is updated throughout the shuttle mission and landing. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/NASA

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For more information about the space station and its crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

And that is the final QRT for the Space Shuttle program. Many people in this aerospace-dependent region are distressed about the absence of a well-planned program to create and fly its replacement. We seem to be getting a lot of vague talk about decades-off exploration missions, while waiting for private industry to miraculously come up with a heavy-lifting solution that can be flown at a profit. The USA used to have bigger dreams than that.

NASA Evaluates Possible Lightning Strike Near STS-135 Pad

NASA Blog:

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:43:56 AM PDT

The space shuttle launch team is evaluating a possible lightning strike within one third of a mile from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Engineers will review data to determine if the lightning affected space shuttle Atlantis or any of the pad's ground support equipment. A continuing band of thunderstorms has prevented teams from conducting a detailed pad inspection, which must be performed before the Rotating Service Structure can be rolled back from the shuttle.

After the rollback, the teams will continue work that must be performed before fueling Atlantis' external tank early tomorrow morning. The rollback originally was planned for 2 p.m. EDT.

At this morning's briefing, Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters reported that the launch weather forecast remains unchanged, with a 30 percent chance of favorable weather for the 11:26 a.m. liftoff. The forecast is a more favorable 80 percent when the filling of the huge external fuel tank is set to begin.

At 5 a.m. this morning, the countdown entered a planned hold at the T-11 hour mark, and will resume at 7:01 p.m. tonight.

The astronauts had an early wakeup call as they continue to prepare for tomorrow's launch of Atlantis on the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.

NASA Announces Final Shuttle Schedule

NASA Press Release:

June 28, 2011

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

Stephanie Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-133

NASA ANNOUNCES PRELAUNCH EVENTS AND COUNTDOWN DETAILS FOR FINAL SHUTTLE FLIGHT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- News conferences, events and operating hours for the news center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., are set for the final space shuttle launch.

Atlantis is scheduled to liftoff at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8, to begin the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.

A NASA blog will provide countdown updates beginning at 6:30 a.m. on July 8. Originating from Kennedy's Launch Control Center, the blog is the definitive Internet source for information leading up to liftoff.

During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle website can read about the crew's progress. As Atlantis' flight concludes, the NASA blog will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog and continuous mission updates, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Detailed lists of countdown milestones, news briefing times and participants, and hours of operation for Kennedy's news center and media credentialing office are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news

The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the shuttle launch countdown, mission and landing. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/nasa

Free wireless Internet access is provided at the Kennedy Press Site news center and annex. Instructions for wireless access will be available at the news center. Due to the volume of users, accessibility may be limited. Reporters should bring a backup.

For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

-end-

NASA Sets Launch Date For Final Space Shuttle Mission

NASA Press Release:

June 28, 2011

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

Stephanie Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 11-193

NASA SETS LAUNCH DATE FOR FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis' Commander Chris Ferguson and his three crewmates are scheduled to begin a 12-day mission to the International Space Station with a launch at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-135 mission is the final flight of the Space Shuttle Program.

The launch date was announced Tuesday at the conclusion of a flight readiness review at Kennedy. During the meeting, senior NASA and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and determined the shuttle and station's equipment, support systems and personnel are ready.

Atlantis' STS-135 mission will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module filled with supplies and spare parts to sustain space station operations after the shuttles are retired.

The mission also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM), an experiment designed to demonstrate and test the tools, technologies and techniques needed to robotically refuel satellites in space - even satellites not designed to be serviced. The crew also will return an ammonia pump that recently failed on the station. Engineers want to understand why the pump failed and improve designs for future spacecraft.

The crew consists of Commander Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim. They are scheduled to arrive at Kennedy on Monday, July 4, for final launch preparations.

STS-135 is the 135th shuttle mission, Atlantis' 33rd flight and the 37th shuttle mission to the station.

For more information about the STS-135 mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
For more information about the space station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

STS-134 Tanking Continues

Fueling of the external tank continues. The count is on schedule for a 8:56 a.m. EDT (1256 UTC) launch. Astronauts are awake and suiting up.

Weather has a 70 per cent chance of allowing launch.

No specific frequencies have been reported yet for the Booster Recovery Vessels. Frequencies reported on recent missions include 5711, 6751, 7665, 7833, 9043, 9132, 10780, 11104, 11548, 13212, and 14837 kHz USB.

STS-134 New Countdown Details

From NASA:

Liftoff is planned for 8:56 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 16, to begin the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.

A NASA blog will provide countdown updates beginning at 3:30 a.m. May 16. Originating from Kennedy's Launch Control Center, the blog is the definitive Internet source for information leading up to liftoff.

During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle website can read about the crew's progress and watch the mission's four spacewalks live. As Endeavour's flight concludes, the NASA blog will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog and continuous mission updates, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Detailed lists of countdown milestones, news briefing times and participants, and hours of operation for Kennedy's news center, and media credentialing office are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news

The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the shuttle launch countdown, mission and landing. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/nasa

Endeavour Launch Scrubbed for APU Problem

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:18:33 AM PDT

Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach has scrubbed today's STS-134 launch attempt because of an issue associated with Auxiliary Power Unit 1 heaters. There will be at least a 48-hour scrub turnaround while engineers assess the issue. NASA Television will air a news conference later this afternoon.

STS-134 Count Underway

NASA:

Preparations for space shuttle Endeavour's launch are continuing as planned at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A. STS-134 Commander Mark Kelly and his crew also are continuing their prelaunch activities. Liftoff to the International Space Station is scheduled for 3:47 p.m. EDT Friday.

The weather forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of favorable conditions at launch time, according to Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters. The only concerns for launch may be the crosswinds at the Shuttle Landing Facility and a low cloud ceiling associated with a front moving into Central Florida.

The rotating service structure (RSS) is scheduled to be retracted at 7 p.m. today but may be delayed because of possible storm activity over the center. Teams will have about a four-hour leeway for the storms to clear out with no affect on Friday morning's external tank fueling, now planned for 6:22 a.m.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is in the process of performing an aerial survey of yesterday's brush fire, which was southeast of the Turn Basin and about three miles from the launch pad. The brush fire now is fully contained, and the plan is to burn off the remaining fuel within the fire area to help eliminate any smoke on launch day.

Links:

For NASA's launch blog and continuous
mission updates, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Detailed lists of countdown milestones, news briefing times and participants, and hours of operation for Kennedy's news center and media credentialing office are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news

The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the shuttle launch countdown, mission and landing. Four of Endeavour's crew members -- Johnson, Chamitoff, Fincke and Kelly -- may post updates from the mission to their Twitter accounts. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/NASA

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Box

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Taz

http://www.twitter.com/AstroIronMike

http://www.twitter.com/ShuttleCDRKelly

For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

STS-134 Countdown Events

NASA ANNOUNCES STS-134 PRELAUNCH EVENTS AND COUNTDOWN DETAILS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- News conferences, events and operating hours for the news center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., are set for the final scheduled launch of space shuttle Endeavour. Liftoff is targeted for 3:47 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 29, to begin the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.

Endeavour's crew members are Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Greg H. Johnson and NASA Mission Specialists Mike Fincke, Drew Feustel and Greg Chamitoff and European Space Agency Mission Specialist Roberto Vittori.

A NASA blog will provide countdown updates beginning at 10:30 a.m. April 29. Originating from Kennedy's Launch Control Center, the blog is the definitive Internet source for information leading up to liftoff.

During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle website can read about the crew's progress and watch the mission's four spacewalks live. As Endeavour's flight concludes, the NASA blog will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog and continuous mission updates, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Detailed lists of countdown milestones, news briefing times and participants, and hours of operation for Kennedy's news center and media credentialing office are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news

The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the shuttle launch countdown, mission and landing. Four of Endeavour's crew members -- Johnson, Chamitoff, Fincke and Kelly -- may post updates from the mission to their Twitter accounts. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/NASA

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Box

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Taz

http://www.twitter.com/AstroIronMike

http://www.twitter.com/ShuttleCDRKelly

For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

-end-

STS-133 Booster Vessels Heard on 9132 kHz USB

Both Booster Recovery Vessels, the Liberty Star and the Freedom Star, were just heard on 9132 kHz USB in radio checks with the Booster Recovery Director at Cape Canaveral.

Various listeners in the eastern US have also heard comm on 10780 kHz USB from Cape Radio. The 9132 shore side is a remote transmitter at "Andrews."

Astronauts are currently entering the vehicle.

Weather is now 90% go.

The launch is being blogged here.

STS-133 Counting for 2150 UTC Launch

The STS-133 count remains on schedule at this time.

Fueling of Discovery's external tank is expected to begin at approximately 1225 UTC. NASA TV coverage begins at 1215 UTC.

This flight delivers a storage module and a robot ("R2") to the ISS.

The STS-133 crew members are Commander Steven Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Michael Barratt, Steve Bowen and Nicole Stott. Bowen replaced astronaut Tim Kopra, who was injured in a bicycle accident in January.

Discovery will deliver and install the Permanent Multipurpose Module, the Express Logistics Carrier 4 and provide critical spare components to the International Space Station. This will be the 35th shuttle mission to the station. It is also Discovery's final flight.

The Eastern Test Range uses many frequencies for booster recovery and safety, but some recent ones are 5711, 6751, 9043, 9132, 10780, 11104, 11548, 13212, and 14837 kHz USB.

Weather forecast shows only a 20% possibility of preventing launch.

STS-133 Delayed Until At Least Nov. 30

NASA has called off any possible launch of STS-133 in this window. The next opportunity is November 30, at 0405 EST (0905 UTC).

While the tank was being drained of its cryogenic fuel following discovery of the hydrogen leak, a crack developed in the foam. This will require further examination.

The astronauts have returned to Houston.

Hydrogen Leak Scrubs STS-133

Once again, a hydrogen leak discovered during tanking has forced a launch scrub.

NASA:

Managers Schedule 11 a.m. EDT Meeting to Discuss Scrub Turnaround Options
Fri, 05 Nov 2010 07:25:58 AM PDT

Space shuttle managers and engineers will meet at 11 a.m. EDT to discuss the work necessary to repair a gaseous hydrogen leak and prepare space shuttle Discovery for its next launch attempt.

The earliest opportunity is Monday, Nov. 8, at 12:53 p.m. EST, the last date Discovery can launch in this window. The next launch window for Discovery is Tuesday, Nov. 30 through Saturday, Dec. 5.

At 8:11 a.m., launch was scrubbed because of a hydrogen gas leak at the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate, or GUCP, an attachment point between the external tank and a 17-inch pipe that carries gaseous hydrogen safely away from Discovery to the flare stack, where it is burned off.

Shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach characterized the leak as “significant,” similar to what was seen on STS-119 and STS-127, although today’s rate was higher in magnitude and occurred earlier in the fueling process.

The external tank is being drained and will be inerted for about 20 hours before it is safe for technicians to look at the GUCP on Saturday.

The Space Shuttle Program Mission Management Team will meet Saturday after technicians have had the opportunity to troubleshoot the hardware. The MMT will determine if it is possible to achieve a launch attempt Monday.

NASA Television will air a news conference no earlier than 1 p.m. EDT with Mike Moses, Space Shuttle Program launch integration manager and Mission Management Team chair, and Mike Leinbach, shuttle launch director.

Weather Delays STS-133 At Least Until Friday

NASA:

Shuttle Launch Attempt Delayed for Weather
Thu, 04 Nov 2010 03:08:24 AM PDT

Managers will delay Discovery’s launch for 24 hours due to weather. Mission managers will meet tomorrow at 5 a.m. [EDT] to reevaluate the weather conditions. Friday’s launch attempt would be at 3:04 p.m. EDT.  [1904 UTC]

STS-133 Count Resumes for Thursday Launch

The Mission Management Team briefing has just announced that the STS-133 count has resumed.  Weather is still doubtful for a launch Thursday afternoon, but the plan is to count down until the time for loading fuel approaches, then assess the weather at that point.

The Rotating Service Structure move was delayed by lightning.  It will take place shortly.  NASA TV coverage begins Thursday morning (EDT).

STS-133 Launch Delayed at Least 24 Hours

NASA:

MMT to Meet Wednesday on Electrical Issues

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 04:21:01 PM PDT

The Prelaunch Mission Management Team wants to give engineers more time to look deeply into two electrical issues from a main engine computer controller that cropped up this morning. Therefore, the launch of space shuttle Discovery on STS-133 has been delayed until at least Thursday. Mike Moses, chair of the MMT, said the problems are believed to be tied to a circuit breaker in the shuttle's cockpit.

Rather than rush the shuttle launch team through an analysis and launch cycle quickly, Moses said he opted to let the engineers work throughout the night on the issue without having to worry about an early morning tanking and Wednesday afternoon launch. The MMT will meet again Wednesday at 2 p.m. EDT and then decide whether to try to launch Thursday. A liftoff Thursday would be at 3:29 p.m. [1929 UTC]

A launch on Thursday is problematic due to a weather front moving into the KSC region. Weather will have a much higher chance of preventing launch.

STS-133 Count Continues

STS-133 is currently in a scheduled hold at T-11 hours.  The Rotating Service Structure will be removed during this hold.

Launch remains on-schedule for 3:52 p.m. EDT (1952 UTC) tomorrow (Wednesday).  Weather shows only a 30 per cent chance of violating constraints.

Maritime CW "Night of Nights" Coming July 12!

Night of Nights will be held on 12 July 2010.

Night of Nights is the annual event of the Maritime Radio Historical Society, commemorating that sad day on 12 July 1999 when what were thought to be the last commercial Morse messages in the US were sent. However the reports of the demise of commercial Morse were exaggerated. By the next year the MRHS had restored enough of ex-RCA station KPH to hold the first Night of Nights. Since then the event has expanded to include the return to the air of not only KPH but KFS and KSM, the station of the MRHS. Other coast stations typically join us on the air. In the past these have included WLO and KLB. This year we hope that at least two US Coast Guard stations will be on the air as well.

Night of Nights is a public event. You're invited to join us at the RCA receive site in Point Reyes, CA. Special visits to the transmitter site can be arranged for "true believers". Wherever you are you can tune in to the event at 5:01pm Pacific time/0001gmt as we pick up the thread and keep the faith with all the radiotelegraph operators who came before us.

More details will be posted as Night of Nights draws near.

If you would like to receive information about Night of Nights and other MRHS activities directly just send an email to radiomarine-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .

VY 73,

RD

STS-132 Launch On Schedule

Launch director at KSC has just cleared a constraint regarding an engineering issue in a payload bay camera.  Weather looks good, and scheduled launch target is about 20 minutes from now.

I haven't seen any reports of range or BRV traffic, but check the usual frequencies like 10780 kHz and the ones reported last mission.  There should be something.

Countdown to Atlantis' Liftoff Begins Today

NASA:

The countdown to liftoff of space shuttle Atlantis on its STS-132 mission is set to begin today at 4 p.m. EDT. Launch controllers will report to their consoles in NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Control Center at 3:30 p.m. to be in place when countdown clocks start counting back from the T-43 hour mark.

"Teams at the Kennedy Space Center and at other centers around the country have been working very hard to get this vehicle ready to fly, and I am happy to report everything is going quite well at [Launch Pad 39A]," NASA Test Director Steve Payne said Tuesday morning. "Atlantis, crew and launch team are ready to go and looking forward to a beautiful launch Friday afternoon."

During the 12-day mission, Atlantis and the mission's six astronauts are delivering an Integrated Cargo Carrier and a Russian-built Mini Research Module to the International Space Station. Technicians will close Atlantis' payload bay doors today, although a few experiments will be added to Atlantis' middeck about 28 hours prior to launch.

Atlantis' astronauts arrived at Kennedy on Monday evening, touching down at the Shuttle Landing Facility in four T-38 jets at 6:49 p.m. Today the crew members will review flight day file material and take part in a checkout of their orange launch-and-entry suits.

Liftoff is scheduled for May 14 at 2:20 p.m. According to Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters, weather is expected to be favorable, with a 70 percent chance of good conditions. The primary weather concern for Friday is the possibility of a low cloud ceiling. Partly cloudy and generally dry conditions will dominate the afternoon hours throughout the week.