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Science 10 shuttle missions left: NASA sets launch dates for 2009 & 2010 flights
Science 10 shuttle missions left: NASA sets launch dates for 2009 & 2010 flights | 10 shuttle missions left: NASA sets launch dates for 2009 & 2010 flights |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Wednesday, 09 July 2008 | |
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Following what it calls a “detailed, integrated assessment” NASA selected the following target launch dates for its eight remaining space shuttle missions in 2009 and 2010, including two contingency missions. According to the NASA press release “NASA sets launch dates for remaining spce shuttle missions,” all target launch dates are “subject to change based on processing and other launch vehicle schedules” but “reflect the agency's commitment to complete assembly of the station and to retire the shuttle fleet as transition continues to the new launch vehicles, including Ares and Orion.” NASA already announced its 2008 plans to send space shuttle Atlantis (STS-125) to its servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope (launch date: October 8) and space shuttle Endeavour (STS-126/ULF-2) to supply the space station and service the Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJs) on the port and starboard end of the ISS truss backbone (launch date: November 10). The following are the remaining NASA shuttle flights for 2009 and 2010. SHUTTLE FLIGHTS IN 2009 February 12: space shuttle Discovery (STS-119 / 15A) “Discovery will kick off a five-flight 2009 with its 36th mission to deliver the final pair of U.S. solar arrays to be installed on the starboard end of the station's truss. The truss serves as the backbone support for external equipment and spare components, including the Mobile Base System. Lee Archambault will command the 14-day flight that will include four planned spacewalks. Joining him will be pilot Tony Antonelli and mission specialists John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Joseph Acaba, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata. Wakata will replace Sandy Magnus on the station as a flight engineer. STS-119 marks the 28th shuttle flight to the station.” May 15: space shuttle Endeavour (STS-127 / 2JA) “Endeavour sets sail on its 23rd mission with the Japanese Kibo Laboratory's Exposed Facility and Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section, the final permanent components of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's contribution to the station program. During the 15-day mission, Endeavour's crew will perform five spacewalks and deliver six new batteries for the P6 truss, a spare drive unit for the Mobile Transporter and a spare boom assembly for the Ku-band antenna. Mark Polansky will be Endeavour's commander with Doug Hurley as pilot. Mission specialists will be Christopher Cassidy, Tom Marshburn, Dave Wolf, Tim Kopra and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette. Kopra will become a station flight engineer replacing Koichi Wakata, who will return home with the STS-127 crew. It will be the 29th shuttle flight to the station.” July 30: space shuttle Atlantis (STS-128 / 17A) “Atlantis launches on its 31st flight, an 11-day mission carrying science and storage racks to the station. In the payload bay will be a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module holding science and storage racks. Three spacewalks are planned to remove and replace a materials processing experiment outside the European Space Agency's Columbus module and return an empty ammonia tank assembly. The mission includes the rotation of astronaut Nicole Stott for Tim Kopra, who will return to Earth with the shuttle crew. The remaining crew members have yet to be named. STS-128 marks the 30th shuttle flight dedicated to station assembly and outfitting.” October 15: space shuttle Discovery (STS-129 / ULF-3) "Discovery’s 37th mission will focus on staging spare components outside the station. The 15-day flight includes at least three spacewalks. The payload bay will carry two large External Logistics Carriers holding two spare gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly, a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm, a spare trailing umbilical system for the Mobile Transporter and a high-pressure gas tank. Canadian Space Agency astronaut Bob Thirsk will return home aboard Discovery with its crew, which has yet to be named. STS-129 marks the 31st shuttle mission devoted to station assembly.” December 10: space shuttle Endeavour (STS-130 / 20A) “Endeavour will close 2009 with its 24th mission to deliver the final connecting node, Node 3, and the Cupola, a robotic control station with six windows around its sides and another in the center that provides a 360-degree view around the station. At least three spacewalks are planned during the 11-day mission. The 32nd station assembly mission by a shuttle does not yet have a crew named.” The second page talks about the flights in 2010 and other possibilities. |
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