Author Topic: STS-135 Press releases  (Read 73540 times)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #40 on: 07/12/2011 05:54 pm »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #08   

HOUSTON – Transfer work will be going on inside and outside of the International Space Station today, as the crew performs the first and only spacewalk of the STS-135 mission.

Space shuttle Atlantis’ crew was awakened at 1:59 a.m. by the song “More” by Matthew West. It was played for Mission Specialist Rex Walheim.

Walheim today will be choreographing from inside the space station the spacewalk being done outside by Expedition 28 Flight Engineers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan. Fossum and Garan will be packing a pump module that failed in 2010 into the shuttle’s cargo bay. It was moved into a temporary storage location on external stowage platform-2 during the STS-133 mission earlier this year. Returning it to Earth will allow engineers to look into what caused its failure and then refurbish it for use as a spare.

Fossum and Garan will also be installing the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment on a platform used by the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, to hold spare parts. The Robotic Refueling Mission will demonstrate and test the tools, technologies and techniques needed to robotically refuel and repair satellites in space.

The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 7:44 a.m., and last six and a half hours.

Meanwhile, inside the space station, every member of the shuttle crew and many of the station crew will be working to unload the newly installed Raffaello multipurpose logistics module. It brought up 9,400 pounds of cargo to the space station, all of which must be unloaded and replaced with 5,700 pounds of trash and used equipment to return home.

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 #41 on: 07/13/2011 05:28 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #09   

HOUSTON – Two International Space Station astronauts completed a six-hour, 31-minute spacewalk at 2:53 p.m. CDT Tuesday, retrieving a failed pump module for return to Earth, installing two experiments and repairing a new base for the station’s robotic arm.

Flight Engineers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan used that arm, Canadarm2, in their first and most lengthy task, retrieval of the failed 1,400-pound pump module from the station’s cooling system that failed last year. Garan rode the arm to the pump module’s stowage rack where he and Fossum removed it.

Still on the arm, operated by Atlantis Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus in the station’s cupola, Garan took the pump module to a carrier in Atlantis’ cargo bay. There Fossum bolted it into place for the ride home.

Coached by intravehicular officer and Atlantis Mission Specialist Rex Walheim, with help from spacewalk capcom and astronaut Steve Bowen in the station flight control room, the spacewalkers moved on to their next task, installation of the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment. The experiment is designed to help in development of ways to robotically refuel satellites in space.

Fossum was making his seventh spacewalk and Garan his fourth (all with Fossum). They removed the refueling experiment from the cargo bay. Fossum, now on the arm, carried the experiment to a platform on Dextre, the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator.

Fossum removed the foot restraint he and Garan had used at the end of the Canadarm2, then moved to the front of the Zarya module. There he freed a wire stuck in one latch door at a data grapple fixture installed during the STS-134 mission in May. The fixture can serve as a base for Canadaram2, considerably extending its range of operation.

Meanwhile, Garan deployed a materials experiment also installed during STS-134, on a carrier on the station’s starboard truss. The eighth in a series of station materials experiments, it focuses on optical reflector materials. It was not deployed during the previous flight because of concerns about outgasing from insulation on the nearby Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment, also installed during the earlier mission.

Back together again, the two spacewalkers moved on to Pressurized Mating Adaptor 3 on the Tranquility node. They installed an insulating cover on the end of the PMA, an area exposed to considerable sunshine.

Inside the shuttle-station complex, transfer of material from the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module began. The work to unload the more than 9,400 pounds of supplies and equipment brought up by Raffaello and then repack it with 5,700 pounds of equipment, supplies and trash to return home will continue for much of Atlantis stay at the station.

The next status report will be issued after crew wakeup or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to awaken just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #42 on: 07/13/2011 03:32 pm »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #10   

HOUSTON – The space shuttle Atlantis crew received a special wakeup call today to kick off flight day 6 of the STS-135 mission.

“Good morning, Atlantis, this is Elton John,” the British singer said in a pre-recorded message. “We wish you much success on your mission. A huge thank you to all the men and women at NASA who worked on the shuttle for the last three decades.”

The message followed the day’s wakeup song, John’s “Rocket Man,” which was played at 1:29 a.m. It was not the first time the song has been played in space – “Rocket Man” has awakened four shuttle crew’s in the shuttle program’s 30-year history, and it was one of NASA’s top 40 wakeup call songs listed for voter selection during a contest to commemorate space shuttles Discovery and Endeavour’s last missions. In that contest, it earned nearly 5,000 votes from the public.

With the mission’s one spacewalk successfully behind them, Atlantis’ crew will return its focus today to unpacking the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module. The crew started the day 26 percent through the combined 15,069 pounds of cargo to transfer in or out of Raffaello – 9,403 pounds that launched on Atlantis and 5,666 pounds that it will bring home when it lands.

In addition, the crew will be taking some time out of its work at 11:54 a.m. to talk with reporters from WBNG-TV and WICZ-TV in Binghamton, New York, and KGO-TV of San Francisco.

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 bed just before 4:30 p.m.

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #43 on: 07/14/2011 05:28 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #11   

HOUSTON – Atlantis crew members spent much of Wednesday moving equipment and supplies from the multipurpose logistics module Raffaello to the International Space Station.

They had some help from station Commander Andrey Borisenko and Flight Engineers Sergei Volkov and Satoshi Furukawa in the transfer operations. The bottom line was that the more than 9,400 pounds of material in Raffaello was considerably reduced.

Station lead flight director Chris Edelen said at an afternoon briefing that about half of the cargo had been moved from Raffaello and the shuttle’s middeck to the space station. Almost 5,700 pounds of unneeded equipment and supplies from the station will be packed aboard the module for return to Earth.

The transfer activity can be strenuous. While the cargo bags are weightless, they do have mass. They require effort to be put in motion, effort to change their direction and effort to stop their motion.

Crew members opened Pressurized Mating Adaptor 3, attached to the Tranquility node, and stored some of the material from Raffaello there. On Tuesday spacewalkers had put an insulating cover on the outside of PMA-3 to protect it from temperature extremes.

A little before noon CDT, all four shuttle crew members talked with representatives of WBNG-TV and WICZ-TV in Binghamton, N.Y., near Pilot Doug Hurley’s home town of Apalachin, and KGO-TV of San Francisco. Mission Specialist Rex Walheim is from nearby San Carlos.
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #44 on: 07/14/2011 04:13 pm »
RELEASE: 11-229

FINAL SHUTTLE CREW ANSWERS STUDENT QUESTIONS FROM SPACE

WASHINGTON -- Space shuttle astronauts aboard the International Space
Station will answer videotaped questions from middle school students
participating in NASA's Summer of Innovation initiative. The event is
scheduled to air live on NASA Television at 7:09 a.m. EDT on Sunday,
July 17.

During the broadcast, viewers will see shuttle Atlantis Commander
Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley as they respond to approximately
20 student questions selected from nearly 150 videos. The student
videos also will air during the event.

The Summer of Innovation program seeks to advance excellence in summer
and extended learning programming for underrepresented and
underserved middle school students while inspiring them to pursue
careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The initiative also is tied closely to the White House's "Educate to
Innovate" campaign.

"Learning about scientific principles and the impact of space on
astronauts' bodies helps spark student curiosity," said Cindy
McArthur, Teaching From Space project manager at NASA's Johnson Space
Center in Houston. "Microgravity is a unique research environment and
hearing directly from astronauts who live and work in it can inspire
students to study STEM disciplines."

The question-and-answer session is part of a series with educational
organizations in the United States and abroad to improve teaching and
learning in STEM subjects. It is an integral component of Teaching
From Space, an agency program promoting learning opportunities, and
builds partnerships with the education community.

For more information about the shuttle mission, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


For information about NASA's education programs, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/education


For more information about the Summer of Innovation program, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/soi   


-end-

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #45 on: 07/14/2011 04:14 pm »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #12   

HOUSTON – Flight day 7 of the STS-135 mission started out with a serenade for the crew of space shuttle Atlantis.

In a special message recorded before launch from Venice, Italy, Michael Stipe, lead singer of R.E.M., sang an A capella version of the band’s song “Man on the Moon,” then followed it with a greeting to the astronauts.

“Good morning, Atlantis,” he said. “This is Michael Stipe from R.E.M. We wish you much success on your mission, and thank all the women and men at NASA who have worked on shuttle for three decades. From Earth, a very good morning to you.”

More unpacking of the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module is on tap today for Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim. But they’ll also take some time out for a few special events.

At 5:59 a.m., Ferguson and Magnus will be speaking with reporters from Fox News Radio and KTVI-TV and KSDK-TV in St. Louis. Then, at 8:19 a.m., the entire crew will be interviewed by WBBM-TV in Chicago, KTVU-TV in Oakland, Calif., and WTXF-TV in Philadelphia.

In addition, both the shuttle and station crews will have the opportunity to enjoy an “All-American Meal” of barbecue brisket or grilled chicken and baked beans, southwestern corn and apple pie, and the public is invited to share in it, virtually. Visit < a href="http://go.nasa.gov/AllAmericanMeal">http://go.nasa.gov/AllAmericanMeal for recipes, or “formulations” as they’re called by NASA food scientists, as well as more information, video and imagery.

The shuttle and station crews’ midday meals are scheduled to begin at 7:19 a.m.

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 3:30 p.m.

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #46 on: 07/15/2011 05:27 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #13   

HOUSTON – Continuing cargo transfer, news media interviews and exercise sessions kept Atlantis crew members busy Thursday morning. They enjoyed some welcome off-duty time during their afternoon.

Unloading of the multi-purpose logistics module Raffaello’s 9,400 pounds of cargo was well over half complete. Transfer of its remaining cargo to the International Space Station was expected to be finished Friday or Saturday.

Raffaello is to be reloaded with almost 5,700 pounds of gear from the station, mostly unneeded equipment and trash. It is to be replaced in Atlantis’ cargo bay Monday morning for return to Earth.

A little before their midday meal, about 6 a.m. CDT, shuttle commander Chris Ferguson and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus talked with representatives of FOX News Radio and KTVI-TV and KSDK-TV, both in St. Louis. All four shuttle crew members chatted with WBBM-TV of Chicago, KTVU-TV of Oakland, Calif., and WTXF-TV of Philadelphia at about 8:20 a.m.

Afterward the shuttle crew had most of the afternoon off. Station crew members also had some free time early in their afternoon.

The crew’s supper was special. That All-American Meal was initially scheduled for July 4 but wound up being enjoyed today because of Atlantis’ launch delay. Grilled chicken, corn, baked beans, cheese and more, topped off with apple pie, were on the menu.

The next status report will be issued after crew wakeup or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to awaken at 11:29 p.m.
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #47 on: 07/15/2011 05:28 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #14   

HOUSTON – Sir Paul McCartney awakened the crew of Atlantis today with a special message and the song "Good Day Sunshine," starting a day for the final shuttle crew that will be highlighted by a call from President Barack H. Obama. "Good morning guys!" McCartney said in a message recorded pre-launch for the final space shuttle crew. "Wake up! And good luck on this, your last mission. Well done!" McCartney’s wakeup call came at 11:59 p.m.
Thursday, 30 minutes later than Atlantis’ crew had been scheduled to wake up. It was delayed to give the crew time to make up sleep they lost over the course of the night due to a failure of one of the shuttle’s five general purpose computers. At 5:07 p.m. on Thursday, a failure alarm rang on board Atlantis, tripped by a problem with general purpose computer 4. Only two of the shuttle’s computer are needed when the shuttle is orbiting the Earth, so the functions that computer had been responsible for were simply transferred to another computer.
But the crew spent 40 minutes of their sleep time working through the procedures to do so, and elected to make that time up by sleeping in for 30 minutes. Commander Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley have an hour set aside this morning to work with the computer and get it back up and running. Much of the rest of the crew’s day will be again be spent transferring cargo to and from the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module. But the crew will take several breaks – at 5:44 a.m., 7:04 a.m. and 8:24 a.m. – to talk with reporters back on Earth. And before they turn in for the night they’ll take one more break to answer a call from the White House – President Obama is scheduled to call and talk with the crews of Atlantis and the International Space Station at 11:29 a.m.
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 1:30 p.m.
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #48 on: 07/15/2011 06:33 pm »
RELEASE: 11-229

FINAL SHUTTLE CREW ANSWERS STUDENT QUESTIONS FROM SPACE EVENT TIME UPDATE

WASHINGTON -- NASA is updating the time for an event on Sunday, July
17, when space shuttle astronauts aboard the International Space
Station will answer videotaped questions from middle school students.
The event now is scheduled to air live on NASA Television at 6:24
a.m. EDT Sunday.

During the broadcast, viewers will see shuttle Atlantis Commander
Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley as they respond to approximately
20 student questions selected from nearly 150 videos. The videos from
students participating in NASA's Summer of Innovation initiative also
will air during the event.

The Summer of Innovation program seeks to advance excellence in summer
and extended learning programming for underrepresented and
underserved middle school students while inspiring them to pursue
careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The initiative also is tied closely to the White House's "Educate to
Innovate" campaign.

"Learning about scientific principles and the impact of space on
astronauts' bodies helps spark student curiosity," said Cindy
McArthur, Teaching From Space project manager at NASA's Johnson Space
Center in Houston. "Microgravity is a unique research environment and
hearing directly from astronauts who live and work in it can inspire
students to study STEM disciplines."

The question-and-answer session is part of a series with educational
organizations in the United States and abroad to improve teaching and
learning in STEM subjects. It is an integral component of Teaching
From Space, an agency program promoting learning opportunities, and
builds partnerships with the education community.

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #49 on: 07/15/2011 08:53 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-144

PRESIDENT OBAMA SPEAKS WITH SHUTTLE AND SPACE STATION CREWS

HOUSTON -- President Barack Obama praised crew members aboard space
shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station during a call to
the docked ships from the White House on Friday. The president
saluted the final shuttle mission and everyone who made it possible,
and noted it "ushers in an exciting new era to push the frontiers of
space exploration and human spaceflight."

Video of the shuttle and station crews as they speak to the president
is available at:



http://go.nasa.gov/oFXKIV


For a picture of the president during the conversation, visit:



http://twitpic.com/5qm5ew


For information about the STS-135 mission, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


For information about the station, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/station

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #50 on: 07/15/2011 08:54 pm »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #15   

HOUSTON – News media interviews, a news conference with reporters at NASA centers and in Japan and a call from President Obama highlighted Atlantis crew activities Friday.

Between those events, it was back to the demanding work of cargo transfer between the shuttle and station. The unloading of the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module’s 9,400 pounds of cargo was about 70 percent complete and packing its 5,700 pounds of homeward-bound material had begun.

At about 11:30 a.m. CDT Obama radioed the combined International Space Station and shuttle crews that he was proud of all the crew members.

“We’re all watching as the 10 of you work together as a team,” Obama said. “Your example means so much not just to your fellow Americans but also your fellow citizens on Earth. The space program has always embodied our sense of adventure and explorations and courage.”

He thanked those who had supported the shuttle program during the past 30 years, and all the men and women of NASA who helped the country lead the space age.

Atlantis Commander Chris Ferguson said that all the partners on the station were honored to represent their home countries in this multinational effort.

Station Flight Engineer Sergei Volkov described the station and shuttle crews, from three nations, as “one big family.”

The media interviews began about 5:45 a.m. Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley talked with representatives of CBS Radio, KYW-TV in Philadelphia and Associated Press. Next up was a 7:04 a.m. chat by all Atlantis crew members with WPVI-TV and KYW Radio, both of Philadelphia, and Reuters.

At the 45-minute crew news conference, Atlantis crew members and their six station colleagues gathered in the Japanese Kibo Laboratory to take questions from news media. Reporters at four NASA centers, NASA headquarters and in Japan participated.

This morning Ferguson and Hurley brought General Purpose Computer 4 back on line in a backup role. GPC-4 had unexpectedly shut down a little after 5 p.m. Thursday, about an hour and a half after the crew had gone to bed. Crew members transferred its functions to another computer, and this morning reloaded its software and got it running again.

Atlantis Mission Specialist Rex Walheim and station Flight Engineer Mike Fossum worked to resize U.S. spacesuits to be left on the station.

The next status report will be issued after crew wakeup, or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to awaken just before 10:30 p.m.

Jacques :-)

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #51 on: 07/15/2011 09:46 pm »
Media Alert: Media Opportunity for Those Attending the Landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis
PR Newswire

July 15

Press Conference

Space Coast: The Future

Regional leaders discuss what's to come in

the post-space shuttle era

WHAT:
 As the Space Shuttle Program completes its mission with the landing of Atlantis on July 21, questions remain about what lies ahead for the region known as Florida's Space Coast.   
 
 You're invited to attend a panel discussion featuring representatives from key local entities, as they present insights into their next mission: moving forward without the Space Shuttle Program.
 
 Panelists include:     
 
    -- Brevard County Government - Commissioner Robin Fisher, District 1
 

    -- Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast – Lynda Weatherman,

      President & CEO
 

    -- Brevard County Tourist Development Council/Cocoa Beach Hotel & Lodging Association –

      Tom Williamson, Board Member/President
 

    -- Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex – Bill Moore, COO
 
 Moderated by: Christine Michaels, President/CEO, Melbourne Regional Chamber of East Central Florida
 
WHEN:
 Wednesday, July 20, 2011
 

 1:30 – 1:45 pm
 Media arrival
 

 2:00 – 2:20 pm
 Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Master Plan/

 
 Atlantis Display Update
 
 2:20 – 3:20 pm   
 Panel Discussion
 
 3:20
 Q&A and one-on-one interviews
 
WHERE:
 Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
 
 Astronaut Encounter Theater
 SR 405
 Kennedy Space Center, Florida
 
« Last Edit: 07/16/2011 08:14 am by jacqmans »
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Online jacqmans

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #52 on: 07/16/2011 08:15 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #16   

HOUSTON – The crew of the final space shuttle mission woke up today to well wishes from a former neighbor of sorts.

“Good morning, Atlantis!” Houston native Beyonce Knowles said in a prerecorded message for the STS-135 astronauts. “This is Beyonce. Sandy, Chris, Doug and Rex, you inspire all of us to dare to live our dreams, to know that we’re smart enough and strong enough to achieve them.”

The message was preceded by Knowles’ song “Run the World (Girls),” and before the singer wrapped up her greeting, she had a special shout out for the crew’s female member, Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus.

“This song is especially for my girl, Sandy,” she said, “and all the women who’ve taken us to space with them, and the girls who are our future explorers.”

Magnus, along with Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Rex Walheim are scheduled to spend more time today filling the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module up for return to Earth.

But as the list of items left to be packed grows shorter, they’ll be branching out to other activities, picking up some station work and performing spacesuit maintenance and even unpacking some of the cargo they’ve delivered.

Ferguson and Hurley will also spend some time working to repair the door that gives the crew access to the shuttle’s air revitalization system. The latch on the door was reported by the crew to have broken on Friday. The door is located in the floor of the shuttle’s middeck and opened by the crew when they change out the lithium hydroxide canisters that remove carbon dioxide from the shuttle’s atmosphere.

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 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #53 on: 07/16/2011 07:09 pm »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #17   

HOUSTON – All four Atlantis crew members worked Saturday to move equipment and supplies between the International Space Station and the multi-purpose logistics module Raffaello.

Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim, with help from their station colleagues, were nearing the home stretch in transfer activities. Most of the 9,400 pounds of equipment brought up in Raffaello is aboard the station, and the loading of 5,700 pounds of return items is well under way. Raffaello is scheduled to be unberthed from the station’s Harmony node and returned to the shuttle’s cargo bay early Monday.

Early Saturday Ferguson and Hurley fixed a latch on a door in the floor of Atlantis’ middeck. The air revitalization system compartment beneath the door houses lithium hydroxide canisters, used to scrub carbon dioxide from the shuttle’s cabin atmosphere.

The system will be needed once hatches between Atlantis and the station are closed about 8:30 a.m. CDT Monday. Atlantis is scheduled to undock from the station about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, and land at Kennedy Space Center just before 5 a.m. on Thursday.

Magnus spent about an hour and a half Saturday morning taking microbial air samples in the station. They will be returned in Atlantis for study and analysis.

Walheim continued his work with spacewalking tools and equipment. Some will be left on the station, and be available for use in upcoming Russian spacewalks from the Pirs docking compartment. It will be about a year before the next scheduled U.S. spacewalk from the station’s Quest airlock takes place.

The astronauts also provided a recorded message as a tribute to Atlantis, the entire Space Shuttle Program and team. In the message, Ferguson spoke about the U.S. flag displayed behind them that was flown on the first space shuttle mission, STS-1. It was flown on this mission to be presented to the space station crew and it will remain displayed onboard the station until the next crew launched from the U.S. retrieves it for return to Earth. It will fly from Earth again, with the next crew that launches from the U.S. on a journey of exploration beyond Earth orbit.

The tribute video is available online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=101615961

The next status report will be issued after the crew’s 9:59 p.m. Saturday wakeup or earlier if warranted.

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #54 on: 07/17/2011 08:50 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #18   

HOUSTON – After several days of wakeup calls from celebrities, the STS-135 crew kicked off their 10th day in space with a message from some of the stars of the Space Shuttle Program.

“Good morning Atlantis, from your friends at Stennis Space Center,” Stennis employees said in a message recorded before launch. “It’s time to fire up your engines – laissez les bons temps rouler!”

“Laissez les bons temps rouler,” is a Cajun French phrase that translates “Let the good times roll.” Stennis Space Center, located in southern Mississippi, 50 miles from New Orleans, is home to the test stands that verified each of the main engines that helped propel space shuttles into low Earth orbit – including the three used in the STS-135 launch – was in good working order before it was installed.

The message was fittingly preceded by the wakeup song, “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang, which was played for Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus. The wakeup call came at 9:59 p.m.

Flight day 10 will see the wrap up of transfer work inside the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module, before the crew closes its hatch and returns it to the shuttle’s cargo bay on Monday. They started the day with 96 percent of the work inside Raffaello done.

In addition, Commander Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley are scheduled at 5:09 a.m. to answer videotaped questions from students at NASA Explorer Schools across the country, in the last interactive educational event with a space shuttle crew.

Following that, the crew will have two hours of off duty time.

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 1:30 p.m.
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #55 on: 07/18/2011 05:19 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #19   

HOUSTON – Moving days aboard the International Space Station are nearing completion for the station and shuttle crews.

The 9,400 pounds of equipment and supplies brought up by the multi-purpose logistics module have been moved to the International Space Station. The loading of Raffaello with almost 5,700 pounds of unneeded station equipment and trash also is almost finished.

The Raffaelo module is scheduled to be unberthed early Monday from the station’s Harmony node and secured in Atlantis’ cargo bay for the ride home. At the controls of the station’s Canadarm2 will be Atlantis Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus, who served as load master for the complex and demanding cargo transfer, and Pilot Doug Hurley.

After their midday meal today, Magnus and Commander Chris Ferguson worked a little over an hour continuing to move experiments and equipment to and from Atlantis’ middeck. That done, the shuttle crew had most of the afternoon off.

Mission control data processing experts declared Atlantis’ General Purpose Computer 4 to be healthy after its Thursday shutdown. It is back in operation in its normal role of shuttle systems management. GPC 1 remains the guidance, navigation and control computer while GPCs 2 and 3 are in standby.

Beginning about 5:10 a.m. CDT, Hurley and Mission Specialist Rex Walheim answered questions from NASA Explorer Schools students. It was the last opportunity for shuttle crew members to respond to students’ questions.
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #56 on: 07/18/2011 05:20 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #20   

HOUSTON – The STS-135 flight day 11 wakeup call came from Houston, as always, but in a broader sense of the word than usual.

“Good morning, Atlantis, from all of us at the Johnson Space Center!” chorused an auditorium-full of Johnson employees in a message recorded before Atlantis’ launch. “Have a great mission!”

Johnson Space Center is home not only to the astronaut corps, but also Mission Control and the Space Shuttle Program, itself.

The message was preceded in the 9:29 p.m. wakeup call by Keith Urban’s “Days Go By,” which was chosen by Mission Specialist Rex Walheim.

Walheim and his fellow crew members – Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus – are scheduled to close the hatches between the International Space Station and a space shuttle for the last time today, at 8:19 a.m. But before they do that, they’ll pack up the last of the cargo to come home from the station on the shuttle’s middeck and move the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module back into place inside the shuttle’s cargo bay.

The crew finished packing Raffaello on flight day 10, and now it’s just a matter of getting it – with its 5,666 pounds of returning cargo – back in place for the trip home. When it’s unpacked back on Earth, multipurpose logistic modules will have returned 20 tons of supplies and equipment to Earth, and carried another 50 tons into space since their first mission, STS-102 in 2002.

After returning to the space shuttle for the remainder of the mission, the crew will prepare for Tuesday’s undocking from the space station, checking out the tools they’ll use for that activity and setting up a camera inside the shuttle hatch.
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #57 on: 07/18/2011 04:04 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-146

HOUSTON WELCOMES HOME FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE CREW

HOUSTON -- After space shuttle Atlantis' scheduled landing Thursday,
July 21, a welcome home ceremony for the STS-135 astronauts is
planned for Friday, July 22. Journalists and the public are invited
to attend the 4 p.m. CDT event at Ellington Field's NASA Hangar 990.
Gates to Ellington Field will open at 3:30 p.m.

Reporters planning to attend must contact NASA's Johnson Space Center
in Houston at 281-483-5111 by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20.
Arrangements will be made for live television satellite trucks upon
request. News media representatives planning to set up live TV
equipment should plan to arrive at the event site no later than 3
p.m.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on NASA Television. For NASA TV
downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


Shuttle Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission
Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim are wrapping up a 13-day
mission to deliver supplies to the International Space Station that
will help sustain its operation in the post-shuttle era.

To follow the status of the landing and for more information on the
STS-135 mission, visit:


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


For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov   


Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #58 on: 07/19/2011 05:24 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #21   

HOUSTON – Atlantis and International Space Station crew members said their goodbyes and closed hatches between the two spacecraft at 9:28 a.m. CDT, ending seven days, 21 hours, 41 minutes of docked operations.

Shuttle Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim are spending their night with Atlantis still docked to the station. They will begin their journey home with undocking, scheduled for about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Aboard the station, Commander Andrey Borisenko and Flight Engineers Alexander Samokutyaev, Ron Garan, Sergei Volkov, Satoshi Furukawa and Mike Fossum will work during the coming days stowing equipment and supplies left by Atlantis. About 9,400 pounds of it came up on Raffaello, the multi-purpose logistics module.

Almost 2,300 pounds of additional cargo, including scientific equipment and experiments, was brought up on Atlantis’ middeck.

Hatches were closed separating Raffaello and the station, beginning at 12:03 a.m. Monday when the hatch on the cargo carrier was closed. It was undocked from the station’s Harmony node and returned to Atlantis’ cargo bay by Magnus and Hurley using the station’s Canadarm2. Raffaello and its return cargo of almost 5,700 pounds of unneeded equipment and trash from the station, was secured in the cargo bay shortly before 7 a.m.

At the farewell ceremony before the shuttle crew returned to Atlantis, Ferguson presented to the station a small U.S. flag that had flown on STS-1. It will remain on the station’s Harmony node until the arrival of an astronaut launched in a U.S. spacecraft returns it to Earth. Ferguson said that later it will fly again, on a spaceflight beyond low Earth orbit.

He also presented a shuttle model signed by program officials and the mission’s lead shuttle and station flight directors. “What you don’t see is the signatures of the tens of thousands who rose to orbit with us over the past 30 years, if only in spirit,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson thanked station commander Andrey Borisenko for the hospitality and his crew’s help in making the mission a success. Borisenko replied by wishing the shuttle crew a safe trip home and happy landings.

Station Flight Engineer Ron Garan said the best thing Atlantis did was bring up Magnus. “Sandy, we can’t thank you enough for all that you did.” Magnus was a previous station resident and Atlantis’ load master, responsible for the major mission activity of moving cargo between the two spacecraft.

Shortly after hatches between the two spacecraft were closed, Atlantis crew members began preparations for undocking. Ferguson and Hurley installed the centerline camera while hatch leak checks were still under way. Subsequently Hurley and Walheim checked out rendezvous tools.

The camera and the tools will provide information as shuttle crew members move Atlantis away from the station. Undocking is scheduled for 1:28 a.m. Tuesday.
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-135 Press releases
« Reply #59 on: 07/19/2011 05:25 am »
STS-135 MCC Status Report #22   

HOUSTON – The final space shuttle crew is now just hours away from undocking from the International Space Station, one more time.

Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim began their day at 8:59 p.m. Their wakeup call came in the form of Coldplay’s “Don’t Panic,” which was played for Hurley.

After 37 space shuttle visits, in which 10 modules, four sets of solar arrays, 354 feet of truss and countless science experiments – not to mention the necessities of day-to-day living in space – have been delivered, space shuttle Atlantis will pull away from the space station for the last time at 1:28 a.m.

Before the crew gets too far away, however, they’ll have one more service to perform for the orbiting laboratory. Hurley will move the shuttle out to a distance of 600 feet away, and then fly half a loop around the station, so that Atlantis’ astronauts can document once more the product of the space shuttle fleet’s efforts.

Although a fly-around has been performed following undocking for most of the shuttle missions to the station, this last half lap should provide some new views. The space station will rotate 90 degrees to give the shuttle crew a view down its long axis, an angle not normally visible.

The fly-around should be complete by 2:50 a.m., at which point Atlantis’ engines will fire in a series of burns to begin moving it further away from the space station. The crew on board will spend the second half of its day inspecting the shuttle’s heat shield for any damage it may have received while in space.
Jacques :-)

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