Saturday July 1, 2006 2:43PM
1:30 p.m. Status Update
The astronauts are buckled into their seats inside Discovery's
cabin. The STS-121 mission team is now going through final checks inside the orbiter to prepare for liftoff.
Discovery
stands ready for liftoff on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA's Freedom
Star and Liberty Star are in position for launch. Both recovery ships are currently stationed out in the Atlantic Ocean prepared
to tow the solid rocket boosters back to Kennedy Space Center. The boosters will then be scraped, painted and repaired (if
necessary) and put back into service for another shuttle launch.
Steven Lindsey commands a crew of five American astronauts,
Pilot Mark Kelly and Mission Specialists Michael Fossum, Lisa Nowak, Stephanie Wilson and Piers Sellers, and one astronaut
from the European Space Agency, Thomas Reiter. This is the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station and the 32nd
flight for Space Shuttle Discovery.
In Discovery's payload bay, the multi-purpose logistics
module Leonardo, built by the Italian Space Agency, will deliver more than two tons of supplies, equipment and tools on its
fourth trip to the station.
While docked, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle
safety, as well as make repairs to the station. Reiter will remain with the Expedition 13 crew on the station.
NASA'S LOSS OF STS 107 Columbia in 2003 opened
the door to the premature termination of the Shuttle Program. Today' s launch hopes to close that door.
| VISIT THE PBS NEWSHOUR RECAP OF COLUMBIA DISASTER |
|
|
Saturday July 1, 2006 3:04PM
2:30 p.m. Status Update
Discovery's thruster issue has been
cleared for launch by the Mission Management Team. The weather is still in question but there are no other major issues being
worked at this time.
The crew is in the orbiter and the hatch is closed. Discovery stands ready
for liftoff on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA's Freedom Star and Liberty Star are
in position for launch. Both recovery ships are currently stationed out in the Atlantic Ocean prepared to tow the solid rocket
boosters back to Kennedy Space Center. The boosters will then be scraped, painted and repaired (if necessary) and put back
into service for another shuttle launch.
Steven Lindsey commands a crew of
five American astronauts, Pilot Mark Kelly and Mission Specialists Michael Fossum, Lisa Nowak, Stephanie Wilson and Piers
Sellers, and one astronaut from the European Space Agency, Thomas Reiter. This is the 18th U.S. flight to the International
Space Station and the 32nd flight for Space Shuttle Discovery.
In Discovery's payload bay, the multi-purpose
logistics module Leonardo, built by the Italian Space Agency, will deliver more than two tons of supplies, equipment and tools
on its fourth trip to the station.
While docked, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve
shuttle safety, as well as make repairs to the station. Reiter will remain with the Expedition.
| CLICK TO VISIT LATEST UPDATES. |
|
|
SATURDAY JULY 1,2006 9:47 P.M.ET
NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery Launch Reset for Sunday
NASA's
launch of Space Shuttle Discovery at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., was scrubbed today due to inclement weather. The primary
concern was the presence of anvil clouds and thunderstorms within 20 miles of the launch site.
The next launch attempt
for Discovery's STS-121 mission to the International Space Station is set for Sunday, July 2, at 3:26 p.m. EDT. Commentary
on NASA Television will begin with fueling of the shuttle's external tank at 5 a.m. followed by full coverage at 9:30 a.m.
The forecast for Sunday shows a 60 percent probability of weather prohibiting launch.
Waiting for further Saturday
night Project Updates.
| DELAYED TWICE NOW UNTIL THE REAL FOURTH OF JULY. |
|
|
Sunday July 2, 2006 3:52PM
LAUNCH DELAYED AGAIN ON SUNDAY. RESCHEDULED FOR WEATHER REASONS FOR TUESDAY,
THE FOURTH OF JULY. FIRST EVER NASA MANNED LAUNCH ON FOURTH OF JULY!
LAUNCH DELAYED AGAIN ON SUNDAY. RESCHEDULED FOR WEATHER
REASONS FOR TUESDAY, THE FOURTH OF JULY. FIRST EVER NASA MANNED LAUNCH ON FOURTH OF JULY!
Monday July 3, 2006
Launch Update
The Mission Management Team is meeting Monday morning to discuss
Discovery's launch preparations.
A crack in the foam insulation at the Liquid Oxygen feedline bracket was found during
a routine inspection after the external tank was drained following the scrub on Sunday. The 4 to 5 inch crack is about one-eighth
to one-quarter inch wide at the top-most bracket that attaches the liquid oxygen feedline to the hydrogen tank.
The
Mission Management Team will meet again at 6:30 p.m. EDT to hear the results of the analysis and make a decision on whether
we will attempt to launch tomorrow or Wednesday. Currently, there is a 60 percent of favorable launch weather for tomorrow
and a 40 percent chance of favorable weather for Wednesday.
+ View July 1 Launch Attempt
+ View July 2 Launch Attempt
Launch week for the STS-121 mission officially began on Tuesday, June 27, with the arrival
of Commander Steven Lindsey and his crew at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
At press conferences throughout the week,
NASA managers have repeatedly expressed their confidence in Discovery's fitness to fly. Discovery currently awaits launch
atop Launch Pad 39B. According to NASA officials, the space shuttle's final preparations are going as planned and moving toward
launch.
A replay of the "STS-121 Astronaut Webcast" is now available online.
+ Watch STS-121 Astronaut Webcast
The Launch Team
Learn more about the NASA team that's responsible for the events that
lead up to the liftoff of mission STS-121.
+ Meet the Launch Team
| THE LAUNCH'S ON HOLD STATUS CONTINUES |
|
|
| TUESDAY'S LAUNCH WILL BE REVIEWED MONDAY EVENING. |
Monday July 3, 2006 4:19PM
Shuttle Team Working Foam Issue
During a routine inspection overnight after the
draining of the external fuel tank, a crack was discovered in the foam near a bracket that holds the liquid oxygen feedline
in place. This piece of foam has been estimated to be 0.0057 pounds. It is believed that the rain experienced during yesterday's
launch attempt caused water to run down the feedline and form ice near the top of the strut next to the feedline bracket.
As the tank warmed and expanded, the ice that formed most likely pinched the foam on the top of the strut, causing a crack
and eventual loss of the small piece of foam.
At a Mission Management Team meeting this morning, a decision was made
to continue analyzing available data before making a final decision regarding tomorrow's launch attempt. The question is whether
there needs to be a hands-on inspection of the area around the foam crack before launch.
The Mission Management Team
will meet again at 6:30 p.m. EDT to hear the results of the analysis and make a decision on whether we will attempt to launch
tomorrow or Wednesday. Currently, there is a 60 percent of favorable launch weather for tomorrow and a 40 percent chance of
favorable weather for Wednesday.
| CLICK POSTER FOR LATEST UPDATES FROM NASA.GOV |
|
|
| THIS HI RESOLUTION VIEW SHOWS PROBLEM AREA |
|
| CLICK PICTURE TO SEE FULL SIZE IMAGE |
| LAUNCH GO FOR TUESDAY FOURTH OF JULY |
|
LAUNCH GO FOR TUESDAY
FOURTH OF JULY
We recommend that you "right-click"
and then "open in new window" when accessing all links on this site. This technique is not much more complicated
and avoids losing your connection to the main site at Tripod.com. Close link pages at X icon to return to my site.
SHUTTLE MISSION STS-115 ATLANTIS
FIND BELOW DETAILS
OF STS 115 ATLANTIS -
WHICH
LAUNCHES SOME TIME THIS SEPTEMBER 2006.
| CLICK TO VISIT STS-115 (CURRENT SHUTTLE) |
|
|
| CLICK TO VISIT STS-115 (OR CURRENT SHUTTLE) |
BELOW FIND STS-115 STORY FOR LATE AUGUST 2006 LAUNCH
| ATLANTIS GETTING THERE - FLORIDA BEING FLORIDA |
|
| STS-115 SCHEDULED FOR LATE AUGUST 2006 |
TUESDAY AUGUST 1, 2006 8:33 PM ET
Atlantis Awaits Trip to Launch Pad
IMAGE: In the Vehicle Assembly Building, the orbiter Atlantis sits
on the mobile launcher platform where it was joined to the external tank and twin solid rocket boosters. The entire "stack"
will roll to Launch Pad 39B atop the crawler transporter. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder + View Larger Image Weather conditions once again delayed the scheduled roll out of Space Shuttle Atlantis to Launch Pad 39B, and the
new target time is now set for Wednesday at 2:00 a.m. EDT. The launch window for this mission to resume construction of the
International Space Station opens Aug. 27. The STS-115 crew consists of Commander Brent W. Jett, Jr., Pilot Christopher J. Ferguson and Mission Specialists Heidemarie
M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean, who represents the Canadian Space Agency.
+ Learn more about the STS-115 crew During their 11 days in space, the astronauts will install the integrated P3/P4 truss segment with its two large solar
arrays that will provide one-fourth of the total power generation capability of the completed station.
|
| CREW OF STS-115 |
|
Wednesday August 16, 2006 6:07 P.M. ET
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
http://www.nasa.gov/news/highlights/index.html
NASA NEWS
July
20, 2006
Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749
Tracy Young
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
MEDIA ADVISORY: M06-118
Space Shuttle Atlantis Set to Move to Vehicle Assembly Building
NASA invites news media to witness an important milestone
for the upcoming Space Shuttle Atlantis mission - designated STS-115. On Monday, July 24, Atlantis is scheduled to be moved
out of its hangar at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The first motion is expected at 6 a.m. EDT. Media must arrive at Kennedy's News Center by 5 a.m. to attend the event.
The move from the Orbiter Processing Facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building is referred to as a "rollover." Inside the assembly building,
Atlantis will be attached to its external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters.
Atlantis' launch window
begins Aug. 28. During its 11-day mission to the International Space Station, the STS-115 crew of six astronauts will install
the Port 3/4 truss segment with its two large solar arrays.
Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters,
Washington
202-358-3749
Tracy Young
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
http://www.nasa.gov/news/highlights/index.html
NASA NEWS
|
Wednesday August 16, 2006 1:47 PM
ET
|
| NASA STS-115 PHOTO 1 |
|
| NASA STS-115 PHOTO 2 |
|
| NASA STS-115 PHOTO 3 |
|
WEDNESDAY
AUGUST
16., 2006
1:47 PM ET
FROM NASA
Don't
Breathe Easy: Unique Challenges Mark Next Shuttle Mission
08.08.06
Now
that everyone’s breathed a big sigh of relief that test flights of the space shuttle's safety improvements have gone
well, it’s time to hold your breath again.
NASA’s
ready to get back to building the International Space Station, which means the shuttle program is coming up on some of the
most challenging space missions ever. And it all starts with the launch of Atlantis on STS-115 in August.
Atlantis'
six crew members will install a second set of solar arrays on the space station, doubling the station’s ability to generate
power from sunlight and adding 17.5 tons to its mass. It’s a mission they’ve had four years to train for, and
it’s still no cakewalk.
“It’s a very busy flight,” Atlantis Commander Brent Jett said. “We’ve
never had to fit so many activities back to back on consecutive days.”
NASA PHOTO 1: STS-115 astronauts train inside
a vehicle simulator with full-sized simulations of the Earth and the International Space Station. Credit NASA
The
closest the program has come is shuttle mission STS-110 in April 2002, Jett said. That crew performed two spacewalks in two
days, much like what Atlantis' crew plans. But that flight had fewer high-priority, complex activities to perform on the two
days between launch and docking.
Atlantis' mission will include all the safety features tested on the past two shuttle
flights: improved imagery during launch, heat shield inspections in orbit, and a shuttle back flip as it approaches the station.
But
beyond those now standard shuttle practices, the mainstay of Atlantis' flight will require robotics operations, three spacewalks
and multiple ground-controlled checkouts as intricate as any done for station assembly.
Jett's crew must use the shuttle's
robotic arm to inspect Atlantis' heat shield on the second day of the mission while they are on the way to the station, a
shuttle safety enhancement. As soon as they dock to the complex on their third day in space, Atlantis' astronauts must unload
the school-bus-sized package of solar panels, batteries and electronics. The crew will be going almost nonstop for seven days
straight.
“Flight day two, we have a very, very full day with the inspection,” Jett said. “The day
before docking is now a full day of robotics work. So we go from launch day, right in to flight day two inspections, right
in to flight day three docking and unberth, then the first spacewalk, the second spacewalk, solar array deploy and then another
spacewalk. The timeline is a big challenge.”
NASA PHOTO 2: STS-115
astronauts view space gear as part of familiarization activities. Credit NASA
There are a hundred little
– and big – things that could throw it off.
The biggest are the solar arrays themselves and the joint
that will rotate them. When a matching set of 240-foot long arrays was deployed during the STS-97 mission in November 2000,
the cables meant to pull them taut came off their pulleys. That would have left the wings slack and vulnerable to tearing
and breaking had that crew not been able to fix it.
Atlantis Mission Specialist Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper, who will
work with the arrays during two spacewalks, said she believes that problem has been fixed and won’t be an issue this
time around. But the arrays have been packed away for several years – they were originally scheduled to be installed
in May 2003. Because they’re so large, they have to be folded to fit in the shuttle’s cargo bay. Although the
arrays have been checked and rechecked, Piper said one concern the crew has is that when it comes time to unfold them, they
could stick. If so, the team has practiced ways to manually unfold them.
The crew and Mission Control have tried to
think of anything that could go wrong and plan to deal with those potential problems. But they all know that despite the best
efforts, the nature of a complex mission means you may encounter problems you did not expect.
Atlantis' flight will
deliver the station's first Solar Alpha Rotary Joint – a 10-foot wide, wagon-wheel-shaped joint that allows the arrays
to turn toward the sun. Nothing like this joint has ever flown in space. And there’s no guarantee it will work like
it’s supposed to.
“Because we’ve never done one of these before, we just don’t know,”
Piper said. “We think it’s going to work. On paper it works. But you just never know until you get it up on orbit.”
NASA PHOTO 3: STS-115 astronauts Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper
(left) and Joe Tanner train inside a mockup of the space shuttle middeck. Credit NASA
Lead
Shuttle Flight Director Paul Dye echoed that sentiment, but on another subject.
Already
the largest spacecraft ever built, the addition of the two array wings is going to dramatically change the station’s
appearance -- and balance. The responsibility for keeping it pointed in the right direction falls to Dye and his team in Mission
Control. The computers should take care of it, but you can never be sure.
“You do the engineering and then you
hope the engineering matches the real world when you get up there,” he said.
If the station did start to tilt,
it can be righted. But any problems or hiccups that come up could throw off the mission’s entire timeline, Jett said.
Adjusting the station’s orientation might require firing the shuttle’s engines, which would use up limited and
valuable fuel.
The
crew and everyone involved with the mission knows they are in the home stretch, and they are excited. Atlantis Pilot Chris
Ferguson, who will help with a lot of the robotic arm work, is confident. He said he’s been studying for four years
and he’s ready for his final exam.
“They’re high intensity ops, but I think we can do it,”
he said. “I think we’ve considered everything we can consider before flight. If we can get through the first seven
days, the rest is downhill. After Flight Day 7 – if it goes well – it gives us time, hopefully, to get some sleep.”
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/ shuttlemissions/sts115/mission_overview_prt.htm
Brandi Dean
NASA's Johnson Space
|
We recommend that you "right-click"
and then "open in new window" when accessing all links on this site. This technique is not much more complicated
and avoids losing your connection to the main site at Tripod.com. Close link pages at X icon to return to my site.
SUNDAY AUGUST 27, 2006 9:17 AM ET
SHUTTLE PROPOSED SUNDAY LAUNCH DELAYED BT LIGHTNING STRIKE REQUIRING
ONE DAY DELAY FOR INSPECTION.
|
Image above: Remote cameras captured a lightning strike at the launch pad on Friday. Photo
credit: NASA
+ Full Size Left Image | + Full Size Right Image
Engineers Continue to Study Lightning Strike
Shuttle managers held a Mission Management Team teleconference
Saturday night to discuss the latest information they had about potential effects from the lightning strike at the launch
pad Friday. At this point, there are no indications of damage from the strike. While several teams were able to clear their
systems of any concerns of impact from the strike, including the orbiter and external tank teams, the Solid Rocket Booster
(SRB) project had no data because its systems weren't on at the time of the strike. Managers decided to give the teams extra
time Sunday to look at all available data and determine whether the SRB could have seen high currents or voltage.
(Video
of Lightning Strike: + Real | + Windows)
The Mission Management Team will meet again at 6 p.m. EDT Sunday, instead of 10 a.m. as previously scheduled. A news
briefing on NASA TV will follow that meeting. No work will be done to preclude a launch attempt Monday, however the additional
analysis time will most likely move the launch to Tuesday.
The Crew and Mission Ahead
The STS-115 crew consists
of Commander Brent W. Jett Jr., Pilot Christopher J. Ferguson and Mission Specialists Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph
R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean, who represents the Canadian Space Agency.
+ Learn more about the crew
With this mission, NASA is ready to get back to building the International Space Station, marking the first time in
almost four years that a space station component has been added to the orbiting outpost. That also means the shuttle program
is coming up on some of the most challenging space missions ever.
+ Learn more about the mission
During their three spacewalks, crew members of Atlantis will install the P3/P4 integrated truss and a second set of
solar arrays on the space station, doubling the station’s current ability to generate power from sunlight and adding
17.5 tons to its mass.
+ Learn more about the truss
Media Resources
+ Press Kit (PDF 3.2 Mb)
+ STS-115 Fact Sheet (122 Kb PDF)
+ STS-115 TV Schedule
+ Aug. 25 Lightning Photos
+ View Images
|
|
| |
 |
|
 |
| |
|
| |
08.22.06 - Space Shuttle Web and TV Coverage
NASA TV and the agency's home on the
Internet, http://www.nasa.gov, will provide extensive prelaunch and launch day coverage of the Space Shuttle Atlantis mission
STS-115 to the International Space Station, scheduled for a Sunday, Aug. 27 launch.
+ Read More |
|
|
| |
08.21.06 - Shuttle Atlantis Events and Kennedy News Center Hours
News conferences,
events and operating hours for the NASA Kennedy Space Center News Center are set for the Aug. 27 launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis
on the STS-115 mission to the International Space Station.
+ Read More |
|
|
| |
+ View Archives |
|
Monday August 28, 2006
4:43 PM ET
Atlantis prepares for Ernesto. Hurricane beats
a Space Shuttle out in the open. Roll back planned or underway.
|
Ernesto Forces Atlantis Rollback Preparations
Image right: This vertical view of Hurricane Ernesto was taken
by the crew of the International Space Station on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, from an altitude of about 215 miles. At that time,
Ernesto was approaching Cuba and was expected to eventually make landfall on the coast of southern Florida. Photo credit: NASA
+ View Larger Image
NASA mission managers announced at a midmorning briefing today that rollback preparations
are proceeding, ensuring that Space Shuttle Atlantis would be safely back in the Vehicle Assembly Building before effects
from Tropical Storm Ernesto would be felt at the Kennedy Space Center on Florida's east coast.
Leroy Cain, mission
management team chairman, explained, "We pretty much did what we said we were going to do. We got together this morning and
talked about it and didn't see any significant change for the good."
"We'd like to get off the pad tomorrow morning
if at all possible," said Launch Director Mike Leinbach. "Based on tomorrow afternoon's local weather, we'd much rather be
back in the VAB earlier rather than later."
Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters described the effects that the Kennedy Space Center
could receive from Ernesto if the current track and strength holds, predicting tropical storm force winds Wednesday morning
and hurricane force winds by 5 p.m. EDT.
Earlier in the day, mission managers decided to scrub Tuesday's scheduled
launch attempt, since rollback would need to start by mid-day.
NASA's launch window extends to Sept. 13, but mission
managers were hoping to launch by Sept. 7 to avoid a conflict with a Russian Soyuz rocket also bound for the International
Space Station. Officials are talking with our Russian partners about the issue. Atlantis would require eight days of launch
preparations once it was returned to Launch Pad 39B.
+ Previous Shuttle Rollbacks
The Crew and Mission Ahead
The STS-115 crew consists
of Commander Brent W. Jett Jr., Pilot Christopher J. Ferguson and Mission Specialists Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph
R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean, who represents the Canadian Space Agency.
+ Learn more about the
crew
With this mission, NASA is ready to get back to building the International Space Station,
marking the first time in almost four years that a space station component has been added to the orbiting outpost. That also
means the shuttle program is coming up on some of the most challenging space missions ever.
+ Learn more about the
mission
During their three spacewalks, crew members of Atlantis will install the P3/P4 integrated
truss and a second set of solar arrays on the space station, doubling the station’s current ability to generate power
from sunlight and adding 17.5 tons to its mass.
+ Learn more about the
truss
Media Resources
+ Press Kit (PDF 3.2
Mb)
+ STS-115 Fact Sheet
(122 Kb PDF)
+ STS-115 TV Schedule
+ Aug. 25 Lightning
Photos
+ View Images |
Saturday September 2, 2006 4:39PM
LAUNCH HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED BECAUSE HURRICANE ERNESTO. DETAILS TO FOLLOW.
The six Atlantis crew members flew Saturday morning from their home base in Houston to the Kennedy
Space Center in Florida, where they will begin final launch preparations for mission STS-115.
The countdown officially
begins at 8 a.m. Sunday, at the T-43 hour mark, which includes over 30 hours of built-in hold time prior to a targeted 12:29
p.m. EDT launch on Wednesday. The launch time is the middle point in the launch window that extends for 10 minutes.
Atlantis'
Crew and Mission
The STS-115 crew consists of Commander Brent W. Jett Jr., Pilot Christopher J. Ferguson and Mission
Specialists Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean, who represents the
Canadian Space Agency.
+ Learn more about the crewWith this mission, NASA is ready to get back to building the International Space Station, marking
the first time in almost four years that a space station component has been added to the orbiting outpost. That also means
the shuttle program is coming up on some of the most challenging space missions ever.
+ Learn more about the missionDuring their three spacewalks, crew members of Atlantis will install the P3/P4 integrated truss
and a second set of solar arrays on the space station, doubling the station’s current ability to generate power from
sunlight and adding 17.5 tons to its mass.
+ Learn more about the truss
SHUTTLE SAFETY OPERATION WAS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY.
|
 |
|
|
Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749
Bruce Buckingham
Kennedy
Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
|
Aug. 29, 2006 |
RELEASE: 06-303
| NASA Decides to Move Shuttle Atlantis Off Launch Pad
NASA has decided to roll the Space Shuttle Atlantis off its launch pad and back inside the protection
of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The roll back is targeted to start at approximately 10:05
a.m. EDT Tuesday.
The decision was made due to Tropical Storm Ernesto's track. Ernesto is expected to bring high winds
as it passes Kennedy.
A new launch date is not yet scheduled for Atlantis' flight, STS-115, to the International Space
Station. NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency continue to discuss the timing of Atlantis’ mission and the Soyuz
spacecraft, which will send the next crew to the station in September. Factors to be considered are the lighting constraints
for the shuttle launch and Soyuz landing and the timing for docking and undocking the spacecraft with the station. NASA is
also investigating additional launch windows later in the fall.
The STS-115 crew will return to NASA's Johnson Space
Center, Houston. Commander Brent Jett, Pilot Chris Ferguson, and mission specialists Joe Tanner, Dan Burbank, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper
and Canadian astronaut Steve MacLean will continue training as they await a new target launch date.
During STS-115,
Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like
truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics. The P3/P4 truss segment will provide one-fourth
of the total power-generation capability for the completed station.
For information about the STS-115 crew and mission,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
| |
We recommend that you "right-click"
and then "open in new window" when accessing all links on this site. This technique is not much more complicated
and avoids losing your connection to the main site at Tripod.com. Close link pages at X icon to return to my site.
ROLLBACK OPERATIONS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
|
|
|
|
Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-4769
Bruce Buckingham
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
|
Aug. 29, 2006 |
RELEASE: 06-304
| Shuttle Atlantis Rolls Back to Launch
Pad to Ride Out Ernesto
NASA managers decided early Tuesday to move the
Space Shuttle Atlantis from its launch pad into the Vehicle Assembly Building for protection from approaching Tropical Storm
Ernesto, but later in the day, when the weather forecast improved, they reversed the decision and began moving Atlantis back
to the pad.
Assessments of updated weather forecasts convinced shuttle managers that Atlantis would be protected from
the storm at the pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Atlantis is expected to be locked down at the launch pad
about 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday. The rotating service structure, which will surround the spacecraft and serve as a protective barrier
from the storm, will be put around Atlantis about 30 minutes later.
Depending on the effects of Ernesto on Kennedy,
a new launch date for Atlantis’ STS-115 mission to the International Space Station could be set once storm damage is
evaluated and work resumes at the launch pad. A launch attempt may be possible next week.
Kennedy is expected to close
ahead of the storm late Tuesday and remain closed until at least Thursday. The center’s emergency operations personnel
will stay on-site to monitor the storm and make initial damage assessments after it passes.
The STS-115 crew, Commander
Brent Jett, Pilot Chris Ferguson, mission specialists Joe Tanner, Dan Burbank, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Canadian astronaut
Steve MacLean, returned to NASA’s Johnson Space Center Tuesday morning. Crew members would return to Kennedy after a
new launch date is scheduled.
During STS-115, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized
P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated
electronics. The P3/P4 truss segment will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station.
For information about the STS-115 crew and mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle | |
We recommend that you "right-click"
and then "open in new window" when accessing all links on this site. This technique is not much more complicated
and avoids losing your connection to the main site at Tripod.com. Close link pages at X icon to return to my site.
STS 115 set to launch Wednesday September 6, 2006
Tuesday September 5, 2006 5:10 PM ET
------------------------------------
|
STS 115 set to launch Wednesday September 6, 2006
Tuesday September 5, 2006 5:10 PM ET
STS-115 Crew
Prepares for Launch
Image above: The Atlantis crew gathers on the runway of the Shuttle Landing
Facility in Florida after arriving in NASA T-38 jets Saturday morning. Photo credit: NASA
+ View Larger Image
STS-115 Mission Management Team Briefing
Update
During this morning's status briefing from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Space Shuttle Program Director
Wayne Hale said that the mission management team had a really good review.
"We as a management team need to meet everyday
on a regular schedule to make sure we have properly reviewed the entire launch system."
Leroy Cain, Launch Integration
Manager said, "We had a good weather briefing, we are working no issues and the vehicle is in really good shape."
"The
countdown is going extremely well, we are not tracking any problems," said Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach. "We will
just deal with the weather and if we get the RSS back before the weather that's just fine or we'll just wait for it to pass."
"We are not tracking any issues on the vehicle or the ground side to prevent us from tanking tomorrow."
Launch Weather
Officer Kathy Winters reported that afternoon thunderstorms are expected today. "We are a little more concerned about launch
day then we were yesterday. It is a little more moist and so we are going to bump up our numbers from 10% to a 30% chance
of KSC weather prohibiting launch." The forecast for a 24 to 48 hour period if the launch is delayed remains the same at a
30% chance of weather violation.
This afternoon at Launch Pad 39B, the rotating service structure will move away from
the shuttle and Atlantis will stand ready for liftoff.
The countdown officially began at 8 a.m. Sunday, at the T-43
hour mark, which includes over 30 hours of built-in hold time prior to a targeted 12:29 p.m. launch on Wednesday. The launch
time is the middle point in the launch window that extends for 10 minutes.
Atlantis' Crew and Mission
The
STS-115 crew consists of Commander Brent W. Jett Jr., Pilot Christopher J. Ferguson and Mission Specialists Heidemarie M.
Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean, who represents the Canadian Space Agency.
+ Learn more about the crew
With this mission, NASA is ready to get back
to building the International Space Station, marking the first time in almost four years that a space station component has
been added to the orbiting outpost. That also means the shuttle program is coming up on some of the most challenging space
missions ever.
+ Learn more about the mission
During their three spacewalks, crew members
of Atlantis will install the P3/P4 integrated truss and a second set of solar arrays on the space station, doubling the station’s
current ability to generate power from sunlight and adding 17.5 tons to its mass.
+ Learn more about the truss
Media Resources
+ Press Kit (PDF 3.2 Mb)
+ STS-115 Fact Sheet (122 Kb PDF)
+ STS-115 TV Schedule
+ View Images
|
We recommend that you "right-click"
and then "open in new window" when accessing all links on this site. This technique is not much more complicated
and avoids losing your connection to the main site at Tripod.com. Close link pages at X icon to return to my site.
STS 115 set to launch Wednesday
September 6, 2006
Tuesday September 5, 2006 5:10 PM ET
------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
STS-115 Crew Prepares for Launch
Image above: The Atlantis crew gathers on the runway of the Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida
after arriving in NASA T-38 jets Saturday morning. Photo credit: NASA
+ View Larger Image
STS-115 Mission Management Team Briefing Update
During this morning's status briefing from Kennedy Space
Center in Florida, Space Shuttle Program Director Wayne Hale said that the mission management team had a really good review.
"We as a management team need to meet everyday on a regular schedule to make sure we have properly reviewed the entire
launch system."
Leroy Cain, Launch Integration Manager said, "We had a good weather briefing, we are working no issues
and the vehicle is in really good shape."
"The countdown is going extremely well, we are not tracking any problems,"
said Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach. "We will just deal with the weather and if we get the RSS back before the weather
that's just fine or we'll just wait for it to pass." "We are not tracking any issues on the vehicle or the ground side to
prevent us from tanking tomorrow."
Launch Weather Officer Kathy Winters reported that afternoon thunderstorms are
expected today. "We are a little more concerned about launch day then we were yesterday. It is a little more moist and so
we are going to bump up our numbers from 10% to a 30% chance of KSC weather prohibiting launch." The forecast for a 24 to
48 hour period if the launch is delayed remains the same at a 30% chance of weather violation.
This afternoon at Launch
Pad 39B, the rotating service structure will move away from the shuttle and Atlantis will stand ready for liftoff.
The
countdown officially began at 8 a.m. Sunday, at the T-43 hour mark, which includes over 30 hours of built-in hold time prior
to a targeted 12:29 p.m. launch on Wednesday. The launch time is the middle point in the launch window that extends for 10
minutes.
Atlantis' Crew and Mission
The STS-115 crew consists of Commander Brent W. Jett Jr., Pilot Christopher
J. Ferguson and Mission Specialists Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean,
who represents the Canadian Space Agency.
+ Learn more about the crew
With this mission, NASA is ready to get back to building the International Space Station, marking the first time in
almost four years that a space station component has been added to the orbiting outpost. That also means the shuttle program
is coming up on some of the most challenging space missions ever.
+ Learn more about the mission
During their three spacewalks, crew members of Atlantis will install the P3/P4 integrated truss and a second set of
solar arrays on the space station, doubling the station’s current ability to generate power from sunlight and adding
17.5 tons to its mass.
+ Learn more about the truss
Media Resources
+ Press Kit (PDF 3.2 Mb)
+ STS-115 Fact Sheet (122 Kb PDF)
+ STS-115 TV Schedule
+ View Images
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
08.29.06 - Atlantis Rolls Back to Launch Pad
Improving forecasts for Ernesto may
allow for launch next week.
+ Read More |
|
|
| |
08.29.06 - NASA TV Providing Live Video of Shuttle Atlantis Rollback
NASA TV is
providing live video from the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., of Space Shuttle Atlantis' rollback to the Vehicle Assembly Building.
+ Read More |
|
|
| |
+ View Archives |
| |
 |
|
------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------
We recommend that you "right-click"
and then "open in new window" when accessing all links on this site. This technique is not much more complicated
and avoids losing your connection to the main site at Tripod.com. Close link pages at X icon to return to my site.
| CLICK THIS ICON AGAIN AT NASA FOR DEMONSTRATOR |
|
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2006 12:01 PM ET
LAUNCH OF ATLANTIS STS-115 DELAYED
AGAIN.
Last
day problems in electrical systems delayed launch for inspections. Recent weather activity has enhanced the possibilty of
hidden difficulties.
| STA-115 ATLANTIS AWAITING GO FOR LAUNCH. |
|
Sept. 6, 2006
Tracy Young/Allard Beutel
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
RELEASE: 06-311
NASA POSTPONES SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS LAUNCH
NASA has delayed Wednesday's launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on its
STS-115 mission to the International Space Station. Shuttle Program
managers made the decision early Wednesday morning due to a problem
that occurred during the activation of one of the shuttle's three
electricity-producing fuel cells.
Teams are evaluating data on that might have caused a voltage spike in the fuel cell's coolant pump that cools the
fuel cell system.
Mission managers will hold a meeting at 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday to assess the issue. There will be a news conference on NASA TV at the conclusion of the meeting. During STS-115, the astronauts will deliver and install a girder-like
structure, known as the P3/P4 truss
aboard the station. The 35,000-pound
piece includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics. The arrays eventually will double the station's power capability.
Atlantis' crew, Commander Brent Jett, Pilot Chris Ferguson and mission
specialists Dan Burbank, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joe Tanner and
Steve MacLean, a Canadian Space Agency astronaut, remains at Kennedy
Space Center.
For the latest information about
the STS-115 mission
and its crew visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
-end-
We recommend that you "right-click"
and then "open in new window" when accessing all links on this site. This technique is not much more complicated
and avoids losing your connection to the main site at Tripod.com. Close link pages at X icon to return to my site.
| CLICK PICTURE TO VISIT SHUTTLE MISSION COVERAGE |
|
|
| NASA TELEVISION AVAILABLE ONLINE |
|
Launch Delayed by Fuel Cell Problem
The launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis was postponed today for at least 24
hours due to a problem that occurred Tuesday night during the activation of one of the shuttle's three electricity-producing
fuel cells. A spike and drop in voltage was noticed on fuel cell number one. Troubleshooting is ongoing, and the problem has
been isolated to a coolant pump that helps cool the fuel cell system.
The Mission Management Team is scheduled to meet
at 1p.m. EDT today to review more data and assess the problem, and a news conference will follow.
+ Watch NASA TV
Space Shuttle Fuel Cells
The space shuttle's fuel cell system is made up of three cells, which are located
under the payload bay liner in the forward portion of the orbiter's midfuselage. Each 255-pound reusable cell is 14 inches
high, 15 inches wide and 40 inches long. The three cells operate as independent electrical power sources that generate heat
and water as by-products of the power generation. The water is stored and used for the environmental control and life support
system.
+ Learn More
Atlantis' Crew and Mission
The STS-115 crew consists of Commander Brent W. Jett Jr., Pilot Christopher
J. Ferguson and Mission Specialists Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean,
who represents the Canadian Space Agency.
+ Learn more about the crew
With this mission, NASA is ready to get back to building the International Space Station, marking the first time in
almost four years that a space station component has been added to the orbiting outpost. That also means the shuttle program
is coming up on some of the most challenging space missions ever.
+ Learn more about the mission
During their three spacewalks, crew members of Atlantis will install the P3/P4 integrated truss and a second set of
solar arrays on the space station, doubling the station’s current ability to generate power from sunlight and adding
17.5 tons to its mass.
+ Learn more about the truss
Media Resources
+ Press Kit (PDF 3.2 Mb)
+ STS-115 Fact Sheet (122 Kb PDF)
+ STS-115 TV Schedule
+ View Images
|
We recommend that you "right-click"
and then "open in new window" when accessing all links on this site. This technique is not much more complicated
and avoids losing your connection to the main site at Tripod.com. Close link pages at X icon to return to my site.
Saturday
September 9, 2006
11:06AM
SAT SEP
9 2006
GO FOR LAUNCH! "LIFT
OFF" WILL BE HEARD SOON. FUEL CELL PROBLEM GIVE "GO". FUEL GUAGE PROBLEM MARGINAL.
SATURDAY SEPT 9, 2006
ATLANTIS LAUNCHES !!
Atlantis In Final Hold of Countdown
Sept. 9, 10:55 a.m. EDT
The countdown to launch
of Space Shuttle Atlantis is currently in the final 40-minute "hold," freezing the clock at nine minutes to go. The hold gives
the crew and controllers time to make any last minutes checks of the weather and vehicle functions before starting the final
countdown to fire the space shuttle's engines. The clock will begin ticking again at 11:06 a.m. and signal the handover of
the countdown from launch control to Atlantis' systems and a special computer called the Ground Launch Sequencer.
Follow
our live coverage today!
+ NASA's Launch Blog
+ NASA TV
Atlantis' Crew and Mission
The STS-115 crew consists of Commander Brent W. Jett Jr., Pilot Christopher
J. Ferguson and Mission Specialists Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean,
who represents the Canadian Space Agency.
+ Learn more about the crew
With this mission, NASA is ready to get back to building the International Space Station, marking the first time in
almost four years that a space station component has been added to the orbiting outpost. That also means the shuttle program
is coming up on some of the most challenging space missions ever.
+ Learn more about the mission
During their three spacewalks, crew members of Atlantis will install the P3/P4 integrated truss and a second set of
solar arrays on the space station, doubling the station’s current ability to generate power from sunlight and adding
17.5 tons to its mass.
+ Learn more about the truss
Media Resources
+ Press Kit (PDF 3.2 Mb)
+ STS-115 Fact Sheet (122 Kb PDF)
+ STS-115 TV Schedule
+ View Images
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
09.08.06 - NASA Launch Aims for Shuttle Launch Saturday
Sensor failure postpones
Friday's attempt.
+ Read More |
|
|
| |
09.06.06 - NASA Aims for Friday Launch Attempt
Engineers continue to analyze a
problem with one of the shuttle's fuel cells.
+ Read More |
|
|
| |
+ View Archives |
|
| UP UP AND AWAY |
|
|
| STS 115 ATLANTIS LAUNCHES SEPT 9 2006 |
|
|
Liftoff! Atlantis is Space Station Bound
Sept. 9, 11:15 a.m. EDT
Space Shuttle Atlantis
lifted off from Kennedy Space Center and charged into the midday Florida sky on a mission to boost power on the International
Space Station. The launch was on time, with liftoff at 11:15 a.m. EDT. Over the 11-day mission, the six-member crew will perform
three spacewalks to install the P3/P4 integrated truss and solar arrays on the station, doubling the current power generating
capability of the orbiting outpost.
NASA TV will carry a post-launch news conference at approximately one hour after
liftoff.
+ Watch NASA TV
Follow our live coverage today!
+ NASA's Launch Blog
Atlantis' Crew and Mission
The STS-115 crew consists of Commander Brent W. Jett Jr., Pilot Christopher J. Ferguson
and Mission Specialists Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean, who represents
the Canadian Space Agency.
+ Learn more about the crew
With this mission, NASA is ready to get back to building the International Space Station, marking the first time in
almost four years that a space station component has been added to the orbiting outpost. That also means the shuttle program
is coming up on some of the most challenging space missions ever.
+ Learn more about the mission
During their three spacewalks, crew members of Atlantis will install the P3/P4 integrated truss and a second set of
solar arrays on the space station, doubling the station’s current ability to generate power from sunlight and adding
17.5 tons to its mass.
+ Learn more about the truss
Media Resources
+ Press Kit (PDF 3.2 Mb)
+ STS-115 Fact Sheet (122 Kb PDF)
+ STS-115 TV Schedule
+ View Images
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
From NASA STS-115 Launch Blog Sept 9 2006
The LAUNCH BLOG is a DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS WHICH CEASES AFTER THE LAUNCH SEQUENCE IS COMPLETED.
11:23 a.m. - Main Engine Cut-Off and jettison of the external tank! Atlantis has reached orbit. Commander
Brent Jett confirms a good separation. As the ET falls away it will be photographed.
11:22 a.m. - 7 minutes and 20
seconds into the flight.
11:21 a.m. - A little less than two and a half minutes of powered flight remaining. Atlantis
has been told to "press to MECO" which means Atlantis could reach a safe orbit on two engines but all three are working fine.
11:20 a.m. - Atlantis is 65 statute miles downrange from the Kennedy Space Center.
11:16 a.m. - Mission-elapsed time two minutes, five seconds and Atlantis'
twin solid rocket boosters have separated successfully.
Atlantis has rolled back to a heads-up position now as it soars
toward orbit.
11:14:55 a.m. - LIFTOFF!!! 3...2...1...and liftoff of Space Shuttle Atlantis...opening a new chapter
in the completion of the International Space Station...for the future of collaboration of nations in space.
11:13
a.m. - T- 2 minutes The Shuttle Atlantis crew has been advised to close and lock the visors on their launch-and-entry helmets.
T-16 seconds The launch pad's Water Sound Suppression System begins flooding the Mobile Launcher
Platform with 300,000 gallons of water. The system protects the shuttle and its payloads from any damage cause by energy generated
during launch.
T- 10 seconds Flares ignite under Atlantis' three main engines and burn away any residual hydrogen that
may have collected near the main engine nozzles.
Half a minute into its climb, Atlantis' main engines will throttle
down to about 72 percent. The engines will throttle back up to 104 percent about a minute into flight, just before the vehicles
passes through maximum aerodynamic pressure known as Max Q.
11:10 a.m. - APU pre-start is complete and the units are
ready for activation. The orbiter's "black boxes" to record flight data are now in the recording mode and will continue with
data collection of the shuttle systems performance during the flight.
11:08 a.m. - Pilot Chris Ferguson has been given
the "go" for APU start. He is flipping the three switches inside Atlantis' cockpit to start each of the three Auxilary Power
Units.
11:07 a.m. - The Orbiter Access Arm (OAA) is being retracted from Space Shuttle Atlantis. In an emergency,
it could be returned to its extended position in just 28 seconds if necessary. The White Room, which only a few hours ago
provided access to Atlantis' crew module, is at the tip of the OAA.
11:05 a.m. - We are at T-9 minutes and counting.
11:00 a.m. - Launch Director Mike Leinbach is performing his poll for "go/no-go" for launch. The team is go! He wished
"Godspeed" to the crew.
10:56 a.m. - The Shuttle Training Aircraft is checking the landing facility again for possible
weather ceiling constraints at the return to launch site. The STA reports that the weather seems to be improving and is less
than our constraints.
10:45 a.m. - The roll and pitch program will begin 10 seconds after Atlantis lifts off. The space
shuttle will go through the region of maximum dynamic pressure at 49 seconds into the flight, and the solid rocket booster
separation will occur at 2:05 minutes after launch. The orbital maneuvering system engines will begin firing at T+2:15 for
just under three minutes to provide additional thrust. The shuttle will roll back to a heads-up position at 5 minutes 47 seconds
in flight. The main engine cutoff will occur at 8 minutes 30 seconds after launch. The external tank will be jettisoned twenty
seconds later.
At that time, Atlantis will be in an elliptical orbit of 137 statute miles by 36 statute miles. Then
45 minutes after launch, there will be a 2-minute burn of the orbital maneuvering system to raise the perigee, creating a
more circular orbit of 143 by 116 statute miles. Atlantis' orbit will then gradually be raised and further circularized to
rendezvous with the International Space Station which is at an altitude of 218 miles.
The primary overseas landing
site is Moron, Spain, with Istres, France serving as back-up site.
The Zaragoza, Spain site is under a threat
of thunderstorms. The primary abort-once-around location is the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy
Space Center, with the back-up site being
White Sands Space
Harbor in New Mexico.
The primary end-of-mission site is the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, and the alternate landing site is the Dryden
Flight Research Facility at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
10:34
a.m. - This is the 27th flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis, which was delivered to the Kennedy
Space Center in April, 1985.
Atlantis' last launch was Oct. 7, 2002, carrying the S-1 Truss to the International Space Station. It was the fourth spaceship
in the orbiter fleet, and first lifted off on Oct. 3, 1985, on the second Air Force dedicated mission. Atlantis is named after
a two-masted sailing ship that was operated for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute between 1930 and 1966. Two of the most
notable payloads it has flown are Galileo and Magellan.
10:20 a.m. - We are at T-9 minutes and holding. The duration
of this hold will be 41 minutes 39 seconds.
Did You Know?
The STS-115
crew members were announced in February 2002 and have been training together for more than four years.
10:16 a.m.
- Water levels in the water spray boilers are about to be checked to make sure they are sufficient for launch. The helium
system is being configured for launch. We will be entering our final hold in approximately three minutes.
10:09 a.m.
- We are now at T-20 minutes and counting. The one remaining hold in the countdown will occur at T-9 minutes and last for
about 40 minutes.
10:06 a.m. - Launch Pad 39B has now been cleared all non-essential personnel.
10:03 a.m.
- NASA Test Director Jeff Spaulding is giving the T-20 minute briefing
with final instructions to the launch team and STS-115 astronauts.
9:59 a.m. - We are now at the T-20 minute hold,
which will last for ten minutes.
9:54 a.m. - The closeout crew has left Launch Pad 39B but will stand ready to return
if there should be a launch scrub. Along with emergency crews, they remain available until after liftoff.
9:45 a.m.
- The astronauts flying in the Shuttle Training Aircraft are heading out to check the status of a cloud to our west which
could potentially become an issue with our launch weather criteria.
 Thursday September 21, 2006 10:24AM
|
The Space Shuttle Atlantis and
its crew are home after a 12-day journey of more than 4.9 million miles in space. The mission, STS-115, succeeded in restarting
assembly of the International Space Station. The crew delivered and installed the massive P3/P4 truss, an integral part of
the station's backbone, and two sets of solar arrays that will eventually provide one quarter of the station's power.
Atlantis'
Commander Brent Jett, Pilot Chris Ferguson and mission specialists Joe Tanner, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Dan Burbank,
and Steve MacLean, a Canadian astronaut, landed Thursday, Sept. 21, at NASA's Kennedy
Space Center, Fla., at 6:21 a.m. EDT. After landing, Jett told Mission
Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center, "Thanks, Houston. It's nice
to be back. It was a great team effort, so I think assembly's off to a good start."
The flight was the first in a series
of missions that will be among the most complex in space history. Atlantis delivered the first major new component to the
station since 2002 and laid the groundwork for upcoming station assembly missions.
STS-115 is one of the most photographed
shuttle missions ever, with more than 100 high-definition, digital, video and film cameras documenting the launch and climb
to orbit. Data from these images, as well as station and shuttle crew inspection, helped to clear Atlantis' thermal protection
system for return only two and a half days after launch.
Tanner, Piper, Burbank
and MacLean, with the help of crewmates, made three spacewalks that completed truss installation, enabled solar arrays to
be deployed and prepared an important radiator for later activation. They also installed a signal processor and transponder
that transmits voice and data to the ground and performed other tasks to upgrade and protect the station's systems.
A
new procedure called a "camp out" was implemented, in which astronauts slept in the Quest airlock prior to their spacewalks.
The process shortens the "prebreathe" time during which nitrogen is purged from the astronauts' systems and air pressure is
lowered so the spacewalkers avoid the condition known as the bends. On each of the three spacewalks, the astronauts were able
to perform more than the number of scheduled activities.
The astronauts performed unprecedented robotics work. They
used the shuttle's arm in a delicate maneuver to hand off the school bus-sized truss to the station's arm. The 45-foot truss
weighs 35,000 pounds. The arrays at the end of the truss extended to their full 240-foot wingspan once they unfurled on flight
day six. The astronauts also moved the station's robotic arm to a position where it will assist in the next phase of station
construction.
After Atlantis undocked from the station, it did the first full fly around of the facility since prior
to the Space Shuttle Columbia accident. The maneuver helped ground crews get a better perspective on the station’s environment
and overall exterior health.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper made a call during the mission to astronaut Steve
MacLean to congratulate him on being the first Canadian to operate Canadarm2, the station's Canadian-built robotic arm.
After
undocking, the Atlantis crew participated in a first-ever three-way call with the Expedition 13 crew aboard the International
Space Station and the three crew members of the Soyuz spacecraft on its way to the station. All 12 astronauts in space at
that time were able to have a conversation.
With Atlantis and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the next stage
of International Space Station assembly. Preparations continue for Space Shuttle Discovery's launch, targeted for mid-December,
on the STS-116 mission to deliver an additional truss segment and a cargo module to the station. Discovery will also do extensive
work on the station's electrical and cooling systems.
For more on the STS-115 mission and the upcoming STS-116 mission,
visit:
|
|
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
- end -
text-only version of this release |
|
