NASA Internal Email: STS-125 Launch Date and Pad 39B Mods

From: Hoyle, Steve
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009 7:39 AM
To: [a hundred people]
Subject: FW: 1/22/09 results

HST/KSC Team,

The message below from Chuck Shaw explains the results of a NASA HQ/Space Shuttle Program meeting held yesterday reaffirming the STS-125 (SM4) launch date of May 12, 2009. The current KSC schedule on NGIN shows the launch site processing flow that we will follow to have the HST Payload ready to fly on May 12th. Although we still have significant hurdles to climb I’m confident that this HST team can pull off another launch processing flow and mission to meet all SM4 objectives.

Please keep thinking about the operations that are planned for KSC and if there is anything that I can do to help with your preparations or anything that you feel we need to adjust in our processing let me know. We will restart the KSC weeklies in February to discuss any of these issues and to make sure that we are ready to roll in March – meeting notice to follow next week.

Looking forward to seeing and working with the team again – Steve

Steve Hoyle
Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Missions
SM4 KSC Launch Site Operations Manager
Code: 442.0/Orbital
Voice: 301-286-xxxx (GSFC), 321-867-xxxx (KSC)
Fax: 301-286-xxxx
Email:

From: SHAW, CHARLES W. (JSC-MO)
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 5:48 PM
To: [several dozen people]
Subject: 1/22/09 results

Our current plans remain the baseline…..

125 flies first, and we continue to press for 5/12. November is off the table…..

127 plans for June 13

We keep working pad mods on Pad B to keep the dual pad option open that allows Ares to fly in August

We keep on the track to do the early rollout for OV-104 to turn over HB 3 as soon as possible to ARES (no impact from this to HST)

March 15th we tag up again to assess the ARES progress, the status of the Pad B Mods and analysis that is OK to launch 400 off Pad B, and to re-look at the single vs Dual Pad risk data per the request from Gerst for some addition cases. The single vs dual decision does not have to be made till the March 15th tagup. We can then decide whether HST flies May 12 (dual Pad) or May 29th (single pad)

HST should be OK with sending their troops to KSC and be up to speed by March 6th since the November option is off the table. The March 15th meeting is also before the batts come out of the freezer at GSFC, so that keeps battery management options open!

Interesting meeting!
Cheers!!!

Chuck
Chuck Shaw
Mission Director, Hubble Servicing Mission 4
Flight Manager, HST LON Rescue Mission
281-483-xxxx (office)
832-289-xxxx (mobile)