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NASA Acronym List April 3, 2006 http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/140648main_ESAS_17.pdf |
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Headlines |
April 10, 2006 |
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CLV Update April 10th, 2006 trading forex We are going to add about $800,000,000 to the CLV 1st stage cost estimate. This should put it at about $2.1 Billion. The primary reason for this is the addition of a 5th SRB segment. We have to assemble and test fire 3 1st stage boosters before 1st test launch. We also have to do a considerable amount of analysis to make sure it's safe, and that we have not introduce an unknown into the SRBs performance. All the right things to do. We also have to get more hardware. Pad A will start it's modification for CLV in FY 2007. One OPF will also be transition over to support initial CLV/CEV test flights in FY 2007. |
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Retirement of the 1st Orbiter April 10th, 2006 How to house the 1st orbiter when retired is under discussion. It's more work than you think. We have to make sure its stored safely and that critical flight components are ready to be pulled if/when needed. This means keeping it in an OPF. Not possible after FY2007 so a new structure maybe built in the VAB, that will control the atmosphere and provide power and access for the hanger queen. |
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US Mars - MRO/Odyssey April 10, 2006 forex trade The red planet's newest observer, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and 2001 Mars Odyssey have achieved milestones. Reconnaissance Orbiter's high resolution camera took its first color image, seen on the left, and Odyssey marks five years of exploration with a spectacular image of a sun-bathed Martian surface, seen on the right. See the difference in resolution. |
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Airlock Campout Failed - Why Do We Take Such Risks? April 4, 2006 Two Astronuats/Cosomanauts had to be pulled from the US Airlock after a alarm sounded in the US segment of ISS. NASA had put off testing the US Airlock in Campout mode until more crew was on ISS to provide a much needed safety monitor. You see Campout is not new, it's been part of the US Airlock/US Lab systems from the start of development and the capability on orbit from the 1st day. What you need is a working MCA to make Campout possible. With the MCA not functioning correctly the station can't accurately read the amount of O2 in the Airlock while in Campout mode and in the rest of ISS it's isolated from. The reason an alarm sounded was the MCA failed, the PCS & ACS subsystems in the AR rack saw high O2 in the Airlock and assumed it was high in the rest of the station as well and was starting to pump the O2 levels outside the US Airlock down. If one of the two crew sleeping outside the Airlock (sleeping with a alarm monitoring headset on) had not woken up all 3 people sleeping outside the Airlock would have died from O2 starvation. NASA needs to replace the MCA before attempting Campout again and risking the death of crew and the US Space Program. |
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AIRLAUNCH LLC COMPLETES ANOTHER FALCON MILESTONE April 4, 2006 Kirkland, Washington –AirLaunch LLC announced today that it has successfully completed Milestone 2 of its Phase 2B DARPA/Air Force Falcon program contract, another step in the development of the company’s QuickReach™ small launch vehicle. AirLaunch conducted two second stage engine test fires within 24 hours at a test facility in Mojave, California. The two tests, performed on February 28 and March 1, 2006, signaled the beginning of the Phase 2B QuickReach™ Stage 2 engine hot fire test program, that will lead to integrated second stage testing later this year. In Phase 2A, AirLaunch conducted four second stage engine test fires as proof of concept for its vapor pressurization (VAPAK) propulsion system using liquid oxygen (LOX) and propane. “We are extremely pleased with the results of the two engine test fires in Milestone 2. Vapor pressurization has been studied for many years, and these tests, along with our Phase 2A tests, show that VAPAK works with a LOX/propane system,” said Debra Facktor Lepore, President of AirLaunch. The two engine test fires validated an updated, flight-like injector design and resulted in further confirmation of the feasibility of AirLaunch’s VAPAK propulsion system. Each test lasted 13 seconds, with 2 seconds of ignition and 11 seconds of full burn, using AirLaunch’s larger engine test stand that was built as part of the Phase 2B Milestone 2 activities. Valued at $17.8 million for a one-year effort, AirLaunch’s Falcon Phase 2B contract enables the company and its team of subcontractors to continue developing the QuickReach™ small satellite booster. AirLaunch completed Milestone 1 of Phase 2B on January 18, 2006, with a successful second stage separation test. In 2005, Team AirLaunch completed Phase 2A on time and on budget with significant hardware and testing, including four engine test firings, a stage separation test, ground drop test, and a C-17 drop test in September. The Falcon program goal is to develop a vehicle that can launch 1,000 pounds to orbit for less than $5 million with only 24 hours notice. AirLaunch’s design achieves responsiveness by carrying its QuickReach™ booster to altitude inside the cargo bay of an unmodified C-17A or other large cargo aircraft. Phase 2B will culminate with a Critical Design Review this fall. Phase 2C anticipates a demonstration launch in 2008 |
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CLV/CaLV J-2 Development is On April 3, 2006 forex trading videos NASA has released notice of a sole source contract for Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) Inc. to develop the J-2 (Saturn era) engine for CLV and CaLV (cargo crew launch vehicle). Pratt & Whitney owns the rights to the J-2 motor. The baseline DDT&E effort will require the delivery of seven development and qualification engines with two spares, two development test flight engines, and one human flight engine. This will support the 1st 3 flights of CLV. One interesting note some people at NASA want a second source for the J-2 engine. This would require Pratt & Whitney to give up it's exclusive rights to the engine. |
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CLV Upperstage Status March 30, 2006 On April 18th, 2006 at NASA Stennis a CLV Upperstage open house meeting will be held. The primary reason for this meeting is to voice and discuss two different manufacturing paths for the CLV Upperstage. One path has the Upperstage completely constructed and integrated at NASA Stennis and Michoud Assembly Facility. The second, principle construction of the tank, thrust structure, etc being done at Stennis and Michoud while assembly and check will take place at MSFC or KSC. |
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