STS-117 Atlantis | Mission Status by cljohnston108

BREAKING ATMO - Serenity to ISS on STS-117
http://www.breakingatmo.com/

Spaceflight Now | STS-117 Shuttle Report | Mission Status Center
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts117/status.html

Kennedy Space Center Video Feeds
http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/video/

STS-117 is the next Space Shuttle mission that will deliver the second starboard truss segment and energy systems to the International Space Station, the S3/S4 Truss and set of solar arrays. Starting with this mission, all remaining space shuttle launches will be from pad 39A, as pad B will be deactivated after the launch of the Hubble servicing mission, STS-125, so it can be modified to support Project Constellation.

Crew

• Frederick Sturckow (3) - CDR
• Lee Archambault (1) - Pilot
• James F. Reilly (3) - Mission specialist
• John Olivas (1) - Mission specialist
• Patrick G. Forrester (2) - Mission specialist
• Steven Swanson (1) - Mission specialist

Launching ISS Expediton 15 crew

• Clayton Anderson

Landing ISS Expedition 15 crew

• Sunita Williams

Astronaut Mark Polansky was originally slated to pilot this mission, but was moved to STS-116, which he commanded.

Mission Parameters

Launch: June 8, 2007, 7:38:02 pm EDT
Orbiter: Atlantis
Mission Number: STS-117 (118th shuttle flight)
Launch Window: 10 minutes
Launch Pad: 39A
Mission Duration: 11 days
Landing Site: KSC
Inclination/Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Primary Payload: 21st station flight (13A), S3/S4 Truss

Mission highlights

The STS-117 mission will deliver the second starboard truss segment and energy systems to the International Space Station, the S3/S4 Truss and set of solar arrays.

The crew will fold up the other side of the solar arrays in the P6 truss segment.

----More Info------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-117
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-117/ndxpage1.ht
ml (Photo Gallery)
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=71 (Kennedy Media Gallery STS-117)
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=4499&posts
=170&start=1

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Thursday, June 7, 2007 2:50 PM

THEONETRUEBIX

And, of course:

http://www.breakingatmo.com/

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Thursday, June 7, 2007 2:56 PM

Yeah, I remembered to add that at the top just as you were posting.
Didn't mean to forget ya, Bix!

Soooo, when are we gonna find out who the crew's Browncoat is?

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Thursday, June 7, 2007 4:03 PM

there are a couple issues we are working in the countdown. during the L-30 hr checkout there was a problem with MLS#3 (microwave landing system) used from 17,000 ft to touchdown. the loss of this one MLS is not an issue, but the team is working next worst failure which would be a loss of one of the two RA (Radar Altimeters -used from 5,000 ft to touchdown). the launch commit criteria requires all three MLS for a failure of a RA. Mission Ops and the Crew Office are becoming more comfortable with accepting a waiver in the event an RA has issue during power up ~noon EDT tomorrow (they were fine during the L-30 C/O). so I think with weather still looking good, there is a good chance to light the candle and break atmo tomorrow. once we get off the ground I will reveal the name of our browncoat astronaut.

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Thursday, June 7, 2007 7:51 PM

Operative: "Its worse than you know..." Mal: "It usually is."

Thanks for the update,....I can't wait to see it go tomorrow. I got very shiny positive thoughts going to it now.

[IMG]

[/IMG]
PFC Medic in the 76th

...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

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Friday, June 8, 2007 12:58 AM

Phil Plait blogged about our impending Triumph a few days ago. It's hi-larious!

Bad Astronomy Blog » Take me where I cannot stand
http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/2007/06/04/take-me-where-i-cannot-s
tand/
(The comments are great, too!)

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Friday, June 8, 2007 3:30 AM

Been reading the interviews with each crew member...
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/index
.html

My money's on Danny Olivas as our Undercover Browncoat!
He sounds like our kinda guy...

Preflight Interview: Danny Olivas
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/inter
view_olivas.html

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Friday, June 8, 2007 4:25 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by cljohnston108:
Been reading the interviews with each crew member...
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/index
.html

My money's on Danny Olivas as our Undercover Browncoat!
He sounds like our kinda guy...

Preflight Interview: Danny Olivas
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/inter
view_olivas.html]

nope unless he had been converted by the cargo.

I uploaded some photos from last night after they retracted the Remote Servicing Structure (RSS). everything is still looking good for launch.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=ekhorlf.24ok35ob&x=0&y=-bjbomd

where is the musical tribute OUT2THEBLACK? is austin wintory done yet?

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Friday, June 8, 2007 4:40 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by maiii:
nope unless he had been converted by the cargo.

Dang! See, this is why I don't go to Vegas!

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Friday, June 8, 2007 10:48 AM

bump

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Friday, June 8, 2007 1:48 PM

DONCOAT

A beautiful liftoff. Atlantis is in the black!

I really love that external tank-cam.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm pointin' right at it!

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Friday, June 8, 2007 1:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DonCoat:
I really love that external tank-cam.

Yeah! That thing revolutionized how we watch launches!
The first time they tried it, the signal cut-out right before SRB sep.
Now it's rock-solid & clear all the way!

Fly, baby, fly!

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Friday, June 8, 2007 2:05 PM

CANISD

The image as she cleared the tower was one of the most incredible I've seen in 25+ years of watching launches, the was she was silhouetted against the sky. Just incredible video all the way.

"If you want to have dinner with the Devil, make sure to bring a long spoon!"
http://wolfsshipyard.mystarship.com

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Friday, June 8, 2007 2:51 PM

I uplinked some ascent photos including a picture of our intrepid Browncoat (Steve "Swanny" Swanson).

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Friday, June 8, 2007 3:46 PM

Preflight Interview: Steven Swanson
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/inter
view_swanson.html

Astronaut Bio: Steven R. Swanson (2/2006)
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/swanson.html

Menu
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/178601main_Menu-Swanson-117.pdf

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Friday, June 8, 2007 5:20 PM

You're sure this hero isn't really a secret
agent for Blue Sun? Heh. Love that Bad Astronomer.

This special cargo and two successful launches
in as many days (we had a beauty at VAFB
yesterday eve.) make me so so so so happy...

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~etc. with the turtle~

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Friday, June 8, 2007 6:04 PM

IVY

Shiny!!

Thanks for all the links and information.

I love the Space Shuttle
I love Firefly

I may have just gotten a little weepy reading through all the photos and blogs!!

Ivy

I've been sane a long while now, and change is good...

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Friday, June 8, 2007 6:31 PM

Operative: "Its worse than you know..." Mal: "It usually is."

ALLRIGTH! its the Colorado guy!!!

I'm in Denver!!! I love it!!! He's like the 18 one to graduate from the University of Colorado and then go to space! I am so happy,.....my BDH's get to go to space and they get taken by my fellow Coloradian. I almost cried.

[/IMG]
Private in the 76th

...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

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Friday, June 8, 2007 7:11 PM

this is just sooo cool!! thank you for all the info and the links!

Chindi

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Saturday, June 9, 2007 2:50 AM

Hmmm, I had been kinda wondering why CDR Rick Sturckow used my initials (CJ) as a callsign...
http://www.livescience.com/blogs/author/tariqmalik
(Scroll down for a somewhat more relevant entry!

)

Quote:
Meet the STS-117 Astronauts (A Call Sign Primer)
Posted on June 8, 2007 @ 22:55:55 EDT
Author Tariq Malik

NASA’s seven astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis are circling the Earth as we speak, but an attentive listener may find their chats with Mission Control confusing.

That’s because nearly every one of Atlantis’ seven STS-117 astronauts has their own unique call sign - or nickname - of choice. So rather than Rick, Lee, Patrick, Steven, John, Jim and Clayton, they are: CJ, BRU, Swanny, Danny, JR and Clay.

Some of their monikers have a straightforward abbreviation: mission specialists Steven “Swanny” Swanson and Jim “JR” Reilly II (he’s also a ‘junior’ apparently), for example, or Patrick “Pat” Forrester and Clayton “Clay” Anderson. John Olivas, meanwhile goes by “Danny” and I can’t believe it’s not related to that middle initial ‘D.’ in his NASA bio.

But Atlantis commander Rick Sturckow and pilot Lee Archambault carry call signs left over from their military days in the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force, respectively.

Sturckow’s “CJ” nickname is an abbreviation for Caustic Junior and stems from his apparent resemblance to a former superior officer whose own moniker was simply “Caustic”

Archambault’s handle BRU (pronounced “brew”) is rooted in bad luck.

“I had an unfortunate experience with a Bomb Rack Unit on an F-111 jet,” the Atlantis shuttle pilot explained before launch. Unfortunate or not, the experience apparently made an impression.

So mystery solved. There’s a handy primer on the many monikers of NASA’s STS-117 astronauts. I hope it comes in handy over the next 11 days.

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Saturday, June 9, 2007 5:54 PM

BUMP

Can't stop the signal... and Serenity still flies... gotta love all the browncoats out there in the real world.. spreading the word.

Chindi

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Sunday, June 10, 2007 5:00 AM

CYBERSNARK

Quote:
Originally posted by cljohnston108:
“I had an unfortunate experience with a Bomb Rack Unit on an F-111 jet,” the Atlantis shuttle pilot explained before launch.

. . .

Well?

Guy can't say something like that an not tell the story! It's against the Pilot's Code(tm).

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Sunday, June 10, 2007 12:08 PM

yeah a current update would be shiny too!

Chindi

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Sunday, June 10, 2007 3:27 PM

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-117/ndxpage1.ht
ml

I see, by the Master Flight Plan, that the crew has a 2-hour block of off-duty time on Flight Day 5, starting at 3:33 pm EDT...
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts117/fdf/117flightplan.html

Maybe Swanny'll break out our precious cargo and begin the conversion process!

But it's kinda weird that NASA isn't posting any new photos to the gallery.

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Monday, June 11, 2007 4:46 AM

Good morning space fans,
Swanny has been busy this first two days so I havent gotten an emails yet. they do have a 2 hour crew off time tomorrow, so who knows maybe they will watch an episode or two :)

Yesterday saw a beautiful docking with the Space Station ( I am still pulling photos from the database). Today is the First of 4 Spacewalks. They will install the S3/S4 Truss segement today which is the big solar array on the starboard side of the ISS. They wont deploy the solar array wings until tomorrow.

The Mission Management team and the rest of Mission Control is still thinking about what to do with the bent blanket on the Left OMS (Orbital Manuvering System) Pod. The thermal blanket was torn loose and bent upwards due to aerodynamic loads during launch. The concern with this blanket is what amount of increased heating it will cause in the area during entry heating. If the blanket rips off during the lower portion under aero loads it is not a debris concern. The team is working options for tucking the blanket back down since it does have some memory for staying flat. If it is flat during entry heating it should not be an issue, but if it is bent up the disturbance to the plasma flow could cause damage to the underlying OMS Pod structure by causing a stagnation point and a hole that heat can get into, but not out of. In the past we have seen lost blankets and tiles that did cause survivable damage to the OMS pod. So the question the team is working is the extent of localized damage and if there is a concern for entry.

The team is also continuing to review ascent data (RADAR, WBS Tracking Planes, SRB Video, Ground Cameras) as well as the flight day 2 inspection data and so far there is no indication of areas for concern.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=ekhorlf.24ok35ob&x=0&y=-bjbomd

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Monday, June 11, 2007 5:59 AM

LEADB

Thanks for the updates!

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Monday, June 11, 2007 5:52 PM

Thanks MAIII..

pass along in your email that when they watch Serenity.. they should NOT think that the gorram primary buffer panel does not = the tear in the Shuttle skin.. honestly, it is just a stange coincidence!!!

no just kidding.. don't mention it.. but I had to... :-)

Thanks for the update; looking forward to the photos

Chindi

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007 1:41 AM

well the team is extending the mission by two days to repair this OMS Pod Blanket. there is a concern with burn through given the increased localized temperatures. the concern is the fact that the blanket is sticking up, this could cause the plasma flow in the area to increase and stagnate in the open cavity. the under substructure is graphite epoxy and only rated for 250 degs so the higher potential localized heating could cause the epoxy to delaminate and then the fibers could allow a flow path further into the structure and eventual failure of the OMS Pod. on STS-41G we lost a whole blanket during launch, while it survived entry the OMS pod saw significant damage to the facesheets and took a year to fix. this case is believed to be potentially worse because of the stagnation point.

by just tucking the blanket down that might provide the needed thermal protection to get through entry and then if aero loads do pull the blanket back up it is not a concern since we would be beyond peak heating loads. if the blanket comes completely off during aero entry loads it should not be a debris transport/impact issue, though they are still finalizing that analysis.

the team is concerned enough that we can not deorbit until this repair is done. some on the team have no confidence in the survivability of this OMS Pod during entry heating. in the event of a low likelihood cabin leak, the crew would declare CSCS - crew uses ISS as Safe Haven, abandons Atlantis in the Pacific unmanned and waits for the Launch On Need Vehicle to come and rescue them. I dont want to alarm people, because we are going to do the right thing, repair the blanket and then there should be no issues for coming home, but until that repair is completed on EVA 3 & 4 this OMS Pod damage is considered suspect.

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007 2:26 AM

Is it just me, or did Swanny's Flight Day 4 wake-up call, -- "It Probably Always Will" by Ozark Mountain Daredevils -- sound similar to the Ballad of Serenity?
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/audio/shuttle/sts-117/mp3/fd04.mp3

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007 8:46 AM

http://www.phpbbforfree.com/forums/theinvaders.html

MAIII

this tear in the pod surface is worrying.. our hopes and prayers for safe return to the Atlantis crew...

chindi

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007 2:48 PM

RODWY

When I heard about the Dvd's that were sent up and added to the ISS movie library it brought a tear to my eye. It's just the coolest thing to hear something like that.

Oh and about the that problem with the pod, that is very troubling and I hope they can get it fixed.

---

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007 4:58 PM

I think we have a pretty good repair method planned. plus if they just go out and push the blanket down and it should stay down due to blanket memory. the aeroloads dont start ramping up until Mach 6 and the heat loads are over by Mach 4. so the team is looking at what would the heat load be in the cavity for the ~2 from M6-4 if the blanket repair failed and it popped up due to aero loads.

we are going to do a repair and will make sure the crew is safe.

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007 5:27 PM

NCBROWNCOAT

On another Firefly/Serenity forum there was the inevitable quote about the gorram buffer panel.

Things never go smooth do they?

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007 7:35 PM

Operative: "Its worse than you know..." Mal: "It usually is."

Maiii,
Just to inject some humor,....re: buffer panel Does this plan sound like something Mal would think up?

I sure hope you have better luck, than he does. I hope everybody gets back with out any incedents or close calls. I will keep them in my thoughts and prayers. Thanks for spending your time here posting, I know when a ship is up there you people are very busy. This is just too cool and I remember when we landed on the Moon!

Private First Class in the 76th

...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

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Wednesday, June 13, 2007 3:42 AM

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-117/html/iss015
e11778.html

Could this have been "The Hand-Off"?

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Wednesday, June 13, 2007 3:58 AM

I wonder that myself, but CJ is doing the handoff and there are three packages, though Swanny might have had to wrap the dvd cases in something else. unfortunately I havent hear from Swanny yet. probably too excited about today's spacewalk.
the mission continues to go well as the team works through the blanket repair options for procedures/tools and which EVA to perform the work on should be decided by the mission management team today. Swanny and Forrester are going for a spacewalk later today to continue work on the newly installed Truss and Solar Array Segment. Airlock egress is ~2 pm EDT.

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Wednesday, June 13, 2007 5:07 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by maiii:
...but CJ is doing the handoff...

Well, Swanny's lookin' awful proud over Suni's shoulder!

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Wednesday, June 13, 2007 7:46 AM

Excited about today's space walk/EVA... reminds me of River on the outside of Serenity the first time.. looking at all the stars..

I mean, imagine what it must be like to be one of the very few humans to ever go into space (so far)... it's just so amazing!! I think I am jealous..lol..

wish him a fabulous "walk" in space.. oh the views....

Chindi

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Wednesday, June 13, 2007 6:58 PM

Thanks for the bulletins!
About the repairs: they were talking about
using a sewing kit that's taken along to fix
spacesuits, but by tonight (Wed.) there were
references to staples. ??
Isn't there a space version of duct tape?

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~etc.~

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Wednesday, June 13, 2007 7:29 PM

LMAO FB... duct tape.. the wonder invention!!

of COURSE there must be,,, corning duct tape... heat resistant..

dark side; light side...

It is way cool that our crew is in space.. if only in spirit...

Chindi

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Wednesday, June 13, 2007 8:21 PM

Well, let's see...
The stuff can be hard to handle, so we'd
want a tape on which the glue is activated
in a time-bracket close to when it's in the
desired final position -- maybe take a heat-gun
to it -- also we don't want any loss of
flexibility under extreme conditions -- we
better get right on it, if such a nifty item
doesn't already exist.

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~plus~

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Wednesday, June 13, 2007 9:42 PM

JAYNEZTOWN

Quote:

we are going to do a repair and will make sure the crew is safe.

It's sad to see this once great spacecraft these days.

They are going to *Try* and repair but the damage looks like it may be away from a critical area of the Shuttle so it may not be so important.

The Shuttle is very old now, and it isn't as safe as we once thought. NASA has to look like it's at least trying to make repairs in a post-columbia NASA. I still think the ship will return home safe as thew damage doesn't look too serious, plus if NASA gets really desperate they could always ask the Ruskies or Chinese for a lift home.

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Thursday, June 14, 2007 1:43 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by FloralBunny:
Thanks for the bulletins!
About the repairs: they were talking about
using a sewing kit that's taken along to fix
spacesuits, but by tonight (Wed.) there were
references to staples. ??
Isn't there a space version of duct tape?

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~etc.~

they are going to have the crew use the medical surgical stapler to put two rows of staples on the blanket to blanket interface. for the forward facing blanket to tile interface they are going to use these stainless steel Saffil pins to keep the blanket down. they are still looking at the material properties in terms of how long these pins and staples will last at 1300 deg F (melting point is 2500, but they might loose some strength by 1500). even if they do melt, there is still the lower layer of staples that should be covered by the blankets and the aero loads dont start ramping up until Mach 6, and by Mach 3.5 (~2 mins later) the heat loads have fallen off. so if the blanket pops up the potential for heating in the cavity and failing your face sheets and graphite epoxy as been reduced from 15 mins to 2 min.
the repair will be performed first thing on EVA3.

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Thursday, June 14, 2007 2:32 AM

Operative: "Its worse than you know..." Mal: "It usually is."

God, I hope its easier than it sounds!! I just hope it works. Thanks Maiii for all the posting, I get such a kick of having this 'inside' information!!!

PFC in the 76th Battalion

...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

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Thursday, June 14, 2007 9:12 AM

Thanks MAIII I am always looking forward to your daily updates..

and yes; the Shuttle is aging.. we need NEW and IMPROVED shuttles!! There should be funding for the next great vehicle.. hell- cars get improved every year... why can we not have a new space shuttle every decade at least!! (Yes I know they are costly, but exploration does not come cheap, nor should our crew's safety!!)

And one of the next generation Shuttles should be called Serenity.. like the Big "E"

Chindi

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Thursday, June 14, 2007 11:35 AM

Well the last 36 hours has been pretty interesting. The team has converged on a plan to repair the L OMS Pod Blanket on the EVA tomorrow. Just as we started to break through clouds and reach the top of the mountain the clouds parted and showed an even bigger mountain looming in the distance called Russian computers. Short story is all three Russian computers are down and have not been able to be recovered for any length of time. What this means to the shuttle is that we can not leave until this problem is fixed. Any active attitude control(firing jets) for the ISS goes through the russian computers, the current stable control mode of momentum management is controlled by the US segment and working fine as long as we don’t perturb the system to much (think of it as balancing a marble on the top of and upside down bowl). So we are looking to do what we can to extend the time the shuttle can stay docked, by conserving power and propellant. If needed looks like we could extend the docked mission by another day. If this problem can not be solved by the time we have to undock then the ISS crew might have to abandon ship because it is highly unlikely that momentum management without russian thrusters could handle the disturbance of undocking.

Anyway the mission timeline proceeds nominally while the team works through the issues. Tomorrow is EVA3 with blanket repair first thing then solar array retraction troublehooting after that. I updated the link with photos from EVA2.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=ekhorlf.24ok35ob&x=0&y=-bjbomd

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Thursday, June 14, 2007 12:00 PM

I heard about the computers on the news last night. It does seem like this is a MAJOR problem for the ISS.

Again, we can throw BILLIONS away on useless agendas and the space program languishes.. (sorry- just my humble opinion, and not meant to offend)

I hope that the problems gets fixed; but it sounds quite dire and quite likely that the residents of the ISS may end up hitching a ride home on Atlantis.. I do not know enough to know if the computers come back, whether they can trust them enough to leave the ISS crew there.. this could be their only way home in a long while....

Chindi.. prayers for their safety...

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Thursday, June 14, 2007 12:31 PM

well they were able to at least reconfig stuff on the russian segment so that the Soyuz has continuous power so the ISS crew wont have to hitch a ride with the shuttle, but if this computer can be fixed and they cant find a way to undock without upsetting momentum management then the ISS crew might have to undock in the Soyuz just before or just after us.

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Thursday, June 14, 2007 2:59 PM

TQVM, maiiiiii, for the info on the thermal
blanket repair.

My remarks about space-going duct tape were
made with a whole catalog of visions slide-
showing in my fevered brain of the various
disasters I've had with terrestrial versions
of the dire and entangling material.

As for the ISS possibly facing an "Out of
Gas" type situation, I had heard about those
faulty computers on Sunday eve. on all-nut
radio and hesitated to mention it here on
the chance it wasn't really happening.
I'm hoping one of the geniuses involved will
be able at least to work out a kluge good
enough to keep the thing going until good
equipment can be sent up, or -- ever so much
better -- fix it all the way.

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~etc. turtle pardy~

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Thursday, June 14, 2007 7:19 PM