STS-122 Update

NASA Announces Teleconference About Next Shuttle Mission

“NASA will host a media teleconference with Space Shuttle Program Manager Wayne Hale at 5 p.m. EST, Thursday, Jan. 3, to discuss the status of ongoing work to prepare shuttle Atlantis for its launch to the International Space Station.”

Editor’s note: John Shannon said that today’s PRCB looked at possible launch dates. Went over mods to feed through connector. Connector sent to MSFC for testing. Sensor ready for cryostat testing unit. Hope to replicate December launch attempt and tanking test. That should take 2 weeks starting next Monday. Reviewed mod to external plug. Will solder pins on feed through connector. This should solve problems based on Atlas Centaur experience by inhibiting movement inside of connector. Expect new connectors installed on ET 125 before next wednesday. If we learn something new through testing then that will need to be tested.

Work to reinstall foam and ablator – will take until 27 Jan. Need to see how long foam needs to cure until 2-7 Feb. 24 Jan is the earliest launch day that Shannon needs to proctect. As we go through next week we will see what we need to do. No way can we go an earlier than 24 Jan. “It is a stretch that we’d make the 24th. The weather would have to cooperate and we’d have to have no testing glitches. It is more likely that we’d be ready to go in the 2-7 Feb time frame … We really did not pick a launch date today.”