STS-125 Mission Update 21

5 p.m. CDT Thursday, May 21, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
05.21.09

STATUS REPORT : STS-125-21

STS-125 MCC Status Report #21

As Atlantis’ crew prepares for landing Friday, mission managers are closely monitoring a low pressure system that has brought 16 inches of rain in three days to the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Forecasters report the system is slowly moving away but it could still bring more rain, possible thunderstorms and winds that could violate the shuttle’s flight rules into the Florida spaceport area. The two Friday landing opportunities are at 9:00 and 10:39 a.m. CDT. Should mission managers wave off landing the next four opportunities will be Saturday with two at Kennedy and two at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The opportunities at Kennedy are at 8:16 and 9:54 a.m. With a favorable California forecast, the opportunities there are at 9:46 and 11:24 a.m. In another first for spaceflight, the STS-125 crew testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, chaired by Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. She, and former astronaut Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, talked with the crew. The STS-125 crew is the first to testify live from space in a Senate hearing. Astronaut John Phillips gave the first congressional testimony live from space on June 14, 2005, during Expedition 11, when he testified before the House Science Committee, Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics. The crew also talked with reporters from ABC, FOX, CBS, NBC and CNN. In preparation for landing, Atlantis’ crew tested the ship’s flight control surfaces and reaction control system thrusters. Both systems functioned well and are ready to support entry activities. Tomorrow, the crew should begin deorbit preparations at 3:50 a.m. and close the payload bay doors at 5:10 a.m.

New Crew for ISS

New Crew for International Space Station

Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Michael Barratt of the 19th International Space Station crew launched in their Soyuz TMA-14 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 7:49 a.m. EDT Thursday to begin a six-month stay in space. Less than 10 minutes after launch their spacecraft reached orbit. Its antennas and solar arrays were deployed shortly afterward.

With Padalka and Barratt is second-time spaceflight participant Charles Simonyi, flying under contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency. Simonyi previously flew to the station in April 2007 as a spaceflight participant with the Expedition 15 crew. Simonyi will return to Earth with Expedition 18 crew members, Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Yury Lonchakov, in their Soyuz TMA-13 on April 7.

Expedition 18 launched to the station Oct. 12. Expedition 19 crew members will be welcomed by the Expedition 18 crew, including Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, after their docking to the orbiting laboratory, scheduled for Saturday. Wakata launched to the station on the STS-119 mission of Discovery March 15. He joined Expedition 18 in progress and will provide Expedition 19 with an experienced flight engineer for its increment.

For the latest news and information on the STS-119 mission, visit the main shuttle page. › Read more Padalka, a colonel in the Russian Air Force, will command the Expedition 19 mission and also serve as Soyuz commander. He previously served as commander of Expedition 9 in 2004. During Padalka's first stay at the International Space Station, he performed four spacewalks. Barratt will serve as a flight engineer for Expedition 19. He served as lead crew surgeon for the first Expedition crew to the station from July 1998 until he was selected as an astronaut candidate. This will be his first spaceflight. Wakata will serve as a flight engineer for Expeditions 18, 19 and 20. Wakata will be the first resident station crew member from JAXA. He will return to Earth on STS-127.

Image above: The Soyuz TMA-14 launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thursday, March 26, 2009 carrying Expedition 19 Commander Gennady I. Padalka, Flight Engineer Michael R. Barratt and Spaceflight Participant Charles Simonyi to the International Space Station. (Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Hubble's Next Discovery

Hubble's Next Discovery -- You Decide

Put yourself behind the controls of modern astronomy's most famous telescope. Be a part of history and join astronomy fans around the globe in casting a vote for the next object the Hubble Space Telescope will view.

Choose from a selection of celestial views never seen before by Hubble, and earn a chance to enter a drawing for 100 copies of the winning picture. To participate in the contest, go to HubbleSite's You Decide page. Vote by March 1, 2009. Educators can visit Amazing Space for a classroom collage activity that engages students in the wonders of the universe.This event is part of the worldwide International Year of Astronomy (IYA), celebrating the 400th anniversary of the astronomer Galileo directing his telescope toward the night sky. The winning image will be released during the IYA's 100 Hours of Astronomy, an event geared toward encouraging as many people as possible to experience the night sky.

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