4 p.m. CDT Saturday, May 16, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
05.16.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-11
STS-125 MCC Status Report #11
Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel completed the third spacewalk of Atlantis’ mission to the Hubble Space Telescope in 6 hours, 36 minutes, stepping smoothly through the difficult tasks of repairing a delicate camera and installing its most sensitive spectrograph ever. Grunsfeld and Feustel began the spacewalk at 8:35 a.m., removing the telescope’s 16-year-old “contact lens,” the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR), and safely tucked it into the shuttle’s payload bay. The two then installed the new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), which will allow Hubble to peer farther into the universe than ever before in the near and far ultraviolet ranges. Then, Grunsfeld and Feustel used specially designed tools to carry out a job never intended to be done on a spacewalk, repairing the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). The camera, known for some of the most famous imagery captured by Hubble, had stopped working in early 2007 when its backup power supply short circuited. The two removed 32 screws from an access panel to efficiently replace the camera’s four circuit boards and install a new power supply. In a test conducted from the Space Telescope Operations Control Center at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., engineers powered up the 851-pound COS to make sure its power and data connection were operating. While the astronauts sleep, the team will conduct additional functional tests on each component to determine if the astronauts will need to perform additional work. The COS will be calibrated over the next several weeks. The spacewalk was the 80th in space shuttle history. Grunsfeld now ranks fourth among all spacewalkers, with 51 hours, 28 minutes to his credit over seven excursions. Tomorrow, astronauts Michael Good and Mike Massimino will repair the Space Telescope Imaging and Spectrograph (STIS) and install the New Outer Blanket Layer (NOBL). The crew’s sleep period will begin at 8:31 p.m. and crew wake will be at 4:31 a.m. tomorrow.
STS-125 Mission Images
STS-125 Space Mission Collectables - Spaceboosters Online Store
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
STS-125 Status Report 10
5 a.m. CDT Saturday, May 16, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
05.16.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-10
STS-125 MCC Status Report #10
Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel are preparing to begin the third spacewalk of Atlantis’ mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. The crew awoke this morning at 4:31 a.m. CDT to “Hotel Cepollina” performed by Fuzzbox Piranha. The song was played for Grunsfeld. The first activity for today’s spacewalk is the removal of the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR) and the installation of the new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS). COSTAR has been on board Hubble since the first servicing mission in 1993. It has served as a sort of “contact lens” for Hubble and was designed to correct a problem with the telescope’s optics. The new COS will be the most sensitive spectrograph ever flown on Hubble and will examine large scale structures in the universe. The COS weighs 851 pounds and is the size of a phone booth. The second major task for Grunsfeld and Feustel is the repair of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). The ACS is one of Hubble’s primary cameras and was installed during the fourth servicing mission the telescope in 2002. It stopped working in early 2007 due to a short circuit in its backup power supply, but it has been responsible for some of the most famous imagery captured by Hubble. Grunsfeld and Feustel will focus on replacing some of the camera’s electronics, which will require them to remove 32 screws from an access panel. To accomplish this, the astronauts will use a custom made fastener capture plate that will lie over the top of the access panel and keep the screws from floating away. Once complete, the entire crew will review the procedures for tomorrow’s spacewalk, which will be conducted by Mike Good and Mike Massimino. The crew’s sleep period will begin at 8:31 p.m. and crew wake will be at 4:31 a.m. tomorrow.
Spacboosters Online Store - STS-125 Mission Collectables
05.16.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-10
STS-125 MCC Status Report #10
Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel are preparing to begin the third spacewalk of Atlantis’ mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. The crew awoke this morning at 4:31 a.m. CDT to “Hotel Cepollina” performed by Fuzzbox Piranha. The song was played for Grunsfeld. The first activity for today’s spacewalk is the removal of the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR) and the installation of the new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS). COSTAR has been on board Hubble since the first servicing mission in 1993. It has served as a sort of “contact lens” for Hubble and was designed to correct a problem with the telescope’s optics. The new COS will be the most sensitive spectrograph ever flown on Hubble and will examine large scale structures in the universe. The COS weighs 851 pounds and is the size of a phone booth. The second major task for Grunsfeld and Feustel is the repair of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). The ACS is one of Hubble’s primary cameras and was installed during the fourth servicing mission the telescope in 2002. It stopped working in early 2007 due to a short circuit in its backup power supply, but it has been responsible for some of the most famous imagery captured by Hubble. Grunsfeld and Feustel will focus on replacing some of the camera’s electronics, which will require them to remove 32 screws from an access panel. To accomplish this, the astronauts will use a custom made fastener capture plate that will lie over the top of the access panel and keep the screws from floating away. Once complete, the entire crew will review the procedures for tomorrow’s spacewalk, which will be conducted by Mike Good and Mike Massimino. The crew’s sleep period will begin at 8:31 p.m. and crew wake will be at 4:31 a.m. tomorrow.
Spacboosters Online Store - STS-125 Mission Collectables
STS-125 Status Report 9
5 p.m. CDT Friday, May 15, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
05.15.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-09
STS-125 MCC Status Report #09
Mission Specialists Michael Good and Mike Massimino spun up the Hubble Space Telescope with six new gyroscopes and a new battery during a 7-hour, 56-minute spacewalk. Friday’s was the eighth longest spacewalk in history. The second of the mission’s five spacewalks began at 7:49 a.m. CDT, and by 3:15 p.m. the team had accomplished all of the planned objectives. Those included replacement of all three rate sensing units (RSUs). Each rate sensing unit contains two gyroscopes, which help the telescope point itself. The spacewalkers couldn’t get one of the three units into its slot, but they were able to install a spare that was carried on board because of the tight tolerances involved. Good and Massimino removed one of the original battery modules from Bay 2 of the telescope and replaced it with a new unit. The module in Bay 3 is scheduled to be replaced by Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel on Monday. The batteries provide power to the telescope when it passes into the Earth’s shadow and its solar arrays are not exposed to the sun. Ground controllers at the Space Telescope Operations Control Center at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland confirmed that all six gyroscopes and the new battery passed preliminary tests. Commander Scott Altman and Mission Specialist Megan McArthur completed a robotic arm inspection of 40 shuttle heat shield tiles that weren’t in full view during Tuesday’s inspection. Based on imagery analysis, mission managers cleared all of Atlantis’ thermal protection systems until a final pre-landing inspection on Tuesday. The last item on today’s schedule for the crew is the review of the procedures for tomorrow’s spacewalk, the third of the mission. That spacewalk will see Grunsfeld and Feustel install a new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph and Advanced Camera for Surveys. Because Friday's spacewalk was longer than planned, the crew will go to bed an hour later at 8:31 p.m. and awaken an hour later at 4:31 a.m. Saturday.
STS-125 Mission Images
STS-125 NASA Space Mission to the HUBBLE - Spaceboosters Online Store
05.15.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-09
STS-125 MCC Status Report #09
Mission Specialists Michael Good and Mike Massimino spun up the Hubble Space Telescope with six new gyroscopes and a new battery during a 7-hour, 56-minute spacewalk. Friday’s was the eighth longest spacewalk in history. The second of the mission’s five spacewalks began at 7:49 a.m. CDT, and by 3:15 p.m. the team had accomplished all of the planned objectives. Those included replacement of all three rate sensing units (RSUs). Each rate sensing unit contains two gyroscopes, which help the telescope point itself. The spacewalkers couldn’t get one of the three units into its slot, but they were able to install a spare that was carried on board because of the tight tolerances involved. Good and Massimino removed one of the original battery modules from Bay 2 of the telescope and replaced it with a new unit. The module in Bay 3 is scheduled to be replaced by Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel on Monday. The batteries provide power to the telescope when it passes into the Earth’s shadow and its solar arrays are not exposed to the sun. Ground controllers at the Space Telescope Operations Control Center at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland confirmed that all six gyroscopes and the new battery passed preliminary tests. Commander Scott Altman and Mission Specialist Megan McArthur completed a robotic arm inspection of 40 shuttle heat shield tiles that weren’t in full view during Tuesday’s inspection. Based on imagery analysis, mission managers cleared all of Atlantis’ thermal protection systems until a final pre-landing inspection on Tuesday. The last item on today’s schedule for the crew is the review of the procedures for tomorrow’s spacewalk, the third of the mission. That spacewalk will see Grunsfeld and Feustel install a new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph and Advanced Camera for Surveys. Because Friday's spacewalk was longer than planned, the crew will go to bed an hour later at 8:31 p.m. and awaken an hour later at 4:31 a.m. Saturday.
STS-125 Mission Images
STS-125 NASA Space Mission to the HUBBLE - Spaceboosters Online Store
STS-125 Status Report 8
4 a.m. CDT Thursday, May 15, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
05.15.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-08
STS-125 MCC Status Report #08
Mission Specialists Mike Good and Mike Massimino will venture outside shuttle Atlantis today to complete the second of the mission’s five spacewalks. The crew awoke this morning at 3:31 a.m. CDT to “God of Wonders.” It was played for Good. Today’s spacewalk will begin at 7:16 a.m. and is scheduled to last 6.5 hours. The first major task will be the replacement of all three of Hubble’s rate sensing units (RSUs). Each rate sensing unit contains two gyroscopes, which help the telescope point itself. The telescope is designed to operate on three of the six gyros, but today’s spacewalk will give Hubble all new units. The second major task will be the replacement of the battery module in Bay 2 of the telescope. Each battery module weighs 460 pounds and contains three batteries. Each of the nickel hydrogen batteries weighs 125 pounds, and they provide power to the telescope when it passes into the night sky and the solar arrays are not exposed to the sun. All of the batteries on Hubble are original equipment, and they were only designed to operate for five years. The STS-125 crew also will install new batteries in Bay 3 of Hubble during the mission’s fifth and final spacewalk. Commander Scott Altman and Mission Specialist Megan McArthur will perform an inspection of some of the shuttle’s heat shield tiles using the robotic arm. The teams on the ground weren’t able to get a full view of the tiles during Tuesday’s inspection. There are 40 tiles the crew will be examining, and those images will be downlinked to the teams in Houston for analysis. Today’s inspection is expected to take 45 minutes. The last item on today’s schedule for the crew is the review of the procedures for tomorrow’s spacewalk, the third of the mission. The crew will enter its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and will awake at 3:31 a.m. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
Spaceboosters for NASA Space Mission Collectables
05.15.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-08
STS-125 MCC Status Report #08
Mission Specialists Mike Good and Mike Massimino will venture outside shuttle Atlantis today to complete the second of the mission’s five spacewalks. The crew awoke this morning at 3:31 a.m. CDT to “God of Wonders.” It was played for Good. Today’s spacewalk will begin at 7:16 a.m. and is scheduled to last 6.5 hours. The first major task will be the replacement of all three of Hubble’s rate sensing units (RSUs). Each rate sensing unit contains two gyroscopes, which help the telescope point itself. The telescope is designed to operate on three of the six gyros, but today’s spacewalk will give Hubble all new units. The second major task will be the replacement of the battery module in Bay 2 of the telescope. Each battery module weighs 460 pounds and contains three batteries. Each of the nickel hydrogen batteries weighs 125 pounds, and they provide power to the telescope when it passes into the night sky and the solar arrays are not exposed to the sun. All of the batteries on Hubble are original equipment, and they were only designed to operate for five years. The STS-125 crew also will install new batteries in Bay 3 of Hubble during the mission’s fifth and final spacewalk. Commander Scott Altman and Mission Specialist Megan McArthur will perform an inspection of some of the shuttle’s heat shield tiles using the robotic arm. The teams on the ground weren’t able to get a full view of the tiles during Tuesday’s inspection. There are 40 tiles the crew will be examining, and those images will be downlinked to the teams in Houston for analysis. Today’s inspection is expected to take 45 minutes. The last item on today’s schedule for the crew is the review of the procedures for tomorrow’s spacewalk, the third of the mission. The crew will enter its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and will awake at 3:31 a.m. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
Spaceboosters for NASA Space Mission Collectables
STS-125 Status Report 7
5 p.m. CDT Thursday, May 14, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
05.14.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-07
STS-125 MCC Status Report #07
The Hubble Space Telescope can now see farther into space and across a wider spectrum of colors, thanks to the work done during the first spacewalk of the STS-125 mission. Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel spent 7 hours and 20 minutes in space shuttle Atlantis’ cargo bay, installing the new Wide Field Camera 3 and replacing the telescope’s Science Instrument Command and Data Handling Unit, or SIC&DH. The new camera will allow Hubble to take large-scale, extremely clear and detailed photos over a wider range of colors than the camera they removed. After it was installed, ground controllers at the Space Telescope Operations Control Center at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland confirmed that WFC3 was receiving power as expected. The SIC&DH is a computer that sends commands to Hubble’s science instruments and formats science data for transmission to the ground. One side of the previous SIC&DH failed in September just before STS-125 was originally scheduled to launch. The mission was postponed to give teams on the ground time to prepare a replacement and train the crew for the task. Though the telescope was able to continue, this replacement restored redundancy. Grunsfeld also installed a mechanism that will allow future spacecraft to capture the telescope, and Feustel installed two of three Latch Over Center Kits, or LOCK, that will make opening and closing Hubble’s large access doors easier on the remaining spacewalks. An aft shroud latch repair was installed on the middle LOCK. Before coming in, the spacewalkers configured a platform they installed on the shuttle’s robotic arm to clear the view for a Friday inspection of some shuttle heat shield tiles using the orbiter boom sensor system. The teams on the ground weren’t able to get a full view of the tiles during Tuesday’s inspection. The crew will perform that inspection before Friday’s spacewalk begins. The crew will enter its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and will awake at 3:31 a.m. to begin preparations for the second spacewalk of the mission, scheduled to begin at 7:16 a.m. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
NASA Space Mission Collectables - Think SPACEBOOSTERS
05.14.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-07
STS-125 MCC Status Report #07
The Hubble Space Telescope can now see farther into space and across a wider spectrum of colors, thanks to the work done during the first spacewalk of the STS-125 mission. Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel spent 7 hours and 20 minutes in space shuttle Atlantis’ cargo bay, installing the new Wide Field Camera 3 and replacing the telescope’s Science Instrument Command and Data Handling Unit, or SIC&DH. The new camera will allow Hubble to take large-scale, extremely clear and detailed photos over a wider range of colors than the camera they removed. After it was installed, ground controllers at the Space Telescope Operations Control Center at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland confirmed that WFC3 was receiving power as expected. The SIC&DH is a computer that sends commands to Hubble’s science instruments and formats science data for transmission to the ground. One side of the previous SIC&DH failed in September just before STS-125 was originally scheduled to launch. The mission was postponed to give teams on the ground time to prepare a replacement and train the crew for the task. Though the telescope was able to continue, this replacement restored redundancy. Grunsfeld also installed a mechanism that will allow future spacecraft to capture the telescope, and Feustel installed two of three Latch Over Center Kits, or LOCK, that will make opening and closing Hubble’s large access doors easier on the remaining spacewalks. An aft shroud latch repair was installed on the middle LOCK. Before coming in, the spacewalkers configured a platform they installed on the shuttle’s robotic arm to clear the view for a Friday inspection of some shuttle heat shield tiles using the orbiter boom sensor system. The teams on the ground weren’t able to get a full view of the tiles during Tuesday’s inspection. The crew will perform that inspection before Friday’s spacewalk begins. The crew will enter its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and will awake at 3:31 a.m. to begin preparations for the second spacewalk of the mission, scheduled to begin at 7:16 a.m. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
NASA Space Mission Collectables - Think SPACEBOOSTERS
STS-125 Status Report 6
4 a.m. CDT Thursday, May 14, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
05.14.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-06
STS-125 MCC Status Report #06
Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel are now just hours away from beginning the first of five spacewalks of Atlantis’ mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. The crew awoke this morning to “Stickshifts and Safetybelts” performed by Cake. It was played for Feustel. Today’s spacewalk is set to begin at 7:16 a.m. CDT and will last 6.5 hours. Grunsfeld will be the first astronaut to exit the shuttle’s air lock and will begin preparations in Atlantis’ payload bay. Feustel will exit a few minutes later and will make his way onto Atlantis’ robotic arm. Mission Specialist Megan McArthur will operate the arm while Feustel performs his activities outside the shuttle. The first task for Grunsfeld and Feustel is the removal of the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 and the installation of Wide Field Camera 3. The new camera weighs almost 900 pounds and measures 2 feet tall by 6 feet wide by 7 feet long. It will be Hubble’s first panchromatic camera and will allow astronomers to observe galaxy evolution, dark matter and dark energy. The next task is to replace the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling Unit (SCI&DH) with a ground spare. The SCI&DH allows Hubble’s science instruments to send and receive data, and it experienced a failure in September of last year. Commanding was switched over to the unit’s back-up channel, but the new SCI&DH will restore full redundancy. Feustel and Grunsfeld also will install the Soft Capture Mechanism (SCM) on the bottom of the telescope. This will allow future spacecraft to rendezvous and berth with the telescope. The final task of the spacewalk will be the installation of three Latch Over Center Kits (LOCKS). This will make it easier on the mission’s other spacewalks for the astronauts to open and close Hubble’s large access doors. At the end of the day, the entire crew will review procedures for the mission’s second spacewalk, which will be conducted by Mike Good and Mike Massimino tomorrow. The crew will enter its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and will awake at 3:31 a.m. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier, if events warrant.
05.14.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-06
STS-125 MCC Status Report #06
Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel are now just hours away from beginning the first of five spacewalks of Atlantis’ mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. The crew awoke this morning to “Stickshifts and Safetybelts” performed by Cake. It was played for Feustel. Today’s spacewalk is set to begin at 7:16 a.m. CDT and will last 6.5 hours. Grunsfeld will be the first astronaut to exit the shuttle’s air lock and will begin preparations in Atlantis’ payload bay. Feustel will exit a few minutes later and will make his way onto Atlantis’ robotic arm. Mission Specialist Megan McArthur will operate the arm while Feustel performs his activities outside the shuttle. The first task for Grunsfeld and Feustel is the removal of the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 and the installation of Wide Field Camera 3. The new camera weighs almost 900 pounds and measures 2 feet tall by 6 feet wide by 7 feet long. It will be Hubble’s first panchromatic camera and will allow astronomers to observe galaxy evolution, dark matter and dark energy. The next task is to replace the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling Unit (SCI&DH) with a ground spare. The SCI&DH allows Hubble’s science instruments to send and receive data, and it experienced a failure in September of last year. Commanding was switched over to the unit’s back-up channel, but the new SCI&DH will restore full redundancy. Feustel and Grunsfeld also will install the Soft Capture Mechanism (SCM) on the bottom of the telescope. This will allow future spacecraft to rendezvous and berth with the telescope. The final task of the spacewalk will be the installation of three Latch Over Center Kits (LOCKS). This will make it easier on the mission’s other spacewalks for the astronauts to open and close Hubble’s large access doors. At the end of the day, the entire crew will review procedures for the mission’s second spacewalk, which will be conducted by Mike Good and Mike Massimino tomorrow. The crew will enter its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and will awake at 3:31 a.m. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier, if events warrant.
STS-125 Status Report 5
5 p.m. CDT Wednesday, May 13, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
05.13.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-05
STS-125 MCC Status Report #05
Using the space shuttle Atlantis’ robotic arm, Mission Specialist Megan McArthur grappled the Hubble Space Telescope at 12:14 p.m. CDT Wednesday as she and her crewmates orbited 340 miles above Western Australia. The successful capture of the space observatory sets the stage for five spacewalks in as many days to repair and update instruments, extending its lifespan through 2014. The first spacewalk by Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel is set to begin at 7:16 a.m. Thursday. STS-125 Commander Scott Altman guided Atlantis to within 50 feet of Hubble in preparation for the grapple, with help from Pilot Greg Johnson and Mission Specialist Mike Good. A planned maneuver to put Hubble in the right orientation for capture was cancelled due to communications problems, so Altman flew the shuttle into position, which delayed grapple about 20 minutes. With grapple complete, McArthur maneuvered the telescope onto a Flight Support System maintenance platform in Atlantis’ payload bay. The platform can rotate 360 degrees and tilt to provide better access for spacewalkers, and provides power for thermal control while the telescope is being serviced. The crew began a visual survey of the telescope at 1:56 p.m. and completed electrical connections and activation at 1:58 p.m. The telescope’s solar arrays were positioned for servicing by ground command at 4:07 p.m. Grunsfeld and Feustel conducted a final review of plans for the first spacewalk with the help of fellow spacewalkers Good and Mike Massimino, and the rest of the crew. They also checked out all of the tools necessary for the mission’s spacewalks. Mission managers declared Atlantis’ thermal protection tiles safe for reentry, but continue to examine the imagery from Tuesday’s inspection of the reinforced carbon carbon on the shuttle’s nose cap and wing leading edges. The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and awaken at 3:31 a.m. Thursday. The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wake-up, or earlier, if events warrant.
Spaceboosters Online Store for NASA Space Collectables
05.13.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-05
STS-125 MCC Status Report #05
Using the space shuttle Atlantis’ robotic arm, Mission Specialist Megan McArthur grappled the Hubble Space Telescope at 12:14 p.m. CDT Wednesday as she and her crewmates orbited 340 miles above Western Australia. The successful capture of the space observatory sets the stage for five spacewalks in as many days to repair and update instruments, extending its lifespan through 2014. The first spacewalk by Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel is set to begin at 7:16 a.m. Thursday. STS-125 Commander Scott Altman guided Atlantis to within 50 feet of Hubble in preparation for the grapple, with help from Pilot Greg Johnson and Mission Specialist Mike Good. A planned maneuver to put Hubble in the right orientation for capture was cancelled due to communications problems, so Altman flew the shuttle into position, which delayed grapple about 20 minutes. With grapple complete, McArthur maneuvered the telescope onto a Flight Support System maintenance platform in Atlantis’ payload bay. The platform can rotate 360 degrees and tilt to provide better access for spacewalkers, and provides power for thermal control while the telescope is being serviced. The crew began a visual survey of the telescope at 1:56 p.m. and completed electrical connections and activation at 1:58 p.m. The telescope’s solar arrays were positioned for servicing by ground command at 4:07 p.m. Grunsfeld and Feustel conducted a final review of plans for the first spacewalk with the help of fellow spacewalkers Good and Mike Massimino, and the rest of the crew. They also checked out all of the tools necessary for the mission’s spacewalks. Mission managers declared Atlantis’ thermal protection tiles safe for reentry, but continue to examine the imagery from Tuesday’s inspection of the reinforced carbon carbon on the shuttle’s nose cap and wing leading edges. The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and awaken at 3:31 a.m. Thursday. The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wake-up, or earlier, if events warrant.
Spaceboosters Online Store for NASA Space Collectables
STS-125 Status Report 4
4 a.m. CDT Wednesday, May 13, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
05.13.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-04
STS-125 MCC Status Report #04
The crew of Atlantis is ready to meet up with the Hubble Space Telescope 340 miles above the Earth today. The crew awoke to “Upside Down” by Jack Johnson at 4:01 a.m. CDT. The song was played for Megan McArthur. Overnight, Hubble’s high gain antenna was retracted in preparation for Atlantis’ arrival. Shortly before the shuttle arrives in the vicinity of Hubble, ground teams will command the telescope to maneuver to its grapple attitude in preparation for berthing in the shuttle’s payload bay. Atlantis is scheduled to perform the engine burn that will begin its final approach to the telescope at 9:41 a.m., and grapple of the telescope is scheduled for 11:54 a.m. while the two spacecraft are travelling over Madagascar. The crew will wrap up its day by performing a visual survey of the telescope once it is berthed in the payload bay, and all crew members will conduct a review of the procedures for Thursday’s first spacewalk. The crew also will finish up the check out of the tools necessary for the mission’s five consecutive spacewalks. Engineers continue to examine the images captured during Tuesday’s inspection of Atlantis’ thermal protection system and exterior surfaces. During that inspection, mission managers noted one area of damage on the forward part of the spacecraft where the wing blends into the fuselage. Initially it appears to be very minor and of no concern for the mission, and the flight team notified the crew late Tuesday that no focused inspection of that particular area is necessary. The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and awaken at 3:31 a.m. Thursday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier, if events warrant.
Visit the Spaceboosters Online Store for Space Collectables & Memorabilia
05.13.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-04
STS-125 MCC Status Report #04
The crew of Atlantis is ready to meet up with the Hubble Space Telescope 340 miles above the Earth today. The crew awoke to “Upside Down” by Jack Johnson at 4:01 a.m. CDT. The song was played for Megan McArthur. Overnight, Hubble’s high gain antenna was retracted in preparation for Atlantis’ arrival. Shortly before the shuttle arrives in the vicinity of Hubble, ground teams will command the telescope to maneuver to its grapple attitude in preparation for berthing in the shuttle’s payload bay. Atlantis is scheduled to perform the engine burn that will begin its final approach to the telescope at 9:41 a.m., and grapple of the telescope is scheduled for 11:54 a.m. while the two spacecraft are travelling over Madagascar. The crew will wrap up its day by performing a visual survey of the telescope once it is berthed in the payload bay, and all crew members will conduct a review of the procedures for Thursday’s first spacewalk. The crew also will finish up the check out of the tools necessary for the mission’s five consecutive spacewalks. Engineers continue to examine the images captured during Tuesday’s inspection of Atlantis’ thermal protection system and exterior surfaces. During that inspection, mission managers noted one area of damage on the forward part of the spacecraft where the wing blends into the fuselage. Initially it appears to be very minor and of no concern for the mission, and the flight team notified the crew late Tuesday that no focused inspection of that particular area is necessary. The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and awaken at 3:31 a.m. Thursday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier, if events warrant.
Visit the Spaceboosters Online Store for Space Collectables & Memorabilia
STS-125 Status Report 3
5 p.m. CDT Tuesday, May 12, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
05.12.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-03
STS-125 MCC Status Report #03
Atlantis continued to move steadily closer to the Hubble Space Telescope today, and its crew made good use of the time to perform a thorough inspection of the shuttle’s heat shield. Over the course of the day, five members of the seven-person crew took part in that survey, which lasted more than seven hours. Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur and Mike Massimino all used the shuttle’s 50-foot orbiter boom sensor system, attached to the shuttle’s 49-foot robotic arm, at one point or another to get an up close look at the surface of the shuttle’s belly and its wing-leading edges and nose cap. The data was sent to the ground, where it will be carefully analyzed to make sure that the shuttle didn’t sustain any serious damage during Monday’s launch. During that inspection, mission managers noted one area of damage on the forward part of the spacecraft where the wing blends into the fuselage. Initially it appears to be very minor and of no concern for the mission, however the standard expert analysis is underway. Meanwhile, Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel, with help from Massimino, checked out the four spacesuits that they and Good will wear for the mission’s five spacewalks. Before the crew begins their sleep period for the night, Good and Feustel will be checking out the tools they’ll use tomorrow as they rendezvous with the Hubble, and Altman and Johnson will fire the shuttle’s engines to perfect its course to the telescope. Rendezvous operations will begin at 6:41 a.m. Central on Wednesday, with the actual grapple of the telescope using the shuttle’s robotic arm scheduled for 11:54 a.m. The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 8:01 p.m. and awaken at 4:01 a.m. Wednesday.
05.12.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-03
STS-125 MCC Status Report #03
Atlantis continued to move steadily closer to the Hubble Space Telescope today, and its crew made good use of the time to perform a thorough inspection of the shuttle’s heat shield. Over the course of the day, five members of the seven-person crew took part in that survey, which lasted more than seven hours. Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur and Mike Massimino all used the shuttle’s 50-foot orbiter boom sensor system, attached to the shuttle’s 49-foot robotic arm, at one point or another to get an up close look at the surface of the shuttle’s belly and its wing-leading edges and nose cap. The data was sent to the ground, where it will be carefully analyzed to make sure that the shuttle didn’t sustain any serious damage during Monday’s launch. During that inspection, mission managers noted one area of damage on the forward part of the spacecraft where the wing blends into the fuselage. Initially it appears to be very minor and of no concern for the mission, however the standard expert analysis is underway. Meanwhile, Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel, with help from Massimino, checked out the four spacesuits that they and Good will wear for the mission’s five spacewalks. Before the crew begins their sleep period for the night, Good and Feustel will be checking out the tools they’ll use tomorrow as they rendezvous with the Hubble, and Altman and Johnson will fire the shuttle’s engines to perfect its course to the telescope. Rendezvous operations will begin at 6:41 a.m. Central on Wednesday, with the actual grapple of the telescope using the shuttle’s robotic arm scheduled for 11:54 a.m. The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 8:01 p.m. and awaken at 4:01 a.m. Wednesday.
Visit NASA-Space for mission and crew info
STS-125 Status Report
4 a.m. CDT Tuesday, May 12, 2009Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
05.12.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-02
STS-125 MCC Status Report #02
A busy day is ahead for the crew members of space shuttle Atlantis as they continue to close in on the Hubble Space Telescope. Today’s wake-up music was “Kryptonite” performed by 3 Doors Down. It was played for pilot Greg Johnson. The STS-125 crew – Commander Scott Altman, Johnson and mission specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel – will unberth the Orbiter Boom Sensor System with the shuttle’s robotic arm and use it to scan Atlantis’ thermal protection system and the leading edges of the wings. The photos captured by the OBSS will be downlinked to the ground team in Houston for analysis. Altman and Grunsfeld also will prepare the Flight Support System (FSS) for berthing the telescope on Wednesday. The FSS is a maintenance platform in the aft part of the shuttle’s payload bay that can rotate and tilt the telescope to make access during the mission’s spacewalks easier. Grunsfeld, Massimino, Good and Feustel will check out the Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU), which are the spacesuits each of them will use during the mission’s five spacewalks. They will also take a look at the tools they will be using. The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 8:01 p.m. and awaken at 4:01 a.m. Wednesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day, or earlier if events warrant.
Find out more about this and other missions at NASA-Space
05.12.09
STATUS REPORT : STS-125-02
STS-125 MCC Status Report #02
A busy day is ahead for the crew members of space shuttle Atlantis as they continue to close in on the Hubble Space Telescope. Today’s wake-up music was “Kryptonite” performed by 3 Doors Down. It was played for pilot Greg Johnson. The STS-125 crew – Commander Scott Altman, Johnson and mission specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel – will unberth the Orbiter Boom Sensor System with the shuttle’s robotic arm and use it to scan Atlantis’ thermal protection system and the leading edges of the wings. The photos captured by the OBSS will be downlinked to the ground team in Houston for analysis. Altman and Grunsfeld also will prepare the Flight Support System (FSS) for berthing the telescope on Wednesday. The FSS is a maintenance platform in the aft part of the shuttle’s payload bay that can rotate and tilt the telescope to make access during the mission’s spacewalks easier. Grunsfeld, Massimino, Good and Feustel will check out the Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU), which are the spacesuits each of them will use during the mission’s five spacewalks. They will also take a look at the tools they will be using. The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 8:01 p.m. and awaken at 4:01 a.m. Wednesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day, or earlier if events warrant.
Find out more about this and other missions at NASA-Space
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)