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UPDATE # 120 - May 1, 2000 PART 1: Three Scrubs and Holding THREE SCRUBS AND HOLDING
We all waited with anxious anticipation for the "promised" launch last week and groaned a little at each of the three consecutive scrubs due to weather conditions. I enjoyed Brandt's journal describing his wait on Monday (the first attempt), and I share it with you in Part 4 below. Mark May 18th in your calendar 3:33 am PDT (6:33am EDT, 10:33am GMT). You can watch it from: http://quest.nasa.gov/ltc/sto/launch We have a full schedule of chats. You'll notice some time variations - these are due to special requests from you - so it's worth a try. Also, don't miss the chance to celebrate Space Day. We have provided a list of some available activities at: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/events/spaceday.html Linda Conrad lindac@quest.nasa.gov UPCOMING EVENTS:
Note: Most chats require pre-registration, so please plan ahead. If you need some help with how to chat, see the NASA QuestChat Information Center at: http://quest.nasa.gov/qchats/ ->Thursday, May 4: 10:30-11:30am PDT (1:30-2:30pm EDT, Chat with Elizabeth Bloomer 5:30-6:30pm GMT) Elizabeth works with a group that is in charge of the payloads (the experiments and satellites) that the shuttle carries into space. See the description in her journal below of some of the testing she's involved in. See Elizabeth's profile at: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/bloomer.html Join the chat from: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto ->Tuesday, May 9, 10:30-11:30am PDT (1:30-2:30pm EDT, Chat with Brion Au 5:30-6:30pm GMT) Brion works with former Astronaut Dr. Sally Ride. Together, they help middle school students conduct research projects using images of Earth taken from space by EarthKAM. Brion is also responsible for ensuring EarthKAM works the way it has been designed and tested, and astronauts are trained to set up and operate it. See Brion's profile at: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/au.html Join the chat from: http://quest.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto ->Wednesday, 10-11am PDT (1-2pm EDT, 5-6pm GMT) Chat with Jim Draus Jim monitors and reviews work conducted as part of shuttle processing and launch activities. He is responsible for verifying that goals for safety, cost, schedule and performance in these areas are being met. See Jim's profile at: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/draus.html Join the chat from: http://quest.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto ->Thursday, May 11, 2-3pm PDT (5-6pm EDT, 9-10pm GMT) Chat with Laura Hoppe Laura is one of many controllers responsible for the orbiter's communication and instrumentation systems. Her responsibilities include sending commands to reconfigure and control the orbiter. See Laura's profile at: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/hoppe.html Join the chat from: http://quest.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto ->Tuesday, May 16, 9-10am PDT (Noon-1pm EDT, 4-5pm GMT) Chat with Lonnie Moffitt Lonnie follows hardware developments for improving the aging orbiter fleet. He also works closely with different astronaut crews, and keeps the crew office updated on the status any orbiter hardware problems. See Lonnie's profile at: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/moffitt.html Join the chat from: http://quest.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto ->Tuesday, May 16, 10-11am PDT (1-2pm EDT, 5-6pm GMT) Webcast from the International Space Station Mock-Up and Training Facility at Johnson Space Center. See: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/events/iss99 ->Wednesday, May 17, 10-11:30am PDT (1-2:30pm EDT, 5-6:30pm GMT) Landing to Launch Webcast: The launch pad Mike and Brandt show you around the launch pad and the continued servicing of the Shuttle for its upcoming mission. See: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/events/ksc99 [Editor's note: Elizabeth works with a group that is in charge of the payloads (the experiments and satellites) that the shuttle carries into space. During a mission, they have to know the right things to do when a payload is not working correctly. They do a lot of practicing so they know exactly what to do when things do go wrong. Join Elizabeth for her chat later this week!] TESTING SPACE HARDWARE http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/bloomer.html April 25, 2000 Wow! A lot of things have happened since the start of the year. 2000 has been busy and exciting for me :-) In February, I spent one week in Florida, at the Kennedy Space Center, helping out with some testing on the big robotic arm that Canada has built for the International Space Station. It was actually my job to go inside the US Laboratory module (yes, the real thing) and push buttons and flip switches to see if the robotic arm, and all of its equipment, would do what we thought it should do. Then, in March, I traveled to Japan for two weeks to help with testing on the big robotic arm that the Japanese are building for the space station. It was really awesome to work with the Japanese. They are very excited about being a part of the International Space Station, and have been very busy to make sure they are ready to go on time. Now, I'm back in Houston, teaching robotics classes. I am also trying to learn as much about all the robotic arms, that are going to be on the space station, as possible. I read a lot, and ask a lot of questions. Fortunately, everyone is really nice and no one minds all my questions! [Editor's note: Once again NASA Quest correspondent, Brandt Secosh brings us a first hand account of activities surrounding a launch. Don't miss the pictures online: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/journals ] A QUIET TOWN AWAKENS
By: Brandt Secosh http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/secosh.html April 24, 2000 On most days of the year, Titusville, Florida, is a quiet little town to its residents, and is home to many people that work at Kennedy Space Center. All of this dramatically changes during launch activities. The scheduled launch of STS-101 was no exception, drawing a crowd of space enthusiasts from around the state, nation and indeed the world! To capture some of the launch festivities, I left Kennedy Space Center to mingle with the crowds of people in Titusville. As I left the center, people were jammed into to every imaginable location along the Indian River on US1. They filled mall parking lots and restaurants - They were everywhere! I thought I would go to one of the best spots in town, Veteran'9s Park, to meet the people waiting to see the launch. In this picture, I am standing on one of the docks looking back toward the crowd. Throughout the city, every other place looked just like this! Many of the people were veteran viewers of shuttle launches and had brought umbrellas and coolers of their favorite beverages. The launch was scheduled at 4:15 Eastern Standard Time. Many of the viewers had selected their locations well before noon and had made themselves at home! One of the first people I met was Eric. Eric is from France and had a planned trip to Orlando, Florida, to attend a technology conference. Eric had checked the launch schedule before leaving France and was very excited that he would have the opportunity to view a launch during his visit. This was Eric's first time to see a launch. We talked for a bit about his country and I wished him well as I went to meet other people. The next couple that I met was Ken and Audrey Killer from Toronto, Canada. Audrey and Ken were quite excited to be here in Titusville to view the launch. I had met Audrey walking back to where her husband, Ken, was. Now, Ken had the right idea. He was in a lawn chair under the protective shade of an umbrella with a set of binoculars. Audrey and Ken had arrived at 12:00 noon and selected a choice piece of real estate from which they would watch the launch. We also spent a few moments finding out about each other, and I then moved on to meet others in this enthusiastic crowd. The next couple that I met was Scott and Carrie Zerkle from Daytona Beach, Florida. Although, the Zerkles have viewed many launches from Daytona Beach, this was the first time that they would view a launch from Titusville. We talked a lot about the sound that they would experience during this launch. Scott and Carrie kind of brought their son for the event. Kind of - Yes! Carrie is four months pregnant. Congratulations Scott and Carrie! Isn'9t it cool that their child will experience a launch even before birth! The crowd at Veterans Park was well aware of the events happening at Kennedy Space Center. The city of Titusville had installed a public address system which monitored communications from the Launch Control Center. Everyone knew that the strong winds might cause a scrub but hung in there hoping for the best. Finally, the word came that the launch would be scrubbed due to the strong winds and an attempt to launch would be made on Tuesday. Now for the tough part of a launch - dealing with the traffic in and out of the city. No matter which way you turned there was the inevitable traffic jam. Lucky for me that I was riding my motorcycle! Best wishes to all of the people that I had the good fortune to meet today. I hope you all can make it back for the launch.
RE: MISSION: STS-101, 3rd ISS Flight (2A.2a) - carrying SPACEHAB NASA managers on Friday set May 18 as the target launch date for Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-101. May 18 is the earliest available opportunity due to other planned launches and operational requirements on the Eastern Range. At Launch Pad 39A, Shuttle Atlantis remains in excellent health. Shuttle workers have completed standard post-scrub activities. The Rotating Service Structure is in place around Atlantis, and offloading of cryogenics from the orbiter's onboard storage tanks is in work. Launch controllers will maintain the vehicle's current configuration at the pad and continue to monitor Shuttle systems. Routine system retests will resume next week in preparation for the next launch attempt. The countdown clock is scheduled to begin at the T-43 hour mark on Monday morning, May 15. The seven-member flight crew is in Houston, TX and left quarantine last Friday. They will continue training activities at Johnson Space Center until their return to KSC a few days prior to launch.
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