January 2007
ATV-6 a success!
Posted Tuesday, January 23, 2007
SimNASA is celebrating the success of the ATV-6 mission over this past weekend. Launching at 01:17:50 UT 21 Jan 2007 the spacecraft performed flawlessly. Coverage of the event was carried live on SimNASA LIVE!
After 19 hours and 30 minutes, the ATV-6 spacecraft was spotted by the SCSS-9 crew aboard SCSS. The craft approach and docked to the station with just one minor incident when the ATV-6 aligned began to drift during the final phase of the docking process. The docking processor was terminated and restarted to try to clear the problem from SCSS. ATV-6 reaquired the SCSS docking transponder, realigned and approached the station for docking. Docking occurred at 20:44:10 UT 21 Jan 2007
The resupply ship provided a number of additional supplies to the aging SCSS space station, to include oxygen, water, clothing, and food supplies. ATV-6 will be used in late March/April of 2007 to lower SCSS orbit to around 200 km prior to be given the final command to provide a control reentry of SCSS into Earth Atmosphere in late May/June 2007
MER-D lost
Posted Friday, January 19, 2007
After rumors for the past few weeks, SimNASA officials today confirmed that communications with the MER-D spacecraft has been lost.
Launch October 16, 2005 aboard a Delta II 7925H launch vehicle, the MER-D spacecraft was scheduled to Elysium Planitia area of the red planet in mid-February.
Controllers had hoped for good news that MER-D had completed its second course correction, but the spacecraft has been silent since the final commands to the spacecraft were transmitted in early January.
"We will continue to search for her, but as it stands now, there is no way the spacecraft can make it to Mars unless it initiated it course correction burn in January. We are all very disappointed." Deputy Administrator Frank Inkaar announced.
SimNASA launch the first MER spacecraft in June of 2003 with a follow up spacecraft in July of the same year. MER-C "Venture" was launch September of 2005 and recently landed in the Isidis Planitita in November 2006. Venture continues to explore the Isidis Planitita region and continues to gather significant data in the area.
Later this year SimNASA is planning on launching a number of unmanned spacecraft for a wide variety of missions to Mars to include the Mars Phoenix lander which is aimed for a polar landing.
ATV-6 passes first checkout
Posted Sunday, January 7, 2007
After a delay of almost a month and a half, ATV-6, currently scheduled to launch January 21st, passed it first in a series of checkouts.
During a series of final preparations for its launch in November a number of technical troubles prevented mission managers in proceeding with the countdown and the launch vehicle was returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for further testing.
Over the course of the past month, service crews disassembled and reassembled the launch stack replacing several components both with the launch vehicle and the ATV. Last week the entire structure was rolled back out to launch complex 39B where the spacecraft continues to go through a series of checks and further testing for its upcoming launch.
The launch will be carried live on SimNASA LIVE! on January 21st.
Basic Flight Training Changes
Posted Saturday, January 6, 2007
As announced earlier this week, changes in the Basic Flight Training at SimNASA have been implemented to the program effective Saturday, January 6, 2007.
Pilots who complete the Basic Flight Training program will now be transferred to the Aeronautics Division of SimNASA. Those pilots who are interested in a career in Manned Spaceflight or Unmanned Spaceflight programs will need to apply and be accepted into the program.
Applications to MSF/USF and the requirements for entree' into those programs will be announced later in the month of January.
New Year brings changes
Posted Tuesday, January 2, 2007
In discussion with the SimNASA staff over the past two months, SimNASA Administrator Brad Hodges announced today that during 2007 SimNASA will make a number of adjustments to current programs as well as some new programs.
During the Holiday Season, several SimNASA pilots where polled on a wide variety of subjects ranging from Basic Flight Training, Manned / Unmanned Space Operations, Weather Operations among other features. Because of the feedback provided by pilots to the SimNASA staff the following changes during 2007 will be implemented during the year:
The Basic Flight Training (BFT) format will continue to be the same; however as part of that format an introduction into Manned / Unmanned Space Flight will no longer be included. Pilots will be required to meet specific requirements for entrée into the program and will need to apply and be accepted into the program. “Our goal here is to make the Manned / Unmanned Space flight programs the pinnacle experience for the SimNASA member.” Pilots who graduate the BFT will now move directly to the Aeronautics Division. From there pilots will have all flights open to them to include weather recon, transportation, research, and general testing flights. As a pilot builds hours and proficiency they will be able to fly more aircraft and cover more routes.
After a specific amount of proficiency a pilot will be eligible to apply to the Astronaut corps or be eligible to participate in Unmanned Space Flight program. After completing an initial training program, pilots/astronauts will be eligible for selection to spaceflight programs. “A central theme here is that the days of the training Long Duration Missions (LDMs) are over. Since 2005, all SimNASA pilots have gone through the LDM. During this period we have seen some stellar successes and some stellar failures. It was our hope that by focusing pilots to the MSF/USF portion of SimNASA it would bolster the number of available Astronauts but history now shows us this is not the case.”
With the change in Basic Flight Training and career path, the current Skylab-Columbia (SCSS) crew will be the last crew for the orbiting space station. Now in continuous operation for nearly 1,400 days, SCSS will be abandoned in place at the end February by the current SCSS-9 crew. Eventual the orbital space station will be de-orbited. In addition the current Lunar Orbiting Logistic Station (LOLS pronounced “Louis”) will also be commanded to impact the Moon sometime in March of this year.
“Our goal here is to align SimNASA activities to what NASA will be doing, and that is a solid Return to Moon program.” Beginning in late spring/summer SimNASA will again make semi-annual missions to the moon and leaving crews there for up to six months. SimNASA will continue to use Boudreaux Station (located near the lunar south pole) for its operations.
Since October of 2006 SimNASA has also been without a viable manned spacecraft since the retirement of the space shuttle fleet. During the spring of 2007 SimNASA will introduce the Orion II spacecraft which will become the primary spaceflight craft. Currently the development of the new spacecraft is continuing, with contributions from a number of developers both in and out of SimNASA.
During late summer of 2007 SimNASA is also planning to recreate the NASA/JPL Mars Phoenix mission. The goal of this mission will be to land near the Mars north polar region. In addition SimNASA will be launching a number of other spacecraft for preposition for a 2009 manned effort to reach Mars. Several unmanned programs will also be launched this year to include several satellites to the Moon. The Unmanned Space Program will become a very visible program throughout the year.
There will also be other announcements later in the year as the more pressing objectives for the New Year are completed and items put in place to support those programs.
The staff of SimNASA would like to express our sincere thanks for those to contribute and participate in SimNASA and especially those who participate both in the forum poll as well as individual pilot feedback. It is YOU that makes SimNASA what it is.
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