STS-114

Launch, orbit & landing data: Designation  28775 / 05026A Launch date - time  26 Jul 2005 - 14:39 UT Launch site  KSC, LC39B Launch vehicle  Space Shuttle (#114) Orbiter  Discovery #31 Mass orbiter & cargo at launch  121485 kg Primary payload  RMPLM Mass payload at launch  8240 kg Launch Crew  Collins, Kelly, Noguchi, Robinson Lawrence, Thomas, Camarda Docking date - time  28 Jul 2005 - 11:18 UT Target spacecraft/port  ISS/ Orbital parameters on 28 Jul - 08:38 UT:    - Perigee / Apogee  351 x 355 km    - Inclination  51.64°    - Period  91.60 min Undocking date - time  6 Aug 2005 - 07:24 UT Landing date - time  9 Aug 2005 - 12:11 UT Landing location  Edwards AFB - Runway 22 Flight Duration (d:hr:min)  13d 21h 32m Nbr orbits  219 Landing crew    (crew S-)

Crew

STS-114 Crew lead by Commander Eileen Collins and Pilot Jim Kelly, Wendy Lawrence, Charles Camarda, Soichi Noguchi, Steve Robinson & Andy Thomas.

Summary:

Return To Flight plan:

• Procedures are being developed for TPS inspection from ISS on approach. If repair were needed, Atlantis would first dock, then grapple ISS with the RMS, then undock while still attached by the RMS, rotating to place the appropriate part of the Orbiter in easy access to spacewalkers using the Station robot arm.
• In September 2003, inspection and testing on Atlantis' RCC panels and nosecap will be completed and they will be reinstalled on the orbiter.
• In November 2003, the External Tank for STS-114 will be delivered with modifications to the bipod attach ramp and several other areas where foam could be lost.
• Around November, pads 39A and 39B will be refurbished with recoating of any exposed zinc primer (which was washing off the pad tower and damaging RCC panels).
• In December, NASA will install on the new ET a camera which will transmit in-flight photos of the bipod and of the underside of Atlantis. A camera will also be mounted on the nose cone of each SRB. (For STS-115, cameras will also be installed further down on each SRB for a better view of the Orbiter).
• In December, ground tracking cameras will be refurbished, with new cameras due for delivery in March.
• In January 2004, redesign ET/SRB separation bolt catchers will be installed.
• In early 2004, a boom with laser sensor packages will be fabricated for attachment to the RMS arm; it could be used for Atlantis to inspect itself while in orbit.
• In February 2004, Atlantis should be mated with the ET and SRBs and moved to the launch pad. Atlantis is currently manifested for launch on 2004 March 11, although this planning date has been criticized by Congress as much too optimistic and is likely to be revised in the near future.
• NASA is now scheduling the STS-114 return-to-flight mission for 2004 Sep 12, with the STS-121 followon mission on 2004 Nov 15.
• Dec 2004: Stacking of booster stack BI-124 with solid motors RSRM-90 on Mobile Launch Platform 1 has begun in High Bay 1 of the VAB. The redesigned External Tank ET-120 will be added after this is complete.

Mission Report:

• May 2005: Shuttle's return to flight has been delayed until at least July while new ice countermeasures are added to the External Tank. After further tests at the pad, the Shuttle will be rolled back to the VAB and removed from the ET-120/RSRM-90 stack, probably to be assembled instead to the ET-121/RSRM-91 stack originally planned for STS-121.
• Discovery (STS-114) was launched at 14:39 UTC on Jul 26, 2005 reaching a 54 x 229 km orbit at 14:47 UTC. The OMS-2 burn at 15:17 UTC raised the perigee out of the atmosphere, with a 155 x 230 km orbit. NC-1 and NC-2 burns resulted in 226 x 285 km and 270 x 287 km orbits, as the Shuttle slowly matched altitude and speed with the Station in a 350 x 356 km x 51.6 deg orbit. Meanwhile, external tank ET-121 fell back into the Pacific with re-entry at around 15:50 UTC.
• Spectacular camera views from the External Tank showed minor tile damage during ascent, and the loss of a half-meter piece of foam from the ET at the time of SRB separation. Although the foam did not hit Discovery, the failure to stop large foam loss (a 15-cm piece was also lost from near the bipod ramp) will have to be investigated and fixed before Atlantis can fly the next mission.
• On Jul 28, 2005 at 11:18 UTC Discovery docked at the Space Station. Hatch opening was at 12:50 UTC.
• The Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module was unberthed approximately July 29.25
• The first space walk was carried out on Jul 30 and saw tile repair tests in the payload bay, and installation of a mounting bracket for the ESP-2 stores platform on the Station's Quest module. The second space walk on Aug 1, 2005 saw replacement of the Station's CMG-1 gyro. The third space walk on Aug 3 saw installation of the ESP-2 platform, and the removal of two protruding pieces of tile gap-filler material from the Shuttle's heat shield.
• Discovery undocked from Station at 07:24 UTC on Aug 6, 2005 and landed safely on Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base at 12:11 UTC on Aug 9.
• Discovery flew back from California to Florida aboard the NASA 905 ferry aircraft on Aug 19-21, 2005 with refuelling stops at Altus AFB, Oklahoma and Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.

Discovery/NASA 905 depart at 8:30am.

Astrophilately covers:

Launch cancel KSC, without barres. Credit: #401

Launch cancel KSC, with barres. Credit: J. Vd Dr.

Docking cancel 28.07.05 Houston

Landing cancel 9 Aug 2005 Edwards AFB. Credit: J. Vd Dr.