Shuttle scrubs until the end of the month

Another post katrina external tank issue  causes the Discovery Mission STS 133 to scrub.
NASA managers said today that space shuttle Discovery won't fly until Nov. 30th at the earliest.




The shuttle team won't be able to repair the hydrogen gas leak in time to make a Monday launch attempt, the last-day of an eight-day launch window.



The next earliest launch attempt would be at 4:05 a.m. Nov. 30, the opening of a window of night launches that extends through Dec. 5.



Kennedy Space Center launch teams have been draining the shuttle's external tank of propellant since a significant leak of hydrogen gas was detected at a line that vents the gas from the tank to a flare stack.



The leak was detected as the countdown proceeded during today's scrubbed launch attempt


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Revised countdown

 Note where it picks up, the crew heads to the pad about 11:14 am with a 3:04 pm liftoff


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STS 133

  Nasa has to launch Discovery by Sunday or wait until December.


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No launch today

 A real gully washer in Florida..so no launch today.

Friday's launch time for Discovery is 3:04pm EDT. Weather is 60% favorable, with low clouds and wind concerns.




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RSS Roll back for Discoverys final flight

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RSS Roll back

 Could be later tonight in 90 mins or less.


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STS 133 final update

 Think they have a good handle on the problem.  At 530 AM, tanking  will be your go no .  Team ready for three in a row...today a good day off from the LCC team..
Still to early to figure this out just yet...waiting on the weather...



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STS 133 update

The RSS is still in place around Discovery due to weather concerns in the area this evening.

Press briefing has not yet started at KSC...


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Press briefing at 7 pm eastern

 RSS rollback is being held up by lighting warning at LCC 39 A...news conference at 7 or thereabouts at the KSC press site.

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Bet this is your scrub

STS-133 Mission: Managers will proceed with Discovery's launch attempt tomorrow and will meet again at 5:30 amET to evaluate the weather.



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STS 133

The weather forecast, however, now calls for an 80 percent chance that rain and thunderstorms would keep the shuttle grounded on Thursday. There is a 40 percent chance bad weather would prohibit external tank propellant-loading operations, which would pick up about 6 a.m.

The bad weather is expected to clear late Thursday, and the forecast for Friday calls for a 60 percent chance the weather would be acceptable for flight. Winds are expected to pick up and Saturday's forecast calls for a 60 percent chance conditions would prohibit launch.



So, it looks like Friday is going to be the better date...



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RSS Rollback

Tonight, Ames a NASA Center in No California says the launch is Thursday..more later

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STS 133 MMT update

STS-133 Mission: Managers will take a 30 minute break to discuss the data presented
This is going very late...


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Looks like it's going to be Thursday but not offical yet

Media being sent out for RSS retraction. "no official word yet but the'feeling' is they will try tomorrow."





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Meeting at KSC set for 245

 Figure a 4 30 or 5 pm  press conference..in time for the local news in Florida...
While it looks like the problem cleared up overnight the next potential issue is the weather at KSC on launch day which is going to suck.


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If this is a Thursday launch here is the countdown

.............................EXTENDED HOLD FOR 24-HOUR DELAY

Wed  11/03/10
    
20...47...00...06:37 PM......RSS to park position
19...47...00...07:37 PM......Final TPS, debris inspection
19...17...00...08:07 PM......Ascent switch list
16...20...00...11:04 PM......Resume countdown
16...00...00...11:24 PM......Pad clear of non-essential personnel
16...00...00...11:24 PM......APU bite test

Thu  11/04/10

15...10...00...12:14 AM......Fuel cell activation
14...20...00...01:04 AM......Booster joint heater activation
13...50...00...01:34 AM......MEC pre-flight bite test
13...35...00...01:49 AM......Tanking weather update
12...50...00...02:34 AM......Final fueling preps; launch area clear
12...20...00...03:04 AM......Red crew assembled
11...35...00...03:49 AM......Fuel cell integrity checks complete

11...20...00...04:04 AM......Begin 2-hour built-in hold (T-minus 6 hours)
11...10...00...04:14 AM......Safe-and-arm PIC test
10...32...00...04:52 AM......Crew wakeup
10...20...00...05:04 AM......External tank ready for loading
10...02...00...05:22 AM......Mission management team tanking meeting
09...24...00...06:00 AM......NASA TV fueling coverage begins
09...20...00...06:04 AM......Resume countdown (T-minus 6 hours)

09...20...00...06:04 AM......LO2, LH2 transfer line chilldown
09...16...00...06:08 AM......Final crew medical checks
09...10...00...06:14 AM......Main propulsion system chill down
09...10...00...06:14 AM......LH2 slow fill
08...40...00...06:44 AM......LO2 slow fill
08...35...00...06:49 AM......Hydrogen ECO sensors go wet
08...30...00...06:54 AM......LO2 fast fill
08...27...00...06:57 AM......Crew medical checks
08...20...00...07:04 AM......LH2 fast fill
06...25...00...08:59 AM......LH2 topping
06...20...00...09:04 AM......LH2 replenish
06...20...00...09:04 AM......LO2 replenish

06...20...00...09:04 AM......Begin 2-hour 30-minute built-in hold (T-minus 3 hours)
06...20...00...09:04 AM......Closeout crew to white room
06...20...00...09:04 AM......External tank in stable replenish mode
06...17...00...09:07 AM......Ascent flight control team on console
06...05...00...09:19 AM......Astronaut support personnel comm checks
05...35...00...09:49 AM......Pre-ingress switch reconfig
05...24...00...10:00 AM......NASA TV launch coverage begins
04...25...00...10:59 AM......Final crew weather briefing
04...15...00...11:09 AM......Crew suit up begins
03...50...00...11:34 AM......Resume countdown (T-minus 3 hours)

03...45...00...11:39 AM......Crew departs O&C building
03...15...00...12:09 PM......Crew ingress
02...25...00...12:59 PM......Astronaut comm checks
02...00...00...01:24 PM......Hatch closure
01...30...00...01:54 PM......White room closeout

01...10...00...02:14 PM......Begin 10-minute built-in hold (T-minus 20m)
01...00...00...02:24 PM......NASA test director countdown briefing
01...00...00...02:24 PM......Resume countdown (T-minus 20m)

00...59...00...02:25 PM......Backup flight computer to OPS 1
00...55...00...02:29 PM......KSC area clear to launch

00...49...00...02:35 PM......Begin final built-in hold (T-minus 9m)
00...24...00...03:05:43 PM...NTD launch status verification
00...09...00...03:20:43 PM...Resume countdown (T-minus 9m)

00...07...30...03:24:43 PM...Orbiter access arm retraction
00...05...00...03:24:43 PM...Launch window opens
00...05...00...03:24:43 PM...Hydraulic power system (APU) start
00...04...55...03:24:48 PM...Terminate LO2 replenish
00...04...00...03:25:43 PM...Purge sequence 4 hydraulic test
00...04...00...03:25:43 PM...IMUs to inertial
00...03...55...03:25:48 PM...Aerosurface profile
00...03...30...03:26:13 PM...Main engine steering test
00...02...55...03:26:48 PM...LO2 tank pressurization
00...02...35...03:27:08 PM...Fuel cells to internal reactants
00...02...30...03:27:13 PM...Clear caution-and-warning memory
00...02...00...03:27:43 PM...Crew closes visors
00...01...57...03:27:46 PM...LH2 tank pressurization
00...00...50...03:28:53 PM...SRB joint heater deactivation
00...00...31...03:29:12 PM...Shuttle GPCs take control of countdown
00...00...21...03:29:22 PM...SRB steering test
00...00...07...03:29:36 PM...Main engine start (T-6.6 seconds)
00...00...00...03:29:43 PM...SRB ignition (LAUNCH)

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Live Press Conf at KSC

Watch live streaming video from spaceflightnow at livestream.com

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Shuttle Discovery to be delayed

At least a 24 hour scrub and then you aren't going to have good weather on Thursday...But if they are you will have a launch window that will be at
3:29pm EDT. that's 19:29 UTC


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Latest filed at 4pm Status STS 133

NASA engineers are troubleshooting a problem with one of Discovery's main engine controllers and its unclear whether it might prompt a delay in the planned launch Wednesday of the orbiter's 39th and final flight.

Engineers detected voltage irregularities in the back up controller on Main Engine No. 3. Each of the shuttle's three liquid-fueled main engines have primary and back-up controllers that effectively are the electronic brains of the engines.

Engineers will brief managers today while launch preparations continue here at Kennedy Space Center. That meeting was originally scheduled for 3 p.m., but has now been pushed back to 5 p.m.

As it stands, liftoff remains scheduled for 3:52 p.m. Wednesday.

The same back-up controller exhibited some circuitry trouble during routine prelaunch checkouts earlier in the countdown, but switch throws in the shuttle's cockpit cycled power on and off, clearing the problem. NASA Test Conductor Steve Payne said that problem was considered to be resolved.

very at its Kennedy Space Center launch pad as countdown clocks tick toward the planned launch of the orbiter's 39th and final flight.

Meeting at 5

Could be some tech issues with one of the shuttles SSMEs.. (engines)..

Until then enjoy  the tour

Watch live video from nasatweetup on Justin.tv
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STS 133 L -2

 The Mission Management Team gathered this morning for its pre-launch meeting and verified all remains on track for shuttle Discovery's blastoff at 3:52 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.

"We had our L-2 Mission Management Team meeting this morning. Went very quickly. If I wouldn't have talked about how quickly it was going, it would have gone even faster. We didn't have any technical issues to discuss," says pre-launch MMT chairman Mike Moses.

"Everything is going really, really well. We recovered from our problems over the weekend in fine shape. I went through the Firing Room this morning, the team is in great spirits, they're looking forward to launching Discovery for the final time and getting her on to a great mission," shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach says. Copyright 2010 Fairbanks Broadband LLC

Countdown starts today at 2

Hope they have plenty of trick or treat candy
NASA Test Director Steve Payne reports shuttle Discovery leaks are fixed and on track for 3:52p ET launch Wed. Countdown begins 2p today.

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Weather for the launch

A high pressure ridge is migrating into Central Florida providing favorable weather conditions. Tuesday and Wednesday, an upper level trough will deepen and cut-off over the Western Gulf of Mexico. By launch day, moisture will migrate from the south into Central Florida causing a chance for low clouds and isolated showers. Our primary concerns for launch are a low-cloud ceiling and showers within 20NM of the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). Thursday, a cold front will move into Florida as a strong upper level trough deepens in the Eastern US. The trough may push the cut-off low in the Western Gulf toward Florida, although meteorological models differ on the timing of the front and movement of the low. With this, there is an increased
chance of a low-cloud ceiling, showers, and even a possibility of thunderstorms in Central Florida on Thursday. As a result, the probability of KSC weather prohibiting launch increased to 40%. The front will move through Central Florida Thursday evening, and Friday, strong northerly winds are expected behind the front.

Tropical Discussion: Tomas is now a category 2 hurricane entering the Eastern Caribbean moving west- northwest. The National Hurricane Center expects Tomas to be passing south of Hispaniola by launch day still at category 2 strength.

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