http://n.yam.com/afp/international/200903/20090312827455.html
氫氣節流閥出狀況 發現號太空梭發射再延後  
法新社╱何世煌 2009-03-12 09:35     

 
（法新社佛州卡納維爾角11日電）美國國家航空暨太空總署（NASA）官員表示，工程師發現太空梭有氣體外洩之後，原定今天進行的發射行動延後，下次發射最快15日進行。

發射作業主任連白（Mike Leinbach）說：「我們最快13日中午之前，才能查出氣體外洩的原因。」他補充說，下次發射時間預定在15日與17日之間。

工程師中午開始將燃料注入發現號太空梭外部燃料槽時，發現填充輸送系統有氣體外洩，就在發射前數小時，延後整個行動。

發現號原定2月12日升空，至今已經第5度延後發射。

通訊主任強生（Bill Johnson）告訴法新社，出現外洩的是調節氫氣的節流閥，位置在燃料槽內部往頂端的地方。

當時外部燃料槽已經注滿3/4，約200萬公升的燃料，大部分由攝氏零下252度的液態氫與液態氧組成，現在將再全部抽光。

本次飛行任務在運送第4組太陽能板到國際太空站（International Space Station），並進行組裝。

http://n.yam.com/afp/life/200903/20090309714892.html
發現號太空梭11日飛往太空站　完成發電檢修  
法新社╱楊一峰 2009-03-09 15:20     

 
（法新社華盛頓9日電）延宕一個月，美國太空梭發現號（Discovery）預訂11日飛往國際太空站（International Space Station），完成這座太空站發電系統的全面檢修。

如果天氣許可，發現號將在晚上9時18分從佛羅里達州卡納維爾角的甘迺迪太空中心（Kennedy SpaceCenter）發射。

發現號有7位太空人，其中包括日本太空人若田光一（Koichi Wakata）；他們將運送第四組、也是最後一組的發電太陽能板到國際太空站。

這次的發射原訂2月12日，但因控制閥門出現問題而延後了四次。這些閥門是太空梭三個主要引擎輸送氫氣的管道。

三個閥門已經全部換成新的，國家航空暨太空總署（NASA）工程師說，這幾次的延遲發射是基於謹慎，以測試這些閥門。

http://n.yam.com/afp/life/200903/20090305556422.html
NASA：發現號太空梭提前於11日發射升空  
法新社╱楊一峰 2009-03-05 14:05     

 
（法新社華盛頓4日電）美國國家航空暨太空總署（NASA）今天決定，提前一天，於11日發射發現號（Discovery）太空梭進入軌道，進行為期16天的國際太空站（International Space Station）任務。

提前24小時發射，顯示NASA對解決閥門問題信心十足，這個問題已造成發現號四度延後發射，它原本訂於2月12日發射升空。

NASA工程師已經用較新的閥門，更換發現號上的3個控制閥門，這些閥門做為太空梭3個主引擎輸送氫氣的管道，工程師未來會設計新閥門。

這幾次延後發射，是為了求謹慎，仔細檢測閥門。先前太空梭奮進號11月前往國際太空站從事任務期間，太空人發現奮進號上一個閥門損壞。

受損的閥門上有裂縫，但是它並未危及奮進號的安全，太空梭升空進入地球軌道的8.5分鐘過程中運作良好。

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts119/index.html
STS-119 Mission

Launch Target:
No earlier than Feb. 22, 2009
Orbiter:
Discovery
Mission Number:
STS-119
(125th space shuttle flight)
Launch Window:
5 minutes
Launch Pad:
39A
Mission Duration:
14 days
Landing Site:
KSC
Inclination/Altitude:
51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Primary Payload:
28th station flight (15A), S6 truss segment

STS-119 Crew
李‧阿尚波(Lee J. Archambault)
Commander

多米尼克‧安東里尼(Dominic A. (Tony) Antonelli)
Pilot

約瑟‧艾卡巴(Joseph M. Acaba)
Mission Specialist

約翰‧菲利普(John L. Phillips)
Mission Specialist

史蒂夫‧史旺森(Steven R. Swanson)
Mission Specialist

理察‧阿諾(Richard R. Arnold)
Mission Specialist

若田光一(Koichi Wakata)
Mission Specialist/ISS Flight Engineer

珊卓拉‧馬格納斯(Sandra H. Magnus)--女
Mission Specialist/ISS Flight Engineer

http://n.yam.com/afp/computer/200902/20090204431931.html
NASA:發現號太空梭赴太空站任務延後  
法新社╱李致嫻 2009-02-04 16:05     

 
（法新社華盛頓3日電）美國國家航空暨太空總署（NASA）今天表示，太空梭發現號（Discovery）前往國際太空站（International Space Station）的任務將延後至少一週到19日才發射，以檢測燃料流量閥。

NASA聲明指出，三個由太空梭引擎通往外部燃料箱中的一個氫氣管閥，需要更多的分析及粒子衝擊測試。

去年11月奮進號太空梭（Endeavour）在經過16天發射至國際太空站的任務中，閥門受損，因此將仔細檢查發現號的閥門。

NASA說:「為了以防萬一，發現號的閥門都拆下檢查再重新安裝。太空梭計劃小組10日將召集開會，評估分析結果。」

發現號這次任務將搭載7位太空人升空繼續建造國際太空站。任務還包括架設右舷桁架，並載送一名太空站新成員到任。

國際太空站預計2010年完工，屆時美國3艘太空梭機隊也將除役。

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090204/ap_on_sc/space_shuttle_7
Valve concerns push back space shuttle launch

By MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer – Tue Feb 3, 9:30 pm ET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA on Tuesday delayed next week's launch of space shuttle Discovery while it runs tests to determine whether newly installed valves would cause serious damage if they broke during liftoff.

The launch will take place no sooner than Feb. 19, seven days after the shuttle was originally scheduled to take off on a space station construction mission. The delay is needed to make certain that Discovery can fly safely with the valves that control the flow of gaseous hydrogen into the external fuel tank, said NASA's space operations chief, Bill Gerstenmaier.

The small steel valves are critical parts.

"We want to make sure we've got this right. This has important consequences to us," Gerstenmaier said. "So we think standing down for a little bit of time and letting the folks do a little more work is a good thing."

Three new gas pressure valves were installed in Discovery's engine compartment after a small part of one broke off during shuttle Endeavour's launch in November. Endeavour's fuel tank maintained good pressure and, in the end, no harm was done.

Engineers believe fatigue caused by acoustic vibrations caused the valve in Endeavour to break. Over the next week, experts will use lab tests to try to ascertain whether a broken chunk of a valve could damage any of the downstream plumbing.

Engineers are confident that the three valves in Discovery are good — inspections show them to be strong and free of cracks — but want to take extra steps to make sure no serious damage could result if one of them broke during the 8 1/2-minute climb to orbit. The fuel tank needs to maintain a certain pressure during launch; shuttle program manager John Shannon said it's unclear how serious it would be if that did not happen.

"We're going to make sure. We're going to take that extra step," Shannon said.

Top NASA managers decided on the delay Tuesday evening after an entire day of closed-door meetings at the Kennedy Space Center to discuss launch preparations.

Discovery and its seven-man crew are set to deliver the last set of solar wings to the international space station.

Up at the space station, meanwhile, a two-minute engine firing last month caused the outpost to shake like never before. It was supposed to be a routine procedure to raise the altitude of the station; this time, though, there were errors in the firing commands sent up by Russian flight controllers outside Moscow.

NASA's space station program manager, Mike Suffredini, said even though the vibration exceeded acceptable limits on Jan. 14, no structural damage occurred to any of the pieces. Engineers also have determined that the 15-year design lifetime of the station is not in jeopardy because of the incident, he said.

Suffredini said the space station's commander, Mike Fincke, told flight controllers he'd never felt the complex shake so much. But Fincke never heard any creaking or groaning noises. Video from a shaking indoor camera showed equipment and notepads flowing back and forth.

"It really raises your eyebrow," Suffredini said. When you put that kind of vibration into the space station, "which is what you spend your whole time trying to avoid, that really piques your interest."

A similar engine firing that had been planned for Wednesday, to boost the space station, has been canceled pending further analysis.

http://1-apple.com.tw/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Article&Sec_ID=3&ShowDate=20090101&IssueID=20090101&art_id=31278861&NewsType=1&SubSec=11
太空梭爆炸 防護失效７死
2009年01月01日蘋果日報

哥倫比亞號最終調查
【蔡筱雯╱綜合外電報導】美國哥倫比亞太空梭2003年爆炸意外造成七名太空人殉職，美國航太總署前天公布最終調查報告，400頁報告詳細描繪太空梭爆炸前景象，提出改進安全建議。
哥倫比亞太空梭因起飛後隔熱泡棉撞擊造成左翼損傷，導致太空梭重返大氣層瞬間爆炸。調查報告指出，當時先出現警報聲，指揮官麥庫爾（William McCool）連忙重整自動駕駛系統，其他太空人也在黑暗中操縱機件搶救，艙內所有人都無暇照顧自身，連安全頭盔面罩都沒有蓋上。

太空人遭失壓猛撞
但事件發生得太快，短短一分鐘內機艙破裂失壓，爆炸起火，安全帶也失效，太空人在艙內高速旋轉，還被猛力撞擊，若非當場斷氣，也是失去知覺，從事發到喪命，沒有痛苦太久。
調查小組建議今後設計太空衣要加強防護功能，防熱、防失壓，太空衣上面降落傘系統也應從人力控制改為自動啟動。不過報告也指出，就算有先進太空衣，哥倫比亞號七名太空人也難逃一死，因為他們是在三萬公尺高空失壓，遭受撞擊，缺氧又摔落地面，完全沒有生還機會。
1986年挑戰者號太空梭升空時爆炸，17年後哥倫比亞號降落前又發生慘劇，此後美國航太總署已增加許多安全措施，但也決定讓剩餘的三架太空梭在2010年全數退役，未來太空任務將以全新太空飛行器取代。

http://udn.com/NEWS/WORLD/WOR3/4667862.shtml
哥倫比亞號爆炸 太空人坐以待斃

【世界日報╱美聯社華盛頓30日電】 2008.12.31 09:04 pm

國家航空暨太空總署(NASA)30日公布的最新報告指出，2003年2月1日哥倫比亞號(Columbia)太空梭在結束任務返回地球時分解墜毀，造成7名太空人死亡，當時太空梭上的座椅安全帶、太空人的加壓太空衣和頭盔沒有發揮作用，導致太空人受到致命的創傷。

報告中指出，至少有1名太空人在警報器開始響起後半分鐘內，仍然清醒，並試圖按一些按鈕，但卻是徒然。事實上，那時已沒有任何倖存的辦法了，哥倫比亞號太空梭在德州上空墜毀。NASA在1個獨立調查小組公布哥倫比亞號事件分析報告5年後，再公布這個400頁的報告，是希望協助工程師設計出更具災難逃生能力的新太空梭。NASA的1個內部團隊已根據哥倫比亞號事件，提出30項建議，大部分與加壓太空衣、頭盔和安全帶有關。

先前所知這7名太空人的死因，可能是由於太空梭失壓時缺氧；也可能是太空梭失控亂轉時，碰撞到東西。這個報告說，並不清楚是那個原因，但當時有3名太空人沒有戴手套，手套可以在失壓時提供重要的保護；有1人不在座位上；1人沒有戴頭盔；數人沒有確實繫好安全帶。沒戴手套可能是因手套太厚重，戴上無法完成特定操作，而且為重返大氣層做準備的時間很短。

報告說，太空人如全部遵行這些程序，可能會多活一些時候，和能夠採取更多行動，但他們仍然沒有生還的機會。報告列出5個對太空人來說可能致命的事件，包括太空梭解體前或當時機艙失壓、太空人昏迷或已經死亡、撞上機艙內的物件、被甩出座位或機艙、暴露於10萬呎高空的接近真空環境和撞擊地面。

哥倫比亞號的悲劇是由於太空梭左翼的1個洞，這個洞是在發射時被1塊脫落的絕緣泡棉撞擊造成，這個洞使太空梭在返回地球時失控，機艙的警鈴在失控前4秒鐘響起，在26秒鐘後，機艙上層的指揮官或駕駛仍然清醒，並且能夠反應，但機艙隨即失壓，機艙全部失壓需時41秒，這可能導致致命的昏迷或缺氧。哥倫比亞號罹難太空人的家屬對NASA公布的這項報告，有的表示稱讚，有些則怯於閱讀，不願重溫傷痛。

【2008/12/31 世界日報】

http://n.yam.com/afp/international/200812/20081231220525.html
哥倫比亞號最後數分鐘　要命缺失劫數難逃  
法新社╱鄭詩韻 2008-12-31 14:05    

 
（法新社華盛頓30日電）美國國家航空暨太空總署今天公佈報告，詳述太空梭哥倫比亞號五年多前失事的最後時刻。哥倫比亞號2003年2月1日在德州上空解體，這份400頁厚的分析，目的在找出讓航太總署未來太空船更能生存的方法。

報告點出哥倫比亞號太空人的太空衣、限制措施與頭盔的問題。

「哥倫比亞號」（Columbia）太空梭第一個警告聲響起時，7名太空人大約只剩1分鐘可活，不過他們並不知道。

飛行指揮官麥庫爾（William McCool）按了好幾個鈕，試著改正失去控制的太空梭。他不知道這些都已徒勞無功。多數機組員遵守「國家航空暨太空總署」（NASA）程序，為太空梭重返地球所做的準備，比為自己做的準備還多。

部分太空人並未戴上保護手套，頭罩也還是開啟狀態；有些太空人沒綁好安全帶，有些只是坐著。

數秒鐘之內，陷入黑暗的太空梭艙內失去壓力，太空人突然失去知覺。如果太空人沒因失壓當場死亡，也會因為機艙劇烈旋轉而死。

簡言之，哥倫比亞號上的太空人沒多久就隕命。

報告提及太空人喪生細節，很多之前即已得知。太空人不是因為失壓缺氧，就是在太空船旋轉與解體的過程中，劇烈碰撞致死，但這份新報告描繪的哥倫比亞號最後時刻，比5年前公佈的失事調查還要詳盡。

研究副負責人、太空人梅洛伊（Pam Melroy）表示，分析顯示，太空人當時已盡力讓太空船恢復正常，哥倫比亞號重返進入地球大氣層時，因發射升空時左翼被燃料槽發泡絕緣體擊破的洞，導致太空梭高熱解體，「他們無從得知，已不可能救得回來」。

太空人失去對太空梭運作與方向的控制，機身劇烈搖晃、機艙燈光熄滅，包括機翼在內的太空梭後半部開始解體。

研究團隊建議，根據哥倫比亞號進行30個修改，其中許多旨在改善現有太空梭以及航太總署正在建造的未來太空艙的太空衣、頭罩與安全帶。

航太總署的太空衣不會自動加壓，報告說，如果太空人有時間穿上裝備，讓太空衣加壓，或許能存活較長時間，可以採取更多行動，但報告指出，他們仍然無法逃過劫數。

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081231/sc_afp/usspaceshuttlenasacolumbia_081231022155
NASA describes final instants of Columbia tragedy

Tue Dec 30, 9:21 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The crew of the doomed shuttle Columbia was violently spun around in the cabin as the spacecraft desintegrated on reentry, NASA says in its final report on the 2003 tragedy that includes safety recommendations.

The 400-page report took four years to complete and its conclusions will be used in configuring the future Orion spacecraft that will eventually replace the current fleet of three shuttles due to be retired in 2010.

After a highly detailed description of what happened to the seven astronauts when Columbia disintegrated as it reentered the atmosphere, NASA concluded that their safety belts, space suits and helmets failed to work as expected.

NASA deputy associate administrator Wayne Hale said the document was "the final report on Columbia."

In the report, investigators admitted they could not clearly determine whether the astronauts were dead or unconscious due to the sudden decompression of the cabin just before the shuttle lost control of reentry and broke into pieces.

The report said "the seat inertial reel mechanisms on the crews' shoulder harnesses did not lock ... As a result, the unconscious or deceased crew was exposed to cyclical rotational motion while restrained only at the lower body.

"Crew helmets do not conform to the head. Consequently, lethal trauma occurred to the unconscious or deceased crew due to the lack of upper body support and restraint."

"Crew survival suits should be evaluated as an integrated system to determine the various weak points -- thermal, pressure, windblast, chemical exposure," the report recommended, and "alternatives should be explored to strengthen the weak areas."

"The new suits that are going to be in Orion spacecraft under design right now would not have that problem, so the crew can be completely encapsulated at all the critical times," Hale said when the report was presented to the press.

It was not a problem with the Columbia crew, Hale said, adding: "it is a basic problem of suit design ... and that we intend to fix in the future."

The Orion is a component of Constellation, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration program that includes new launch vehicles for future missions to the moon and Mars. It is scheduled to replace the shuttle fleet in 2014.

Hale said the integrated system recommended in the report would not have saved the Columbia crew from its fate, since the entire shuttle desintegrated.

The report also recommended that the parachutes shuttle crews wear during takeoff and descent should deploy automatically. Currently the parachutes deploy manually.

A chunk of insulation that broke off from the shuttle's external fuel tank during takeoff gouged Columbia's left wing heat shield, which led to the craft disintegrating as it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere on February 1, 2003.

NASA's fleet of three remaining shuttles was grounded for two years after the accident, while the shuttle's safety features were improved and rigorous inspection procedures of the thermal shield when the shuttle is airborne were adopted.

The Columbia tragedy was the second shuttle accident since the program was launched in 1981. The Challenger shuttle blew up 73 seconds after liftoff, killing seven astronauts on board on January 28, 1986.

The three remaining shuttles -- Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour -- are due to make eight more flights to the orbiting International Space Station to finish construction and carry out the last maintenance mission on the Hubble Space Telescope.

The fleet is due to be decommissioned in 2010, after 30 years of service.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-12/24/content_10553787.htm
美國選定新的空間站“送貨人”
2008年12月24日 16:22:59 　來源：新華網

新華網華盛頓１２月２３日電（記者張忠霞）美國宇航局２３日宣布，該機構已與美國兩家私營航天公司簽署合同，待現有航天飛機退役後，讓這兩家公司為國際空間站提供貨運服務。

美國宇航局選擇的兩家“運貨商”分別是位於弗吉尼亞州的軌道科學公司和位於加利福尼亞州的太空探索技術公司，二者將在航天飛機退役後負責為國際空間站提供商業貨運服務。

根據宇航局２３日發布的新聞公報，宇航局已與軌道科學公司簽訂８次貨運服務合同，合同額約為１９億美元；與太空探索技術公司簽訂了１２次貨運服務合同，合同額約為１６億美元。兩份合同都將從２００９年１月１日起生效，有效期到２０１６年１２月３１日。這兩家公司提供的空間站貨運服務每次運貨量最少為２０噸。

據美國媒體報道，太空探索技術公司正在開發“獵鷹９號”火箭和“龍”系列飛船，該公司已表示將力爭用自己開發的火箭和飛船給國際空間站運送貨物。

美國現役３架航天飛機按計劃都將於２０１０年退役，此前航天飛機一直是國際空間站建設和物資補給的主要運輸工具。在下一代載人航天器“奧賴恩”投入飛行之前，美國將依靠俄羅斯的“聯盟”載人飛船完成國際空間站美國宇航員的定期輪換。上述兩家美國私營航天公司屆時則負責美國對空間站４０％到７０％的物資運送任務，對於其余任務，美國宇航局將依靠歐洲自動貨運飛船（ＡＴＶ）以及日本的空間站轉移飛行器（ＨＴＶ）完成。

（責任編輯: 馮彥強 ）

http://n.yam.com/afp/life/200812/20081224968424.html
NASA與民間業者簽約太空梭退役後運補作業  
法新社╱王黛麗 2008-12-24 12:05    

 
（法新社華盛頓23日電）美國國家航空暨太空總署（NASA）今天宣布，與太空探索科技公司（SpaceExploration Technologies）（SpaceX）與軌道科學公司（OSC）等兩家美國業者，簽署兩筆總額35億美元的國際太空站（International Space Station）貨運合約。

NASA太空任務助理行政長官葛斯登梅爾（BillGersenmaier）在電話新聞發表會中表示，NASA已與總部設在維吉尼亞州杜勒斯（Dulles）的美國軌道科學公司，簽下總值19億美元、8趟飛行任務合約，另與位於加州豪松（Hawthorne）的太空探索科技公司簽下16億美元、12趟任務合約。

他說，美國航太總署3艘太空梭定2010年退役，之後載運貨物與服務到國際太空站的作業由民間業者暫時填補，並指出，兩合約對NASA未來活動與任務至關重要。

第一個SpaceX任務預定2010年12月發射，OSC的第一個任務將於2011年10月進行。

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081224/sc_afp/usspaceindustry_081224001329;_ylt=AhDg3sEWJExjN23.26aGQWLPOrgF
NASA awards 3.5-bln-dollar contracts for ISS supply

Tue Dec 23, 7:13 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – NASA announced Tuesday it awarded two International Space Station (ISS) freight contracts totaling 3.5 billion dollars to private space launch companies Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) and Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC).

NASA made a 1.9-billion-dollar order for eight launches to OSC of Dulles, Virginia, and contracted 12 missions to Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX for 1.6 billion dollars, NASA associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier said in a telephone press conference.

The contracts will fulfil NASA's needs to provide freight and services to the ISS by relying on private launch companies after the agency will retire its three space shuttles in 2010, Gerstenmaier said, adding that the contracts were essential to NASA's future activities and operations.

The first SpaceX launch is scheduled for December 2010, and the first OSC launch is set to take place in October 2011.

Both fixed-price indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contracts take effect on January 1, 2009 and expire on December 31, 2016. SpaceX will make its first launch in December 2010, followed by OSC in October 2011.

Each Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract plans for transporting a minimum of 20 tonnes of freight to the space station.

The companies are also set to deliver cargo back to Earth, as well as waste and user equipment, Gerstenmaier said, adding that the space crafts will be pressurized or unpressurized depending on the needs.

The cargo will range from materials for scientific experiments, spare parts and the resupply of food and other commodities.

"These agreements will fulfill NASA's need to procure cargo delivery services to the space station using a US commercial carrier after the retirement of the space shuttle," NASA said in a statement.

The contract will provide a transition between the end of the space shuttle program in 2010 and a next-generation launch system.

SpaceX and OSC will transport between 40 and 70 percent of NASA's freight to the ISS -- 20 percent in 2011 and peak at 70 percent in 2013, Gerstenmaier said.

NASA will also rely on services from Europe's ATV and Japan's HTV spatial cargo vessels.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said it is "a tremendous responsibility" for his company to win the contract.

SpaceX has developed its Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft to support NASA. The spacecraft's third and final flight, set for 2010, "will demonstrate Dragon's ability to berth with the ISS," the company said.

Orbital Sciences Corporation is planning to use a Cygnus space vehicle, which will be launched aboard its Taurus IITM launch vehicle. Both vehicles are currently under development.

The CRS program will showcase "the types of commercial services US space companies can offer NASA," Orbital Chairman and CEO David Thompson said in a statement.