STS 134-ENDEAVOUR - penULTIMA MISSIONE SPACE SHUTTLE

Shuttle fleet deep in processing for their new launch dates
June 13th, 2010 by Chris Bergin
While the three shuttle orbiters continue to enjoy nominal processing flows, managers are continuing to evaluate the exact launch date targets for the upcoming missions. Those launch dates have slipped at a program level, with STS-133’s mission to the International Space Station (ISS) now baselined for No Earlier Than (NET) late October, slipping STS-134 to February/March, 2011, with the potential for STS-135 to launch – if added – in late June, 2011.
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/06/shuttle-fleet-processing-for-new-launch-dates/

Boundary Layer Transition height increase and addition noted for STS-134
June 17th, 2010 by Chris Gebhardt
As NASA and Space Shuttle Program Managers continue to narrow down options for the final two missions on the flight manifest, preparations and modifications for/to Orbiters Discovery and Endeavour are continuing in their respective Orbiter Processing Facilities (OPFs) at the Kennedy Space Center – most notably the process to approve a new Boundary Layer Transition (BLT) Detailed Test Objective (DTO) protuberance height to Discovery (STS-133) and the addition of a BLT DTO to Endeavour for her STS-134 mission.
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/06/external-tank-performance-reduces-pull-test-requirements/

STS-134 – with Endeavour – is due to follow on February 24, with the notional STS-135 placed on a provisional June 24 launch date – although manifest evaluations are taking place, both at a program and political level, with the latter considering a position of negotiating STS-135 to launch “up to the end” of FY2011, whilst evaluating the costs of adding STS-136 in 2012 (evaluation content in L2 – specific article will follow when appropriate).
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/06/discoverys-ssmes-removed-thursday-lpotp-issue/

NASA managers refine launch dates – deadline approaching for STS-135
July 1st, 2010 by Chris Bergin
As has been expected for many weeks, NASA managers have approved the Change Requests (CR) for the launch dates of the next two shuttle missions. With STS-133 moving to November 1, STS-134 is targeting February 26 – although the threat of the program running out of funding may force Endeavour’s launch up by a week or so. A decision on adding STS-135 also appears to be no closer.
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/07/nasa-refine-launch-dates-deadline-for-sts-135/

STS-134 pronto al lancio
Liftoff dell'Endevour il 29 aprile. A bordo il nostro Roberto Vittori, AMS e DAMA. Segui il lancio in diretta streaming su AsiTV.it

20 Apr 2011

Ci siamo. A una settimana dal lancio, lo shuttle Endevour ha superato brillantemente la Flight Readiness Review, -l’ispezione finale - effettuata nella giornata di ieri. Nel frattempo i tecnici della NASA hanno confermato l’integrità del serbatoio esterno, lievemente danneggiato a causa del violento temporale che si è abbattuto a fine marzo sul Kennedy Space Center.

L’equipaggio che al momento si trova ancora a Houston, raggiungerà la Florida martedì prossimo, giorno in cui è fissato anche il go per il coundown ufficiale al lancio. Al Kennedy Space Center, Bill Gerstenmaier e Mike Leinbach non nascondono il loro ottimismo: “Lo shuttle è stato sottoposto a una revisione molto accurata “, ha affermato Gerstenmaier. “Sono orgoglioso del lavoro fatto dal nostro team, la missione sarà un successo”, ha aggiunto Leinbach. Il liftoff dell’Endevour è confermato per il 29 aprile alle 15 e 47 ora della Florida, (le 21 e 47 in Italia).
http://www.asi.it/it/news/sts134_pronto_al_lancio