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NASA's Landing Blog - Mission STS-116
by Arthur Rowe 20 Dec '06

20 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 LANDING COVERAGE NASA's Landing Blog - Mission STS-116 *NASA's landing blog will begin live coverage at 2 p.m. EST on Dec. 22, 2006. * *Did you know? * Unlike space shuttle launches for which a "go" for liftoff can be given within minutes of changing weather conditions during the launch window, the landing site must be chosen more than an hour before touchdown, when the deorbit burn takes place. A switch in sites usually can be made up to 90 minutes prior to landing. The orbiter touches down on the surface of the Shuttle Landing Facility at a speed of 213 to 226 mph. Its initial landing approach is a glide slope of 20 degrees, more than six times steeper than the 3-degree slope of a typical commercial jet airliner as it approaches landing. *The Shuttle Landing Facility* At 15,000 feet long and 300 feet wide, the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center is larger than most commercial runways. For comparison, consider this: the longest runway at Los Angeles International Airport is 12,091 feet long and 150 feet wide -- 2,909 feet shorter and 150 feet narrower than the Shuttle Landing Facility. Although it is used by military and civilian cargo carriers, astronaut T-38 trainers, shuttle training aircraft and helicopters, the facility was specifically designed for end-of-mission shuttle orbiter landings. The Shuttle Landing Facility consists of a single landing strip that is considered two runways, depending on approach. If approaching from the northwest, landing will be on Runway 15; from the southeast, landing will be on Runway 33. With more than 330 native and migratory bird species at Kennedy, birds present a special hazard to landing orbiters. Selective grass-cutting, pyrotechnic and noise-making devices may be used to discourage birds around the facility. When the space shuttle clears the launch tower moments after liftoff, control is officially handed from Kennedy to Johnson Space Center in Houston, which maintains control of on-orbit activities and landing operations. Orbiter responsibility is handed from Johnson back to Kennedy after vehicle cool-down and crew departure, typically about an hour after touchdown. Immediately following landing, 20 to 30 specially-designed Kennedy vehicles and units report to the runway. Their activities include safing the orbiter, assisting in crew departure and towing the vehicle to processing facilities.

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Space Shuttle Mission STS-116
by Arthur Rowe 19 Dec '06

19 Dec '06

*Space Shuttle Mission STS-116* *Orbiter*: Discovery <http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/discovery-in…> *Mission*: Space Station Assembly Building 12A.1 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts116/mission_ov…> *Payload*: P5 Integrated Truss Segment <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/its.html> *Launch Date*: Dec. 9, 2006 *Launch Time*: 8:47 p.m. EST *Launch Pad*: 39B <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch-complex39-toc.html> *Landing Date*: Dec. 22, 2006 *Landing Time*: 3:56 p.m. EST (2056 UTC) *Mission Duration*: 12 days, 19 hours, 9 minutes

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STS-116 Leaves New Truss Segment, Crew Member With
by Arthur Rowe 19 Dec '06

19 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 The STS-116 crew’s stay at the International Space Station came to an end Tuesday when Space Shuttle Discovery undocked at 5:10 p.m. EST. During its eight-day visit, the STS-116 crew added a new truss segment to the station, delivered a new crew member and rewired the orbital outpost’s power system. The STS-116 crew conducted three spacewalks to install the P5 integrated truss segment and rewire the station’s power system. The P5 spacer segment’s attachment to the P4 sets the stage for the relocation of the P6 and its set of solar arrays. The rewiring activities put the station’s power system in a permanent setup. A fourth spacewalk was conducted to assist in the retraction of the troublesome port solar array on the P6. Astronaut Sunita Williams, who arrived at the station with the STS-116 mission, replaced European Space Agency Astronaut Thomas Reiter on the Expedition 14 crew at midnight Tuesday, Dec. 12. Williams will remain a member of Expedition 14 until Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin are relieved by Expedition 15 in March 2007. Williams will finish her remaining time of her six-month tour of duty on the station as a member of Expedition 15. Reiter will return to Earth with STS-116. Also, the STS-116 and Expedition 14 crews worked together to transfer 4,292 pounds of supplies and equipment delivered to the station by Discovery. The two crews have also transferred 3,725 pounds of cargo that will return to Earth with STS-116. STS-117 is scheduled to visit the station in March. For the latest news and information on STS-116, visit the main shuttle page. + Read more <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html>

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STS-116 Nears End of Busy Stay at Station
by Arthur Rowe 19 Dec '06

19 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 STS-116 Nears End of Busy Stay at Station ISS014-E-08936 --- Full moon Image above: This view of a full moon was photographed by an Expedition 14 crewmember onboard the International Space Station. Earth's horizon and airglow is visible at left. Image credit: NASA The STS-116 crew’s stay at the International Space Station is winding down. Space Shuttle Discovery and its crew are slated to leave Tuesday to conclude an eight-day stay in which STS-116 added a new truss segment to the station, delivered a new crew member and rewired the orbital outpost’s power system. Discovery is scheduled to undock from the station at 5:09 p.m. EST Tuesday. The STS-116 crew conducted three spacewalks to install the P5 integrated truss segment and rewire the station’s power system. The P5 spacer segment’s attachment to the P4 sets the stage for the relocation of the P6 and its set of solar arrays. The rewiring activities put the station’s power system in a permanent setup. A fourth spacewalk was conducted to assist in the retraction of the troublesome port solar array on the P6. The P5’s installation is not the only change that the station has undergone since Space Shuttle Discovery docked last week. Sunita Williams, who arrived at the station with the STS-116 mission, replaced European Space Agency Astronaut Thomas Reiter on the Expedition 14 crew at midnight Tuesday, Dec. 12. Williams will remain a member of Expedition 14 until Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin are relieved by Expedition 15 in March 2007. Williams will finish her remaining time of her six-month tour of duty on the station as a member of Expedition 15. Reiter will return to Earth with STS-116. Also, the STS-116 and Expedition 14 crews have worked together to transfer 4,292 pounds of supplies and equipment delivered to the station by Discovery. The two crews have also transferred 3,725 pounds of cargo that will return to Earth with STS-116. For the latest news and information on STS-116, visit the main shuttle page. + Read more

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Hatches Close, Discovery Prepares for Undocking
by Arthur Rowe 19 Dec '06

19 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Hatches Close, Discovery Prepares for UndockingSAREX STS-116 and Expedition 14 crews gather for photo Image above: The STS-116 and Expedition 14 crews gather for a group photo before saying their final farewells. Image Credit: NASA The STS-116 crew bid farewell to the International Space Station’s Expedition 14 crew before entering Space Shuttle Discovery. The hatches closed between the two vehicles at 2:42 p.m. EST. Attention now turns to undocking at 5:09 p.m.est The two crews will conduct leak checks before Discovery undocks. After the two vehicles unlink, Pilot Bill Oefelein will guide the shuttle through a partial fly-around of the space station before firing shuttle jets to begin the journey home. Discovery is scheduled to land at 3:56 p.m. Friday at the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. STS-116 is wrapping up an eight-day stay at the station. The crew continued the on-orbit construction of the station with the addition of the P5 spacer truss segment during the first of four spacewalks. The next two spacewalks were devoted to the rewiring of the station’s power system, leaving it in a permanent setup. A fourth spacewalk was added to allow the crew to retract solar arrays that had folded improperly. Discovery also delivered a new crew member and more than two tons of equipment and supplies to the station. Almost two tons of items no longer needed on the station will return to Earth with STS-116. For the latest news and information on the International Space Station and the Expedition 14 crew, please visit the main station page. + Read more

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STS-116 MCC Status Report #20
by Arthur Rowe 19 Dec '06

19 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC 8:30 a.m. CST Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006 Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas 12.19.06 STATUS REPORT: STS-116-20 STS-116 MCC Status Report #20 Space Shuttle Discovery astronauts will leave the orbiting laboratory today after four successful spacewalks, delivery and installation of a new segment of the International Space Station’s main truss and reconfiguring the station’s power system. During their eight days docked to the station, the shuttle crew also dropped off more than two tons of additional equipment and supplies and a new station crew member. After some final equipment transfers between the two spacecraft, Discovery crew members will bid their station colleagues farewell. Hatch closing is scheduled for 12:57 p.m. CST. Undocking is to occur at 4:09 p.m.(5:09 EST - 1009 UTC) With Pilot Bill Oefelein at the controls, Discovery will slowly move away from the station. A partial fly-around of the station will give the crew a look at the orbiting laboratory, with its new P5 spacer truss segment and the port wing of the P6 solar array fully retracted and firmly secured in its retention box. Discovery will begin its departure from the area at about 6 p.m. The crew is to begin its scheduled sleep period at 10:47 p.m. Landing is scheduled for 2:56 p.m. CST Friday at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Highlights of docked operations include the four spacewalks. Mission Specialist Bob Curbeam participated in all of them, giving him the record for the number of spacewalks during a single shuttle mission. He teamed up with Sunita Williams, the new station crewmember for the third spacewalk, and with Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang for the other three. The first spacewalk was for the P5 truss segment installation, the second and third focused on the power reconfiguration, and the fourth was dedicated to completing retraction of the port solar wing of the P6 truss. The P6 arrays were deployed in late 2000. On Wednesday almost half the port wing was retracted, leaving 17 bays out. Saturday spacewalkers Curbeam and Williams helped retract six more bays. In a dramatic Monday spacewalk, Curbeam and Fuglesang helped complete the retraction. Discovery crewmembers -- Commander Mark Polansky, Oefelein and Mission Specialists Nicholas Patrick, Curbeam, Fuglesang, Joan Higginbotham and Thomas Reiter, the European Space Agency astronaut from Germany who will be coming home after about six months in space -- were awakened at 7:47 a.m. CST to “The Zamboni Song,” performed by the Gear Daddies. The song, dedicated to the entire crew, was requested by the training team who sent a message to Oefelein saying they had arranged for him to fly the shuttle half a lap around the station. Aboard the station, Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and flight engineers Mikhail Tyurin and Williams got their wakeup tone at 8:17 a.m. The next STS-116 status report will be issued Tuesday afternoon or earlier if events warrant.

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Bill Oefelein's STS-116 Mission Blog
by Arthur Rowe 19 Dec '06

19 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 IN THEIR OWN WORDS Bill Oefelein's STS-116 Mission Blog /Astronaut Bill Oefelein takes time to answer student questions and provide his thoughts about his training and STS-116 space shuttle mission./ *Dec. 16, 2006* -- Hi. First Blog from Space. As you may be able to imagine, we have been pretty busy. I don't have a lot of spare time, but let me share a few thoughts and try to answer some of your questions. First, the launch was 10 times more exciting than I thought!! The sights and sounds and sensations were, literally, out of this world! Space is fun! I quickly adapted to the zero gravity and have had no problems eating or sleeping. It's fun to eat "upside down" and sleep on the ceiling. The sights are incredible. Whenever I can, I try to take a peek out the window. There is always something to see. We've seen thunderstorms, city lights, the Northern Lights, rivers, jungles, deserts, oceans, and so much more. It is quite an experience. Mainly, though, we have been very busy re-wiring the space station, adding a new piece of hardware to the ISS truss, and transferring a lot of gear. The days are long, but we have a great crew and we work well together. Unfortunately, I don't have time to answer all of your questions, but let me answer a few: *Questions from Dillingham Elementary 5th Graders:* /Christopher: Do astronauts use any robots to help them in space?/ Yes. We have two robotic arms up here. I have operated the one on Discovery. /Sean: How do you get air to the ISS?/ We bring the air up on the Space Shuttle or Russian Progress re-supply ships. /Kenny : Do you have to be in the military to be an astronaut?/ No. In fact, most astronauts are not military. /What happens if the astronauts get sick on the ISS?/ We have medicines and equipment, much like a paramedic, to take care of sicknesses and injuries. /How do they take a shower if they are going to be up on the ISS for so long?/ We can't take showers. We take sponge baths with a wash cloth, a towel, soap and water. We just have to make sure our soap doesn't float away. /How can we identify the ISS in the night sky from earth?/ The ISS will look like a bright star, quickly going across the sky. However, Alaska is far enough north that the ISS will not fly directly over it. Even with that, we are high enough that when we get close to Alaska, we can sneak peeks at the very southern part of the state. /Conner: How does zero gravity affect your body during long missions?/ It makes you lose bone density and muscle mass unless you exercise a lot. /What happens if there is a leak in the ISS?/ We have procedures to take care of most emergencies we may come across and have received a lot of training and practiced many times in the event an emergency may arise. Thanks for the great questions. I hope to have time later in the mission to write again. In the mean time, study hard and enjoy your upcoming Christmas break. And enjoy the snow for me. I don't get as much as I like these days. Your friend - Bill

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On-Orbit Station Construction Continues
by Arthur Rowe 19 Dec '06

19 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 The STS-116 crew’s stay at the International Space Station is winding down. Space Shuttle Discovery and its crew are slated to leave Tuesday to conclude an eight-day stay in which STS-118 added a new truss segment to the station, delivered a new crew member and rewired the orbital outpost’s power system. Discovery is scheduled to undock from the station at 5:09 p.m. EST Tuesday. The STS-116 crew conducted three spacewalks to install the P5 integrated truss segment and rewire the station’s power system. The P5 spacer segment’s attachment to the P4 sets the stage for the relocation of the P6 and its set of solar arrays. The rewiring activities put the station’s power system in a permanent setup. A fourth spacewalk was conducted to assist in the retraction of the troublesome port solar array on the P6. The P5’s installation is not the only change that the station has undergone since Space Shuttle Discovery docked last week. Sunita Williams, who arrived at the station with the STS-116 mission, replaced European Space Agency Astronaut Thomas Reiter on the Expedition 14 crew at midnight Tuesday, Dec. 12. Williams will remain a member of Expedition 14 until Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin are relieved by Expedition 15 in March 2007. Williams will finish her remaining time of her six-month tour of duty on the station as a member of Expedition 15. Reiter will return to Earth with STS-116. Also, the STS-116 and Expedition 14 crews have worked together to transfer Discovery 4,292 pounds of supplies and equipment delivered to the station by Discovery. The two crews have also transferred 3,725 pounds of cargo that will return to Earth with STS-116.

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Spacewalkers Fold Solar Array
by Arthur Rowe 19 Dec '06

19 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Spacewalkers Fold Solar Array* I The STS-116 crew folded the port solar array on the International Space Station’s P6 truss during the mission's fourth spacewalk. The 6-hour, 38 minute excursion by Mission Specialists Robert Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang concluded at 8:38 p.m. EST. Curbeam and Fuglesang freed up the array for retraction with several techniques -- pulling guide wires, flipping grommets, and pushing panel hinges. The spacewalkers also shook the solar array panel. The final bay was folded about 6:54 p.m. EST. One of the guide wires looped out of the proper configuration during the folding process and the spacewalkers tightened it before commands were sent to latch the arrays. Another objective of today’s spacewalk, which was STS-116’s fourth, was to collect information that could prove useful when the opposite side of the array is retracted during the STS-117 mission in March. The start of the spacewalk at 2 p.m. was a historic moment for Curbeam, who became the first astronaut to conduct four spacewalks during a single mission. This was Fuglesang’s third. Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Sunita Williams conducted one. Pilot Bill Oefelein coordinated the spacewalk activities. Mission Specialist Joan Higginbotham and Williams were at the controls of the station’s robot arm, Canadarm2. Attention now turns to Discovery’s departure. Discovery is scheduled to undock at 5:09 p.m. Tuesday, ending STS-116’s eight-day stay at the station. For the latest news and information on the International Space Station and the Expedition 14 crew, please visit the main station page. + Read more <http://www.nasa.gov/station>

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STS-116 MCC Status Report #18
by Arthur Rowe 18 Dec '06

18 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 10 a.m. CST Monday, Dec. 18, 2006 Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas 12.18.06 STATUS REPORT: STS-116-18 STS-116 MCC Status Report #18 Discovery and International Space Station crew members will conduct their fourth spacewalk of the week today, an excursion aimed at freeing a snagged, partially retracted station solar array so it will fully fold properly. Astronaut Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang, a European Space Agency astronaut from Sweden, will venture outside the station at 1:12 p.m. CST. It will be Curbeam's fourth spacewalk of the mission, more than any astronaut has performed during a single shuttle flight, and it will be Fuglesang's third. Using a variety of specially prepared, tape-insulated tools, they will work to complete the retraction of the port solar array wing of the station's P6 truss. Curbeam and Fuglesang spent the night in the station's Quest airlock in a procedure called a "campout." The air pressure in the compartment was reduced to 10.2 pounds per square inch to assist in purging nitrogen from their bodies, a measure that helps prevent decompression sickness. The shuttle crew was awakened at 8:17 a.m. CST to the song “Good Vibrations,” performed by the Beach Boys. The song was played for the entire crew in honor of the vibrations the spacewalkers may create today to attempt to free the balky solar panels. As part of the suite of potential activities they have on hand to assist with folding the array, Curbeam and Fuglesang will shake the solar blankets by pushing on the boxes into which they fold. If needed, the spacewalk could last as long as six and a half hours. Curbeam will be on the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm during the spacewalk. He will be equipped to work on two problems believed to be experienced by the array. One is the apparent jamming of the guide wires in the grommets designed to guide them. The other is some backward, balky folding of hinges between solar panels that has been seen during attempts at retraction. As those issues are dealt with by the spacewalkers, crew members inside will send commands to further fold the array. Fuglesang will be on the P6 truss. He will push the blanket boxes into which the arrays fold to shake the wing. He also will take pictures, including some of the P6 starboard solar wing. That wing is to be retracted on the next shuttle flight to the station. The photos taken by Fuglesang will assist in the planning of that task. Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Suni Williams and Discovery Mission Specialist Joan Higginbotham will operate the station’s robotic arm during the spacewalk. Pilot Bill Oefelein will serve as the spacewalk coordinator, or intravehicular officer, inside the spacecraft. The transfer of equipment and supplies between the shuttle and station will continue today as well. Almost all of the 4,292 pounds brought up aboard Discovery has been moved to the station, and the loading of 3,725 pounds of gear in those areas for return to Earth is nearing completion as well. Discovery's undocking from the station is now planned for 4:09 p.m. on Tuesday. Discovery is planned to land at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 2:56 p.m. on Friday. The next STS-116 status report will be issued Monday evening, or earlier if events warrant.

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