Author Topic: STS-135 Press releases  (Read 73512 times)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #20 on: 06/29/2011 04:27 am »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-133

NASA ANNOUNCES PRELAUNCH EVENTS AND COUNTDOWN DETAILS FOR FINAL SHUTTLE FLIGHT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- News conferences, events and operating hours
for the news center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., are set for
the final space shuttle launch.

Atlantis is scheduled to liftoff at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8, to begin
the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.

A NASA blog will provide countdown updates beginning at 6:30 a.m. on
July 8. Originating from Kennedy's Launch Control Center, the blog is
the definitive Internet source for information leading up to liftoff.

During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle website can read about
the crew's progress. As Atlantis' flight concludes, the NASA blog
will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog
and continuous mission updates, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Detailed lists of countdown milestones, news briefing times and
participants, and hours of operation for Kennedy's news center and
media credentialing office are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news

The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the shuttle
launch countdown, mission and landing. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/nasa

Free wireless Internet access is provided at the Kennedy Press Site
news center and annex. Instructions for wireless access will be
available at the news center. Due to the volume of users,
accessibility may be limited. Reporters should bring a backup.

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

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #21 on: 06/29/2011 06:22 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-136

NASA FLIGHT DIRECTORS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS FOR FINAL SHUTTLE MISSION

HOUSTON -- NASA Flight Directors Kwatsi Alibaruho (KWAT-see
Ah-lee-buh-roo-hoe) of Maywood, Ill., and Chris Edelen of
Martinsville, Va., are available for live satellite interviews from 6
to 7:50 a.m. CDT on Wednesday, July 6. Just two days later, they will
support the scheduled launch of space shuttle Atlantis on its STS-135
mission, the final flight of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program.

On July 8, Atlantis and four NASA astronauts are scheduled to lift off
from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During the 12-day
mission, they will transfer tons of supplies to the station from the
Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module.

Alibaruho, the lead space shuttle flight director for STS-135, and
Edelen, the lead International Space Station flight director, will
discuss their roles and the shuttle mission. To participate in the
interviews, reporters must contact Stephanie Stoll at 281-483-9071 or
at [email protected] before 3 p.m. on Tuesday, July 5.

Alibaruho became a NASA flight director in 2005. He will be available
from 6 to 6:50 a.m. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology in Cambridge, Mass.

Edelen, a NASA flight director since 2007, will be available from 7 to
7:50 a.m. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech and the University of
Houston, Clear Lake.

NASA Television will air b-roll footage of STS-135 mission
preparations beginning at 5:30 a.m.

The NASA Live Interview Media Outlet (LIMO) used for the interviews
and preceding b-roll is a digital satellite C-band downlink by uplink
provider Americom. It is on satellite AMC 3, transponder 9C, located
at 87 degrees west; downlink frequency 3865.5 Mhz based on a standard
C-band, horizontal downlink polarity, FEC is 3/4, data rate is 6.0
Mbps, symbol rate is 4.3404 Msps, transmission DVB-S, 4:2:0.
Alibaruho's interviews will be simulcast on NASA TV's Public and Media
Channels. Edelen's interviews will be simulcast on the Media Channel
only due to other programming on the NASA TV Public Channel at that
time.

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



http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #22 on: 06/29/2011 07:13 pm »

RELEASE: 11-211

NASA INVITES 150 LUCKY TWITTER FOLLOWERS TO FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH

WASHINGTON -- The final launch of the space shuttle program is
scheduled for 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8, and NASA has invited 150
followers of the agency's Twitter account to be there. People
selected will have a behind-the-scenes perspective from the press
site at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA randomly selected the participants from more than 5,500 online
registrants during a 24-hour opportunity on June 1-2. Attendees
represent 44 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Australia,
Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain,
Switzerland and the U.K.

Tweetup participants are coming from Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New
York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington,
West Virginia and Wisconsin.

They will share their experiences with their more than 1.5 million
combined followers through the social networking site Twitter.
Beginning at 10:30 a.m. on July 7, NASA will broadcast a portion of
the Tweetup when participants get to talk with Bill Gerstenmaier,
associate administrator for Space Operations, astronaut Mike
Massimino and Angie Brewer, space shuttle Atlantis' flow director at
Kennedy.

Joining them will be a special guest, Sesame Street's Elmo. Sesame
Street will be at Kennedy to film Elmo, as he learns about space
exploration at NASA.

To watch the broadcast, visit:


http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasatelevision


Participants also will tour Kennedy; make an up close visit to the
launch pad, and wave at Atlantis' crew members on their drive to the
launch pad. The Tweetup culminates with the shuttle's lift off.

Reporters credentialed to cover the launch also may cover the NASA
Tweetup at Kennedy's press site. Reporters interested in interviewing
Tweetup attendees in advance should contact Stephanie Schierholz at
202-358-1100 or [email protected].

This is the fifth time NASA has invited Twitter followers to
experience a space shuttle launch. Previously, groups attended lift
offs of Atlantis' STS-129 and STS-132 missions, Discovery's STS-133
mission, and Endeavour's STS-134 mission.

To follow the Tweetup participants on Twitter, as they experience the
prelaunch events and shuttle liftoff, follow the #NASATweetup hashtag
and the list of attendees at:


http://twitter.com/nasatweetup/sts-135-launch


All four of Atlantis' crew members are posting updates to Twitter. You
can follow Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission
Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim at:


http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Ferg   



http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Doug   



http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Sandy   



http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Rex   


To connect with NASA on Twitter and other social networking sites,
visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/connect


For more information about space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission,
visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle   


-end-
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #23 on: 06/30/2011 07:45 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M22-11

AIRSPACE, ROAD, BRIDGE AND WATER CLOSURES FOR FINAL SHUTTLE LAUNCH

Launch Date: July 8, 2011
Launch Vehicle: Space shuttle Atlantis
Launch Pad: 39A
Launch Window: 11:21 - 11:31 a.m. EDT
Targeted Launch Time: 11:26:46 a.m. EDT

NASA KENNEDY SPACE CENTER AREA AVIATION FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS

What: Cape Canaveral Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR)

When: Friday, July 8, from 4:21 a.m. until no later than 12:06 p.m.
EDT. If postponed 24 hours to Saturday, July 9, from 3:59 a.m. until
no later than 11:40 a.m. EDT.

Where: General aviation and VFR operations are prohibited within a
30-nautical-mile radius (34.5 miles) of Launch Pad 39A from the
surface to, but not including, 18,000 feet located on the Melbourne
VOR/DME 004-degree radial at 30.6 nautical miles. Pilots should
obtain NOTAM information regarding affected airports.

Aeronautical Chart in Use: Orlando Class B terminal area and
Jacksonville sectional

Additional airspace restrictions: Within an airspace radius between 30
to 40 nautical miles (34.5 to 46 miles) of Launch Pad 39A, a discrete
transponder code must be obtained and clearance granted from air
traffic control before entering this airspace. Continuous radio
communications must be maintained. All VFR aircraft are restricted to
180 knots or less unless a variance is granted by air traffic
control. Pilots should obtain NOTAM information to determine the
affected airports within this radius before departure.

NOTAM Information: St. Petersburg Flight Service Station
Telephone: 1-800-992-7433
Radio frequencies: 123.6 MHz (Titusville); 122.6 MHz (Melbourne)

Radio Communications: FAA Orlando Approach Control
Titusville/Cocoa area: 134.950 MHz
Melbourne area: 132.650 MHz
South Volusia County: 125.350 MHz
Space Coast Regional Airport control tower: 118.9 MHz

PUBLIC ACCESS ROAD CLOSURES

- The Cape Canaveral National Seashore (Playalinda Beach) will close
for launch on Monday, July 4, at 8 p.m. and will reopen after launch.
The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge will close on Wednesday,
July 6, at 6 p.m. and will reopen after launch.

- State Road 406 east to State Road 3, and State Road 3 from the
Haulover Canal bridge south to County Road 402 leading to Titusville
will be open to badged personnel only beginning on Wednesday, July 6,
at 6 p.m. These roads will close to all vehicle traffic on Friday,
July 8, at 9:20 a.m. until after a successful launch is confirmed.

- The A. Max Brewer Causeway bridge on S.R. 406 in Titusville (north
bridge) will be closed to all motor vehicle traffic beginning two
hours prior to launch on July 8 and will remain closed up to two
hours after launch.

- State Road 3 from the Gate 2 News Media Pass and Identification
Building to State Road 405 (NASA Causeway) via Space Commerce Way
will be closed for launch to unauthorized vehicles beginning at 4
a.m. on Friday, July 8. NASA Causeway between the U.S. Astronaut Hall
of Fame and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will also close
at that time. The roads will reopen two hours after launch.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER AREA BOATING RESTRICTIONS

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 4, and continuing
through launch, a general exclusion zone will be in effect three
miles offshore from the Haulover Canal, on the northern end of
Kennedy Space Center, and southward to Port Canaveral. Four hours
prior to launch, all ocean-going traffic will be restricted from
entering an area measured from nine statute miles north and south of
the launch pad and extending 64 nautical miles (73.6 miles) east into
the ocean. An additional three-mile-wide exclusion zone will be
extended eastward along the flight path of the space shuttle.

INDIAN RIVER: Restrictions apply from the NASA Causeway north to
Haulover Canal and east of the Indian River's main channel.
Restrictions are in effect beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 4.

MOSQUITO LAGOON: This area south of Haulover Canal in the Mosquito
Lagoon is off limits to all boats beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday, July
4.

BANANA RIVER: Security limits begin at the Banana River Barge Canal
south of Kennedy Space Center and extends northward, including KARS
Park on Merritt Island. This restriction is effective beginning at 6
p.m. on Monday, July 4.

All boating restrictions will be lifted one hour after launch. Boating
interests should monitor U.S. Coast Guard Radio transmitting on
Marine Channel 16 from Port Canaveral.

For information about Atlantis' STS-135 mission to the International
Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle 


-end-

Jacques :-)

Offline bolun

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #24 on: 07/05/2011 12:04 pm »
Tribute to the Space Shuttle
 
4 July 2011

The Space Shuttle will be launched 8 July on its last mission, bringing three decades of flights of this unique spaceplane to a close. ESA’s new website highlights this era and its important role in European space endeavours.

http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEM69J6TLPG_index_0.html

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/shuttle/
« Last Edit: 07/05/2011 12:05 pm by bolun »

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #25 on: 07/07/2011 08:20 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-139

COMPOSER DEBUTS FANFARE HONORING FINAL SHUTTLE MISSION

WASHINGTON -- Emmy-nominated composer Bear McCreary, known for his
television scores, has composed a fanfare specifically to commemorate
the final space shuttle flight. After composing four seasons of music
for a television show set in space, creating music inspired by a
historic NASA mission was a natural fit. The composition will be
played first on Friday morning at the NASA launch TweetUp.

People viewing the launch from some of the other locations at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida will also be able to hear the
composition.

McCreary composed the music for the television series Battlestar
Galactica; The Walking Dead; Eureka; Human Target; and Terminator:
The Sarah Connor Chronicles. He also worked with film music legend
Elmer Bernstein, who composed the music for The Magnificent Seven and
The Ten Commandments.

NASA has worked with artists since 1962, when Administrator James E.
Webb invited a group of artists to illustrate and interpret agency
missions and projects. Artists, songwriters, musicians and
playwrights have offered their unique perspectives on spaceflight
ever since. NASA also has a long and storied connection with pop
culture, frequently working with creators of science fiction films
and television programs to discuss science fact.

For more information about Bear McCreary, visit:



http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/


For more information about space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission,
visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Jacques :-)

Offline bolun

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #26 on: 07/08/2011 06:50 pm »
Last Space Shuttle mission launched

8 July 2011

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM7D77TLPG_index_0.html

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #27 on: 07/08/2011 07:02 pm »
RELEASE: 11-216

NASA'S FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION BEGINS WITH ATLANTIS' LAUNCH

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Commander Chris Ferguson and his
three crewmates are on their way to the International Space Station
after launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 11:29 a.m. EDT
Friday. STS-135 is the final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

"With today's final launch of the space shuttle, we turn the page on a
remarkable period in America's history in space, while beginning the
next chapter in our nation's extraordinary story of exploration,"
Administrator Charles Bolden said. "Tomorrow's destinations will
inspire new generations of explorers, and the shuttle pioneers have
made the next chapter of human spaceflight possible."

The STS-135 crew consists of Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission
Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim. They will deliver the
Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module filled with more than 8,000
pounds of supplies and spare parts to sustain space station
operations after the shuttles are retired.

"The shuttle's always going to be a reflection to what a great nation
can do when it dares to be bold and commits to follow through,"
Ferguson said shortly before liftoff. "We're not ending the journey
today -- we're completing a chapter of a journey that will never
end."

The mission includes flying the Robotic Refueling Mission, an
experiment designed to demonstrate and test the tools, technologies
and techniques needed for robotic refueling of satellites in space,
even satellites not designed for servicing. The crew also will return
with an ammonia pump that recently failed on the station. Engineers
want to understand why the pump failed and improve designs for future
spacecraft.

Atlantis is on a 12-day mission and scheduled to dock to the station
at 11:06 a.m. on Sunday.

STS-135 is the 135th shuttle flight, the 33rd flight for Atlantis and
the 37th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and
maintenance. NASA's Web coverage of STS-135 includes mission
information, a press kit, interactive features, news conference
images, graphics and videos.

Mission coverage, including the latest NASA Television schedule, is
available on the main space shuttle website at:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of the
mission. NASA TV features live mission events, daily status news
conferences and 24-hour commentary. For NASA TV streaming video,
downlink and schedule information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston will host daily news
conferences with STS-135 mission managers. To participate, reporters
must have valid media credentials issued by a NASA center or issued
specifically for the STS-135 mission.

Journalists not on site must contact the Johnson newsroom at
281-483-5111 no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of a
briefing to participate. Newsroom personnel will verify credentials
and transfer reporters to the phone bridge. Phone bridge capacity is
limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Live updates to the NASA News Twitter feed will be added throughout
the mission and landing. To access the feed, go to the NASA.gov home
page or visit:

http://www.twitter.com/nasa

All four of Atlantis' crew members are posting updates to Twitter. You
can follow them at:

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Ferg

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Doug

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Sandy

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Rex

To connect with NASA on Twitter and other social networking sites,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

For more information about space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For more information about the space station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

       
-end-

Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #28 on: 07/08/2011 07:03 pm »
News Release Issued: July 8, 2011 1:25 PM EDT

ATK Solid Rocket Motors Boost Final Launch of the Space Shuttle Program
Over 250 ATK Solid Rocket Motors Powered Shuttle Launches
ATK Looks to the Future with the Five Segment Solid Rocket Booster
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, July 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- An unprecedented crowd of over one million witnessed the Shuttle program's final liftoff today from the Kennedy Space Center.  Space Shuttle Atlantis had a picture perfect launch at 11:26 a.m. EDT boosted by ATK's (NYSE: ATK) Reusable Solid Rocket Motors (RSRMs). This launch culminates a remarkable, three-decade-long program and marks the beginning of a noble legacy in space exploration.

"As we watched Atlantis lift off for the final time today it was a bittersweet moment for ATK, as well as a tremendous moment of pride," said Blake Larson, ATK Aerospace Systems Group president. "I want to express my gratitude to the ATK workforce, our subcontractors, and the NASA family for their dedication and passion to ensuring this program's success through the final flight."

As a tribute to the final launch, a case from STS-1 was launched on this flight on the left booster. The recovery and reuse of boosters after each flight enables NASA and ATK to collect vital post-flight information and performance data, confirming a safe and robust design. The cases used for today's launch have collectively flown on 59 previous shuttle missions and have been used in 12 ground tests.

Since the inaugural flight of the space shuttle, 270 space shuttle solid rocket motors have been launched and 55 full-scale ground tests performed, enabling ATK and NASA to continually improve safety, techniques and processes.

"Analyzing post-flight and test data allows us to truly understand booster operation and make minor modifications along the way, providing the most reliable solid rocket motor," said Larson. "We can use the knowledge gained from that process as we move forward with the next launch system for America."

The 149-foot-tall solid rocket boosters each produced more than 15 million horsepower, safely launching the shuttle to approximately 28 miles in altitude in just over two minutes. After the flight, the RSRMs were jettisoned from the orbiter and external tank by ATK's 16 Booster Separation Motors (BSMs). Each booster has eight BSMs: four on the forward skirt and four on the aft skirt. The separation motors propelled the RSRMs to a safe distance from the shuttle orbiter, enabling the spent boosters to parachute through the Earth's atmosphere and splash down in the ocean for recovery.

In addition, ATK supplied the titanium hydrazine propellant tanks for the space shuttle Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). Three APU tanks house the hydrazine fuel that generates power for the shuttle's hydraulic system. These tanks have performed perfectly over the shuttle's three decades of operations.

On its 12-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS), Atlantis will carry the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) that will demonstrate the technology and tools to robotically refuel satellites in orbit. Under contract to Goddard Space Flight Center, ATK engineers designed and built the tools for the project which will even enable the refueling of satellites that were not designed to be serviced in orbit. The four unique RRM tools will enable the remote controlled robot to cut and manipulate protective blankets and wires, unscrew caps and access valves, transfer fluid and leave a new cap in place for future refueling activities.  The robotic refueling has the potential to extend the life of a satellite and result in significant savings for satellite owners and operators.

While continuing to safely fly the space shuttle, ATK is furthering the development of its upgraded five-segment solid rocket motor. ATK is preparing to ground test the third full-scale Development Motor (DM-3) and to complete a 90 percent Design Review this year.

"I flew Atlantis twice, so watching today's launch was even more meaningful, knowing it was her last and that it marks the end of a great era," said Charlie Precourt, ATK vice president and general manager, Space Launch Systems, and four-time shuttle astronaut. "As we move to the next period in human space exploration, we are able to leverage the knowledge and hardware from the shuttle program combined with upgraded materials to provide a higher-performing, cost effective, and even more reliable solid rocket booster to support NASA's heavy lift vehicle."

Modifications to the motor include an added fifth segment, changes to the propellant grain, a larger nozzle opening, and an upgraded liner and insulation material—all designed to meet performance requirements and increase reliability while lowering manufacturing costs.

"As I look forward to what the future holds for the next generation, I want to also salute the thousands of men and women who gave their time, skills and passion to this incredible program," said Precourt. "America owes you all a deep debt of gratitude for your personal sacrifices, for accomplishing the seemingly impossible to complete the mission, and making us the world's leader in space."

Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #29 on: 07/08/2011 07:03 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-140

NASA RELEASES ADMINISTRATOR'S VIDEO ABOUT FINAL SHUTTLE LAUNCH

WASHINGTON -- With the successful launch of the final space shuttle
mission, Atlantis' STS-135 mission to the International Space
Station, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has issued a video
statement about the program and the agency's future.

Bolden salutes the Space Shuttle Program and its many accomplishments
while also highlighting the human spaceflight missions yet to come on
the space station and beyond. NASA is facilitating commercial access
for cargo and crew to low Earth orbit and developing technologies and
capabilities to reach destinations in deep space such as asteroids
and Mars.

To view the administrator's video message, visit:



http://1.usa.gov/nwhEIA


For more information about space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission,
visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


To find out more about what's next for NASA, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/next

Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #30 on: 07/08/2011 09:56 pm »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #01   

HOUSTON – With a cargo carrier packed with supplies and equipment, Atlantis launched Friday morning to the International Space Station on the final space shuttle mission.

The shuttle with its crew of four lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center on its 12-day flight at 10:29 a.m. CDT. Aboard are the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module and the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment, which could help develop ways to refuel satellites in orbit.

Nearly a million people came to the Kennedy area to see Atlantis lift off on a mission marking the end of the space shuttle era. The mission’s focus was to leave the station as well supplied as possible to begin its post-shuttle existence. Atlantis also is scheduled to return a failed ammonia pump to Earth for examination – a task no other spacecraft can do.

Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim, are scheduled to rendezvous and dock with the station on Sunday.

Raffaello is making its fourth trip to the station. On flight day 4 it will be lifted from the cargo bay and attached to the Harmony node. It will be unloaded there and subsequently loaded with station discards before it is returned to the cargo bay on flight day 10 for return to Earth.

The Robotic Refueling Mission experiment will be installed during the only spacewalk, by station crew members, while Atlantis is docked there. The experiment will test concepts, techniques and tools for robotically refueling satellites in orbit. The test will use the station’s robotic capabilities, the first test in space of ways to refuel satellites, including those not designed for such servicing.

Aboard the station waiting to welcome Atlantis and its crew are Expedition 28 Commander Andrey Borisenko and Flight Engineers Alexander Samokutyaev, Ron Garan, Sergei Volkov, Mike Fossum and Satoshi Furukawa.

STS-135 is the 135th shuttle flight, the 33rd flight for Atlantis and the 37th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wakeup or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to awaken just before 3 a.m. Saturday.
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #31 on: 07/09/2011 08:19 am »
Report #J11-017

NASA DEBUTS INSPIRATIONAL SPACE STATION MUSIC VIDEO

HOUSTON - NASA today debuts an inspirational video featuring the International Space Station and its crews set to the song "World" by recording artists Five for Fighting.

The video features imagery of both the space station and the space shuttles that have served as the workhorses of space station construction and resupply. It uses selections from orbit as well as Earth-bound training and launch activities to communicate the importance of space exploration and its benefits for future generations. Intermixed are selections of video that show the beauty of planet Earth as seen from the space station and scenes of children inspired by space exploration. The lyrics emphasize that "history starts now" and invite listeners to ask the question, "What kind of world do you want?"

The video ends with a reminder that although STS-135 is the final space shuttle mission, the International Space Station will continue an uninterrupted human presence in space. The video will air on NASA Television at 7:15 p.m. CDT. For NASA TV schedules, downlink information and streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

To watch the video online, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=100242111

NASA also has released a new 26-minute video about the history, research and promise of the International Space Station. During the past decade, 15 nations have come together, setting aside boundaries and differences, to create the largest and longest inhabited object to ever orbit the Earth. To view that video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/multimedia/first10next10.html

For more information about the space shuttle and the space station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #32 on: 07/09/2011 11:12 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #02   

HOUSTON – The final shuttle crew began their first full day in space with a chorus of well wishes from some of the many people who helped put them there.

“Good morning, Atlantis!” NASA employees said in a message recorded before launch. “The Marshall Space Flight Center hopes you enjoyed your ride to orbit. We wish you a successful mission and a safe return home.”

Marshall Space Flight Center, located in Huntsville, Ala., is responsible for the space shuttle’s propulsion system – the shuttle’s three main engines, the twin solid rocket boosters and the external tank.

The message was preceded by the mission’s first wake up song, Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida,” which was played for Pilot Doug Hurley. The wakeup call came at 2:59 a.m.

With that encouragement, space shuttle Atlantis’ crew – Hurley, Commander Chris Ferguson and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim – got to work on their flight day two activities. The main objective of the day will be to get a closer look at the shuttle’s heat shield to verify that it didn’t sustain any damage during Atlantis’ climb into orbit.

To do so, Ferguson, Hurley and Magnus will use the space shuttle’s robotic arm and 50-foot long boom to get a close up look at the shuttle’s wing leading edges and nose cap. A suite of cameras on the end of the boom will capture images of the reinforced carbon carbon that protects the shuttle from the hottest temperatures it experiences. Imagery experts on the ground will comb through the data to make sure that the heat shield is still in good shape.

The survey is scheduled to start at 7:19 a.m., and wrap up about six hours later.

Later in the day, Walheim will work with Hurley to check out the tools that will be used during Atlantis’ rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station on Sunday. Meanwhile, Ferguson and Magnus will install a camera in the window of the shuttle’s hatch for a view that will help them align Atlantis with the space station.

The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 6:30 p.m.
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #33 on: 07/10/2011 08:35 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #03   

HOUSTON – Atlantis astronauts inspected the orbiter’s thermal protection system with its robotic arm and attached 50-foot boom Saturday. They also prepared rendezvous tools for arrival at the International Space Station.

Docking with the orbiting laboratory is scheduled for a little after 10 a.m. CDT Sunday.

Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus spent much of their day gathering visual and electronic data on the reinforced carbon carbon of the wings’ leading edges and the nose cap. Experts on the ground will review the data to ensure they have not been damaged.

No obvious issues were reported. If analysis reveals any indication of damage the crew could be asked to conduct a focused inspection of any suspect area.

While the inspection was under way, the fourth crew member, Mission Specialist Rex Walheim, spent much of his afternoon on Atlantis’ middeck. He worked to prepare items carried into orbit there for transfer to the space station.

In addition to the middeck cargo, Atlantis is bringing to the station the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, packed with supplies and equipment for the station. Raffaello is to be unberthed from the cargo bay and installed on the station’s Harmony node early Monday. After unloading, it will be packed with station discards and other items, and put back in the cargo bay for return to Earth.

After the heat shield survey and the work with the middeck cargo, all four crew members worked to prepare for rendezvous and docking with the station. Hurley and Walheim checked out rendezvous tools while Ferguson and Magnus installed the centerline camera and extended the orbiter docking system ring.

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #34 on: 07/10/2011 08:36 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #04   

HOUSTON – Space shuttle Atlantis’ crew began their third day in space at 2:29 a.m., just hours away from the scheduled final docking of a space shuttle with the International Space Station.

The wakeup call for Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim came in the form of “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra. That song was played for Ferguson.

The shuttle has been closing the distance between it and the space station since it reached orbit on Friday, and with the help of a final firing of the shuttle’s jets, scheduled for 7:29 a.m., it will finish closing that distance by 9:06 a.m. At that point, the shuttle will be directly below the International Space Station, and in place for the rendezvous pitch maneuver, a back flip that will expose the tiles on the shuttle’s underbelly to the space station, where station crew members will be standing by with cameras to document its condition.

At the windows in the Russian segment of the space station, Flight Engineer Ron Garan will use a 800 mm camera to gather photos of Atlantis’ heat shield, while Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa will have a 400 mm camera, and Flight Engineer Sergei Volkov will use a 1,000 mm.

The back flip will last about eight minutes. Once it’s complete, Ferguson will move Atlantis to a point 310 feet directly in front of the space station and begin slowing down so that the station can catch up with the shuttle, for a 10:07 a.m. docking. After a series of leak checks, hatches between the two vehicles are scheduled to open at 12:19 p.m.

The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. Atlantis’ crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 6 p.m.

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #35 on: 07/11/2011 04:10 pm »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #05   

HOUSTON – Atlantis docked with the International Space Station at 10:07 a.m. CDT Sunday with a cargo-carrying module in its payload bay filled with equipment and supplies for the orbiting laboratory.

“Atlantis arriving,” said Flight Engineer Ron Garan after the ceremonial ringing of the station’s bell. “Welcome to the International Space Station for the last time.”

After a pause to let the relative motion between the two spacecraft dampen out and do leak checks, hatches separating crews were opened at 11:47 a.m. Shuttle crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim, entered the station moments later to begin their week-plus stay.

First came the standard safety briefing for the new arrivals. Then work began.

Ferguson and Hurley used the shuttle arm to take its 50-foot extension boom from the station’s Canadarm2 operated by station Flight Engineers Garan and Satoshi Furukawa. The station arm had plucked the boom from its stowage position on the shuttle cargo bay sill. The handoff was to prepare to use the boom for any needed shuttle heat shield inspection later this week. Magnus worked with TV setup and Walheim transferred spacewalk gear.

Docking had gone just as planned. Ferguson and the crew of space shuttle Atlantis began their final approach to the station from about eight miles distance with the terminal initiation burn at 7:29 a.m.

About 600 feet below the station, Atlantis did a backflip to enable station crew members to photograph the shuttle’s heat shield. Flight Engineers Mike Fossum, Satoshi Furukawa and Sergei Volkov used cameras with 1,000 mm, 800 mm and 400 mm lenses, respectively, to take high resolution digital photos of the shuttle’s upper and lower surfaces. The photos were being sent to mission control to be evaluated by experts on the ground to look for any damage.

Flight controllers began monitoring reports from the Department of Defense’s U.S. Strategic Command that a piece of orbital debris may come near the station and shuttle complex about noon on Tuesday. The debris, part of satellite COSMOS 375, is one of more than 500,000 pieces of debris tracked in Earth’s orbit. The team expected updated tracking information following today’s docking to help determine if a maneuver using the shuttle’s thrusters is necessary to avoid the debris.

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #36 on: 07/11/2011 04:10 pm »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #06   

HOUSTON – Space shuttle Atlantis’ crew will be getting down to the main objective of their mission today, as they temporarily install the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module on the International Space Station and begin unloading its contents.

The crew started their fourth day in space at 2:02 a.m., after being awakened by the Chumbawamba song “Tubthumping.” It was played for Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus.

Magnus, along with Pilot Doug Hurley, will be at the controls of the space station’s robotic arm beginning at 4:09 a.m. to remove the Raffaello module from the shuttle’s cargo bay. They’ll install it on the station’s Harmony node 30 minutes later.

Once that is complete, Magnus will work with Commander Chris Ferguson to prepare the module’s hatch for opening at 12:39 p.m., after which the crew will begin unloading the 9,402 pounds of supplies it carried into space.

In addition, Ferguson and Mission Specialist Rex Walheim will begin moving another 2,281 pounds of cargo brought up on Atlantis’ middeck over to the space station. And later in the day, the entire shuttle crew will come together with station Flight Engineers Ron Garan, Satoshi Furukawa and Mike Fossum to review the procedures for the mission’s spacewalk. Fossum and Garan will perform that spacewalk on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, here on the ground, flight controllers were able to verify that the track of a piece of orbital debris they began watching on Saturday will not be a threat to the shuttle and station. No adjustments to the shuttle and station’s orbit will be necessary to avoid the debris, which is part of satellite COSMOS 375 and one of more than 500,000 pieces of debris tracked in Earth’s orbit.

The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 6 p.m.

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #37 on: 07/11/2011 06:44 pm »
RELEASE: 11-224

NASA INVITES PUBLIC TO "VIRTUAL DINNER" WITH FINAL SHUTTLE CREW

HOUSTON -- The public can share a virtual dinner with the final space
shuttle crew on Thursday, July 14 by preparing grilled chicken,
barbecue brisket, baked beans and southwestern corn at home using
NASA's recipes.

Food scientists at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston prepared the
special "All-American Meal" for the STS-135 shuttle crew, as the
iconic American spacecraft makes its last voyage. The four shuttle
astronauts, and possibly the six International Space Station crew
members, are scheduled to eat the meal on the fifth day of the
STS-135 mission.

"Since the mission is in July, we thought it would be fun to have a
typical summer meal often enjoyed in our backyards with friends and
family," said Michele Perchonok, NASA food scientist and manager of
the shuttle food system.

For the special space recipes or "formulations" as they are called by
NASA food scientists, plus more information, video and imagery,
visit:


http://go.nasa.gov/AllAmericanMeal


The crew's All American menu begins with crackers, brie cheese and
sausage. The main course features grilled chicken, Southwestern corn
and baked beans. The meal concludes with the quintessential American
dessert, apple pie. The shuttle and station crews both have the meal
on their menus, but the station crew has barbecued brisket as the
entree.

The crackers, brie, sausage and apple pie are commercial off-the-shelf
products repackaged for spaceflight. NASA food scientists prepared
the chicken, brisket, corn and beans in a laboratory at Johnson
before the mission.

For more information about the STS-135 mission, including the crew's
full menus, visit:


http://go.nasa.gov/STS-135


NASA's web coverage of STS-135 includes mission information, a press
kit, interactive features, news conference images, graphics and
videos. Mission coverage, including the latest NASA Television
schedule, is available on the main space shuttle website at:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of the
mission. NASA TV features live mission events, daily status news
conferences and 24-hour commentary. For NASA TV streaming video,
downlink and schedule information, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


Live updates to the NASA News Twitter feed will be added throughout
the mission and landing. To access the feed, go to the NASA.gov
homepage or visit:


http://www.twitter.com/nasa

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #38 on: 07/12/2011 05:24 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #07   

HOUSTON – Atlantis astronauts moved the Raffaello cargo carrier from the shuttle’s cargo bay to the Earth-facing port of the International Space Station’s Harmony node early Monday.

Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus moved the multi-purpose logistics module using the station’s Canadarm2. The installation of Raffaello was completed a little after 5:45 a.m. CDT.

After leak checks, hatches between Raffaello and the station were opened before noon. Unloading of the more than 9,400 pounds of supplies and equipment aboard Raffaello was scheduled to begin early Tuesday.

The module is to be unloaded, then filled with 5,666 pounds of equipment and discards no longer needed on the station. It is scheduled to be taken from the Harmony node port and reinstalled in Atlantis’ cargo bay on Monday, July 18, several hours before crews of the two spacecraft say goodbye and close hatches. Atlantis is now scheduled to undock from the station that evening at 11:56 p.m.

Mission managers said Monday afternoon Atlantis’ stay at the station would be extended for one day. The first Kennedy Space Center landing opportunity for Atlantis would be at 4:56 a.m. July 21. Landing had been scheduled for July 20, but conservation of power-generating consumables made the extension possible.

Managers also determined that after Saturday’s inspection, further detailed inspections of Atlantis’ heat shield are not required. A customary, final inspection will be completed after Atlantis undocks from the station.

Other activities on the crews’ schedules today included continuing transfer of items between the shuttle’s middeck and the station. Atlantis brought almost 2,300 pounds of experiments, equipment and supplies for the station in the shuttle’s middeck lockers.

Shortly before the end of their workday, the four shuttle crew members and station Flight Engineers Ron Garan, Mike Fossum and Satoshi Furuakawa met for about an hour to review procedures for Tuesday’s spacewalk. Beginning about 7:45 a.m., Garan and Fossum, who did three spacewalks together during STS-124 in June 2008, will leave the Quest airlock for the 6.5-hour outing.

Major spacewalk activities include retrieving a failed 1,400-pound pump module and installing it in the shuttle cargo bay for return to Earth, installing a robotic satellite refueling experiment and setting up a materials experiment.
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #39 on: 07/12/2011 05:53 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-142

NASA SETS NEWS CONFERENCE WITH SHUTTLE AND SPACE STATION CREWS

HOUSTON -- The 10 crew members aboard space shuttle Atlantis and the
International Space Station will hold a news conference at 8:24 a.m.
CDT on Friday, July 15. Reporters may ask questions in person from
participating NASA centers, including Johnson Space Center in
Houston, Kennedy Space Center in Florida and NASA Headquarters in
Washington.

To participate, U.S. journalists must call the public affairs office
at one of the NASA centers by 4 p.m. local time on Tuesday, July 12. 


Reporters at Johnson who do not have STS-135 mission credentials must
request access badges by July 14. Reporters must be in place at least
20 minutes before the news conference begins.

The final shuttle mission is delivering the Raffaello multi-purpose
logistics module filled with supplies and spare parts to sustain
space station operations after the shuttles are retired.

NASA Television will provide live coverage of the 40-minute news
conference. Part of the conference will be for Japanese media outlets
in native language. NASA TV will replay the event with translation at
10 a.m.

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



http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


For information about the STS-135 and the Space Shuttle Program,
visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


For information about the station's Expedition 28 crew and the station
program, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/station   


-end-

Jacques :-)

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