STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #32

Endeavour's astronauts are beginning what is scheduled to be their flight's landing day.

The crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, were awakened at 3:55 a.m. CST by the Rocky Theme, 'Gonna Fly Now,' performed by Bill Conti. It was for Ferguson.

Endeavour's first landing opportunity is at Kennedy Space Center on orbit 248. It would see a deorbit burn at 11:14 a.m. The orbiter's ground track would take it along the east coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, across the Gulf of Mexico and cross the Florida coast south of Fort Myers. Landing would be at 12:19 p.m.

A second KSC opportunity is available Sunday. Its deorbit burn would be at 12:50 p.m. and a landing at 1:54 p.m. That track would take Endeavour across Mexico, cross its Gulf Coast near Tampico, then east across Florida to KSC.

KSC weather is questionable. Forecasts say rain, perhaps thunderstorms and crosswinds could prevent a landing there.

There are two Sunday opportunities to land at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The first, on orbit 250, would see a deorbit burn at 2:20 p.m. and a landing at 3:25 p.m. For the second, on orbit 251, the deorbit burn would be at 3:57 p.m. and the landing at 5 p.m.

Endeavour is winding up a mission that included more than 11 days at the International Space Station. It delivered equipment to help future expansion of the station crew from three to six persons. During four spacewalks, Endeavour astronauts cleaned, lubricated and installed new bearing assemblies in the starboard solar alpha rotary joint. The mission also took Expedition 18 flight engineer Sandra Magnus to the station and is bringing Chamitoff home after six months in space.

Magnus and fellow station crew members, Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Yury Lonchakov, are awaiting the arrival today of a new Progress unpiloted cargo carrier. Progress 31 brings almost 2.7 tons of fuel, air, water, propellant and other supplies and equipment to the orbiting laboratory. Launched Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, it is scheduled to dock at 6:25 a.m.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after landing, at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Endeavour viewed from the ISS after undocking. Credit: NASA TV

Update, 12:10 EST:

Flight controllers have elected to press ahead with space shuttle Endeavour's landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California at 4:25 p.m. EST today. The deorbit burn is scheduled for 3:19 p.m. The weather forecast in Florida for today and tomorrow is unfavorable for a shuttle landing at Kennedy Space Center. - NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #31

As Endeavour's crew prepares for landing, mission managers are closely monitoring a cold front that could affect Sunday's entry and landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Forecasters are predicting the front could bring rain, possible thunderstorms and crosswinds that would violate the shuttle's flight rules into the Florida spaceport area. The two landing opportunities are at 12:19 p.m. and 1:54 p.m. CST.

Should mission managers wave off landing in Florida, there are two opportunities at Edwards Air Force Base in California at 3:25 p.m. and 5 p.m. The California forecast is favorable.

The Mission Management Team today declared the shuttle's heat shield healthy and safe for entry and landing. The report followed a review of imagery obtained by the Orbiter Boom Sensor System Friday after Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station.

In preparation for landing, Endeavour's crew tested the ship's flight control surfaces and reaction control system thrusters. Both systems functioned well and are ready to support entry activities. After the checkout, Mission Specialist Don Pettit reported seeing an object drifting away from the orbiter. But, Flight Director Bryan Lunney said the object appears to have been a temperature/pressure label from the payload bay and does not present a risk to the vehicle.

Credit: NASA TV

The crew also deployed a small satellite designed to test space environment effects on new solar cell technologies. The Picosat satellite was deployed at 2:34 p.m. while the shuttle was over the southern Pacific Ocean. It will remain in orbit for several months.

Tomorrow, the crew should begin deorbit preparations at 7:15 a.m. and close the payload bay doors at 8:34 a.m. Here are predicted times for tomorrow's landing opportunities (all CST):

ORBIT	SITE	DEORBIT	BURN	LANDING
248	Kennedy	11:14 a.m.	12:19 p.m.
249	Kennedy	12:50 p.m.	1:54 p.m.
250	Edwards	2:20 p.m.	3:25 p.m.
251	Edwards	3:57 p.m.	5:00 p.m.

On board the International Space Station the three Expedition 18 crew members awaited the arrival of the Progress 31 cargo ship. The Progress vehicle will deliver two-and-a-half tons of supplies to the station, including 2,866 pounds of spare parts, life support gear and equipment hardware. It carries 1,918 pounds of propellant for transfer into the Russian segment of the complex to feed the station's maneuvering thrusters, 110 pounds of oxygen and air, and 463 pounds of water. The cargo ship is scheduled to dock with the space station at 6:25 a.m. Sunday. There will be live coverage on NASA Television beginning at 5:45 a.m.

The shuttle crew is scheduled to go to sleep about 7:55 p.m. and awaken at 3:55 a.m. Sunday to begin landing day preparations.

The next status report will be issued at the beginning of the crew's day or earlier if events warrant.

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #30

Endeavour's astronauts are beginning a day of preparations to return home.

The crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, were awakened at 3:55 a.m. CST by 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.' It was played for Chamitoff.

Deorbit preparations include cabin stowage starting a little after 7 a.m.

Ferguson and Boe, with help from Bowen, will check out the flight control surfaces, including the rudder and the wing flaps at 9:40 a.m. Those surfaces will guide Endeavour's unpowered flight through the atmosphere to a landing. Immediately afterwards, at 10:55 a.m., the astronauts will test fire reaction control system thrusters. The thrusters will control the shuttle's orientation as it descends and begins its re-entry through the atmosphere.

That test will be followed by a 30-minute deorbit briefing for all crew members, beginning at 11:10 a.m.

All seven crew members will take a break at 11:40 a.m. to talk with news media representatives. During the 20 minute chat they'll take questions from CNN, KRON-TV of San Francisco and KATU-TV of Portland, Ore.

The STS-126 crew members are in the shuttle's flight deck participating in interviews with journalists on the ground. Credit: NASA TV

Boe and Kimbrough will begin deployment of the small Pico Satellite Solar Cell Testbed at 2:35 p.m. They will release springs that will push the Defense Department's Picosat into space from the cargo bay. It will orbit for several months to test new types of solar cells.

After setup on the mid-deck of a recumbent seat for Greg Chamitoff, returning after six months as a station crewmember, and stowage of the shuttle's Ku-band antenna, the crew is scheduled to go to bed at 7:55 p.m. They'll be awakened at 3:55 a.m. Sunday for their scheduled Kennedy Space Center landing. The first opportunity would have Endeavour touching down at 12:19 p.m. CST on Sunday.

The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #29

The space shuttle Endeavour and International Space Station parted ways at 8:47 a.m. CST. The shuttle crew then turned its attention to inspecting Endeavour's heat shield to prepare for landing Sunday. Endeavour Pilot Eric Boe, with help from Commander Chris Ferguson and other crew members, flew the orbiter away from the space station. The final separation maneuver was delayed to avoid the shuttle crossing paths with space debris. That burn was completed at 5:23 p.m.

Endeavour Pilot Eric Boe, with help from Commander Chris Ferguson and other crew members, flew the orbiter away from the space station. The final separation maneuver was delayed to avoid the shuttle crossing paths with space debris. That burn was completed at 5:23 p.m.

Boe, Don Pettit and Shane Kimbrough completed the standard late inspection of Endeavour's thermal protection system. They used the shuttle's robotic arm and its Orbiter Boom Sensor System extension to scan the front edge of the wings and the nose cap. Experts on the ground will review the data and report their assessment to the Mission Management Team Saturday.

The entry flight control team in Mission Control, Houston, will evaluate weather conditions at Kennedy before permitting Endeavour to return to Earth. Sunday landing opportunities at Kennedy are at 12:19 p.m. and 1:54 p.m. The secondary landing site at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., will be activated Sunday for consideration as well. The opportunities at Edwards are 3:24 p.m. and 4:59 p.m.

Station Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandra Magnus have light duty days scheduled today and Saturday before being on hand to monitor the arrival of a Progress cargo ship Sunday.

The crew is scheduled to go to bed at 7:55 p.m. and awaken at 3:55 a.m. Saturday. The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wake up, or earlier if events warrant.

Image credits: NASA TV

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #28

It's undocking day. The space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-astronaut crew are scheduled to leave the International Space Station at 8:47 a.m. CST.

Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, spent the night separated from their station colleagues, Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandra Magnus. Hatches between the two vehicles were closed at 6:31 p.m. Thursday.

Shuttle crew members were awakened at 4:55 a.m. Friday with 'In the Meantime,' by Spacehog. It was for Boe.

Undocking operations will begin about an hour before the separation of the spacecraft. Boe, with help from Ferguson and other crew members, will be at the controls when Endeavour leaves Pressurized Mating Adaptor 2 where it docked at 4:01 p.m. Nov. 16.

Latches will be released and springs will push the shuttle about two feet ahead of the station. Boe will pilot Endeavour to a point about 450 feet ahead of the station, then, at about 9:15 a.m., begin a flyaround. He will keep the cargo bay facing the orbiting laboratory so cameras there can document its condition. The shuttle will leave the area at about 11:15 a.m.

View from the International Space Station shortly after undocking. Credit: NASA TV

During more than 11 days of docked operations, Endeavour delivered equipment that will help allow the station to double its crew size to six. The gear included two sleep stations, a new galley, a water recovery system and an advanced resistive exercise device. Astronauts also did four spacewalks. Among their accomplishments were cleaning, lubricating and installing new bearing assemblies on the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint. It subsequently seemed to function well during a two-orbit test.

The standard late inspection of Endeavour's thermal protection system, using the shuttle's robotic arm and its Orbital Boom Sensor System extension, is scheduled this afternoon. Boe, Pettit and Kimbrough are to begin that survey about 12:45 p.m. The Kennedy Space Center landing is scheduled for Sunday at 12:19 p.m. CST.

The crew is scheduled to go to bed at 7:55 p.m. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #26

After Thanksgiving dinner with their hosts on the International Space Station, the seven members of the space shuttle Endeavour crew will board their spacecraft, close its hatches and make final preparations for Friday's undocking.

Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, were awakened at 6 a.m. CST. The song was 'Hold On Tight' by the Electric Light Orchestra. It was for Piper.

The crews will have most of their morning off. After the free time shuttle crew members will talk with representatives of Space.com, KYW-TV in Philadelphia and KOIN-TV in Portland, Ore.

Then they'll share the Thanksgiving meal with Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandra Magnus. On the menu are smoked turkey, cornbread dressing, green beans and mushrooms, candied yams and cranapple dessert.

Nov 27: Getting all ten members of an aggregation consisting of seven Endeavour astronauts and three Expedition 18 crewmembers into a single photo wasn't easy as the two crews shared a Thanksgiving meal on the middeck of the orbiter. Astronaut Sandra Magnus, Expedition 18 flight engineer, appears at top center. Clockwise from her position are astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Eric Boe, along with cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov, and astronauts Steve Bowen (partially visible behind Lonchakov), Donald Pettit, Michael Fincke, Gregory Chamitoff, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Chris Ferguson (partially visible at top right). Ferguson is STS-126 commander, and Fincke is commander for the station crew. Credit: NASA

The Multipurpose Logistics Module Leonardo has been loaded with items for return to Earth and is in the shuttle cargo bay. After the last few items are transferred from the station to Endeavour's middeck, Ferguson and Pettit will check out rendezvous tools. A little before 5 p.m., the station and shuttle crew members will say farewell to one another and close hatches between the two vehicles.

Shuttle crewmembers will install the centerline camera that gave them a view of their docking port as they approached the station. It will provide a similar view as they depart.

After leak checks, the shuttle astronauts will begin their scheduled eight-hour sleep period at 8:55 p.m. Their Friday wakeup call at 4:55 a.m. will begin a day that will see undocking from the station at 8:47 a.m., a flyaround of the station beginning about half an hour later, and the shuttle's departure from the area of the station about 11:15 a.m.

The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 27: The aft portion of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, with the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo in stow mode, was captured in a series of photographs by one of the STS-126 crewmembers on Nov. 27, Thanksgiving day, also the eve of departure from the International Space Station on Nov. 28. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #25

The International Space Station's moving van, Leonardo, is back in Endeavour's payload bay, ready to return materials to Earth.

Between Leonardo and the shuttle's middeck, 16,390 pounds of equipment were delivered to the station, much of it for future expansion of the station's crew. The crew members packed away 3,642 pounds of materials to be returned to Earth.

Mission Specialists Don Pettit and Shane Kimbrough used the station's Canadarm2 to move the pressurized cargo module. It was removed from the Harmony module and placed in the shuttle's cargo bay at 4:52 p.m.

Lead spacewalker Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper packed up equipment and supplies used for the four spacewalks and moved them to Endeavour for return.

Nov 26: The end effector of Endeavour's Canadian-built robot arm appears amidst elements of the International Space Station. Endeavour and the orbital outpost have been docked for almost two weeks while their crews have joined efforts in home improvement on the station and other work Credit: NASA

Station Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus continued work on the station's new regenerative life support system. She drained a condensate collection tank to create the optimum ratio of condensate and distillate from the Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) and gathered additional water samples for testing. The UPA ran yesterday, completing three cycles after troubleshooting steps restored its operation. There are no plans to run it again during the joint mission as all the samples needed have been taken.

Station Commander Mike Fincke and cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov practiced with the backup manual docking system as part of routine preparations for the arrival of the automated ISS Progress 31 cargo spacecraft. The vehicle launched to the station earlier today and is set to dock on Sunday. One of several antennas associated with the Kurs automated rendezvous system was eventually extended and secured in place. It had not deployed automatically as expected.

All ten crew members will have light duty in the morning on Thanksgiving Day. They have plans to join together for a meal of smoked turkey, candied yams, green beans and mushrooms, cornbread dressing, cranapple dessert and tea with sugar.

The shuttle and station crews will part ways and close hatches in the afternoon for undocking Friday.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 9:55 p.m. and be awakened at 5:55 a.m. Thursday. The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew awakens, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 26: Astronaut Eric Boe, STS-126 pilot, floats near the hatchway of the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, temporarily docked with the International Space Station to aid in the transfer of supplies and hardware. Leonardo, like Boe and the rest of the Endeavour crew, will return to Earth over the coming weekend. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #24

The Multi-purpose Logistics Module Leonardo will take the first small step in its lengthy journey back to Earth today as crews of Endeavour and the International Space Station finish its packing and move it from the station to the shuttle's cargo bay.

Leonardo, on its fifth trip to the station, brought more than seven tons of cargo to the station, much of it for future expansion of the station's crew. After it was unloaded the pressurized cargo carrier was packed with about 3,500 pounds of material for the return trip.

Crew members will leave Leonardo for the last time a little after 10 a.m. CST. Mission specialists Don Pettit and Shane Kimbrough will use the station's Canadarm2 to take the pressurized cargo module from the Harmony node to Endeavour's cargo bay. It is scheduled to be berthed there about 5:50 p.m.

Nov 26: From inside Endeavour, one of the STS-126 astronauts recorded this view of part of one of the International Space Station trusses and part of a solar panel on the eve of Thanksgiving. The ISS and Endeavour crewmembers, after spending almost two weeks together in space, will go separate ways in a couple of days when the two spacecraft undock. Credit: NASA

Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, were awakened at 6:55 a.m. The song was 'North Sea Oil,' by Jethro Tull. It was played for Bowen.

Transfer of equipment and supplies to Endeavour's middeck will continue today. Chamitoff, who has been in space for about six months, will spend most of the day packing for his return home on Endeavour.

Engineers continue to study results of the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint after its successful two-orbit auto-track test early Tuesday. The Urine Processor Assembly of the station's new Water Recovery System continues to operate. Station Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus will continue to gather processed water samples for testing, while Flight Engineer Yury Lonchakov has some station maintenance on his schedule.

The ISS Progress 31 cargo ship launched at 6:38 a.m. today (6:38 p.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. One of several antennas associated with the Kurs automated rendezvous system apparently did not deploy. Russian flight controllers will review data in the hours ahead and determine whether any troubleshooting may be required. It is scheduled to dock to the station at 6:23 a.m. Sunday.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 9:55 p.m. and be awakened at 5:55 a.m. Thursday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 26: Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-126 mission specialist, works with transfer of supplies in the Columbus lab of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #23

The mission extension day has paid off for the on-orbit crews as well as the ground teams today. Not only is the crew ahead of schedule with transfer activity, but their hard work on a tricky water recycling unit and the massive solar array joint are showing signs of improvement.

The Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) ran three successful cycles since modifications Sunday and Monday. Based on that success, program managers decided they will leave the distillation assembly on orbit. They were able to get the samples processed through the UPA and Water Processing Assembly and dispensed through the Potable Water Dispenser (PWD). Those initial samples will be returned on Endeavour. Samples will continue to be collected during the next several months to ensure it is working properly before being used for crew consumption.

The starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint is back in its abbreviated operations mode after completing two full test orbits tracking the Sun earlier today. Preliminary data shows a reduction in SARJ operating current from .9 to as low as .17 amps, an indication that the SARJ is moving more freely than before. Engineers plan to continue monitoring the starboard SARJ's performance. They also saw a reduction in the port SARJ current use as well, due to the preventative lubrication.

Final transfer and packing of the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo was the main activity of the day for Endeavour crew members Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, as well as Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke and station flight engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandra Magnus. They also completed installation of the Harmony Common Berthing Mechanism controller, one of the final steps to close up the pressurized cargo carrier for its transfer back to Endeavour scheduled for Wednesday.

Ferguson, Pettit, Bowen, Boe, and Piper also participated in media interviews.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 10:55 p.m. and be awakened at 6:55 a.m. Wednesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the start of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 24: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's fourth and final scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, seven-minute spacewalk, Bowen and astronaut Shane Kimbrough (out of frame), mission specialist, completed the lubrication of the port Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) as well as other station assembly tasks. Credit: NASA

Nov 24: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's fourth and final scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, seven-minute spacewalk, Bowen and astronaut Shane Kimbrough (out of frame), mission specialist, completed the lubrication of the port Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) as well as other station assembly tasks. Bowen returned to the starboard SARJ to install the final trundle bearing assembly, retracted a berthing mechanism latch on the Japanese Kibo Laboratory and reinstalled its thermal cover. Bowen also installed a video camera on the Port 1 truss and attached a Global Positioning System antenna on the Japanese Experiment Module Pressurized Section. Credit: NASA

Nov 24: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's fourth and final scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, seven-minute spacewalk, Bowen and astronaut Shane Kimbrough (out of frame), mission specialist, completed the lubrication of the port Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) as well as other station assembly tasks. Bowen returned to the starboard SARJ to install the final trundle bearing assembly, retracted a berthing mechanism latch on the Japanese Kibo Laboratory and reinstalled its thermal cover. Bowen also installed a video camera on the Port 1 truss and attached a Global Positioning System antenna on the Japanese Experiment Module Pressurized Section. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #22

Crew members aboard Endeavour and the International Space Station got good news on two fronts when they were awakened for a day to be devoted largely to transfer of materials from the station to be returned to Earth.

The starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, which rotates in a paddle-wheel fashion the 240-foot solar wings on the station's right side, was automatically tracking the Sun for the first time in more than a year during a three-hour, two-orbit test begun at 4:55 a.m. CST. The joint appeared to function well after repairs during the four spacewalks by Endeavour astronauts, but it will be some time before results of this and subsequent tests are known.

The Urine Processor Assembly, part of the station's new Water Recovery System, completed its second full run. It had shut down four times during earlier tests. After some fixes by station Commander Mike Fincke and shuttle Mission Specialist Don Pettit, it finished a full five-hour run Tuesday morning a little after midnight. After a scheduled three-hour cool-down period, a second run, begun at 3:19 a.m., was completed too.

Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, as well as Fincke and station flight engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandra Magnus, were awakened at 8:25 a.m., half an hour later than scheduled. The song was 'Fever,' by Bandella. It was for Pettit and Sung by his wife. That group also includes astronaut Steve Robinson.

Transfer of equipment and supplies, now mostly from the station to Endeavour and the Leonardo cargo carrier, is still a little ahead of schedule. With the mission extended a day, today is now the last chance to load Leonardo, getting toward the end of its fifth mission to the station. Steps to close up the pressurized cargo carrier for its transfer back to Endeavour and return to Earth are to begin later today.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Wednesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 24: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's fourth and final scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, seven-minute spacewalk, Bowen and astronaut Shane Kimbrough (out of frame), mission specialist, completed the lubrication of the port Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) as well as other station assembly tasks. Bowen returned to the starboard SARJ to install the final trundle bearing assembly, retracted a berthing mechanism latch on the Japanese Kibo Laboratory and reinstalled its thermal cover. Bowen also installed a video camera on the Port 1 truss and attached a Global Positioning System antenna on the Japanese Experiment Module Pressurized Section. Credit: NASA

Nov 24: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's fourth and final scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, seven-minute spacewalk, Bowen and astronaut Shane Kimbrough (out of frame), mission specialist, completed the lubrication of the port Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) as well as other station assembly tasks. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #21

As the STS-126 and International Space Station Expedition 18 crews readied for the fourth and final spacewalk of the mission, NASA managers decided to extend Endeavour's stay by one day with landing now scheduled for 12:18 p.m. CST Sunday.

The extra day was approved in order to provide the crews as much extra time as possible for any continued troubleshooting on the new Water Recovery System. Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke continued work on the Urine Processor Assembly's (UPA) distillation hardware. He installed two more bolts to hard-mount the distiller assembly section of the UPA in place, which may further reduce vibrations that engineers believe are causing the UPA to prematurely shut down.

Once complete, they added stored urine to the UPA and started another processing cycle at 7:06 p.m. CST. Engineers hope the maintenance performed will enable the UPA to run for its full four-hour processing time. The astronauts also set up a wireless instrumentation system to track vibrations of the UPA.

Meanwhile, outside the orbiting complex, astronauts Steve Bowen and Shane Kimbrough wrapped up the final spacewalk of the mission. The spacewalk began at 12:24 p.m. CST and lasted six hours, seven minutes, ending at 6:31 p.m. CST. The first priority was to complete all the remaining tasks associated with lubrication of the Solar Alpha Rotary Joints as well as other station assembly tasks. Thin lines of lubricant were observed on the port SARJ race ring with some minor wear where the trundle bearing assemblies are riding. Additional lubrication was added as a preventive measure against further degradation despite the unit working normally.

Bowen returned to the starboard SARJ to install the final trundle bearing assembly. All 12 now have been replaced. At approximately 4:30 a.m. CST Tuesday, the ground team plans to initiate an auto track of the newly cleaned and lubricated starboard SARJ to assess the performance and overall health.

Bowen retracted a berthing mechanism latch on the Japanese Kibo Laboratory and reinstalled its thermal cover. He also installed a video camera on the Port 1 truss and attached a Global Positioning System antenna on the Japanese Experiment Module Pressurized Section.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. CST and to be awakened at 7:55 a.m. CST Tuesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the beginning of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Spacewalker Steve Bowen replaced the final starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) trundle bearing assembly at 3:30 p.m. EST (20:30 UT). Meanwhile, Shane Kimbrough continues lubricating the port SARJ. Inside the International Space Station, Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke reported that he and his crewmates have completed performing maintenance on the Water Recovery System's Urine Processor Assembly (UPA). Astronauts next will add stored urine to the UPA and start another processing cycle. Engineers hope the maintenance performed will enable the UPA to run for its full four-hour processing time. Credit: NASA TV

STS-126 Mission Specialist Steve Bowen works outside the International Space Station during the mission's fourth spacewalk. Credit: NASA TV

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #20

The fourth spacewalk by Endeavour astronauts outside the International Space Station will be the focus of today's activities in space.

Engineers continue to explore options for the off-and-on Urine Processor Assembly (UPA). It ran for almost three hours and processed about a gallon of liquid Sunday, after modifications by Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke and Endeavour Mission Specialist Don Pettit, before shutting down.

Today Fincke will install two bolts in the UPA's distillation assembly to further reduce vibration. He is scheduled to begin that work about 1 p.m. CST.

Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, as well as Fincke and station flight engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandra Magnus, were awakened at 7:55 a.m. The song was 'Can't Stop Loving You,' by Van Halen. It was played for Piper.

Spacewalkers Bowen and Kimbrough are scheduled to leave the station's Quest airlock at 12:45 p.m. Bowen will wear the all-white suit and Kimbrough's suit will have broken red stripes. They will work to finish up cleaning, lubrication and bearing assembly replacements on the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ).

That joint has been the focus of activities on the first three spacewalks of Endeavour's mission to the station. It has been used sparingly since increased power consumption and vibrations were noticed in September last year. A test of the joint rotating in the mode to automatically track the sun will be done early Tuesday morning to judge the repair work.

Nov 18: Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 52-minute spacewalk, Piper and astronaut Steve Bowen (out of frame), mission specialist, worked to clean and lubricate part of the station's starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) and to remove two of SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies. The spacewalkers also removed a depleted nitrogen tank from a stowage platform on the outside of the complex and moved it into Endeavour's cargo bay. They also moved a flex hose rotary coupler from the shuttle to the station stowage platform, as well as removing some insulation blankets from the common berthing mechanism on the Kibo laboratory. Credit: NASA

Kimbrough will lubricate the port SARJ, which has been working fine, and install a TV camera on the station's truss. Bowen will inspect a balky berthing mechanism latch on the Japanese Kibo laboratory and reinstall a cover over it. He'll also install a Global Positioning Satellite antenna that will guide the future unpiloted Japanese cargo vehicle to a point near the station, where the station's Canadarm2 will grasp it for berthing. Boe will be today's intravehicular officer, or spacewalk choreographer. The spacewalk is to last about 6.5 hours.

Transfer of equipment and supplies, now mostly from the station to Endeavour and the Leonardo cargo carrier, which the shuttle will bring back home, is still a little ahead of schedule. Today marks the final day for transfer of equipment into Leonardo as it will be closed Tuesday.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Tuesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 20: Astronaut Shane Kimbrough, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's second scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 45-minute spacewalk, Kimbrough and astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (out of frame), mission specialist, continued the process of removing debris and applying lubrication around the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ), replaced four more of the SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies, relocated two equipment carts and applied lubrication to the station's robotic Canadarm2. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #19

Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke and Endeavour Mission Specialist Don Pettit have proven their knack for detailed maintenance work during previous stays at the International Space Station and have once again put their skills to use.

The Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) inside the Water Recovery System (WRS), which recycles condensate and urine onboard the station, has experienced several shutdowns during testing. Engineers believe motion of the centrifuge caused physical interference within the UPA, resulting in increased power draw and temperatures.

Fincke and Pettit removed grommets from the UPA and hard-mounted it into the WRS rack. The grommets were serving as isolators to dampen vibrations from the centrifuge, but might have been allowing too much motion and causing the interference. Mission Control has been monitoring the UPA's operation and it has been running normally for two hours without prematurely shutting down.

Nov 18: Nov 18: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 52-minute spacewalk, Bowen and astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (out of frame), mission specialist, worked to clean and lubricate part of the station's starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) and to remove two of SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies. The spacewalkers also removed a depleted nitrogen tank from a stowage platform on the outside of the complex and moved it into Endeavour's cargo bay. They also moved a flex hose rotary coupler from the shuttle to the station stowage platform, as well as removing some insulation blankets from the common berthing mechanism on the Kibo laboratory. Credit: NASA

Endeavour crew members enjoyed four hours of free time, Pettit choosing to join Fincke during that time to work on the UPA. Then transfer activities continued, with more than 76 percent of that work complete, as well as preparations for Monday's spacewalk.

Bowen and Kimbrough are scheduled to leave the station's Quest airlock at 12:45 p.m. Monday on the mission's fourth spacewalk and continue work on the station's Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ). They both will remove insulating covers on the port SARJ and Kimbrough will follow through with its lubrication. Bowen will finish tasks on the starboard SARJ to install the final trundle bearing assembly.

Bowen will install a multi-layer insulation blanket on the station's Kibo module that was removed during the first spacewalk. The cover is associated with the Exposed Facility Berthing Mechanism on Kibo, which has since been remotely tested from inside station, and the cover can be reinstalled. During that testing, however, one of the four latches did not close properly and Bowen will help complete the checkout procedure in person.

Other tasks include installing a television camera on the port truss and a Global Positioning System antenna on Kibo that will be used for Japanese cargo craft arrivals.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Monday. The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew awakens, or earlier if events warrant.

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #18

Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke will continue work on Sunday on a system in the International Space Station's Destiny lab that converts urine and condensate into potable water. Endeavour and station crew members also will transfer equipment and supplies between the station and the shuttle and prepare for Monday's final planned spacewalk.

Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, and the Expedition 18 crew, Fincke and flight engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandra Magnus, got their wakeup music at 8:05 a.m. CST.

The music was 'Can't Take My Eyes Off of You,' performed by Frankie Valli. It was for Ferguson. It was his 23rd wedding anniversary.

Endeavour crew members will have as much as four hours of free time beginning a little after 11 a.m. Fincke is scheduled to spend some of that time on the Urine Processer Assembly. The UPA is part of the Water Recovery System, which recycles condensate and urine.

The UPA has experienced several shutdowns during testing. Engineers believe vibration caused physical interference with the UPA's centrifuge, resulting in increased current draw and temperatures and causing the shutdowns. They believe Fincke can fix the problem.

Transfer activities continue to go well, with crew members a little ahead of schedule.

At 3:05 p.m. Ferguson, Boe, Fincke and Magnus will gather in the station's Harmony node to talk with media representatives. They'll take questions from ABC News, CBS News and NBC News.

Today's spacewalk preparations include tool assembly, an hour-long spacewalk procedures review and the beginning of the campout in the Quest airlock for the spacewalkers. Bowen and Kimbrough are scheduled to leave the station's Quest airlock at 12:45 p.m. Monday on the mission's fourth spacewalk.

During Monday's spacewalk, Bowen and Kimbrough will install a multi-layer insulation blanket from the station's Kibo module and complete other maintenance tasks. Bowen will install a final trundle bearing assembly on the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) on the right side of the station while Kimbrough lubricates the SARJ on the left side.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Monday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 23: Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-126 mission specialist, takes a moment for a photo as she makes her selection for a meal at the galley on the middeck of Space Shuttle Endeavour while docked with the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

Nov 21: Following a space-to-Earth press conference, members of the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Endeavour crews posed for a group portrait on the orbital outpost. From left, bottom row, are astronaut Sandra Magnus, cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov, and astronauts Gregory Chamitoff and Michael Fincke. From left, middle row, are astronauts Shane Kimbrough, Chris Ferguson and Eric Boe. From left, top row, are astronauts Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshin-Piper and Donald Pettit. Credit: NASA

Nov 18: Astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (left) and Steve Bowen, both STS-126 mission specialists, participate in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 52-minute spacewalk, Piper and Bowen worked to clean and lubricate part of the station's starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) and to remove two of SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies. The spacewalkers also removed a depleted nitrogen tank from a stowage platform on the outside of the complex and moved it into Endeavour's cargo bay. They also moved a flex hose rotary coupler from the shuttle to the station stowage platform, as well as removing some insulation blankets from the common berthing mechanism on the Kibo laboratory. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 MCC Status Report #17

Astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen today completed the third spacewalk of Endeavour's mission to the International Space Station. The spacewalk began at 12:01 p.m. CST and ended at 6:58 p.m. for a total time of six hours and 57 minutes.

Piper and Bowen focused their efforts on the continued cleaning of the station's starboard solar alpha rotary joint (SARJ) and the removal and replacement of the remaining trundle bearing assemblies (TBA). Today, Piper replaced three TBAs and Bowen replaced two. Five have been replaced during the mission's prior two spacewalks, and one was replaced on the STS-124 mission this past summer. The two astronauts also cleaned the area around the SARJ's drive lock assemblies, which help the joint to rotate and lock into place.

Spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper (top) and Steve Bowen work on the starboard solar alpha rotary joint of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA TV

A final trundle bearing assembly replacement will take place during the fourth and final spacewalk of the flight, which is scheduled for Monday. That spacewalk, which will be conducted by Shane Kimbrough and Bowen, will focus on the lubrication and servicing of the port SARJ.

Work continued inside the station on the transfer of cargo and supplies from the Leonardo Multipurpose Logistics Module (MPLM). The station and shuttle crews also worked on setting up the station's new Water Recovery System (WRS), with Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Sandy Magnus working on taking the first samples from the Water Processor Assembly (WPA). Ground controllers in Houston continue to examine data from the Urine Processor Assembly, which is also part of the WRS, to determine why it continues to experience errors. Engineers are exploring the possibility that there is a sensor touching part of the system's centrifuge as it rotates, which might be causing it to slow down.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. tonight and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Sunday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the beginning of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 22: Almost 'lost' among this massive array of International Space Station hardware is astronaut Steve Bowen as he participates in the STS-126 mission's third scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA). During the six-hour, 57-minute spacewalk, Bowen and astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (out of frame), both mission specialists, focused their efforts on the continued cleaning of the station's starboard solar alpha rotary joint (SARJ) and the removal and replacement of trundle bearing assemblies (TBA). Bowen and Piper also cleaned the area around the SARJ's drive lock assemblies, which help the joint to rotate and lock into place. Credit: NASA

Nov 22: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's third scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA #

Nov 22: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #16

The third spacewalk by Endeavour astronauts outside the International Space Station will be the focus of today's activities aboard the two spacecraft.

Endeavour crew members Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff were awakened at 7:55 a.m. CST. The song was 'You Are Here,' by the group Dutton. It was played for Kimbrough.

Spacewalkers Piper and Bowen are scheduled to leave the station's Quest airlock at 12:45 p.m. Piper, the lead spacewalker, will wear the red-striped suit while Bowen will be in the all-white suit. Their work will be further cleaning and lubrication of the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) and replacement of some of more its bearing assemblies.

Nov 18: Astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (right) and Greg Chamitoff, both STS-126 mission specialists, take a moment for a photo during preparations for the mission's first scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) in the Quest Airlock of the International Space Station. Piper is attired in her Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit. Credit: NASA

The joint has seen limited use since September 2007 when flight controllers saw increased power consumption and vibration as it moved the 240-foot solar wings like a paddlewheel to follow the sun. Much of the work on all four spacewalks during Endeavour's stay at the station involves the starboard SARJ. The port SARJ, which continues to function well, will get a precautionary lubrication on the Monday spacewalk.

Kimbrough, who participated in the Thursday spacewalk, will be today's intravehicular officer, or spacewalk choreographer. The spacewalk is planned for about seven hours.

Just about every day Endeavour is at the station is moving day. Crew members of both spacecraft, including Expedition 18 commander Mike Fincke and flight engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandy Magnus, will continue moving supplies and equipment between Endeavour and the International Space Station and work on station equipment.

Work continues to check out the Water Recovery System and its Urine Processor Assembly. The UPA was activated again overnight to gather more information on why it had shut down on previous tests. One theory is that its centrifuge might as it rotates be touching another structure.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Sunday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 18: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 52-minute spacewalk, Bowen and astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (out of frame), mission specialist, worked to clean and lubricate part of the station's starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) and to remove two of SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies. The spacewalkers also removed a depleted nitrogen tank from a stowage platform on the outside of the complex and moved it into Endeavour's cargo bay. They also moved a flex hose rotary coupler from the shuttle to the station stowage platform, as well as removing some insulation blankets from the common berthing mechanism on the Kibo laboratory. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #15.

The space shuttle and International Space Station crews were hard at work transferring, assembling and testing hardware at the station today.

Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus tested latches on the Exposed Facility Berthing Mechanism for the Japanese Kibo laboratory. The mechanism will be used to install an exterior science platform from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency during a shuttle flight next year.

Magnus continued on with installation of a component for the regenerative life support system. The Total Organic Carbon Analyzer will be used to test samples that come from the new Water Recovery System.

Engineers are continuing to assess indications from sensors within the Water Recovery System that caused the Urine Processor Assembly to shut down during initial test operations Thursday and again Friday morning. The system uses a rotating distillation process to separate out water from urine for further treatment. Sensors associated with the motor of the centrifuge within the processor showed the speed of the motor slowing and that the power the motor was using changed.

Space shuttle Commander Chris Ferguson and Pilot Eric Boe used Endeavour's reaction control system jets to boost the station's altitude by about one nautical mile. The new position sets up for docking of the next Progress cargo craft at the end of November.

Nov 20: Astronaut Shane Kimbrough, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's second scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 45-minute spacewalk, Kimbrough and astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (out of frame), mission specialist, continued the process of removing debris and applying lubrication around the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ), replaced four more of the SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies, relocated two equipment carts and applied lubrication to the station's robotic Canadarm2. Credit: NASA

Crew members also got ready for another spacewalk by assembling tools, reviewing procedures and beginning the campout in the Quest airlock for the spacewalkers.

Saturday's spacewalkers Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen are scheduled to leave the station's Quest airlock at 12:45 p.m. on the mission's third spacewalk. They will clean and lubricate the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint and replace some of its bearing assemblies.

Yesterday's spacewalkers Piper and Shane Kimbrough assembled a camera that will be installed on the outside of the station during the fourth spacewalk by Kimbrough and Bowen. It will be placed on the station's port one truss segment to assist with views during the future docking of a Japanese H-IIA Transfer Vehicle.

Today the crews also continued transferring material between the station and the shuttle, participated in a news conference and had some off-duty time.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Saturday. The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew is awakened, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 20: Astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (top) and Shane Kimbrough, both STS-126 mission specialists, participate in the mission's second scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

Nov 20: Astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough (anchored to a Canadarm2 mobile foot restraint). Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #14

After completing a spacewalk on Thursday, Endeavour and International Space Station crew members will work today on getting ready for another spacewalk on Saturday, transferring material between the station and the shuttle and other tasks.

Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, and the station crew, Commander Mike Fincke and flight engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandra Magnus, were awakened at 8:05 a.m. CST.

The music was for Piper. The song was in the Ukrainian language, which she learned as a child. It was 'Unharness Your Horses, Boys,' a traditional song about Cossacks performed by The Ukrainians.

Nov 20: Astronaut Shane Kimbrough, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's second scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 45-minute spacewalk, Kimbrough and astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (out of frame), mission specialist, continued the process of removing debris and applying lubrication around the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ), replaced four more of the SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies, relocated two equipment carts and applied lubrication to the station's robotic Canadarm2. Credit: NASA

In addition to moving equipment and supplies, today's schedule includes a reboost of the station by Endeavour, a news conference with shuttle and station crew members, some off-duty time for all crew members and preparations for Saturday's spacewalk.

The reboost is scheduled for 11:10 a.m. Plans call for Endeavour to add about three feet per second to the station's velocity.

At 2:05 p.m. all 10 crew members will gather in the Harmony node of the station for the 40-minute joint news conference. They will field questions from journalists at participating NASA centers.

Crew members will have an hour for the mid-day meal. Just afterward they will have an hour of free time, beginning at 4:05 p.m.

Today's spacewalk preparations will include tool assembly, a spacewalk procedures review and the beginning of the campout in the Quest airlock for the spacewalkers. Spacewalkers Piper and Bowen are scheduled to leave the station's Quest airlock at 12:45 p.m. Saturday on the mission's third spacewalk. They will clean and lubricate the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint and replace some of its bearing assemblies.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Saturday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 20: Astronaut Shane Kimbrough, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's second scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 45-minute spacewalk, Kimbrough and astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (out of frame), mission specialist, continued the process of removing debris and applying lubrication around the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ), replaced four more of the SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies, relocated two equipment carts and applied lubrication to the station's robotic Canadarm2. Credit: NASA

Nov 20: Astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (left) and Shane Kimbrough, both STS-126 mission specialists, participate in the mission's second scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 45-minute spacewalk, Piper and Kimbrough continued the process of removing debris and applying lubrication around the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ), replaced four more of the SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies, relocated two equipment carts and applied lubrication to the station's robotic Canadarm2. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #13

Building on Tuesday's spacewalk experience, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough headed out of the International Space Station's Quest Airlock at 11:58 a.m. CST to continue the process of removing debris around the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) and applying lubrication in an effort to eventually restore it to full functionality. The EVA ended at 6:43 p.m. for a total time of six hours and 45 minutes. As the spacewalkers were finishing up their activities, ground controllers noticed that Kimbrough's carbon dioxide levels were increasing, so he made his way back to the airlock a few minutes ahead of Piper.

Piper and Kimbrough began the second spacewalk by relocating two equipment carts in preparation for February's installation of the final pair of solar arrays. Once that task was completed, the two applied lubrication to a balky snare on the end of the station's robotic arm before concentrating on repair of the rotary joint designed to automatically track the Sun as the station circles the Earth. The balance of the spacewalk was focused on replacing four more of the 12 trundle bearing assemblies (TBA). One of them was over-torqued during installation, so Piper installed one of the two back-up TBAs instead.

Mission Specialist Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper works outside the International Space Station during the second spacewalk of the STS-126 mission. Credit: NASA TV

STS-126 mission specialists Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough perform the second spacewalk of the STS-126 mission. Credit: NASA TV The 116th spacewalk dedicated to station assembly and maintenance was the second of the four planned during space shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission. It set the stage for Saturday's third excursion to complete the cleaning and lubricating process. Station flight controllers plan to briefly test the repair early Sunday morning by commanding the solar array into 'auto track' mode to evaluate its performance.

On the 10th anniversary since station construction began with launch of the Zarya Control Module atop a Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the station worked inside and outside to increase the capability and performance of systems to eventually support doubling the crew size from three to six.

Friday at 11:10 a.m., shuttle Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and Flight Engineer Steve Bowen will oversee a small reboost of the station's altitude using spare propellant aboard Endeavour.

At 2:05 p.m., both the crews will hold their traditional news conference before reviewing procedures for the third spacewalk scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Mission Control will wake both crews up at 7:55 a.m. Friday to begin Flight Day 8, and the next mission status report will be issued Friday morning or sooner if events warrant.

STS-126 Mission Coverage

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STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #12

The second spacewalk by Endeavour astronauts outside the International Space Station will be the focus of today's activities aboard the two spacecraft.

Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, were awakened at 7:55 a.m. CST. The song was 'Summertime,' played for Pettit. It was recorded by Bandella. Members of that group include singer Michi Pettit, Don Pettit's wife, and astronauts Steve Robinson, Chris Hadfield and Cady Coleman.

Nov 16: Astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus, both STS-126 mission specialists, are pictured with fresh fruit floating freely on the middeck of Space Shuttle Endeavour during flight day three activities. Credit: NASA

Spacewalkers Piper and Kimbrough are scheduled to leave the station's Quest airlock at 12:45 p.m. CST. Piper will wear the red-striped suit while Kimbrough will be in the suit with broken red stripes.

Spacewalk tasks include moving two of the small handcarts on the rails of the station's main truss and lubricating the Latching End Effector (LEE) of the orbiting laboratory's robotic Canadarm2. Much of the spacewalkers' time will be devoted to the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint on the right side of the station's main truss.

They will continue cleaning and lubricating bearing race rings and the replacement of the joint's trundle bearing assemblies. The use of the joint has been limited since September 2007 when flight controllers noticed increased power consumption and vibration. The handcarts will be moved to clear the tracks for future work. The LEE lubrication is being done after the snares showed some balkiness on opening and closing.

Boe will be the intravehicular officer or spacewalk choreographer, while Pettit and Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus will operate Canadarm2.

Moving of supplies and equipment between Endeavour and the International Space Station and installation in the station of equipment are on today's agenda for the 10 members of the spacecraft's crews. All the racks brought to the station in the Multi-purpose Logistics Module Leonardo have been installed in the station, though a considerable amount of equipment and supplies remains to be transferred.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Friday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

STS-126 Mission Coverage

- courtesy of NASA

STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #11

Home improvements continued aboard the International Space Station with installation of two new bedrooms and preparations to activate a water recycling facility.

Station flight engineer Sandra Magnus and her predecessor Greg Chamitoff moved the port and starboard crew quarters to the station and installed them in the Harmony node. They also installed a rack with equipment for return to Earth inside the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module.

Other crew members also continued moving equipment and supplies between the two spacecraft. Transfer of all of the phone-booth-sized racks planned for this mission has been completed. Transfer work overall is about twenty five percent complete.

Nov 18: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 52-minute spacewalk, Bowen and astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (out of frame), mission specialist, worked to clean and lubricate part of the station's starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) and to remove two of SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies. The spacewalkers also removed a depleted nitrogen tank from a stowage platform on the outside of the complex and moved it into Endeavour's cargo bay. They also moved a flex hose rotary coupler from the shuttle to the station stowage platform, as well as removing some insulation blankets from the common berthing mechanism on the Kibo laboratory. Credit: NASA

Former Expedition 6 station resident, Endeavour mission specialist Don Pettit and Expedition 18 station commander Mike Fincke spent a bulk of the day configuring hardware on the new Water Recovery System. The facility will treat wastewater and provide recycled water clean enough to drink. The system will be activated for initial checkouts tonight. It will take about two days of initial operations before the first sample of water processed from urine is available for testing.

Later today, the crew members will prepare for the second of four spacewalks by gathering tools and reviewing procedures. Subsequently, spacewalkers Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough will begin the standard pre-spacewalk campout in the station's Quest airlock.

The campout will begin at 10:20 p.m. Piper and Kimbrough will be in Quest overnight, with its pressure at 10.2 psi compared to the station's 14.7 psi, to reduce their systems' nitrogen content. That is to avoid the possibility of decompression sickness.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Thursday. The spacewalk is set to start at 12:45 p.m. Thursday.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wake, or earlier if events warrant.

STS-126 Mission Coverage

- courtesy of NASA

STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #10

Moving of supplies and equipment between Endeavour and the International Space Station and installation in the station of equipment are on today's agenda for the 10 members of the spacecraft's crews.

They also will begin preparations for the second of four mission spacewalks, this one to start at 12:45 p.m. CST Thursday. The preparations include a spacewalk procedure review for shuttle astronauts and station Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus. Subsequently spacewalkers Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough will begin the standard pre-spacewalk campout in the station's Quest airlock.

Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Piper, Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, were awakened at 7:55 a.m. CST. The song was 'Fanfare for the Common Man' by Aaron Copeland. It was played for Boe.

The Waste and Hygiene Rack, which includes a new toilet, was moved into the station Tuesday and installed in the U.S. laboratory Destiny. To be moved to the station today and installed in the Harmony node are the port and starboard crew quarters. That job will be handled by Chamitoff and Magnus.

The Multi-purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) Leonardo will be on the receiving end for some of the equipment moved. A resupply stowage rack is scheduled to be moved from the Harmony node to the MPLM by Chamitoff and Magnus after the crew quarters installation.

The campout by spacewalkers Piper and Kimbrough is to begin at 10:20 p.m., immediately after the procedure review. They will be in Quest overnight, with its pressure at 10.2 psi compared to the station's 14.7 psi, to reduce their systems' nitrogen content. That is to avoid the possibility of decompression sickness.

Piper and Bowen will talk with reporters from Associated Press, KSMP-TV in Minneapolis and WCVB-TV in Boston. That 20-minute chat is to begin at 2:50 p.m.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Thursday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 18: Anchored to a Canadarm2 mobile foot restraint, astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

Nov 18: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 52-minute spacewalk, Bowen and astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (out of frame), mission specialist, worked to clean and lubricate part of the station's starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) and to remove two of SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies. The spacewalkers also removed a depleted nitrogen tank from a stowage platform on the outside of the complex and moved it into Endeavour's cargo bay. They also moved a flex hose rotary coupler from the shuttle to the station stowage platform, as well as removing some insulation blankets from the common berthing mechanism on the Kibo laboratory. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

- courtesy of NASA

STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #09

Astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen completed the first of four spacewalks scheduled for Endeavour's mission to the International Space Station today. The spacewalk was the 115th in support of ISS construction.

Piper and Bowen began the spacewalk at 12:09 p.m. CST and ended it at 7:01 p.m. They spent six hours and 52 minutes outside the station working on several tasks, including removing a depleted nitrogen tank from a stowage platform on the outside of the complex and moving it into Endeavour's cargo bay. They also moved a flex hose rotary coupler from the shuttle to the station stowage platform, as well as removing some insulation blankets from the common berthing mechanism on the Kibo laboratory.

The majority of the spacewalk was spent focusing on one of the station's Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ). These joints are the large, circular devices that allow the complex's solar arrays to automatically rotate and track the sun as the station orbits the Earth. Piper and Bowen worked to clean and lubricate part of the joint and to remove two of the joint's 12 trundle bearing assemblies. This work will continue during the rest of the mission's scheduled spacewalks.

Nov 18: Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 52-minute spacewalk, Bowen and astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (out of frame), mission specialist, worked to clean and lubricate part of the station's starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) and to remove two of SARJ's 12 trundle bearing assemblies. The spacewalkers also removed a depleted nitrogen tank from a stowage platform on the outside of the complex and moved it into Endeavour's cargo bay. They also moved a flex hose rotary coupler from the shuttle to the station stowage platform, as well as removing some insulation blankets from the common berthing mechanism on the Kibo laboratory. Credit: NASA

About halfway into the spacewalk, one of the grease guns that Piper was preparing to use on the SARJ released some Braycote grease into her crew lock bag, which is the tool bag the spacewalkers use during their activities. As she was cleaning the inside of the bag, it drifted away from her and toward the aft and starboard portion of the International Space Station. Inside the bag were two grease guns, scrapers, several wipes and tethers and some tool caddies. Piper and Bowen spent the remainder of the spacewalk sharing a duplicate set of tools from the other crew lock bag they had with them. The next spacewalk of the mission will take place on Thursday, which will be the 10th anniversary of the launch of the first element of the station, the Zarya module.

Inside the station, Endeavour's crew and the Expedition 18 crew worked to continue moving items out of the Leonardo Multipurpose Logistics Module (MPLM) that was docked with the station yesterday. The crew is ahead of its transfer timeline and focused on moving two water recovery system (WRS) racks and one of the new sleep stations into the ISS. The transfer tasks will continue on throughout Endeavour's visit to the station, when the MPLM will be undocked and placed back into Endeavour's payload bay for return to Earth.

The crew is due to go to sleep tonight at 11:55 p.m. CST and will wake up at 7:55 a.m. tomorrow. The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wake-up or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 18: Anchored to a Canadarm2 mobile foot restraint, astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

Nov 18: A extravehicular activity (EVA) tool bag drifts away from the International Space Station during the mission's first scheduled spacewalk for STS-126. About halfway into the spacewalk, one of the grease guns that astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (out of frame), mission specialist, was preparing to use on the SARJ released some Braycote grease into her crew lock bag, which is the tool bag the spacewalkers use during their activities. As she was cleaning the inside of the bag, it drifted away from her and toward the aft and starboard portion of the International Space Station. Inside the bag were two grease guns, scrapers, several wipes and tethers and some tool caddies. Credit: NASA

STS-126 Mission Coverage

- courtesy of NASA

STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #08

The first of four spacewalks scheduled for Endeavour crew members at the International Space Station will highlight today's activities in orbit.

Much of the work by Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, will involve the spacewalk and transfer of equipment and supplies between the station and Endeavour.

The crew got its wakeup call at 7:55 a.m. CST. The song was 'City of Blinding Lights,' by U2. It was played for Kimbrough.

Piper, in a red-striped suit, and Bowen, in the all-white suit, will leave the Quest airlock at 12:45 p.m. for the 6.5-hour spacewalk. Their tasks, like most of those on the remaining three spacewalks, will focus on the station's Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ).

Nov 18: Sandra Magnus, Expedition 18 flight engineer, and Greg Chamitoff, STS-126 mission specialist, work on the middeck of Space Shuttle Endeavour. Credit: NASA The joints are designed to rotate the station's 240-foot solar arrays, to keep them facing the Sun for maximum production of electricity. Last year flight controllers noted an increase in power consumption by the starboard SARJ, and it has seen limited use. The port SARJ is working fine, but it will be lubricated during the fourth spacewalk.

Today's spacewalkers also will take a depleted nitrogen tank from a station stowage platform to Endeavour's cargo bay and move a flex hose rotary coupler from the shuttle to that station stowage platform. Additionally, they will remove an insulation blanket on the Japanese laboratory Kibo.

Kimbrough, who will participate in the second and fourth spacewalks, will be today's intravehicular officer, the spacewalk choreographer. Pettit and Expedition 18's Sandra Magnus will operate the Canadarm2 robotic arm during the spacewalk, while Boe also will provide support.

Chamitoff and Ferguson will help with spacewalk preparations in the airlock, where the spacewalkers spent the night in lower air pressure to remove nitrogen from their systems. Station Commander Mike Fincke and others also will transfer cargo.

Endeavour's crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Wednesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

Nov 16: Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-126) and the International Space Station's robotic Canadarm2 (foreground) are featured in this view while Endeavour is docked with the station. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA

Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #07

The joint Space Shuttle Endeavour and International Space Station crews today took the first step toward updating the complex's interior by installing a packed logistics module on a docking port.

The Leonardo Multipurpose Logistics Module (MPLM) - stuffed with additional sleeping stations, new exercise equipment, a water regeneration system, experiments and hardware - was carefully moved from Endeavour's payload bay to the station in preparation for unloading for the next several days.

Following Sunday's arrival and orientation, the crews got down to business with swapping Sandra Magnus for Greg Chamitoff who spent 167 days on the station as an Expedition crewmember. Magnus replaces Chamitoff as a Flight Engineer until her return trip home arrives in February 2009.

While Magnus and Chamitoff conducted specific handover activities, the remaining crewmembers focused on moving Leonardo to its temporary location on the station where more than 14,000 pounds of hardware and supplies will be unloaded into the station making room for stowage to be returned to Earth. The hatch was opened to begin that transfer work at 5:43 p.m. Monday.

The Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module attached to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA TV.

A view of Endeavour's payload bay before Leonardo was moved. Credit: NASA TV

While the crew worked, imagery experts on the ground poured over images taken by the crew of Endeavour's thermal protection system. Late Monday, the crew was informed that there was no need for additional inspection Wednesday allowing planners to fill that time with transfer and new equipment activation.

Late Monday night, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen prepared for the first of four spacewalks planned during the mission. They are following a proven protocol known as the 'campout' to spend the night in the Quest airlock to lessen the preparatory time before beginning the spacewalk scheduled for 12:45 p.m.

The crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. Monday and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Tuesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

- courtesy of NASA

[Times are CST = UTC minus 6 hours.]

STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #06

With a new crew member aboard each spacecraft, the space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station have begun their first full day of docked operations.

Endeavour docked with the station a little after 4 p.m. CST Sunday. Less than five hours later, at 8:50 p.m., Sandra Magnus' custom seat liner was installed in the Soyuz spacecraft docked to the station. At that time Greg Chamitoff officially became a member of Endeavour's crew. He will return to Earth on the shuttle after about six months in space, most of it as a station flight engineer.

Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Chamitoff, were awakened at 8:35 a.m. CST for a day that will see the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo attached to the Earth-facing port of the space station's Harmony node. The wakeup music was 'London Calling,' performed by The Clash. It was played for Bowen.

Leonardo and its seven-ton-plus cargo will be grappled by the station's Canadarm2 at about 10:25 a.m. to begin the installation process. Leonardo's cargo will help prepare the station for a six-member crew. Scheduled next year, that will enable more science to be performed aboard the orbiting laboratory.

The Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module attached to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA TV.

Also on today's schedule is transfer of material between Endeavour and the station and preparation for the first of the mission's four spacewalks. Piper and Bowen will camp out in the Quest airlock under reduced pressure beginning at the end of the crew day to prepare for the spacewalk scheduled to begin at 12:45 p.m. Tuesday.

There was good news sent up to the crews late Sunday. After examining results of Endeavour's thermal protection system survey, engineers decided that no focused inspection of the shuttle right wing would be required today.

The crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. Monday and be awakened at 7:55 a.m. Tuesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

- courtesy of NASA

STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #05

The space shuttle Endeavour docked with the International Space Station at 4:01 p.m. CST, carrying the Leonardo logistics module with over 14,000 pounds of cargo for the complex.

Endeavour Commander Chris Ferguson guided the shuttle to a docking with the station as the two spacecraft flew 212 miles above the northern border of India, near China. Before closing the final 600 feet to the station, Ferguson flew the shuttle through a slow backflip, allowing the station's Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff to take photos that ground experts will review to assess the health of Endeavour's heat shield.

The shuttle and station crews opened hatches and greeted one another at 6:16 p.m., beginning more than a week of joint operations between the two crews. The crews will collaborate on the delivery of the key life support and habitability systems that will enable long-term, self-sustaining station operations for a six-person resident crew. The crews also will conduct four spacewalks to service and lubricate the station's two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints that allow its solar arrays to track the Sun.

Transfer of equipment and supplies between Endeavour's middeck and the station began and the Leonardo cargo module will be installed on the station Monday so that its contents can be unloaded.

Endeavour also brought astronaut Sandra Magnus to the station, who will officially take over for Chamitoff as a member of the station crew tonight when her custom Soyuz seatliner is installed. Chamitoff - who will then formally be a mission specialist aboard the shuttle - will return home after 167 days as a station crew member.

The crews used the station robotic arm to hand off the Orbiter Boom Sensor System to the shuttle robotic arm in case it is needed for further orbiter heat shield inspections.

The crew is scheduled to go to bed at 12:25 a.m. Monday and be awakened at 8:25 a.m. The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wake, or earlier if events warrant.

Full Story

- courtesy of NASA; image credits: NASA TV

STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #04

It's arrival day. The space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to dock with the International Space Station a little after 4 p.m. CST.

The seven members of shuttle Endeavour's crew, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus, were awakened at 8:25 a.m. CST for rendezvous and docking day. The wakeup music was 'Start Me Up' by the Rolling Stones. It was played for Magnus.

Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-126 mission specialist, attired in her shuttle launch and entry suit, is pictured on the middeck of Space Shuttle Endeavour during post launch activities. Credit: NASA

Endeavour's approach to the station includes a photo session. When the spacecraft is about 600 feet below the station, Ferguson will fly the spacecraft through the rendezvous pitch maneuver. That nine-minute backflip lets the station crew take high resolution photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system.

Station Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke will use a digital camera with an 800 mm lens and Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff will have a camera with a 400 mm lens. From windows of the station's Zvezda service module they will take as many as 300 photos, which will be analyzed by engineers to make sure the thermal protection system is safe for re-entry.

Ferguson, with help from the rest of the crew, will then fly Endeavour to a point about 400 feet in front of the station. There he will begin the final approach, at about a tenth of a foot per second. He will keep the docking mechanisms aligned to a three-inch tolerance as Endeavour moves to a docking with Pressurized Mating Adaptor 2 at the forward end of the station's Harmony node

Shortly after docking, hatch opening and a safety briefing, Magnus will become a member of the Expedition 18 crew. She and station Flight Engineer Yury Lonchakov will install her custom seat liner in the Soyuz TMA spacecraft docked to the station. At that time, Chamitoff will become a member of the Endeavour crew.

Transfer of equipment and supplies between Endeavour and the station is scheduled to begin about three hours after docking. The crew is scheduled to go to bed at 12:25 a.m. Monday and be awakened at 8:25 a.m. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

- courtesy of NASA; image credits: NASA

http://sts-126.space.gs ]]> http://www.space.gs/08/sts-126/15-nov-2008-2.html Sun, 16 Nov 2008 01:48:53 +0000 Space and Astronautics News http://space.gs/08/sts-126/15-nov-2008-2.html 8:00 p.m. CST Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #03

The seven-member crew of Space Shuttle Endeavour spent the day completing a five-hour inspection of Endeavour's heat shield using the shuttle's robotic arm and the Orbiter Boom Sensor System. Ground controllers will use these sensor images, as well as those collected during launch, to ensure that the shuttle's heat shield is in good shape.

Preliminary analysis showed a small piece of thermal blanket came loose from the aft portion of the orbiter during Endeavour's ascent yesterday. This area is of no great concern since it is not an area that experiences high heat during reentry. The crew captured some images of the area during their inspection today, which will allow the ground controllers to look more closely and confirm the loss of the blanket and its size.
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Commander Chris Ferguson (left), Mission Specialist Shane Kimbrough (center) and Pilot Eric Boe work on the aft flight deck of space shuttle Endeavour. Credit: NASA TV
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The crew also prepared for tomorrow's rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station, including checking out spacesuits onboard Endeavour that will be used during the mission's four spacewalks.

On board the space station, Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff spoke with ground controllers about the procedures they will use tomorrow to capture images of Endeavour as the shuttle performs its backflip, or rendezvous pitch maneuver, in advance of the docking.

Tomorrow's docking is scheduled for 4:04 p.m. CST. The crew is due to go to sleep tonight at 12:25 a.m. and will awake at 8:25 a.m.

- courtesy of NASA

http://sts-126.space.gs ]]> http://www.space.gs/08/sts-126/15-nov-2008-1.html Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:30:00 +0000 Space and Astronautics News http://space.gs/08/sts-126/15-nov-2008-1.html 10:30 a.m. CST Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

STS-126 Mission Control Center Status Report #02

It's inspection day aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. Crew members will use the shuttle's robotic arm and its extension to look at the spacecraft's thermal protection system.

They also will prepare for Sunday afternoon's docking with the station by installing the Orbiter Docking System centerline camera and extending the system's docking ring. A checkout of the spacesuits to be used during the four spacewalks by Endeavour crewmembers outside the International Space Station also is on the agenda.
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Endeavour's external fuel tank gracefully falls away from the shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/KSC
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The seven members of shuttle Endeavour's crew, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus, were awakened at 9:55 a.m. CST for their first full day in space. The wakeup music was 'Shelter' by Xavier Rudd. It was played for Ferguson.

Boe, Pettit and Kimbrough will work together on the thermal protection system, using the Orbiter Boom Sensor system attached to the robotic arm to look at the starboard wing, then the nose cap and the port wing. Data from the survey will be analyzed by engineers on the ground.

While fellow spacewalker Kimbrough is working on the survey, Piper and Bowen will check out the spacesuits and subsequently prepare them for transfer to the station. Magnus, who will remain on the space station for three months, will work to prepare material on Endeavour's middeck for transfer to her new home.

Toward the end of the crew's day, Piper will set up the centerline camera and extend the docking ring. Boe and Pettit will check out rendezvous tools just before they begin their end-of-day activities.

The crew is scheduled to go to bed at 12:25 a.m. Sunday and be awakened at 8:25 a.m. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

- courtesy of NASA

http://sts-126.space.gs

Images:

1. Credit: NASA/Tony Gray-Tom Farrar

2. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

3. From left, clockwise, are Pilot Eric Boe, Mission Specialists Donald Pettit, Shane Kimbrough, Sandra Magnus, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen, and Commander Chris Ferguson. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Space shuttle Endeavour lit the Florida night sky with a 6:55 p.m. CST launch on a mission to outfit the International Space Station for a larger crew and improve the function of a solar array rotary joint.

Aboard the shuttle are Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus. The station crew, Commander Mike Fincke and flight engineers Yury Lonchakov and Greg Chamitoff, watched the Kennedy Space Center launch on a special television feed from Mission Control.

Magnus will become a station crew member, beginning a three-month stay shortly after docking. She will replace Chamitoff, who will return to Earth aboard Endeavour to end his six-month stay in space.

During the 15-day mission, spacewalking crew members Piper, Bowen and Kimbrough will rotate on four spacewalks. Most of their time outside will focus on fixing the ailing starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint. They also will replace a depleted nitrogen tank, relocate hand-propelled carts that run along the rails of the station's main truss and lubricate the grapple fixture on the end of the stations Canadarm2. Additionally, they will install global positioning system antennas and a new television camera on the truss.

Endeavour will deliver to the station water recycling racks, a second toilet, a new exercise device, food warmers, a refrigerator, an experiment freezer and a combustion science experiment rack. Much of the material brought up by Endeavour is in the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, to be removed from the shuttle cargo bay Monday and attached to the station for unloading.

The crew will begin a sleep period at about 1:55 a.m. Saturday and awaken at 9:55 a.m. The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wakeup, or earlier if events warrant.

- courtesy of NASA

http://sts-126.space.gs

Image: credits (1 & 2): NASA/Sandra Joseph-Kevin O'Connell; (3): NASA/Rusty Baker-George Roberts

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Space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 7:55 p.m. EST on Friday to repair and remodel the International Space Station.

Endeavour's STS-126 mission will carry to space about 32,000 pounds, which includes supplies and equipment necessary to double the crew size from three to six members in spring 2009. The new station cargo includes additional sleeping quarters, a second toilet, a water reclamation system and a resistance exercise device. The mission's four planned spacewalks primarily
will focus on servicing the station's two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints, which allow the outpost's solar arrays to track the sun. The starboard SARJ has had limited use since September 2007.

Shortly before launch, Commander Chris Ferguson thanked the teams that helped make the launch possible.

'It's our turn to take home improvement to a new level after 10 years of International Space Station construction,' he said. 'Endeavour is good to go.'

Joining Ferguson on Endeavour's 15-day flight are Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Donald Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus. Magnus will replace current station crew member Greg Chamitoff, who has lived on the outpost since June. She will return to Earth on Discovery's STS-119 mission,
targeted for February 2009.

STS-126 Launch Day Images; credits: NASA/Kim Shiflett/Sandra Josseph/Kevin O'Connell/Scott Andrews/Canon:

8:04 p.m. - External Tank is jettisoned and Endeavour is safely in orbit! All systems are running well. 8:03 p.m. - MECO! Main Engine Cutoff. Endeavour will jettison the external tank momentarily.

7:59 p.m. - Four minutes into flight, Endeavour is moving faster than 6,000 mph hour. All engines working well.

7:58 p.m. - Endeavour jettisoned the two solid rocket boosters. Its three liquid-fueled main engines are working properly. The shuttle continues to pick up speed.

7:56 p.m. - Endeavour is soaring through the sound barrier as it quickly picks up speed. It is riding about 7 million pounds of thrust from the combined power of its twin solid rocket boosters and three main engines.

7:55 p.m. - 'Preparing our home in space for a larger international family,' said Launch Commentator Candrea Thomas.

7:55 p.m. - LIFTOFF of space shuttle Endeavour!

7:54 p.m. - T- one minute and counting . . . All systems go for launch!

7:53 p.m. - T-2 minutes and counting . . . The oxygen vent arm is retracting out of Endeavour's way.

7:52 p.m. - T-3 minutes and counting . . . The three main engines are moving through a series of tests to make sure they are ready for launch.

7:50 p.m. - T-5 minutes and counting . . . The Auxiliary Power Unit aboard Endeavour is powering up. Commander Chris Ferguson said his crew will 'Take space station construction to the next level' with STS-126.

7:48 p.m. - T-7 minutes and counting . . . The Orbiter Access Arm is retracting away from Endeavour's hatch. It can be swung back into place in case of an emergency. 'Good luck, Godspeed and have happy Thanksgiving in orbit,' Launch Director Mike Leinbach told the astronauts.

7:46 p.m. - T-9 minutes and counting . . . Launch controllers have cleared the door issue, saying it does not pose a hazard to Endeavour as it climbs away from the launch pad. All launch teams are go for launch.

7:40 p.m. - Launch controllers are discussing a potential issue with a door in the White Room. There is concern whether the door has been pinned back. The door in question is not on Endeavour.

7:15 p.m. - Endeavour is on schedule to lift off at 7:55 p.m. STS-126 is known as a utilization and logistics flight to the International Space Station. Endeavour is carrying a cargo module called Leonardo that has been loaded with about 14,500 pounds of equipment and supplies. The gear includes a water recycling system, new crew quarters, an exercise device and a space kitchen. Once installed and operational, the equipment will support a station resident crew of six instead of the current three. 7:05 p.m. - A beautiful orange full moon has emerged just over the horizon at Kennedy to provide a fitting backdrop for the launch of Endeavour. Many of the experiments taking place on the International Space Station are focused on aspects of returning astronauts to the moon. For example, the water recycling system the astronauts will install in the space station will test processes that can be improved for moon missions in the future. 7:01 p.m. - T-9 minutes and holding . . . The countdown for STS-126 has entered its last built-in hold. The countdown will resume at about 7:46 p.m. aiming for a 7:55 p.m. launch. 6:55 p.m. - One hour before launch. There are no technical issues and weather conditions are expected to remain favorable. The Closeout Crew has left the launch pad.

6:50 p.m. - The countdown has resumed and is now T-19 minutes and counting. The last planned hold will take place at T-9 minutes. It will last 45 minutes and give flight controllers an opportunity to refine the launch time to put Endeavour on the best track to catch the International Space Station.

6:45 p.m. - As Endeavour leaves the launch pad, it will fly generally northeast, roughly paralleling the East Coast of the United States. Because the liftoff is taking place at night, people along the coast could have a better chance of seeing the shuttle streak overhead, depending on local conditions.

6:40 p.m. - At T-20 minutes, the countdown has entered a planned hold. The pause will last 10 minutes. Weather concerns continue to fade as the weather forecast has increased to an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time. There are no technical issues and everything remains on pace to launch Endeavour tonight on a mission to the International Space Station.

6:35 p.m. - The Closeout Crew has put the final seals on the hatch and is packing up the White Room before leaving the launch pad.

6:10 p.m. - At T-50 minutes and counting, launch controllers report working through a technical issue with a computer processor that sends data from a high-altitude weather balloon. The problem did not pose a threat to launch. NASA uses large weather balloons to record conditions in the upper atmosphere leading up to launch. The countdown is proceeding on schedule.

STS-126 and Endeavour wait on the launch pad. Credit: NASA/KSC

6 p.m. - Endeavour's hatch has been closed and lacthed shut. The Closeout Crew will leave the launch pad shortly. The hatch is built to open if there is an emergency that requires the astronauts to evacuate the shuttle.

Endeavour's hatch is closed. Credit: NASA/KSC

5:55 p.m. - Two hours to launch. Shuttle Endeavour has shown no technical issues during the countdown and the weather appears to be cooperating, as well. The sun has set at Kennedy and Endeavour is illuminated on the launch pad. The closeout crew is preparing to close and latch Endeavour's hatch for flight.

5:40 p.m. - Working out of two firing rooms, the launch team performs numerous checks and tests leading up to launch. One firing room houses the launch director, NASA test directors - known as NTDs - and system engineers who monitor individual shuttle systems throughout the countdown. If they notice an issue, they call on managers and engineers in a second firing room who will track down the problem in detail and offer solutions. The process allows the engineer in the first firing room to keep up with fast-changing events while an issue is given proper attention.

A third is used to oversee the processing of shuttles for future missions. The fourth firing room has been completely rebuilt to support NASA's new rocket, the Ares I. That firing room, named for the first shuttle crew of John Young and Robert Crippen, will guide the first test flight of the Ares I program next year.

5:25 p.m. - Astronaut Steve Bowen has taken his seat on the flight deck.

5:14 p.m. - The astronauts are conducting radio checks with launch controllers at Kennedy and mission controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. They will test their microphones individually before testing them all as a group.

5:11 p.m. - Steve Bowen will be the last crew member inside the shuttle. Bowen is the first submariner to fly for NASA. As the flight engineer, he will aid Commander Chris Ferguson during ascent. Bowen will call out launch milestones and perform other duties so Ferguson can keep his attention focused on the launch.

5 p.m. - Shane Kimbrough has donned a cloth, black headset that the astronauts wear under their helmets. He will enter Endeavour momentarily. Kimbrough began his NASA career flying in the Shuttle Training Aircraft as a flight engineer so commanders and pilots could simulate landing a shuttle returning from space.

4:55 p.m. - It's now Donald Pettit's turn to take a spot inside the shuttle. Because he sits on the flight deck, which is the upper level of the crew compartment, he will help Pilot Eric Boe keep track of events during the flight into orbit by reading off milestones during ascent and taking care of other duties.

4:50 p.m. - Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper is preparing for her move into the shuttle. She is an accomplished Navy diver who found a natural career as a spacewalker. When training for a spacewalk, astronauts spend many hours underwater at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

4:45 p.m. - Pilot Eric Boe is taking his seat in Endeavour's cockpit. Toward the end of the mission, Boe will fly Endeavour around the International Space Station as astronauts survey the orbiting laboratory.

4:35 p.m. - Sandra Magnus is the next into Endeavour. As an International Space Station crew member, she is also trained to fly aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. STS-126 is her second flight. She served as a mission specialist during the STS-112 mission in 2002.

STS-126 Commander Chris Ferguson waves to his family before he climbs inside Endeavour. Credit: NASA/KSC

4:32 p.m. - Commander Chris Ferguson is the first to climb inside Endeavour. Smiling, he waved to his family before boarding the spacecraft. He will literally climb into his seat because he will be laying on his back for launch. All the astronauts have to lift their legs over their head as they get in their seats for the liftoff.

4:22 p.m. - The astronauts have arrived at the base of Launch Pad 39A. They can admire the spectacular sight for a couple minutes before getting into the elevator and heading up to the 195-foot level. They will take a short walkway to the White Room and Endeavour's hatch. Only a couple astronauts go inside the White Room at a time because of its size. They also board Endeavour in a specific order to best use the space inside the crew compartment.

4:15 p.m. - The astronauts are riding to the launch pad under clear skies with a hint of clouds. The weather concerns have not materialized thus far and the forecast continues to look good heading toward launch time this evening.

4:05 p.m. - STS-126 Commander Chris Ferguson leads his crew out of the Operations and Checkout Building and into the Astrovan. The Astrovan will take the seven astronauts to Endeavour on Launch Pad 39A. It will take about 30 minutes for the astronauts to reach the launch pad and make their way up to the White Room where they will board Endeavour.

4 p.m. - The countdown has resumed at T-3 hours and counting. The countdown will proceed to the T-20-minute mark where it will hold for a planned 10 minutes. There are no technical issues and the process is moving along smoothly.

3:45 p.m. - The astronauts have donned orange launch-and-entry suits in the Operations & Checkout building. The suit room is just down the hall from the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside the O&C building. The crew will soon leave the building for a ride in the Astrovan out to Launch Pad 39A where Endeavour is waiting for them.

3:25 p.m. - In the interest of scene-setting, here is a taste of what the firing rooms look like.

They are housed inside the Launch Control Center at Kennedy Space Center about three miles away from Launch Complex 39A.

Each room is big enough to house an average fast-food restaurant. Vast windows angled skyward and facing Launch Complex 39A and 39B make up one wall. Several rows of consoles near the back row are on risers like the seats in a stadium-style movie theater. This is where the launch director and senior members of the launch team sit.

A pair of small rooms separated by glass occupy each corner of the overall firing room. Senior NASA officials monitor the countdown from there.

The rest of the floor is taken by cabinets in large horseshoe patterns. This is where most of the launch team sits. Nameplates stand on each cabinet to show the controllers' responsibility, such as the shuttle main engines.

There are about 100 controllers in the room, including the launch director and managers. Each controller has monitors and can call up camera angles covering almost every angle of the shuttle on the launch pad. They can zoom in on small areas to assess conditions during the count.

They also have numerous audio networks they can dial into to talk to other controllers and give status reports. The networks are called 'loops' and controllers are known to develop keen hearing that lets them listen to several ongoing conversations at a time without losing their way. There are also several telephones around every station.

The primary firing room has computer consoles built into wood-colored cabinets that give it the look of a corporate conference room. Firing Room 3, where the Launch Blog is based for this mission, looks more like the Hollywood portrayal of control rooms in such films as "Space Cowboys" and "Apollo 13." The cabinets are blue metal and the monitors a bit smaller. PC screens and towers have been installed throughout the firing room and the controllers have the same access to audio and video loops as their counterparts in the other firing rooms.

3:20 p.m. - The weather outlook is improving and Launch Director Mike Leinbach sees little chance for interference with tonight's launch attempt. The countdown remains on schedule for a 7:55 p.m. liftoff.

3:10 p.m. - Launch day activities involve sites throughout NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Launch Control Center is the nerve center for launch. It was designed around four firing rooms for the Saturn V moon rocket, the most powerful booster NASA ever built. The LCC, as it is called, is a four-story building standing next to the gargantuan Vehicle Assembly Building.

A vast array of cables and wiring connects the LCC with the shuttle processing hangars and the Vehicle Assembly Building so engineers in the firing rooms can perform numerous tests on the shuttles as they are readied for launch.

3 p.m. - Seven astronauts will fly Endeavour to the International Space Station. They are commanded by Chris Ferguson, a veteran astronaut who served as pilot on STS-115. He will sit in the left-hand seat at the front of the cockpit.

Eric Boe will sit in the right-hand seat at the front of the cockpit as pilot of Endeavour during Boe's first mission. His controls are duplicates of Ferguson's, and Boe can fly the shuttle from his position.

As the flight engineer, Mission Specialist Steve Bowen, also a first-time flier, will sit behind and between Ferguson and Boe. Mission Specialist Donald Pettit, who lived aboard the station for five months, will sit next to Bowen on the upper level of Endeavour's crew compartment.

Three mission specialists will sit on the lower level. Veteran astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper will sit closest to the hatch. Once in space, she will be the lead spacewalker for three excursions outside the orbiting laboratory.

Shane Kimbrough, who will also make three spacewalks, will sit in the middle seat during launch. Sandra Magnus will ride into orbit in the seat farthest from the hatch. She will not return aboard Endeavour, but instead remain on the International Space Station for a long-duration mission. Current station resident Greg Chamitoff will take her place aboard Endeavour.

2:55 p.m. - Endeavour stands poised for space at Launch Complex 39A. A team of technicians called the Closeout Crew is preparing for their role of getting the STS-126 astronauts into the orbiter. The astronauts will not arrive until about 4:35 p.m. Another team called the Final Inspection Team has been scanning the shuttle stack for signs of ice buildup on the external tank. They use infrared scanners and binoculars to survey the tank.

2:50 p.m. - With the launch team working no technical issues, all eyes are watching the weather. Meteorologists are tracking an approaching cold front that appears to be on pace to arrive Saturday. The forecast calls for a 70 percent chance that Endeavour will face acceptable conditions at launch time. Currently, there are only wisps of white clouds at the launch site.

2:45 p.m. - The gigantic external tank attached to space shuttle Endeavour was loaded with 500,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen this morning beginning at about 11 a.m. It took about 2.5 hours to fill the tank with the propellants that fuel the shuttle's three main engines during the 8.5-minute climb into space.

A team of controllers in Firing Room 4 watched their monitors as the hydrogen and oxygen flowed into the tank. The fueling is performed by remote control, with the launch team commanding valves to open so the chemicals can run from storage tanks at Launch Complex 39A.

Pipes carry the oxygen and hydrogen to the mobile launcher platform holding Endeavour, its boosters and tank. The propellants run through a network of lines on the platform and into Endeavour's aft compartment and then into the tank itself.

The flow reverses during launch, when all the stored propellants are siphoned quickly back into Endeavour to feed the main engines.

The controllers will continue to examine the readouts from sensors inside the shuttle and tank throughout the countdown to make sure the fuel levels remain full. The oxygen is kept at minus-297 degrees and the hydrogen is minus-423 degrees - both cold enough to liquefy into a slush. Some of the gases warm up just enough to evaporate out, however, so a trickle of oxygen and hydrogen keep flowing to the tank to replace the evaporating gas.

2:40 p.m. - The countdown is in a built-in hold at T-3 hours, but everything remains on schedule for a 7:55 p.m. liftoff. The countdown will resume at 4 p.m. and the astronauts will leave the Astronaut Crew Quarters a few minutes later to make their way to the launch pad.

The shuttle has been loaded with equipment and supplies bound for the International Space Station. About 14,500 pounds of cargo is inside the Leonardo module. Endeavour is also carrying a platform in its payload bay that holds a 2,000-pound device called a Flex Hose Rotary Coupler Unit.

Crew members for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission pose for the traditional photo celebrating the upcoming launch at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Shane Kimbrough, Pilot Eric Boe, Commander Chris Ferguson, and Mission Specialists Donald Pettit, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the orbiter access arm and White Room are extended toward space shuttle Endeavour after rollback of the rotating service structure. The rotating structure provides protected access to the shuttle for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. It is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots on a vertical axis on the west side of the pad's flame trench. After the RSS is rolled back, the orbiter is ready for fuel cell activation and external tank cryogenic propellant loading operations. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

- courtesy of NASA/Kennedy Space Center

STS-126 Mission Coverage ]]> 00:00:54 nonadult No Space Shuttle Endeavour launches from Cape Canaveral on Mission STS-126 to the International Space Station. NASA TV Shuttle, Endeavour, launch, STS-126, ISS, International, Space, Station http://www.space.gs/08/sts-126/14-nov-2008-1.html Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:00:00 +0000 Space and Astronautics News http://space.gs/08/sts-126/14-nov-2008-1.html Endeavour is in the final stages of launch preparation before its liftoff to the International Space Station from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Loading of Endeavour's orange external tank with 500,000 gallons of super-cold liquid oxygen and hydrogen began this morning and was completed at 1:31 p.m. EST. The 'topping off' of propellants into the tank will continue until Endeavour's launch. All systems aboard the space shuttle are functioning normally and are ready for launch. Weather continues to be acceptable for a 7:55 p.m. launch time and no technical issues are being reported at this time.

- courtesy of NASA

Images:

*1: Nov 14: NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the rotating service structure protecting space shuttle Endeavour on Pad A was rolled away in preparation for launch. Credit: NASA/KSC

*2: Nov 11: Wearing his launch-and-entry suit, STS-126 Commander Chris Ferguson is seated in the Shuttle Training Aircraft to practice shuttle landings on the Shuttle Landing Facility's runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

*3: Nov 11: STS-126 Pilot Eric Boe, wearing his launch-and-entry suit, heads for the Shuttle Training Aircraft to practice shuttle landings on the Shuttle Landing Facility's runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission crew members arrived at Kennedy to prepare for launch. STS-126 is the 124th space shuttle flight and the 27th flight to the International Space Station. The 15-day mission will feature four spacewalks and work that will prepare the space station to house six crew members for long- duration missions. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. EST Nov. 14. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

The crews will also install new crew quarters, a galley, waste water recycling system and oxygen generator inside the space station. The equipment has been packed inside refrigerator-sized racks that require forklifts to lift them on Earth. But in space, a single astronaut can move a rack around with little problem.

Endeavour and its crew are to land at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after 15 days in space.

November 12, 14:11 EDT:

Launch controllers will load oxygen and hydrogen into the fuel cells aboard space shuttle Endeavour this evening as the countdown to the launch of STS-126 moves ahead smoothly. The fuel cells convert the chemicals into electricity while Endeavour is in space. The process also produces water for the crew. Endeavour Commander Chris Ferguson and Pilot Eric Boe will also fly several practice landings aboard NASA's Shuttle Training Aircraft overnight. STS-126 is to lift off Friday at 7:55 p.m. EST.

- courtesy of NASA

Images: The crew members for the STS-126 mission at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after arriving to prepare for launch. STS-126 is the 124th space shuttle flight and the 27th flight to the International Space Station. The mission will feature four spacewalks and important repair work and will prepare the space station to house six crew members for long- duration missions. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. EST Nov. 14. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Ferguson and Pilot Eric Boe will be at the controls of the simulator at NASA's Johnson Space Center with Mission Specialists Steve Bowen and Don Pettit in seats behind them. Bowen, the flight engineer for launch and landing, and Pettit help the commander and pilot with such things as checklists and milestones during the ascent.

The goal of the simulation is not necessarily to practice standard launch maneuvers. It is to condition the astronauts to react properly to potential, though unlikely, emergencies that could develop during the first 8.5 minutes of a mission. It is during that period that the 110-ton Shuttle erupts from a standstill on the launch pad to reach more than 17,000 mph as it reaches space.

With years of practice already behind them, the astronauts are so familiar with the Shuttle cockpit that even simulated drastic scenarios cause little concern. The trainers increase the stress by loading up the simulation with emergencies on top of emergencies.

While some simulations include only the crew inside the Shuttle, others, like the one being conducted today, incorporate the mission controllers who will take part in the actual launch scheduled for Nov. 14 at 7:55 p.m. EST. The controllers also have to wrestle with the same situations the crew faces, at the same time.

While the mission controllers and crew rehearse the launch, the machinery of launch is also undergoing readiness tests. Workers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are putting gauges and launch systems through their paces before they are called on during the real countdown. The technicians have not hit any snags during countdown preparations, and the schedule remains on track for lift off.

- courtesy of NASA

http://sts-126.space.gs

Image: The STS-126 crew portrait. Astronaut Christopher J. Ferguson, commander, is at center; and astronaut Eric A. Boe, pilot, is third from the right. Remaining crewmembers, pictured from left to right, are astronauts Sandra H. Magnus, Stephen G. Bowen, Donald R. Pettit, Robert S. (Shane) Kimbrough and Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, all mission specialists. Magnus is scheduled to join Expedition 18 as flight engineer after launching to the International Space Station on mission STS-126. Credit: NASA

NASA flight director Ginger Kerrick, who will lead Mission Control for the upcoming Space Shuttle mission, will be available for satellite interviews from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. CDT (12:00 - 14:00 UT) on Monday, November 10. One day before the launch countdown begins, Kerrick will discuss the challenges of the flight that will prepare the International Space Station to house six-person crews for long-duration stays on the outpost.

Shuttle Endeavour, scheduled to launch November 14, will deliver a new crew member to the station, as well as a water recycling system, toilet, sleeping quarters and exercise equipment needed for larger crews beginning in spring 2009. The mission also will include four spacewalks to service rotary joints that allow the station's solar arrays to track the Sun and generate power for operations and science.

Kerrick has been a flight director since 2005 and is a veteran leader of teams that manage Shuttle flights and station expeditions. A native of El Paso, Texas, she earned bachelor's and master's degrees in physics from Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

The NASA Live Interview Media Outlet (LIMO) channel will be used for the interviews. The channel is a digital satellite C-band downlink by uplink provider Americom. It is on satellite AMC 6, transponder 5C, located at 72 degrees west, downlink frequency 3785.5 Mhz based on a standard C-band 5150 Mhz L.O., vertical polarity, FEO is 3/4, data rate is 6.00 Mhz, symbol rate is 4.3404 Mbaud, transmission DVB, minimum Eb/N0 is 6.0 dB.

The interviews also will be broadcast live on NASA Television.

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Oct 29: Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, Florida are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 18 crewmember on the International Space Station. Launch complex 39, with pads A and B, is visible at center left. The Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) is visible at lower right. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of Katherine Trinidad, NASA Headquarters, Washington DC; James Hartsfield, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Tx.

]]> Space and Astronautics News NASA STS-126 Endeavour ISS International Space Station Space Shuttle space astronomy astronauts astronautics aerospace Cape Canaveral Florida Kennedy Space Center KSC Vehicle Assembly Building Space Shuttle Endeavour: Mission STS-126 to the International Space Station http://www.space.gs/08/sts-126/30-oct-2008.html Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:47:14 +0000 Space and Astronautics News http://space.gs/08/sts-126/30-oct-2008.html The time of Thursday's media teleconference to discuss the status of the Shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope has changed to 5:30 p.m. EDT. A news conference at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to discuss the status of the next Space Shuttle launch now will begin no earlier than 6:30 p.m.

Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live on the Internet at:http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

As early as 6:30 p.m. Thursday NASA will hold a press conference announcing the status of Endeavour's STS-126 mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch at 7:55 p.m. on Nov. 14.

NASA Television and the agency's Web site will broadcast the briefing live.
_____________________________________________

On the 225-foot level of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the STS-126 crew poses for a group photo. From left are Mission Specialists Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen, Pilot Eric Boe, Commander Chris Ferguson, and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus, Donald Pettit and Shane Kimbrough. They earlier took part in a simulated launch countdown. The crew is at Kennedy to take part in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, which includes equipment familiarization, emergency exit training and the simulated countdown. On the STS-126 mission, Space Shuttle Endeavour's crew will deliver equipment and supplies to the International Space Station in preparation for expansion from a three- to six-person resident crew aboard the complex. The mission also will include four spacewalks to service the station's Solar Alpha Rotary Joints. Endeavour is targeted to launch Nov. 14. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

In the Vehicle Assembly Building's high bay 3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Space Shuttle Atlantis comes to rest after its six-hour journey from Launch Pad 39A. In the VAB, Atlantis will await launch on its STS-125 mission to repair NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. First motion of Atlantis off the pad was at 6:48 a.m. EDT. Atlantis' targeted launch on Oct. 14 was delayed when a system that transfers science data from the orbiting observatory to Earth malfunctioned on Sept. 27. The new target launch date is under review. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
_____________________________________________

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

- courtesy of NASA HQ and Kennedy Space Center

http://sts-126.space.gs Shuttle Mission STS-126 to the International Space Station

http://sts-125.space.gs STS-125 Hubble Servicing Mission 4 ]]> http://www.space.gs/08/sts-126/27-oct-2008.html Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:13:07 +0000 Space and Astronautics News http://space.gs/08/sts-126/27-oct-2008.html

Under the watchful eyes of astronaut rescue team leader Capt. George Hoggard, at center, STS-126 Pilot Eric Boe practices driving the M-113 armored personnel carrier at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Boe and the other crew members are at Kennedy for pre-launch preparation known as Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT. The training provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and a simulated launch countdown. On the STS-126 mission, Space Shuttle Endeavour's crew will deliver equipment and supplies to the International Space Station in preparation for expansion from a three- to six-person resident crew aboard the complex. The mission also will include four spacewalks to service the station's Solar Alpha Rotary Joints. Endeavour is targeted to launch Nov. 14. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Oct 27: At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the STS-126 crew members listen to instructions about use of the M-113 armored personnel carrier for emergency escape from Launch Pad 39A. From left are Mission Specialist Donald Pettit, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Steve Bowen, Sandra Magnus and Shane Kimbrough. The crew is at Kennedy for pre-launch preparation known as Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Oct 23: At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Space Shuttle Endeavour reaches the top of Launch Pad 39A after rolling around from launch Pad 39B. The Shuttle moved off Launch Pad 39B starting at 8:28 am. EDT and completed its move to Launch Pad 39A at 4:37 p.m. Endeavour is targeted to launch Nov. 14 on the STS-126 mission. On this 27th mission to the International Space Station, Endeavour will carry the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo that will hold supplies and equipment, including additional crew quarters, additional exercise equipment, spare hardware and equipment for the regenerative life support system. Credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

- courtesy of NASA's Kennedy Space Center ]]> http://www.space.gs/08/sts-126/26-oct-2008.html Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:08:15 +0000 Space and Astronautics News http://space.gs/08/sts-126/26-oct-2008.html Crew members for Space Shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission pose for a group portrait at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after arriving for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, activities. From left are Mission Specialists Shane Kimbrough and Steve Bowen, Pilot Eric Boe, Commander Chris Ferguson, and Mission Specialists Donald Pettit, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Sandra Magnus. Magnus will remain on the International Space Station as a flight engineer and science officer for Expedition 18.

During TCDT, Endeavour's astronauts and launch teams will participate in a simulated countdown, practice emergency exit procedures at the launch pad and continue to familiarize themselves with the mission payload and hardware. On this 27th mission to the International Space Station, Endeavour will carry the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo that will hold supplies and equipment, including additional crew quarters, additional exercise equipment, spare hardware and equipment for the regenerative life support system. Endeavour is targeted to launch at 7:55 p.m. EST on Nov. 14.

- courtesy of NASA

Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Posted by email from Space's posterous

During the training, the astronauts will check over the equipment they will use in space during the STS-126 mission and will practice several emergency procedures. Ferguson and Pilot Eric Boe also will take to the skies over the Shuttle Landing Facility to practice landings in NASA's Shuttle Training Aircraft.

TCDT will conclude on Wednesday with a simulated launch countdown, which will include the crew, launch controllers in Florida and mission controllers in Houston. The dress rehearsal countdown will begin Wednesday morning. The astronauts will return to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Wednesday afternoon.

Endeavour is targeted to launch Nov. 14 at 7:55 p.m. EST.

- courtesy of NASA

Image: STS-126 Commander speaks to the media at the Kennedy Space Center; credit: NASA

Shuttle program managers have changed the launch date for Space Shuttle Endeavour and the crew of mission STS-126 to the International Space Station, bringing it forward by two days to November 14, 19:55 EST (00:55 UT).

Mission STS-126 is crucial for the development of the International Space Station, as Endeavour is to deliver equipment which will enable the ISS to support a crew of six, instead of the current three. Endeavour will bring Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus to join the crew aboard the station, replacing FE2 Greg Chamitoff, who will return to Earth with STS-126 as a Mission Specialist.

The Johnson Space Center at Houston, Texas, has a very large swimming pool called the Neutral Buoyancy Lab, used for training astronauts in conditions which mimic micro-gravity. STS-126 Mission Specialists Steve Bowen and Shane Kimbrough are practicing for the mission's fourth EVA (spacewalk).

On October 13, technicians are due to remove the Hubble Space Telescope servicing hardware which is currently inside Space Shuttle Atlantis' payload bay, as Atlantis remains on Pad 39A. Atlantis' mission, STS-125, has been postponed to January; the orbiter will be rolled back from the launch pad to the Vehicle Assembly Building on October 20. Then Space Shuttle Endeavour will be transferred to Pad 39A from Pad 39B on October 25, ahead of its expected November launch to the International Space Station.

Endeavour will carry a reusable logistics module to the ISS, containing supplies and new equipment, including additional crew quarters, a second treadmill for exercise in microgravity, regenerative life support system equipment and spare hardware.

Christopher J. Ferguson will command STS-126; the pilot will be Eric A. Boe. The STS-126 Mission Specialists are Stephen G. Bowen, Donald R. Petit, Robert S. Kimbrough, Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper and, launching, Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus. Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Gregory Chamitoff, who launched to the ISS with STS-124 on May 31, will join STS-126 as a Mission Specialist and land on Endeavour.

The role of STS-126 and Endeavour as a contingency support for STS-125 will now pass to another crew and probably a different orbiter. During mission STS-125 (SM4), the fifth and final Shuttle mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, Atlantis will fly further from the Earth than any other mission since Servicing Mission 3B (STS-109, Columbia) in March 2002. Atlantis' orbit excludes use of the International Space Station in an emergency, so another Shuttle has to be ready for launch on Pad 39B as a contingency (mission STS-400 - Rescue STS-125).

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- The Editor, Space and Astronautics News; image credit: NASA

]]> Space and Astronautics News NASA NASA STS-125 STS-126 Endeavour ISS International Space Station Space Shuttle Atlantis Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 SM4 telescope space astronomy astronauts astronautics aerospace Cape Canaveral Florida Kennedy Space Center KSC STS-125 Atlantis Vehicle Assembly Building Space Shuttle Endeavour: Mission STS-126 to the International Space Station http://www.space.gs/news/?p=659 http://space.gs/news/?p=659 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:33:00 +0000 ]]>NASA will delay STS-125 (Atlantis), Hubble Servicing Mission 4, the fifth and final Shuttle mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, until mid-February 2009. This follows technical problems which developed with the telescope in space, necessitating changes to the STS-125 mission. Hubble is also likely to be unable to store or transmit any data until NASA are able to activate a contingency back-up system on board the telescope, which is currently installed. - Space and Astronautics News ]]> 09/30/08: STS-125, Atlantis: NASA Postpones Mission to Service Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA will delay STS-125 (Atlantis), Hubble Servicing Mission 4, the fifth and final Shuttle mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, until mid-February 2009. This follows technical problems which developed with the telescope in space, necessitating changes to the STS-125 mission. Hubble is also likely to be unable to store or transmit any data until NASA are able to activate a contingency back-up system on board the telescope, which is currently installed. - Space and Astronautics News - Updates will follow later at http://space.gs/sts-125/

STS-125's primary payload will be the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, the Wide Field Camera 3, and the Fine Guidance Sensor for the Hubble Space Telescope. Scott D. Altman will command the mission; the pilot is John M. Grunsfeld; K. Megan McArthur a Mission Specialist. Four other Mission Specialists, John M. Grunsfeld, Michael J. Massimino, Andrew J. Feustel and Michael T. Good will, between them, perform no less than five EVA's to service the telescope.

Atlantis will fly further from the Earth than any other mission since Servicing Mission 3B (STS-109, Columbia) in March 2002. Atlantis' orbit excludes use of the International Space Station in an emergency, so Space Shuttle Endeavour is ready on Pad 39B as a contingency.

Visit for Updates..

- Space and Astronautics News; image credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

]]> Space and Astronautics News NASA Johnson Space Center JSC Houston hurricane Ike STS-125 STS-126 Endeavour ISS International Space Station Space Shuttle Atlantis Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 SM4 launch telescope space astronomy astronauts astronautics aerospace Cape Canaveral Florida Kennedy Space Center KSC STS-125 Atlantis Vehicle Assembly Building STS-125, Atlantis: Final Shuttle Mission to Service Hubble http://www.space.gs/sts-125/26-sep-2008.html http://space.gs/sts-125/26-sep-2008.html Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:00:00 +0100 ]]>The STS-125 crew members are continuing to train for their mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, spending two days this week (Thursday and Friday) in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center, Houston. The payload for the mission was loaded into the payload bay of Atlantis on Thursday evening. - Space and Astronautics News ]]> STS-125 Astronauts Train for EVA3; Atlantis: Payload Installed on Launch Pad.

The STS-125 crew members are continuing to train for their mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, spending two days this week (Thursday and Friday) in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center, Houston. Astronauts are rehearsing for the third spacewalk of STS-125, in which Mike Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel will install the Wide Field Camera 3 and make repairs to Hubble's insulation.

The payload for the mission was loaded into the payload bay of Atlantis on Thursday evening.

Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-125 to service the Hubble Space Telescope has been reset, and is now targeted for October 14 at 22:19 EDT (02:19 UT, October 15).

Launch of STS-126 has now also been changed: Endeavour's mission to the International Space Station is targeted for launch on November 16, 19:07 EST (00:07 UT, November 17).

The alterations to the launch dates were made yesterday during the Flight Readiness Review, which will conclude later today (Thursday).

Mission Operations, Flight Crew Operations and training divisions each provided their assessments following closure of the Johnson Space Center, Houston, due to hurricane Ike. Orbiter processing at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, was unaffected by the storm, but Johnson lost about a week of mission preparations and training.

A further Flight Readiness Review is scheduled for October 3; in it, program managers will announce a firm launch date for STS-125.

The STS-125 astronauts have completed a three-day Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test at the Kennedy Space Center, and have now returned to their base at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, where they will continue training for their Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4, the fifth and final Shuttle mission to Hubble.

STS-125's primary payload will be the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, the Wide Field Camera 3, and the Fine Guidance Sensor for the Hubble Space Telescope. Scott D. Altman will command the mission; the pilot is John M. Grunsfeld; K. Megan McArthur a Mission Specialist. Four other Mission Specialists, John M. Grunsfeld, Michael J. Massimino, Andrew J. Feustel and Michael T. Good will, between them, perform no less than five EVA's to service the telescope.

Atlantis will fly further from the Earth than any other mission since Servicing Mission 3B (STS-109, Columbia) in March 2002. Atlantis' orbit excludes use of the International Space Station in an emergency, so Space Shuttle Endeavour is ready on Pad 39B as a contingency.

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- Space and Astronautics News; image credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

]]> Space and Astronautics News NASA Johnson Space Center JSC Houston hurricane Ike STS-125 STS-126 Endeavour ISS International Space Station Space Shuttle Atlantis Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 SM4 launch telescope space astronomy astronauts astronautics aerospace Cape Canaveral Florida Kennedy Space Center KSC STS-125 Atlantis Vehicle Assembly Building STS-125, Atlantis: Final Shuttle Mission to Service Hubble http://www.space.gs/sts-125/25-sep-2008.html http://space.gs/sts-125/25-sep-2008.html Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:00:00 +0100 ]]>Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-125 to service the Hubble Space Telescope has been reset, and is now targeted for October 14 at 22:19 EDT (02:19 UT, October 15). Launch of STS-126 has now also been changed: Endeavour's mission to the International Space Station is targeted for launch on November 16, 19:07 EST (00:07 UT, November 17). The STS-125 astronauts have completed a three-day Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test at the Kennedy Space Center, and have now returned to their base at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, where they will continue training for their Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4, the fifth and final Shuttle mission to Hubble. - Space and Astronautics News ]]> Shuttle Launch Dates Changed; STS-125 Crew Completes Test, Returns to Houston.

Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-125 to service the Hubble Space Telescope has been reset, and is now targeted for October 14 at 22:19 EDT (02:19 UT, October 15).

Launch of STS-126 has now also been changed: Endeavour's mission to the International Space Station is targeted for launch on November 16, 19:07 EST (00:07 UT, November 17).

The alterations to the launch dates were made yesterday during the Flight Readiness Review, which will conclude later today (Thursday).

Mission Operations, Flight Crew Operations and training divisions each provided their assessments following closure of the Johnson Space Center, Houston, due to hurricane Ike. Orbiter processing at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, was unaffected by the storm, but Johnson lost about a week of mission preparations and training.

A further Flight Readiness Review is scheduled for October 3; in it, program managers will announce a firm launch date for STS-125.

The STS-125 astronauts have completed a three-day Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test at the Kennedy Space Center, and have now returned to their base at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, where they will continue training for their Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4, the fifth and final Shuttle mission to Hubble.

STS-125's primary payload will be the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, the Wide Field Camera 3, and the Fine Guidance Sensor for the Hubble Space Telescope. Scott D. Altman will command the mission; the pilot is John M. Grunsfeld; K. Megan McArthur a Mission Specialist. Four other Mission Specialists, John M. Grunsfeld, Michael J. Massimino, Andrew J. Feustel and Michael T. Good will, between them, perform no less than five EVA's to service the telescope.

Atlantis will fly further from the Earth than any other mission since Servicing Mission 3B (STS-109, Columbia) in March 2002. Atlantis' orbit excludes use of the International Space Station in an emergency, so Space Shuttle Endeavour is ready on Pad 39B as a contingency.

View Full Story...

- Space and Astronautics News; image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

]]> Space and Astronautics News NASA Johnson Space Center JSC Houston hurricane Ike STS-125 STS-126 Endeavour ISS International Space Station Space Shuttle Atlantis Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 SM4 launch telescope space astronomy astronauts astronautics aerospace Cape Canaveral Florida Kennedy Space Center KSC STS-125 Atlantis Vehicle Assembly Building STS-125, Atlantis: Final Shuttle Mission to Service Hubble http://www.space.gs/sts-125/22-sep-2008.html http://space.gs/sts-125/22-sep-2008.html Mon, 22 Sep 2008 23:00:00 +0100 ]]>The seven astronauts for Space Shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope are at Kennedy Space Center to participate in the STS-125 terminal countdown demonstration test, concluding with a countdown rehearsal on September 24. During the three-day event, the astronauts and ground crews participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training for the fifth and final Shuttle flight to service the telescope. - NASA ]]> STS-125: Atlantis Astronauts in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test

The seven astronauts for Space Shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope are at Kennedy Space Center to participate in the STS-125 terminal countdown demonstration test, concluding with a countdown rehearsal on September 24. During the three-day event, the astronauts and ground crews participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training for the fifth and final Shuttle flight to service the telescope.

Crew members spent most of their first day in briefings. Monday evening, Commander Scott Altman and Pilot Gregory Johnson will fly simulated landings in the Shuttle Training Aircraft, while Mission Specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Michael Massimino, and Andrew Feustel check the fit of their orange launch-and-entry suits.

Tuesday's activities include a question-and-answer session with the media and emergency egress training at Launch Pad 39A.

Meanwhile, at Launch Pad 39A, technicians continue to prepare Space Shuttle Atlantis for its upcoming launch, targeted for October 10 at 12:43 a.m. EDT. The canister carrying flight hardware for the telescope now is in the pad's payload changeout room, where it awaits installation in the orbiter's payload bay.

On Friday morning, Space Shuttle Endeavour successfully completed its slow 4.2-mile trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B. The journey took less than 8 hours, and the Shuttle was securely fastened to the pad just before sunrise. Endeavour will be on standby in the unlikely event that a rescue mission for the Atlantis's crew would be necessary. After Endeavour is cleared from its duty as a rescue vehicle, workers will move it to pad 39A in preparation for liftoff on mission STS-126 to the International Space Station in November.

- courtesy of NASA; image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

]]> Space and Astronautics News NASA STS-125 STS-126 Endeavour ISS International Space Station Space Shuttle Atlantis Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 SM4 launch telescope space astronomy astronauts astronautics aerospace Cape Canaveral Florida Kennedy Space Center KSC STS-125 Atlantis Vehicle Assembly Building STS-125, Atlantis: Final Shuttle Mission to Service Hubble - Space.gs http://www.space.gs/08/sts-126/19-sep-2008.html http://space.gs/08/sts-126/19-sep-2008.html Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:00:00 +0100 ]]>Ahead of mission STS-126 to the International Space Station (and its role in contingency mission STS-400), Space Shuttle Endeavour has rolled over to launch Pad 39B. With Atlantis on Pad 39A, this is the first occasion since July 2001 that a Shuttle has been on each pad simultaneously. - Space and Astronautics News View Full Story ]]> Space Shuttle Endeavour Rolls Out to Launch Pad 39B.

Ahead of mission STS-126 to the International Space Station (and its role in contingency mission STS-400), Space Shuttle Endeavour has rolled over to launch Pad 39B. With Atlantis on Pad 39A, this is the first occasion since July 2001 that a Shuttle has been on each pad simultaneously.

During mission STS-125 (SM4), the fifth and final Shuttle mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, Atlantis will fly further from the Earth than any other mission since Servicing Mission 3B (STS-109, Columbia) in March 2002. Atlantis' orbit excludes use of the International Space Station in an emergency, so Space Shuttle Endeavour has to be ready for launch on Pad 39B as a contingency (mission STS-400 - Rescue STS-125).

The crawler transporter which slowly carried the STS-126 Shuttle stack at about 1 mph along the crawlerway to the pad is one of two NASA still regularly uses, which were first used in the 1960's and which carried the 363 feet high Apollo Saturn V's to pads 39A and 39B (the Ares V is planned to be 18 feet taller, and more massive). First movement of Endeavour out of the Vehicle Assembly Building, beginning its 4.2 mile journey, occurred at 23:15 EDT (03:15 UT); the orbiter arrived at Pad 39B at 06:59 EDT (10:59 UT) on Friday, September 19.

Launching on mission STS-125, targeted for October 10, Atlantis' primary payload will be the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, the Wide Field Camera 3, and the Fine Guidance Sensor for the Hubble Space Telescope. Scott D. Altman will command the mission; the pilot is John M. Grunsfeld; K. Megan McArthur a Mission Specialist. Four other Mission Specialists, John M. Grunsfeld, Michael J. Massimino, Andrew J. Feustel and Michael T. Good will, between them, perform no less than five EVA's to service the telescope.

NASA plans to later roll Endeavour over to Pad 39A for launch of mission STS-126, currently targeted for November 12. Endeavour will carry a reusable logistics module to the International Space Station, containing supplies and new equipment, including additional crew quarters, a second treadmill for exercise in microgravity, regenerative life support system equipment and spare hardware.

Christopher J. Ferguson will command STS-126; the pilot will be Eric A. Boe. The STS-126 Mission Specialists are Stephen G. Bowen, Donald R. Petit, Robert S. Kimbrough, Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper and, launching, Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus. Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Gregory Chamitoff, who launched to the ISS with STS-124 on May 31, will join STS-126 as a Mission Specialist and land on Endeavour.

- The Editor, Space and Astronautics News; image credit: NASA

View Full Story ]]> Space and Astronautics News NASA NASA STS-125 STS-126 Endeavour ISS International Space Station Space Shuttle Atlantis Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 SM4 Hannah severe weather telescope space astronomy astronauts astronautics aerospace weather weather alert tropical storm hurricane Cape Canaveral Florida Kennedy Space Center KSC STS-125 Atlantis Vehicle Assembly Building Space Shuttle Endeavour: Mission STS-126 to the International Space Station http://www.space.gs/sts-125/15-sep-2008.html http://space.gs/sts-125/15-sep-2008.html Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:00:00 +0100 ]]>Inside the giant Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians are preparing Space Shuttle Endeavour for its rollout to Launch Pad 39B on Thursday. Meanwhile, at Launch Pad 39A, workers continue preparing Atlantis for its targeted October 10 launch on its mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Endeavour will launch on mission STS-126 to the International Space Station in November, but will be on standby at Launch Pad 39B in the unlikely event that a rescue mission for Atlantis would be necessary. - NASA View Full Story ]]> Space and Astronautics News NASA NASA STS-125 STS-126 Endeavour ISS International Space Station Space Shuttle Atlantis Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 SM4 Hannah severe weather telescope space astronomy astronauts astronautics aerospace weather weather alert tropical storm hurricane Cape Canaveral Florida Kennedy Space Center KSC STS-125 Atlantis Vehicle Assembly Building 09/15/08: Space Shuttles Atlantis and Endeavour Prepared for Launch.

Inside the giant Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians are preparing Space Shuttle Endeavour for its rollout to Launch Pad 39B on Thursday. Meanwhile, at Launch Pad 39A workers continue preparing Atlantis for its targeted Oct. 10 launch on its mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.

Endeavour will launch on mission STS-126 to the International Space Station in November, but will be on standby at Launch Pad 39B in the unlikely event that a rescue mission for Atlantis would be necessary. After Endeavour is cleared from its duty as a rescue vehicle, it will move to Launch Pad 39A in preparation for liftoff on STS-126.

Johnson Space Center Remains Closed After Hurricane Ike

NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston remains closed after Hurricane Ike, suspending all training preparations for mission STS-125. The center likely will be limited to recovery work over the next week and may not be open for normal operations until the week of Sept. 21.

The closing prompted Space Shuttle Program Manager John Shannon to postpone the STS-125 program-level Flight Readiness Review that had been scheduled for last week. It is too early to know what effect, if any, the hurricane will have on upcoming Space Shuttle launches.

- courtesy of NASA; image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

View Full Story ]]> STS-125, Atlantis: Final Shuttle Mission to Service Hubble - Space.gs ]]>NASA has adjusted the target launch dates for the two remaining Space Shuttle missions in 2008. Shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope is targeted for October 10, while Endeavour's STS-126 supply mission to the International Space Station has moved to November 12. - NASA View Full Story ]]> http://www.space.gs/sts-125/05-sep-2008-1.html http://space.gs/sts-125/05-sep-2008-1.html Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:15:00 +0100 Space and Astronautics News NASA STS-125 STS-126 Endeavour ISS International Space Station Space Shuttle Atlantis Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 SM4 Hanna severe weather telescope space astronomy astronauts astronautics aerospace weather weather alert tropical storm hurricane Cape Canaveral Florida Kennedy Space Center KSC STS-125 Atlantis Vehicle Assembly Building 09/05/08: Space Shuttle: NASA Alters Launch Dates for STS-125, STS-126.

NASA has adjusted the target launch dates for the two remaining Space Shuttle missions in 2008. Shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope is targeted for October 10, while Endeavour's STS-126 supply mission to the International Space Station has moved to November 12.

Shuttle managers made the decision after Atlantis was rolled to the launch pad and the effects of Tropical Storm Hanna were beyond NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. That allowed managers to more accurately assess the impacts of recent tropical systems on the launch schedule.

Atlantis began rolling from Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A on Thursday at 9:19 a.m. EDT. The Shuttle arrived at the pad at approximately 2 p.m. and was secured at 3:52 p.m. Atlantis now is targeted to launch at approximately 12:33 a.m. EDT, Friday, October 10. NASA Television coverage of launch will begin at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday, October 9. The 11-day flight will include five spacewalks to repair and upgrade the Hubble telescope. Atlantis is scheduled to land at approximately 10:21 p.m., October 20.

Scott Altman will command STS-125, with Gregory C. Johnson serving as pilot. Mission specialists include veteran spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Mike Massimino, and first-time space fliers Andrew Feustel, Michael Good and Megan McArthur.

Endeavour will close 2008 with a 15-day mission to deliver supplies and cargo to the space station. During the STS-126 mission, NASA astronaut Sandra Magnus will replace Greg Chamitoff as an Expedition 18 crew member on the station. Chamitoff will return to Earth after five months in space. The mission's targeted launch time is 8:43 p.m. EST, November 12. Landing will occur at approximately 2:45 p.m., November 27.

Chris Ferguson will command STS-126, with Eric Boe serving as pilot. Mission specialists will be Steve Bowen, Shane Kimbrough, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Donald Pettit, Magnus and Chamitoff.

The formal launch dates for Space Shuttle flights are determined during the Flight Readiness Review, which is conducted about two weeks before launch. The STS-125 review is scheduled for Sept. 22-23. The review for STS-126 is scheduled for October 30.

An STS-125 launch dress rehearsal, known as the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, is scheduled to take place at Kennedy Sept. 22-24. The test provides each Shuttle crew with an opportunity to participate in simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training.

- courtesy of NASA; image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

View Full Story ]]> STS-125, Atlantis: Final Shuttle Mission to Service Hubble - Space.gs