Y'all ready for STS-120 "The 'Harmony' Install Mission"?

Re: Node 2 relocation activities schedule

NASA TV.

Or more specifically, the daily mission status press briefings. You'd be amazed at what you can learn from just watching those for the hour or so that they take. They start off with the NASA officials on the panel talking about what went went on during the day or in some cases what will go on in the near future, then you have several well-versed reporters from various news agencies that ask very good questions and get even more out of the administrators.

If you have NASA TV or even if you don't you can watch a live feed of it at the NASA website, they're going to have a very in-depth briefing tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11:00am CST detailing all the up-coming robotics and EVA missions over the next 3 weeks in the preparation and relocation of Node 2. Should be very informative. I'm definately gonna watch that one.

 

Re: Node 2 relocation activities schedule

Thanks, actually I found a neat Gadget for Windows Vista sidebar, I can put NASA TV on it and watch it on my desktop as I'm working

I do appreciate all the info you provide, thanks!

 

Fly around of ISS images up!

There's 5 images of the complete station at various stages of the fly around, and one close-up of the solar array repair site.

They make for good Desktop Wallpapers.

 

Re: Fly around of ISS images up!

Those are freaking awesome pics, thanks

 

Re: Fly around of ISS images up!

Wanted: one space station, slightly dinged, better condition than Mir.

I'm continuously amazed by how well the crews have handled these things. The array was designed to be jettisoned and replaced on orbit if necessary, even if there are no existing spares. That the crew was able to fix it to operational specs with nothing but what they had inside the station is nothing short of brilliant.

Now, the remaining issue with the SARJ on the other side of the station will be the next thing to solve. I've been informed that anything that could possibly grind physically can be pulled and replaced on orbit, potentially with spares they already have; I'm not worried nearly as much as the media wants us to be.

Columbus is next - and then we'll finally have a station where you have to actually TURN to go places.

Mark

 

Re: Fly around of ISS images up!

Yeah, the crews do a good job of making a round peg fit in a square hole, don't they?

Yeah, there's several parts of the SARJ that can be replaced, but as one reporter asked, they can't just replace the whole thing at once. They can replace parts, but not the thing as a whole.

Well, technically, the Quest Airlock provides that "turn", but not much. The Pir docking module does as well, but very minor.

I can't wait till the Kibbo lab comes up next Spring. That thing is huge! Just over 40 feet long. Barely fits in the shuttle cargo bay!

 

Some updates to the up-coming on-orbit activities

Friday's space walk will begin around 5:00am CST, with NASATV coverage beginning at 4:00am CST.

Monday's robotics movement of PMA2 to Node2 will begin at 4:30am, with coverage starting at 4:00am CST.

Wednesday's robotics movement of the whole stack will begin at 4:00am CST with coverage starting at 3:30am CST.

The following week's space walks are still scheduled for Tuesday and Saturday, but with times TBD.

 

Re: Some updates to the up-coming on-orbit activities

Well, as scheduled, the ISS crew moved the PMA-2 onto the end of the Harmony Node this morning. Apparently only took 2 hours or so.

So now, the crew gets the day off tomorrow, and then on Wednesday morning, they move the whole stack back to the front of Destiny.

Then next week, on Tuesday and then again on Saturday, they make two mirror image space walks to outfit the new stack to activate it.

They won't be able to go back into the new module until Monday or Tuesday of the following week. Then they've got about a week's worth of work to do inside to get it ready for future shuttle missions.

Tasks include outfitting the vestibules (areas between the two modules by the hatches) for permanent use. Installing permanent ventilation/communication/electrical systems.

They have to get all of this done before the NASA admins can set a launch date for Atlantis. It's currently scheduled for Dec. 6th, but may or could be pushed back a day or two if need be, however, they only have until the 13th for this window, and if they miss that, they'll have to defer until January. But I don't see that happening. I have faith that it'll launch on or about the 6th as planned.

 

Re: Some updates to the up-coming on-orbit activities

For the first time since the arrival of the Destiny module, someone can actually look through the tiny window in the front door and see where the station is going. Who builds a bridge without a window, anyway?

After this, they'll be stuck looking through the one big windo they have, which points only down at Earth, until Node 3 and its Cupola observation dome arrives. I know IMAX can't wait.

Mark

 

Time for your regularly scheduled update...

This morning, the ISS crew, Peggy Whitson and Dan Tanni, moved the Harmony/PMA-2 stack to its permanent position on the front end of Destiny. They accomplised the task in about 2.5 hours or so. It was intended to take 4-5 hours, but everything went nominally and it didn't take as long as originally thought.

Now then, apparently something has changed with the scheduled re-ingressing of the new module. The crew wasn't supposed to be able to go back in until the 26 or 27th. However, TPTB have decided to go ahead and open the hatches and leave them open for the duration of the existance of the ISS. They're doing this I guess so that the crew can continue working inside to outfit the module in preparation for the next shuttle mission, because they were a bit crunched for time. And also because they need to keep an eye on the internal systems until they can get the thing fully activated after next week's two EVAs.

As I write this NASA has turned on the lights inside the new Node. And hatch opening will be pretty soon.


Now then, I'll keep updating this thread until next week's EVAs are completed as all of this has been related to the installation and activation of Node 2 "Harmony". After that, I'll start a thread for STS-122 the "Columbus" lab module mission.

 

Re: Time for your regularly scheduled update...

Was this live? It's an hour later and all I see is B-roll Columbus stuff on NASA TV... nasaspaceflight.com has some pics of ingress though.

Mark

 

Re: Time for your regularly scheduled update...

It was actually done live during the daily ISS Mission Coverage segment from 10am - 11am CT.

 

Re: Time for your regularly scheduled update...

Today's activities included the deployment of the two remaining Port radiators on the P1 Truss. These were commanded from the ground while the crew continued their work on the inside of Harmony.

Tomorrow, on NASA-TV, the mission pre-briefings for STS-122 will be shown. Should be interesting to see the CG animated video sequences for the Columbus installation and outfitting.

 

Re: Time for your regularly scheduled update...

The station crew (Peggy Whitson and Dan Tani) did the first of two mirror EVAs today. The major task was moving and installing a 18.5' 300 lb fluid track between the Destiny lab and Harmony node on the Starboard side. It was a bit complicated as it required several "fireman's chain" hand-offs to move it from its storage locale to its installation position.

Other tasks include rearranging data and heat umbilical couplings. Some of which can be testy as the cords get a bit stiff over time.

The EVA went so well that they were able to do three get-ahead tasks which alleviates some tasks from Saturday's EVA.

Saturday's EVA will be, like I said, a mirror image to this one, except for it'll be on the Port side.

Once that is done, ground control will then be able to fully activate the module for future shuttle operations, most specifically for STS-122, the Columbus lab module installation, or ISS Assembly Mission 1E (European).

It's ashame that they won't be able to get a "fly-around" view of the station in this current configuration before the next shuttle mission, as the configuration will change once again.

 

Re: Time for your regularly scheduled update...

Well, this'll be my last post in this thread as this phase (Harmony installation) has finally wrapped up.

Today, 11/24, the ISS crew performed their final EVA to prepare the Harmony Node for full activation.

The installed the port-side amonia cooling tray and a couple other connection things.

They also did another SARJ inspection and found that the outer race ring had what looked to be a "marblized" look of wear to it, along with the metal shaving debris that was found during the earlier inspection during the STS-120 mission.

They also did a couple get-ahead tasks, as this crew seems to be great at getting started early and getting ahead in the time-line once they're performing the EVA.

And finally, the ground control crew decided that they could go ahead and fully activate the module. This wasn't supposed to happen until tomorrow (Sunday) or even Monday, but since the crew got everything done ahead of schedule, they decided they could activate it now instead of waiting. So for all practical purposes, the station is ready to accept future shuttle missions from the new docking port location at the end of Harmony.


And so, with that, I'll end my updates here and start a new thread in a couple of weeks when STS-122 launches.

 

Re: Time for your regularly scheduled update...

Thanks, Johnny!!