Mission STS-129: Delivering the Goods

Space shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 mission was an ambitious and demanding undertaking that began Nov. 16, 2009, with a spectacular and on-time liftoff at 2:28 p.m. EST from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Aboard were Commander Charles O. Hobaugh, Pilot Barry E. Wilmore, Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Mike Foreman, Robert L. Satcher Jr. and Randy Bresnik. In addition to the crew, there were nearly 30,000 pounds of replacement parts packed in the Express Logistics Carriers, or ELCs, secured inside Atlantis' payload bay.

With a picture-perfect launch behind them, the first task at hand on Nov. 17 was checking the shuttle's wing leading edges and nose cap using the orbiter boom sensor system. The end of the boom consists of cameras and lasers, giving experts on the ground 3-D views of the shuttle's heat shield to ensure there wasn't any damage from launch.

Image above: Space shuttle Atlantis lifts off from the exhaust cloud building on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connell

Later in the day while the shuttle was catching up with the International Space Station, Bresnik, Foreman and Satcher checked out the two spacesuits they would use for the three planned spacewalks.

Once in range of the station on Nov. 18, the shuttle was delicately maneuvered into the rendezvous pitch maneuver, or "backflip," where Expedition 21 Flight Engineers Jeffrey Williams and Nicole Stott took photos from their vantage point.

Images from the first and second inspection were sent back to Earth for experts to review, making sure the shuttle would have a safe flight back through Earth's atmosphere.

Hobaugh then carefully guided Atlantis closer to the station until it was locked into the station's docking port on the Harmony node. It took a couple hours for a series of hatch leak checks to be performed and once accomplished, the hatches were opened and the Atlantis crew was enthusiastically greeted and welcomed aboard the station by the Expedition 21 team.

Image above: Backdropped by Earth's horizon, a partial view of Atlantis' payload bay, vertical stabilizer, orbital maneuvering system pods and docking mechanism are featured in this image. Photo credit: NASA/JSC

As the hatch opened, Nicole Stott's responsibilities as station flight engineer officially ended and she became an STS-129 mission specialist for the remainder of her time in space. Stott is the last NASA astronaut to experience the rotation of launching from and being returned to Earth by a space shuttle. In the future, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft will be used for station crew rotations.

With a demanding to-do list ahead of them, the two crews began with the first task at hand. ELC 1 was grappled from Atlantis' payload bay by Melvin and Bresnik with the shuttle's robotic arm and handed off to the station's robotic arm controlled by Wilmore and Williams. The platform was permanently installed to the outside of the station to store large cargo.

That evening Foreman and Satcher spent the night camping out in the Quest airlock preparing for their first spacewalk. After stepping out into space the next day, Foreman and Satcher completed all major tasks almost two hours ahead of schedule. In addition, Foreman was able to successfully connect a cable on the Unity node -- one that was uncooperative for the STS-128 crew in September.

Image above: STS-129 and Expedition 21 crew members greet each other shortly after space shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station docked in space and the hatches were opened. Photo credit: NASA/JSC

Inside the station, work was ongoing to prepare for the arrival of the Tranquility node, which will be flown on shuttle Endeavour's STS-130 mission targeted for early 2010.

Overnight, a false depressurization alarm sounded and woke the crew, but flight control teams on the ground determined there was no danger to the station or crew. In the STS-129 post-landing crew press conference, said, "The training the crew members received helped them deal with the false alarms that went off a few times during their stay on the orbiting outpost."

The relocation of supplies and equipment between Atlantis and the station continued Nov. 20, in addition to tackling a variety of maintenance, troubleshooting and science activities -- keeping both station and shuttle crews busy.

Early the next morning, the second carrier with almost 10,000 pounds of large spare parts, including an attitude-control gyroscope, was moved from the shuttle's cargo bay to its permanent location on the S3 side of the station's truss, or backbone.

Image above: Mission Specialist Randy Bresnik, near the Columbus laboratory, participates in the STS-129 mission's second spacewalk. Photo credit: NASA/JSC

The two platforms that were attached to the station allow additional storage space for the mountain of supplies and equipment needed for the smooth and efficient running of the orbiting laboratory, now and well into the future after the shuttles are retired.

A little later, Foreman and Bresnik made their way into the emptiness of space for the second successful spacewalk of the mission. They not only completed their tasks ahead of schedule but also accomplished some get-ahead jobs -- all in six hours, eight minutes.

Meanwhile, another success story was in the making. On the morning of Nov. 22, Bresnik was told by the Mission Control Center in Houston that his wife, Rebecca, had given birth to their daughter, Abigail Mae Bresnik. He was assured that both baby and mother were doing just fine. Atlantis' crew members were given a well-earned, half day off to celebrate. The rest of day was dedicated to preparing for the third spacewalk on Nov. 23, featuring Satcher and Bresnik.

Image above: STS-129 and Expedition 21 crew members gather for a formal portrait. Photo credit: NASA/JSC

The space excursion began more than an hour later than planned because a drinking-water valve in Satcher's spacesuit became dislodged and the helmet had to be opened to reattach the valve. With the fix behind them, Bresnik and Satcher completed all the tasks in just five hours, 42 minutes -- almost on time, regardless of the late start.

Later, the last of the mission's spare hardware was moved thanks to the combined effort of all 12 shuttle and station crew members.

On Nov. 22, the shuttle and station crew members said their final farewells before the hatches between shuttle Atlantis and the station were securely closed -- after which the shuttle crew prepared for undocking.

Wilmore eased the shuttle away from the station circling around the outpost. Crew members videoed and snapped photos of the orbiting laboratory in order to assess its exterior condition.

One more survey was in store for the shuttle's heat shield with Wilmore and Melvin using the orbiter boom sensor system -- a five-hour process.

Image above: Space shuttle Atlantis touches down on the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Tim Terry

Atlantis crew members spent part of Thanksgiving preparing for their Nov. 27 landing date. They tested the thruster jets that control the shuttle's orientation in space and during early re-entry, as well as the flaps and rudders that guide it through the atmosphere.

The day didn't pass without a surprise, though. A traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings found its way aboard Atlantis before undocking -- compliments of the Expedition 21 crew members.

It was a perfect end to a nearly perfect mission. After the twin sonic booms echoed and Atlantis came out of a clear-blue sky, the vehicle and crew touched down on Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility on Nov. 27 at 9:44 a.m. EST.

After winding up a successful 11-day flight to deliver spare parts, other equipment and supplies to the International Space Station, the crew took their last walk around the vehicle that served them well from start to finish.

After a short ride to crew quarters, the astronauts were given a thorough medical exam and met with their families. On Nov. 28, the crew flew home to Houston, and on Nov. 30, they were honored at a homecoming ceremony held at nearby Ellington Field.

Atlantis' STS-129 mission was the 31st flight dedicated to space station assembly, resupply and maintenance -- one that should help keep the station supplied well into the future.

Elaine M. Marconi
NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center

For more information visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts129/launch/129_overview.html

Astronaut Stott's Journey Home Marks a First and a Last

When the wheels of space shuttle Atlantis touch down to end the STS-129 mission, astronaut Nicole Stott will complete both a first and a last.

NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida will welcome her home as its first former employee to live and work aboard the International Space Station. Stott's return also will mark another significant event -- the last time a station crew member will travel to or from the orbiting laboratory aboard a space shuttle. Upcoming crews will launch from and return to Earth aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

Image above: Stott suits up before her launch aboard space shuttle Discovery on Aug. 28, 2009. Image credit: NASA

Stott joined the space station's six-person crew when she launched aboard shuttle Discovery in August during the STS-128 mission. Trading places with astronaut Timothy Kopra, she became the Expedition 20 flight engineer as she began her three-month stint aboard the station.

Her launch came more than two decades after she began her NASA career at Kennedy -- a career that brought her high-level experience with both the shuttle and the station.

Before heading to space this summer, the Clearwater, Fla., native talked about her time at Kennedy.

Image above: Stott performs a spacewalk outside the International Space Station, her home for three months. Image credit: NASA

"After growing up in Florida and seeing shuttles launch while I was at university, I got a job at Kennedy Space Center in shuttle operations," Stott said. "I mean, what cooler place could you be working? And every step of the way there, I was just thrilled with the jobs I had."

She began her 10-year career at Kennedy in 1988, working in the shuttle program as an operations engineer in an orbiter processing facility -- the hangars in which shuttles are prepared for flight. She subsequently worked as convoy commander, leading the group of specialized vehicles that meet and "safe" each shuttle upon landing. She also served as shuttle Endeavour's flow director, NASA's manager in charge of seeing that the shuttle was processed and ready for launch.

Image above: Stott began her career with NASA in shuttle processing at Kennedy. Image credit: NASA

Stott described her career at Kennedy with enthusiasm.

"I’m working on a space shuttle. I’m on the runway for landing... I’m in the control center where we’re launching the shuttle. I mean, it didn’t seem like it could get any cooler than that," Stott said. "And fortunately, I had people that I considered to be mentors that I worked with there."

It was during her last two years at Kennedy that she joined the Space Station Hardware Integration Office. That position took her to Huntington Beach, Calif., where she worked as the NASA project lead for space station truss elements under construction at a Boeing facility.

Image above: With space shuttle Endeavour aboard the shuttle carrier aircraft in the background, Stott, Endeavour's flow manager, stands on the shuttle runway. Image credit: NASA

Having experience with both shuttle and station hardware preparation, NASA selected Stott as an astronaut in July 2000. Nine years later, she reflected on her own launch aboard a shuttle and residency on the space station.

"Up until the point of starting work at Kennedy Space Center with NASA, it never crossed my mind that being an astronaut was a possibility. And once I started working there and meeting the people that worked there, and seeing astronauts come through and seeing what they did when they were there -- working with the hardware or getting their colleagues ready to fly -- it became more real to me," Stott said. "And then having people encourage me was, I think, the big step to actually getting here."

While other employees from Kennedy have gone on to become astronauts too, Stott's time living and working aboard the station, coupled with her shuttle and station processing work, makes her experience unique.

Image above: During part of her career at Kennedy, Stott (left) served as convoy commander for shuttle landings. Image credit: NASA

As the STS-129 mission ends and the landing convoy she once commanded surrounds Atlantis on the runway, Stott's journey will have come full circle, from Kennedy to space, and back home again.

Cheryl L. Mansfield
NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center

For more information visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/stott_return.html

Buzz, Astronauts Shine as Stars of Disney Parade

Buzz Lightyear didn't quite make it to infinity, but he went well beyond the realm of other action figures.

The icon of Disney's "Toy Story" films spent 15 months on the International Space Station and got a ticker-tape parade alongside real-life moonwalker Buzz Aldrin and Expedition 18 Commander and NASA astronaut Mike Finke to welcome him home to Disney World in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 2.

"Buzz was the perfect crewmate," Finke said. "He lifted our spirits, he didn't talk much and he didn't eat much, so he left us his extra portions."

While Buzz Lightyear is a space ranger, Finke said the character's best work has been in serving as a bridge between the fun, fanciful side of spaceflight and the technical and scientific skills NASA uses to make spaceflight happen in real life.

Image above: Astronaut Mike Finke rides in a Chevrolet Camaro for the welcome home parade for Buzz Lightyear at Disney's Magic Kingdom. Finke was the Expedition 18 commander on the International Space Station during part of the toy's 15-month stay on the orbiting laboratory. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

"Buzz is internationally known, and Buzz is a space ranger, so by sharing some of Buzz's adventures with what we do at NASA, it really highlights a lot of good things for NASA and shows what we really do, what astronauts do," Finke said.


The toy’s popularity gives NASA a head start in getting children's attention in a world in which focus is short-lived, said Joyce Winterton, NASA's associate administrator for Education.

"It's something that students and children can relate to," Winterton said. "So when they see him going up in space on the shuttle or the station it becomes a touch point for them. Sometimes I think they see an astronaut as something they can achieve, but when they see a toy, they somehow think, 'Hey, I can do that, too.'"

Image above: The Buzz Lightyear toy that went into space took an Earthly spin through Disney's Magic Kingdom on the top of another "Toy Story" character - RC. The ride down Disney's Main Street came complete with confetti and ribbons. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

The parade coincided with a NASA education initiative that includes an opportunity for students to propose an experiment which will be flown on the International Space Station. There also is a contest to design a mission patch that will go into orbit on the station.

"We've got the attention of thousands of students because of Buzz Lightyear," Winterton said. "And hopefully we'll have a large number of students say let's plan an experiment. And of those we'll pick 12 that will fly on the International Space Station, and that's pretty great."

Disney also developed and posted several Web-based educational games for Buzz's launch and landing based on NASA's missions and goals.

Finke also shared a stage with Buzz at Disney's Magic Kingdom to talk to school children about space travel, science and technology.

Veronica Franco, an education specialist at NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Orlando, led a number of space-related demonstrations, including freezing and crumbling plants using liquid nitrogen. With help from "Spaceman" from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, she showed how astronauts get dressed for a spacewalk.

Image above: NASA astronaut Mike Finke celebrated Buzz Lightyear's space trip during a presentation to school children at Disney's Magic Kingdom. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Then it was Finke's turn to wow the students with firsthand accounts from his two, six-month stays in the weightlessness of space. He looked at stars, conducted research on changes to the body and basically adjusted his body to cope with the unpredictable nature of things in zero gravity.

So what did students want to hear about first? The technologically advanced toilet.

Buzz didn't have to learn that lesson during his time in orbit.

Disney was aware of the somewhat mixed goals for NASA and the entertainment company, and backed down its normal commercial considerations for the chance to send Buzz into space.

"You've got to strike a balance," said Disney's Duncan Wardle, the company's global vice president for Public Relations Integration. "And it's a hard role for a government organization sponsored by the taxpayer, but you've got to excite the next generation of space travelers."

Buzz has proven an attraction in ways Wardle said he didn’t expect. For instance, a U.S. Air Force officer at Edwards Air Force Base in California asked for a photo with Buzz after the shuttle touched down there in September after space shuttle Discovery’s STS-128 mission.

But the idea was hardly a certainty when Wardle pitched it to a roomful of NASA officials.

Image above: Veronica Franco, an education specialist at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, uses "Spaceman" to show what astronauts wear during spacewalks. She also demonstrated chilling air to liquid and other principles of physics that are applied to spaceflight. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

"My sense was 50 percent loved the idea but probably didn't want to say it, and 50 percent of the room wanted to pick me up and throw me out the window," Wardle recalled.

Once the plan was approved, there was still a significant hurdle for the project: 12-inch Buzz Lightyear action figures had gone out of production months before and Wardle's team of employees could not find them in any store, warehouse or anywhere else.

"I was driving back to the office, and I got a call and all I heard was a voice, 'To Infinity and Beyond,'" Wardle said. "Then my wife said, 'Found it, it's been underneath (my son's) bed. It's been there six months collecting dust. And I was like, 'Right, that's it then, that's the Buzz Lightyear that's going into space. Wasn't quite in the plan, but . . . "

That Buzz went from bedroom floor to Houston in days, and into orbit a couple months later. At that point, there was not any talk of bringing the action figure back. Instead, he would stay on the station as a permanent resident, including during the station's fiery entry when it is de-orbited.

Wardle provided the winning argument for bringing Buzz back on the shuttle: "I said, guys, if you incinerate Buzz Lightyear, I'll have to tell the world's children."

So with his flight home approved, Buzz moved into Discovery during the STS-128 and returned to Earth. His education mission is not over though. Plans call for him to be displayed in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, Wardle said.

"This one is going to be hard to top," Finke said.

Steve Siceloff
NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center

For more information visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/buzzonparade.html

The Return of Buzz Lightyear

Disney's space ranger Buzz Lightyear returned from space on Sept. 11, aboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-128 mission after 15 months aboard the International Space Station. His time on the orbiting laboratory will celebrated in a ticker-tape parade together with his space station crewmates and former Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin on Oct. 2, at Walt Disney World in Florida.

While on the space station, Buzz supported NASA's education outreach program-- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)--by creating a series of fun educational online outreach programs. Following his return, Disney is partnering with NASA to create a new online educational game and an online mission patch competition for school kids across America. NASA will fly the winning patch in space. In addition, NASA plans to announce on Oct. 2, 2009, the details of a new exciting educational competition that will give students the opportunity to design an experiment for the astronauts on the space station.

Image Credit: NASA

For more information visit nasa.gov

A Day's Work - STS-128 Mission

Expedition 20 flight engineer Nicole Stott participates in the STS-128 mission's first spacewalk as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 35-minute spacewalk, Stott and astronaut Danny Olivas (out of frame) removed an empty ammonia tank from the station's truss and temporarily stowed it on the station's robotic arm. Olivas and Stott also retrieved the European Technology Exposure Facility and Materials International Space Station Experiment from the Columbus laboratory module and installed them on Discovery's payload bay for return.

Image Credit: NASA

For more information visit http://www.nasa.gov/missions/index.html

NASA Webcast Connects Students with Astronauts, New Hubble Images

WASHINGTON -- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and space shuttle astronauts will participate in live education webcasts on Sept. 8 at 2 p.m. EDT and Sept. 10 at 1 p.m.

On Sept. 8, students will hear insights from Bolden, young agency professionals, and STS-128 mission astronauts Jose M. Hernandez and John D. Olivas about the challenges and successes of their exciting NASA careers.

On Sept. 10, Bolden will join astronauts from the STS-125 Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission to discuss the flight and newly released images from the observatory. Commander Scott Altman, Shuttle Pilot Greg (Ray J) Johnson and Program Scientist Eric Smith will participate.

Webcasts are produced free of charge by the NASA Digital Learning Network. NASA uses the network's capabilities to deliver unique content by linking students and educators with agency experts. The program provides interactive educational experiences for students and teachers from kindergarten through college across the country and around the world.

To view the webcasts on Sept. 8 and 10, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education/dln

For information about NASA's education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

NASA Webcast Connects Students with Astronauts, New Hubble Images

WASHINGTON -- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and space shuttle astronauts will participate in live education webcasts on Sept. 8 at 2 p.m. EDT and Sept. 10 at 1 p.m.

On Sept. 8, students will hear insights from Bolden, young agency professionals, and STS-128 mission astronauts Jose M. Hernandez and John D. Olivas about the challenges and successes of their exciting NASA careers.

On Sept. 10, Bolden will join astronauts from the STS-125 Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission to discuss the flight and newly released images from the observatory. Commander Scott Altman, Shuttle Pilot Greg (Ray J) Johnson and Program Scientist Eric Smith will participate.

Webcasts are produced free of charge by the NASA Digital Learning Network. NASA uses the network's capabilities to deliver unique content by linking students and educators with agency experts. The program provides interactive educational experiences for students and teachers from kindergarten through college across the country and around the world.

To view the webcasts on Sept. 8 and 10, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education/dln

For information about NASA's education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

For more information visit

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/sep/HQ_M09-169_DLN_events.html

Return to Sender: MISSE-6 Comes Home After More Than a Year in Space

It's been eight years since the first Materials International Space Station Experiment, or MISSE, arrived at the orbiting laboratory. During that time, more than 4,000 materials samples have been placed outside the space station to test how they react to the harsh environment of space.

The fourth set of test hardware in the experiment series -- MISSE-6A and 6B -- launched aboard space shuttle Endeavour in March 2008. After more than a year of exposure attached to the station's exterior, several hundred materials samples are returning to Earth with the STS-128 space shuttle crew that launched on shuttle Discovery from the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Aug. 28.

During a Sept. 1 spacewalk, STS-128 astronauts Danny Olivas and Nicole Stott removed MISSE-6A and 6B from outside the European Space Agency's Columbus Laboratory.

The MISSE-6A and 6B investigators are studying more than 400 new materials that could be used in advanced reusable launch systems and advanced spacecraft systems. Those materials include silicone rubber seal materials planned for use on NASA's Orion crew exploration vehicle; insulation materials for use on NASA's Altair lunar module; paints for lunar power systems; and other optical, electronic and thermal control materials designed to help protect the next generation of spacecraft.

The MISSE-6 experiment aboard the International Space Station. Image Credit: NASA

Investigators will evaluate these samples for their reaction to direct sunlight, radiation, temperature extremes and atomic oxygen erosion. Atomic oxygen is the major component of the low-Earth orbit space environment. The findings will provide a better understanding of the durability of these materials.

The MISSE program is managed by NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, and includes investigators from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.; NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio; Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Sandia National Laboratory, N.M.; Boeing Phantom Works in Renton, Wash.; and Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, Calif. The Department of Defense Space Test Program is responsible for integration of all the MISSE passive experiment containers with the space shuttle and for the launch and on-orbit operations of the experiments.

Marshall Center engineer Miria Finckenor is one of the MISSE-6A and 6B investigators studying heat shield materials that could be used on the Orion vehicle and aluminum-lithium alloys to save weight on lunar and Mars missions.

"It will be fascinating to see how these latest MISSE samples have withstood the space environment," said Finckenor. "The data from these materials will continue to help engineers and scientists improve space environment models and ground simulation testing."

Kim de Groh is one of the Glenn Research Center's MISSE investigators studying how atomic oxygen affects spacecraft surface materials. For her, it's not only about conducting valuable NASA research; it's also about inspiring the next generation of NASA scientists and engineers.

"The majority of my MISSE flight experiments engage high school girls in the investigations," said de Groh. "The students, from Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, help conduct pre-flight research, such as obtaining pre-flight mass measurements; they mount samples into special flight holders prior to launch; and they help analyze the samples once they return from space."

De Groh said the students begin working with NASA as freshmen or sophomores and continue through their high school years. "So far, these students have collectively earned more than $80,000 in scholarships from their performance at prestigious national and international science fairs," she said.

MISSE-6 tested over 400 new materials. Image Credit: NASA

Glenn Research Center scientists also are testing seals for the Orion Advanced Docking and Berthing System. The seal forms the interface between the crew module and whatever it docks with, such as the space station or the lunar service module.

"We are hopeful the space testing of these seal materials will confirm the simulations we have already done as part of the ground testing," said Henry de Groh, a Glenn Research Center MISSE investigator. "The seal is needed to keep the air in the cabin from leaking out."

The next in the series is MISSE 7A and 7B targeted for launch on STS-129 in November. MISSE 7A and 7B will test space suit materials for use on the lunar surface and materials for the new solar arrays being designed for Orion.

Naval Research Laboratory scientist Rob Walters also noted the importance of tests on MISSE for improving the development of future satellite systems.

"MISSE-7A and 7B include solar cell experiments, an advanced camera system and particle radiation effects studies on cutting edge microprocessor technologies," said Walters. "The deployment of MISSE-7 will mark a tremendous evolution of the MISSE program from simple, passive material experiments to a complex, active experiment platform providing rapid access to space, real-time data telemetry and sample return."

by Lori Meggs, AI Signal Research, Inc.
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

For more information visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/science/misse2009.html

Model Car, Airplane Highlight Discovery Crew

The real space shuttle will carry a model of itself into space during the STS-128 mission. It is just one part of the cargo manifest assembled by the seven astronauts of Discovery to help mark their personal achievements and community ties.

The model shuttle is 7 inches long and represents the Montpelier Elementary School of Montpelier, Ind., the hometown of Discovery Pilot Kevin Ford, who is making his first flight. The shuttle model has plenty of company, including an Indiana flag and a red model car from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indianapolis 500.

There’s also a green ceramic airplane representing Notre Dame's Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and a 6 1/2-inch metal airplane piece from the Mission Aviation Fellowship of Nampa, Idaho. .

Discovery’s lockers also will take an assortment of medallions on its flight to the International Space Station. The crew members have included commemoratives from various organizations, including the U.S. Army's 3rd Aviation Regiment and 3rd Infantry Division, the 16th Congressional District and the Houston Astros. A replica of the Nobel Peace Prize also is making the trip into space.

Mission patches are always popular items to fly on a shuttle. This one is particularly valuable because it is part of the flight suit that Jose Hernandez will wear during launch and landing. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Astronauts are allowed to take small items into space with them to celebrate their achievements and connections. Some of the items remain in personal collections after they return to Earth, while many find public homes around the world as mementos of exploration and inspiration.

Veteran astronaut Patrick Forrester’s class of 1979 from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point is highlighted in the commemoratives by a gold medallion.

First-time flier Jose Hernandez’ hometown of Stockton, Calif., has a small place in Discovery in the form of a lapel pin.

One of the flags aboard Discovery comes from the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference, which named veteran astronaut Danny Olivas its most promising engineer.

Sweden’s Christer Fuglesang has included numerous items from his native country, including a wooden chess piece.

There also are scores of items that NASA and other organizations included in the shuttle lockers. Like the items carried by the astronauts, the agency items will be prized upon their return.

Steven Siceloff
NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center

For more information visit nasa.gov

NASA's STS-128 Launch Blog

Join us here as we count down the final hours before space shuttle Discovery and the STS-128 crew lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on this mission to the International Space Station. Launch is scheduled for 1:36 a.m. EDT on Tuesday.

From our blog console at Kennedy's Launch Control Center, we'll take you inside the countdown as launch time approaches.

NOTE: All times are posted in Eastern.

• Weather Update
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:42:18 AM GMT+0530
  Range Weather has declared conditions are "red" for violations of the lightning rule and field mill rule in addition to the anvil cloud, cumulus cloud and flight-through-precipitation rules cited earlier. Also, in Houston, the Spaceflight Meteorology Group is tracking weather for the return-to-launch-site abort scenario that requires favorable weather at Kennedy. Return-to-launch-site weather currently is "no-go" due to rain within 20 nautical miles. They're also evaluating weather at the overseas emergency landing sites. There is observed precipitation at the Zaragoza landing site, but the Moron and Istres sites remain "go."

• Lightning Warning Issued
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:25:24 AM GMT+0530
  A "Phase 2" lightning warning has been issued for Launch Pad 39A, Vehicle Assembly Building and other areas around the launch site due to a storm cell that appeared a while ago above the pad. The forecast remains 60 percent no-go. Meanwhile, the Closeout Crew continues to prepare for launch. The hatch is closed and sealed for flight and the team members are finishing up their work in the White Room.

• Lightning Strikes Near Launch Pad 39A
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:14:59 AM GMT+0530
  There's been a lightning strike six miles east of Launch Pad 39A, where space shuttle Discovery and a crew of seven astronauts are awaiting launch at 1:36 a.m. tomorrow, less than two hours from now. Due to the lightning, the range now is "red" on three constraints: lightning, cumulus clouds and flight-through-precipitation.

• Hatch Latched for Flight; Leak Checks Begins
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:10:46 AM GMT+0530
  The Closeout Crew closed and latched space shuttle Discovery's crew access hatch and is moving on to cabin leak checks. The technicians also will seal the hatch for flight by installing a carrier panel, a custom-fit sheet of aluminum covered with tiles for thermal protection.

• Hatch Closed; Weather Now 60 Percent "No-Go"
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:07:05 AM GMT+0530
  Inside the White Room at Launch Pad 39A, members of the Closeout Crew have closed Discovery's crew hatch. Meanwhile, the weather situation continues its negative trend, with Shuttle Weather Officer alerting Launch Director Pete Nickolenko that the forecast right now calls for a 60 percent chance of weather preventing launch tonight. There are two hours left until launch time at 1:36:04 a.m., and weather and launch officials will keep monitoring the situation closely.

• Weather Update
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:55:59 AM GMT+0530
  The favorable weather pattern expected this evening is not coming to fruition. Instead of clearing out, storm cells keep popping up, including one right over the launch pad. The weather situation is being closely monitored, and we'll bring you the latest as we hear it.

• Weather Update
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:41:43 AM GMT+0530
  Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters has informed Launch Director Pete Nickolenko that the Eastern Range has gone "red," or "no-go," due to a new system forming over the launch pad. Specifically, the new weather system violates the cumulus-cloud rule and flight-through-precipitation rule. Weather officials with the 45th Weather Squadron and the Spaceflight Meteorology Group in Houston continue to keep a close eye on the weather around the launch and landing sites at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as well as emergency landing sites overseas should they be necessary.

• Comm Checks and Cabin Closeout Under Way
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:38:27 AM GMT+0530
  The next step for the crew is to complete a round of communications checks and air-to-ground voice checks between the astronauts, Launch Control Center at Kennedy and Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Meanwhile, the Closeout Crew will remove all non-flight items and finish up any additional work inside Discovery's crew module before closing the hatch.

• With Hernandez Seated, Boarding is Complete
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:31:54 AM GMT+0530
  Last to board Discovery is Mission Specialist Jose Hernandez, another first-time shuttle flier. Strapped into Seat 5, he'll sit behind the commander on the left-rear side of the flight deck. Hernandez is the first NASA astronaut to offer a bilingual Twitter account, with "tweets" in both English and Spanish.
  
  Three hours ago, he tweeted in English, "Folks this is my last tweet before I go into space! Will start to suit up in 30 minutes, listen to weather brief and head to the pad!" He followed with the same message in Spanish: "Mi ultimo tweet antes de ir al espacio! En media hora me visto, escucharemos el status del clima y rumbo a la plataforma de lanzamiento!"
  
  To read more of Hernandez's insights and updates, go to twitter.com/Astro_Jose. Now, back to the Launch Blog.
  

• Forrester Straps into Seat 3
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:18:59 AM GMT+0530
  Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester also is seated inside Discovery at this point. Forrester, a retired U.S. Army colonel, will ride into orbit in Seat 3 on the second row of the flight deck. Forrester flew previously on STS-117 along with Sturckow and Olivas.

• Olivas and Fuglesang Take Their Seats
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:16:50 AM GMT+0530
  Down on Discovery's middeck, Mission Specialist Danny Olivas is strapped into Seat 5, on the left side nearest the hatch. Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang is climbing into the center of the middeck, Seat 6. A member of the European Space Agency's astronaut corps from Sweden, Fuglesang flew aboard Discovery once before on mission STS-116.

• Ford Climbs Aboard

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:57:59 AM GMT+0530Pilot Kevin Ford is climbing into Discovery's crew module. The pilot sits beside the commander in Seat 2, on the right side of the flight deck's front row. As a former colonel in the U.S. Air Force, he's racked up 4,300 flying hours in a variety of aircraft, but STS-128 will be his first spaceflight.
• Weather Update: Green on All Constraints
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:56:50 AM GMT+0530
  Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters just advised Launch Director Pete Nickolenko that weather is now "green," or favorable, on all constraints.

• Stott Next to Strap In
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:50:31 AM GMT+0530
  Up next is rookie space flier Nicole Stott, who will serve as a mission specialist before transferring to the space station. Stott, a Florida native, is sitting on the right side of Discovery's middeck in Seat 7.

• Sturckow on Board
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:48:30 AM GMT+0530
  First aboard Discovery is STS-128 Commander Rick Sturckow. He'll sit in Seat 1, the left-front seat of the flight deck. A colonel in the U.S. Marines, Sturckow has been an astronaut since 1994 and has flown in space three times before on shuttle missions STS-88, STS-105 and STS-117. All three were International Space Station missions.

• Astronauts Arrive at Launch Pad 39A
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:36:11 AM GMT+0530
  It's time for the astronauts to start climbing aboard space shuttle Discovery. The White Room is only large enough to accommodate one or two astronauts at a time, in addition to the Closeout Crew. Before climbing through Discovery's side hatch, each astronaut is equipped with a parachute harness and a communications cap with a headset to wear under the helmet. The astronauts plug into cooling units and put on their gloves and helmets after strapping in.


STS-128 Blogger: Anna Heiney, public affairs web writer at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

• Final Inspection Complete
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:16:24 AM GMT+0530
  The Final Inspection Team has finished its survey of shuttle Discovery and Launch Pad 39A and is on its way back to the Launch Control Center to provide a report to launch management. Other than the previously reported ice formation spotted on the liquid hydrogen T-0 umbilical, the team members have not identified any other concerns. They will continue to monitor Discovery from a console in Firing Room 2.

• Discovery's Astronauts Leave for the Launch Pad
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:16:06 AM GMT+0530
  The STS-128 astronauts are on their way to the launch pad, where their ride to orbit -- space shuttle Discovery -- is poised for liftoff. As they walked to the silver Astrovan, the crew smiled and waved to the enthusiastic crowd that always gathers to offer cheer and support. The drive to the launch pad is scheduled to take about 25 minutes. To avoid overheating in their heavy suits, the astronauts can plug into cooling units at each seat.
  
  The Astrovan, a modified vintage Airstream motor home, will make two stops along the way. First, Flight Crew Operations Director and astronaut Brent Jett will leave the van and climb into a waiting car that will take him to the Shuttle Landing Facility. The van will proceed to the Launch Control Center and drop off Vehicle Integration Test Team Chief Jerry Ross and other support personnel.

• T-3 Hours and Counting
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:11:11 AM GMT+0530
  Countdown clocks are active once more, ticking toward liftoff of space shuttle Discovery at 1:36:05 a.m. Tuesday. The next built-in hold comes at T-20 minutes, when the clock will pause again for 10 minutes.
  Tonight's countdown continues to go very smoothly. Weather looks favorable at NASA's three transoceanic abort landing sites, or TAL sites, located at Zaragoza Air Base and Moron Air Base in Spain and Istres in France. There's a slight chance of showers at the prime landing site, Zaragoza; Moron and Istres both look good. NASA requires at least one of the TAL sites to be available in order to launch.
  We're standing by to see the astronauts leave their crew quarters behind and begin the drive out to the launch pad in the next few minutes.

• Ice Formation Spotted at Launch Pad 39A
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:55:10 AM GMT+0530
  The Final Inspection Team is continuing its survey out at Launch Pad 39A. The inspection lasts about 2.5 hours and begins after the external fuel tank is loaded for flight. The team has reported an ice formation on the liquid hydrogen T-0 umbilical. Measuring about 4.5 inches long, 1.5 inches wide and one quarter of an inch in thickness, the ice is a milky color and bridges across from the umbilical to the orbiter. The team has seen this before during previous launch countdowns and this latest discovery is being assessed by launch managers.

• Weather 'Shaping Up Nicely'
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:48:39 AM GMT+0530
  According to Lt. Colonel Patrick Barrett of the 45th Weather Squadron, the launch weather forecast continues to improve. Earlier, thunderstorms produced rain and lightning in various areas around the space center and just offshore. But the remaining storm cells are slowly dissipating, and the chance of favorable weather for liftoff remains at 80 percent -- good news for the STS-128 astronauts and the Kennedy launch team. "Right now, things are shaping up very nicely," Barrett said.

• Astronauts Suit Up for Liftoff
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:41:46 AM GMT+0530
  Across Kennedy Space Center, in the historic suit-up room at crew quarters, the STS-128 astronauts are all smiles as suit technicians help them climb into their bright-orange, launch-and-entry suits. Officially, this pressurized suit is called the Advanced Crew Escape Suit, or ACES. It's worn during launches and landings because it provides breathing air and an array of survival tools.
  This is the last step for the crew to finish before heading out to Launch Pad 39A at 9:46 p.m.

• Final Inspection in Progress
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:26:56 AM GMT+0530
  The Final Inspection Team is conducting a detailed survey of the space shuttle vehicle and launch pad structure. Also called the "Ice Team," the group's seven specialists began their inspection at the top of the pad's fixed service structure, and are working their way down to the surface of the mobile launcher platform. Using digital cameras, a telescope, an infrared radiometer and their own eyes, the Final Inspection Team looks for ice, frost or cracks forming on or near the shuttle's external tank.
  Darkness has settled across Kennedy Space Center. There are no technical issues being discussed by the launch control team, and the weather trend continues to improve. There are about 45 minutes left in the T-3-hour built-in hold.

• Closeout Crew Prepares for Astronauts' Arrival
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:17:33 AM GMT+0530
  Inside the environmentally controlled White Room at the end of the orbiter access arm on Launch Pad 39A, the seven-person Closeout Crew is preparing for the astronauts' arrival and boarding later tonight. Astronaut Shane Kimbrough is providing his support, and as part of the Closeout Crew, he will help the flight crew strap into their seats inside Discovery's crew module.

• Meet the STS-128 Crew
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:06:50 AM GMT+0530
  Of the seven astronauts on the STS-128 flight crew, four -- Commander Rick Sturckow and Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester, Danny Olivas and Christer Fuglesang -- have flown on the shuttle before. Pilot Kevin Ford and Mission Specialists Jose Hernandez and Nicole Stott are making their first spaceflights. Stott will join Expedition 20 as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station, relieving astronaut Tim Kopra, who will return to Earth aboard Discovery.
  The astronauts woke up at 3 p.m. today and have had medical checks and a snack in the astronaut crew quarters, located several miles from the launch complex in Kennedy's Operations and Checkout Building. They'll receive a weather briefing shortly, then begin suiting up for launch.

• Discovery, STS-128 Crew Await Early-Morning Liftoff
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:57:31 AM GMT+0530
  Good evening, and thanks for joining us for the countdown to launch of space shuttle Discovery on the STS-128 mission, the 30th flight to the International Space Station. Liftoff is set for 1:36 a.m. Tuesday from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Launch Blog comes to you from a console in Firing Room 3 at Kennedy's Launch Control Center, about three miles away from the launch pad.
  At T-3 hours and holding, all is well in the Launch Control Center, where members of the launch team are monitoring the countdown. Florida's dynamic summer weather is legendary, and although storms rolled through during the afternoon and early evening, the weather trend is improving according to Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters. The launch forecast is holding with an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions at liftoff.
  Discovery's large external fuel tank was loaded earlier this evening with about 500,000 gallons of chilled liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. These propellants will feed the shuttle's three main engines as the vehicle speeds toward orbit. The tanking process began at 4:11 p.m. and finished at 7:14 p.m. Now in stable replenish, the tank will continue to be topped off until the final minutes of the countdown.
  It's going to be an exciting evening, so stay with us.

• Join us for Launch
  Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:23:32 AM GMT+0530
  Our live coverage of the STS-128 countdown and launch begins Monday, Aug. 24 at 8:30 p.m. EDT. Please join us!

Live Coverage Team

Blog Updates: Anna Heiney
Site Updates: Steve Siceloff
Quality Control: Rebecca Sprague
Videos/Facebook: Cheryl Mansfield
Photo Gallery: Elaine Marconi
Video Production: Aly Lee
Video Capture/Editing: Chris Chamberland,
Michael Chambers and Gianni Woods

For more information visit nasa.gov

L-2 Update

NASA's mission management team has given the "go" to continue the launch countdown. They determined there are no issues that would prevent an on-time launch of space shuttle Discovery's STS-128 mission to the International Space Station on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 1:36 a.m. EDT.

NASA's Management Team Chair, Mike Moses gave an update of the maintenance and repair projects performed preparing the shuttle for launch and said the only concern at this point was the possible inclement weather just before the external tank is fueled.

"I'm really pleased to report that launch countdown activities are proceeding nominally and we working no issues," said Launch Director Pete Nickolenko.

Nickolenko reported that there are four launch attempts available within five days from Aug. 25 through Aug. 30 and he was "96 percent certain" of being able to launch in this time frame.

The forecast for launch has improved to 80 percent for favorable weather at time of liftoff according to Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters. There is a possibility that storms could form within 5 miles of Launch Pad 39A just before fueling of the external tank violating constraints but the sea breezes could move them out of the area in time.

Rollback of the rotating service structure that protects the shuttle before launch is planned for 5 a.m. Monday and fueling of the external tank is scheduled to begin at 4:11 p.m.

For more information visit nasa.gov

STS-128's Official Countdown Under Way

The countdown for the launch of space shuttle Discovery’s STS-128 mission officially is under way. The count began on-time at 11 p.m. EDT at the T-43 hour mark.

Launch teams are not working any issues that would prevent Discovery’s scheduled launch Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 1:36 a.m. on its 13-day mission to the International Space Station.

Discovery’s seven astronauts have additional mission study time in their overnight schedule before they head into their sleep period at 7 a.m. Saturday. The crew is scheduled to wake up at 3 p.m.

Tune in for the next countdown status briefing on NASA TV on Saturday at 10 a.m.

For more information visit nasa.gov

Do Tread on Me

On Earth, we all know that exercise is good for us. But do we know exactly how good?

The situation is similar on the International Space Station. Astronauts and cosmonauts have been working out on orbit for close to 10 years, and researchers believe the exercise is a good countermeasure for the bone and muscle density loss that occurs when humans live for a long time without gravity.

But the exercise equipment on the station doesn’t have the ability to record details about the workouts. Two new workout tools do have that capability. One, the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device, is on orbit already. A second is being delivered on the STS-128 shuttle mission.

The Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill, or COLBERT, will be the second treadmill on the space station, adding to a complement of six different exercise devices already in orbit that range from stationary bicycles to resistive exercise devices.

Named after comedian Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," the new treadmill, first and foremost, is a critical countermeasure device that will be used to keep the international crew healthy while in orbit and prepare them for return to Earth.

According to Project Manager Kevin MacNeil of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, the COLBERT will have data collection devices that will allow doctors and scientists to see how well the treadmill exercise is minimizing the amount of bone and muscle density loss due to life without gravity. They’ll use data on treadmill speed, session duration and body loading.

“COLBERT’s maximum speed is 12.4 miles an hour,” said MacNeill, an industrial engineer who has worked at NASA for 20 years, most of it with contractor Wylie Life Sciences. “But don’t expect crew members to run that fast because 12.4 miles an hour is faster than the Olympic 100-meter race record. An average person runs 7- to- 8 miles an hour, and most crew members will run about 4- to- 8 miles an hour.”

The first experiment to use the COLBERT will be the Functional Task Test (FTT), a study designed to identify the key underlying physiological factors that contribute to performance of of critical mission tasks for lunar and Mars operations.

The C.O.L.B.E.R.T decal is placed on the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill. Image credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

The actual treadmill for COLBERT was purchased from Woodway USA, Waukesha, Wis. The COLBERT and supporting subsystems (power, cooling, etc.) will be housed in an International Standard Payloads Rack (ISPR). The entire assembly will be housed initially in the station’s Harmony module, then be moved to the Tranquility node after it is launched in early 2010.

The total weight of the COLBERT rack is 2,200 pounds, including a modified Passive Rack Isolation System (PaRIS) that uses two-stage isolators, or shock absorbers to keep the exercise from interfering with microgravity sensitive experiments.

“The main purpose to the treadmill, of course, is to work out those walking and running muscles that would otherwise go unused up here,” wrote Astronaut Ed Lu in one of his Expedition 7 journals in 2003. “To get a good aerobic workout, I walk for a mile, then run a couple of sets of half a mile each, then walk for a while longer. The pounding from the running may be helpful for preventing bone loss in the hips and legs, although the astronauts who flew on the Mir Space Station ran on the treadmill there and still suffered significant bone loss.”

COLBERT is designed so that ground experts tracking crew health in orbit can create individual exercise prescriptions and uplink them to the crew as a profile. COLBERT will use the same control interface as that used for the ARED so that crew members won’t have to learn a new one. The interface looks nearly identical to what you’d find in many gyms on Earth. Runners also will be able to set up a laptop computer and watch their favorite video on the go.

Each crew member is required to work out a total of two and a half hours a day, about an hour of that on the treadmill. Astronauts are expected to burn between 250 and 500 calories while working out on COLBERT, and researchers will measure that by tracking the foot force of running. Ground experts finally will be able to figure out how well runners are being conditioned or losing their deconditioning, and adjust exercise prescriptions accordingly.

Setting up for an exercise session on COLBERT “should be fairly simple,” MacNeil said. “The first runner of the day will turn it on by flipping the rack power switch. After waiting a couple minutes for all systems to activate, they’ll position the control interface to a location comfortable for them. They’ll connect bungee cords to provide a load that will generate the foot force necessary to give the astronaut’s bones and muscles a workout in the absence of gravity. They’ll put on the harness that connects them to the bungees, set the desired load and verify that they agree with their prescription. Then, they’ll log into the system, pick a profile, hit start and go …”

NASA selected the treadmill's name after Colbert took interest in NASA’s online Node 3 naming poll and urged his viewers to submit the name "Colbert.” Although NASA ended up choosing the suggested name “Tranquility” for the node, the agency designated its new treadmill “COLBERT” in honor of the name that received the most entries. Expedition 14 and 15 astronaut Suni Williams made the announcement on "The Colbert Report" two years after running the Boston Marathon in space.

The COLBERT rack, treadmill and support hardware will launch in the Leonardo Multipurpose Logistics Module and be transferred to the station on flight day 5. The new workout machine will be set up and used after the shuttle Discovery departs.

For more information visit nasa.gov

Crew Arrives, Discovery Set for Aug. 25 Launch

The STS-128 crew arrived Wednesday evening at Kennedy Space Center for their final prelaunch preparation. Pausing for a brief moment to talk with media, Commander Sturckow said, “It’s great to be here for the launch. We’ve been studying and training hard, and we’re ready to go accomplish this mission.”

Earlier in the day, the Flight Readiness Review for space shuttle Discovery's STS-128 mission concluded, setting the launch date for Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 1:36 a.m. EDT.

"I can't say enough about the quality of the review we had over the past day and a half," said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations, during a post-FRR news conference Wednesday morning. "It was a very effective review; I think we're ready to go fly. It's a real tribute to be here with the team that's done a great job with engineering, the (Kennedy) team that's gotten us this far in processing."

"I think the largest hurdles are behind us," said STS-128 Launch Director Pete Nickolenko. "The teams are in great shape to make this launch attempt on the 25th."

Discovery Readies for Station Resupply Flight

Image above: After their arrival at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the STS-128 crew poses for a group photo. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Space shuttle Discovery will carry the Leonardo supply module to the International Space Station during STS-128, along with a new crew member for the station, Nicole Stott.

Commanded by veteran astronaut Rick "C.J." Sturckow, the STS-128 mission crew will deliver refrigerator-sized racks full of equipment, including the COLBERT treadmill, an exercise device named after comedian Stephen Colbert.

Stott will take the place of Tim Kopra, who moved into the station during STS-127. Pilot Kevin Ford and Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester, Jose Hernandez, John "Danny" Olivas and Sweden's Christer Fuglesang round out the crew.

STS-128 Additional Resources
› Mission Summary (593 Kb PDF)
› Press Kit (3.7 Mb PDF)
› More about STS-128 Crew

Orbiter Status
› About the Orbiters

For more information visit nasa.gov

NASA Moves Shuttle Discovery’s Launch Readiness Briefing

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's news conference about the status of the next space shuttle launch will follow the conclusion of the Flight Readiness Review on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The review, originally expected to conclude Tuesday, is a meeting to assess preparations for shuttle Discovery's STS-128 mission to the International Space Station.

The briefing will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's Web site. Media may ask questions from participating NASA locations. Reporters should contact their preferred NASA center to confirm participation.

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


Live status updates, including the start time for the news conference, will be provided via the NASA News Twitter feed during the meeting. To access the feed, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/nasa

For STS-128 crew and mission information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle