Time lapse photo mosaic was assembled from Phoenix images taken of the lander deck and martian terrain. Panorama shows the robotic arm in action as it scoops up soil samples (right) and delivers the samples to the MECA and TEGA science instruments (left). Credit: Marco Di Lorenzo, Kenneth Kremer - NASA/JPL/UA/Spaceflight
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As expected, NASA’s February 2010 listening campaign for the Phoenix Mars Lander has failed to detect any signals emanating from the long silent vehicle. NASA’s attempts to reestablish contact with Phoenix were restarted in January 2010 and timed to coincide with the onset of springtime and disappearance of ice at her location in the martian north polar regions. In theory, the return of abundant sunshine striking the twin energy producing solar arrays could again power up the science lander sufficiently to revive itself and ‘phone home’ to Earth.
This just completed 2nd listening campaign consisted of 60 overflights conducted by NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter from Feb 22 to Feb 26. The first campaign was conducted in January and likewise yielded no signals of activity. But with each passing Sol, or martian day, the sun is now rising higher in the sky and impinging longer on the solar powered craft. A third campaign is scheduled for early April 2010 just in case the sun enables a miraculous revival. The sun will be continuously above the Martian horizon in April.
Check out the time lapse photo mosaic above, created by Marco Di Lorenzo and Ken Kremer, which shows Phoenix actively at work as she digs up Martian icy soil samples and delivers them to the MECA and TEGA science instruments on the lander deck for compositional analysis.
It’s currently mid-springtime at the landing site with about 22 hours of sunlight each Sol. That illumination is comparable to the period when Phoenix was in full swing in the middle of her mission.
“Each overflight lasts about 10 minutes”, says Doug McCuistion, the director of Mars Exploration at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. But no one at NASA or on the science and engineering teams is under any illusions. “We think the chances are very low that Phoenix survived winter”, McCuistion told me in an interview.
NASA is using both of its Martian orbiting assets currently circling above the red planet to ascertain the condition of Phoenix. “Odyssey is the prime communications spacecraft. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) will try to image Phoenix about every 2 weeks”, McCuistion said to me. See the latest MRO images herein which show a receding ice layer.
Stages in the seasonal disappearance of surface ice from the ground around the Phoenix Mars Lander are visible in these images taken on Feb. 8, 2010, (left) and Feb. 25, 2010 by the HiRise Camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, during springtime on northern Mars. The views cover an area about 100 meters wide. North is toward the bottom. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
Phoenix was pre-programmed with a Lazarus mode to reawaken itself in the unlikely event that it survived the exceedingly harsh northern Martian winter during which it endured extremely low temperatures for longer than 1 earth year already. Furthermore, the spacecraft was potentially even partially encased in up to several feet of ice during several months of continuous arctic darkness. Unlike the rovers Spirit and Opportunity, Phoenix was not designed to withstand Martian winter.
After more than 5 months of intensive and breakthrough science investigations, all contact with Phoenix was lost on 2 November 2008 as increasing storm clouds blocked the waning sun from reaching the life giving solar arrays and the vehicle could no longer function.
Phoenix lasted more than 2 months beyond her planned primary mission design of 3 months. She discovered that Mars currently possesses a habitable environment with water and nutrients that could sustain potential past or current martian life forms, IF they exist. Read my earlier Phoenix report to learn about the robust science program that could be carried out to build on the initial results, if this bird rises again.
The STS-131 crew: (L-R) Clay Anderson, Naoko Yamazaki (JAXA), Stephanie Wilson, Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger, Rick Mastracchio, Jim Dutton, Alan Poindexter. Image credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today.
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The astronauts are getting ready; space shuttle Discovery is getting ready. Are you ready for this fourth-to-the-last flight? Preparations have begun in earnest for the next shuttle mission, STS-131. The astronauts arrived at Kennedy Space Center Monday evening and will be here for several days of the standard prelaunch training called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. They arrived at the Shuttle Landing Facility airstrip, and all expressed their excitement for the mission and their thanks to the people at KSC who prepare the shuttle for flight.
Astronauts arrive at KSC. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today.
“We are really happy to be here at Kennedy Space Center,” said Alan Poindexter, Commander of STS-131. “It’s a beautiful day to be here and we’re really looking forward to our dress rehearsal for launch, and are looking forward to seeing Discovery rollout to the pad. We’ve been training really hard, and just got out of simulations (in Houston) this morning. We’re all working hard getting ready for this flight.”
Making her first flight, Educator-astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenberger, said “Thanks to those at KSC who do many hours of hard work to so we can fly. This is my first flight and I’ve always looked forward to this week.” Astronaut Clay Anderson. Image credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today.
Clay Anderson, who spent 5 months on the ISS in 2007, will be staying for only the short duration of the mission this time. “I’m looking forward to going back home to the space station,” he said. I’ve had great time training with this crew.”
Discovery is scheduled to begin rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Pad 39A, with first motion is targeted for 12:01 a.m. EST Wednesday. Live coverage of the move will be shown on NASA TV beginning at 6:30 a.m EST (1130 GMT) .
Discovery will carry a multi-purpose logistics module filled with science racks for the laboratories aboard the station. The mission has three planned spacewalks, with work to include replacing an ammonia tank assembly, retrieving a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior, and switching out a rate gyro assembly on the S0 segment of the station’s truss structure.
STS-131 will be the 33rd shuttle mission to the station. Launch is currently set for April 5, 2010. Only four more shuttle missions are currently on the manifest.
Thanks to Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for the great images of today’s crew arrival.
STS-131 crew gets ready to board a bus to head to crew quarters at KSC. Image credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today
NASA Shuttle managers Mike Moses and Mike Leinbach at post landing press briefing at KSC. Credit: Ken Kremer
For my farewell from the Cape (for now) and STS 130 coverage, please check out this cool video of the STS 130 Night Landing which took place exactly 1 week ago on Sunday night, Feb 21.
It’s been a pleasure and an honor to work as a team for Universe Today; Nancy Atkinson and Ken Kremer reporting live from the Kennedy Space Center – informing all our readers about the remarkable deeds by the STS 130 and ISS astronauts & cosmonauts. As well as all the hardworking folks at NASA and the ISS partners from ESA, Russia, Canada and Japan without whom nothing would happen.
This home video is taken from the 2nd story of the viewing stand located at the shuttle landing runway, formally known as the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). This is as close as any observers are permitted other then a few key NASA runway and photography personal situated slightly closer to the strip.
The video is courtesy of my friend Matt at Spacearium, and shot as Nancy and myself were standing next to him. This is really a pleasure to present to you because its exactly the sights and sounds of what we all experienced – LIVE from KSC !
[/caption]In fact, if you look carefully at the beginning and you’ll see the top NASA Shuttle managers – Mike Moses and Mike Leinbach – standing about 20 feet in front of us just as Endeavour comes into view for touchdown. At the very end you’ll catch a glimpse of us motley (but thrilled) crew of photo journalists.
The threatening rain showers scooted by, the winds calmed and the totally socked in cloud deck miraculously thinned out. Amazingly, it turned into a perfect evening for a landing.
Abruptly and with absolutely no forewarning, Endeavour’s twin sonic booms shocked the daylights out of us spectators near the runway, announcing her impending arrival at runway 15 in about 3 ½ minutes. Her sweeping 234 degree left turn approach from the north and above the Atlantic Ocean was fully masked under the cover of darkness until the final moments.
Suddenly, I caught first sight of the swiftly descending and barely visible phantom beauty as she swooped down from the sky at the far end of the runway barely above the tarmac. Only her magnificent fuselage, tail and braking drogue parachute were illuminated. In mere seconds she passed directly in front of us. Her wheels touched down as she sped along and disappeared down the far end of the runway, with just her tail in view at night above the tree line traveling from the northwest to the southeast.
Launch Director Mike Leinbach summed up the sentiments of many, saying “I got to watch a lot of the folks out on the runway tonight just kind of stand there and look up at Endeavour and think about the majesty of that ship and it’s next to last flight. There’s a whole series of ‘lasts’ coming up. The people fall in love with the machines. It’s going to be hard to let them go. But we’ve been given our direction. We’re mature about it and adult about it and we’re professional about it. So we’re going to process and fly that last mission. And move on.”
Only 4 Space Shuttle flights remain in the manifest.
If you can, try and take the opportunity to witness one of the final launches before these magnificently capable vehicles are prematurely retired at the peak of their capability later this year.
During the two week flight, the STS 130 crew brought aloft and installed the Tranquility habitation module and the Cupola observation dome. Tranquility houses critical ISS life support systems. The Cupola possesses 7 spectacular windows and has exceeded its pre-flight billing by affording dazzling vistas of the earth below and the cosmos above.
Backdropped against vistas of Earth below, Mission Specialist Robert Behnken works inside the newly-installed cupola. Image credit: NASA
The station is now 98 percent complete by volume and 90 percent complete by mass. The station itself exceeds 800,000 pounds and the combined weight with the shuttle exceeds 1 million pounds for the first time.
Earlier STS 130/ISS and SDO articles by Ken Kremer
Nancy Atkinson (Universe Today Senior Editor, right) and Ken Kremer at the KSC Press center reporting for Universe Today on the STS 130 and SDO missions. We stand in front of the beautiful Project Constellation murals. Credit: Ken Kremer
NASA astronaut George Zamka, STS-130 commander, is pictured in a window of the newly-installed Cupola of the International Space Station while space shuttle Endeavour remains docked with the station.
[/caption](Editor’s Note: Ken Kremer is at the Kennedy Space Center for Universe Today covering the flight of Endeavour)
The first landing attempt is set for 10:20 PM EST on Orbit 217 with the de-orbit burn planned for 9:14 PM. See landing track below. A second opportunity is available at 11:55 PM. There are two additional opportunities available overnight at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., at 1:25 AM EST Monday and 3:00 AM. The Spaceflight Meteorology Group and local news forecasts here in Florida predict deteriorating weather at KSC on Monday with increasing chances of rain.
The crew will berth the robotic arm and conduct the standard pre-landing check out of re-entry systems for the flight control surfaces. They will test the hydraulic power units and elevons and test fire all the steering jets during their last planned full day in space.
Landing ground track for 1st landing opportunity at 10:20 PM on Sunday, Feb. 21 at KSC. Credit: NASA
Eight Xenon lights will illuminate the SLF for the night time shuttle landing. Four xenons will be positioned at both ends of the runway to illuminate the touchdown and rollout area from behind the shuttle. Each Xenon light emits 1 billion candlepower, or 20 kilowatts.
Endeavour undocked from the ISS on Friday (Feb 19) at 7:54 PM EST while orbiting 208 miles high above the Atlantic Ocean after a completely successful period of joint operations with the Expedition 22 crew totaling nine days, 19 hours and 48 minutes. Shuttle pilot Terry Virts performed a fly-around of the station, enabling his crewmates to conduct a photo survey of the complex. The crew also conducted the now standard final check for any signs of damage to the heat shield tiles on Endeavour’s belly and the reinforced carbon carbon (RCC) panels on the wing leading edges and nose cap using the Orbiter Boom Sensor System attached to the shuttles robotic arm in order to ensure a safe reentry.
During the two week flight, the STS 130 crew brought aloft and installed the Tranquility habitation module and the Cupola observation dome and conducted three spacewalks. Tranquility houses critical life support systems. The Cupola possesses 7 spectacular windows affording dazzling vistas of the earth below and the cosmos above.
The station is now 98 percent complete by volume and 90 percent complete by mass. The station itself exceeds 800,000 pounds and the combined weight with the shuttle exceeds 1 million pounds for the first time.
Earlier STS 130/ISS and SDO articles by Ken Kremer
Astronaut Robert Behnken during the first EVA of the mission. Credit: NASA
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The STS-130 mission has provided some of the most amazing photos of any space shuttle mission to date — from a stunning shot of space shuttle Endeavour silhouetted against Earth’s colorful atmosphere, to incredible views of the International Space station, to the always amazing photos of astronauts at work in space. But that’s only the beginning! Take a look at a sampling of some of the best images from the mission so far. Above, astronaut Bob Behnken works outside the ISS during the first EVA of the mission.
Close-up view of Endeavour's nose section as seen from the ISS. Credit: NASA
During my time in at Kennedy Space Center the past couple of weeks, I had the chance to see space shuttle Endeavour up close. But not quite this close! Here’s the view the ISS astronauts had as the space shuttle pulled up for docking to the space station.
great view of the Tranquility module before being attached to the ISS. Credit: NASA
This is an amazing view of our home in space, the ISS, and a great way to see the international partnership of nations at work: CanadArm 2 from Canada hangs onto the Tranquility Node built by Europe; also a view of Japan’s JEM module, and the Russian Soyuz and a US space shuttle that are docked to the ISS.
Robert Behnken hangs on. Credit: NASA
I get vertigo just looking at this one! Hang on Bob Behnken!! But what a view. During the first EVA of the mission, Behnken and fellow spacewalker Nicholas Patrick relocated a temporary platform from the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, to the station’s truss structure and installed two handles on the robot. Once Tranquility was structurally mated to Unity, the spacewalkers connected heater and data cables that integrated the new module with the rest of the station’s systems. They also pre-positioned insulation blankets and ammonia hoses that the same two spacewalkers connected up Tranquility to the station’s cooling radiators during the mission’s second spacewalk.
Superman, a.k.a Terry Virts zooms through the Zarya module. Credit: NASA
This is what we all want to do in space. Pilot Terry Virts does Superman in fine style in the Zarya Functional Cargo Block (FGB).
Fresh fruit and veggies are a rare treat in space. Credit: NASA
Fresh food in space is one thing we haven’t figured out how to do yet, so any arriving spacecraft must be extremely welcome for the crunchy and succulent apples, oranges, carrots, etc. they bring. It’s interesting to see NASA uses the same green bags that I use at home to keep fruit and vegetables fresh longer. That’s ISS Commander Jeff Williams with the goodies.
Endeavour silhouetted against Earth's atmospere. Credit: NASA
I know we published this image earlier, but it is so amazing, I had to include it in this gallery. Just absolutely stunning.
Another great shot of astronaut Bob Behnken during EVA-1. Credit: NASA
A great shot of astronaut Bob Behnken during EVA-2, a five-hour, 54-minute spacewalk. Behnken and Nicholas Patrick connected two ammonia coolant loops, installed thermal covers around the ammonia hoses, outfitted the Earth-facing port on the Tranquility node for the relocation of its Cupola, and installed handrails and a vent valve on the new module.
Moving the cupola. Credit: NASA
Another great view of the action taking place at the ISS this week. In the grasp of the Canadarm2, the cupola was relocated from the forward port to the Earth-facing port of the International Space Station’s newly installed Tranquility node. The cupola is a robotic control station with six windows around its sides and another in the center that will provide a panoramic view of Earth, celestial objects and visiting spacecrafts. With the installation of Tranquility and cupola, the space station is about 90 percent complete.
Night launch of Endeavour. Credit: NASA
Having witnessed the launch personally, I have to include a couple of incredible pictures of the night launch of Endeavour. Speaking of launches, the latest word is that the next mission may be an early morning launch, as STS-131 has slipped to launching no earlier than April 5, 2010 at 6:27 am EDT. We’ll keep you posted. Launch, another view. Credit: NASA
The cupola, attached to the station's robotic arm, is relocated to Tranquility's Earth-facing port. Credit: NASA TV
The Cupola, which is akin to a ‘bay window’ in a house back on earth, was relocated overnight to the Tranquility modules Earth-facing (nadir) port and put in place at 1:25 AM EST this morning. The so called ‘Room with a View’ was then securely latched and bolted into place. Cupola is an innovative 7 windowed observation dome, built in Italy, that will provide spectacular panoramic views of the Earth, the station and the cosmos and simultaneously function as a robotics work station for approaching cargo ships.
STS 130 Astronauts Terry Virts and Kathryn Hire used the stations Canadian built robotic arm to slowly and methodically drive Cupola from Tranquility’s end port to its new permanent position at a side port looking directly at the Earth. The maneuver took about 2 hours.
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The astronauts dealt with a relatively minor delay in releasing the cupola. Bolts attaching it to its launch position at the end cone on Tranquility had been torqued a little tighter than expected. The problem was resolved by increasing the torque applied by the stations robotic arm to unscrew the bolts and detach Cupola.
First light through the windows is expected on Tuesday after Spacewalkers Patrick and Behnken remove the protective window covers during EVA-3, their final spacewalk of the STS-130 mission. The covers have been in place since before launch to shield the windows from debris and damage.
Earlier STS 130/ISS and SDO articles by Ken Kremer
Mission Specialists Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken work outside the International Space Station during the second spacewalk of the STS-130 mission. Credit: NASA TV
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(Editor’s Note: Ken Kremer is at the Kennedy Space Center for Universe Today covering the flight of Endeavour)
Astronauts Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick completed the second of their three spacewalks (EVAs) planned for the STS-130 mission early this Sunday morning Feb 14 at 3:14 AM EST. The pair worked essentially as plumbers today during the spacewalk which began at 9:20 PM Saturday night. They successfully accomplished all their assigned tasks overnight by connecting crucial Tranquility feed lines to the International Space Station (ISS).
“It was an extremely exciting and successful day on the International Space Station, one that I’m very proud of,” said Flight Director Bob Dempsey. “The team has been working for over two years to make today happen. And it did, and it was extremely successful and I’m very pleased with the way it has gone. Everything was accomplished as we had planned.”
The main goal of EVA 2 was to route four newly redesigned ammonia coolant lines from the new Tranquility life support module to the Destiny laboratory module thereby hooking Tranquility into the space stations existing cooling system. Tranquility could not be fully activated and powered up for use by the ISS crew until fulfilling this essential plumbing job to install the custom built ammonia lines.
Behnken and Patrick spent the first half of EVA-2 connecting the four external ammonia jumper hoses which convey ammonia that works as a coolant to dissipate heat generated by the electronics and systems inside the module. The set up is comprised of two independent loops (A and B) with two lines each, a supply and a return line. The 16 ft long flex lines were also routed through brackets on the Unity node to which Tranquility is attached on the left side. Newly attached Tranquility and Cupola modules (center, left) jut out from the main line of habitable ISS modules running from left to right at center. Credit: NASA TV
After connecting the four jumper hoses the astronauts methodically wrapped them with a long sheet of protective multi layer insulation, or MLI. During the EVA, the astronauts then flipped open the control valves for one of the two external loops (A) and successfully initiated the flow of ammonia coolant though the newly installed set of custom hoses. The second “B” loop will be activated on the third, and last, spacewalk of the STS 130 mission.
NASA astronauts Terry Virts (right), STS-130 pilot; Nicholas Patrick (left) and Stephen Robinson, both mission specialists, are pictured in the newly-installed Tranquility node of the International Space Station . Credit: NASA
With coolant flowing as intended, another team of astronauts inside the ISS began powering up and fully activating the stations newest room for the first time. They turned on the interior lights, ventilation, air conditioning, computers and other life support and environmental control systems which this room was specifically designed to house.
Once again the highly trained and professional astronauts made an extremely difficult job look relatively easy. The only problem was quite minor. Patrick reported that a small quantity of ammonia of leaked out of a reservoir as he uncapped a connector on the Unity module before he could hook up the jumper hose. He said that ammonia particles, which had solidified in the cold vacuum of space, splashed onto the exterior of his spacesuit. This spray of ammonia automatically qualifies as a contamination incident although Patrick did not find any particles actually adhering to his suit. The pair had been trained for exactly this occurrence since a tiny leakage of this type was not entirely unexpected. The spacewalk continued as planned.
Since ammonia is highly toxic, the spacewalkers took care to “bake out” their suits and test for any residual contamination when they arrived back at the airlock at the conclusion of the EVA. None was detected and they ingressed the station as planned.
The final tasks of EVA 2 involved outfitting the nadir docking port of Tranquility for the relocation of the Cupola module to another berthing port and installing exterior handrails.
The Story behind the Urgently Redesigned Ammonia Hoses
NASA and contractor teams had to work quite swiftly to redesign and construct four new custom ammonia hoses. The arduous task was only completed a few days before the then targeted launch date of Feb. 7. Otherwise a significantly curtailed mission involving only partial activation of Tranquility or a launch delay or would have been necessitated.
At the Kennedy Space Center press site I spoke with Eric Howell of Boeing in detail about the intense effort to construct and certify the hoses for the External Active Thermal Control System (EATCS). I had the opportunity to inspect the flexible metal hoses and their individual components first hand and hold and touch them with my own hands. I was quite surprised to find that they were rather sharp and easily capable of causing a deadly air leak gash into a spacewalkers glove.
“The 1 inch diameter hoses are constructed of Inconel, which is resistant to a highly corrosive substance like ammonia. The flexible, convoluted tube is covered by a metal braid which carries the entire load and provides all the strength to maintain the tubes integrity and prevent it from bursting. The individual strands of wire are 1/11,000 inch in diameter,” Howell explained to me.
“Normally it takes about 9 months to design and test the ammonia hoses. We had to get this job done in about 25 days. There was a weld quality issue with the original set of flight hoses. The weld was separating (yielding) from the metal braid carriers under pressure testing with nitrogen. To fix the hose bursting problem, we changed the design of the weld and the welding process to obtain a full depth of penetration.” Redesigned ammonia coolant line and components on display at The KSC press center. Credit: Ken Kremer
“The hoses are designed to operate at 500 psi. To qualify for flight they are tested for 25 cycles at 2000 psi (4 x operating pressure). The original hoses burst at 1600 psi. So we redesigned the hoses and modified the nut collar at the end which we found was too short.”
“We constructed four new multi-segmented hoses built by splicing together 3 to 5 shorter segments which we found lying around in storage throughout several NASA centers. Each of the original hoses that failed were constructed from two segments. The outer metal braid was then covered by a fiberglass sleeve to provide thermal protection. The new hoses were rush shipped from NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Ala on Jan 29 after a final checkout for approval by the Endeavour spacewalkers who were quite concerned,” Howell concluded.
Side view of the Tranquility and Cupola modules during my visit inside the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) at the Kennedy Space Center. The Cupola is covered by protective blankets and sports two grapple fixtures for the robotic arms to latch onto. Delivery of the modules is the primary goal of the STS130 flight of shuttle Endeavour. The two modules combined weigh over 13.5 tons. Tranquility has six docking ports and is 7 meters (21 ft) in length and 4.5 meters (14.7 ft) in diameter with a pressurized volume of 75 cubic meters (2650 cubic ft). Credit: Ken Kremer
Cupola Relocation and Extra day in Space
Transfer of the Cupola, which had been scheduled for this evening (Sunday, Feb 14) has been put on hold pending resolution of a clearance issue on Tranquilities end docking port to which Cupola is currently attached. The astronauts were unable to attach a protective cover onto the port from inside Tranquility. Several protruding bolts are interfering with attempts to lock the cover in place. The cover shields the port from debris and extreme temperatures when nothing is attached to it.
The astronauts did receive other very good news today when NASA managers decided to extend the STS 130 flight by one day bringing it to14 days in all and thus allowing a total of 9 days of joint docked operations with Endeavour at the orbiting outpost.
The extra flight day will permit Endeavour’s crew additional time to move the space toilet, water recycling, oxygen generation and exercise equipment into the now activated Tranquility. Those relocations had been on hold pending the repairs to the urine recycling system conducted earlier in the flight, and enough run time on the system to generate needed samples for return to Earth for analysis. Landing at the Kennedy Space Center is now targeted for 10:24 PM on Feb 21, weather permitting.
Update: NASA gave the go ahead late this afternoon (Feb 14) to start relocating Cupola late this evening. Watch for a report upon completion sometime overnight.
Earlier STS 130/ISS and SDO articles by Ken Kremer
This may be the last time we’ll see this. Launch videos taken from the space shuttle’s solid rocket boosters are incredible anyway, but add the fact the latest launch took place at night, and you’ve got a recipe for complete awesomeness! The SRB perspective of launch is unique, but go to about 2:05 in the video to watch the SRBs separate and you will swoon! Endeavour zooms away like something out of a science fiction movie. Then the sparks fly — literally and figuratively — as the SRBs fall away. Given STS-130 was the final scheduled night launch, don’t miss watching this one.
“JEM, Soyuz, Shuttle, our new Node3, and your beautiful Earth!” Stunning Twitpic shows new Tranquility module (Node 3) being prepared for attachment today to the International Space Station (ISS). Note the giant Japanese Experimental Module (JEM) and attached japanese science porch and robotic arm (at left) in backgrouind as well as manned shuttle Endeavour and Soyuz spaceships. Three robot arms in total visible here. Credit: Astronaut Soichi Noguchi aboard ISS.
[/caption] (Editor’s Note: Ken Kremer is at the Kennedy Space Center for Universe Today covering the flight of Endeavour)
According to plan, EVA-1 Spacewalkers Nicholas Patrick and Bob Behnken departed outside via the stations Quest Airlock. Their first tasks were to prepare the way for unloading Tranquility from the payload bay by removing eight contamination covers from the berthing port on Tranquility, which will be attached to the Unity Node, and also opening a flap on Unity’s centerline camera which was then utilized to precisely line up and guide the two nodes during installation.
Astronauts Terry Virts and Kay Hire then deftly plucked Tranquility out from Endeavour’s payload bay using the stations robotic arm (SSRMS) and methodically attached it to Unity as astronauts Behnken and Patrick worked elsewhere to modify a tool platform on the Dextre special purpose dexterous manipulator. Leak checks confirmed the successful docking of the two nodes.
Mission Specialists Nicholas Patrick and Bob Behnken work outside the International Space Station during the first spacewalk of the STS-130 mission. Credit: NASA TV
Patrick and Behnken then returned to Tranquility after it was in place and hooked up the crucial power and avionics cables between both nodes to provide a temporary power supply to run heaters on Tranquility. Additional cabling and coolant lines will be installed during the next spacewalk set for Saturday.
Behnken and Patrick completed their 6-hour, 32-minute EVA-1 spacewalk at 3:49 AM EST this morning and accomplished all their assigned tasks as well as some got ahead work !
Tranquility’s hatch is scheduled to be opened at about 9:14 PM tonight.
Side view of the Tranquility and Cupola modules during my visit inside the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) at the Kennedy Space Center. The Cupola is covered by protective blankets and sports two grapple fixtures for the robotic arms to latch onto. Delivery of the modules is the primary goal of the STS130 flight of shuttle Endeavour. The two modules combined weigh over 13.5 tons. Tranquility has six docking ports and is 7 meters (21 ft) in length and 4.5 meters (14.7 ft) in diameter with a pressurized volume of 75 cubic meters (2650 cubic ft). Credit: Ken Kremer
EVA-1 was the 138th in support of ISS assembly and maintenance, totaling 861 hours, 34 minutes. It was the 110th spacewalk out of the space station, totaling 674 hours, 19 minutes.
Tranquility is the final major US segment to be attached to the gigantic orbiting outpost, which spans the length of a football field. The combined weight of the ISS and shuttle exceeds 1 million pounds for the first time. Construction of the ISS is now over 90% complete.
Tranquility will house “many of the stations critical life support systems”, says Mike Suffredini, who is the lead manager of the ISS for NASA. Tranquility is outfitted with environmental control equipment for revitalizing the station atmosphere and removing contaminants, generating oxygen and providing breathable air, carbon dioxide removal, recycling waste water into potable drinking water, the crew toilet and the Colbert Treadmill for crew exercise. Suffredini told me in a prior interview that, “Many of the Tranquility racks are already aboard the ISS in the Destiny module and just need to be moved and installed. Their relocation will free up research space in Destiny”.
Earlier STS 130/ISS and SDO articles by Ken Kremer
Space shuttle Endeavour in Earth's limb as it approaches the ISS prior to docking. Credit: NASA
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While watching space shuttle Endeavour approach the International Space Station late Tuesday/early Wednesday, there was an amazing view shown on NASA TV, and I only hoped that someone on the ISS captured it with a high-resolution photo. They did. This amazing image shows Endeavor silhouetted against the tiny, colorful sliver of Earth’s atmosphere. Where else can you get an image like this except in space?! Incredible!
And below is the flipside, the view the space shuttle astronauts had of the ISS as they got closer to their new home in space.
ISS as seen from approaching Endeavour. Credit: NASA
Check out all the images from the STS-130 mission and the ISS at the NASA Human Spaceflight website.
