Posts

August 2007
S M T W T F S
« Jul   Sep »
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  

Categories

Archives

  • Shuttle Heat Shield Work This Weekend
  • APU Testing for Discovery
  • Discovery Preps Ongoing, Crew Practice Spacewalking
  • Technicians Prepare for Crew Module Leak Checks
  • Main Engine Heat Shields Installation Today
  • Discovery Preps Continue Through the Weekend
  • Techs Work on Discovery's OMS Pod
  • Discovery Passing Processing System Tests
  • Discovery's Computer Network Undergoes Checks
  • Workers Focus on OMS pod, thrusters

STS-118: Mission Extended

The new SSPTS is performing well, so mission managers have activated the 14-day option for Endeavour's flight. Meanwhile, a couple of chipped heat-shield tiles have engineers weighing the risk vs. reward of a repair EVA on the Orbiter's belly. NASA reports:

Managers Add Three Days to Shuttle Mission

Close-up view of damaged tile on the underside of the Space Shuttle Endeavour during a focused inspection on FD-5. NASA PHOTO NO: S118-E-06229Mission managers decided Sunday to extend the STS-118 mission by three days. The decision came after the successful operation of the new Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS).

Endeavour is now scheduled to undock from the International Space Station on Aug. 20 and land Aug. 22. In addition to the extra time at the orbital outpost, managers added a fourth spacewalk that is scheduled to take place Aug. 17.

The SSPTS reroutes power from the space station to the shuttle during docked operations, allowing the orbiter to conserve materials needed to generate power and spend more time in space.

Status Report #9 here. EVA # 2 is tomorrow (Monday).

You must be logged in to post a comment.