posted 04-11-2010 02:58 PM               

"Uncontrolled events" are likely to push the final Space Shuttle flight back by about four months and into 2011, according to internal NASA studies.

As things stand the Shuttle fleet is scheduled to retire with Discovery's completion of mission STS-133 in September 2010, but an analysis by the space agency's office of inspector general has concluded that a delay is likely.

posted 04-22-2010 09:42 AM               

There are several factors at play here, but primary concern is payload processing.

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), the primary cargo for STS-134, is still in Europe, where it is being reconfigured to use a permanent magnet rather than a cryo magnet.

Meanwhile, the Leonardo multi-purpose logistics module, which just returned from space with STS-131, now needs to be modified to become a permanent logistics module to be left at the space station by the STS-133 crew. That work is expected to take longer than the time between now and mid-September, when the mission is currently targeted for launch.

posted 04-26-2010 11:50 AM               

NASA shuffles shuttle schedule: Endeavour to fly after Discovery for final planned flight

NASA has rearranged the flight order for its final planned space shuttle missions, such that orbiter Endeavour will now have the distinction of making the last flight rather than Discovery, as earlier manifested.

The shuttles' shuffle, which now has Discovery's STS-133 mission launching to the International Space Station (ISS) before Endeavour's STS-134 flight, was driven by a delay readying the latter mission's scientific payload for launch...

posted 05-26-2010 09:43 AM               

It will be the 35th U.S. mission to the International Space Station and the orbiter will deliver the Permanent Logistics Module (PLM).

posted 06-09-2010 01:17 PM               

Discovery could be delayed until October.

posted 06-09-2010 01:25 PM               

STS-133 and STS-134 have not however, been officially rescheduled yet, which is what Julian (Playalinda) was asking.

posted 06-22-2010 04:18 PM               

Under the proposed change, the final scheduled flight of the shuttle Discovery, the STS-133 mission currently slated for a Sept. 16 launch, would slip to Oct. 29. That delay would in turn push the last planned shuttle mission, the November flight of Endeavour on the STS-134 mission, to Feb. 28, 2011.

"The change request will be reviewed by all affected parties -- the space station program, the astronaut office, mission controllers," NASA spokesperson Mike Curie told SPACE.com from the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C. "It's being discussed but there has been no decision made yet."

A final decision on whether to push back the flights will be made July 1, he said.

posted 06-22-2010 05:08 PM               

Assuming an Oct. 29 target date, Discovery would blast off at 5:44 p.m. and dock with the station the afternoon of Oct. 31. Two spacewalks would be carried out Nov. 2 and 4. Discovery would undock the morning of Nov. 7 and land back at the Kennedy Space Center the afternoon of Nov. 9.

Endeavour, commanded by Mark Kelly, would blast off around 5:31 p.m. on Feb. 28 to deliver critical supplies and a $1.5 billion physics experiment to the space station.

posted 07-01-2010 10:22 AM               

NASA Updates Shuttle Target Launch Dates For Final Two Flights

NASA is targeting approximately 4:33 p.m. EDT on Nov. 1 for the launch of space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission and 4:19 p.m. EST on Feb. 26, 2011, for the liftoff of shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 flight from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The target dates were adjusted because critical payload hardware for STS-133 will not be ready in time to support the previously planned Sept. 16 launch. With STS-133 moving to November, STS-134 cannot fly as planned, so the next available launch window is in February 2011.

NASA will schedule the official launch date for each mission following the agency's Flight Readiness Reviews, which typically occur about two weeks prior to launches. All target launch dates are subject to change.

posted 08-03-2010 09:13 AM               

Were the shuttle to be lost before reaching the space station...

The AMS is one-of-a-kind, there is no flight ready back-up, and so were it lost, there would be no follow-up actions to be taken.

The ELC carries spare equipment to the station, which could be launched if needed on HTV and SpaceX's Dragon (the spares, not the carrier).

Were the shuttle to be damaged but able to reach the station...

Atlantis will be standing ready to fly as a launch-on-need (LON) vehicle to rescue the crew but unlike prior LON flights, will also have in its payload bay a multi-purpose logistics module to restock the station after its supplies have been depleted by the shuttle crew taking safe haven.