[sarex] Weather Force Managers to Wave Off Wednesday Landing

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468


	*Object Investigation, Weather Force Managers to Wave Off Wednesday 
Landing*



The Mission Control Center in Houston informed the STS-115 crew about 
10:45 a.m. EDT that Wednesday’s landing attempts have been waved off due 
to an unfavorable weather forecast, coupled with the possibility of 
additional inspections of Space Shuttle Atlantis.

An object was observed by flight controllers using a TV camera on the 
shuttle in close proximity to the spacecraft. It was observed following 
standard tests of Atlantis’ reaction control system about 2:45 a.m. 
today. Flight controllers continue to analyze the situation and are 
concerned the item may be something that came off of Atlantis.

*09/19/2006 Post-MMT Briefing Video of Object*
+ View video (Real) 
<http://mfile.akamai.com/18565/rm/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/real.nasa-global/sts-115/sts115_object_mmt.ram>
+ View video (Windows) 
<http://mfile.akamai.com/18565/asf/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/sts-115/sts115_object_mmt.asx> 


Space Shuttle Program Manager Wayne Hale said engineers and flight 
controllers are developing a plan for inspections that may be performed 
on Wednesday to ensure that Atlantis is safe for re-entry. Atlantis has 
equipment aboard that can be used to thoroughly inspect the heat shield 
and other areas.

During the post-Mission Management Team briefing at 12 p.m., the STS-115 
crew informed Mission Control that one of the crew members spotted a 
small object near the shuttle. The crew captured imagery of it and will 
downlink it to MCC for analysis.

At about 12:46 p.m., MCC instructed the crew to power up the Atlantis’ 
robot arm so that its elbow camera can be used to survey the orbiter.

Landing opportunities for Atlantis on Thursday begin with a potential 
6:22 a.m. touchdown at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

Atlantis’ mission has resumed the construction of the International 
Space Station. Atlantis delivered the P3/P4 integrated truss to the 
station on Sept. 11. The STS-115 and Expedition 13 crews used the 
shuttle and station robotic arms to attach the truss to the orbital 
outpost. Then STS-115 astronauts conducted three spacewalks in four days 
to prepare the truss and its solar arrays for operation.

The weather forecast at Kennedy Space Center calls for better weather at 
the Shuttle Landing Facility on Thursday. Forecasters will continue to 
monitor the situation. The weather forecast for Wednesday had called for 
unacceptable thunderstorms and strong winds at the potential landing time.