STS-134 Archives

March 29, 2011December 24, 2015 by Nancy Atkinson

How to Wake Up an Astronaut: Vote Now

From folk to boogey-woogey to cute kids singing, you’ve got 10 original choices for which song should be the winner of NASA’s Space Rock contest in the Original Songs category. While I’m personally bummed that my song didn’t get chosen as a finalist, the ten choices are creative, fun and really awesome. It’s great to know that there are other songwriters out there who are passionate about space exploration, too! NASA said 1,350 original songs were submitted, including 693 from 47 states in the US, 105 from Canada, and 552 from 61 other countries. The two songs with the most votes will be the first original songs chosen by the public to be played as wakeup music for a shuttle crew, and will be played during the STS-134 mission, sending a ‘rise and shine’ to space shuttle Commander Mark Kelly and his five crewmates during their mission to the International Space Station. Voting runs from Tuesday, March 29 through launch day, which currently is targeted for April 19.

Listen to the songs and vote at the Space Rock webpage.

And you can still participate in the “Face in Space” project, which allows you to send a picture to space via an electronic transfer. During Discovery’s mission, more than 194,000 images flew in space. So far, almost 117,000 images have been submitted to fly aboard shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 flight. To send your face to space aboard Endeavour, or Atlantis on the STS-135 mission targeted for June, visit the Face in Space Website.

March 20, 2011December 24, 2015 by Ken Kremer

Shuttle Endeavour Photo Special: On Top of Pad 39A for Final Flight

Panoramic view from the upper reaches of the Shuttle Gantry - Fixed Service Structure - at Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. View shows the top of the shuttle stack and Florida Space Coastline. Credit: Ken Kremer

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Space Shuttle Endeavour now sits majestically at launch pad 39 A at the Kennedy Space Center, awaiting her historic final spaceflight on the STS-134 mission. Following her nighttime rollout to the pad, I was part of a lucky band of photographers and journalists permitted to travel along and participate in the ultimate photo op on a picture perfect day.

NASA allowed us to get breathtakingly close and document Endeavour from multiple absolutely awesome vantage points all around the launch pad from top to bottom. We were given access to shoot from the upper reaches of the launch gantry with stunning panoramic vistas of the Florida coastline to the bottom of the launch platform and standing directly beneath the External Tank and adjacent to the Twin Solid Rocket Boosters.

Here is part 1 of my photo album which focuses on the upper levels and includes our visit to the White Room – where the astronauts enter the crew hatch to board the shuttle orbiter to take their seats for the adventure of a lifetime.

Walkway to the White Room and astronaut’s crew hatch at Pad 39 A. Credit: Ken Kremer www.kenkremer.com

With the shuttle era rapidly drawing to a close, NASA has opened up media access in ways not previously allowed so that we can share these rarely seen views of the shuttle with the public.

Close up of Endeavour crew cabin, ET, SRB and astronaut walkway to the White Room. Credit: Ken Kremer

STS-134 will be the 25th and final flight for Space Shuttle Endeavour. Liftoff is set slated for April 19 with an all veteran crew of six, led by Shuttle Commander Mark Kelly.

Endeavour will haul the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to orbit and attach this premiere science experiment to the truss structure of the International Space Station. AMS will search for dark matter and antimatter and seak to determine the origin of the universe.

Read more about the STS-134 mission in my prior reports here and here

View from top levels of Launch Pad 39A to Endeavour and Florida coast. Credit: Ken Kremer

Space Shuttle Endeavour awaits April 19 launch from Pad 39A at KSC. Credit: Ken Kremer

Side view of Space Shuttle Endeavour from on top of Pad 39A at KSC looking out to Florida coastline. at KSC. Credit Ken Kremer

Looking down along the Solid Rocket Boosters to the base of the Mobile Launch Platform at Pad 39A. Credit: Ken Kremer

View from the top of the retracted Rotating Service Structure (RSS) at Pad 39A to Endeavour and gaseous oxygen vent hood – beanie cap - with humerous wind monitor and Pad 39B off in the distance at left. Credit: Ken Kremer

Close up of Endeavour crew cabin attached to the White Room, Credit: Ken Kremer

Inside the White Room at Pad 39 A and the crew hatch to Shuttle Endeavour. Credit: Ken Kremer

Ken on top of the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) at Pad 39A with Endeavour and
gaseous oxygen vent hood – beanie cap. Credit: Ken Kremer

Space Shuttle Endeavour and launch gantry at Launch Pad 39A at KSC.
For context, the photos above were taken from the upper levels of the pad service structures at left (Rotating Service Structure and Fixed Service Structure) and the White Room attached to crew cabin at center. The Flame Trench is at bottom, center. Credit: Ken Kremer

March 14, 2011December 24, 2015 by Nancy Atkinson

KSC Launch Pad Worker Falls, Dies

Shuttle Endeavour at launch pad 39 A. Credit: NASA

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A worker at the space shuttle launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, pad 39A, fell to his death early Monday morning, according to reports. An employee of United Launch Alliance fell from the launch pad tower near space shuttle Endeavour. NASA released the following statement:

“At about 7:40 a.m. EDT this morning, a United Space Alliance worker fell at NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A. NASA emergency medical personnel responded, but they were unable to revive the man. Because of medical privacy, currently we’re not able to release any additional details about this fatality. Family members are being notified. All work at Launch Pad 39A has been suspended for the rest of the day, and counseling and other employee assistance are being provided to workers. Right now our focus is on our workers and for the family of the USA employee. The incident is under investigation.”

Our condolences to the man’s family and his United Launch Alliance co-workers.

UPDATE:

USA has now released the name of the person involved in the accident at the launch pad as engineer James D. Vanover.

“Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family of Mr. Vanover,” United Space Alliance Chief Executive Officer Virginia Barnes said in a statement. “Our focus right now is on providing support for the family, and for his coworkers. We are also providing our full support to investigating officials in order to determine the cause of the incident as quickly as possible. Until that investigation is complete, it would be inappropriate to provide further comment on the details.”

March 8, 2011December 24, 2015 by Ken Kremer

Endeavour Mated to Rockets for Last Flight Photo Album

Space Shuttle Endeavour in VAB for Final Lift and Mate to Rocket Boosters. Endeavour was attached for the last time to External fuel tank and Solid Rocket Boosters that will power her last ascent to space on the STS-134 mission in April 2011. Then she will be retired from active duty service and sit in a museum yet to be chosen. All the orbiters could be usefully flown for many more years but for lack of money from the US Federal Government. Credit: Ken Kremer

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For the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour, I was privileged to be one of the lucky few to be an eyewitness to how the orbiter was hoisted and attached for the last time to the External fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters that will power her last ascent to space on the STS-134 mission . Thereafter she will be retired from active duty service.

“Lift and Mate” is the formal name for the nearly day and a half long intricate process to join Endeavour to the fuel tank and rocket boosters and took place after the orbiter was hauled inside the 52 story Vehicle Assembly Building atop a 76 wheeled transporter on Feb. 28.

Workers in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) secure yellow metal sling to Endeavour prior to lift from the VAB transfer aisle into High Bay 3 on 1 March 2011. Credit: Ken Kremer

Lift and Mate is a jaw dropping and unforgettable experience because you see the orbiter suspended in mid air as though it was flying in space. While hanging in the air by thin cables, the 100 ton orbiter is reminiscent to me of what astronauts on the International Space Station surely see as the shuttle approaches for docking.

Following the shuttles rollover to the VAB on top on the transporter, technicians initially attached a large yellow, metal sling to Endeavour in the center area of the VAB – known as the transfer aisle.

Endeavour was then slowly and methodically hoisted on pulleys and chains into the vertical position. The tail came to rest just a few meters from the hard and unforgiving concrete floor. The orbiter was then lifted up to the VAB ceiling and carefully moved over walkways into High Bay 3. Media including myself watched this entire process in total awe from several different levels inside the VAB as Endeavour was lifted past us from just a few meters away.

The final step was to lower Endeavour into position for mating to the fuel tank and solid rocket boosters already awaiting her arrival.
Its hard to believe I was really an eyewitness to this majestic event and also sadly realize it will never happen again.

“The orbiter has a lot of life left in her,” said a top shuttle manager to me. “The shuttle could fly many more missions.”

Large yellow sling set to be attached to Endeavour. Credit: Ken Kremer

NASA will rollout Endeavour to Launch Pad 39 A on March 9 following the landing of Space Shuttle Discovery.

The STS-134 mission will be the 25th and final flight for shuttle Endeavour. Launch is set for April 19. Endeavour will haul the $2 Billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to orbit and attach it to the ISS. AMS will search for dark matter and seek to determine the origin of the universe.

Check out the majestic views of “Lift and Mate” for Space Shuttle Endeavour in my photo album herein

Final “Lift and Mate” of Space Shuttle Endeavour. Photos by Ken Kremer

Space Shuttle Endeavour in VAB for Lift and Mate. Credit: Ken Kremer

Overhead view of Space Shuttle Endeavour in VAB for Lift and Mate. Credit: Ken Kremer

Overhead view of Space Shuttle Endeavour in VAB for Lift and Mate from Level 16. Credit: Ken Kremer

Belly view of Space Shuttle Endeavour coated with thousands of heat shield tiles. Two rectangular attach points hold left and right side main separation bolts from ET Credit: Ken Kremer

Belly view of Space Shuttle Endeavour and heat shield tiles. Credit: Ken Kremer

Endeavour goes Vertical. Credit: Ken Kremer

Rotating Vertical Endeavour. Credit: Ken Kremer

Lowering Endeavour to Solid Rocket Boosters and External fuel tank inside VAB. Credit: Ken Kremer

Lowering Endeavour in High Bay 3 to SRBs and ET inside VAB. Credit: Ken Kremer

Lowering Endeavour to SRB’s and ET inside VAB. Credit: Ken Kremer

Endeavour disappears behind scaffolding while it is lowered to SRB’s and ET inside VAB. Credit: Ken Kremer

Endeavour disappears behind scaffolding while it is lowered to SRB’s and ET inside VAB. Tip of ET visible here above nose of Endeavour. Credit: Ken Kremer

Ken Kremer and Space Shuttle Endeavour in the VAB for Lift and Mate to Booster rocket

March 3, 2011April 26, 2016 by Nancy Atkinson

How Does the Shuttle Orbiter Get Attached to the External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters?

Ever wondered how the space shuttle orbiter gets attached to the big external tank and the solid rocket boosters? This video shows the process — called “Lift and Mate” — where the shuttle Endeavour was put into a special harness, lifted high above the stacked ET and SRBs inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, and lowered into place. The orbiter is then bolted to the ET and SRBs. Endeavour’s Lift and Mate for its final flight took place on March 1, 2011. You can also see extremely high resolution, pan and zoom images of Endeavour lifted high in the VAB at the NASATech website. (High bandwidth warning! — but definitely worth it.) See the NASATech main page for the full variety of images.

Endeavour is scheduled to rollout to Launch Pad 39A next week for STS-134, with launch set for April 19. Even though this could be the final flight of the shuttle program (STS-135 is still not a certainty) many people are looking forward to this flight, as it will bring the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the ISS. AMS is a particle physics detector designed to search for various types of unusual matter by measuring cosmic rays.

January 7, 2011December 24, 2015 by Nancy Atkinson

Shuttle Discovery Launch Date Pushed Back Again

Discovery in the VAB. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com)

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NASA managers met on Thursday and ruled out any possibility of space shuttle Discovery’s external tank being ready in time for the launch window that opens on February 3. Now, NASA is shooting for the window that opens on Feb. 27, but is working to see if International Space Station on-orbit operations would allow a launch as early as Feb. 24. More will be known next week and managers hope to set a launch date by January 14.

The space agency reported that progress continues to be made in understanding the most probable cause of cracks discovered on Discovery’s external tank mid-section, known as the intertank. Cracks on support beams called stringers were found after the tank was loaded with cryogenic fuel for a subsequently scrubbed launch attempt on November 5th. Four additional small cracks were found during X-ray examinations of the backside of the tank after Discovery was returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building before Christmas.

Plans are for the repair work to continue through the weekend. The shuttle program also reviewed the plan to modify as many as 32 additional stringers with radius blocks, which will provide added structural support in areas known to carry much of the structural load of the external tank. These radius blocks essentially fit over existing stringer edges through which the securing rivets are installed to provide additional structural support. The radius block modification is a known and practiced structural augmentation technique used extensively on the intertank. This work should begin as soon as the repairs to the three stringers with the four additional small cracks have been completed, likely in the next day or so, and the modification of the additional 32 stringers is expected to be complete next week.

Whether further delays could cause a leapfrog of missions remains to be seen. Launch dates for Discovery and Endeavour will be discussed at the January 13 Space Shuttle Program Requirements Control Board meeting.

August 20, 2010December 24, 2015 by Nancy Atkinson

Help NASA Choose Wakeup Music for Final Shuttle Missions

It’s the one kind of cheesy thing we all listen for each day of a shuttle mission: the wake up song. With only a few space shuttle missions left on the manifest, NASA has decided to enlist the help of the public to help choose the songs that will wake up the astronauts for STS-133 – currently scheduled for a November 1, 2010 launch — and STS-134, slated to launch on February 26, 2011. Not only can you choose from previously played popular songs, but those of you musically inclined can write a song and submit it.

See the NASA website for more details.

The deadline is January 10, 2011.

July 14, 2010December 24, 2015 by Nancy Atkinson

External Tank for Final Scheduled Shuttle Mission Arrives at KSC (Gallery)

Arrival of ET-138 at KSC. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today

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Universe Today photographer Alan Walters was on hand at Kennedy Space Center today to see the arrival of ET-138, the external tank for the final scheduled space shuttle mission, STS-134. Enjoy this gallery of images, (because it is something that might only happen one more time…). There was also a surprise drive-by of some segments of used shuttle solid rocket boosters.

Closeup of ET-138 at KSC. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today

Used SRB sections drive past while ET-138 is being unloaded at KSC. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today

Kennedy's External Tank/Solid Rocket Booster Vehicle Manager Alicia Mendoza is interviewed at KSC on July 14, 2010. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today

Closeup of the nose of ET-138. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today

ET-138 arrives at the Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today

July 1, 2010April 26, 2016 by Nancy Atkinson

New Dates for Final Shuttle Launches

Discovery on the launchpad in March, 2010 for the STS-131 mission. Credit: Nancy Atkinson

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If you are tentatively planning to attend one of the final shuttle launches, the uncertainty on launch dates just got a bit more certain; plus — an added benefit — we won’t see the end of the shuttle program until 2011.

NASA announced new target dates for the final two (and maybe three) shuttle missions. STS-133 is now aiming for November 1, 2010 at approximately 4:33 p.m. EDT for the final flight of shuttle Discovery, and for STS-134, February 26, 2011 at around 4:19 p.m. EST for shuttle Endeavour’s last launch. The potential bonus mission STS-135, would launch sometime in August 2011, if approved by Congress and NASA. The latest word on that was that NASA officials hope the decision would be made sometime this month.

The target dates were changed because the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer instrument, heading for installation on the International Space Station won’t be ready by the time of the previously planned Sept. 16 launch for STS-133. With that launch moving to November, STS-134 cannot fly as planned, so the next available launch window — taking into account sun angles and other planned launches –is in February 2011.

These dates were rumored last week, but this is now the official word. However, of course, all target launch dates are subject to change.

The last external tanks for the STS-134 mission was recently completed at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. There will be a final farewell ceremony at 9 a.m. CDT on Thursday, July 8, which will be shown on NASA TV. The event will commemorate 37 years of successful tank deliveries and the final external tank’s rollout for the last space shuttle flight. Coverage begins at 8:45 a.m.

The tank, designated ET-138, will travel on a wheeled transporter one mile to the Michoud barge dock. It will be accompanied by the Storyville Stompers, a traditional area brass band, and hundreds of handkerchief-waving employees in typical New Orleans fashion and spirit.

The tank will travel on a 900-mile sea journey to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it will support shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 launch. No word yet on how the oil spill may affect the journey.

Another tank that was damaged in Hurricane Katrina is being refurbished for the Launch-On-Need (LON) rescue mission STS-335, which if not needed and if it gets approval to fly as the actual final shuttle mission, (Atlantis) would change to STS-135.

Ken Kremer (who has written for Universe Today) has an article on SpaceRef about his tour of the Michoud Facility, which includes some great images.

March 17, 2010December 24, 2015 by Nancy Atkinson

STS-134 Does Star Trek with New Poster

Look familiar? Crew poster for STS-134. Credit: NASA

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I love the crew posters that NASA has been creating lately, and this one is especially cool. If you are a Star Trek fan, you likely will recognize the pose that Commander Mark Kelly and his crew are assuming. If not, take a look below.

Star Trek movie poster. Credit: Paramount

Find all the crew posters at the NASA Spaceflight Awareness product page. And try not to download too many! They’re all great.

Right now, STS-134 has a targeted launch date of July 29, 2010. But STS-131, -132 and -133 are in line first, and right now we’re waiting to hear word on whether Discovery for STS-131 will have to be rolled back off the launchpad to fix a faulty helium valve in the right Reaction Control System. Additionally, one of STS-134’s payloads is scheduled to be the $2-billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, but possible design problems could delay the launch of this much-anticipated instrument which could help find antimatter and test the Big Bang theory. Stay tuned!