Current status of orbiters

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John Doe - 27 Jan 2004 10:02 GMT

Just went through the return to flight task group report. There is very little
information on what is being done to the orbiters at the moment.

Does anyone know what is being done to each of the 3 orbiters at the moment ?
Is Discovery undergoing its major maintenance ? Or has work not resumed yet ?

Is Atlantis getting any significant work done on it ? Or are they waiting for
final confirmation of whatever changes will be made before continuing
maintenance and applying changes required by CAIB ?

In the report, I have read that they had begun to engineer the changes needed
to replace the camera in the underbelly (which photographes the ET) with a
digital unit.

Assuming Atlantis launches Sept 12, will there be a "backup" shuttle all
prepped up and ready to go just in case ? Seems that they now have plenty of
time to get all 3 orbiters in top top shape which means that once they have
the final technical changes needed for the CAIB recommendations, they only
need to apply those changes.

Also, for the inspections at the ISS, I have read that they are simulating the
manoeuvres needed. Does anyone know if these will be done by the station arm
moving around the shuttle, or will it grab the shuttle and move the shuttle
around so it can be inspected by other cameras ?

And considering thurster locations, will it be possible/permissible to have
the shuttle approach the station with its belly up facing the window of
destiny for inspection of its belly, after which it could resume its course
and dock to pma2 , after which it is easy with the station arm to inspect the
top portion of the orbiter ?

Also, in terms of testing the various materials/glues, wouldn't it be smart to
send such supplies up on a progress to the station and have the station crew
try to glue some spare tiles (opr whatever process they will have) ASAP so
that by the time the shuttle returns to flight, they would already have a
fairly good idea of how well the material cures in space ?

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Chris Bennetts - 28 Jan 2004 02:28 GMT

> Just went through the return to flight task group report. There is very
> little information on what is being done to the orbiters at the moment.
>
> Does anyone know what is being done to each of the 3 orbiters at the
> moment ? Is Discovery undergoing its major maintenance ? Or has work not
> resumed yet ?

I find that looking at the recent photos at http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov
is a good way to find out things along those lines, information that just
doesn't get reported anywhere.

Discovery has finished it's formal OMM, and has been fitted with MEDS (the
glass cockpit). It will fly STS-121 (?), the second flight after Return to
Flight.

Endeavour is now supposed to be undergoing an OMM. The last photos of
Endeavour on the site linked to above show her being placed in the VAB for
storage while modifications are carried out on the OPF. The OMM will be
completed before Endeavour's next flight.

> Is Atlantis getting any significant work done on it ? Or are they waiting
> for final confirmation of whatever changes will be made before continuing
> maintenance and applying changes required by CAIB ?

Bits and pieces are being done, and there is ongoing work on the TPS. I'm
not aware of any major modifications to Atlantis.

> In the report, I have read that they had begun to engineer the changes
> needed to replace the camera in the underbelly (which photographes the ET)
> with a digital unit.
>
> Assuming Atlantis launches Sept 12, will there be a "backup" shuttle all
> prepped up and ready to go just in case ?

No. In reality, it wouldn't do much good.

> Seems that they now have plenty
> of
> time to get all 3 orbiters in top top shape which means that once they
> have the final technical changes needed for the CAIB recommendations, they
> only need to apply those changes.

The scope of the changes may be fairly extensive, so not much is being done
on the orbiters in places that are likely to be affected. Other systems do
appear to be undergoing work.

> Also, for the inspections at the ISS, I have read that they are simulating
> the manoeuvres needed. Does anyone know if these will be done by the
> station arm moving around the shuttle, or will it grab the shuttle and
> move the shuttle around so it can be inspected by other cameras ?

I think the plan is for the shuttle arm to grab the station and maneuver the
shuttle around so that the underside can be inspected. I'm sure the SSRMS
cameras will be used in the inspection, but I'm not sure if it will be
moved around during the operation.

> And considering thurster locations, will it be possible/permissible to
> have the shuttle approach the station with its belly up facing the window
> of destiny for inspection of its belly, after which it could resume its
> course and dock to pma2 , after which it is easy with the station arm to
> inspect the top portion of the orbiter ?

I think one of the plans calls for the shuttle to perform a 360 degree pitch
while it is below the lab during approach, prior to continuing up level
with and in front of the station for final approach. I hope that makes
sense.

> Also, in terms of testing the various materials/glues, wouldn't it be
> smart to send such supplies up on a progress to the station and have the
> station crew try to glue some spare tiles (opr whatever process they will
> have) ASAP so that by the time the shuttle returns to flight, they would
> already have a fairly good idea of how well the material cures in space ?

Sounds like a good idea, but room on Progresses is tight, so its unlikely.

--Chris

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Space Forum / Shuttle / January 2004

Current status of orbiters