NASA considers removal of US from ISS following Soyuz incident

NASASpaceflightNOW - NASA managers have been meeting today to debate the option of removing the US presence from the International Space Station (ISS) when Discovery undocks at the latter part of STS-124.

Meanwhile, STS-124 processing continues to pick up the pace, following the recent replacement of a faulty MDM (Multiplexer/Demultiplexer) card (FA2), and a Russian re-supply ship (Progress 29P) has successfully docked with the ISS.

The discussions relate to confidence levels in the Russian Soyuz - that is currently docked on Station as a rescue vehicle in the event of an evacuation - while an ongoing investigation into Soyuz TMA-11's ballistic re-entry continues.

The 'down moded' option taken by the Soyuz TMA-11's flight computers - commanding the vehicle into a ballistic re-entry - is still in the midst of a Russian investigation, which is not likely to come to a conclusion ahead of STS-124.

The debate focuses around US confidence in the Soyuz as a 'solid rescue vehicle' - as previously reported by this site. The docked Soyuz is the only means of evacuation from the ISS during an emergency in-between shuttle missions.

The options being discussed relate to either changing the crew size riding up on Discovery to six - minus expedition 17's Gregory Chamitoff - and returning Garrett Reisman as planned, or launching with Chamitoff, before bringing him home with Garrett on Discovery.

These options - noted as 6 up/7 down and 7 up/8 down - have been debated since Wednesday, with Friday's meeting relating to the latter option of bringing eight crewmembers home with Discovery. Orbiters are capable of bringing home 10 astronauts - if required

Read more HERE.

Discovery rolled out to 39A

Access platforms at Launch Pad 39A are moved into position against Space Shuttle Discovery. Discovery arrived at its seaside launch pad and was "hard down at 11:06 UT May 3. (NASA/Troy Cryder) › View High-res Image

Space Shuttle Discovery made the long, slow trek out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The 3.4-mile trek is one of the last major milestones leading up to the launch of Discovery on the STS-124 mission. Launch is targeted for May 31.

Jules Verne boosts ISS orbit

ESA's Jules Verne ATV was used for the first time early this morning to raise the orbit of the International Space Station. A 740-second burn of the Automated Transfer Vehicle's main engines successfully lifted the altitude of the 280-tonne Station by around 4.5 km to a height of 342 km above the Earth's surface.

After the ATV Control Centre (ATV-CC) in Toulouse, France, had 'woken up' Jules Verne ATV, the manoeuvre started at 04:22 UT this morning and provided a 2.65 meter per second thrust using two of the ATV's four main engines. Controllers at ATV-CC closely monitored ATV's subsystems throughout the long manoeuvre.

"The Station's altitude naturally decreases with atmospheric drag. Until now this has been compensated for by performing a re-boost using the Russian Progress, the Space Shuttle or by the ISS itself," explains Alberto Novelli, ESA’s Mission Director at ATV-CC. "Today, ATV has successfully demonstrated that it too is able to perform this vital function. Only Progress and ATV can provide this high level of re-boost. ATV is unique due to the quantity of fuel available for such manoeuvres."

The re-boost manoeuvre comes just three weeks after Jules Verne ATV successfully docked with ISS on 3 April 2008 delivering 1150 kg of dry cargo, including food, clothes and equipment, as well as additional supplies of water, oxygen and fuel. Since then, the European ISS resupply spacecraft has been in dormant mode attached to the docking port on the Russian Zvezda module.

Today's re-boost sets up the International Space Station for the arrival of Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-124 mission to deliver the Japanese Kibo laboratory. STS-124 is currently targeted for launch on 31 May 2008. Further re-boost manoeuvres using ATV are scheduled for 12 June, 8 July and 6 August.

Jules Verne ATV is scheduled to remain docked to the International Space Station until early August. At the end of its mission, Jules Verne, loaded with up to 6.5 tonnes of material no longer required by the ISS, will undock and then burn up completely during a guided and controlled re-entry high over the Pacific Ocean.

STS-124 Launch Preparations Continue

In the VAB at KSC, The STS-124 ET for Discovery is lowered into high bay 4, between the SRB's waiting on the mobile launcher platform. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

› View High-res Image

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery is being readied for its STS-124 mission, currently targeted for launch May 31.

Inside the orbiter processing facility, shuttle workers are preparing for the orbiter's April 26 move to the Vehicle Assembly Building, where it will be joined with its external tank and solid rocket boosters. Rollout of the entire space shuttle assembly to Launch Pad 39A is set for May 3.

STS-124 is the second of three flights to deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory to the International Space Station. At 37 feet long and 14 feet wide, the Japanese Pressurized Module will be the station's largest science laboratory. The shuttle also will deliver the lab's robotic arm system that supports operations outside of Kibo. The lab's logistics module, which was installed in a temporary location during STS-123 in March, will be attached to the new lab.

Mark Kelly will command the seven-member crew, which includes Pilot Ken Ham, Mission Specialists Karen Nyberg, Ron Garan, Mike Fossum, Greg Chamitoff and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide. Chamitoff will replace Expedition 16/17 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman and remain aboard the station as a member of the Expedition 17 crew. Reisman will return to Earth with the STS-124 crew.

STS-124 Mission Information
› STS-124 Mission Summary (524 Kb PDF)
› Meet the Crew