Space and Astronautics News

Space and Astronautics News http://www.space.gs/ Space and Astronautics News; Weather and Oceanographic News en-us 360 Copyright 2009 Space and Astronautics News, All Rights Reserved. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ http://www.space.gs/images/8831.jpg 88 31 Space and Astronautics News http://www.space.gs/ Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News public-001@space.gs No Space and Astronautics News; Astronomy News; Manned and Robotic Spaceflight Missions; Weather and Oceanographic News. Space and Astronautics News; Astronomy News; Manned and Robotic Spaceflight Missions; Weather and Oceanographic News. hourly 1 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:42:00 +0000 03/03/10: Discovery at launch pad; STS-131 crew continues training. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-131/03-mar.html http://space.gs/10/sts-131/03-mar.html Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:42:00 +0000 NASA managers at Kennedy Space Center in At 9 am EST, the rotating service was closed around the shuttle The structure provides protection from the weather and access to the spacecraft. The seven astronauts for Discovery's STS-131 mission, who are at Kennedy for their launch countdown dress rehearsal this week, were on-hand for the beginning of the move. - NASA
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At 9 am EST, the rotating service was closed around the shuttle The structure provides protection from the weather and access to the spacecraft. The seven astronauts for Discovery's STS-131 mission, who are at Kennedy for their launch countdown dress rehearsal this week, were on-hand for the beginning of the move.

The STS-131 astronauts arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida late on Monday afternoon. The crew are spending this week participating in standard prelaunch training and a full-dress launch rehearsal known as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. Their schedule includes practice driving the M113 personnel carrier.

March 3: Dawn at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida finds NASA and United Space Alliance employees hard at work securing space shuttle Discovery to the pad. Discovery's first motion on its 3.4-mile trip from the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 11:58 p.m. EST March 2. The shuttle was secured on the pad at 6:48 a.m. March 3. Rollout is a significant milestone in launch processing activities. Image credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

March 3: In the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery rolls through the open door of High Bay 1 into the night air on its 3.4-mile journey to Launch Pad 39A. First motion was at 11:58 p.m. EST March 2. Image credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

March 3: Looking out from the top of an M-113 armored personnel carrier. In front is Commander Alan Poindexter. Behind him, from left, are Mission Specialists Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger and Stephanie Wilson; Pilot James P. Dutton Jr.; and Mission Specialists Rick Mastracchio, Naoko Yamazaki of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Clayton Anderson. Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

March 3: At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, members of the STS-131 crew prepare for the next phase of their training inside an M-113 armored personnel carrier. Commander Alan Poindexter is at front left; Mission Specialist Rick Mastracchio is at front right. An M-113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency egress from the vicinity of the pad is needed. The crew members of space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 mission are at Kennedy for training related to their launch dress rehearsal, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

March 1: The STS-131 crew members wave at representatives from the media on hand for their arrival at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Mission Specialist Clayton Anderson; Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Naoko Yamazaki; Mission Specialists Stephanie Wilson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger and Rick Mastracchio; Pilot James P. Dutton Jr.; and Commander Alan Poindexter. The STS-131 crew members are at Kennedy for the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, a dress rehearsal for launch. The seven-member crew will deliver the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, filled with resupply stowage platforms and racks, to the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Discovery. STS-131, targeted for launch on April 5, will be the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-131 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/21/10: STS-130: Space Shuttle Endeavour lands at Kennedy Space Center. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/landing.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/landing.html Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:20:00 +0000 "It's great to be home," Endeavour Commander George Zamka radioed after landing. "It was a great adventure." The shuttle made 217 orbits of Earth since launching on Feb. 8. Endeavour covered about 5,750,000 miles during the flight. - NASA
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"It's great to be home," Endeavour Commander George Zamka radioed after landing. "It was a great adventure."

The shuttle made 217 orbits of Earth since launching on Feb. 8. Endeavour covered about 5,750,000 miles during the flight.

Space shuttle Endeavour has landed at Kennedy!

Endeavour is in line with Kennedy's runway. Touch down coming up.

Endeavour shook Kennedy with its tell-tale twin sonic booms. Three minutes to touch down. Zamka is flying the shuttle.

Endeavour is five minutes from landing.

Endeavour is gliding at about 3,400 mph through the Florida skies. It is about 150 miles from touch down at 10:20 p.m.

Endeavour is passing to the west of Lake Okeechobee as it heads to Kennedy.

Endeavour is now 10 minutes from the Shuttle Landing Facility here at Kennedy. The controllers in the Air Traffic Control Tower are coordinating the convoy of support vehicles and watching over the surrounding airspace and the runway.

Commander George Zamka is steering Endeavour through a roll reversal now, turning it onto a path leading to Kennedy. A long convoy of vans, truck and a few huge, specialized machines are waiting beside the runway to move in and "safe" the shuttle after it lands.

Endeavour Commander George Zamka is steering the shuttle through the first roll to slow the orbiter as it weaves through the atmosphere. The move is often compared to a skier digging his edges into the snow. He will make another sweeping turn in a few minutes.

Endeavour's landing pattern calls for it to touch down on runway 15. That means the shuttle will land from the northwest heading southeast. The Shuttle Landing Facility has one long landing strip, but it is numbered as if it were two runways, denoting the approach direction. An approach from the southeast is called as runway 33.

Endeavour is encountering the first layers of the denser atmosphere. The air heats up quickly around the shuttle and forms a plasma. The shuttle's heat shield protects the spacecraft from the intense heat during this phase. Endeavour is over the South Pacific Ocean, going Mach 25. It will quickly slow as it continues falling into thickening air. Endeavour’s three auxiliary power units are running now. They provide the power to move the shuttle’s elevons, rudder and speedbrake. Those are the mechanisms that steer the shuttle like an airplane inside the atmosphere. In space, the shuttle uses a network of small thrusters to maneuver.

As commander, astronaut George Zamka is in the front of Endeavour's flight deck in the left-hand seat and has access to dozens of switches and the control stick. Opposite of him, Pilot Terry Virts has a similar suite of instruments around him and a control stick of his own. Zamka and Virts can fly the shuttle from their positions. Behind them, Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson is serving as the flight engineer, sitting behind the commander and pilot in a seat positioned between them. Mission Specialist Kathryn "Kay" Hire is sitting behind Virts. On the lower level, Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick are positioned in their seats. They can hear the transmissions back and forth, but don't have a window they can watch things through. The small circular window on the hatch is too far behind them to be of much use. Don't feel too bad for them, though. They were the spacewalkers for this flight, so they had some of the best views imaginable.

With the deorbit burn complete, Endeavour is on pace to land at 10:20 p.m. at Kennedy.

The twin orbital maneuvering system engines fired as planned and Endeavour has begun its return to Earth. The orbiter is 218 miles over the planet near Indonesia. The shuttle will approach Florida from the southwest, flying over Naples on its way to Kennedy.

The six astronauts inside Endeavour are in their seats and the shuttle is maneuvered so it is flying backward in relation to Earth with its payload bay facing the Earth. The OMS engines will ignite long enough to slow the shuttle's speed by about 200 mph. After the engines are shut off, Commander George Zamka will push the orbiter's nose over so the shuttle's heat shield is facing the planet.

Endeavour will begin the deorbit burn at 9:15 p.m. The shuttle's two orbital maneuvering system engines will fire for about 2 1/2 minutes and slow Endeavour down by about 200 mph, just enough to let Earth's gravity pull it into the atmosphere for entry. The process is called "deorbit burn" because it takes the shuttle out of orbit.

Flight Director Norm Knight has given a thumbs-up to land Endeavour here at Kennedy Space Center tonight. Capcom Rick Sturckow, who most recently commanded the STS-128 mission, radioed Endeavour commander George Zamka that he has been cleared to bring the shuttle home. The call sets up a careful series of steps for Zamka and his crew as they set themselves up for the entry and landing.

Image credits: NASA TV

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/20/10: STS-130: Space Shuttle Endeavour undocks, crew prepares for landing. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/25.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/25.html Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0000 After undocking, shuttle Pilot Terry Virts moved the shuttle to 400 feet ahead of the station, and then flew a full circle around it while camera-wielding shuttle crew members and cameras in Endeavour's payload bay focused on documenting the state of the station with Tranquility and the cupola. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

Space shuttle Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station at 6:54 p.m. CST after a visit totaling nine days, 19 hours and 48 minutes.

Endeavour delivered the final addition to the U.S. segment, the Tranquility node, along with the cupola, an observatory module that will be used for scientific observations of Earth and celestial bodies, and as a robotics control room. The station is now 98 percent complete by volume, 90 percent by mass.

After undocking, shuttle Pilot Terry Virts moved the shuttle to 400 feet ahead of the station, and then flew a full circle around it while camera-wielding shuttle crew members and cameras in Endeavour's payload bay focused on documenting the state of the station with Tranquility and the cupola.

After the fly-around, Virts executed two burns of Endeavour's jets to maneuver the shuttle behind the station and leave the area. Later, Endeavour crew members began the late inspection of its thermal protection system using the Orbiter Boom Sensor System. Commander George Zamka, Mission Specialists Kathryn Hire, Stephen Robinson, and Nicholas Patrick and Virts worked in shifts to examine the reinforced carbon-carbon panels and heat shield tiles on the starboard wing, nose cap and port wing.

Tomorrow is to be the last full day of orbital activities for the STS-130 crew and will focus on landing preparations. Zamka, Virts and Robinson will check out Endeavour's flight control systems and steering jets to make sure they're ready for re-entry.

Landing for Endeavour is planned to take place at 9:16 p.m. on Sunday at Kennedy Space Center, weather permitting.

The crew's bedtime is 6:14 a.m. as it adjusts for scheduled entry on Sunday. The wakeup call is set for 2:14 p.m. The JSC Newsroom will close at 5 a.m. and reopen at 3 p.m. The next status will be issued after the crew awakens, or earlier if events warrant.

This view of the International Space Station was photographed by one of the STS-130 crewmembers aboard the space shuttle Endeavour shortly after the relative separation of the two spacecraft on Feb. 20, 2010. The objects on the left side of the frame are window reflections from inside the shuttle. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/19/10: STS-130: Space Shuttle Endeavour to fly around Station. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/24.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/24.html Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:45:00 +0000 At undocking, the Shuttle's Orbiter Docking System will release its grip on the station’s Pressurized Mating Adapter 2, and springs will push the two vehicles gently apart. Virts will manually fly the shuttle to 450 feet directly in front of the station, and then fly a circle around the station while the shuttle crew members, and the cameras in Endeavour's payload bay, focus on documenting the state of the station and its new Tranquility and cupola modules. - NASA
]]> 4 p.m. CST Friday, Feb. 19, 2010
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

The joint docked mission between the crews of the International Space Station and space shuttle Endeavour comes to an end this evening when the shuttle undocks from the station at 6:54 p.m. to begin the voyage back to Earth and a Sunday night landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The 2:14 p.m. wakeup call for Endeavour's astronauts was "In Wonder" by Newsboys, played for Pilot Terry Virts, who will be at the controls for this evening's undocking and flyaround.

At undocking the shuttle's Orbiter Docking System will release its grip on the station's Pressurized Mating Adapter 2, and springs will push the two vehicles gently apart. Virts will manually fly the shuttle to 450 feet directly in front of the station, and then fly a circle around the station while the shuttle crew members, and the cameras in Endeavour's payload bay, focus on documenting the state of the station and its new Tranquility and cupola modules.

After the flyaround Virts will fire Endeavour's jets to move the orbiter out behind the station for the late inspection of its thermal protection system using the Orbiter Boom Sensor System.

Starting at 11:19 p.m., Commander George Zamka, Mission Specialists Kathryn Hire, Stephen Robinson, and Nicholas Patrick and Virts will work in shifts to examine the reinforced Carbon-Carbon panels and heat shield tiles on the starboard wing, nose cap and port wing. This inspection for damage from orbital debris is a routine post-undocking protocol on all space shuttle missions.

Sleep comes a bit earlier for the crew tomorrow at about 6 a.m. as it adjusts for entry day Sunday. Mission Control will wake the astronauts at 2:14 p.m. Saturday for day-before-entry systems checkouts and cabin stow activities.

STS-130 crew members pose for a portrait in the Cupola following a joint crew news conference with the Expedition 22 crew members while space shuttle Endeavour remains docked with the International Space Station. Pictured clockwise (from the top) are NASA astronauts George Zamka, commander; Terry Virts, pilot; Kathryn Hire, Nicholas Patrick, Robert Behnken and Stephen Robinson, all mission specialists. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/19/10: STS-130: hatches closed, crews prepare for undocking tonight. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/23.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/23.html Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:20:00 +0000 As shuttle astronauts filed out of the forward end of Harmony, Williams formally rang the station bell marking their departure. Endeavour is scheduled to undock from the station at 6:54 p.m. CST today (00:54 UT, Saturday) and land at Florida's Kennedy Space Center at 9:16 p.m. Sunday. - NASA
]]> 5 a.m. CST Friday, Feb. 19, 2010
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

Hatches between Endeavour and the International Space Station were closed at 2:08 a.m. CST. During 9 days, 52 minutes of joint operations, the station got a new module and a viewport offering a valuable, enjoyable vantage.

Hatch closure came after a farewell ceremony by the two crews. Endeavour Commander George Zamka, Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialists Kathryn Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken said their goodbyes in the Harmony module to Station Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineers Maxim Suraev, Oleg Kotov, Soichi Noguchi and T.J. Creamer.

As shuttle astronauts filed out of the forward end of Harmony, Williams formally rang the station bell marking their departure. Endeavour is scheduled to undock from the station at 6:54 p.m. CST today (00:54 UT, Saturday), and land at Florida's Kennedy Space Center at 9:16 p.m. Sunday.

During Endeavour's visit, Behnken and Patrick completed three spacewalks, largely focused on installing the new Tranquility module and attaching and unwrapping its seven-windowed cupola. The entire crew pitched in to outfit the new module with exercise and regenerative life support systems.

Zamka and Williams collaborated on a cupola ribbon-cutting ceremony, dedicating it to astronaut Charles Lacy Veach, who was instrumental in early development of the cupola. He flew on two shuttle flights, STS-39 in 1991 and STS-52 in 1992, and died of cancer in 1995.

They also placed in the cupola a moon rock returned by Apollo 11 and later carried to the summit of Mount Everest by astronaut Scott Parazynski, along with chips from Everest. Zamka said that in continuing their journey for additional millions of miles, they will serve "as a reminder of man's reach and man's grit" as humans continue to explore.

The crews held their joint news conference about 8:40 p.m. Thursday. They fielded questions from reporters gathered at NASA centers and in Japan.

Final items of equipment and supplies between the two spacecraft were moved, resulting in a net transfer to the station of 1,313 pounds. The final transfers back to Endeavour included scientific specimens requiring refrigeration being moved to the shuttle.

Scheduled bedtime for Endeavour astronauts is 6:14 a.m. Their wakeup call for undocking day is set for 2:14 p.m.

Feb 18: NASA astronaut Nicholas Patrick, STS-130 mission specialist, is pictured in a window of the newly-installed Cupola of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

Feb 17: STS-130 and Expedition 22 crew members gather for a group portrait in the Harmony node of the International Space Station while space shuttle Endeavour remains docked with the station. Pictured from the left (front row) are NASA astronauts Jeffrey Williams, Expedition 22 commander; Nicholas Patrick, STS-130 mission specialist; George Zamka, STS-130 commander; and Robert Behnken, STS-130 mission specialist. Pictured from the left (middle row) are Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi, Expedition 22 flight engineer; NASA astronauts Kathryn Hire, STS-130 mission specialist; and T.J. Creamer, Expedition 22 flight engineer. Pictured from the left (back row) are Russian cosmonauts Maxim Suraev and Oleg Kotov, both Expedition 22 flight engineer; along with NASA astronauts Stephen Robinson, STS-130 mission specialist; and Terry Virts, STS-130 pilot. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/18/10: STS-130: crews prepare to close hatches between the Station and Endeavour. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/22.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/22.html Thu, 18 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +0000 The last transfers are first on the agenda for the remaining hours before hatches are closed between the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Endeavour, scheduled for approximately 1:30 a.m. CST on Friday. - NASA
]]> 5 p.m. CST Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

The last transfers are first on the agenda for the remaining hours before hatches are closed between the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Endeavour, scheduled for approximately 1:30 a.m. CST on Friday.

Today's wakeup call for the shuttle astronauts was "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by Steven Curtis Chapman, played for Pilot Terry Virts, who will spend time this evening briefing station Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi on work in the cupola module where hardware interference has delayed plans to relocate one of the station's robotic arm work stations.

Commander George Zamka and Mission Specialists Kathryn Hire and Stephen Robinson are scheduled to carry out the last transfers of supplies between Endeavour and the space station this evening, including the move of medical experiment samples onto the shuttle for return to Earth.

Later in the day Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick will finish up work in the station airlock stowing tools they used during their three spacewalks to complete connections between the station and its newest components, the Tranquility module and the cupola.

At 8:39 p.m. Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineers Max Suraev, Oleg Kotov, T.J. Creamer and Noguchi will join the shuttle crew in their traditional in-flight news conference with reporters at NASA Centers and in Tokyo.

After the 11 crew members share a final meal together, they will ceremonially commemorate the installation of the last components of the U.S. segment of the station at about 10:40 p.m.

Before closing the hatches between their spacecraft, the two crews plan a farewell ceremony in the Harmony module. Undocking of Endeavour from the station is scheduled for 6:54 p.m. Friday.

Bedtime for the astronauts and cosmonauts is set for about 6 a.m. Friday with the musical wakeup call at 2:14 p.m.

NASA astronaut George Zamka, STS-130 commander, is pictured in a window of the newly-installed Cupola of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/18/10: STS-130: crews talk to President Obama, reboost Station. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/21.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/21.html Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0000 President Barack Obama was accompanied by middle school students when he spoke from the White House with the crew members. Several of the students, in the capital for an engineering competition, asked the crew questions. Endeavour Commander George Zamka and Pilot Terry Virts began a 33-minute reboost of the station, using the shuttle's attitude control jets. When it was completed, the station's altitude had been raised by about 1.3 statute miles to an orbit of 219 by 208 miles. - NASA
]]> 5 a.m. CST Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

After a chat with the President an hour after their wakeup call, it was back to the nuts-and-bolts work of spaceflight for the crews of Endeavour and the International Space Station.

President Barack Obama was accompanied by middle school students when he spoke from the White House with the crew members. Several of the students, in the capital for an engineering competition, asked the crew questions.

Crew members transferred and installed racks in the station's new Tranquility node, reboosted the station using Endeavour's thrusters, reconfigured spacesuits and passed the 75-percent mark of supply and equipment transfers between the two spacecraft. Their work, during a bonus day added for the rack transfers, generally went smoothly.

In shorts or slacks, and stocking feet, crew members floated purposefully about the station on their various tasks. They moved and connected four racks into Tranquility - the Oxygen Generation System, the Water Recovery System, the Urine Processing Assembly and the Waste and Hygiene Compartment. They also continued outfitting Tranquility's cupola, installing a panel and transferring Robotics Work Station components for installation after Endeavour departs.

A little after 1:30 a.m. CST, Endeavour Commander George Zamka and Pilot Terry Virts began a 33-minute reboost of the station, using the shuttle's attitude control jets. When it was completed, the station's altitude had been raised by about 1.3 statute miles to an orbit of 219 by 208 miles.

In the Quest airlock, Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick reconfigured spacesuits they had used on their three spacewalks, preparing some parts for return to Earth. They also stowed spacewalking tools.

The shuttle crew's bedtime is 6:44 a.m. The next status report will be issued after the crew's scheduled 2:44 p.m. wakeup call, or earlier if events warrant.

An orbital sunrise is featured in this image photographed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi, Expedition 22 flight engineer, from a window in the newly-installed Cupola of the International Space Station while space shuttle Endeavour remains docked with the station. A Russian Progress spacecraft, docked to the Pirs Docking Compartment, is visible at right. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/17/10: STS-130: crews begin Endeavour's extra day in orbit. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/20.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/20.html Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:00:00 +0000 Internal outfitting of the new station modules fills up most of the timeline for this extra day on orbit, which was added specifically to support this activity. Crew members will relocate the remaining system racks of the regenerative environmental control and life support system - both Water Recovery System racks, the Waste Hygiene Compartment, and the Oxygen Generation System - into empty rack spaces in Tranquility, and finish setting up hardware in the new cupola module. - NASA
]]> 6 p.m. CST Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

The astronauts and cosmonauts on space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station have started an extra day of joint docked operations to complete relocation of the station's regenerative life support system into the new Tranquility module.

The 3:17 p.m. wakeup call music for the shuttle astronauts was "Oh Yeah" by Johnny A., played for Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson.

About an hour later, all 11 astronauts and cosmonauts on the docked vehicles received a congratulatory phone call from President Barack Obama, who was accompanied at the White House by a dozen middle school students from across the country who are in Washington, D.C. for a national engineering competition.

Internal outfitting of the new station modules fills up most of the timeline for this extra day on orbit, which was added specifically to support this activity. Crew members will relocate the remaining system racks of the regenerative environmental control and life support system - both Water Recovery System racks, the Waste Hygiene Compartment, and the Oxygen Generation System - into empty rack spaces in Tranquility, and finish setting up hardware in the new cupola module.

The plan to relocate the station's robotic arm work station from Destiny into the cupola has been deferred for the station crew to complete after the shuttle departs to afford time for the on orbit crew and specialists in Houston to resolve issues of structural interference from hardware in the cupola.

Shortly after midnight Thursday, the station's altitude will be raised slightly by firing Endeavour's small vernier thrusters for 33 minutes. This adjustment combined with future altitude adjustments will set the stage for future spacecraft arrivals, including that of Discovery on the STS-131 mission in early April.

The crew heads to bed shortly after 6 a.m. Thursday for an eight hour sleep period ending with a musical wakeup call from Mission Control at 2:44 p.m.

A portion of space shuttle Endeavour is featured in this image by an STS-130 crew member. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/17/10: STS-130: EVA3 a success; all Cupola windows opened. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/19.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/19.html Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0000 Endeavour Pilot Terry Virts opened the windows one at a time early on Wednesday, giving spacewalkers Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick an early look into the International Space Station's room with a view that they had helped install. Behnken and Patrick wrapped up their third and final planned spacewalk, a 5-hour, 48-minute excursion, at 2:03 a.m. CST. They completed all of their planned tasks, removing insulation blankets and removing launch restraint bolts from each of the cupola's seven windows. - NASA
]]> 5 a.m. CST Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

Endeavour Pilot Terry Virts opened the windows one at a time early on Wednesday, giving spacewalkers Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick an early look into the International Space Station's room with a view that they had helped install.

Behnken and Patrick wrapped up their third and final planned spacewalk, a 5 hour, 48 minute excursion, at 2:03 a.m. CST. They completed all of their planned tasks, removing insulation blankets and removing launch restraint bolts from each of the cupola's seven windows.

Inside the cupola, Virts opened and then closed each window in turn, beginning at 11:25 p.m. with the circular 31.5-inch center window. He was the first to look out of that largest station window, on Tranquility's Earth-facing port, which will offer valuable views of the Earth and a good look for station robotic arm operators.

Near the end of the spacewalk, all the windows were opened simultaneously. Mission Specialist Kathryn Hire congratulated the spacewalkers for “raising the curtain on a bay window to the world.”

Early in the spacewalk, Behnken opened the second of two ammonia loops to allow coolant to flow through Tranquility, providing redundancy, and disconnected temporary power cables. Patrick installed heater and data cables connecting Tranquility to Pressurized Mating Adapter 3, which was moved to Tranquility's outboard port Tuesday.

The spacewalkers installed handrails on Tranquility, relocated a foot restraint and closed a centerline camera flap on Harmony's upper port, where PMA-3 had been attached. They routed video signal converter cables from the "rats' nest," the complex of cable connections on the S0 truss, to the Zarya module. That will help allow the station's Canadarm2 eventually to be operated from the Russian portion of the station.

Outfitting of Tranquility and the cupola continued, with astronauts preparing parts of the regenerative environmental control system for transfer to the module. Expedition 22 Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi replaced the Recycle Filter Tank Assembly, part of the Water Recycling System, before filling the replacement tank. The replaced tank will be returned to Earth on Endeavour.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew's wakeup call, scheduled for 3:14 p.m., or earlier if events warrant.

NASA astronaut Nicholas Patrick, STS-130 mission specialist, participates in the mission's third and final session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the five-hour, 48-minute spacewalk, Patrick and astronaut Robert Behnken (out of frame), mission specialist, completed all of their planned tasks, removing insulation blankets and removing launch restraint bolts from each of the Cupola's seven windows. Credit: NASA

NASA astronauts Terry Virts (left), STS-130 pilot; and Jeffrey Williams, Expedition 22 commander, pose for a photo near the windows in the newly-installed Cupola of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

International Space Station's Tranquility node and its Cupola are featured in this image photographed by a spacewalker during the mission's (STS-130) third and final session of extravehicular activity. Credit: NASA

Robert Behnken (top) and Nicholas Patrick, both STS-130 mission specialists, participate in the mission's third and final session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the five-hour, 48-minute spacewalk, Behnken and Patrick completed all of their planned tasks, removing insulation blankets and removing launch restraint bolts from each of the Cupola's seven windows. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/16/10: STS-130: 3rd spacewalk: Cupola's window shutters to open tonight. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/18.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/18.html Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +0000 Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick will remove the insulation from the cupola's seven windows, and Patrick releases launch locks from the windows so Pilot Terry Virts can open the window shutters from inside the module for the first time at approximately 11:30 p.m. CST. - NASA
]]> 5 p.m. CST Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

The third of three planned spacewalks for the astronauts of space shuttle Endeavour is on tap for tonight to complete installation of the International Space Station's Tranquility module and unlock the shutters on the station's new observation deck.

The wakeup call for Endeavour's astronauts at 3:14 p.m. was "Window on the World" by Jimmy Buffett, played for Mission Specialist Kathryn Hire.

Spacewalkers Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick are slated to begin their 6.5 hour spacewalk at 8:09 p.m. CST. Behnken will open the second of two ammonia loops to allow coolant to flow through Tranquility and disconnect temporary power cables while Patrick installs heater and data cables from the new node to Pressurized Mating Adapter 3, now located on Tranquility's outboard docking port.

Next the two spacewalkers will remove the insulation from the cupola's seven windows, and Patrick releases launch locks from the windows so Pilot Terry Virts can open the window shutters from inside the module for the first time at approximately 11:30 p.m.

Other tasks for the spacewalk include installation of handrails and other EVA support equipment on Tranquility, routing video signal converter cables from the S0 Truss to the Zarya module to support future Canadarm2 operations from a base on the Russian segment of the station, and removal of clamps and a flex hose rotary coupler on the P1 Truss.

During the spacewalk station Commander Jeff Williams and other crew members will continue outfitting the Tranquility and cupola modules and perform closeout operations on components of the regenerative environmental control system before the last four racks of that system are relocated into Node 3 on Flight Day 11. Early tomorrow morning Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov will replace a failed vacuum valve in the Russian carbon dioxide removal unit.

Feb 16: In the grasp of the Canadarm2, the Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 (PMA-3) is relocated from the Harmony node to the open port on the end of the newly-installed Tranquility node. NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick, both STS-130 mission specialists, operated the station's robotic arm for the move, while Jeffrey Williams, Expedition 22 commander; and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi, Expedition 22 flight engineer, dealt with latches and bolts, connecting the port to its new home. Tranquility's Cupola is visible at left center, and a docked Russian Soyuz spacecraft and space shuttle Endeavor are at right. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/16/10: STS-130: Behnken and Patrick camp out in Quest airlock ahead of 3rd spacewalk. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/17.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/17.html Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0000 Behnken and Patrick began their campout in the Quest airlock about 5:40 a.m. The procedure, with the airlock pressure reduced to 10.2 psi, aims to lower their blood's nitrogen content and minimize the possibility of decompression sickness. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

With a port swap of the International Space Station's new cupola and Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 completed today, astronauts continued outfitting the new Tranquility module and its observation deck and prepared for a third spacewalk.

The pressurized mating adapter was moved early in the crew's day from its temporary position atop the Harmony node to the outboard end of Tranquility, where the cupola had been launched. Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick operated the station's Canadarm2 for the move, while station Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi dealt with latches and bolts, connecting the port to its new home at 8:28 p.m. CST.

Patrick and Behnken will hook up heater and data cables between the relocated adapter and Tranquility during the spacewalk that begins Tuesday evening. Today, the spacewalkers reviewed plans for the final planned spacewalk with Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson, the intravehicular officer, along with space shuttle Endeavour Commander George Zamka, Pilot Terry Virts and station Flight Engineer T.J. Creamer.

Behnken and Patrick began their campout in the Quest airlock about 5:40 a.m. The procedure, with the airlock pressure reduced to 10.2 psi, aims to lower their blood's nitrogen content and minimize the possibility of decompression sickness.

The 6.5-hour spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 8:09 p.m. The spacewalkers will open the second of two ammonia loops to allow its coolant to flow through Tranquility and disconnect temporary power cables. They will remove insulation from the cupola's seven windows and then release bolts that held the covers in place during launch, enabling astronauts to open the shutters from inside.

The newly installed Advanced Resistive Exercise Device got an early test run by Williams, and all seemed to go well. Experts on the ground continued to analyze results.

After several hours of off-duty time, Endeavour's astronauts are scheduled to go to bed at 7:14 a.m. The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew's 3:14 p.m. wakeup call, or earlier if events warrant.

In the grasp of the Canadarm2, the Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 (PMA-3) is relocated from the Harmony node to the open port on the end of the newly-installed Tranquility node. NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick, both STS-130 mission specialists, operated the station's robotic arm for the move, while Jeffrey Williams, Expedition 22 commander; and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi, Expedition 22 flight engineer, dealt with latches and bolts, connecting the port to its new home. Tranquility's Cupola is visible at bottom center. Credit: NASA

Cupola is visible at top center. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/15/10: STS-130, Expedition 22 astronauts to move Pressurized Mating Adapter 3. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/16.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/16.html Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +0000 Endeavour Mission Specialists Nicholas Patrick and Behnken together with Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi will robotically maneuver the Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 from its location on the Harmony module to the now open port on the end of Tranquility. - NASA
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The International Space Station and shuttle Endeavour crews continue with robotics and hardware relocation activities today. They will also prepare for the third and final spacewalk of the mission.

The crew awoke at 3:15 p.m. to “Parabola” performed by Tool for Mission Specialist Robert Behnken.

Endeavour Mission Specialists Nicholas Patrick and Behnken together with Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi will robotically maneuver the Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 from its location on the Harmony module to the now open port on the end of Tranquility. Using the station's robotic arm, the crew will demate the PMA from the station at 5:59 p.m. and install it on Tranquility just after 7:30 p.m.

This move will provide an additional docking port for visiting spacecraft as well as provide additional debris shielding for Tranquility.

Meanwhile, shuttle pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialist Kathyrn Hire will focus on interior outfitting of the cupola, now in its permanent location. Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson will remove launch brackets used on Tranquility's Low Temperature Loop (LTL) Pump Package Assembly (PPA) and Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA). Commander George Zamka will monitor the robotics activities and support TV and camera set up for the relocation activities.

After their midday meal, both crews will have off-duty time and exercise in their afternoon.

At the end of the crew day, most crew members will gather to review the procedures for the next spacewalk. Behnken and Patrick will spend the night in the Quest airlock as part of the "campout" protocol for that extravehicular activity.

The station crew's bedtime is set for 6:44 Tuesday morning and the shuttle crew 30 minutes later. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day or as events warrant.

Feb 15: In the grasp of the Canadarm2, the Cupola is relocated from the forward port to the Earth-facing port of the International Space Station's newly-installed Tranquility node. NASA astronauts Terry Virts, STS-130 pilot; and Kathryn Hire, mission specialist, moved the Cupola, operating the station's robotic arm from controls inside the Destiny laboratory. Credits: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/15/10: STS-130: crews prepare for Tuesday's final spacewalk. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/15.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/15.html Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0000 Endeavour's spacewalkers, Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick spent about an hour and a half early in their day preparing for that excursion. Part of those preparations involved resizing another spacesuit for Behnken. The suit he wore on the first two spacewalk had some communications dropouts. - NASA
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The International Space Station's new viewport is facing the Earth now, ready to provide a panoramic view of the planet below and approaching cargo ships. Relocation of the cupola from Tranquility's forward port to its new location was completed at 12:31 a.m. CST.

Endeavour Mission Specialist Kathryn Hire and Pilot Terry Virts moved the cupola, operating the station's Canadarm2 from controls in the U.S. laboratory, Destiny. Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams operated the latches and bolts that released the cupola from its launch location and then secured it to its new home.

There was a minor delay in releasing the cupola. The bolts attaching it to its launch position on Tranquility had been torqued in Earth's gravity and were a little tighter than expected. Flight controllers slightly increased the torque to release the bolts, resolving the problem. The cupola's attachment to the Earth-facing port went smoothly.

Outfitting of the cupola, including preparations for filling water lines and for installation of a robotics workstation there, continued. Crew members are expected to get their first look out the cupola windows after Tuesday's third and final scheduled spacewalk of Endeavour's stay at the station.

Endeavour's spacewalkers, Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick spent about an hour and a half early in their day preparing for that excursion. Part of those preparations involved resizing another spacesuit for Behnken. The suit he wore on the first two spacewalk had some communications dropouts.

The station's refurbished Urine Processing Assembly continued to work as expected. Flight controllers said it processed more than 2.5 gallons of urine during the day.

During the morning of their work day, Virts and Hire answered questions from students at NASA Explorer Schools. Just before the end of their day, Virts and Bhenken will talk with reporters from WOR Radio New York and television stations KTVI-TV in St. Louis and WREG-TV in Memphis.

The shuttle crew's bedtime is set for 7:14 a.m. The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew wakeup call, scheduled for 3:14 p.m.

Feb 14: Terry Virts, STS-130 pilot, works in the newly-installed Tranquility node of the International Space Station while space shuttle Endeavour remains docked with the station. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/14/10: STS-130: crews to move Cupola, resume outfitting Tranquility. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/14.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/14.html Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialist Kathryn Hire kick off the day monitoring the depressurization of the cupola module. This evening, while they operate Canadarm2, station Commander Jeff Williams will operate the common berthing mechanisms for the relocation of cupola from Tranquility’s outboard hatch to the Earth-facing side of the module. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

Astronauts on space shuttle Endeavour are preparing to relocate one of the new modules they just delivered to the International Space Station, and pressing ahead with activation and checkout of the new Tranquility node.

The Endeavour crew’s wake-up song at 3:14 p.m. CST was "Forty Years On," the Harrow School song, for Harrow alumnus Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick, who will spend the first three hours of his day working with fellow spacewalker Robert Behnken on tools and preparations of the station’s airlock for the last planned spacewalk on Tuesday.

Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialist Kathryn Hire kick off the day monitoring the depressurization of the cupola module. This evening, while they operate Canadarm2, station Commander Jeff Williams will operate the common berthing mechanisms for the relocation of cupola from Tranquility’s outboard hatch to the Earth-facing side of the module. Cupola will then be repressurized and monitored for an airtight seal by flight controllers in Houston. At the same time shuttle Commander George Zamka, Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson, and station Flight Engineers Max Suraev and T.J. Creamer will resume outfitting and activation of Tranquility.

At 9:24 p.m. Virts and Hire will take time to answer questions about their mission prepared by students at NASA Explorer Schools. At 5:04 a.m. Monday Virts and Behnken will talk about the flight in interviews with WOR Radio New York’s John Gambling and television stations KTVI-TV in St. Louis and WREG-TV in Memphis.

Feb 14: Robert Behnken, STS-130 mission specialist, participates in the mission's second session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the five-hour, 54-minute spacewalk, Behnken and astronaut Nicholas Patrick (out of frame), mission specialist, connected two ammonia coolant loops, installed thermal covers around the ammonia hoses, outfitted the Earth-facing port on the Tranquility node for the relocation of its Cupola, and installed handrails and a vent valve on the new module. Credit: NASA

Nicholas Patrick (left) and Robert Behnken, both STS-130 mission specialists, attired in their Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuits; along with astronaut George Zamka, STS-130 commander, are pictured in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station prior to the start of the mission's second spacewalk. Credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/14/10: STS-130: crews to move cupola and open the hatch. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/13b.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/13b.html Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:15:00 +0000 Terry Virts and Kathryn Hire will latch onto the cupola with the station's robotic arm. They then will move the cupola to its permanent position on the Earth-facing side of the Tranquility node and then open the hatch. - NASA
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After further analysis of the center disk cover interference issue, the teams determined that there wasn't an issue with relocating the cupola. The crew will spend time today preparing the cupola for its relocation.

Terry Virts and Kathryn Hire will latch onto the cupola with the station's robotic arm. They then will move the cupola to its permanent position on the Earth-facing side of the Tranquility node and then open the hatch.

Robert Behnken and Stephen Robinson will grapple Pressurized Mating Adapter-3 with the station's robotic arm near the end of the day for its relocation on flight day 9.

Image credit: NASA TV

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/14/10: STS-130: second spacewalk completed, Endeavour to return Feb 21. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/13.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/13.html Sun, 14 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0000 Endeavour now is scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center at 9:16 p.m. CST next Sunday, Feb. 21, after undocking from the station at 6:54 p.m. Friday. A new flight day 11, beginning Wednesday afternoon, will support moving two Water Recovery System racks, the Waste Hygiene Compartment and the Oxygen Generation System into Tranquility. That work had been on hold for repairs and test runs. - NASA
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Endeavour astronauts Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick finished all tasks planned for the mission's second spacewalk, integrating the new Tranquility node into the International Space Station despite a slightly shortened spacewalk.

The spacewalkers connected two ammonia coolant loops, installed thermal covers around the ammonia hoses, outfitted the Earth-facing port on Tranquility for the relocation of its cupola, and installed handrails and a vent valve on the new module.

The spacewalk ended after 5 hours, 54 minutes to give Behnken and Patrick additional time in the airlock as part of a cleanup process for possible contamination. While hooking up a quick-disconnect valve, a small amount of ammonia eked out of a connector. Procedures called for a 'bake-out' while Patrick worked during the sunlit portion of the orbit, and a contamination test in the airlock.

While the spacewalk was still under way, Mission Control activated one of the ammonia loops and reported that ammonia was flowing through Tranquility, cooling the module. The second cooling loop will be activated during Tuesday's spacewalk.

With choreography from astronaut Steve Robinson, the intravehicular officer, Behnken placed insulation covers on Tranquility's keel pin and trunnions. He also prepared Tranquility for the cupola relocation, opening a centerline camera flap and deploying berthing mechanism petals that initially will secure the cupola. Patrick installed a non-propulsive vent valve on Tranquility and then attached eight handrails to its exterior.

Station Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineers Soichi Noguchi and T.J. Creamer, along with Endeavour Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialist Kathryn Hire, worked to outfit Tranquility's interior. Activities included setting up the ventilation system, connecting electrical and computer cables, and configuring racks. The crew confirmed that the lights were on inside Tranquility and that computer systems are working.

Endeavour now is scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center at 9:16 p.m. CST next Sunday, Feb. 21, after undocking from the station at 6:54 p.m. Friday. A new flight day 11, beginning Wednesday afternoon, will support moving two Water Recovery System racks, the Waste Hygiene Compartment and the Oxygen Generation System into Tranquility. That work had been on hold for repairs and test runs.

The shuttle crew's bedtime is scheduled for 7:14 a.m., with a wakeup call at 3:14 p.m.

Bob Behnken and Nicholas Patrick during the second spacewalk of STS-130. Image credit: NASA TV

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/14/10: Nicholas Patrick's suit contamminated by ammonia, but spacewalk is going well. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/12b.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/12b.html Sun, 14 Feb 2010 04:36:00 +0000 After Nicholas Patrick removed a quick disconnect cap, a small amount of ammonia crystals was observed. Based on conservative flight rules, Patrick's suit is considered contaminated, although Patrick reported that he could not see any crystals on his suit. - NASA
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After Nicholas Patrick removed a quick disconnect cap, a small amount of ammonia crystals was observed. Based on conservative flight rules, Patrick's suit is considered contaminated, although Patrick reported that he could not see any crystals on his suit.

If crystals are discerned, Patrick will try and wipe them off before reentering the airlock. As a precaution, the astronauts will spend additional time in the airlock to allow for any possible flakes to be cleansed from their suits through the airlock environmental system.

Inside the station, astronauts have completed the installation of the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) in the Tranquility node.

Bob Behnken and Nicholas Patrick during the second spacewalk of STS-130. Image credit: NASA TV

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/14/10: Behnken and Patrick's second STS-130 spacewalk is underway. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/12a.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/12a.html Sun, 14 Feb 2010 03:55:00 +0000 At 9:20 p.m. EST (02:20 UT), STS-130 spacewalkers Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick switched their suits to battery power, officially starting today's excursion outside the orbiting laboratory. - NASA
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Behnken and Patrick will spend their first four hours connecting the ammonia loops on the new Tranquility node to those of the Destiny laboratory. There are two loops, with two lines apiece, each of which must be connected to both Tranquility and Destiny and routed through a bracket on Unity, which connects Tranquility to Destiny. Behnken will open one of the loops so that ammonia will be allowed to flow to the node from the station's external thermal control system.

Today's spacewalk is expected to last about 6.5-hours.

Bob Behnken and Nicholas Patrick during the second spacewalk of STS-130. Image credits: NASA TV

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/13/10: STS-130 mission extended; second spacewalk continues work on Tranquility. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/12.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/12.html Sun, 14 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick will hook up exterior fluid lines and do other work on Tranquility during their second spacewalk of the flight, scheduled to begin about 8:10 p.m. CST (02:10 UT). Early in their day, they configured spacewalk tools and worked on another spacesuit for Patrick, to resolve a power supply issue. The crew began an hour-long review of spacewalk procedures about 3:10 a.m. The spacewalkers started their overnight campout in the Quest airlock about 5:40 a.m. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

All plans are go for the second spacewalk of shuttle mission STS-130 at 8:09 p.m. CST, resuming the integration of the International Space Station's new Tranquility module. The crew members from the station and shuttle Endeavour also have learned they'll have an extra day on orbit together.

The crew members aboard space shuttle Endeavour were awakened at 3:15 p.m. with "Too Much Stuff" by Delbert McClinton, played for Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson, who will be the intravehicular crew member for today's spacewalk.

Spacewalkers Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick spend the first part of the spacewalk connecting two ammonia loops, with two lines in each loop, from the Destiny module to Tranquility, hooking the new module to the station's cooling system, and open one of those loops to initiate cooling of the module. Then they'll install thermal covers on Tranquility's keel pin and trunnions, to prevent condensation inside the module, outfit the nadir docking port of Tranquility for the relocation of the cupola module, and install handrails. The spacewalk is scheduled to conclude at 2:39 a.m. Sunday.

Station Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineers Soichi Noguchi and T.J. Creamer, Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialist Kathryn Hire will continue outfitting Tranquility's interior, including setting up the ventilation system and configuring racks.

Early Saturday morning the crew members outfitting Tranquility were unable to install a center disk cover on the module's outboard docking port due to interference with the cover's attach mechanism from hardware inside the cupola; that cover protects the docking interface from debris and temperature extremes when there's no module attached to it. The planned depressurization and grappling of the cupola at the end of the crew work day has been deferred to permit troubleshooting of that situation.

Mission managers today approved adding an extra day to the flight. That day, which will be a new Flight Day 11 beginning Wednesday afternoon, will be used to relocate two Water Recovery System racks, the Waste Hygiene Compartment and the Oxygen Generation System into Tranquility. Those relocations were on hold pending the repairs conducted earlier in the flight, and enough run time on the system to generate needed samples for return to Earth for analysis.

Endeavour's landing now will occur Sunday night, Feb. 21. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew's workday, or earlier if warranted.

Feb 11: In the grasp of the station's Canadarm2, the Tranquility module is transferred from its stowage position in space shuttle Endeavour's (STS-130) payload bay to position it on the port side of the Unity node of the International Space Station. Tranquility was locked in place with 16 remotely-controlled bolts. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/13/10: STS-130: Behnken and Patrick prepare for second spacewalk. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/11.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/11.html Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick will hook up exterior fluid lines and do other work on Tranquility during their second spacewalk of the flight, scheduled to begin about 8:10 p.m. CST (02:10 UT). Early in their day, they configured spacewalk tools and worked on another spacesuit for Patrick, to resolve a power supply issue. The crew began an hour-long review of spacewalk procedures about 3:10 a.m. The spacewalkers started their overnight campout in the Quest airlock about 5:40 a.m. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

Crew members on space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station got a first look inside the orbiting outpost's newest module and room with a view Friday evening, but the shutters were still closed so the view will have to wait a while.

Astronauts who went into the module initially wore goggles and masks to protect against floating debris. Shuttle Commander George Zamka and Mission Specialists Stephen Robinson and Kathryn Hire worked with station Commander Jeff Williams to outfit the vestibule between Unity and Tranquility after an 8:17 p.m. CST hatch opening.

As that work continued, Endeavour Pilot Terry Virts and station Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi transferred parts of the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device and an Air Revitalization System rack into Tranquility.

The hatch between Tranquility and its cupola was opened at 10:32 p.m. Its windows were blocked by their covers and by insulation blanketing.

Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick will hook up exterior fluid lines and do other work on Tranquility during their second spacewalk of the flight, scheduled to begin about 8:10 p.m. Early in their day, they configured spacewalk tools and worked on another spacesuit for Patrick, to resolve a power supply issue. The crew began an hour-long review of spacewalk procedures about 3:10 a.m. The spacewalkers started their overnight campout in the Quest airlock about 5:40 a.m.

After the spacewalk, Hire and Virts will grapple the cupola with the station's Canadarm2 in preparation for its Sunday evening move to Tranquility's Earth-facing port. The insulation blanket is to be removed during the flight's third spacewalk beginning about 8:10 p.m. Tuesday. That will allow shutters to be opened for the first astronaut views.

Feb 11: NASA astronaut Robert Behnken, STS-130 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 6-hour, 32-minute spacewalk, Behnken and astronaut Nicholas Patrick (out of frame), mission specialist, relocated a temporary platform from the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, to the station's truss structure and installed two handles on the robot. Once Tranquility was structurally mated to Unity, the spacewalkers connected heater and data cables that will integrate the new module with the rest of the station's systems. They also pre-positioned insulation blankets and ammonia hoses that will be used to connect Tranquility to the station's cooling radiators during the mission's second spacewalk. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/12/10: STS-130 and Expedition 22 to begin internal work on Tranquility and the Cupola. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/10.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/10.html Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +0000 The doors leading to the final U.S. components of the International Space Station are due to open tonight when the crews of space shuttle Endeavour and the station begin internal outfitting of the Tranquility module and the cupola. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

The doors leading to the final U.S. components of the International Space Station are due to open tonight when the crews of space shuttle Endeavour and the station begin internal outfitting of the Tranquility module and the cupola.

Endeavour's 3:14 p.m. wakeup call, played for Mission Specialist Bob Behnken, was the 'Firefly' theme song, 'The Ballad of Serenity' by Sonny Rhodes.

While Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialist Kay Hire take the controls of the space station's robotic arm at 6:24 p.m. for a walkoff from its base on the Harmony module to the Destiny laboratory, Mission Specialist Steve Robinson and station Commander Jeff Williams begin work outfitting the vestibule between Tranquility and the Unity node.

At the same time spacewalkers Bob Behnken and Nicholas Patrick will prepare a new spacesuit for Patrick to use during EVA 2; it was discovered that his suit had a temporary slight decrease in the speed in its cooling fan during EVA 1. They will resize Behnken's original suit for Patrick and then complete maintenance on the EMU power harness on that unit, which wasn't delivering power to the helmet camera and glove heaters when it was checked out before the first spacewalk.

Williams should be opening the hatch for the first entry into Tranquility at 8:14 p.m., and then the hatch into the cupola at 9:44 p.m. While internal outfitting proceeds Virts and Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi will move components of the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device and the Air Revitalization System rack into the new node.

Behnken and Patrick will take a break at 1:29 a.m. Saturday to answer questions about the mission that have been gathered by astronaut and spacecraft communicator Mike Massimino on his Twitter account. At 4:24 a.m. Virts and Mission Specialist Kay Hire will conduct interviews with the Associated Press, CBS News, and Reuters.

All 11 crew members will gather at 3:09 a.m. to review procedures for the second spacewalk of the mission, scheduled to start at 8:09 p.m. Saturday.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew work day, or earlier if warranted.

NASA astronauts Nicholas Patrick (left) and Robert Behnken, both STS-130 mission specialists, attired in their Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuits, prepare for the mission's first spacewalk while in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station. Astronaut Jeffrey Williams (background), Expedition 22 commander, assisted Patrick and Behnken. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/12/10: STS-130: Tranquility module installation successful. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/09.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/09.html Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:30:00 +0000 Tranquility was installed at 12:20 a.m. CST Friday over the Indian Ocean west of Singapore. Mission Specialist Kay Hire and Pilot Terry Virts used the station's Canadarm2 to pull Tranquility out of space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay and position it on the port side of the station's 10-year-old Unity module. Tranquility was locked in place with 16 remotely controlled bolts. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

Astronauts installed a 2,600-cubic-foot addition to the International Space Station early Friday, combining the talents of robotic arm operators and spacewalkers to connect the Italian-built Tranquility module.

Tranquility was installed at 12:20 a.m. CST Friday over the Indian Ocean west of Singapore. Mission Specialist Kay Hire and Pilot Terry Virts used the station's Canadarm2 to pull Tranquility out of space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay and position it on the port side of the station's 10-year-old Unity module. Tranquility was locked in place with 16 remotely controlled bolts.

Spacewalkers Bob Behnken and Nick Patrick stepped outside the Quest airlock module at 8:17 p.m. Thursday and immediately began preparing the new module for its trip from the cargo bay to the station. Mission Specialist Steve Robinson helped coordinate the 6-hour, 32-minute spacewalk, which ended at 2:49 a.m. Friday. As Behnken and Patrick waited for the robotic arm operators to carefully maneuver Tranquility into position, they relocated a temporary platform from the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, to the station's truss structure and installed two handles on the robot.

Once Tranquility was structurally mated to Unity, the spacewalkers connected heater and data cables that will integrate the new module with the rest of the station's systems. They also pre-positioned insulation blankets and ammonia hoses that will be used to connect Tranquility to the station's cooling radiators during the mission's second spacewalk that begins Saturday night. The station's new room with a view, the cupola, will be moved from Tranquility's end to its Earth-facing port on Sunday.

As the spacewalk ended, Mission Control reported that all data and heater connections were working well, and that the vestibule separating Tranquility and Unity had passed its initial leak check.

Inside the station, a new Distillation Assembly and Fluids Control Pump Assembly began recycling their first batch of urine after Commander Jeff Williams' installation of the new parts on Wednesday. Flight controllers are monitoring the operation of the station's Water Recovery System and preparing to return samples of both urine and drinking water for return to Earth as troubleshooting on the first-of-its-kind system continues. The recycling system will be moved from the Destiny Laboratory to Tranquility once experts are satisfied with its performance.

The astronauts are scheduled to begin their sleep period at 7:14 a.m., and awaken at 3:14 p.m. The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew awakens, or earlier if warranted.

NASA astronaut Nicholas Patrick, STS-130 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 6-hour, 32-minute spacewalk, Patrick and astronaut Robert Behnken (out of frame), mission specialist, relocated a temporary platform from the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, to the station's truss structure and installed two handles on the robot. Once Tranquility was structurally mated to Unity, the spacewalkers connected heater and data cables that will integrate the new module with the rest of the station's systems. They also pre-positioned insulation blankets and ammonia hoses that will be used to connect Tranquility to the station's cooling radiators during the mission's second spacewalk. Image credit: NASA

During the 6-hour, 32-minute spacewalk, Behnken and astronaut Nicholas Patrick (out of frame), mission specialist, relocated a temporary platform from the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, to the station's truss structure and installed two handles on the robot. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/11/10: STS-130: Behnken and Patrick to install final components of the U.S. ISS segment. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/08.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/08.html Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000 A highlight of space shuttle mission STS-130 is just hours away as the shuttle and International Space Station crews prepare to install the final components of the U.S. segment of the station during a spacewalk this evening. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

A highlight of space shuttle mission STS-130 is just hours away as the shuttle and International Space Station crews prepare to install the final components of the U.S. segment of the station during a spacewalk this evening.

The wakeup call at 3:14 p.m. CST for the astronauts aboard Endeavour was "Beautiful Day" by U2, played for Mission Specialist Kay Hire, who will be working with Pilot Terry Virts tonight to operate the station's Canadarm2 to install the Tranquility module during the EVA by Mission Specialists Bob Behnken and Nicholas Patrick.

The 6.5 hour spacewalk is scheduled to begin shortly after 8 p.m. The spacewalkers will prepare the new module to be lifted from the shuttle cargo bay by the robotic arm, and once Tranquility is in place they'll start connecting it to station utilities.

Behnken and Patrick also will relocate a temporary platform from the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or DEXTRE, to the station's port truss and install two handles on the robot.

The space station flight control team is monitoring the operation of the station's water purification system after Commander Jeff Williams' installation of a new Distillation Assembly and Fluids Control Pump Assembly yesterday.

The system that processes urine into drinking water will be allowed to complete processing runs, to generate water samples for testing after being returned to Earth, before the components are relocated into the new module.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew work day, or earlier if warranted.

In the grasp of the station's Canadarm2, the Tranquility module is transferred from its stowage position in space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay to position it on the port side of the Unity node of the International Space Station. Tranquility was locked in place with 16 remotely-controlled bolts. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/11/10: STS-131: Space Shuttle Discovery to move to VAB on Feb 14. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-131/11-feb.html http://space.gs/10/sts-131/11-feb.html Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:30:00 +0000 NASA managers at Kennedy Space Center in Florida now are targeting the start of space shuttle Discovery's move to from its processing hangar to the Vehicle Assembly Building for no earlier than 5 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 14. The move was previously planned for Friday. - NASA
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Jan 29: NASA astronaut Alan Poindexter, STS-131 commander, attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, occupies the commander's station on the flight deck of the Full Fuselage Trainer (FFT) in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Image credit: NASA

Jan 29: NASA astronaut Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, STS-131 mission specialist, attired in a training version of her shuttle launch and entry suit, poses for a photo prior to the start of an ingress/egress training session in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Image credit: NASA

Jan 29: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, STS-131 mission specialist. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-131 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/11/10: STS-130 astronauts prepare for tonight's spacewalk. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/07.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/07.html Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:00:00 +0000 Patrick and Behnken began their overnight campout in the station's Quest airlock a little before 7 a.m. CST in preparation for today's first of three spacewalks during space shuttle Endeavour's visit to the orbiting laboratory. They are sleeping in the reduced 10.2 psi pressure of the airlock to avoid decompression sickness, or the bends. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

Endeavour and International Space Station crew members worked on spacewalk preparations, did some long-awaited repairs on a water recycling system and transferred equipment and supplies between the shuttle and station.

Endeavour's crew members, Commander George Zamka, Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialists Kathryn Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken, got some afternoon time off and the welcome news that a more detailed focused inspection of the shuttle's heat shield system would not be needed.

The morning included installation of the Water Recovery System's refurbished Distillation Assembly and replacement of the system's Fluids Control Pump Assembly by station Commander Jeff Williams. The system processes urine into drinking water. Zamka, Hire and Robinson worked to transfer equipment and supplies.

Patrick and Behnken began their overnight campout in the station's Quest airlock a little before 7 a.m. CST in preparation for today's first of three spacewalks during space shuttle Endeavour's visit to the orbiting laboratory. They are sleeping in the reduced 10.2 psi pressure of the airlock to avoid decompression sickness, or the bends.

An earlier checkout of Behnken's spacesuit revealed a problem with a power harness that provides power to its wireless video system and glove heaters. Zamka and station Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi changed out the suit's upper torso to resolve the issue.

The crews wrapped up their workday with an hour-long review of spacewalk procedures beginning about 3:10 a.m. Williams and Flight Engineers Noguchi and T.J. Creamer also participated.

The spacewalk, set to begin at 8:09 p.m. and scheduled for 6.5 hours, will prepare Tranquility for its move from Endeavour's cargo bay. After it is installed on the station's Unity node by station robotic arm operators Virts and Hire, the spacewalkers will begin hooking it up to the station's infrastructure. They also will move a temporary platform from the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or DEXTRE, to the station's port truss and install two handles on the robot.

After the crews' hour-long lunch break beginning a little before 10 p.m., the six shuttle astronauts, Williams and Creamer talked with reporters from KXTV-TV in Sacramento, Calif., WKRG-TV in Mobile, Ala., and KMOX Radio in St. Louis. Robinson is from Sacramento, Hire from Mobile and Behnken from St. Louis. After those interviews, crew members enjoyed most of their afternoon off duty.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew's 3:14 p.m. wakeup call, or earlier if warranted.

NASA astronaut Nicholas Patrick, STS-130 mission specialist, poses for a photo between two Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuits in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA

NASA astronaut T.J. Creamer, Expedition 22 flight engineer, holds a still camera while occupying the commander's station on the flight deck of space shuttle Endeavour. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/10/10: STS-130: Behnken and Patrick prepare for spacewalk in Quest airlock. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/06.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/06.html Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:00:00 +0000 Spacewalk preparations and water recovery system maintenance highlight the work schedule for the first full day of joint docked operations by the astronauts on space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station. Behnken and Patrick will end their day preparing for Thursday night's spacewalk by camping overnight in the Quest airlock at a reduced atmospheric pressure. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

Spacewalk preparations and water recovery system maintenance highlight the work schedule for the first full day of joint docked operations by the astronauts on space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station.

The shuttle crew's wake up song, at 3:19 p.m. CST, was "Also sprach Zarathustra" by Richard Strauss, played for Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick. The song is most widely known as the theme from the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey."

First up for Patrick and Mission Specialist Bob Behnken will be time to configure tools they'll take outside on the first spacewalk of the mission Thursday evening. Shuttle Commander George Zamka and station Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi will resize a spare spacesuit for Behnken after a power harness on his original suit failed. The harness provides power to the wireless video system and glove heaters.

Station Commander Jeff Williams began his day by beginning the installation of a new Distillation Assembly and Flow Control Pump Assembly in the station's Water Recovery System as part of the plan to reactivate the equipment that processes urine into drinking water for station crews. Flight Engineers Max Suraev and Oleg Kotov will continue to pack items in a Progress supply ship and T.J. Creamer is scheduled to be monitoring several scientific payloads. Shuttle Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialists Kay Hire and Steve Robinson will continue moving new equipment and supplies from Endeavour onto the station.

At 10:49 p.m. - after both crews break for lunch - Williams and Creamer will join the six shuttle crew members to discuss the mission in interviews with KXTV-TV in Sacramento, Calif. (Robinson's home town), WKRG-TV in Mobile, Ala. (Hire's home town), and KMOX Radio in St. Louis, Mo. (Behnken's home town).

All 11 crew members are scheduled for some off duty time in the latter portion of their day before a spacewalk procedures review at 3:09 a.m. Thursday. Behnken and Patrick will end their day preparing for Thursday night's spacewalk by camping overnight in the Quest airlock at a reduced atmospheric pressure. That will facilitate the purge of nitrogen from their bloodstreams as a measure against suffering from decompression sickness during the spacewalk, which is scheduled to begin at 8:09 p.m. Thursday.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew's work day, or earlier if warranted.

The International Space Station is featured in this image photographed by an STS-130 crew member as space shuttle Endeavour and the station approach each other during rendezvous and docking activities. Docking occurred at 11:06 p.m. (CST) on Feb. 9, 2010, delivering the Tranquility node and its Cupola. Image credit: NASA

STS-130 and Expedition 22 crew members are pictured shortly after space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station docked in space and the hatches were opened. Pictured (clockwise) are NASA astronauts George Zamka (left), STS-130 commander; Stephen Robinson and Robert Behnken, both STS-130 mission specialists; NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams, Expedition 22 commander; Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov, Expedition 22 flight engineer; NASA astronaut Kathryn Hire, STS-130 mission specialist; and Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, Expedition 22 flight engineer. Image credit: NASA

This partial view of the crew cabin and forward payload bay of the space shuttle Endeavour was provided by an Expedition 22 crew member during a survey of the approaching vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, the STS-130 Endeavour crew performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The image was photographed with a digital still camera, using a 400mm lens at a distance of about 600 feet (180 meters). Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/10/10: STS-130: Space Shuttle Endeavour delivers Tranquility and the Cupola to the ISS. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/05.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/05.html Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0000 The Space Shuttle Endeavour docked with the International Space Station at 11:06 p.m. CST Tuesday, delivering the Tranquility module and its new room with a view, the cupola. The shuttle and station crews opened hatches at 1:16 a.m. Wednesday as Endeavour and the outpost flew off the northwest coast of Australia. With the arrival of Endeavour's six astronauts, the station's population grows to 11 and its mass tops 1 million pounds. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

The space shuttle Endeavour docked with the International Space Station at 11:06 p.m. CST Tuesday, delivering the Tranquility module and its new room with a view, the cupola.

Endeavour Commander George Zamka guided the orbiter to a docking with Pressurized Mating Adapter-2 as the two spacecraft were flying 215 miles above Earth off the western coast of Portugal.

When the shuttle arrived within 600 feet of the station, Endeavour performed the nine-minute Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver, or “back flip.” Zamka rotated the orbiter backwards, enabling space station Commander Jeffrey Williams and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov to take high-resolution pictures of the shuttle. The images will be analyzed by experts on the ground to assess the health of Endeavour's heat shield.

The shuttle and station crews opened hatches at 1:16 a.m. Wednesday as Endeavour and the outpost flew off the northwest coast of Australia. With the arrival of Endeavour's six astronauts, the station's population grows to 11 and its mass tops 1 million pounds.

Following a safety briefing by the host station crew, shuttle Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick and station Flight Engineer T.J. Creamer operated the station robotic arm to remove the Orbiter Boom Sensor System from Endeavour's payload bay. Shuttle Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialist Kay Hire used the shuttle arm to accept the handoff.

Zamka transferred replacement parts for the station's water recycling system so that Williams can replace them and reactivate the equipment that processes urine into drinking water for station crews. Mission Specialists Bob Behnken and Patrick moved the spacesuits they will wear during their three spacewalks into the station's Quest airlock.

Endeavour's crew will begin its sleep period at 7:14 a.m. and awaken at 3:14 p.m. Wednesday's work will focus on supply transfers, spacewalk preparations and Water Recovery System repairs. Thursday's work will focus on installation of the new Tranquility module onto the Unity module and the mission's first spacewalk.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wake or earlier if warranted.

Space Shuttle Endeavour is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 22 crew member as the shuttle approaches the International Space Station during STS-130 rendezvous and docking operations. Docking occurred at 11:06 p.m. (CST) on Feb. 9, 2010. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/09/10: STS-130: Space Shuttle Endeavour to perform Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/04.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/04.html Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000 At 10:05 p.m., after Endeavour arrives at a point 600 feet directly below the station, Zamka will command the shuttle to slowly rotate so that its underside is facing the station, and Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov will photo-document the shuttle's heat shield tiles. That imagery will be sent to the ground for study by specialists looking for any damaged tiles. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

The astronauts on space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station are just hours from a meeting in space as they work toward tonight's docking of the shuttle to the orbiting outpost.

The shuttle crew's wakeup song at 4:14 p.m., “Katmandu” by Bob Seger, was played for Commander George Zamka, who will have his hands on the stick tonight as Endeavour docks to the station's Pressurized Mating Adapter 2 at 11:06 p.m.

Starting early this evening Zamka and Pilot Terry Virts will fire shuttle jets to refine the orbiter's approach to the station, with Mission Specialists Kay Hire, Steve Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Bob Behnken supporting them on the shuttle flight deck. At 10:05 p.m., after Endeavour arrives at a point 600 feet directly below the station, Zamka will command the shuttle to slowly rotate so that its underside is facing the station, and Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov will photo-document the shuttle's heat shield tiles. That imagery will be sent to the ground for study by specialists looking for any damaged tiles.

After the rendezvous pitch maneuver Zamka will move his ship directly in front of the station before slowly backing in to a docking. Once leak checks are completed, the hatches between the vehicles are scheduled to open at 1:04 a.m. Wednesday to begin the joint operations.

Among the first items to be transferred to the station are the spacesuits that Behnken and Patrick will wear during their three spacewalks and hardware for the replacement and checkout of the new Distillation Assembly that Williams will install in the station's Water Recovery System Wednesday evening.

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

Feb 8: George Zamka (left background), STS-130 commander; Terry Virts (right), pilot; and Stephen Robinson, mission specialist, are pictured on the flight deck of space shuttle Endeavour during flight day one activities. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/09/10: STS-130: Endeavour to dock with station today. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/03.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/03.html Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Much of the day for Commander George Zamka, Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialists Kay Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken was devoted to inspection of the shuttle's heat-resistant tiles and reinforced carbon-carbon surfaces on the wing leading edges and the nose. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

Endeavour astronauts inspected the space shuttle's thermal protection system, checked out spacesuits and prepared to dock with the International Space Station during their first full work day in space.

Much of the day for Commander George Zamka, Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialists Kay Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken was devoted to inspection of the shuttle's heat-resistant tiles and reinforced carbon-carbon surfaces on the wing leading edges and the nose.

Zamka, Hire and Patrick used the shuttle's arm and its Orbital Boom Sensor System extension to survey Endeavour's right wing. Subsequently Virts and Robinson joined the commander for the nose cap survey. Hire replaced Zamka for the port wing survey.

While the port wing survey continued, Patrick and Behnken checked out the spacesuits they will use on spacewalks they will perform while at the station. Next they prepared spacewalk equipment and supplies for transfer to the station.

Among the last activities of the crew day was a checkout of rendezvous tools by Hire and Robinson and installation of a centerline camera by Patrick and Behnken, who then extended the shuttle's docking ring. The camera looks out through the center of the ring to help Zamka and other crew members guide Endeavour to the station's Pressurized Mating Adapter-2 docking port. The ring is the first part of the shuttle to contact the station and helps to firmly attach them to one another.

Endeavour is scheduled to dock with the station a little after 11 p.m. CST today. The shuttle crew is scheduled to begin its sleep period at 8:14 a.m. and be awakened at 4:14 p.m. for docking day.

Station Expedition 22 crew members, Commander Jeff Williams, cosmonaut Flight Engineers Max Suraev and Oleg Kotov, Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi and NASA astronaut T.J. Creamer, were getting ready to welcome Endeavour. They will photograph the shuttle's heat shield during its back flip on its approach.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after Endeavour crew members are awakened, or earlier if events warrant.

Feb 8: With the South China Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin in the background the Tranquility node in space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay, vertical stabilizer, orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods and a shadow-covered docking mechanism are featured in this image photographed by the STS-130 crew from an aft flight deck window. Hainan Island can be seen between the South China Sea (bottom) and Gulf of Tonkin (top). The Leizhou Peninsula of the Chinese mainland is on the upper right. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/08/10: STS-130: crew inspects heat shield, prepares for docking. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/02.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/02.html Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:30:00 +0000 The astronauts onboard space shuttle Endeavour are into their first full day in space and on the way to install the final components of the U.S. segment of the International Space Station. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

The astronauts onboard space shuttle Endeavour are into their first full day in space and on the way to install the final components of the U.S. segment of the International Space Station.

The wakeup call at 5:14 p.m. was “Give Me Your Eyes” by Brandon Heath, played for Pilot Terry Virts, the only first–time flyer on this crew of Endeavour. One of his first tasks is to assist Commander George Zamka with a firing of the shuttle's jets to refine its approach to the International Space Station for the planned Tuesday night docking.

Mission Specialists Kay Hire and Nick Patrick will be at the controls of the shuttle robotic arm tonight to unberth the Orbiter Boom Sensor System from the starboard sill to begin the standard post-launch inspection of the thermal protection system tiles and reinforced carbon carbon panels on Endeavour's nose cap and wing leading edges.

The inspection, commanded in shifts by Zamka, Virts, Hire, Patrick and Mission Specialist Steve Robinson, uses cameras and lasers at the end of the OBSS to provide 3-D views of the orbiter. That data will be reviewed by experts on the ground looking for any evidence of damage sustained during launch.

Later in their day spacewalkers Patrick and Bob Behnken conduct a checkout of the spacesuits they will wear during three spacewalks to complete installation of the Tranquility node and cupola module to the station. Then they'll install the centerline camera in Endeavour's Orbiter Docking System while Hire and Robinson complete a check out of the rendezvous tools the crew members will use during Tuesday night's approach to the station.

On the station, Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineers Max Suraev, Oleg Kotov, Soichi Noguchi and T.J. Creamer are wrapping up preparations of the station and its systems for almost nine days of joint docked operations with the shuttle crew.

The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew's work day, or earlier if warranted.

Endeavour and its six-member STS-130 crew head toward Earth orbit and rendezvous with the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 4:14 a.m. (EST) on Feb. 8, 2010 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/08/10: STS-130 crew to inspect Endeavour's thermal protection system. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/01.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/01.html Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0000 Commander George Zamka, Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialists Kay Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken began their 13-day mission with an eight and a half minute dash to orbit to begin the pursuit of the orbital outpost, lighting up the central Florida coast as Endeavour arced to the northeast en route to space. - NASA
]]> Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

After a one day delay due to clouds, space shuttle Endeavour launched at 3:14 a.m. CST Monday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida with a new module and an attached cupola for the International Space Station that should increase human understanding of our home planet. It was the last scheduled night launch in shuttle program history.

Commander George Zamka, Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialists Kay Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken began their 13-day mission with an eight and a half minute dash to orbit to begin the pursuit of the orbital outpost, lighting up the central Florida coast as Endeavour arced to the northeast en route to space.

When Endeavour lifted off, the station was traveling at almost five miles a second about 212 miles over western Romania. Endeavour is scheduled to dock with the station at 11:09 p.m. Tuesday over the northern coast of Spain.

Aboard the station waiting to welcome Endeavour crew members are Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams, cosmonaut flight engineers Max Suraev and Oleg Kotov, Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi and NASA astronaut T.J. Creamer.

Shortly after reaching orbit, Endeavour's crew began the process of converting the shuttle from a launch vehicle to an orbiting spacecraft. Payload bay doors were scheduled to be opened a little less than an hour and a half after launch. Before beginning their first sleep period in space about 9:15 a.m., crew members will check out the shuttle's robotic arm and survey the Tranquility Node 3 and its attached cupola robotic station and viewport that will be installed on the station later this week.

The crew will be awakened about 5:15 p.m. CST this afternoon for a work day that will focus on using the robotic arm and its Orbital Boom Sensor System extension to check the reinforced thermal protection on the leading edges of Endeavour's wings and nose cap for any damage that may have occurred on launch. They also will prepare for rendezvous and docking and check out the spacesuits Patrick and Behnken will wear for three spacewalks, devoted largely to installation of Tranquility and the outfitting of the new module, the cupola and a docking port that will be relocated during docked operations.

Endeavour's flight is the 130th of the shuttle program and the 32nd dedicated to station assembly, resupply and maintenance. The mission also will deliver equipment, supplies and scientific experiments to the station.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wakeup or earlier if warranted.

Space Shuttle Endeavour and its six-member STS-130 crew head toward Earth orbit and rendezvous with the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 4:14 a.m. (EST) on Feb. 8, 2010 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Onboard are NASA astronauts George Zamka, commander; Terry Virts, pilot; Robert Behnken, Kathryn Hire, Nicholas Patrick and Stephen Robinson, all mission specialists. This was the second launch attempt for Endeavour's STS-130 crew and the final scheduled space shuttle night launch. The first attempt on Feb. 7 was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather. The primary payload for the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station is the Tranquility node, a pressurized module that will provide additional room for crew members and many of the station's life support and environmental control systems. Attached to one end of Tranquility is the Cupola module, a unique work area with six windows on its sides and one on top. The Cupola resembles a circular bay window and will provide a vastly improved view of the station's exterior. The multi-directional view will allow the crew to monitor spacewalks and docking operations, as well as provide a spectacular view of Earth and other celestial objects. The module was built in Turin, Italy, by Thales Alenia Space for the European Space Agency. Image credit: NASA

- courtesy of NASA ]]> STS-130 space NASA European Space Agency International Space Station Space Shuttle Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/08/10: STS-130: Space Shuttle Endeavour launches from Cape Canaveral. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/launch2.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/launch2.html Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:30:00 +0000 Live coverage of the second STS-130 mission launch attempt at Cape Canaveral.
]]> space NASA Space Shuttle STS-130 International Space Station Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/07/10: STS-130: First launch attempt scrubbed. http://www.space.gs/10/sts-130/launch.html http://space.gs/10/sts-130/launch.html Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:41:00 +0000 Managers officially have scheduled space shuttle Endeavour's next launch attempt for Monday, Feb. 8 at 4:14 a.m. EST. The Mission Management Team will meet at 6:15 p.m. Sunday to give the "go" to fill Endeavour's external fuel tank with propellants. Tank loading would begin at 6:45 p.m. - NASA
]]> space NASA Space Shuttle STS-130 International Space Station Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/02/10: Hubble Space Telescope: Suspected Asteroid Collision Leaves Trailing Debris. http://www.space.gs/10/02-feb-hst.html http://space.gs/10/02-feb-hst.html Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:30:00 +0000 The Hubble Space Telescope has observed a mysterious X-shaped debris pattern and trailing streamers of dust that suggest a head-on collision between two asteroids. Astronomers have long thought the asteroid belt is being ground down through collisions, but such a smashup has never been seen before. - NASA
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Asteroid collisions are energetic, with an average impact speed of more than 11,000 miles per hour, or five times faster than a rifle bullet. The comet-like object imaged by Hubble, called P/2010 A2, was first discovered by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research, or LINEAR, program sky survey on Jan. 6. New Hubble images taken on Jan. 25 and 29 show a complex X-pattern of filamentary structures near the nucleus.

Comet-like Asteroid P/2010 A2 by HST; credit: NASA, ESA, D. Jewitt (UCLA).

Close-up of Comet-like Asteroid P/2010 A2; credit: NASA, ESA, D. Jewitt (UCLA).

"This is quite different from the smooth dust envelopes of normal comets," said principal investigator David Jewitt of the University of California at Los Angeles. "The filaments are made of dust and gravel, presumably recently thrown out of the nucleus. Some are swept back by radiation pressure from sunlight to create straight dust streaks. Embedded in the filaments are co-moving blobs of dust that likely originated from tiny unseen parent bodies."

Hubble shows the main nucleus of P/2010 A2 lies outside its own halo of dust. This has never been seen before in a comet-like object. The nucleus is estimated to be 460 feet in diameter.

Normal comets fall into the inner regions of the solar system from icy reservoirs in the Kuiper belt and Oort cloud. As comets near the sun and warm up, ice near the surface vaporizes and ejects material from the solid comet nucleus via jets. But P/2010 A2 may have a different origin. It orbits in the warm, inner regions of the asteroid belt where its nearest neighbors are dry rocky bodies lacking volatile materials.

This leaves open the possibility that the complex debris tail is the result of an impact between two bodies, rather than ice simply melting from a parent body.

"If this interpretation is correct, two small and previously unknown asteroids recently collided, creating a shower of debris that is being swept back into a tail from the collision site by the pressure of sunlight," Jewitt said.

The main nucleus of P/2010 A2 would be the surviving remnant of this so-called hypervelocity collision.

"The filamentary appearance of P/2010 A2 is different from anything seen in Hubble images of normal comets, consistent with the action of a different process," Jewitt said. An impact origin also would be consistent with the absence of gas in spectra recorded using ground-based telescopes.

The asteroid belt contains abundant evidence of ancient collisions that have shattered precursor bodies into fragments. The orbit of P/2010 A2 is consistent with membership in the Flora asteroid family, produced by collisional shattering more than 100 million years ago. One fragment of that ancient smashup may have struck Earth 65 million years ago, triggering a mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs. But, until now, no such asteroid-asteroid collision has been caught "in the act."

At the time of the Hubble observations, the object was approximately 180 million miles from the sun and 90 million miles from Earth. The Hubble images were recorded with the new Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), which is capable of detecting house-sized fragments at the distance of the asteroid belt.

- courtesy of: J.D. Harrington, NASA Headquarters, Washington DC; Ray Villard, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD. ]]> astronomy space NASA European Space Agency Space and Astronautics News Space and Astronautics News 02/01/10: International Space Station On-Orbit Status Report. http://www.space.gs/iss/10/01-feb.html http://space.gs/iss/10/01-feb.html Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:59:00 +0000 The Expedition 22 crew continued its regular science and maintenance duties Monday while awaiting the impending arrivals of the ISS Progress 36 cargo ship and Space Shuttle Endeavour. - NASA
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