Atlantis reached the launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center this morning, where the spacecraft is under going preparations for a May mission to the International Space Station, one of three, possibly four final missions before the winged spacecraft reach retirement.
Atlantis, tentatively set for a May 14 lift off, will deliver a Russian mini-research module to the station as well as spare power storage batteries, radiator and robot arm components intended to sustain the orbital outpost well beyond the shuttle’s final flight.
At the same time, NASA shuttle managers are re-evaluating the launch dates as well as the payloads for the final missions and discussing whether there is enough time and money to add a fourth mission. Under current scheduling, the shuttle Discovery will lift off Sept. 16 on the final mission, an eight-day re-supply flight to the station.
Funding in the agency’s 2010 budget will fund operations through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. However, the White House has included $600 million in the proposed 2011 budget, enough to fund shuttle operations through Dec. 31.
Though some in Congress are pushing for an extension, NASA currently has no plans to launch shuttles beyond 2010, Mike Moses, the agency’s launch integration manager told a news briefing after Discovery touched down on Tuesday, ending a weather-extended space station voyage.
Two factors are influencing NASA’s shuttle schedule deliberations.
First is the readiness of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, an internationally sponsored external observatory developed to study cosmic rays, anti-matter and other phenomena that could furnish clues about dark matter. The second is readiness of the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, which flew aboard Discovery. Leonardo is to receive external orbital debris shielding so that it can return to the space station and remain as a permanent storage closet.
Here is NASA’s current shuttle schedule and a brief forecast on what could happen:
1. STS 132, Atlantis, is on track for a May 14 liftoff on a 12-day mission to deliver Russia’s Mini-Research Module and external spare parts.
2. STS 134, Endeavour, is tentatively slated for a July 29 lift off on a 10-day mission to the station with the AMS and additional external spare parts. The spectrometer’s international research team intends to replace the observatory’s magnet, which could ease pre-launch preparations. But it could also push the mission’s launch date into the fall.
3. STS 133, Discovery, tentatively scheduled for the final shuttle mission with the modified Leonardo and yet more space station supplies. The schedule to add the debris shielding is already tight, and the addition of two days to Discovery’s recent flight have not helped.
Nevertheless, one option NASA is considering would move STS 133 ahead of STS 134.
Then, there has been a lengthy discussion about an additional flight for Atlantis, which will be prepped for a launch-on-need, or potential rescue mission for the last scheduled shuttle mission.
With a fuel tank and solid rocket boosters for the rescue mission already paid for by NASA, some believe NASA should go ahead and launch Atlantis as a final supply mission to the space station.
So far in 2010, Endeavour and Discovery have flown successfully.
