International 110 Mast

Reaching the End: Atlantis and the Fight Against Retirement

For Atlantis, the last decade of her career would be marked with many more triumphs as she joined her sisters in the most ambitious project in space to date: construction of the International Space Station. This would mean dodging the order for retirement a whooping two times to become the only Space Shuttle orbiter with three penultimate flights and two “final” flights.

After completing her seven straight trips to the MIR space station, Space Shuttle orbiter Atlantis (OV-104) entered what would be the final chapter of her career. Firstly, Atlantis was taken out of service for her second Orbiter Modification Down Period (OMDP).

During this OMDP at her construction facility in Palmdale, CA, Atlantis received all the necessary upgrades to enable her to fly construction missions to the International Space Station (ISS).

She also became the first orbiter in NASA’s fleet of four orbiters to receive the new glass cockpit – a cockpit that features electronic instrument displays instead of mechanical gauges.

After the OMDP, Atlantis was returned to the Kennedy Space Center in September 1998 and moved into OPF-2 for processing for her STS-101/2A.2 resupply mission to the ISS.

Originally targeting launch in August 1999, subsequent delays to the ISS assembly schedule caused by the need to inspect wiring across the Shuttle fleet after a launch event on Columbia in July 1999 delayed the launch of the STS-101 mission until April 2000.

In August 1999, Atlantis was temporarily stored in the VAB to make room in an OPF for her sister Endeavour.

Atlantis’s STS-101 mission then slipped to March 16, April 17, and April 24. The last slip to April 24 was done to let the mission’s Commander have more time to train for the mission following an ankle injury.

In March, Atlantis was moved to the VAB and mated with her ET/SRB flight stack and then moved out to Pad-A on March 25.

On April 24, all proceeded well, but at 16:17 EDT, the launch team officially scrubbed the launch due to out-of-limit crosswinds at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF).

The count was recycled for the following day. But on April 25, the launch was scrubbed at the T-38min and counting mark due to high winds at the SLF and launch pad.

On April 26, the 3rd consecutive launch attempt, launch was scrubbed at T-9mins and holding due to unacceptable weather at all of the mission’s three Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) sites.

International 110 Fleet 46: New 110 Masts

I offered to post something here and gather any orders together for 110 masts to be shipped stateside with 505 masts for late spring delivery. Exact costs are variable due to shipping costs which is split between those who order masts. When we get a count we should be able to get closer to the expected cost. These would be identical to the ones purchased for Red Witch (698) and Nymph (35) last winter.  My expectation is that they will cost roughly $1K per mast and around $300 per boom plus shipping.  To the best of my knowledge Super Spar is the only active supplier of 110 masts due to the low volume and detail cut and welding of the aluminum.  Spreaders are included but not rigging.  Contact me if you are interested in having me coordinate the mast assembly and rigging.  Please send me an e-mail at petercinqmars@onebox.com  with your requests or questions.  # 715, - Elphaba - Peck boat recovered from Marblehead and undergoing extensive renovations - August 2009 launching expected # ? - Red Boat seen on land near the lake this year. # ?, Ragged Ann ? - Green Boat seen on the lake this year, known to be fast based on ad hoc races against Red Witch and Mahilini # ?

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