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STS-125: Press Releases
by
jacqmans
on 25 Apr, 2008 21:19
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RELEASE: 08-108
ASTRONAUTS TO MAKE VIRTUAL CONNECTION WITH STUDENTS
GREENBELT, MD -- Astronauts flying on a space shuttle mission to
service the Hubble Space Telescope for a final time will speak to
middle school students across America simultaneously at 1:15 p.m.
EDT, April 30, from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt,
Md.
Through NASA's Digital Learning Network (DLN), students at five middle
schools and an invited student audience at Goddard will talk to the
shuttle crew. Topics of discussion will include details about the
upcoming STS-125 mission to service Hubble. Astronauts also will
discuss career diversity among the crew. Each has a doctorate degree
in a science, technology, engineering and mathematics discipline.
The goal of the DLN is to enhance NASA's capability to deliver unique
content by linking students and educators with NASA experts. The DLN
offers videoconferencing or Webcasting at no charge, providing
interactive educational experiences to students and teachers from
kindergarten to college across the country and around the world.
Schools selected to participate are Junior High School 145 Arturo
Toscanini, Bronx, New York; Brenham Junior High School, Brenham,
Texas; and South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency, Shelton,
Washington. Two NASA Explorer Schools, Greencastle-Antrim Middle
School, Greencastle, Pennsylvania, and Middle School at Parkside,
Jackson, Michigan, also will participate.
Anyone can view the 45-minute event live at
http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/.
For more information about the Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble For information about NASA education, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/education
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#1
by
jacqmans
on 22 May, 2008 17:30
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RELEASE: 08-133
NASA UPDATES SPACE SHUTTLE TARGET LAUNCH DATES
HOUSTON -- NASA Thursday adjusted the target launch dates for two
space shuttle missions in 2008. Shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to
the Hubble Space Telescope is now targeted for Oct. 8, and
Endeavour's STS-126 supply mission to the International Space Station
has moved from Oct. 16 to Nov. 10.
The final servicing mission to Hubble was moved from Aug. 28 due to a
delay in deliveries of components, including the external fuel tanks,
and the need to prepare Endeavour for a possible rescue mission
approximately two weeks after STS-125 launches.
Flights beyond STS-126 will be assessed and coordinated with NASA's
international partners at a later date. Both shuttle and station
program officials will continue to consider options for the remainder
of the shuttle flights, with those target launch dates being subject
to change.
The Shuttle Program also has decided that Atlantis will be assigned
two additional flights after the Hubble mission in order to more
efficiently fly the remaining shuttle flights using the three
orbiters in sequence.
The shuttle launch manifest is available at:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/iss_manifest.html For details on upcoming shuttle missions and their crews, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
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#2
by
Longhorn John
on 22 May, 2008 18:17
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There's no much value in this when it's still out of date (STS-119). and we've known for weeks on STS-125.
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#3
by
jacqmans
on 25 Jun, 2008 21:53
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RELEASE: 08-61a
WASHINGTON & BALTIMORE AREA REPORTERS INVITED TO MEDIA DAY
ABOUT UPCOMING SHUTTLE MISSION TO HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
GREENBELT, Md. - News representatives in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore area are invited to attend a media day event on July 1 to learn about NASA's next space shuttle flight -- an ambitious mission to the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, located just outside Washington, D.C., has critical responsibilities in the planning, mission preparations and in-flight management of HST servicing missions. Reporters attending the media event at Goddard will have opportunities to interact with Hubble managers and HST scientists. Attendees will see examples of high definition b-roll and animation footage available to help tell the STS-125 mission story. Information will be provided on how reporters at Goddard during the flight will have same access and insight into the mission as reporters at Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Reporters wishing to attend the media event are asked to contact either GSFC PAO Susan Hendrix at (301) 286-7745 or Ed Campion at (301) 286-0697 no later than June 26 to confirm plans to attend.
The STS-125 mission is targeted for launch on Oct. 8, 2008. The mission will involve astronauts performing five consecutive space walks to conduct activities that will extend Hubble's operational life, restore science operations to two non-functioning telescope science instruments and install two new science instruments. The combination of all the activities will allow Hubble to reach the apex of its observation capabilities and ready to conduct science operations for many years to come.
For more information about Hubble, go to:
www.nasa.gov/hubble
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#4
by
jacqmans
on 17 Jul, 2008 03:12
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RELEASE: 13-08
FIRST HUBBLE FLIGHT HARDWARE ARRIVES AT KENNEDY FOR STS-125
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The first major flight hardware for the fifth
and final space shuttle servicing mission to NASA's Hubble Space
Telescope is starting to arrive at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., to
begin preparations for its targeted October launch.
Three carriers, which are pallets that will hold equipment in space
shuttle Atlantis' payload bay, were delivered to Kennedy Wednesday.
They will be prepared for the integration of telescope science
instruments, both internal and external replacement components, as
well as the flight support equipment to be used by the astronauts
during Atlantis' mission, designated STS-125 and SM4.
The three payload carriers are the Flight Support System (FSS), the
Super Lightweight Interchangeable Carrier (SLIC), and the Orbital
Replacement Unit Carrier (ORUC). At the end of July, a fourth and
final carrier, the Multi-Use Lightweight Equipment (MULE) carrier,
will join the others in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility
where the Hubble payload is being prepared for launch.
The Flight Support System will attach, secure and provide power to
Hubble and also contains the Soft Capture Mechanism that will assist
in the de-orbiting of the telescope when its science mission is over.
Among the components to be integrated onto the carriers are the Wide
Field Camera 3 that will be placed on the SLIC with Hubble's two new
battery modules. The Fine Guidance Sensor and the Cosmic Origins
Spectrograph will be on the ORUC, as well as the replacement gyros.
The Relative Navigation Sensors and the New Outer Blanket Layers will
be on the MULE. These components, which will be integrated onto the
carriers, will be delivered to Kennedy during the first half of
August.
Numerous crew aids and tools that the astronauts will use during their
five planned spacewalks also will be integrated onto the carriers.
The new hardware will ensure Hubble is at the apex of its scientific
capability and that it functions efficiently for a minimum of five
more years.
The processing and integration of the Hubble flight hardware will take
approximately two months. The payload is scheduled to go to Launch
Pad 39A in mid-September to be installed into Atlantis' payload bay.
Atlantis is targeted to launch Oct. 8 at 1:34 a.m. EDT.
For more information about the Hubble Space Telescope and its
research, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubbleFor more information about the STS-125 mission and its crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
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#5
by
jacqmans
on 21 Jul, 2008 19:08
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MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-136
NASA SETS MEDIA CREDENTIALS DEADLINES FOR NEXT SHUTTLE FLIGHT
WASHINGTON -- NASA has set media accreditation deadlines for space
shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to return to the Hubble Space
Telescope, targeted to launch Oct. 8. The 11-day flight will include
five spacewalks to make final repairs and upgrades to the telescope,
leaving it better than ever and ready for another five years -- or
more -- of research. This is the last visit to the telescope before
the shuttle fleet retires in 2010.
Journalists must apply for credentials to attend the liftoff from
NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida or cover the mission from
other NASA centers. To be accredited, media must work for legitimate,
verifiable news-gathering organizations. Reporters may need to submit
requests for credentials at multiple NASA facilities.
Additional time may be required to process accreditation requests by
journalists from certain designated countries. Designated countries
include those with which the United States has no diplomatic
relations, on the State Department's list of state sponsors of
terrorism, are under U.S. sanction or embargo, or which raise
proliferation concerns. Please contact the accrediting NASA center
for details. Journalists should confirm they have been accredited
before they travel.
No substitutions of credentials are allowed at any NASA facility. If
the STS-125 launch is delayed, the deadline for domestic media may be
extended on a day-by-day basis.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
Reporters applying for credentials at NASA's Kennedy Space Center
should submit requests via the Web at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.govMedia must use work e-mail addresses, not personal accounts, when
applying. Once accreditation is approved, applicants will receive
confirmation via e-mail.
Accredited media with mission badges will have access to Kennedy from
launch through the end of the mission. Application deadlines for
mission badges are Sept. 22 for U.S. journalists and Sept. 12 for
foreign reporters.
Access requests must be submitted separately for Atlantis' roll out to
the launch pad on Aug. 29, and the launch dress rehearsal activities,
known as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, Sept. 17-19. For
rollout, U.S. reporters must apply by Aug. 25 and foreign journalists
by Aug. 15. For the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, U.S.
reporters must apply by Sept. 12 and foreign journalists by Sept. 3.
Media with special logistic requests for the Kennedy Space Center,
such as space for satellite trucks, trailers, electrical connections
or work space, must contact Laurel Lichtenberger at
[email protected] by Sept. 30.
Work space in the News Center and the News Center Annex is provided on
a first-come basis - one space per organization. To set up temporary
telephone, fax, ISDN or network lines, media must make arrangements
with BellSouth at 800-213-4988. Media must have an assigned seat in
the Kennedy newsroom prior to setting up lines. To obtain an assigned
seat, contact Patricia Christian at
[email protected].
Media must have a public affairs escort to any other Kennedy area
except the Launch Complex 39 cafeteria.
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
Reporters may obtain NASA Johnson Space Center credentials by calling
the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or by presenting Kennedy STS-125
mission credentials. Media planning to cover the mission only from
Johnson need to apply for credentials only at Johnson. Deadlines for
submitting Johnson accreditation requests are Sept. 5 for non-U.S.
reporters, regardless of citizenship, and Sept. 26 for U.S. reporters
who are U.S. citizens.
Journalists covering the mission from Johnson using Kennedy
credentials also must contact the Johnson newsroom by Sept. 26 to
arrange workspace, phone lines and other logistics. Johnson is
responsible for credentialing media if the shuttle lands at White
Sands Space Harbor, N.M. If a landing is imminent at White Sands,
Johnson will arrange credentials.
DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER
Notice for a space shuttle landing at NASA's Dryden Flight Research
Center on Edwards Air Force Base in California could be short.
Domestic media should consider accrediting Los Angeles-based
personnel who could travel quickly to Dryden. Deadlines for
submitting Dryden accreditation requests are Sept. 3 for non-U.S.
media, regardless of citizenship, and Oct. 8 for U.S. media who are
U.S. citizens or who have permanent residency status.
For Dryden media credentials, U.S. citizens representing domestic
media must provide their full name, date of birth, place of birth,
media organization, the last six digits of their social security
number and driver's license number, including the name of the issuing
state.
In addition to the above requirements, foreign media representatives,
regardless of citizenship, must provide data including their
citizenship, visa or passport number and their expiration date.
Foreign nationals representing either domestic or foreign media who
have permanent residency status must provide their alien registration
number and expiration date.
Media should fax requests for credentials on company letterhead to
661-276-3566. E-mailed requests to
[email protected] are acceptable
for media who have been accredited at Dryden within the past year.
Requests must include a phone number and business e-mail address for
follow-up contact.
NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS:
Kennedy Space Center: Candrea Thomas, 321-867-2468,
[email protected]Johnson Space Center: James Hartsfield, 281-483-5111,
[email protected]Dryden Flight Research Center: Leslie Williams, 661-276-3893,
[email protected]For information about the STS-125 mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttleFor information about the Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble
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#6
by
jacqmans
on 28 Jul, 2008 17:08
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MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-138
NASA SETS BRIEFINGS FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE SHUTTLE MISSION
HOUSTON -- NASA will hold a series of news media briefings Sept. 8 - 9
to preview the space shuttle's fifth and final servicing mission to
the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA Television and the agency's Web site
will provide live coverage of the briefings from the Johnson Space
Center and the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Questions also will be taken from other participating NASA locations.
Shuttle Atlantis' 11-day flight, designated STS-125, is targeted for
launch Oct. 8 and will include five spacewalks to refurbish and
upgrade the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments.
Replacing failed hardware on Hubble will extend the telescope's life
into the next decade.
U.S. news media planning to attend the briefings at Johnson must
contact the newsroom there at 281-483-5111 by Sept. 2 to arrange for
credentials. All reporters who are foreign nationals must contact the
newsroom by Aug. 8.
On Sept. 9, Atlantis' seven astronauts will be available for
round-robin interviews at Johnson. Reporters planning to participate
in-person or by phone must contact Gayle Frere at 281-483-8645 by
Sept. 2 to reserve an interview opportunity.
Scott Altman will command Atlantis' crew, which includes Pilot Gregory
C. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Andrew Feustel, Michael Good,
John Grunsfeld, Megan McArthur and Mike Massimino. The spacewalkers
are Good, Grunsfeld, Feustel and Massimino. McArthur is the flight
engineer and lead for robotic arm operations.
Along with the briefings to preview the Hubble servicing mission at
Johnson, media will have an opportunity during the afternoon of Sept.
8 to review new equipment being developed for NASA's Constellation
Program. Constellation is building America's next human spacecraft,
which will fly astronauts to low Earth orbit, the moon and beyond.
During the review, media will see items that include concepts of a
new spacesuit, a pressurized rover vehicle for astronauts, and a
mockup of the Orion crew capsule.
The schedule (all times are CDT) includes:
Monday, Sept. 8
7 a.m. - Video B-Roll Feed
8 a.m. - NASA Overview Briefing (from Goddard)
9 a.m. - Shuttle Program Overview Briefing (from Johnson)
10 a.m. - HST/SM 4 Program Overview (from Goddard)
11:30 a.m. - NASA TV Video File
Noon - HST/SM4 Science Overview (from Goddard)
1:30 p.m. - HST Program and Science Round-Robins (from Goddard; not on
NASA TV)
1:30 p.m. - Constellation Program Preview (from Johnson, not on NASA
TV)
Tuesday, Sept. 9
8 a.m. - Video B-Roll Feed
9 a.m. - STS-125 Mission Overview (from Johnson)
10:30 a.m. - STS-125 Spacewalk Overview (from Johnson)
Noon - NASA TV Video File
1 p.m. - STS-125 Crew News Conference (from Johnson)
2 - 6 p.m. - STS-125 Crew Round-Robins (from Johnson; not on NASA TV)
For NASA TV streaming video, schedules and downlink information,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntvFor the latest information about the STS-125 mission and its crew,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
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#7
by
jacqmans
on 08 Aug, 2008 07:30
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MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-149
NASA TV TO AIR INTERVIEWS WITH HUBBLE SERVICING ASTRONAUTS
HOUSTON -- NASA Television will air interviews with each of the seven
astronauts who will fly to the Hubble Space Telescope beginning at 8
a.m. EDT, on Monday, Aug. 11.
The crew includes Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson,
and Mission Specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld,
Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel.
Media also may obtain copies of the interviews by contacting the
Johnson Space Center Media Resource Center in Houston at
281-483-4231. For transcripts of the interviews and more information
on the space shuttle and the mission to Hubble, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/hst_sm4 The interviews will run repeatedly on NASA TV prior to launch. For
information on when and for the complete NASA TV schedule and
training footage, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
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#8
by
jacqmans
on 15 Aug, 2008 21:25
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MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-154
NASA KEEPS ATLANTIS TARGET LAUNCH DATE, MOVES UP MILESTONES
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After thoroughly reviewing an option to
accelerate the upcoming launch dates of space shuttle Atlantis and
Endeavour by a few days, shuttle program managers decided Thursday to
keep the current target launch dates.
Atlantis' STS-125 mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope remains
targeted for Oct. 8 at 1:34 a.m. EDT. Endeavour's STS-126 mission to
the International Space Station is targeted for Nov. 10 at 9:31 p.m.
EST.
Atlantis is scheduled to move from its processing hanger to the
Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, on Monday, Aug. 18, where it will
be attached to an external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters.
The shuttle will roll out to Launch Pad 39A the week of Aug. 24. The
date will be finalized early next week.
During its 11-day mission, STS-125's crew of seven astronauts will
install two new instruments in Hubble, as well as replace the Fine
Guidance Sensor. Five spacewalks will be conducted during the flight.
Atlantis will be commanded by Scott Altman. Gregory C. Johnson will be
pilot. Mission specialists will be John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino,
Megan McArthur, Andrew Feustel and Michael Good.
For more information about the STS-125 mission and crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle For more information about Hubble, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble
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#9
by
jacqmans
on 25 Aug, 2008 20:46
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MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-159
NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS TO MOVE TO LAUNCH PAD SATURDAY
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to roll out
to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, Aug.
30. Atlantis is targeted to lift off Oct. 8 to repair the Hubble
Space Telescope.
The first motion of the shuttle out of Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly
Building is scheduled for 12:01 a.m. EDT. The fully assembled space
shuttle, consisting of the orbiter, external tank and twin solid
rocket boosters, was mounted on a mobile launcher platform and will
be delivered to the pad atop a crawler-transporter. The crawler will
travel slower than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The process is
expected to take approximately six hours.
Repairs to Launch Pad 39A's flame trench wall were completed Aug. 5
after crews installed a steel grid structure and covered it in a
heat-resistant material. The pad's north flame trench was damaged
when bricks tore away from the wall during the May 31 launch of space
shuttle Discovery.
NASA Television will provide live coverage of Atlantis' move to the
launch pad beginning at 6:30 a.m. Video highlights of the rollout
will air on NASA TV Video File.
Media are invited to a photo opportunity of roll out and an interview
availability with Atlantis Flow Director Angie Brewer at 8 a.m.
Saturday. Dates and times of this event are subject to change.
Updates are available by calling 321-867-2525.
Reporters must arrive at Kennedy's news center by 6 a.m. Saturday for
transportation to the viewing area. Foreign news media accreditation
for this event has closed. Foreign media with credentials must arrive
at the Pass and I-D Building on State Road 3 by 6 a.m. for
transportation to the news center. U.S. media without permanent
Kennedy Space Center credentials must apply for accreditation online
by 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27, at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov Badges must be picked up by 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, at the new Kennedy
Badging Office on State Road 405, west of Gate 3 (just past the
Kennedy Visitor's Complex).
During its 11-day mission that includes five spacewalks, the STS-125's
crew of seven astronauts will install two new instruments in Hubble,
as well as replace the Fine Guidance Sensor. The result will be six
working, complementary science instruments with capabilities beyond
those now available, and an extended operational lifespan of the
telescope through at least 2013.
Atlantis will be commanded by Scott Altman. Gregory C. Johnson will be
pilot. Mission Specialists will be John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino,
Megan McArthur, Andrew Feustel and Michael Good.
For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more information about the STS-125 mission and crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
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#10
by
jacqmans
on 28 Aug, 2008 20:28
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MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-160
NASA UPDATES SHUTTLE ATLANTIS' MOVE TO LAUNCH PAD TUESDAY
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to roll
out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 12:01 a.m.
EDT on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Atlantis is targeted to lift off Oct. 8 on
an 11-day mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. This new
rollout date accommodates additional work on Atlantis.
NASA Television will provide live video of Atlantis at the launch pad
beginning at 6:30 a.m. on Sept. 2. Video highlights of the rollout
will air on NASA TV's Video File segments.
Media are invited to a photo opportunity of the shuttle at the pad and
an interview availability with Atlantis' Flow Director Angie Brewer
at 8 a.m. Tuesday. Dates and times of this event are subject to
change. Updates are available by calling 321-867-2525.
Media must arrive at Kennedy's news center by 6 a.m. for
transportation to the viewing area. Media accreditation for this
event is closed. Foreign media with credentials must arrive at the
Pass and ID Building on State Road 3 by 6 a.m. for transportation to
the news center.
Atlantis will be commanded by Scott Altman. Gregory C. Johnson will be
pilot. Mission Specialists will be John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino,
Megan McArthur, Andrew Feustel and Michael Good.
For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more information about the STS-125 mission and crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
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#11
by
rdale
on 29 Aug, 2008 20:07
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-
#12
by
jacqmans
on 02 Sep, 2008 14:38
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RELEASE: 08-79
D.C. and Baltimore Media Invited to Briefings for Hubble Telescope Shuttle Mission
GREENBELT, MD. – NASA will hold a series of news media briefings Sept. 8 - 9 to preview the space shuttle's fifth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA Television and the agency's Web site will provide live coverage of the briefings from the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md and Johnson Space Center, Houston. Questions also will be taken from other participating NASA locations.
Shuttle Atlantis' 11-day flight, designated STS-125, is targeted for launch Oct. 8 and will include five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments. Replacing failed hardware on Hubble will extend the telescope's life into the next decade.
Media planning to attend the briefings at Goddard should contact either Susan Hendrix at (301) 286-7745 or Ed Campion at (301) 286-0697 before 12 noon on Sept. 5 to arrange for access to the center.
Scott Altman will command Atlantis' crew, which includes Pilot Gregory C. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Andrew Feustel, Michael Good, John Grunsfeld, Megan McArthur and Mike Massimino. The spacewalkers are Good, Grunsfeld, Feustel and Massimino. McArthur is the flight engineer and lead for robotic arm operations.
The schedule (all times are EDT) includes:
Monday, Sept. 8
8 a.m. - Video B-Roll Feed
9 a.m. - NASA Overview Briefing (from Goddard)
10 a.m. - Shuttle Program Overview Briefing (from Johnson)
11 a.m. - HST/SM 4 Program Overview (from Goddard)
12:30 p.m. - NASA TV Video File
1 p.m. - HST/SM4 Science Overview (from Goddard)
2:30 p.m. - HST Program and Science Round-Robins(from Goddard; not on NASA TV)
Tuesday, Sept. 9
9 a.m. - Video B-Roll Feed
10 a.m. - STS-125 Mission Overview (from Johnson)
11:30 a.m. - STS-125 Spacewalk Overview (from Johnson)
1 p.m. - NASA TV Video File
2 p.m. - STS-125 Crew News Conference (from Johnson)
For NASA TV streaming video, schedules and downlink information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntvFor the latest information about the STS-125 mission and its crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttleFor more information about the Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble
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#13
by
jacqmans
on 02 Sep, 2008 17:27
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MEDIA ADVISORY: 22-08
SHUTTLE ATLANTIS' MOVE TO PAD ON STANDBY FOR HANNA
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Managers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.,
will closely follow Tropical Storm Hanna to determine when would be
the best time this week to move space shuttle Atlantis to its launch
pad.
Currently, the earliest Atlantis will be rolled out from Kennedy's
Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A is Thursday, Sept. 4, at
12:01 a.m. EDT.
If the storm stays on its current track, managers will wait until it
passes off the coast of Kennedy and then move Atlantis to the pad,
most likely Saturday morning. Rollout had been scheduled for Tuesday,
but was delayed to allow managers to evaluate Hanna's possible
affects on the center.
Atlantis is targeted to lift off Oct. 8 on an 11-day mission to
service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Managers will evaluate any
affects from Hanna on supporting the target date.
Dates and times of this event are subject to change. Updates are
available by calling 321-867-2525.
For more information about the STS-125 mission and crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle -end-
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#14
by
jacqmans
on 03 Sep, 2008 20:56
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-169
NASA SETS SHUTTLE ATLANTIS' MOVE TO LAUNCH PAD THURSDAY
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis is tentatively scheduled
to roll out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in
Florida at 10 a.m. EDT, on Thursday, Sept. 4. Managers will meet at
5:30 a.m. Thursday to confirm that weather conditions created by
Tropical Storm Hanna will allow for the move.
NASA Television will provide live video of Atlantis' rollout beginning
at 10 a.m. Video highlights of the rollout will air on NASA TV's
Video File segments.
Media are invited to a photo opportunity of Atlantis' move to the
launch pad and interview availability with Atlantis' Flow Director
Angie Brewer at 10:30 a.m. Dates and times of this event are subject
to change. Updates are available by calling 321-867-2525.
Media must arrive at Kennedy's News Center by 9:30 a.m. for
transportation to the viewing area. New media accreditation for this
event is closed. Foreign media with credentials must arrive at the
Pass and Identification Building on State Road 3 by 9 a.m. for
transportation to the news center. Badges must be picked up by 8:30
a.m. Thursday at the new Kennedy Badging Office on State Road 405,
west of Gate 3 (just past the Kennedy Visitor's Complex).
Atlantis is targeted to lift off Oct. 8 on an 11-day mission to
service the Hubble Space Telescope.
For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more information about the STS-125 mission and crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle -end-
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#15
by
jacqmans
on 05 Sep, 2008 16:26
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: 08-224
NASA CHANGES 2008 SHUTTLE TARGET LAUNCH DATES, SCHEDULES TCDT
HOUSTON -- NASA has adjusted the target launch dates for the two
remaining space shuttle missions in 2008. Shuttle Atlantis' STS-125
mission to the Hubble Space Telescope is targeted for Oct. 10, while
Endeavour's STS-126 supply mission to the International Space Station
has moved to Nov. 12.
Shuttle managers made the decision after Atlantis was rolled to the
launch pad and the effects of Tropical Storm Hanna were beyond NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida. That allowed managers to more
accurately assess the impacts of recent tropical systems on the
launch schedule.
Atlantis began rolling from Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building to
Launch Pad 39A Thursday at 9:19 a.m. EDT. The shuttle arrived at the
pad at approximately 2 p.m. and was secured at 3:52 p.m. Atlantis now
is targeted to launch at approximately 12:33 a.m. EDT, Friday, Oct.
10. NASA Television coverage of launch will begin at 7:30 p.m. EDT on
Thursday, Oct. 9. The 11-day flight will include five spacewalks to
repair and upgrade the Hubble telescope. Atlantis is scheduled to
land at approximately 10:21 p.m., Oct. 20.
Scott Altman will command STS-125, with Gregory C. Johnson serving as
pilot. Mission specialists include veteran spacewalkers John
Grunsfeld and Mike Massimino, and first-time space fliers Andrew
Feustel, Michael Good and Megan McArthur.
The formal launch dates for space shuttle flights are determined
during the Flight Readiness Review, which is conducted about two
weeks before launch. The STS-125 review is scheduled for Sept. 22-23.
The review for STS-126 is scheduled for Oct. 30.
An STS-125 launch dress rehearsal, known as the terminal countdown
demonstration test, or TCDT, is scheduled to take place at Kennedy
Sept. 22-24. The test provides each shuttle crew with an opportunity
to participate in simulated countdown activities, including equipment
familiarization and emergency training.
The following media events are associated with the test. All times are
Eastern.
- Sept. 21 - STS-125 crew arrival: The astronauts will arrive at 7
p.m. at the Shuttle Landing Facility and make a brief statement. The
arrival will be not be broadcast live on NASA Television, but will
replay as a NASA TV Video File.
- Sept. 23 - STS-125 crew availability: The crew will take news media
questions at Launch Pad 39A at 8:30 a.m. The event will be carried
live on NASA TV.
- Sept. 24 - STS-125 crew walkout photo opportunity: The astronauts
will depart from the Operations and Checkout Building at 7:45 a.m.
wearing their launch and entry suits in preparation for the countdown
demonstration test at the launch pad. The walkout will not be
broadcast live, but will be included in the NASA TV Video File.
Dates and times of events are subject to change. Schedule updates are
available at 321-867-2525.
Foreign media must apply for accreditation online by 4 p.m., Friday,
Sept. 5. U.S. media without permanent Kennedy Space Center
credentials must apply for accreditation online by 4 p.m., Tuesday,
Sept. 16, at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov To attend crew arrival, reporters must pick up badges before 4 p.m.,
Friday, Sept 19, at the Kennedy badging facility on State Road 405.
For information about covering these events, including proper attire
and meeting locations, credentialed media should visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/media.html Video B-roll of the terminal countdown demonstration test will be
available on the NASA TV Video File. For NASA TV downlink
information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more information about the International Space Station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station For more about two remaining shuttle missions of 2008, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle -end-
-
#16
by
jacqmans
on 24 Sep, 2008 22:38
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-181
NASA ANNOUNCES NEW TARGET LAUNCH DATES, STATUS NEWS CONFERENCE
WASHINGTON -- The target launch date for space shuttle Atlantis'
STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope has been reset
to Oct. 14 at 10:19 p.m. EDT. A news conference is scheduled for
Friday, Oct. 3, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to announce
an official launch date.
With the delay of Atlantis' launch from Oct. 10 to Oct. 14, shuttle
Endeavour's STS-126 supply mission to the International Space
Station, also will move from Nov. 12 to Nov. 16 at 7:07 p.m. EST. The
target launch date adjustments were made Wednesday during the Space
Shuttle Program's Flight Readiness Review, which concludes Thursday.
Detailed assessments were presented Wednesday by Mission Operations,
Flight Crew Operations, and training divisions affected by the
closure of the NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, as a result of
Hurricane Ike. While vehicle processing at Kennedy continues on
schedule, the lost week of training and mission preparation due to
the impacts of the storm led to the decision to slip the dates.
The Oct. 3 news conference will follow the Flight Readiness Review, a
meeting to assess preparations for the STS-125 mission to Hubble, and
will begin no earlier than 4 p.m. EDT.
The briefing participants are:
- Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier
- Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs, Science Mission
Directorate Mike Luther
- Space Shuttle Program Manager John Shannon
- STS-125 Launch Director Ed Mango
NASA Television and the agency's Web site will broadcast the briefing
live. Media may ask questions from participating NASA locations.
Reporters should contact their preferred NASA center to confirm its
participation.
For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntvFor more about the two remaining shuttle missions of 2008, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
-
#17
by
dsmillman
on 26 Sep, 2008 19:11
-
-
#18
by
rdale
on 26 Sep, 2008 19:54
-
WOW! LM should make more press kits
-
#19
by
Jim
on 26 Sep, 2008 20:17
-
WOW! LM should make more press kits
I have the original HST PK by Lockheed. It is a good one.
-
#20
by
spaceamillion
on 26 Sep, 2008 22:26
-
WOW! LM should make more press kits
I have the original HST PK by Lockheed. It is a good one.
Jim,
Is this the one ?
If so, I can scan this next week and post on L2
-
#21
by
jacqmans
on 29 Sep, 2008 18:47
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-187
NASA TO DISCUSS HUBBLE ANOMALY AND SERVICING MISSION LAUNCH DELAY
WASHINGTON -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 6 p.m. EDT
today to discuss a significant Hubble Space Telescope anomaly that
occurred this weekend affecting the storage and transmittal of
science data to Earth. Fixing the problem will delay next month's
space shuttle Atlantis Hubble servicing mission.
The briefing participants are:
- Ed Weiler, associate administrator of the Science Mission
Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington
- John Shannon, Shuttle Program manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center
in Houston
- Preston Burch, Hubble manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
in Greenbelt, Md.
To participate in the teleconference, reporters in the U.S. should
call 1-800-369-6087 and use the pass code Hubble. International
reporters should call 1-773-756-0843.
As a result of the launch delay, NASA has postponed the planned Oct. 3
Flight Readiness Review and subsequent news conference. The review
will occur at a later date.
The malfunctioning system is Hubble's Control Unit/Science Data
Formatter - Side A. Shortly after 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, the
telescope's spacecraft computer issued commands to safe the payload
computer and science instruments when errors were detected within the
Science Data Formatter. An attempt to reset the formatter and obtain
a dump of the payload computer's memory was unsuccessful.
Additional testing demonstrates Side A no longer supports the transfer
of science data to the ground. A transition to the redundant Side B
should restore full functionality to the science instruments and
operations.
The transition to Side B operations is complex. It requires that five
other modules used in managing data also be switched to their B-side
systems. The B-sides of these modules last were activated during
ground tests in the late 1980s and/or early 1990, prior to launch.
The Hubble operations team has begun work on the Side B transition and
believes it will be ready to reconfigure Hubble later this week. The
transition will happen after the team completes a readiness review.
Hubble could return to science operations in the immediate future if
the reconfiguration is successful. Even so, the agency is
investigating the possibility of flying a back-up replacement system,
which could be installed during the servicing mission.
Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live at:
http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudioRelated images for the briefing will be available at:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubbleFor more information about the Space Shuttle Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle -end-
-
#22
by
jacqmans
on 14 Oct, 2008 19:36
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-203
NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS ROLLS OFF LAUNCH PAD MONDAY
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to roll
back from Launch Pad 39A to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Oct. 20, to await launch
on its mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. First motion of
the shuttle is scheduled for 12:01 a.m. EDT.
Atlantis' targeted launch on Oct. 10 was delayed when a system that
transfers science data from the orbiting observatory to Earth
malfunctioned on Sept. 27. The new target launch date is under
review.
The fully assembled space shuttle Atlantis, consisting of the orbiter,
external tank and twin solid rocket boosters, is mounted on a Mobile
Launcher Platform and will be delivered to the Vehicle Assembly
Building atop a crawler transporter. The crawler will travel slower
than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey, which is expected to take
approximately six hours.
NASA Television will provide live coverage of Atlantis' rollback
beginning Monday at 6:30 a.m. Video highlights of the rollback will
air on NASA TV Video File.
Media are invited to a photo opportunity of the shuttle's move from
the pad at 6 a.m. Monday. As dates and times of this event are
subject to change, updates are available by calling 321-867-2525.
Media must arrive at Kennedy's News Center by 5 a.m. for
transportation to the viewing area. Foreign news media accreditation
for this event is closed. U.S. media without permanent Kennedy Space
Center credentials must apply for accreditation online by 3 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 16, at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.govBadges may be picked up between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17 at
the Kennedy Badging Office on State Road 405, west of Gate 3, just
past the Kennedy Visitor's Complex.
The next space shuttle flight will be shuttle Endeavour's STS-126
mission to the International Space Station, targeted for launch Nov.
14. Endeavour is scheduled to move from Launch Pad 39B to Pad 39A on
Oct. 25.
For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntvFor more information about upcoming shuttle missions, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
-
#23
by
jacqmans
on 17 Oct, 2008 19:32
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-211
NASA UPDATES TIME FOR SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS' ROLL FROM LAUNCH PAD
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA managers have adjusted the time for space
shuttle Atlantis' rollback from Launch Pad 39A to the Vehicle
Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on
Monday, Oct. 20, to 7 a.m. EDT. Atlantis is expected to be in the
Vehicle Assembly Building by about 2 p.m.
NASA Television will provide live coverage of Atlantis' move off the
pad beginning Monday at 6:30 a.m. Video highlights of the rollback
will air on NASA TV Video File.
Media are invited to a photo opportunity of the shuttle's move from
the pad at 7 a.m. Monday, and must arrive at Kennedy's News Center by
6 a.m. for transportation to the viewing area. Because dates and
times of this event are subject to change, updates are available by
calling 321-867-2525.
Media badges may be picked up Friday, Oct. 17, at the Kennedy Badging
Office on State Road 405, west of Gate 3, just past the Kennedy
Visitor Complex.
The next space shuttle flight will be shuttle Endeavour's STS-126
mission to the International Space Station, targeted for launch Nov.
14. Endeavour is scheduled to move from Launch Pad 39B to Pad 39A on
Oct. 25.
For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntvFor more information about upcoming shuttle missions, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle -end-
-
#24
by
jacqmans
on 29 Oct, 2008 19:33
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-219
NASA TO DISCUSS STATUS OF HUBBLE SERVICING MISSION THURSDAY
WASHINGTON -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 5 p.m. EDT on
Thursday, Oct. 30, to discuss the status of the upcoming shuttle
servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. The fifth and final
"house call" by astronauts to the telescope originally was planned
for Oct. 10 but was postponed due to an onboard computer anomaly.
The briefing participants are:
- Jon Morse, director of the Astrophysics Division in NASA's Science
Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington
- Preston Burch, Hubble Space Telescope manager at NASA's Goddard
Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
To participate in the teleconference, reporters in the U.S. should
call 1-888-469-0494 and use the passcode "Hubble." International
reporters should call 1-415-228-3905.
Approximately one hour after the briefing concludes, a recorded replay
of the conference will be available by calling 1-888-458-8114.
International callers can hear the replay by calling 1-402-998-1352.
Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live on the Internet at:
http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio
-
#25
by
jacqmans
on 30 Oct, 2008 16:21
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-221
NASA UPDATES THURSDAY'S HUBBLE SERVICING MISSION AND SPACE SHUTTLE READINESS REVIEW BRIEFING TIMES
WASHINGTON -- The time of Thursday's media teleconference to discuss
the status of the shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space
Telescope has changed to 5:30 p.m. EDT. A news conference at the
Kennedy Space Center in Florida to discuss the status of the next
space shuttle launch now will begin no earlier than 6:30 p.m.
To participate in the teleconference on the Hubble servicing mission
status, reporters in the U.S. should call 1-888-469-0494 and use the
passcode "Hubble." International reporters should call
1-415-228-3905. Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live on
the Internet at:
http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudioAs early as 6:30 p.m. Thursday NASA will hold a press conference
announcing the status of Endeavour's STS-126 mission to the
International Space Station, targeted to launch at 7:55 p.m. on Nov.
14.
NASA Television and the agency's Web site will broadcast the briefing
live.
For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntvFor STS-126 crew and mission information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
-
#26
by
jacqmans
on 31 Oct, 2008 08:14
-
RELEASE: 08-280
NASA MANAGERS DELAY HUBBLE SERVICING MISSION
WASHINGTON -- NASA managers have announced that they will not meet a
February 2009 launch date for the fifth and final shuttle mission to
the Hubble Space Telescope. The decision comes after engineers
completed assessments of the work needed to get a second data
handling unit for the telescope ready to fly. The unit will replace
one that failed on Hubble in late September, causing the agency to
postpone the servicing mission, which had been targeted for Oct. 14.
"We now have done enough analysis of all the things that need to
happen with the flight spare unit to know that we cannot be ready for
a February launch," said NASA's Astrophysics Division Director Jon
Morse at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The February date was an
initial estimate, assuming minimal hardware preparations and test
durations that are no longer viewed as realistic. We've communicated
our assessment to the Space Shuttle Program so it can adjust
near-term plans. We will work closely with the Shuttle Program to
develop details for a new launch opportunity."
"Getting ourselves in a position to be ready to launch the Hubble
mission will involve many steps, and a significant one took place
earlier today," said Hubble Program Manager Preston Burch at NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "We held a flight
certification peer review meeting where every aspect for doing this
effort -- the inspections needed, all the tests to be conducted, the
certification process and the final flight preparations -- was
examined. The conclusion was that we indeed have a very good plan in
place."
The Hubble flight spare, known as the Science Instrument Command and
Data Handling system, has been at Goddard since it was originally
delivered as a back-up system in 1991. The unit currently is
undergoing testing and examination to identify and correct any
problems. That work will continue until mid-December.
The unit will then undergo environmental assessments that include
electro-magnetic interference checks, vibration tests, and extended
time in a thermal vacuum chamber. Environmental testing is
anticipated to run from mid-December to early March 2009. Final
testing will be conducted on the unit, and delivery to NASA's Kennedy
Space Center in Florida is expected in early April.
"The equipment we are dealing with has a flight-proven design," said
Burch." The original unit on Hubble ran for more than 18 years. We
have a lot of spare parts if we encounter problems, and we have most
of the same test equipment that was used with the original unit. We
also have a lot of experience on our Hubble electrical replica, which
uses the engineering model data handling unit."
The vast majority of the flight hardware, tools and support equipment
that will be used during the mission will be stored at Kennedy. A
small amount of new work such as re-lubricating the latches on the
Soft Capture Mechanism and testing the motors on the Flight Support
System will be conducted. The Wide Field Camera 3 will remain in its
carrier. The Cosmic Origins Spectrograph is in a special
double-layered purge system in its shipping container to help support
its environmental needs. The new batteries to be installed during the
mission are in cold storage at Goddard and will be returned to
Kennedy in 2009.
In the meantime, science observations on Hubble that had been
suspended continue to move toward standard operations. The current
primary camera on the telescope, the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2,
was brought back online. On Wednesday, calibration images with the
Advanced Camera for Surveys' Solar Blind Channel were completed.
Regular science observations resumed Thursday, and the first science
image from the camera was released.
For more information about Hubble, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble For more information about the Space Shuttle Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
-
#27
by
rdale
on 04 Dec, 2008 21:37
-
NASA Sets Target Shuttle Launch Date for Hubble Servicing Mission
HOUSTON -- NASA announced Thursday that space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope is targeted to launch May 12, 2009.
The final servicing mission to Hubble was delayed in September when a data handling unit on the telescope failed. Since then, engineers have been working to prepare a spare for flight. They expect to be able to ship the spare, known as the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling System, to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in spring 2009.
STS-125 is an 11-day flight featuring five spacewalks to extend Hubble's life into the next decade by refurbishing and upgrading the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments and swapping failed hardware. Scott Altman will command STS-125, with Gregory C. Johnson serving as pilot. Mission specialists are veteran spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Mike Massimino, and first-time space fliers Andrew Feustel, Michael Good and Megan McArthur.
The manifest has been adjusted to reflect current planning. The next space shuttle mission, STS-119, is targeted for launch on Feb. 12, 2009. Preparations continue for the STS-127 mission, currently targeted for launch in May 2009. That launch will be further assessed and coordinated with NASA's international partners at a later date. STS-128 is targeted for August 2009, and STS-129 is targeted for November 2009. All target launch dates are subject to change.
-
#28
by
jacqmans
on 25 Mar, 2009 19:53
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-047
NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS TO MOVE TO LAUNCH PAD TUESDAY
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to roll
out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on
Tuesday, March 31, as preparations for the STS-125 mission move
forward. Atlantis is targeted to lift off May 12 to service NASA's
Hubble Space Telescope.
The first motion of the shuttle out of Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly
Building is scheduled for 12:01 a.m. EDT. The fully assembled space
shuttle, consisting of the orbiter, external fuel tank and twin solid
rocket boosters, was mounted on a mobile launcher platform and will
be delivered to the pad atop a crawler-transporter. The crawler will
travel slower than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The process is
expected to take approximately six hours.
NASA Television will provide live coverage of Atlantis' rollout to the
launch pad beginning at 7 a.m. Video highlights will air on the NASA
TV Video File.
Media are invited to a photo opportunity of the shuttle's move to the
pad and an interview opportunity with Atlantis Flow Director Angie
Brewer at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Dates and times of this event are
subject to change. Updates are available by calling 321-867-2525.
Reporters must arrive at Kennedy's news center by 6:30 a.m. Tuesday
for transportation to the viewing area. Foreign news media
accreditation for this event is closed.
U.S. media without permanent Kennedy Space Center credentials must
apply for accreditation online by 4 p.m., Sunday, March 29, at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov Badges can be picked up through Tuesday at the Kennedy Badging Office
on State Road 405. The badging office opens at 6 a.m.
During Atlantis' 11-day mission, the crew of seven astronauts will
make the final shuttle flight to Hubble. During five spacewalks, they
will install two new instruments, repair two inactive ones and
replace components. The result will be six working, complementary
science instruments with capabilities beyond what is now available,
and an extended operational lifespan for the telescope through at
least 2014.
Scott Altman will be the commander of Atlantis. Gregory C. Johnson
will be the pilot. Mission specialists will be John Grunsfeld, Mike
Massimino, Megan McArthur, Andrew Feustel and Michael Good.
-
#29
by
jacqmans
on 30 Mar, 2009 18:07
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-050
NASA UPDATES MEDIA CREDENTIALS DEADLINES FOR NEXT SHUTTLE FLIGHT
WASHINGTON -- NASA is updating its media accreditation deadlines for
space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space
Telescope, targeted to launch May 12. The 11-day flight will include
five spacewalks to upgrade the telescope, leaving it better than ever
and ready for at least another five years of research. This mission
is the last visit to the telescope before the shuttle fleet's planned
retirement in 2010.
Journalists must apply for credentials to attend the liftoff from
NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida or cover the mission from
other NASA centers. To be accredited, reporters must work for
legitimate, verifiable news-gathering organizations. Journalists may
need to submit requests for credentials at multiple NASA facilities
as early as April 11.
Additional time may be required to process accreditation requests by
journalists from certain designated countries. Designated countries
include those with which the United States has no diplomatic
relations, countries on the State Department's list of state sponsors
of terrorism, those under U.S. sanction or embargo, or countries
which raise proliferation concerns. Please contact the accrediting
NASA center for details. Journalists should confirm they have been
accredited before they travel.
No substitutions of credentials are allowed at any NASA facility. If
the STS-125 launch is delayed, the deadline for domestic journalists
may be extended on a day-by-day basis.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
Because of the length of time between target launch dates, STS-125
media credentials issued in 2008 are no longer valid. Reporters
applying for credentials at NASA's Kennedy Space Center should submit
requests via the Web at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.govReporters must use work e-mail addresses, not personal accounts, when
applying. Once accreditation is approved, applicants will receive
confirmation via e-mail.
Accredited journalists with mission badges will have access to Kennedy
from launch through the end of the mission. Application deadlines for
mission badges are May 1 for U.S. journalists and April 19 for
foreign reporters.
Media representatives with special logistic requests for the Kennedy
Space Center, such as space for satellite trucks, trailers,
electrical connections or work space, must contact Laurel
Lichtenberger at
[email protected] by May 1.
Work space in the News Center and the News Center Annex is provided on
a first-come basis -- one space per organization. To set up temporary
telephone, fax, ISDN or network lines, journalists must make
arrangements with BellSouth at 800-213-4988. Reporters must have an
assigned seat in the Kennedy newsroom prior to setting up lines. To
obtain an assigned seat, contact Patricia Christian at
[email protected]. Media representatives must have a
public affairs escort to any other Kennedy area except the Launch
Complex 39 cafeteria.
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
Reporters may obtain credentials for NASA's Johnson Space Center in
Houston by calling the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or by
presenting STS-125 mission credentials from Kennedy. Media
representatives planning to cover the mission only from Johnson need
to apply for credentials only at Johnson. Deadlines for submitting
Johnson accreditation requests are April 11 for non-U.S. reporters,
regardless of citizenship, and May 7 for U.S. reporters who are U.S.
citizens.
Journalists covering the mission from Johnson using Kennedy
credentials also must contact the Johnson newsroom by May 7 to
arrange workspace, phone lines and other logistics. Johnson is
responsible for credentialing media if the shuttle lands at NASA's
White Sands Space Harbor, N.M. If a landing is imminent at White
Sands, Johnson will arrange credentials.
DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER
Notice for a space shuttle landing at NASA's Dryden Flight Research
Center on Edwards Air Force Base in California could be short.
Domestic media outlets should consider accrediting Los Angeles-based
personnel who could travel quickly to Dryden. Deadlines for
submitting Dryden accreditation requests are April 14 for non-U.S.
media, regardless of citizenship, and May 15 for U.S. media who are
U.S. citizens or who have permanent residency status.
For Dryden media credentials, U.S. citizens representing domestic
media must provide their full name, date of birth, place of birth,
media organization, their driver's license number and the name of the
issuing state, and the last six digits of their social security
number.
In addition to the above requirements, foreign media representatives,
regardless of citizenship, must provide data including their
citizenship, visa or passport number and their expiration date.
Foreign nationals representing either domestic or foreign media who
have permanent residency status must provide their alien registration
number and expiration date.
Journalists should fax requests for credentials on company letterhead
to 661-276-3566. E-mailed requests to Alan Brown at
[email protected] are acceptable for reporters who have been
accredited at Dryden within the past year. Requests must include a
phone number and business e-mail address for follow-up contact. Those
journalists who previously requested credentials will not have to do
so again.
NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS:
Kennedy Space Center: Candrea Thomas, 321-867-2468,
[email protected]Johnson Space Center: James Hartsfield, 281-483-5111,
[email protected]Dryden Flight Research Center: Leslie Williams, 661-276-3893,
[email protected]For information about the STS-125 mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
-
#30
by
jacqmans
on 30 Mar, 2009 21:41
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-051
NASA'S SHUTTLE ATLANTIS STARTS MOVE TO LAUNCH PAD AT 4 A.M. TUESDAY
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis' rollout to Launch Pad
39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida has been rescheduled to
begin at 4 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 31, as preparations for the
STS-125 mission move forward. Atlantis is targeted to lift off May 12
to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.
NASA Television's live coverage of the event will begin at 6:30 a.m.
Video highlights will air on the NASA TV Video File.
Journalists are invited to a photo opportunity of the shuttle's move
to the pad and an interview opportunity with Atlantis Flow Director
Angie Brewer at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Dates and times of this event are
subject to change. Updates are available by calling 321-867-2525.
Reporters must arrive at Kennedy's news center by 6:30 a.m. Tuesday
for transportation to the viewing area. Media accreditation for this
event has closed. Badges can be picked up through Tuesday at the
Kennedy Badging Office on State Road 405. The badging office opens at
6 a.m.
The fully assembled space shuttle, consisting of the orbiter, external
fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters is mounted on a mobile
launcher platform and will be delivered to the pad atop a
crawler-transporter. The crawler will travel slower than 1 mph during
the 3.4-mile journey. The process is expected to take approximately
six hours.
During Atlantis' 11-day mission, the crew of seven astronauts will
make the final shuttle flight to Hubble. During five spacewalks, they
will install two new instruments, repair two inactive ones and
replace components. The result will be six working, complementary
science instruments with capabilities beyond what is now available,
and an extended operational lifespan for the telescope through at
least 2014.
Scott Altman will be the commander of Atlantis. Gregory C. Johnson
will be the pilot. Mission specialists will be John Grunsfeld, Mike
Massimino, Megan McArthur, Andrew Feustel and Michael Good.
-
#31
by
jacqmans
on 31 Mar, 2009 18:31
-
RELEASE: 09-075
NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS AT LAUNCH PAD FOR HUBBLE MISSION
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After safely reaching its launch pad at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis now awaits
liftoff for its target May 12 STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space
Telescope.
Atlantis arrived at Launch Pad 39A at approximately 9:10 a.m. EDT
Tuesday on top of a giant crawler-transporter. The
crawler-transporter left Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building at 3:54
a.m., traveling less than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The
shuttle was secured on the launch pad at 11:17 a.m.
Atlantis' 11-day mission is the final shuttle flight to Hubble. During
five spacewalks, the shuttle's seven astronauts will install two new
instruments, repair two inactive ones and replace other Hubble
components.
The Science Instrument Command and Data Handling Unit that will be
installed in the telescope arrived at Kennedy on Monday. The new unit
will replace the one in Hubble that stopped working in September 2008
and delayed the servicing mission.
The result of the upgrades will be six working, complementary science
instruments with capabilities beyond those now available and an
extended operational lifespan of the telescope through at least 2014.
Scott Altman will command Atlantis. Gregory C. Johnson will be the
pilot. The Mission Specialists will be John Grunsfeld, Mike
Massimino, Megan McArthur, Andrew Feustel and Michael Good.
STS-125 is the 126th shuttle flight, the 30th flight for Atlantis and
the fifth Hubble servicing mission.
Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to roll out to Kennedy's other
launch pad, 39B, on Thursday, April 17. Endeavour will be prepared
for liftoff in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary
following Atlantis' launch. After Atlantis is cleared to land,
Endeavour will move to Launch Pad 39A for its upcoming STS-127
mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch in
mid-June.
Endeavour will roll over from Kennedy's Orbiter Processing Facility 2
to the Vehicle Assembly Building on April 10. In the assembly
building, crews will attach the spacecraft to its external fuel tank
and twin solid rocket boosters in preparations for its move to pad
39B.
NASA managers decided to proceed with the dual-pad approach after
carefully reviewing the manifest options to complete the
International Space Station and to ensure it is in the most robust
condition possible following shuttle retirement.
The dual-pad approach requires one month less processing time than the
single-pad approach and will help complete both STS-125 and STS-127.
Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Exposed Facility and make the
space station more robust to support cargo delivery for a six-person
crew.
The Space Shuttle Program will continue to work with the Constellation
Program to minimize the impact on the Ares I-X test flight which will
use Launch Pad 39B later this year.
-
#32
by
jacqmans
on 01 Apr, 2009 21:52
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-054
NASA SETS BRIEFINGS FOR UPCOMING SHUTTLE MISSION TO HUBBLE
HOUSTON -- NASA will hold briefings Thursday, April 23, to update
reporters about the space shuttle's fifth and final servicing mission
to the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA Television and the agency's Web
site will provide live coverage of the briefings from NASA's Johnson
Space Center in Houston and from NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Questions also will be taken from other participating NASA locations.
Shuttle Atlantis' 11-day flight, designated STS-125, is targeted for
launch May 12 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and will
include five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade the telescope with
state-of-the-art science instruments. As a result, Hubble's
capabilities will be expanded and its operational lifespan extended
through at least 2014.
U.S. journalists planning to attend the briefings at Johnson must
contact the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 by April 21 to arrange
for credentials. All reporters who are foreign nationals must contact
Johnson by April 6.
Scott Altman will command Atlantis' crew, which includes Pilot Gregory
C. Johnson and Mission Specialists Andrew Feustel, Michael Good, John
Grunsfeld, Megan McArthur and Mike Massimino. The spacewalkers are
Good, Grunsfeld, Feustel and Massimino. McArthur is the flight
engineer and lead for robotic arm operations.
The briefings will include a crew news conference, but the crew will
not be available for round robin interviews.
The schedule of activities is (times CDT):
7 a.m. -- Video B-roll feed from Johnson Space Center
8 a.m. -- Shuttle Program overview briefing from Johnson
9:30 a.m. -- Hubble Program and science overview from NASA
Headquarters
11 a.m. -- NASA TV Video File
2 p.m. -- STS-125 crew news conference from Johnson
Altman and Grunsfeld will be available for satellite interviews on
NASA TV from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. To arrange an interview via
satellite, contact the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than
April 21.
For NASA TV streaming video, schedules and downlink information,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For the latest information about the STS-125 mission and its crew,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle For more information about the Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble
-
#33
by
jacqmans
on 06 Apr, 2009 18:54
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-056
NASA ASTRONAUT TWEETS PROVIDE INSIDE LOOK AT MISSION TRAINING
HOUSTON -- NASA astronaut Mike Massimino is using Twitter to provide a
unique, behind the scenes peek at the last weeks of his training for
the fifth and final shuttle servicing mission to NASA's Hubble Space
Telescope.
Massimino, whose Twitter username is Astro_Mike (@Astro_Mike), will
fly aboard space shuttle Atlantis as a mission specialist and
spacewalker during the STS-125 mission, targeted to launch May 12.
Atlantis' 11-day flight will include five spacewalks to refurbish and
upgrade Hubble with state-of-the-art science instruments. After the
astronaut's visit, Hubble's capabilities will be expanded and its
lifetime extended through at least 2014.
This will be Massimino's second trip to space. He first flew on the
STS-109 mission to Hubble in 2002. During that flight, he performed
two spacewalks.
Along with Massimino, the crew of Atlantis includes Commander Scott
Altman, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson and Mission Specialists Andrew
Feustel, Michael Good, John Grunsfeld and Megan McArthur.
To follow Massimino's Twitter, visit:
http://twitter.com/Astro_Mike Follow NASA mission activities on Twitter @NASA, and for a complete
list of all agency missions on Twitter, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/collaborate For information about the STS-125 mission and its crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
-
#34
by
jacqmans
on 08 Apr, 2009 18:52
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-058
NASA ASTRONAUT AND NEW YORKER SET FOR SATELLITE INTERVIEWS
HOUSTON -- NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, a native of Franklin Square,
N.Y., will be available for live interviews via satellite from 8 a.m.
to 10 a.m. CDT on Monday, April 13. Massimino is training to fly on
space shuttle Atlantis' mission to service the Hubble Space
Telescope. Atlantis is targeted to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida on May 12.
To participate, media should contact NASA's Johnson Space Center
newsroom at 281-483-5111 by 1 p.m. on Friday, April 10.
Mission Specialist Massimino is making his second visit to Hubble. He
is one of seven astronauts who will fly on the space shuttle's fifth
and final servicing mission to Hubble. The 11-day flight will include
five spacewalks to make repairs and upgrades to the telescope,
extending its life into the next decade.
Massimino has been using Twitter to provide a unique, behind the
scenes peek at the last weeks of his training. His Twitter username
is Astro_Mike (@Astro_Mike).
Along with Massimino, the crew of Atlantis includes Commander Scott
Altman, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson and Mission Specialists Andrew
Feustel, Michael Good, John Grunsfeld and Megan McArthur.
To follow Massimino's Twitter, visit:
http://twitter.com/Astro_Mike For information about the STS-125 mission and its crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
-
#35
by
jacqmans
on 15 Apr, 2009 17:40
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-060
PILOT OF FINAL SHUTTLE MISSION TO HUBBLE SET FOR SATELLITE INTERVIEWS
HOUSTON -- NASA astronaut Gregory C. Johnson, a native of Seattle,
will be available for live interviews via satellite from 3 p.m. to 5
p.m. CDT on Tuesday, April 21. Johnson will make his first trip into
space as the pilot of space shuttle Atlantis during STS-125, the
final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. Launch is
targeted for May 12 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
To schedule interviews, reporters should contact NASA's Johnson Space
Center newsroom at 281-483-5111 by noon Monday, April 20.
The 11-day flight will include five spacewalks on consecutive days to
make repairs and upgrades to the telescope. Johnson will help guide
the spacewalkers from inside the shuttle. Atlantis' astronauts will
be the last humans to see the Hubble telescope in person.
Johnson was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in 1998. He has
served in various agency roles, including manager of launch
integration for the Space Shuttle Program at Kennedy.
Along with Johnson, the crew members of Atlantis are Commander Scott
Altman and Mission Specialists Andrew Feustel, Michael Good, John
Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Megan McArthur.
For Johnson's complete biography, visit:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/johnson-gc.htmlFor information about the STS-125 mission and its crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle -end-
-
#36
by
jacqmans
on 21 Apr, 2009 16:50
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-065
NASA SETS BRIEFINGS TO PROVIDE UPDATE ABOUT HUBBLE SHUTTLE MISSION
WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold news briefings April 23 to update
reporters about the space shuttle's fifth and final servicing mission
to the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA Television and the agency's Web
site will provide live coverage of the briefings from NASA's Johnson
Space Center in Houston and NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Shuttle Atlantis' 11-day flight, designated STS-125, is targeted for
launch May 12 and will include five spacewalks to refurbish and
upgrade the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments. As a
result, Hubble's capabilities will be expanded and its operational
lifespan extended through at least 2014.
The schedule of activities includes (all times Eastern):
8 a.m. -- Video B-roll feed from NASA's Johnson Space Center
9 a.m. -- Shuttle Program overview briefing from Johnson. Panelists
will be:
LeRoy Cain, deputy manager, Space Shuttle Program
Tony Ceccacci, lead flight director, STS-125
Tomas Gonzales-Torres, lead spacewalk officer, STS-125
10:30 a.m. -- Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission program and
science overview from NASA Headquarters. Panelists will be:
Ed Weiler, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA
Headquarters
David Leckrone, Hubble project scientist, NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Preston Burch, Hubble project manager, Goddard
Mike Kienlen, deputy project manager, Hubble Space Telescope, Goddard
Reporters may ask questions from participating NASA locations or
listen and ask questions by phone. To reserve a phone line,
journalists should send an e-mail to J.D. Harrington at
[email protected] with their name, media affiliation, and
telephone number.
Noon -- NASA TV Video File
2 p.m. -- STS-125 crew news conference from NASA's Johnson Space
Center
Scott Altman will command Atlantis' crew, which includes Pilot Gregory
C. Johnson and Mission Specialists Andrew Feustel, Michael Good, John
Grunsfeld, Megan McArthur and Mike Massimino. The spacewalkers are
Good, Grunsfeld, Feustel and Massimino. McArthur is the flight
engineer and lead for robotic arm operations.
Altman and Grunsfeld will be available from 5 to 7 p.m. for live
satellite interviews. To participate, contact the Johnson newsroom at
281-483-5111 no later than 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 22.
For NASA TV streaming video, schedules and downlink information,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For the latest information about the STS-125 mission and its crew,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle For more information about the Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble
-
#37
by
jacqmans
on 23 Apr, 2009 20:46
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-066
NASA SETS BRIEFING ABOUT SHUTTLE'S READINESS TO SERVICE HUBBLE
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA managers have scheduled a news conference
on Thursday, April 30 to discuss the status of the next space shuttle
launch. The briefing, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is
set to begin no earlier than 6 p.m. EDT. It will start after the
conclusion of the Flight Readiness Review, a meeting to assess
preparations for shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to upgrade the
Hubble Space Telescope.
Live status updates will be added periodically to the NASA News
Twitter feed during the meeting. To access the NASA News Twitter
feed, visit:
http://www.twitter.com/nasa Atlantis' launch currently is targeted for May 12, but may be moved a
day earlier. The readiness review is expected to include the
selection of the official launch date.
The briefing participants are:
Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations, NASA
Headquarters, Washington
John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program manager, NASA's Johnson Space
Center, Houston
Mike Leinbach, Space Shuttle launch director, NASA's Kennedy Space
Center
Michael Luther, Science Mission Directorate associate administrator
for Programs, NASA Headquarters
NASA Television and the agency's Web site will broadcast the news
briefing live. Journalists may ask questions from participating NASA
locations. Reporters should contact their preferred NASA center to
confirm its participation.
For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For STS-125 crew and mission information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
-
#38
by
Ford Mustang
on 30 Apr, 2009 20:32
-
RELEASE: 09-093
NASA GIVES 'GO' FOR SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH ON MAY 11
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA managers completed a review Thursday of
space shuttle Atlantis' readiness for flight and selected an official
launch date for the STS-125 mission to upgrade the Hubble Space
Telescope. Commander Scott Altman and his six crewmates are scheduled
to lift off at 2:01 p.m. EDT, May 11, from NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida.
Atlantis' launch date was announced following Thursday's Flight
Readiness Review. During the meeting, top NASA and contractor
managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and
determined the shuttle's equipment, support systems and procedures
are ready for flight.
Atlantis' 11-day mission will include five spacewalks to refurbish
Hubble with state-of-the-art science instruments. After the
astronauts' visit, the telescope's capabilities will be expanded and
its lifetime extended through at least 2014.
Commander Altman will be joined on the mission by Pilot Gregory C.
Johnson and Mission Specialists Andrew Feustel, Michael Good, John
Grunsfeld, Megan McArthur and Mike Massimino. The spacewalkers are
Feustel, Good, Grunsfeld and Massimino. McArthur is the flight
engineer and lead for robotic arm operations.
For more information about the STS-125 crew and its mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttleFor more information about the Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble
-
#39
by
jacqmans
on 01 May, 2009 11:58
-
On 11 May, Space Shuttle Atlantis will launch with a crew of seven to visit the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and carry out the fifth and final servicing mission. The replacement and repair of several instruments will see Hubble equipped to continue its programme of discovery well into the next decade.
More at:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMOC9BNJTF_index_0.html
-
#40
by
Ford Mustang
on 01 May, 2009 21:47
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-074
NASA ANNOUNCES SHUTTLE PRELAUNCH EVENTS AND COUNTDOWN DETAILS
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- News conferences, events and operating hours
for the news center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center are set for the
upcoming launch of space shuttle Atlantis. The shuttle's STS-125
mission to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope is scheduled to lift
off at 2:01 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 11.
On Friday, May 8, Atlantis' seven astronauts are scheduled to arrive
at Kennedy at about 5 p.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage
as Commander Scott Altman makes a brief statement to media. Badged
journalists planning to cover the event must be at Kennedy's news
center by 3:30 p.m. for transportation to the Shuttle Landing
Facility.
NASA will provide continuous STS-125 online updates, including a
webcast and a blog at:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttleOn launch day, a blog will update the countdown beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Originating from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the blog is the
definitive Internet source for information leading up to launch.
During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle Web site can read
about the crew's progress and watch the spacewalks live. As Atlantis'
flight wraps up, NASA will offer a blog detailing the spacecraft's
return to Earth.
Live updates to the NASA News Twitter feed will be added throughout
the shuttle launch countdown from Kennedy Space Center's "firing
room," the nerve center for the launch. To access the NASA News
Twitter feed, visit:
http://www.twitter.com/nasaDetailed 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/newsFor NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
-
#41
by
jacqmans
on 04 May, 2009 18:31
-
Lockheed Martin Team Supporting Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission
SUNNYVALE, Calif, May 4th, 2009 -- A team led by Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) is providing support to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in the planning, training and implementation of Servicing Mission 4 (SM-4) to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), scheduled for launch on May 11.
"We have found that working on the Hubble Space Telescope is more than just a job -- it is a passion. And we are enormously excited to be going back again to Hubble one final time and providing it a new lease on life," said Dennis Connolly, Lockheed Martin program manager of HST Flight Systems and Servicing. "We assembled much of the same team that performed so impressively on previous Hubble servicing missions and we're confident that this operation will go just as well. We're very proud to work with our colleagues at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to maintain this magnificent observatory and extend its spectacular mission of discovery."
The SM-4 mission will involve five spacewalks by the astronaut crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Maintenance tasks will include replacement of all of Hubble's batteries and gyros, installation of a refurbished Fine Guidance Sensor, and the mounting of insulation blankets on the outside of the telescope.
Two new instruments - the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph and the Wide Field Camera 3 - will be installed, significantly expanding Hubble's astronomical observing capability. Astronauts will attempt to repair two existing instruments - the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph and the Advanced Camera for Surveys. The Science Instrument Command and Data Handling unit will be replaced. Finally, a soft-capture mechanism will be attached to the aft bulkhead of HST to facilitate de-orbit and safe re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere when the telescope reaches the end of its scientific usefulness.
The Lockheed Martin team includes individuals from Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services, Computer Sciences Corporation, Eagle Pitchard Industries, Goodrich Corporation, Honeywell, Jackson and Tull, L-3 Communications, Orbital Sciences Corporation, and Raytheon Corporation. The team is responsible for:
* Spacecraft Systems Engineering and Design Integration
* Payload Integration and Test at GSFC and Kennedy Space Center
* Astronaut Training Support
* Replacement Satellite Hardware Design and Development
* Space Shuttle Support Equipment Design and Development
* Spacecraft Mission Operations and Control
* Ground Software
* Spacecraft Flight Software
* Servicing Mission Planning and Timeline Development.
The Hubble telescope, designed and built at Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, Calif., was launched in 1990 and has revolutionized astronomy with its thousands of discoveries, while opening up the universe to the public through its beautiful and inspiring pictures. During its 19 years in orbit, HST has taken more than 880,000 exposures of 29,000 celestial objects - such as galaxies, dying stars, and giant gas clouds, the birthplace of stars - that have generated over 7660 scientific publications reporting Hubble results.
The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. manages the HST program for the Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters. Since the 1990 launch, under contract to NASA, Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Lockheed Martin Technical Operations personnel in Sunnyvale, Calif. and at GSFC have helped manage the day-to-day spacecraft operations of the telescope, and provided extensive preparation and training for the telescope servicing missions. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. selects observing programs from numerous proposals and analyzes, archives and disseminates incoming astronomical data.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, a major operating unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation, designs and develops, tests, manufactures and operates a full spectrum of advanced-technology systems for national security and military, civil government and commercial customers. Chief products include human space flight systems; a full range of remote sensing, navigation, meteorological and communications satellites and instruments; space observatories and interplanetary spacecraft; laser radar; ballistic missiles; missile defense systems; and nanotechnology research and development.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.
Media Contact:
Buddy Nelson
(510) 797-0349
[email protected] pager: 1-888-916-1797
To download the HST Servicing Mission 4 Media Reference Guide,
and to access additional information on the mission, please visit our website:
www.lockheedmartin.com/hubble
-
#42
by
jacqmans
on 05 May, 2009 13:45
-
RELEASE: 09-094
NASA TO LAUNCH IMAX 3-D CAMERA TO FILM HUBBLE SERVICING MISSION
WASHINGTON -- NASA, the IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures
announced Monday that IMAX 3-D cameras will return to space to
document one of NASA's most complex space shuttle operations -- the
final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.
The IMAX 3-D cameras will launch aboard space shuttle Atlantis, which
is scheduled to lift off May 11. Astronauts will use the cameras to
film five spacewalks needed to repair and upgrade Hubble. The IMAX
footage will be combined with breathtaking detailed images of distant
galaxies from Hubble in the upcoming IMAX and Warner Bros. Pictures
co-production, "Hubble 3D," set for release in spring 2010.
"We have worked with IMAX on past Hubble missions and are excited
about working with them again on the current Hubble mission. The
Hubble Space Telescope continues to dazzle us with the splendor of
our universe, and after the mission we look forward to many more
years of awe-inspiring imagery," said Bob Jacobs, NASA's acting
assistant administrator for public affairs at NASA Headquarters in
Washington. "IMAX has developed innovative 3-D image capture and
projection technology that creates a large-scale, immersive
educational experience in which those of us on the ground are no
longer passive observers of spaceflight, we're active participants."
The IMAX team has trained Atlantis' crew at NASA's Johnson Space
Center in Houston to operate the cameras. One will be mounted outside
the crew cabin in the shuttle's cargo bay to capture IMAX 3-D images
of the historic final servicing mission. The commander and pilot will
double as filmmakers as two teams of spacewalking astronauts --
working in tandem with the shuttle's robotic arm -- perform some of
the most challenging work ever undertaken in space as they replace
and refurbish many of the telescope's precision instruments.
"It's been said that the IMAX experience is the next best thing to
being in space, and with IMAX 3-D, the audience really is there,"
producer and director Toni Myers said. "Fifteen years ago, we made a
film about space exploration that included Hubble, when it started
sending back the first images. Today, we have Hubble's entire
phenomenal legacy of data to explore. With IMAX 3-D, we can transport
people to galaxies that are 13 billion light years away -- back to
the edge of time. Real star travel is here at last."
Through the world's most immersive cinematic experience, "Hubble 3D"
will give audiences a front row seat as the story unfolds. It will
reveal the cosmos as never before, allowing viewers of all ages to
explore the grandeur of the nebulae and galaxies, the birth and death
of stars, and some of the greatest mysteries of our celestial
surroundings, all in IMAX 3-D.
IMAX's longstanding partnership with NASA has enabled millions of
people to travel into space through a series of award-winning IMAX
films. The IMAX 3-D camera made its first voyage into space in 2001
for the production of "Space Station 3D." The "Hubble 3D" film will
mark Warner Bros. Pictures' first venture into space.
For more information about the upcoming Hubble servicing mission,
STS-125, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble
-
#43
by
jacqmans
on 07 May, 2009 05:16
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: 09-077
NASA TELEVISION TO PROVIDE HD COVERAGE OF SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH
WASHINGTON -- NASA Television will provide live high definition
coverage of Monday's scheduled launch of space shuttle Atlantis on
its STS-125 mission to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope.
The NASA Television HD feed (Channel 105) will be available beginning
Friday at 12 p.m., EDT, with live images from NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida. Launch coverage begins Monday, May 11, at 8:30
a.m. Liftoff is slated for 2:01 p.m.
NASA TV Downlink Parameters are:
Uplink provider = Americom
Satellite = AMC 6
Transponder = 17C
72 Degrees West
Transmission Format: DVB-S
Downlink Frequency: 4040 MHz
Polarity: Vertical
FEC= 3/4
Data Rate= 36.860 MHz
Symbol Rate = 26.665 Ms/s
For NASA TV HD Programming:
HD Program = 105
Video PID = 82
AC-3 Audio PID = 238
MPEG-1 Layer II Audio PID =83
For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
-
#44
by
jacqmans
on 07 May, 2009 15:46
-
RELEASE: 25-09
AIRSPACE, ROAD, BRIDGE AND WATERWAY CLOSURES FOR STS-125
Launch Date: May 11, 2009
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Atlantis
Launch Pad: 39A
Launch Window: 1:41:49 - 2:43:41 p.m. EDT
Targeted Launch Time: 2:01:49 p.m. EDT
NASA KENNEDY SPACE CENTER AREA AVIATION FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS
What: Cape Canaveral Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR)
When: From 6:41 a.m. until no later than 3:14 p.m. Monday, May 11,
2009
Where: General aviation and VFR operations are prohibited within a
30-nautical-mile radius 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 airspace
Additional airspace restrictions: Within an airspace radius between 30
and 40 nautical miles of 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 Thursday, May 7, at 6 p.m. and will reopen the day
after launch. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge will close
on Sunday, May 10, at 6 p.m. and will reopen after launch.
- State Road 402 east to State Road 3, and State Road 3 south from the
Haulover Canal bridge to State Road 402 leading to Titusville will be
open to badged personnel only. These roads will close to all vehicle
traffic at 11:41 a.m. on Monday, May 11, until after a successful
launch is confirmed.
- 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 8
a.m. on Monday, May 11. NASA Causeway between the U.S. Astronaut Hall
of Fame and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will also close
starting at that time. Roads will reopen two hours after launch.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER AREA BOATING RESTRICTIONS
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Beginning 72 hours prior to launch and continuing
through the launch, a general exclusion zone will be in effect three
miles offshore from the Haulover Canal, near the north end of
Kennedy, 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 east into the ocean. An additional
three-mile-wide exclusion zone will be extended eastward along the
flight path of the shuttle.
INDIAN RIVER: Restrictions apply from the NASA Causeway north to the
Haulover Canal and east of the Indian River's main channel.
Restrictions begin 72 hours prior to launch.
MOSQUITO LAGOON: This area south of the Haulover Canal in the Mosquito
Lagoon is off limits to all boats beginning 72 hours prior to launch.
BANANA RIVER: Security limits begin at the Banana River Barge Canal
south of Kennedy at the State Road 528 crossing and extend north.
This restriction is effective 72 hours prior to launch. All boating
restrictions will be lifted approximately one hour after launch.
Boating interests should monitor the U.S. Coast Guard Radio
transmitting on Marine Channel 16 from Port Canaveral.
-end-
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#45
by
jacqmans
on 09 May, 2009 03:40
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-079
NASA ANNOUNCES STS-125 SHUTTLE PRELAUNCH AND MISSION WEB COVERAGE
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A prelaunch webcast, live blogs, podcast,
pictures and videos will highlight NASA's Web coverage of space
shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service and upgrade NASA's
Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis is scheduled to lift off Monday, May
11, at 2:01 p.m. EDT from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA will provide online updates at:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttleA webcast May 10 at noon will start the in-depth online coverage of
the mission. Host Damon Talley of NASA's Digital Learning Network and
correspondent Rebecca Sprague will preview the mission and examine
the remarkable history and discoveries the Hubble observatory has
made. Astrophysicist Mario Livio of the Hubble Space Telescope
Science Institute will discuss the telescope's impact beyond the
scientific community.
A blog will provide launch countdown updates beginning at 8:30 a.m.
May 11. Originating from the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy
Space Center, the blog is the definitive Internet source for
information leading up to launch.
During the STS-125 mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle Web site can
read about the astronauts' progress and watch their five spacewalks
live. Also, updates will be provided to the NASA News Twitter feed.
To access the feed, visit:
http://www.twitter.com/nasaAs Atlantis' flight wraps up, NASA will update a blog detailing the
spacecraft's return to Earth.
-end-
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#46
by
Ford Mustang
on 11 May, 2009 19:08
-
RELEASE: 09-104
NASA'S SHUTTLE ATLANTIS LAUNCHES ON A FINAL MISSION TO HUBBLE
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis with its seven-member
crew launched at 2:01 p.m. EDT Monday from NASA's Kennedy Space
Center on the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.
Atlantis' 11-day mission will include five spacewalks to refurbish
Hubble with state-of-the-art science instruments designed to improve
the telescope's discovery capabilities by up to 70 times while
extending its lifetime through at least 2014.
Shortly before liftoff, Commander Scott Altman thanked the teams that
helped make the launch possible.
"At last our launch has come along," said Altman. "...Getting to this
point has been challenging, but the whole team, everyone, has pulled
together to take us into space."
Altman is joined on STS-125 by Pilot Gregory C. Johnson and Mission
Specialists Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino, Andrew
Feustel and Michael Good. McArthur will serve as the flight engineer
and lead for robotic arm operations while the remaining mission
specialists pair up for the hands-on spacewalk work after Hubble is
captured and secured in the payload bay. Altman, Grunsfeld and
Massimino are space shuttle and Hubble mission veterans. Johnson,
Feustel and Good are first-time space fliers.
The STS-125 mission is the 126th shuttle flight, the 30th for Atlantis
and the second of five planned in 2009. Hubble was delivered to space
on April 24, 1990, on the STS-31 mission. STS-125 is referred to as
Servicing Mission 4, although it is technically the fifth servicing
flight to the telescope.
"Hubble has a long history of providing outstanding science and
beautiful pictures," said Ed Weiler, associate administrator for
NASA's Science Mission Directorate. "If the servicing mission is
successful, it will give us a telescope that will continue to astound
both scientists and the public for many years to come."
Among Hubble's greatest discoveries is the age of the universe (13.7
billion years); the finding that virtually all major galaxies have
black holes at their center; the discovery that the process of
planetary formation is relatively common; the first ever organic
molecule in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting another star; and
evidence that the expansion of the universe is accelerating -- caused
by an unknown force that makes up approximately 72 percent of the
matter-energy content of the universe.
NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of
Atlantis' mission. NASA Television features live mission events,
daily mission status news conferences and 24-hour commentary. NASA TV
is webcast at:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntvNASA's Web coverage of STS-125 includes current mission information,
interactive features, news conference images, graphics and videos.
Mission coverage, including the latest NASA TV schedule, also is
available on the main space shuttle Web site at:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttleLive updates to the NASA News Twitter feed will be added throughout
the shuttle mission and landing. To access the NASA News Twitter feed
and other agency Twitter feeds, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/collaborateDaily news conferences with STS-125 mission managers will take place
at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. During normal business
hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday, reporters may
ask questions from participating NASA locations. Please contact your
preferred NASA facility before its daily close of business to confirm
its availability before each event.
For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and schedule information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntvFor information about NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble
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#47
by
jacqmans
on 11 May, 2009 21:51
-
News Release Issued: May 11, 2009 3:35 PM EDT
ATK Supports NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch and Plays Critical Role in Hubble Servicing Mission
More Than 100 ATK Tools Vital in the Repair of the Hubble Space Telescope
MINNEAPOLIS, May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alliant Techsystem's Reusable Solid Rocket Motors (RSRM) ignited and sent NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis and its crew on their journey to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. Those repairs will be aided by tools developed by ATK engineers in partnership with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
ATK's two solid rocket motors provided the main thrust at liftoff and carried the shuttle orbiter and its payload to an altitude of approximately 28 miles in two minutes of flight, producing the equivalent of 15 million horsepower.
After two minutes, 16 ATK booster separation motors (BSMs) - four on the forward skirt and four on the aft skirt of each booster - fired to jettison the boosters away from the shuttle orbiter and external tank, allowing the RSRMs to parachute back down through the Earth's atmosphere to be recovered and reused while Atlantis continued on its way to meet up with the Hubble Space Telescope.
ATK's participation in the fifth and final Hubble Servicing Mission started in the late 1990s with the design and fabrication of the all-composite optical bench for the third generation Wide Field Camera (WFC3) scientific instrument. Along with the bench, ATK designed and fabricated the internal flexible heat pipes that maintain the detectors at their nominal operating temperatures. A dedicated team of ATK engineers and designers assisted in the integration and testing of the instrument and provided 24/7 support for three thermal vacuum tests at Goddard Space Flight Center.
"On this historic mission, ATK is pleased to play a key role in the both the launch of STS-125 and the on-orbit repair of Hubble," said Blake Larsen, ATK Space Systems president. "With this mission, Hubble will continue to rewrite astronomy text books for years to come."
In addition, ATK led a multi-contractor team in designing, manufacturing and testing the replacement electronics for the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) instrument. This critical instrument's composite optical bench was also fabricated by ATK.
Another new, exciting instrument to be added on this mission is the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), which observes the light output from extremely faint, far-away quasars and measures changes in that light as it passes through the intervening gas between distant galaxies. In this way scientists will learn what that gas is made of, how it changes over time and how it affects the galaxies around it. ATK led the critical step of reworking and testing the original Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) optical bench in order to mate it with the COS instrument.
As the final Hubble repairs begin, tools designed and built by ATK will enable astronauts to accomplish the delicate tasks of repairing and replacing Hubble components and sensitive scientific instruments in space during five planned spacewalks. ATK designed, manufactured, assembled and tested approximately 100 new tools for use on this Hubble Servicing Mission. In addition, ATK refurbished and re-qualified 32 tools built by ATK for previous servicing missions for use on this final Hubble mission
ATK's RSRMs and BSMs will be used for the remainder of the Space Shuttle program with upgraded versions being used on NASA's next-generation launch vehicle, Ares I. ATK is the prime contractor for the first stage of Ares I.
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#48
by
jacqmans
on 11 May, 2009 23:07
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #01
The Hubble Space Telescope’s final house call is on its way, as the space shuttle Atlantis roared into orbit through a clear blue Florida sky this afternoon.
The STS-125 crew – Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson and mission specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel – lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 1:01:56 p.m. Central time as Hubble flew directly overhead. Less than nine minutes later, the crew reached its preliminary orbit and began making its way toward the telescope. Atlantis is scheduled to rendezvous with the orbiting observatory on Wednesday.
Atlantis is carrying equipment that will extend Hubble’s lifetime and enhance its scientific capabilities. Grunsfeld, Massimino, Good and Feustel will install the new equipment during five spacewalks planned for the 11-day mission. Later today, the crew will check out the shuttle’s robotic arm and use it to survey the equipment in Atlantis’ payload bay. The arm will be used Wednesday to capture Hubble and secure it to the shuttle bay for servicing.
The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 8:01 p.m. and awaken at 4:01 a.m. Tuesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wakeup, or earlier if events warrant.
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#49
by
jacqmans
on 12 May, 2009 12:48
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #02
A busy day is ahead for the crew of space shuttle Atlantis as they continue to close in on the Hubble Space Telescope. Today’s wake-up music was “Kryptonite” performed by 3 Doors Down. It was played for pilot Greg Johnson.
The STS-125 crew – Commander Scott Altman, Johnson and mission specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel – will unberth the Orbiter Boom Sensor System with the shuttle’s robotic arm and use it to scan Atlantis’ thermal protection system and the leading edges of the wings. The photos captured by the OBSS will be downlinked to the ground team in Houston for analysis.
Altman and Grunsfeld also will prepare the Flight Support System (FSS) for berthing the telescope on Wednesday. The FSS is a maintenance platform in the aft part of the shuttle’s payload bay that can rotate and tilt the telescope to make access during the mission’s spacewalks easier.
Grunsfeld, Massimino, Good and Feustel will check out the Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU), which are the spacesuits each of them will use during the mission’s five spacewalks. They will also take a look at the tools they will be using.
The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 8:01 p.m. and awaken at 4:01 a.m. Wednesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day, or earlier if events warrant.
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#50
by
jacqmans
on 13 May, 2009 02:25
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #03
Atlantis continued to move steadily closer to the Hubble Space Telescope today, and its crew made good use of the time to perform a thorough inspection of the shuttle’s heat shield.
Over the course of the day, five members of the seven-person crew took part in that survey, which lasted more than seven hours. Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur and Mike Massimino all used the shuttle’s 50-foot orbiter boom sensor system, attached to the shuttle’s 49-foot robotic arm, at one point or another to get an up close look at the surface of the shuttle’s belly and its wing-leading edges and nose cap. The data was sent to the ground, where it will be carefully analyzed to make sure that the shuttle didn’t sustain any serious damage during Monday’s launch.
During that inspection, mission managers noted one area of damage on the forward part of the spacecraft where the wing blends into the fuselage. Initially it appears to be very minor and of no concern for the mission, however the standard expert analysis is underway.
Meanwhile, Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel, with help from Massimino, checked out the four spacesuits that they and Good will wear for the mission’s five spacewalks.
Before the crew begins their sleep period for the night, Good and Feustel will be checking out the tools they’ll use tomorrow as they rendezvous with the Hubble, and Altman and Johnson will fire the shuttle’s engines to perfect its course to the telescope.
Rendezvous operations will begin at 6:41 a.m. Central on Wednesday, with the actual grapple of the telescope using the shuttle’s robotic arm scheduled for 11:54 a.m.
The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 8:01 p.m. and awaken at 4:01 a.m. Wednesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued after that wake up call or earlier if events warrant.
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#51
by
jacqmans
on 13 May, 2009 03:09
-
With yesterday's launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis, seven astronauts are now on their way to conduct the fifth and final Hubble servicing mission. Space enthusiasts around the world are following their 11-day mission. For two Europeans in particular, it brings back fond memories of their own visit to 'an old friend'.
Read more at:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMYWE0YDUF_index_0.html
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#52
by
jacqmans
on 13 May, 2009 19:01
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #04
The crew of Atlantis is ready to meet up with the Hubble Space Telescope 340 miles above the Earth today. The crew awoke to “Upside Down” by Jack Johnson at 4:01 a.m. CDT. The song was played for Megan McArthur.
Overnight, Hubble’s high gain antenna was retracted in preparation for Atlantis’ arrival. Shortly before the shuttle arrives in the vicinity of Hubble, ground teams will command the telescope to maneuver to its grapple attitude in preparation for berthing in the shuttle’s payload bay.
Atlantis is scheduled to perform the engine burn that will begin its final approach to the telescope at 9:41 a.m., and grapple of the telescope is scheduled for 11:54 a.m. while the two spacecraft are travelling over Madagascar.
The crew will wrap up its day by performing a visual survey of the telescope once it is berthed in the payload bay, and all crew members will conduct a review of the procedures for Thursday’s first spacewalk. The crew also will finish up the check out of the tools necessary for the mission’s five consecutive spacewalks.
Engineers continue to examine the images captured during Tuesday’s inspection of Atlantis’ thermal protection system and exterior surfaces. During that inspection, mission managers noted one area of damage on the forward part of the spacecraft where the wing blends into the fuselage. Initially it appears to be very minor and of no concern for the mission, and the flight team notified the crew late Tuesday that no focused inspection of that particular area is necessary.
The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and awaken at 3:31 a.m. Thursday. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier, if events warrant.
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#53
by
jacqmans
on 14 May, 2009 02:17
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #05
Using the space shuttle Atlantis’ robotic arm, Mission Specialist Megan McArthur grappled the Hubble Space Telescope at 12:14 p.m. CDT Wednesday as she and her crewmates orbited 340 miles above Western Australia.
The successful capture of the space observatory sets the stage for five spacewalks in as many days to repair and update instruments, extending its lifespan through 2014. The first spacewalk by Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel is set to begin at 7:16 a.m. Thursday.
STS-125 Commander Scott Altman guided Atlantis to within 50 feet of Hubble in preparation for the grapple, with help from Pilot Greg Johnson and Mission Specialist Mike Good. A planned maneuver to put Hubble in the right orientation for capture was cancelled due to communications problems, so Altman flew the shuttle into position, which delayed grapple about 20 minutes.
With grapple complete, McArthur maneuvered the telescope onto a Flight Support System maintenance platform in Atlantis’ payload bay. The platform can rotate 360 degrees and tilt to provide better access for spacewalkers, and provides power for thermal control while the telescope is being serviced.
The crew began a visual survey of the telescope at 1:56 p.m. and completed electrical connections and activation at 1:58 p.m. The telescope’s solar arrays were positioned for servicing by ground command at 4:07 p.m.
Grunsfeld and Feustel conducted a final review of plans for the first spacewalk with the help of fellow spacewalkers Good and Mike Massimino, and the rest of the crew. They also checked out all of the tools necessary for the mission’s spacewalks.
Mission managers declared Atlantis’ thermal protection tiles safe for reentry, but continue to examine the imagery from Tuesday’s inspection of the reinforced carbon carbon on the shuttle’s nose cap and wing leading edges.
The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and awaken at 3:31 a.m. Thursday. The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wake-up, or earlier, if events warrant.
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#54
by
jacqmans
on 14 May, 2009 13:07
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #06
Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel are now just hours away from beginning the first of five spacewalks of Atlantis’ mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. The crew awoke this morning to “Stickshifts and Safetybelts” performed by Cake. It was played for Feustel.
Today’s spacewalk is set to begin at 7:16 a.m. CDT and will last 6.5 hours. Grunsfeld will be the first astronaut to exit the shuttle’s air lock and will begin preparations in Atlantis’ payload bay. Feustel will exit a few minutes later and will make his way onto Atlantis’ robotic arm. Mission Specialist Megan McArthur will operate the arm while Feustel performs his activities outside the shuttle.
The first task for Grunsfeld and Feustel is the removal of the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 and the installation of Wide Field Camera 3. The new camera weighs almost 900 pounds and measures 2 feet tall by 6 feet wide by 7 feet long. It will be Hubble’s first panchromatic camera and will allow astronomers to observe galaxy evolution, dark matter and dark energy.
The next task is to replace the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling Unit (SCI&DH) with a ground spare. The SCI&DH allows Hubble’s science instruments to send and receive data, and it experienced a failure in September of last year. Commanding was switched over to the unit’s back-up channel, but the new SCI&DH will restore full redundancy.
Feustel and Grunsfeld also will install the Soft Capture Mechanism (SCM) on the bottom of the telescope. This will allow future spacecraft to rendezvous and berth with the telescope.
The final task of the spacewalk will be the installation of three Latch Over Center Kits (LOCKS). This will make it easier on the mission’s other spacewalks for the astronauts to open and close Hubble’s large access doors. At the end of the day, the entire crew will review procedures for the mission’s second spacewalk, which will be conducted by Mike Good and Mike Massimino tomorrow.
The crew will enter its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and will awake at 3:31 a.m. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier, if events warrant.
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#55
by
jacqmans
on 15 May, 2009 01:01
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #07
The Hubble Space Telescope can now see farther into space and across a wider spectrum of colors, thanks to the work done during the first spacewalk of the STS-125 mission.
Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel spent 7 hours and 20 minutes in space shuttle Atlantis’ cargo bay, installing the new Wide Field Camera 3 and replacing the telescope’s Science Instrument Command and Data Handling Unit, or SIC&DH.
The new camera will allow Hubble to take large-scale, extremely clear and detailed photos over a wider range of colors than the camera they removed. After it was installed, ground controllers at the Space Telescope Operations Control Center at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland confirmed that WFC3 was receiving power as expected.
The SIC&DH is a computer that sends commands to Hubble’s science instruments and formats science data for transmission to the ground. One side of the previous SIC&DH failed in September just before STS-125 was originally scheduled to launch. The mission was postponed to give teams on the ground time to prepare a replacement and train the crew for the task. Though the telescope was able to continue, this replacement restored redundancy.
Grunsfeld also installed a mechanism that will allow future spacecraft to capture the telescope, and Feustel installed two of three Latch Over Center Kits, or LOCK, that will make opening and closing Hubble’s large access doors easier on the remaining spacewalks. An aft shroud latch repair was installed on the middle LOCK.
Before coming in, the spacewalkers configured a platform they installed on the shuttle’s robotic arm to clear the view for a Friday inspection of some shuttle heat shield tiles using the orbiter boom sensor system. The teams on the ground weren’t able to get a full view of the tiles during Tuesday’s inspection. The crew will perform that inspection before Friday’s spacewalk begins.
The crew will enter its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and will awake at 3:31 a.m. to begin preparations for the second spacewalk of the mission, scheduled to begin at 7:16 a.m. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
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#56
by
robertross
on 15 May, 2009 01:16
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #07
Before coming in, the spacewalkers configured a platform they installed on the shuttle’s robotic arm to clear the view for a Friday inspection of some shuttle heat shield tiles using the orbiter boom sensor system.
Wait a second. I thought they didn't need the OBSS for the 40 tiles outstanding? They were just going to use the end effector camera on Canadarm1. Has this changed?
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#57
by
jacqmans
on 15 May, 2009 13:29
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #08
Mission Specialists Mike Good and Mike Massimino will venture outside shuttle Atlantis today to complete the second of the mission’s five spacewalks. The crew awoke this morning at 3:31 a.m. CDT to “God of Wonders.” It was played for Good.
Today’s spacewalk will begin at 7:16 a.m. and is scheduled to last 6.5 hours. The first major task will be the replacement of all three of Hubble’s rate sensing units (RSUs). Each rate sensing unit contains two gyroscopes, which help the telescope point itself. The telescope is designed to operate on three of the six gyros, but today’s spacewalk will give Hubble all new units.
The second major task will be the replacement of the battery module in Bay 2 of the telescope. Each battery module weighs 460 pounds and contains three batteries. Each of the nickel hydrogen batteries weighs 125 pounds, and they provide power to the telescope when it passes into the night sky and the solar arrays are not exposed to the sun. All of the batteries on Hubble are original equipment, and they were only designed to operate for five years. The STS-125 crew also will install new batteries in Bay 3 of Hubble during the mission’s fifth and final spacewalk.
Commander Scott Altman and Mission Specialist Megan McArthur will perform an inspection of some of the shuttle’s heat shield tiles using the robotic arm. The teams on the ground weren’t able to get a full view of the tiles during Tuesday’s inspection. There are 40 tiles the crew will be examining, and those images will be downlinked to the teams in Houston for analysis. Today’s inspection is expected to take 45 minutes.
The last item on today’s schedule for the crew is the review of the procedures for tomorrow’s spacewalk, the third of the mission.
The crew will enter its sleep period at 7:31 p.m. and will awake at 3:31 a.m. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
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#58
by
jacqmans
on 16 May, 2009 01:14
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #09
Mission Specialists Michael Good and Mike Massimino spun up the Hubble Space Telescope with six new gyroscopes and a new battery during a 7-hour, 56-minute spacewalk. Friday’s was the eighth longest spacewalk in history.
The second of the mission’s five spacewalks began at 7:49 a.m. CDT, and by 3:15 p.m. the team had accomplished all of the planned objectives. Those included replacement of all three rate sensing units (RSUs). Each rate sensing unit contains two gyroscopes, which help the telescope point itself. The spacewalkers couldn’t get one of the three units into its slot, but they were able to install a spare that was carried on board because of the tight tolerances involved.
Good and Massimino removed one of the original battery modules from Bay 2 of the telescope and replaced it with a new unit. The module in Bay 3 is scheduled to be replaced by Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel on Monday. The batteries provide power to the telescope when it passes into the Earth’s shadow and its solar arrays are not exposed to the sun.
Ground controllers at the Space Telescope Operations Control Center at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland confirmed that all six gyroscopes and the new battery passed preliminary tests.
Commander Scott Altman and Mission Specialist Megan McArthur completed a robotic arm inspection of 40 shuttle heat shield tiles that weren’t in full view during Tuesday’s inspection. Based on imagery analysis, mission managers cleared all of Atlantis’ thermal protection systems until a final pre-landing inspection on Tuesday.
The last item on today’s schedule for the crew is the review of the procedures for tomorrow’s spacewalk, the third of the mission. That spacewalk will see Grunsfeld and Feustel install a new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph and Advanced Camera for Surveys.
Because Friday's spacewalk was longer than planned, the crew will go to bed an hour later at 8:31 p.m. and awaken an hour later at 4:31 a.m. Saturday. The next status report will be issued after the start of the crew’s next day on orbit, or earlier if events warrant.
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#59
by
jacqmans
on 16 May, 2009 12:56
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #10
Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel are preparing to begin the third spacewalk of Atlantis’ mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. The crew awoke this morning at 4:31 a.m. CDT to “Hotel Cepollina” performed by Fuzzbox Piranha. The song was played for Grunsfeld.
The first activity for today’s spacewalk is the removal of the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR) and the installation of the new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS). COSTAR has been on board Hubble since the first servicing mission in 1993. It has served as a sort of “contact lens” for Hubble and was designed to correct a problem with the telescope’s optics. The new COS will be the most sensitive spectrograph ever flown on Hubble and will examine large scale structures in the universe. The COS weighs 851 pounds and is the size of a phone booth.
The second major task for Grunsfeld and Feustel is the repair of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). The ACS is one of Hubble’s primary cameras and was installed during the fourth servicing mission the telescope in 2002. It stopped working in early 2007 due to a short circuit in its backup power supply, but it has been responsible for some of the most famous imagery captured by Hubble. Grunsfeld and Feustel will focus on replacing some of the camera’s electronics, which will require them to remove 32 screws from an access panel. To accomplish this, the astronauts will use a custom made fastener capture plate that will lie over the top of the access panel and keep the screws from floating away.
Once complete, the entire crew will review the procedures for tomorrow’s spacewalk, which will be conducted by Mike Good and Mike Massimino.
The crew’s sleep period will begin at 8:31 p.m. and crew wake will be at 4:31 a.m. tomorrow. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier, if events warrant.
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#60
by
jacqmans
on 17 May, 2009 01:52
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #11
Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel completed the third spacewalk of Atlantis’ mission to the Hubble Space Telescope in 6 hours, 36 minutes, stepping smoothly through the difficult tasks of repairing a delicate camera and installing its most sensitive spectrograph ever.
Grunsfeld and Feustel began the spacewalk at 8:35 a.m., removing the telescope’s 16-year-old “contact lens,” the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR), and safely tucked it into the shuttle’s payload bay. The two then installed the new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), which will allow Hubble to peer farther into the universe than ever before in the near and far ultraviolet ranges.
Then, Grunsfeld and Feustel used specially designed tools to carry out a job never intended to be done on a spacewalk, repairing the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). The camera, known for some of the most famous imagery captured by Hubble, had stopped working in early 2007 when its backup power supply short circuited. The two removed 32 screws from an access panel to efficiently replace the camera’s four circuit boards and install a new power supply.
In a test conducted from the Space Telescope Operations Control Center at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., engineers powered up the 851-pound COS to make sure its power and data connection were operating. While the astronauts sleep, the team will conduct additional functional tests on each component to determine if the astronauts will need to perform additional work. The COS will be calibrated over the next several weeks.
The spacewalk was the 80th in space shuttle history. Grunsfeld now ranks fourth among all spacewalkers, with 51 hours, 28 minutes to his credit over seven excursions.
Tomorrow, astronauts Michael Good and Mike Massimino will repair the Space Telescope Imaging and Spectrograph (STIS) and install the New Outer Blanket Layer (NOBL).
The crew’s sleep period will begin at 8:31 p.m. and crew wake will be at 4:31 a.m. tomorrow. The next status report will be issued tomorrow morning or earlier, if events warrant.
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#61
by
jacqmans
on 17 May, 2009 12:32
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #12
The crew of Atlantis is preparing for the fourth spacewalk of the mission, which will begin today at 8:16 a.m. CDT. The crew awoke at 4:31 a.m. to “New York State of Mind” performed by Billy Joel. The song was played for Mission Specialist Mike Massimino.
Massimino and Mission Specialist Mike Good will focus on repairing the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) today. STIS was installed on the Hubble Space Telescope during the second servicing mission in 1997. STIS stopped functioning in August 2004 due to a power supply failure and is currently in a “safe mode.”
Just like on the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), Good and Massimino will overlay a fastener capture plate over the top of an access panel on the STIS. But this time, the astronauts will have to loosen 111 screws in order to remove the panel. Once repaired, the STIS will work in tandem with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph by allowing Hubble to see a full range spectrum. Each of the instruments will back each other up while offering unique capabilities to study black holes, stars and planets around other stars.
Massimino and Good also will install a New Outer Blanket Layer (NOBL) on the outside of bay 8 on the telescope. This is a stainless steel cover that protects the telescope from the extreme environment of space by providing thermal protection for the equipment bays. The existing insulation has degraded over time.
The crew’s sleep period will begin at 8:31 p.m., and the crew is due to wake up tomorrow at 4:31 a.m. and will conduct the fifth and final spacewalk of the mission. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day, or earlier if events warrant.
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#62
by
jacqmans
on 18 May, 2009 14:02
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STS-125 MCC Status Report #13
In the sixth longest spacewalk in history, Astronauts Mike Massimino and Michael Good tackled the intricate task of removing and capturing 111 screws to be able to revive the Hubble Space Telescope’s two-dimensional spectroscopy capability.
In the 8 hour, 2 minute spacewalk, Massimino and Good repaired the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) by replacing a power supply board. STIS, installed on the Hubble Space Telescope in 1997, stopped working in August 2004 due to a power supply failure and was in a “safe mode.”
Though the removal of the many screws was expected to be difficult, a handrail gave Good and Massimino trouble. The handrail was obstructing the path of a fastener capture plate and one stripped bolt prevented it from coming free. Massimino followed steps developed quickly at the Goddard Spaceflight Center to carefully bend and break the handrail free so that the fastener capture plate could be installed. At about three hours into the spacewalk, Massimino broke the handrail free allowing the spacewalkers to proceed with the day’s tasks.
The initial aliveness test reported the STIS as working properly. The initial functional test was ended when the telescope put itself into “safe mode,” having reached a low thermal limit. The STIS is believed to be in good shape. Ground controllers will start the functional tests over again, once the telescope reaches a good temperature.
The STIS separates light into its component colors to reveal information about the chemical content, temperature and motion of planets, comets, stars, interstellar gas and galaxies. The information it can provide will help scientists better understand the physical properties of the material universe – putting the physics in astrophysics.
Massimino and Good were unable to get to the installation of the New Outer Blanket Layer (NOBL) on the outside of the telescope’s bay 8. Mission managers have asked Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Andrew Fuestel to add the installation of a partial set of blankets on bay 8 during Monday’s spacewalk. If time permits, the two may get to install the full set.
The crew’s sleep period will begin at 8:31 p.m. CDT, and the crew is due to wake up tomorrow at 4:31 a.m. to conduct the fifth and final spacewalk of the mission. The next status report will be issued at the beginning of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
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#63
by
jacqmans
on 18 May, 2009 14:03
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STS-125 MCC Status Report #14
As Atlantis’ crew begins their eighth day in space, astronauts Drew Feustel and John Grunsfeld are hours away from conducting the final spacewalk on the Hubble Space Telescope. The STS-125 crew awoke this morning to “Sound of Your Voice” performed by Barenaked Ladies. It was played for Commander Scott Altman.
There are two major focuses for today’s spacewalk. The first objective for Feustel and Grunsfeld is the removal of the battery module from Bay 3 on the telescope and the installation of a fresh module. Each battery module weighs 460 pounds and contains three batteries. Each of the nickel hydrogen batteries weighs 125 pounds, and they provide power to the telescope when it passes into orbital night and the solar arrays are not exposed to the sun. All of the batteries on Hubble are original equipment, and they were only designed to operate for five years. The batteries in Bay 2 were replaced earlier in the mission.
The second task is the removal and replacement of Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) 2. Hubble has three of these sensors, and FGS 2 has degraded over time. The three sensors are parked at 90 degree angles around the circumference of the telescope, and two are used to point and lock the telescope on its targets. The third can be used for astrometry, which is measuring the distances between different celestial objects. The refurbished FGS that will be installed today previously had been removed and returned on the third servicing mission in December 1999. It has since been enhanced and upgraded.
After these two tasks are accomplished, Feustel and Grunsfeld will turn their attention to the New Outer Blanket Layer (NOBL) on the outside of the telescope’s Bay 5. The NOBL on Bay 8 was due to be installed during yesterday’s spacewalk, but the crew was unable to accomplish it during the spacewalk. If time permits, Feustel and Grunsfeld may be asked to install a partial or full set of NOBLs on Bay 8.The team in Mission Control will make the decision in real time based on the progress of the spacewalk.
The crew’s sleep period will begin at 7:31 p.m. CDT, and the crew is due to wake up tomorrow at 3:31 a.m. to begin procedures to release Hubble. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
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#64
by
jacqmans
on 18 May, 2009 21:37
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-086
HUBBLE SERVICING CREW TO HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE FROM SPACE
HOUSTON -- The seven astronauts aboard space shuttle Atlantis will
hold a news conference at 10:26 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 20, to
discuss their mission to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope.
Reporters may ask questions from NASA's Johnson Space Center in
Houston, Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Goddard Space Flight Center
in Greenbelt, Md., and NASA Headquarters in Washington.
To participate in the news conference, U.S. journalists must call the
public affairs office at one of the NASA centers listed above by 2
p.m. Tuesday. Media representatives must be present at participating
locations at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the news
conference. NASA Television will provide live coverage of the
40-minute event. For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video
information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntvDuring Atlantis' STS-125 mission, the crew has completed work to
improve Hubble's view of the universe with the addition of two new
science instruments, the repair of two others and the replacement of
other hardware that will extend the telescope's life at least through
2014.
For more information about the STS-125 mission and its crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttleFor more information about the Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble
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#65
by
jacqmans
on 19 May, 2009 01:50
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #15
Human hands have touched the Hubble Space Telescope for the last time. Astronauts Andrew Feustel and John Grunsfeld spent seven hours and two minutes putting the finishing touches on the telescope in the final spacewalk from a space shuttle airlock.
During the STS-125 mission’s five spacewalks, Atlantis’ crew completed all of the mission objectives to improve Hubble's view of the universe.
Over the course of the mission’s five spacewalks, the crew added two new science instruments, repaired two others and replaced hardware that will extend the telescope's life at least through 2014. The five spacewalks lasted 36 hours and 56 minutes all together. There have been 23 spacewalks devoted to Hubble, totaling 166 hours and six minutes.
The spacewalkers began today’s work early and stepped quickly through the main focus, swapping a battery module from Bay 3 with a fresh module and removing and replacing the Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) 2.
With that work complete, they installed New Outer Blanket Layers (NOBL) on three bays on the outside of the telescope, one of which was a leftover task from Sunday’s spacewalk and the third was a bonus task.
About four months of activities are planned for checking out and calibrating the instruments before scientific observations can begin again.
The crew’s sleep period will begin at 7:31 p.m. CDT, and the crew is due to wake up tomorrow at 3:31 a.m. to begin procedures to release Hubble. The next status report will be issued at the beginning of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
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#66
by
jacqmans
on 20 May, 2009 13:37
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #16
The crew of Atlantis will bid farewell to the Hubble Space Telescope today. Atlantis’ crew woke up this morning at 3:31 a.m. CDT to “Lie in Our Graves” performed by the Dave Matthews Band. It was played for Mission Specialist Megan McArthur.
McArthur will operate the shuttle’s robotic arm today as she reaches out and grapples onto the telescope. She will then lift Hubble out of Atlantis’ payload bay and move it over the edge of the shuttle. Ground teams will command Hubble’s aperture door to open, which is the large shutter that protects the telescope’s primary and secondary mirrors. Final release of Hubble is scheduled for 7:53 a.m.
Atlantis will perform a final separation maneuver from the telescope at 8:29 a.m., which will take the shuttle out of the vicinity of Hubble. The berthing mechanism to which Hubble has been attached during the mission will then be stored back down into the payload bay.
The crew also will use the robotic arm to unberth the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) and will use it to perform a scheduled inspection of Atlantis’ heat shield to make sure that it remains in good shape for entry.
The crew’s sleep period will begin at 7:31 p.m. CDT, and the crew is due to wake up tomorrow at 3:31 a.m. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
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#67
by
jacqmans
on 20 May, 2009 13:38
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #17
The crew of Atlantis bid farewell to the Hubble Space Telescope on behalf of NASA and the rest of the world today. The telescope was released back into space at 7:57 a.m. CDT. With its upgrades, the telescope should be able to see farther into the universe than ever before.
Astronaut Megan McArthur used the shuttle’s robotic arm to grab Hubble, lift it out of Atlantis’ payload bay and release it. Ground teams opened Hubble’s aperture door, which is the large shutter that protects the telescope’s primary and secondary mirrors.
Atlantis performed a final separation maneuver from the telescope at 8:28 a.m., which took the shuttle out of the vicinity of Hubble. The berthing mechanism to which Hubble has been attached during the mission was stored back down into the payload bay.
The rest of the day was focused on the scheduled inspection of Atlantis’ heat shield, searching for any potential damage from orbital debris. The crew used the shuttle robotic arm to operate the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) for the inspection. The crew worked ahead of schedule and returned the OBSS to the payload bay sill today instead of tomorrow.
The crew’s sleep period is scheduled to begin at 7:31 p.m., although the crew will try to go to sleep 30 minutes early to help adjust for an earlier workday for the rest of the mission. The adjusted schedule allows the entry flight control team to consider an earlier landing opportunity at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Friday before the sea breeze adversely affects landing weather conditions later in the day.
The crew is due to wake up tomorrow at 3:01 a.m. for an off-duty day. The next status report will be issued at the beginning of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
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#68
by
jacqmans
on 20 May, 2009 13:38
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #18
As the voyage of the space shuttle Atlantis boldly continued this morning, the crew woke up at 3:03 a.m. CDT to the theme from the television series “Star Trek,” which was composed by Alexander Courage. The song was played for the entire crew.
At 9:26 a.m., the crew will talk with members of the media at different NASA centers about the mission, the Hubble Telescope and the crew’s thoughts on being a part of this fifth and final servicing mission.
At 11:06 a.m., the crew will make a ship-to-ship call to their orbital neighbors, the crew of Expedition 19 on board the International Space Station.
The crew will spend the balance of the day enjoying some off duty time as they prepare for Friday’s entry and landing.
The crew is due to go to sleep at 6:01 p.m. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
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#69
by
jacqmans
on 21 May, 2009 07:34
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #19
The space shuttle Atlantis crew enjoyed a day off, answered reporters’ questions and chatted with colleagues on the International Space Station today. They’ll switch gears on Thursday and get ready for landing.
Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Greg Johnson and Mission Specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel fielded questions for about 40 minutes from reporters at NASA centers before lunch.
After lunch, the crew had a chance to talk with Expedition 19 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineers Mike Barratt and Koichi Wakata on the International Space Station during a ship-to-ship call as the two vehicles circled the Earth in different orbits. Later in the day, the station crew toasted the first use of the station’s new water recycling system with fellow astronauts, engineers, flight controllers and program officials on the ground.
The Hubble Space Telescope servicing crew will turn their attention to landing tomorrow, stowing gear that has been used over the course of 10 days in orbit and five spacewalks. They’ll also check the reaction control system thrusters and flight control systems that will be used to control their reentry and descent through the atmosphere.
Mission managers completed their review of the late inspection of the shuttle’s wing leading edge and nosecap heat shield, and cleared the entire thermal protection system for safe entry. Landing is scheduled for 9:01 a.m. CDT Friday at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, weather permitting.
The crew is due to go to sleep at 6:01 p.m. The next status report will be issued after the crew awakens at 2:01 a.m., or earlier if events warrant.
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#70
by
jacqmans
on 21 May, 2009 17:29
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-090
HUBBLE SERVICING CREW SET TO RETURN TO EARTH FRIDAY
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The seven astronauts who upgraded NASA's
Hubble Space Telescope are expected to return to Earth aboard space
shuttle Atlantis on Friday after an 11-day mission. The two landing
opportunities at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are at 10
a.m. and 11:39 a.m. EDT.
NASA flight directors will evaluate weather conditions at Kennedy
before permitting Atlantis and its crew to land. If weather prevents
a return to Kennedy on Friday, the backup landing site at Edwards Air
Force Base in California will be activated Saturday for consideration
as well. For recorded updated information about landing, call
321-867-2525.
Approximately two hours after landing, NASA officials will hold a
media briefing to discuss the mission. The participants will be:
- Ed Weiler, associate administrator for the Science Mission
Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington
- Mike Moses, launch integration manager for NASA's Johnson Space
Center, Houston
- Mike Leinbach, space shuttle launch director, Kennedy
After touchdown in Florida, the astronauts will undergo physical
examinations and meet with their families. The STS-125 crew is
expected to hold a news conference about four and a half hours after
landing Friday. Both news events will be broadcast live on NASA
Television.
The Kennedy news center will open for landing activities at 6 a.m.
Friday and close at 5 p.m. or one hour after the last media event.
The STS-125 media badges are in effect through landing. The media
accreditation building on State Road 3 will be open Friday from 5:30
a.m. to 8 a.m. The last bus will depart from the news center for the
Shuttle Landing Facility one hour before landing.
If the landing is diverted to Edwards, news media should call the
Dryden public affairs office at 661-276-3449. Dryden has limited
facilities available for use by previously accredited journalists.
The NASA News Twitter feed is updated throughout the shuttle mission
and landing. To access the NASA News feed and other agency Twitter
feeds, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/collaborate For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
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#71
by
jacqmans
on 21 May, 2009 17:32
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #20
The crew of Atlantis will spend the day preparing the shuttle for tomorrow’s return home. The crew woke up this morning at 2:04 a.m. CDT to “Cantina Band,” one of composer John Williams’ songs from the soundtrack to “Star Wars.” The song was played for the entire crew.
Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Greg Johnson and Mission Specialist Megan McArthur will check out the flight control surfaces of Atlantis, including the rudder and the wing flaps at 5:11 a.m. Those surfaces will guide the shuttle’s unpowered flight through the atmosphere to a landing. Immediately afterward, at 6:21 a.m., the astronauts will test fire Atlantis’ reaction control system thrusters. The thrusters will control the shuttle’s orientation as it descends and begins its re-entry through the atmosphere.
Mission Specialists Mike Good, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Drew Feustel will begin stowing away everything inside Atlantis and preparing the shuttle for the return trip. Landing is targeted for 9:01 a.m. tomorrow at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
After lunch, the crew will talk with Senator Barbara Mikulski and other members of the U.S. Senate at 11:31 a.m. At 1:41 p.m., the crew will talk with reporters from ABC, FOX, CBS, NBC and CNN.
The crew is due to go to sleep at 5:01 p.m. and will wake at 1:01 a.m. to begin the procedures for landing. The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
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#72
by
jacqmans
on 22 May, 2009 09:47
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #21
As Atlantis’ crew prepares for landing Friday, mission managers are closely monitoring a low pressure system that has brought 16 inches of rain in three days to the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Forecasters report the system is slowly moving away but it could still bring more rain, possible thunderstorms and winds that could violate the shuttle’s flight rules into the Florida spaceport area. The two Friday landing opportunities are at 9:00 and 10:39 a.m. CDT.
Should mission managers wave off landing the next four opportunities will be Saturday with two at Kennedy and two at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The opportunities at Kennedy are at 8:16 and 9:54 a.m. With a favorable California forecast, the opportunities there are at 9:46 and 11:24 a.m.
In another first for spaceflight, the STS-125 crew testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, chaired by Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. She, and former astronaut Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, talked with the crew.
The STS-125 crew is the first to testify live from space in a Senate hearing. Astronaut John Phillips gave the first congressional testimony live from space on June 14, 2005, during Expedition 11, when he testified before the House Science Committee, Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics.
The crew also talked with reporters from ABC, FOX, CBS, NBC and CNN.
In preparation for landing, Atlantis’ crew tested the ship’s flight control surfaces and reaction control system thrusters. Both systems functioned well and are ready to support entry activities.
Tomorrow, the crew should begin deorbit preparations at 3:50 a.m. and close the payload bay doors at 5:10 a.m. Here are predicted times for tomorrow and Saturday’s landing opportunities (all CDT):
ORBIT SITE D/O BURN LANDING
FRIDAY 165 KSC 7:49:16 a.m. 9:00:31 a.m.
166 KSC 9:33:41 a.m. 10:39:18 a.m.
SATURDAY 180 KSC 7:02 a.m. 8:16 a.m.
181 EDW 8:29 a.m. 9:46 a.m.
181 KSC 8:46 a.m. 9:54 a.m.
182 KSC 10:12 a.m. 11:24 a.m.
The crew is due to go to sleep at 5:01 p.m. and will wake at 1:01 a.m. to begin the procedures for landing. The next status report will be issued at the beginning of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
-
#73
by
jacqmans
on 22 May, 2009 09:48
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #22
The crew of Atlantis is making preparations on board the shuttle this morning for the first of two landing attempts at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew woke up this morning at 1:01 a.m. CDT to “The Galaxy Song” from “Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life.” It was played for the entire crew.
Mission managers continue to monitor the weather in Florida for today’s landing. There is a low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico that is causing rain and thunderstorms around Kennedy. Forecasters are expecting broken clouds, thunderstorms and winds that could violate landing criteria around the time of both Friday landing opportunities. The first landing option is at 9:00 a.m. and the second is at 10:39 a.m.
Should mission managers wave off landing, the next four opportunities will be Saturday with two at Kennedy and two at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The opportunities at Kennedy are at 8:16 and 9:54 a.m. With a favorable California forecast, the opportunities there are at 9:46 and 11:24 a.m.
If mission managers feel the weather is improving in Florida today and decide to target the first opportunity, the crew will be given instructions to close Atlantis’ payload bay doors at 5:10 a.m., and the crew will begin suiting up at 6:28 a.m.
The next status report will be issued after landing today or at the end of the crew’s day if landing is waived off.
-
#74
by
jacqmans
on 22 May, 2009 12:47
-
RELEASE: 09-118
NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE LANDING DELAYED BY WEATHER
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew will stay
in space another day after bad weather prevented them from landing
Friday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA Flight Director Norm Knight and the entry team will evaluate
weather conditions at Kennedy before permitting Atlantis and its crew
to land at 9:16 a.m. Saturday. A second Kennedy landing opportunity
is at 10:54 a.m. The shuttle also has landing opportunities at
Edwards Air Force Base in California at 10:46 a.m. and 12:24 p.m.
If Atlantis does not land Saturday, there are multiple landing
opportunities Sunday at Kennedy, Edwards, or White Sands Space Harbor
in New Mexico. The Kennedy news center will open for landing
activities. For recorded updated information about landing and news
center hours, call 321-867-2525.
If the landing is diverted to Edwards, reporters should call the
Dryden public affairs office at 661-276-3449. Dryden has limited
facilities available for use by previously accredited journalists.
The landing times below are approximate and subject to change. All
times are EDT:
Saturday Landing Opportunities
9:16 a.m. Orbit 180 landing at Kennedy (deorbit burn at 8:02 a.m.)
10:46 a.m. Orbit 181 landing at Edwards (deorbit burn at 9:29 a.m.)
10:54 a.m. Orbit 181 landing at Kennedy (deorbit burn at 9:46 a.m.)
12:24 p.m. Orbit 182 landing at Edwards (deorbit burn at 11:12 a.m.)
Sunday Landing Opportunities
10:01 a.m. Orbit 196 landing at Edwards (deorbit burn at 8:42 a.m.)
10:04 a.m. Orbit 196 landing at White Sands (deorbit burn at 8:46
a.m.)
10:10 a.m. Orbit 196 landing at Kennedy (deorbit burn at 8:57 a.m.)
11:39 a.m. Orbit 197 landing at Edwards (deorbit burn at 10:24 a.m.)
11:42 a.m. Orbit 197 landing at White Sands (deorbit burn at 10:29
a.m.)
11:48 a.m. Orbit 197 landing at Kennedy (deorbit burn at 10:42 a.m.)
The NASA News Twitter feed is updated throughout the shuttle mission
and landing. To access the NASA News feed and other agency Twitter
feeds, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/collaborate
-
#75
by
jacqmans
on 23 May, 2009 00:45
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #23
Thunderstorms, low clouds and showers prevented Atlantis’ astronauts from landing today at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew was waved off from its second and final Friday landing attempt about 7 a.m. CDT, when Mission Control sent word that the weather was too unstable to permit a safe landing.
Shortly after the weather wave off, Entry Flight Director Norm Knight called up support for the backup landing site Saturday at Edwards Air Force Base.
There are three landing opportunities available for Atlantis at both Kennedy and Edwards on Saturday. The Kennedy weather forecast is expected to improve somewhat, but there is a good chance weather in the vicinity of the Shuttle Landing Facility will be unfavorable. The Edwards forecast is generally favorable for all three opportunities.
The crew will awaken at 12:01 a.m. CDT, and resume landing preparations at 3 a.m. For the first landing opportunity Saturday, the crew would close the payload bay doors at 4:22 a.m.
For the first Kennedy opportunity, the crew would execute a deorbit burn at 7:01 a.m. and land at 8:15 a.m. The second Kennedy opportunity calls for a deorbit burn at 8:45 a.m. and landing at 9:54 a.m. The third Florida opportunity would begin with a deorbit burn at 10:29 a.m. and result in landing at 11:33 a.m.
The first California landing opportunity would start with a deorbit burn at 8:29 a.m., and result in landing at 9:45 a.m. The second Edwards opportunity would begin with a deorbit burn at 10:11 a.m. and culminate in an 11:23 a.m. landing. The third opportunity would require a deorbit burn at 11:55 a.m. and end with landing at 1:02 p.m.
The crew officially began its sleep shift tonight at 4:01 p.m. today. The next status report will be issued at the beginning of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant.
-
#76
by
jacqmans
on 23 May, 2009 06:52
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #24
After the weather in Florida prevented Atlantis from landing yesterday, the crew is readying for another attempt today. The crew woke up at 12:01 a.m. CDT to “Where My Heart Will Take Me” performed by Russell Watson. It was played for the entire crew.
There are three landing opportunities available for Atlantis at both Kennedy and Edwards today. The Kennedy weather forecast is expected to improve somewhat, but there is a chance that weather in the vicinity of the Shuttle Landing Facility will be unfavorable. The Edwards forecast is generally favorable for all three opportunities.
Landing preparations will begin at 3 a.m. The closing of the payload bay doors is scheduled to occur at 4:22 a.m.
For the first Kennedy opportunity, the crew would execute a deorbit burn at 7:01 a.m. and land at 8:15 a.m. The second Kennedy opportunity calls for a deorbit burn at 8:45 a.m. and landing at 9:54 a.m. The third Florida opportunity would begin with a deorbit burn at 10:29 a.m. and result in landing at 11:33 a.m.
The first California landing opportunity would start with a deorbit burn at 8:29 a.m., and result in landing at 9:45 a.m. The second Edwards opportunity would begin with a deorbit burn at 10:11 a.m. and culminate in an 11:23 a.m. landing. The third opportunity would require a deorbit burn at 11:55 a.m. and end with landing at 1:02 p.m.
The next status report will be issued after landing today or at the end of the crew’s day if landing is waived off.
-
#77
by
jacqmans
on 24 May, 2009 10:00
-
RELEASE: 09-119
NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE LANDING DELAYED BY WEATHER
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew will stay
in space another day after bad weather prevented them from landing
Saturday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA Flight Director Norm Knight and the entry team will evaluate
weather conditions at Kennedy before permitting the shuttle to land.
If the weather is not acceptable for a return to Kennedy, the team
will look to land at the secondary landing site, Edwards Air Force
Base in California. White Sands Space Harbor is not expected to be
activated tomorrow. For recorded updated information about landing,
call 321-867-2525.
If the landing is diverted to Edwards, reporters should call the
public affairs office at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in
Edwards at 661-276-3449. Dryden has limited facilities available for
use by previously accredited journalists.
The landing times below are approximate and subject to change. All
times are Eastern:
Sunday Landing Opportunities
10:11 a.m., Orbit 196, landing at Kennedy (deorbit burn at 8:58 a.m.)
11:40 a.m., Orbit 197, landing at Edwards (deorbit burn at 10:25 a.m.)
11:49 a.m., Orbit 197, landing at Kennedy (deorbit burn at 10:31 a.m.)
1:19 p.m., Orbit 198, landing at Edwards (deorbit burn at 12:08 p.m.)
The NASA News Twitter feed is updated throughout the shuttle mission
and landing. To access the NASA News feed and other agency Twitter
feeds, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/collaborate For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For the latest information about the STS-125 mission and
accomplishments, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle For information about the Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble
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#78
by
jacqmans
on 24 May, 2009 10:01
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #25
Weather in Florida did not cooperate again for Atlantis’ return to Earth today. There are two additional landing opportunities being considered Sunday on both U.S. coasts.
For the first opportunity in Florida at Kennedy Space Center, the crew would execute a deorbit burn at 7:58 a.m. and land at 9:11 a.m. The second Kennedy opportunity calls for a deorbit burn at 9:31 a.m. and landing at 10:49 a.m.
The first landing opportunity targeted in California at Edwards Air Force Base would start with a deorbit burn at 9:25 a.m. and culminate in a 10:40 a.m. landing. The second opportunity would begin with a deorbit burn at 11:08 a.m. and result in landing at 12:19 p.m.
The Kennedy weather forecast is expected to improve slightly, but there is a chance that weather in the vicinity of the Shuttle Landing Facility will continue to be unfavorable. The Edwards forecast is generally favorable.
The crew is scheduled to go to sleep at 4:01 p.m. and awaken at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. The next status report will be issued after landing or earlier if events warrant.
-
#79
by
Ford Mustang
on 24 May, 2009 17:02
-
RELEASE: 09-120
NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE RETURNS TO EARTH AFTER HUBBLE MISSION
EDWARDS, Calif. -- Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew landed at 8:39
a.m. PDT Sunday at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., completing the
final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis'
astronauts conducted five successful spacewalks during their STS-125
flight to enhance and extend the life of the orbiting observatory.
"This mission highlights what the challenges of spaceflight can bring
out in human beings," said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator
for Space Operations at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "This
mission required the absolute best from the shuttle team, the Hubble
science and repair teams, and the crew. The results are a tribute to
the entire team and the years of preparation."
Atlantis' nearly 13-day mission of almost 5.3 million miles
rejuvenated Hubble with state-of-the-art science instruments designed
to improve the telescope's discovery capabilities by as much as 70
times, while extending its lifetime through at least 2014.
"This is not the end of the story but the beginning of another chapter
of discovery by Hubble," said Ed Weiler, associate administrator for
Science at NASA Headquarters. "Hubble will be more powerful than
ever, continue to surprise, enlighten, and inspire us all and pave
the way for the next generation of observatories."
Scott Altman commanded the shuttle flight and was joined by Pilot
Gregory C. Johnson and Mission Specialists Megan McArthur, John
Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino, Andrew Feustel and Michael Good. McArthur
served as the flight engineer and lead for robotic arm operations,
while the remaining mission specialists paired up for challenging
spacewalks on Hubble.
Weather concerns prevented the crew from returning to NASA's Kennedy
Space Center in Florida, the primary end-of-mission landing site. In
seven to 10 days, Atlantis will be transported approximately 2,500
miles from California to Florida on the back of a modified 747 jumbo
jet. Once at Kennedy, the shuttle will be separated from the aircraft
to begin processing for its next flight, targeted for November 2009.
The STS-125 mission was the 126th shuttle flight, the 30th for
Atlantis and the second of five planned for 2009. Hubble was
delivered to space on April 24, 1990, on the STS-31 mission.
Atlantis' landing at Edwards was the 53rd shuttle landing to occur at
the desert air base.
Hubble has enabled a number of ground-breaking discoveries during its
time in orbit. They include determining the age of the universe to be
13.7 billion years; finding that virtually all major galaxies have
black holes at their center; discovering that the process of
planetary formation is relatively common; detecting the first-ever
organic molecule in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting another star;
and providing evidence the expansion of the universe is accelerating
because of an unknown force that makes up approximately 72 percent of
the matter-energy content in the universe.
With Atlantis and its crew safely home, the focus will shift to the
launch of STS-127, targeted for June 13. Endeavour's 16-day flight
will deliver a new station crew member and complete construction of
the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Astronauts
will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module that
will serve as a type of "back porch" for experiments that require
direct exposure to space.
For information about NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubbleFor more about the STS-125 mission and the upcoming STS-127 flight,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
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#80
by
jacqmans
on 24 May, 2009 17:39
-
The historic and successful Hubble Servicing Mission 4 concluded with a trouble-free Space Shuttle landing today. During a series of unprecedented spacewalks, astronauts replaced and repaired a total of four instruments. The Wide Field Camera 3 and Cosmic Origins Spectrograph were installed and the Advanced Camera for Surveys and Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph were successfully repaired.
More at:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM6Z80OWUF_index_0.html
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#81
by
jacqmans
on 24 May, 2009 17:40
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #26
Atlantis’ crew is again preparing for landing today as mission managers continue to monitor the weather in Florida and California. The crew woke up this morning at 12:01 a.m. CDT to “The Ride of the Valkyries,” composed by Richard Wagner. It was played for the entire crew.
For the first opportunity in Florida at Kennedy Space Center, the crew would execute a deorbit burn at 7:57 a.m. and land at 9:09 a.m. The second Kennedy opportunity calls for a deorbit burn at 9:41 a.m. and landing at 10:48 a.m.
The first landing opportunity at Edwards Air Force Base would start with a deorbit burn at 9:24 a.m. and culminate in a 10:38 a.m. landing. The second opportunity would begin with a deorbit burn at 11:07 a.m. and result in landing at 12:17 p.m.
The Kennedy weather forecast is expected to improve slightly, but there is a chance that weather in the vicinity of the Shuttle Landing Facility will continue to be unfavorable. The Edwards forecast is generally favorable.
The next status report will be issued after landing today or at the end of the crew’s day if landing is waved off.
-
#82
by
jacqmans
on 24 May, 2009 17:40
-
STS-125 MCC Status Report #27
Space shuttle Atlantis and its seven-member crew landed at 10:39 a.m. CDT Sunday at Edwards Air Force Base in California, capping off a nearly 13-day mission to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis’ astronauts conducted five spacewalks during their STS-125 mission to extend the life of the orbiting observatory.
Mission managers waved off landing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida this morning, the shuttle’s primary landing site. Dynamic weather conditions around the Shuttle Landing Facility prevented Atlantis from attempting either of the two opportunities for Kennedy, and the shuttle was diverted to Edwards.
Atlantis’ main landing gear touched down at 10:39:05 a.m., followed by the nose gear at 10:39:15 a.m. The shuttle’s wheels stopped at 10:40:15 a.m., bringing the mission’s elapsed time to 12 days, 21 hours, 37 minutes, 9 seconds. Atlantis traveled 5.3 million miles during its journey.
Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson and Mission Specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Andrew Feustel and Mike Massimino successfully installed two new instruments and repaired two others, bringing them back to life, replaced gyroscopes and batteries, and added new thermal insulation panels to protect the orbiting observatory. The result is six working, complementary science instruments with capabilities beyond what was available and an extended operational lifespan until at least 2014.
With the newly installed Wide Field Camera, Hubble will be able to observe in ultraviolet and infrared spectrums as well as visible light, peer deep onto the cosmic frontier in search of the earliest star systems and study planets in the solar system. The telescope’s new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph will allow it to study the grand-scale structure of the universe, including the star-driven chemical evolution that produce carbon and the other elements necessary for life.
Hubble’s greatest scientific accomplishments include determining the age of the universe – 13.7 billion years – and discovering that virtually all major galaxies have a super massive black hole.
Atlantis’ crew is scheduled to return home to its Houston base on Tuesday, arriving at Ellington Field’s Hangar 990 about 4 p.m. The public is invited to the ceremony.
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#83
by
jacqmans
on 25 May, 2009 21:06
-
Shuttle Atlantis De-servicing Operations Now Under Way
De-servicing and turnaround operations on the Space Shuttle Atlantis are scheduled to get under way late Monday at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, following Atlantis' landing Sunday morning at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California.
While most of the shuttle turnaround crew is traveling from Florida to Edwards on Monday, personnel already at Dryden are preparing to hoist, jack and level Atlantis in the Mate-Demate Device, the large gantry-like structure used to conduct post-flight de-servicing operations. In about seven to 10 days, Atlantis will be ferried about 2,500 miles from California to Florida on the back of NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
-
#84
by
jacqmans
on 29 May, 2009 14:55
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-098
NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS SET TO RETURN TO FLORIDA
EDWARDS, Calif. -- After landing at Edwards Air Force Base in
California on May 24 following the successful Hubble Space Telescope
servicing mission, space shuttle Atlantis is about to start its
cross-country journey back to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Mounted on a modified Boeing 747 shuttle carrier aircraft, Atlantis is
expected to begin its journey from NASA's Dryden Flight Research
Center in Edwards, Calif., to Kennedy as early as Sunday, May 31. The
exact date and time of departure have yet to be set because of
changing weather conditions and the fluid nature of preparing
Atlantis for the flight. For the latest information about the ferry
flight, journalists should call 321-867-2525.
For the first time ever, a ferry flight team member will blog details
of Atlantis' trip at:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle Live status updates will be added periodically to the NASA News
Twitter feed during the flight. To access the feed, visit:
http://www.twitter.com/nasa NASA Television will provide live coverage of Atlantis' departure and
arrival. For NASA TV downlink, the schedule of ferry flight coverage
and streaming video information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv ATLANTIS DEPARTURE FROM EDWARDS
NASA will provide reporters, photographers and videographers with two
opportunities to take imagery of Atlantis while it is being prepared
at Dryden.
The first opportunity will be Friday, May 29, from 2 to 3 p.m. PDT,
while preparations for Atlantis ferry flight are being completed. An
informal briefing may be included on the work under way at the site.
There will be a second opportunity when the ferry flight takes off.
Due to the short notice involved, these opportunities at Edwards are
restricted to U.S. citizens representing domestic news organizations.
On Friday, reporters will be transported in an escorted convoy from
the Edwards Air Force Base West Gate security station on Rosamond
Boulevard to NASA Dryden. The convoy will leave promptly at 1:15 p.m.
For the ferry flight departure, journalists will be escorted in a
convoy to the viewing site. Space is limited to two representatives
per news organization, or a total of about 30. Preference will be
given to photographers and videographers, although print journalists
are welcome as space allows.
Reporters who were credentialed to cover Atlantis' landing at Dryden
may call Alan Brown at 661-276-2665 to confirm participation. All
others should e-mail a credential request with their full name, media
organization, place and date of birth, driver's license number and
its issuing state, and last six digits of their social security
number to
[email protected] no later than 9 a.m. Friday for either
media opportunity. Further guidance regarding arrival times and other
details for the ferry flight opportunity will be provided via e-mail
as the schedule firms.
ATLANTIS ARRIVAL AT KENNEDY
Strict flight weather restrictions may cause unexpected changes to the
flight path and arrival time of Atlantis in Florida. All media should
be at Kennedy's news center one-hour and 15 minutes ahead of
Atlantis' announced arrival time for transportation to the Shuttle
Landing Facility.
STS-125 U.S. media credentials will be honored at Kennedy for the
return of Atlantis. International media credentials are no longer
valid.
TV stations planning on covering the arrival live from the shuttle
runway must have proper credentials. Journalists must follow a dress
code for the landing site: no skirts, no shorts, no sleeveless
shirts, and only closed-toed, flat shoes.
During their nearly 13-day journey of approximately 5.3 million miles,
the STS-125 crew conducted five successful spacewalks to enhance and
extend the life of NASA's Hubble Telescope. For more information
about NASA's Space Shuttle Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
-
#85
by
jacqmans
on 30 May, 2009 10:12
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-099
NASA'S "ASTRO_MIKE" SET FOR TV INTERVIEWS, WEB APPEARANCE JUNE 3
HOUSTON -- Astronaut Mike Massimino will be available Wednesday, June
3, for media satellite interviews and questions from the public via a
special interactive Internet appearance. He will discuss his space
shuttle flight after returning to Earth May 24 following shuttle
Atlantis' successful servicing mission to NASA's Hubble Space
Telescope.
Massimino will make an interactive Web appearance and answer questions
from the public via Twitter from 3 to 4 p.m. CDT. He will be
available for media interviews from 4 to 5:30 p.m. To participate,
reporters should contact NASA's Johnson Space Center's newsroom at
281-483-5111 by 5 p.m., June 2. Both the Web appearance and media
interviews will be broadcast live on NASA Television.
Massimino is known as Astro_Mike to more than 350,000 people who
followed his STS-125 spaceflight on Twitter. Atlantis' nearly 13-day
mission of almost 5.3 million miles rejuvenated Hubble with
state-of-the-art science instruments designed to improve the
telescope's discovery capabilities by as much as 70 times. The
mission also extended Hubble's lifetime through at least 2014. During
his flight, Massimino, a New York native, performed two spacewalks.
Massimino will take questions in real time exclusively from his
Twitter followers during the hour-long session. His followers should
tweet questions that he will answer live on NASA TV and Ustream.com.
To follow Massimino's twitter updates and submit questions, visit:
http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Mike In addition to being broadcast and streamed to the Web on NASA TV, the
Internet session and interviews also may be viewed live at:
http://www.ustream.tv/NASA2Explore
-
#86
by
jacqmans
on 24 Jul, 2009 15:16
-
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-140
NASA PRESENTS COINS FLOWN IN SPACE TO NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
WASHINGTON -- During a ceremony July 31, senior NASA officials will
present the National Federation of the Blind with two Louis Braille
Bicentennial Silver Dollars that flew on space shuttle Atlantis's
mission to the Hubble Space Telescope in May 2009. Marc Maurer,
president of the National Federation of the Blind, will accept the
coins on behalf of the organization. The ceremony will take place at
6 p.m. EDT at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington.
In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille's birthday,
Congress authorized the minting of the 2009 Louis Braille
Bicentennial Silver Dollar. NASA flew one proof and one uncirculated
commemorative coin on the recent Hubble servicing mission. The coins
are the first to feature tactile, readable Braille, which enables the
blind to read and learn, just as Hubble allows people to learn about
the universe.
NASA astronaut Gregory H. Johnson will speak at the celebratory
closing of the National Federation of the Blind's 2009 Youth Slam. At
the Youth Slam, 200 blind high school students from across the nation
will participate in five days of activities to help encourage the
blind youth of America to consider careers in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics.
Reporters planning on attending the event must contact Chris Danielsen
at 410-659-9314, ext. 2330, or
[email protected] by 5 p.m. on July
30.
NASA and the National Federation of the Blind have been collaborating
for more than five years to inspire and engage blind students to lend
their unique talents to disciplines critical to the nation's
engineering, scientific and technical missions.
NASA Television will broadcast a Video File of the event. For NASA TV
streaming video, schedules and downlink information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more information about NASA's education programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/education For more information about the Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble For more information about the National Federation of the Blind,
visit:
http://www.nfb.org
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#87
by
jacqmans
on 28 Jul, 2009 06:55
-
Report #M09-141
NASA Astronaut, Shea Stadium Home Plate Return to New York
Although many a shot was launched to the bleachers from Shea Stadium’s home plate, the plate itself has beat them all -- it returns home next week along with New York native son and NASA astronaut Mike Massimino after a 5.2 million-mile trip in space.
Massimino will be in New York July 30-31 to share his recent adventure as a member of the final mission to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. During the May flight, he conducted two spacewalks to work on the telescope and also became the first person to “tweet” from orbit, providing insights to his twitter account, @Astro_Mike, for a half-million followers. His visit home will be capped by throwing out the first pitch at the New York Mets game July 31, at which he will return the Shea Stadium home plate. During his visit, Massimino will be available for media interviews. Details of his appearances include:
Thursday, July 30
11 a.m. -- Massimino will be the keynote speaker at the Intrepid Museum’s summer youth leadership conference.
3 p.m. -- Massimino will visit the New York City Fire Museum to present an American flag flown to the Hubble telescope in honor of 9/11 firefighter victims and families. Massimino’s father was a New York Fire Department fire inspector.
Friday, July 31
10:30 a.m. -- Massimino will make an educational presentation at the New York Public Library.
1 p.m. -- Massimino will visit the New York Hall of Science Rocket Mini Golf Park to provide presentations to visitors and staff. At each appearance, Massimino will be available to sign autographs.
7:10 p.m. -- Massimino will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the New York Met’s game and return the Shea Stadium home plate. Prior to the game, he will be available for media interviews.
To schedule an interview or for more information about his appearances, contact Cassandra Miranda, 281-483-8618 or
[email protected].
Massimino’s hometown is Franklin Square, New York. He is married with two children and enjoys baseball, family activities, camping and coaching kids’ sports. He has a B.S. in industrial engineering from Columbia University, and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1996, he is a veteran of two space flights, logging a total of 571 hours and 47 minutes in space, including 30 hours, 4 minutes spacewalking.
For more about NASA and its programs, visit:
www.nasa.govFor complete biographical information on Massimino and other astronaut information, visit:
www.nasa.gov/astronauts
