New Launch Schedule

I just took a look at the new launch scheudle, and saw STS-121 is being
inserted between STS-114 and STS-115. Any reason why? Does it have
something to do with Endeavour's down time?

From: Mark Lopa

I just took a look at the new launch scheudle, and saw STS-121 is being
inserted between STS-114 and STS-115. Any reason why? Does it have

No, it will carry the payload ULF-1.1, which will be a logistics resupply
flight, as the ISS will be in seriously need of new supplies by then. It will
also likely carry a fresh station crew.

DF

Mark Lopa wrote in :

I just took a look at the new launch scheudle, and saw STS-121 is being
inserted between STS-114 and STS-115. Any reason why? Does it have
something to do with Endeavour's down time?

It has nothing to do with Endeavour. 121 is being inserted due to several
conflicting pressures.

First, all the new equipment (RMS, boom, tile/RCC repair kit, tile/RCC
repair DTO practice plates) are driving up the mass of 114, requiring some
equipment to be removed from the MPLM.

Second, the additional crew activities on 114 (tile/RCC inspection and DTO)
are overcrowding the timeline, making the planned utilization tasks
impossible.

Third, in the extended absence of the shuttle, ISS logistics/resupply needs
are growing, not shrinking.

Fourth, the STS-116/ISS-12A.1 manifest is oversubscribed and needs to be
offloaded a bit, but some of the items are really needed sooner rather than
later.

So NASA decided to split STS-114/ISS ULF-1 into two flights, STS-114/ISS
LF-1 and STS-121/ISS ULF-1.1. The new flight got 121 because 114-120 are
already taken. The "U" in "ULF" was removed from 114 because all the ISS
utilization payloads got bumped to 121 in favor of logistics. The major
objectives of each flight a

114
RTF activities (tile/RCC inspection demo, tile/RCC repair DTO)
ISS CMG swap
ISS logistics (MPLM)
Possible ISS crew augmentation from 2 to 3

121
Tile/RCC inspection (possible repeat of the DTO if 114 doesn't go right)
ISS crew rotation
ISS utilization/logistics (MPLM) including getahead items from 116/12A.1

With the ISS crew rotation moving from 114 to 121, 114 is currently down to
4 STS crewmembers and possibly one ISS crewmember. However, the crew
timeline is still badly oversubscribed due to all the new RTF activities.
NASA plans to name 2 new STS crewmembers soon (possibly 3, if ISS crew
augmentation is nixed) to reduce the workload to manageable levels.

121, as an ISS crew rotation flight, will carry a crew 4 STS, 3 ISS for a
total of 7.

--
JRF

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On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 14:05:51 +0000, Jorge R. Frank wrote:

They forgot the Catgirl Microgravity Prehensile Tail
Utilization DTO...

--
Chuck Stewart
"Anime-style catgirls: Threat? Menace? Or just studying algebra?"

Chuck Stewart wrote:

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 14:05:51 +0000, Jorge R. Frank wrote:

They forgot the Catgirl Microgravity Prehensile Tail
Utilization DTO...

--
Chuck Stewart
"Anime-style catgirls: Threat? Menace? Or just studying algebra?"

That is not scheduled until the delivery of the Japanese module