June 2006
Executive Committee Changes
Posted Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Neal Pizik has stepped down from his position as Deputy Administrator for SimNASA, in order to pursue other opportunities. The current Executive Committee is currently in the process of selecting a new Deputy Administrator.
The Deputy Administrator functions as the "second-in-commmand" for SimNASA, and serves as Administrator when Brad Hodges is away.
- Reporting for SimNASA: Mike Caruso, Public Affairs Officer
STS-15 Launches, Docks with SCSS
Posted Monday, June 19, 2006
This past weekend demonstrated another successful launch for SimNASA, thanks to the STS-15 "Dawn Trader" crew: CDR Miguel Villamor and PLT Luis Afonso.
Launch was recorded as 15:03 UT yesterday, passing the tower at 15:03:06 UT. Main Engine Cut-Off (MECO) was announced eight minutes later. Within two hours of launch, STS-15 was in orbit and in sync with the SkyLab-Columbia Space Station (SCSS).
STS-15 docked with the SCSS today at 12:15 UT. Docking was smooth, as expected for these two veteran astronauts.
On board as cargo is the newest version of the SimNASA Lunar Return Vehicle (LRV). MS Jason Hyatt, also on board STS-15, shall test this new vehicle soon.
- Reporting for SimNASA: Mike Caruso, Public Affairs Officer
SimNASA Challenge - June: OMS Failure
Posted Monday, June 12, 2006
SimNASA Space Operations Director Frank Inklaar has started a monthly Orbiter challenge. These monthly challenges shall be open to all SimNASA members, for fun, as a way to increase Orbiter preparedness and thinking.
This month utilizes the Shuttle Endeavor. When you want to perform the OMS burn to raise perigee, the OMS fails to ignite. Only rotational RCS is available. Pilots should then return safely to Earth afer one orbit, preferabaly to Cape Canaveral or Edwards, using only rotational RCS.
For more information on what downloads and codes to use, see the SimNASA "Manned Space Flight" forums, and look for the "Challenge of June: OMS failure" thread. Be sure to post your results and tips!
- Reporting for SimNASA: Mike Caruso, Public Affairs Officer
STS-15 to Launch Next Weekend
Posted Monday, June 12, 2006
STS-15 CDR Miguel Villamor and PLT Luis Afonso are ready for the next SimNASA Shuttle mission, set to launch on June 18th at 15:02 UT.
Shuttle "Dawn Trader" and crew shall dock with the SkyLab-Columbia Space Station with the newest version of the Lunar Return Vehicle (LRV). MS Jason Hyatt shall be on board to test this new vehicle. The old LRV shall be returned to Earth with the return of STS-15.
- Reporting for SimNASA: Mike Caruso, Public Affairs Officer
CEV to be tested
Posted Thursday, June 8, 2006
SimNASA Administrator Brad Hodges announced today during a press conference that a boiler plate version of the SimNASA CEV will be tested at White Sands Missle Range, White Sands, New Mexico this weekend.
The main purpose of the on the initial testing is to test the ETS (Escape Tower System) designed for the new CEV. Later tests, also to be conducted at White Sands, will be with a modified Little Joe II. The Little Joe II was designed to test the ETS of the Apollo capsules.
Launches of the new CEV are not scheduled until late fall this year. With the pending retirement of the Shuttle fleet just months away speculation has been that SimNASA would postpone the retirement of the fleet. "We are not planning to do that" Hodges was quoted.
It is expected that in July SimNASA will begin using the new SRB dervied booster for launches of resupply missions to both SCSS and Boudreaux Base. This booster will also be used for launch of the new CEV is fall as well.
AESC-6 Returns, Good-Bye Saturn
Posted Sunday, June 4, 2006
The sixth Apollo Escape Capsule (AESC-6) mission ended today with the return of CDR Brad Hodges and PLT Brian Lang. Most AESC missions are simply a routine six-month change-out of an escape capsule aboard the SimNASA SkyLab-Columbia Space Station (SCSS), but AESC-6 marked the end of an era for SimNASA.
Over the course of the AESC-6 mission, Hodges and Lang worked with the crews of SCSS-8 and RTM-2 to perform a number of spacewalks to reconfigured the lunar TUG. This included fitting the lunar tug with solar arrays, a new docking truss, and a reconfigurement of the core component from a linear to a triad configuration.
On June 3, at 1154 hrs UT, the hatch of AESC-6, then transferred to the previous AESC-5 capsule. The RTM-2 crew, comprised of: Tim Novinger, Ron Freudenthal, Miguel Villamor, and Juergen Kloo – along with 300 pounds of lunar samples from Boudreaux base, were on board.
Undocking from the SCSS occurred at 1200 hrs UT. While in the vicinity of SCSS, CDR Hodges maneuvered the spacecraft around the SCSS for a quick visual station inspection. At 06:19:35:45 MET, the first orbit lowering burn was completed, setting the orbit to 408 km X 250 km. At 06:20:21:00, the last orbit was started with the final orbit set at 245 km X 255 km orbit.
At MET 06:21:04 the reentry burn was initiated. This burn was completed by 06:21:05. Four minutes later, the spacecraft was orientated in a + Normal position and the Service Module was jettisoned at 06:21:30 MET.
Reentry was nominal starting at 06:21:43:54 and lasting for eleven minutes. Drogue chutes opened on schedule at 06:21:56:30 with three full chute deployment at 06:21:57:52. Splashdown was recorded as: 06:22:02:39 at 71.210W, 22.552N. The recovery team was upon the capsule tweleve minutes later.
AESC moments from splashdown:
The crews were flow via helicopter to the USS Nimitz aboard SH-3 Sea King. After arrival at the Nimitz, the crews were given a quick physical, showered, changed, and then boarded a SimNASA HH-65 for a flight to Grand Turk Island. At 16:48 UT, the crews of RTM-2 and AESC-6 arrived at Grand Turk where the RTM-2 boarded a SimNASA Gulfstream II for Kennedy Space Center. The crew of AESC-6 debriefed at Grand Turk and is now on leave for the next two weeks.
Total mission time was recorded as: 6 days, 22 hours, 2 minutes, and 39 seconds.
AESC-6 was not only the final Apollo Capsule to be used by SimNASA, but also the final Saturn rocket in inventory. SimNASA will rely on new, updated escape capule and launch vehicle technology for future missions. The Saturn has served faithfully for SimNASA for over four years.
A ceremony for the decommissioning of the Saturn launch vehicle series shall take place today.
Welcome back to the AESC-6 and RTM-2 crews! Good-bye Saturn! We owe so much to you.
- Reporting for SimNASA: Mike Caruso, Public Affairs Officer
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