Friday 31 July 2009

Smooth Landing for STS-127

STS-127 Crew Celebrates Smooth Landing Aboard Endeavour

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:42:43 -0500

Space shuttle Endeavour and a crew of seven astronauts touched down at 10:48 a.m. EDT at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, bringing an end to a complex mission to install the final section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory on the International Space Station. All of the STS-127 crew members are doing well after today's landing.

"The folks that have worked this mission really deserve a lot of praise for what they got accomplished during the time that we were docked to the International Space Station," STS-127 Commander Mark Polansky said during an afternoon news conference Friday. "In addition to that, it's a tremendous pleasure and honor to bring back a great astronaut from Japan, Koichi Wakata."

Wakata returned from the station as a member of the STS-127 crew after serving as the outpost's flight engineer since March. Replacing him aboard the station is Flight Engineer Tim Kopra. When asked how he is handling the return to Earth, Wakata replied, "When the hatch opened, I smelled the grass from the ground and was glad to be back home. Still feeling a little shaky when I walk, but I'm feeling very good."

The 16-day mission showcased the international partnerships involved in the space station effort. Astronauts from five space agencies were on board the orbiting complex.
"It was truly an impressive demonstration of international collaboration all throughout this mission," said Canadian Space Agency Director General of Operations Benoit Marcotte.
The astronauts' return to Houston's Ellington Field is tentatively set for about 5 p.m. Saturday.

STS-127 Concludes with Picture-Perfect Landing

STS-127 Concludes with Picture-Perfect Landing

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:48:20 -0500

Space shuttle Endeavour and a crew of seven astronauts touched down at 10:48 a.m. EDT at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, bringing an end to a complex mission to install the final section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory on the International Space Station. All crew members are doing well after today's landing.

"I can't say enough how great this mission was," NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier said during a post-landing news conference. "We got everything accomplished on board the space station that we needed to do with this mission. Then to cap it off with a wonderful landing like today was just phenomenal."

The 16-day mission showcased the international partnerships involved in the space station effort. Astronauts from five space agencies were on board the orbiting complex, and all contributed to the completion of the Kibo laboratory.

"This was a thorough success of planning from teams all around the world," said Canadian Space Agency Director General of Operations Beno�t Marcotte. "It was truly an impressive demonstration of international collaboration all throughout this mission."
A news conference featuring the STS-127 crew members is set to begin at about 3:15 p.m.

Watch it live on NASA TV at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

The astronauts' return to Houston's Ellington Field is tentatively set for about 5 p.m. Saturday.

Space Shuttle Endeavour is "Go" for Landing

Space Shuttle Endeavour is "Go" for Landing

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:28:02 -0500

Mission Control has given space shuttle Endeavour a "Go" for the deorbit burn. The burn lasts three to four minutes, slowing Endeavour enough to begin its descent.

The deorbit burn will occur at 9:41 a.m. EDT, leading to a 10:48 a.m. landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Landing Day for Endeavour

Landing Day for Endeavour and Crew

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:16:48 -0500

The shuttle crew was awakened at 2:03 a.m. EDT by the song “Beautiful Day” performed by the band U2. The song was selected for Mission Specialist Tom Marshburn.

Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to land at Florida's Kennedy Space Center Today with a touchdown at 10:48 a.m. The shuttle would begin its descent from orbit with a deorbit engine firing at 9:42 a.m. Weather conditions at Kennedy are forecast to be favorable for landing, although a slight chance of rain is possible.

A second opportunity exists for a landing in Florida today, beginning with a deorbit engine firing at 11:17 a.m., leading to a 12:22 p.m. touchdown.

Thursday 30 July 2009

STS-127 Landing System Checkout

Shuttle Crew Makes Landing Preparations

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:06:04 -0500

The crew was awakened at 2:03 a.m. EDT to the sounds of “I Got You Babe,” performed by Sonny and Cher. The song was a special request for Koichi Wakata, the first Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut to serve as a long-duration resident of the station. Wakata spent 133 days as an Expedition 18, 19 and 20 crew member, and will be returning home after 138 days in space.

Early in the day, STS-127 Commander Mark Polansky and Pilot Doug Hurley will test the thruster jets and aerodynamic control surfaces that will be used to guide Endeavour to a landing planned for 10:48 a.m. Friday. Flight Director Bryan Lunney and the entry team of flight controllers will be in Mission Control to monitor the tests.

Once those checks are complete, the crew will deploy two pairs of small satellites.

Shuttle Crew Completes Landing Systems Tests

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:02:09 -0500

The shuttle crew earlier this morning checked out two systems for tomorrow's landing. The astronauts completed a test of the Reaction Control System steering thrusters that will help control Endeavour's attitude and speed after the deorbit burn. During that test, one of the jets, F2F, failed. This will not be an issue for landing.

The crew also tested the shuttle aerosurfaces and flight control system that will be used once the shuttle enters the atmosphere.

Wednesday 29 July 2009

Space Shuttle Crew Set To Return To Earth Friday

Space Shuttle Crew Set To Return To Earth Friday

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew are scheduled to return to Earth on Friday after a 16-day mission. There are two landing opportunities at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:48 a.m. and 12:23 p.m. EDT. NASA will evaluate weather conditions at Kennedy before permitting Endeavour and its crew to land. If weather prevents a return to Kennedy on Friday, the backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in California will be activated Saturday for consideration as well. For recorded updates about landing, call 321-867-2525. Approximately two hours after landing, NASA officials will hold a media briefing to discuss the mission. The participants will be: -

Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for the Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington -
Keiji Tachikawa, president, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency -
Benoit Marcotte, director genenal, operations, Canadian Space Agency -
Mike Moses, space shuttle launch integration manager -
Pete Nickolenko, STS-127 launch director

After touchdown in Florida, the astronauts will undergo physical examinations and meet with their families. The crew is expected to hold a news conference at approximately 3:15 p.m. Both news events will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency’s Web site. The Kennedy news center will open for landing activities at 7 a.m. Friday and close at 7 p.m., or one hour after the last media event. STS-127 media badges are in effect through landing.

The media accreditation building on State Road 3 will be open Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. The last bus will depart from the news center for the Shuttle Landing Facility one hour before landing.

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STS-127 Final Inspection

Late Heat Shield Inspections for Shuttle

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:19:03 -0500

The seven-member crew was awakened Wednesday morning to the song 'Yellow by the band Coldplay, uplinked for Pilot Doug Hurley in honor of his International Space Station fly-around. Space shuttle Endeavour undocked Tuesday from the International Space Station at 1:26 p.m. EDT.

After completing a fly-around of the space station, Endeavour performed a maneuver to separate from the station. Shuttle astronauts will inspect Endeavour's heat shield one more time today as they begin to set their sights on a Friday landing. Endeavour's thermal protection system was cleared for landing earlier in the flight. This late inspection will ensure that there has been no impact damage from micrometeoroids or space junk during its docked operations or fly-around of the station.

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NASA Apollo 15 Astronaut Al Worden Honoured

NASA Honours Apollo Astronaut Al Worden with Moon Rock

WASHINGTON -- NASA will honour Apollo astronaut Al Worden with the presentation of an Ambassador of Exploration Award for his contributions to the U.S. space program. Worden will receive the award during a ceremony Thursday, July 30, at 4 p.m. EDT. The ceremony will be held at the Apollo Saturn V Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, where the moon rock will be displayed.

Reporters interested in covering the ceremony should contact Andrea Farmer at 321-449-4318 or Jillian McRae at 321-449-4273.

NASA is giving the Ambassador of Exploration Award to the first generation of explorers in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs for realizing America's goal of going to the moon. The award is a moon rock encased in Lucite, mounted for public display. The rock is part of the 842 pounds of lunar samples collected during six Apollo expeditions from 1969 to 1972.

Those astronauts who receive the award will then present the award to a museum of their choice, where the moon rock will be placed for public display. Worden served as command module pilot for the Apollo 15 mission, which set several moon records for NASA, including the longest lunar surface stay time, the longest lunar extravehicular activity and the first use of a lunar roving vehicle. Worden spent 38 minutes in a spacewalk outside the command module and logged a total of 295 hours, 11 minutes in space during the mission.

Worden was born in Jackson, Mich. He received a bachelor of military science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., in 1955, and master of science degrees in astronautical and aeronautical engineering and instrumentation engineering from the University of Michigan in 1963.

For more biographical information about Worden, visit:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/worden-am.html

Apollo 15 mission patch

Apollo 15 mission pin

Official NASA Apollo 15 crew portrait

Tuesday 28 July 2009

Crews Bid Farewell, Close Hatches

Crews Bid Farewell, Close Hatches

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:08:57 -0500

The Expedition 20 and STS-127 crews bid one another farewell and closed hatches between the International Space Station and space shuttle Endeavour at 11:08 a.m. EDT.

The station will be reoriented for undocking by 12:38 p.m., and docking latches will open at 1:26 p.m. allowing Endeavour to drift free. Pilot Doug Hurley will guide Endeavour on a fly-around of the station at a distance of 400 feet, with final separation from the orbiting outpost at 2:41 p.m.

STS-127 Spacewalk view

Another View

Seen in the mirrored helmet visor of astronaut Christopher Cassidy is astronaut Tom Marshburn on the STS-127 mission's fourth spacewalk. The two teamed up again on July 27 for the STS-127 crew's fifth and final spacewalk. Eleven astronauts and cosmonauts remained inside the International Space Station and the shuttle to which it was docked, while the two suited astronauts continued work on the orbital outpost.


Image Credit: NASA

STS-127 Endeavour Undock Preparations

Endeavour and Crew Prepare for Undocking

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:02:20 -0500

The shuttle crew was awakened at 3:03 a.m. EDT to the strains of “Proud to Be an American” performed by Lee Greenwood. The song was selected for spacewalker Chris Cassidy, a former Navy SEAL, who now has 18 hours, five minutes of extravehicular activity to his credit over three spacewalks.

Commander Mark Polansky and his team will begin checking out the laser rangefinders and other equipment that will be used to provide precise readings on the distance between the two spacecraft.

The station will be reoriented for undocking by 12:38 p.m., and docking latches will open at 1:26 p.m. allowing Endeavour to drift free. Pilot Doug Hurley will guide Endeavour on a fly-around of the station at a distance of 400 feet, with final separation from the orbiting outpost at 2:41 p.m.

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Monday 27 July 2009

Apollo 40 Years Anniversary Pin Collection

Apollo Anniversary Pin Collection Released!

APOLLO PROGRAM - 40th ANNIVERSARY / LIMITED EDITION BOXED PIN SET

This limited edition of 1,969 boxed sets includes these official pins:

1. "Apollo 40th Anniversary official logo". This pin was developed for NASA and will be considered the only official NASA pin of its kind.

2. "First Footprints". Rendered dimensionally in antique silver. This was developed for NASA and will be considered the only official NASA pin of its kind.

3. "Apollo Program" (Special 40th Edition)

4. "1968-Apollo-1972" This unique pin has 2 cut out holes within the design. Developed for NASA, this pin will be considered the only official NASA pin of its kind.

5. "Apollo 11 Lunar Plaque" (Special 40th Silver Edition). Captures the overall Apollo Program objectives.

Includes a 4.75" x 4.75" Acrylic Display Case



Order yours today from the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store


STS-127 Crew Completes Fifth and Final Spacewalk

STS-127 Crew Completes Fifth and Final Spacewalk
Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:31:50 -0500

Spacewalkers Tom Marshburn and Chris Cassidy completed a four hour, 54 minute spacewalk at 12:27 p.m. EDT.

Marshburn and Cassidy secured multi-layer insulation around the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator known as Dextre, split out power channels for two space station Control Moment Gyroscopes, installed video cameras on the front and back of the new Japanese Exposed Facility and performed a number of “get ahead” tasks, including tying down some cables and installing handrails and a portable foot restraint to aid future spacewalkers. The deployment of the Payload Attach System on the Starboard 3 truss was deferred to another spacewalk sometime in the future.

This was the fifth and last planned STS-127 spacewalk, the 130th in support of International Space Station assembly and maintenance, totaling 810 hours, 36 minutes. It was the 102nd spacewalk out of space station airlocks and the 218th American spacewalk in history. It was the third for both Marshburn and Cassidy, Marshburn totaling 18 hours, 59 minutes and Cassidy 18 hours, five minutes.

This was the second space station assembly mission to conduct five spacewalks. STS-123 also performed five spacewalks in March 2008. The five STS-127 spacewalks totaled 30 hours, 30 minutes. The five STS-123 spacewalks totaled 33 hours, 29 minutes.

For STS-127 Souvenirs please visit the Spaceboosters Online Store

Japanese Experiment Module - International Space Station

Japanese Experiment Module - Exposed Facility


This image shows the Japanese Experiment Module - Exposed Facility as it looks from inside Kibo. The Japanese Experiment Module, or JEM, called Kibo -- which means "hope" in Japanese -- is Japan's first human space facility and enhances the unique research capabilities of the International Space Station.

Experiments in Kibo focus on space medicine, biology, Earth observations, material production, biotechnology and communications research.


Kibo experiments and systems are operated from the Mission Control Room at the Space Station Operations Facility, or SSOF, at Tsukuba Space Center in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, just north of Tokyo.


Image Credit: NASA


For NASA Space Information please visit NASA-SPACE

STS-127 Final Spacewalk

Astronauts Ready for Final Spacewalk

Mon, 27 Jul 2009

The crew of space shuttle Endeavour was awakened by the song “On the Sunny Side of the Street,” performed by Steve Tyrell and played especially for Commander Mark Polansky.

Spacewalkers Tom Marshburn and Chris Cassidy head outside to begin STS-127’s final spacewalk at 8:28 a.m. EDT. They first will secure multi-layer insulation around the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator known as DEXTRE. On the Zenith 1 patch panel, they will split out power channels for two of the four space station Control Moment Gyroscopes, which provide non-propulsive attitude control for the station. Currently two of the gyros are fed from the same power channel, and this activity will prevent a failure on one channel from disabling both of the gyros. Next, Marshburn and Cassidy will install video cameras on the front and back of the new Japanese Exposed Facility. And their final task will be to deploy a Payload Attach System on the Starboard 3 truss that will provide storage capability for spare space station hardware. The spacewalk is planned to last no more than six hours, 30 minutes.

For STS-127 Flight Souvenirs visit the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store

NASA STS-127 Update Report

Cargo Carrier Returned to Endeavour's Payload Bay
Sun, 26 Jul 2009 08:50:06 -0500

In yet another deft handoff maneuver, the space shuttle robotic arm grabbed the Japanese Exposed Section cargo carrier from the space station robotic arm. Endeavour Commander Mark Polansky and Mission Specialist Julie Payette then used the shuttle arm to place the cargo carrier back into the shuttle payload bay.

The Exposed Section was launched with two science experiments and a communication system that were transferred to the Kibo Exposed Facility earlier in the mission.

Sunday 26 July 2009

Endeavour Crew - Day Off

Rest Day for STS-127 Astronauts

The crews of space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station had a day off to rest in preparation of robotics operations to berth the Japanese experiment carrier in the shuttle’s payload bay Sunday and the fifth and final planned spacewalk of the mission on Monday. Endeavour Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Chris Cassidy, Julie Payette, Tom Marshburn and Dave Wolf took some time out of their time off, however, to answer reporters’ questions from WISH-TV in Indianapolis, CBS News and WREG-TV in Memphis, Tenn. Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineers Mike Barratt, Tim Kopra, Roman Romanenko, Bob Thirsk and Frank De Winne have a standard weekend schedule that includes exercise, routine station housekeeping and time off. The 13-member combined crew of space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station will downlink a “crew choice” presentation at 4:03 p.m. CDT titled “The Partnership of the International Space Station.” NASA Television will air it live. Spacewalkers Cassidy and Marshburn completed the final four battery swaps for the station’s Port 6 truss segment Friday, and those batteries are holding power. Later in the day, the new batteries will be integrated into the station’s power grid. The station crew is scheduled to begin its sleep period at 6:33 p.m., followed 30 minutes later by the shuttle crew. The shuttle and station crews are scheduled to be awakened at 3:03 a.m. Sunday.

STS-127 Mission Update

HOUSTON – The combined crew of space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station will enjoy a day off to rest up after a challenging first half of the STS-127 assembly mission. The song “In Your Eyes,” by Peter Gabriel, was played as a wake-up call for the crew at 4:46 a.m. CDT. It was selected for Tom Marshburn, who completed his second spacewalk on Friday with Chris Cassidy. The spacewalkers completed the final four battery swaps for the Port 6 Truss structure, and those batteries are now being charged. Later in the day, the new batteries are expected to be integrated into the station’s power grid.

Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Chris Cassidy, Julie Payette, Tom Marshburn and Dave Wolf will answer reporters’ questions in an interview set for 7:03 a.m. Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineers Mike Barratt, Tim Kopra, Roman Romanenko, Bob Thirsk and Frank De Winne will have a standard weekend schedule that includes time off and routine station housekeeping. The crew is scheduled to begin its sleep period about 7 p.m.

Saturday 25 July 2009

Mission Report 19

STS-127 MCC Status Report #19

HOUSTON – Mission specialists Chris Cassidy and Tom Marshburn finished replacing batteries on the International Space Station’s oldest solar arrays during a seven-hour, 12-minute spacewalk – the fourth of five planned during space shuttle Endeavour’s STS-127 mission. They installed four of six new batteries for the P6 Truss structure, where a pair of solar array wings collects sunlight for power generation. They stored four more of the old batteries onto a cargo carrier for return to Earth. That completed the work with all 12 new and old batteries, which was begun on the mission’s third spacewalk by Cassidy and Mission Specialist Dave Wolf. Higher than expected carbon dioxide levels in Cassidy’s suit limited that spacewalk’s duration, so the remaining battery tasks were deferred until today. Inside the complex, Tim Kopra choreographed the activities. Mission specialists Koichi Wakata and Julie Payette used Canadarm2 – the station’s robotic arm – to hand the Integrated Cargo Carrier with the old batteries to the shuttle’s arm. Pilot Doug Hurley and Commander Mark Polansky then secured the carrier in Endeavour’s cargo bay at 5:52 p.m. for return home. This was the fourth of five STS-127 spacewalks, the 129th in support of International Space Station assembly and maintenance, totaling 805 hours, 42 minutes. It was the 101st spacewalk conducted out of space station airlocks and the 217th American spacewalk in history. It was the second for Cassidy and Marshburn. The mission’s final planned spacewalk is Monday, performed by Marshburn and Cassidy together again to work on various tasks around the outside of the station. The station crew is scheduled to begin its sleep period about 7 p.m., followed 30 minutes by the shuttle crew. Mission Control’s musical wake up is scheduled for 3:33 a.m. Saturday.

Astronaut Pam Melroy to leave NASA

Veteran Astronaut Pam Melroy Leaves NASA

HOUSTON -- NASA astronaut Pam Melroy is leaving the agency to take a job in the private sector. Melroy, a retired Air Force colonel, is a veteran of three space shuttle flights and the second woman to command one. "Pam has performed superbly as an astronaut," said Steve Lindsey, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "She has flown three highly successful space shuttle missions and contributed in several other technical areas during her 14 years of service with the Astronaut Office. Her leadership as the commander of the STS-120 space shuttle mission paved the way to six-person crew operations on the International Space Station." "As a classmate and a friend, I feel privileged to have served beside her. We wish Pam the best of luck in her new career -- she will be missed," Lindsey added. Melroy flew on shuttle missions STS-92 in 2000, STS-112 in 2002 and STS-120 in 2007. She served as pilot on her first two flights and commanded the third. She has logged more than 924 hours in space, contributing to the construction of the space station on every mission. She was selected as an astronaut in December 1994.





Melroy made history with Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson in October 2007 when the hatches between the space shuttle and space station were opened. They became the first female spacecraft commanders to lead space shuttle and space station missions concurrently.

STS-112 Crew Portrait
STS-120 Crew Portrait

STS-127 Status Report 18

Friday, July 24, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

STATUS REPORT : STS-127-18

STS-127 Mission Specialists Chris Cassidy and Tom Marshburn will tackle a challenging 7 ½-hour spacewalk today to finish swapping out batteries for the International Space Station’s oldest set of solar arrays. The joint crew of Endeavour and the station was awakened at 4:03 a.m. CDT by Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here,” offered up for lead spacewalker Dave Wolf. Endeavour’s spacewalkers are scheduled to float out the Quest airlock hatch at 8:58 a.m.

Their outing will be devoted entirely to finishing the work started on the third spacewalk of the mission – removing old batteries from the Port 6 truss structure and transferring new batteries from the Integrated Cargo Carrier on the end of the station’s robotic arm to the empty sockets on the truss. Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Julie Payette will position Canadarm2 near the truss for the spacewalk and, once all of the battery swaps are complete, maneuver the carrier back into Endeavour’s cargo bay. That maneuver will require them to hand off the carrier to the shuttle’s arm for re-berthing by Hurley and Commander Mark Polansky.

The Progress 34 cargo ship launched on time today from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 5:56:56 a.m. (4:56:56 p.m. Baikonur time) to begin its five-day journey to the International Space Station. Less than 9 minutes later, the unpiloted cargo ship reached orbit and deployed its solar arrays and navigational antennas. Two rendezvous burns of the Progress engines are scheduled today and another burn is planned for tomorrow to fine-tune the Progress’ path to the station. At the time of launch, the shuttle/station complex and its 13 crew members were flying 218 statute miles over Sapporo, Japan. Carrying 2 ½ tons of food, fuel and supplies for the station crew, the Progress is scheduled to dock to the aft port of the Zvezda service module at 6:16 a.m. Wednesday, July 29, one day after Endeavour undocks from the outpost.

Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineers Mike Barratt, Tim Kopra, Roman Romanenko, Bob Thirsk and Frank De Winne will continue to maintain station systems and work with onboard experiments. The station crew is scheduled to begin its sleep period about 7 p.m., and the shuttle crew at 7:30 p.m.

Mission Souvenirs available from the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store

FourthSpacewalk on STS-127

STS-127 Crew Completes Fourth Spacewalk

Fri, 24 Jul 2009

Spacewalkers Chris Cassidy and Tom Marshburn completed a seven hour, 12 minute spacewalk at 5:06 p.m. EDT, installing all four of the new batteries on the Port 6 truss.

The six new installed batteries function as expected and the old batteries are stored on a cargo carrier that will be placed in Endeavour’s payload bay later today.

This was the fourth of five STS-127 spacewalks, the 129th in support of International Space Station assembly and maintenance, totaling 805 hours, 42 minutes. It was the 101st spacewalk out of space station airlocks and the 217th American spacewalk in history. It was the second for both Cassidy and Marshburn.

NASA Television airs a Mission Status briefing at 7 p.m. with STS-127 Lead Flight Director Holly Ridings and STS-127 Lead Spacewalk Officer Kieth Johnson.

Saturday 18 July 2009

STS-127 First Spacewalk

Astronauts Prepare for First Spacewalk

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:16:17 PM UTC+0100

The joint crew of space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station awakened at 7:03 a.m. EDT to the strains of “Home,” by Marc Broussard for lead spacewalker Dave Wolf, who heard the call while camped out in the Quest airlock with Tim Kopra, the newest addition to the Expedition 20 crew.The first spacewalk of the mission begins at 11:58 a.m. Wolf and Tim Kopra will perform a number of tasks, including preparing the Kibo Japanese Experiment Facility (JEF) for installation on the Kibo laboratory at 5:38 p.m.

NASA Walter Cronkite

NASA Mourns the Death of Walter Cronkite

WASHINGTON --The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden on the death of veteran journalist Walter Cronkite. "It is with great sadness that the NASA family learned of Walter Cronkite's passing. He led the transition from print and radio reporting to the juggernaut that became television journalism. His insight and integrity were unparalleled, and his compassion helped America make it through some of the most tragic and trying times of the 20th century. "From the earliest days of the space program, Walter brought the excitement, the drama and the achievements of space flight directly into our homes. But it was the conquest of the moon in the late 1960s that energized Walter most about exploration. He called it the most important feat of all time and said that the success of Apollo 11 would be remembered 500 years from now as humanity's greatest achievement. "It was Walter Cronkite's impassioned reporting on America's inaugural moon landing that inspired me to join in the dreams of many to travel to space and accept the risks that this exploration brings while I was a student in naval flight training. "In honor of his ethical and enthusiastic coverage of our nations' space program, NASA was proud to honor Walter in 2006 with an Ambassador of Exploration Award and presented him with an Apollo lunar sample. "For decades, we had the privilege of learning about our world from the original 'anchorman.' He was a true gentleman. Our thoughts and prayers are with Walter's family and his millions of friends and supporters."

Thursday 16 July 2009

NASA Apollo 11 - Looking Back

Statement from Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins

The following is a series of questions and answers prepared by Michael Collins, command module pilot for Apollo 11.

Collins issued the following statement in lieu of media interviews: These are questions I am most frequently asked, plus a few others I have added. For more information, please consult my book, the 40th anniversary edition of CARRYING THE FIRE, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

All of the following sections in quotation marks are from that reference.

Q. Circling the lonely moon by yourself, the loneliest person in the universe, weren't you lonely?

A. No. "Far from feeling lonely or abandoned, I feel very much a part of what is taking place on the lunar surface. I know that I would be a liar or a fool if I said that I have the best of the three Apollo 11 seats, but I can say with truth and equanimity that I am perfectly satisfied with the one I have. This venture has been structured for three men, and I consider my third to be as necessary as either of the other two. I don't mean to deny a feeling of solitude. It is there, reinforced by the fact that radio contact with the Earth abruptly cuts off at the instant I disappear behind the moon, I am alone now, truly alone, and absolutely isolated from any known life. I am it. If a count were taken, the score would be three billion plus two over on the other side of the moon, and one plus God knows what on this side."

Q. Did you have the best seat on Apollo 11?

A. No. "The cancellation of 014 also freed Borman-Stafford-Collins for reassignment, and reassigned we were, but not as a unit. Tom Stafford moved up a notch and acquired his own highly experienced crew, John Young and Gene Cernan; they became McDivitt's back-up. Score one for Tom. Borman and Collins got promoted to prime crew of the third manned flight, picking up Bill Anders as our third member. In the process, Collins also got 'promoted' from lunar module pilot to command module pilot, and lost right then and there his first chance to walk on the surface of the moon. The reason I had to move up was that Deke at that time had a firm rule that the command module pilot on all flights involving LM must have flown before in space, the idea being that he didn't want any rookie in the CM by himself. Since Bill and Anders had not flown, I was it. Slowly it sunk in. No LM for me, no EVA, no fancy flying, no need to practice in helicopters anymore."

Q. Were you happy with the seat you had?

A. Yes, absolutely. It was an honor.

Q. Has the space program helped young people become interested in careers in math and science? Don't you tell kids to opt for these choices?

A. Yes and no. We definitely have a national problem in that kids seem to be going for money rather than what they consider 'nerdy' careers. Other countries are outstripping us in the quality and quantity of math and science grads, and this can only hurt in the long run. But a liberal arts education, particularly English, is a good entry point no matter what the later specialization. I usually talk up English.

Q. Turning to your flight, what is your strongest memory of Apollo 11?

A. Looking back at Earth from a great distance. "I really believe that if the political leaders of the world could see their planet from a distance of 100,000 miles their outlook could be fundamentally changed. That all-important border would be invisible, that noisy argument silenced. The tiny globe would continue to turn, serenely ignoring its subdivisions, presenting a unified façade that would cry out for unified understanding, for homogeneous treatment. The earth must become as it appears: blue and white, not capitalist or Communist; blue and white, not rich or poor; blue and white, not envious or envied." Small, shiny, serene, blue and white, FRAGILE.

Q. That was 40 years ago. Would it look the same today?

A. Yes, from the moon, but appearances can be deceiving. It's certainly not serene, but definitely fragile, and growing more so. When we flew to the moon, our population was 3 billion; today it has more than doubled and is headed for 8 billion, the experts say. I do not think this growth is sustainable or healthy. The loss of habitat, the trashing of oceans, the accumulation of waste products - this is no way to treat a planet.

Q. You are starting to sound a little grumpy. Are you grumpy?

A. At age 78, yes, in many ways. Some things about current society irritate me, such as the adulation of celebrities and the inflation of heroism.

Q. But aren't you both?

A. Not me. Neither. Heroes abound, and should be revered as such, but don't count astronauts among them. We work very hard; we did our jobs to near perfection, but that was what we had hired on to do. In no way did we meet the criterion of the Congressional Medal of Honor: 'above and beyond the call of duty.' Celebrities? What nonsense, what an empty concept for a person to be, as my friend the great historian Daniel Boorstin put it, "known for his well-known-ness." How many live-ins, how many trips to rehab, maybe--wow--you could even get arrested and then you would really be noticed. Don't get me started.

Q. So, if I wanted to sum you up, I should say "grumpy?"

A. No, no, lucky! Usually, you find yourself either too young or too old to do what you really want, but consider: Neil Armstrong was born in 1930, Buzz Aldrin 1930, and Mike Collins 1930. We came along at exactly the right time. We survived hazardous careers and we were successful in them. But in my own case at least, it was 10 percent shrewd planning and 90 percent blind luck. Put LUCKY on my tombstone.

Q. Okay, but getting back to the space program. What's next?

A. I hope Mars. It was my favorite planet as a kid and still is. As celestial bodies go, the moon is not a particularly interesting place, but Mars is. It is the closest thing to a sister planet that we have found so far. I worry that at NASA's creeping pace, with the emphasis on returning to the moon, Mars may be receding into the distance. That's about all I have to say.

Q. I understand you have become a recluse.

A. I'm not sure that's the word. I think of the Brown Recluse, the deadliest of spiders, and I have a suntan, so perhaps. Anyway, it's true I've never enjoyed the spotlight, don't know why, maybe it ties in with the celebrity thing.

Q. So, how do you spend your time?

A. Running, biking, swimming, fishing, painting, cooking, reading, worrying about the stock market, searching for a really good bottle of cabernet under ten dollars. Moderately busy.

Q. No TV?

A. A few nature programs, and the Washington Redskins, that's about it.

Q. Do you feel you've gotten enough recognition for your accomplishments?

A. Lordy, yes, Oodles and oodles.

Q. Oodles?? But don't you have any keen insights?

A. Oh yeah, a whole bunch, but I'm saving them for the 50th.

Collins's official NASA astronaut biography is available online at:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/collins-m.html

Additional information about the 40th anniversary of Apollo can be found at:

http://www.nasa.gov/apollo40th

Apollo 11 Souvenirs can be found at the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store....Coming soon 40th Anniversary coin with flown Apollo metal.

Tuesday 14 July 2009

NASA Space Shuttle Endeavour

STS-127 Mission Overview and Information Sources

Space shuttle Endeavour stands on Launch Pad 39A after weather prevented Monday's scheduled liftoff. Image credit: NASA TV


The 16-day mission will feature five spacewalks and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Astronauts will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module that will allow experiments to be exposed to space.The STS-127 crew members are Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Dave Wolf, Christopher Cassidy, Tom Marshburn, Tim Kopra and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette. Kopra will join the space station crew and replace Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata. Wakata will return to Earth on Endeavour to conclude a three-month stay at the station.

STS-127 Additional Resources


› Mission Press Kit (6.9 Mb PDF)


› Mission Summary (429 Kb PDF)


› Meet the STS-127 Crew



Visit NASA-SPACE Online Resource

Apollo Media Events

NASA Announces Apollo Astronauts Media Briefing

WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a news briefing with astronauts from the Apollo program at 9:30 a.m. EDT on Monday, July 20, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing. The news conference will take place in the James Webb Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St. SW, in Washington. It will be carried live on NASA Television and the agency's Web site. Astronauts scheduled to participate are: -

James Lovell, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 -
Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 -
David Scott, Apollo 15 -
Charles Duke, Apollo 16 -
Thomas Stafford, Apollo 10 and Apollo-Soyuz Test Project -
Eugene Cernan, Apollo 10 and Apollo 17

Reporters at participating NASA centers may ask questions. Journalists should confirm with their local center that location's availability.

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

For a list of Apollo 40th anniversary events and more information about the anniversary, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/40th/events.html

Weather again delays STS-127 Launch

Endeavour Launch Rescheduled for Wednesday

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:41:26 AM UTC+0100

Liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour on the STS-127 mission has been rescheduled for Wednesday, July 15 at 6:03 p.m. EDT.Monday's attempt was canceled due to poor weather conditions within the launch area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Anvil clouds and storm cells containing lightning flared up toward the end of the countdown, violating stringent launch safety rules."Technically, we've been really clean the last two days with our vehicle," Launch Integration Manager Mike Moses said of Endeavour's launch attempts on Sunday and Monday. "It's just been the weather scenario that got us."The outlook is better on Wednesday, with only a 40 percent chance of weather conditions prohibiting liftoff.

See the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store for STS-127 Souvenirs