By Marc S. Posner
SOAR Magazine

Like thousands of Americans, the crew of STS-126 wrapped up the Thanksgiving weekend with a couple of delays and a major diversion before finally returning home. Unlike typical holiday travelers, Endeavour covered more than six-and-a-half million miles and circled the globe 250 times.

Endeavour touched down on a 12,000-foot temporary runway in California’s Mojave Desert at 1:24 p.m. local time concluding a mission that featured an “extreme makeover” of the International Space Station. The mission also coincided with the 10th anniversary of the space station on Nov. 20.

Crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, were awakened at 4:55 a.m. EST by the Rocky Theme, “Gonna Fly Now,” performed by Bill Conti. It was for Ferguson.

“Happy wheel stop, Endeavour,” Capcom Alan Poindexter radioed to Ferguson. “That was a great way to end a fantastic flight, Fergie.”

“We’re happy to be here in California,” replied Ferguson.

NASA managers declined two landing opportunities in Florida and then determined that tomorrow’s weather prospects at Kennedy Space Center were also not likely to provide a return trip home. Having already extended the mission a day, NASA instead decided to send Endeavour to sunny Southern California, where the high-60s-degree weather was described as a dream.

“I think you made a good call,” STS-126 Commander Chris Ferguson told Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston as Endeavour’s crew observed Florida from space about a half hour prior to firing its rockets for 2 minutes, 54 seconds to slow Endeavor out of its orbit, beginning the fiery ride back home.

During the 16-day mission, the shuttle and station crews collaborated on the delivery of key life support and habitability systems that will enable long-term, self-sustaining station operations after the shuttle fleet is retired.

Endeavour arrived at the station Nov. 16, delivering equipment that will help allow the station to double its crew size to six. A second bathroom was also added to the space station as was new exercise equipment.

Four spacewalks were conducted to service and lubricate the complex’s two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints that allow the station’s photovoltaic cells to revolve like paddlewheels and point at the sun. The starboard joint has had limited use since September 2007. The spacewalkers also installed a new nitrogen tank, a global positioning system, antenna, and a camera on the station’s Integrated Truss Assembly.

In addition, the STS-126 astronauts delivered Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus, who replaced Chamitoff, who returned as a mission specialist for the return to Earth aboard Endeavour. Chamitoff spent more than six months aboard the station.

On Saturday, in preparation for landing, Endeavour’s crew tested the ship’s flight control surfaces and reaction control system thrusters. Both systems functioned well and are ready to support entry activities. After the checkout, Mission Specialist Don Pettit reported seeing an object drifting away from the orbiter. But, Flight Director Bryan Lunney said the object appears to have been a temperature/pressure label from the payload bay and does not present a risk to the vehicle.

The crew also deployed a small satellite designed to test space environment effects on new solar cell technologies. The Picosat satellite was deployed at 2:34 p.m. while the shuttle was over the southern Pacific Ocean. It will remain in orbit for several months.

Endeavour landed on Runway 04, a 12,000-foot long, 200-foot wide asphault strip that is both shorter and narrower than the primary runway, Runway 22, at Edwards Air Force Base. Runway 22 has been undergoing renovation and NASA opted against using it, even though it was technically ready.

STS-126 was the 124th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight to the station, the 22nd flight for Endeavour and the fourth flight in 2008.

By Marc S. Posner

SOAR Magazine

Space shuttle Endeavour is coming home to California this afternoon, as mission managers have given the go for the STS-126 Commander Chris Ferguson to fire the shuttle’s thrusters minutes from now, placing Endeavour on a return path to the Southern California desert for a 1:25 p.m. PDT landing.

“Endeavour, Houston. You are go for deorbit burn,” Capcom Alan Poindexter radioed to Ferguson, who will ignite the twin orbital maneuvering system thrusters at 12:19 p.m.

Flying the shuttle training craft over the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, astronaut Pam Melroy reported clear blue skies. Temperatures are projected to be 66 degrees at landing time.

The weather in Florida is so bad, even the crew recognized that landing there today wouldn’t be a good idea.

“I think you made a good call,” Ferguson told Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston as Endeavour’s crew observed Florida from space prior to the OK for deorbit burn. High crosswinds and thunderstorms were developing in Florida as a weather front approached the prime landing location at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

In California, Endeavour will be landing on a temporary runway, running parallel to the primary landing strip, Runway 22, which is closed for upgrades.

NASA is planning on bringing Endeavour home to Southern California, pressing for the first landing opportunity, at 1:25 p.m. PST.

Endeavour should cross the California coast near Santa Monica, providing its trademark double sonic boom to the greater Los Angeles area.

Mission managers have passed on both landing opportunities at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center today, meaning that Endeavour and her crew will either conclude STS-126 today in Southern California or spend another day in orbit.

There are two Sunday opportunities to land at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The first, on orbit 250, would see a deorbit burn at 12:20 p.m. PST, and a landing at 1:25 p.m. For the second, on orbit 251, the deorbit burn would be at 1:57 p.m. and the landing at 3 p.m. 

Weather conditions at Edwards would appear to be favorable for a landing today, according to AccuWeather. Winds, the most common concern at the desert landing strip, are projected to not be a factor until after the second landing opportunity.

Endeavour is winding up a mission that included more than 11 days at the International Space Station. It delivered equipment to help future expansion of the station crew from three to six persons. During four spacewalks, Endeavour astronauts cleaned, lubricated and installed new bearing assemblies in the starboard solar alpha rotary joint. The mission also took Expedition 18 flight engineer Sandra Magnus to the station and is bringing Greg Chamitoff home after six months in space.

It’s arrival day. The space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to dock with the International Space Station a little after 5 p.m. EST.

The seven members of shuttle Endeavour’s crew, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus, were awakened at 9:25 a.m. EST for rendezvous and docking day. The wakeup music was “Start Me Up” by the Rolling Stones.

The primary objective of the crew’s 15-day mission is to prepare the station to accommodate six members for long-duration stays. In addition, traveling with STS-126 is a new Expedition 18 crew member, astronaut Sandra Magnus, who will replace Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff.

Today’s major events include:

• Rendezvous with station
• Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver photography by the Expedition 18 crew
• Docking to Harmony/Pressurized Mating Adapter 2
• Hatch opening and welcome
• Crew exchange of Magnus for Chamitoff
• OBSS handoff from Canadarm2 to the shuttle robotic arm

NASA senior managers expressed their satisfaction with space shuttle Endeavour’s successful launch during a briefing after the liftoff of STS-126.

“It was a great launch and a great team,” said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin.

NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations William Gerstenmaier talked about the enormous volume of work the Kennedy Space Center team had to deal with to get Atlantis rolled back, Endeavour rolled around and readied for launch, in addition to handling the incoming Ares rocket segments for the upcoming test flight next year.

Gerstenmaier thanked the Kennedy team “for giving us such a great launch.” Even the moon cooperated by adding a beautiful backdrop to an awesome launch.

Mission Management Team Chair LeRoy Cain said, “We’re off to a great start on what’s going to be an extremely complex and challenging mission.”

NASA Launch Director Mike Leinbach remarked how pleased he is to celebrate Endeavour’s launch, although a minor issue arose during the last few minutes of the countdown. A door in the White Room was found to be unpinned, but after discussion with the launch team confirming that it would not affect the safety of the shuttle, the countdown resumed.

“It was a great count and I was very, very impressed with the launch team,” said Leinbach.

NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson commands the seven-member crew, which includes Pilot Eric Boe, Mission Specialists Donald Pettit, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Steve Bowen, Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus.

In Endeavour’s payload bay, the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo is packed full of about 14,500 pounds of equipment and supplies, making it one of the heaviest modules in shuttle history.

Also included in the payload, are additional sleeping quarters, a second toilet, an exercise device and other household-type equipment.

The prime objective of the 15-day mission is to prepare the International Space Station to accommodate six members for long-duration stays.

Four planned spacewalks will focus on servicing the station’s two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints, or SARJ, which are needed to track the sun for electric power.

Endeavour and its crew are set to land at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center after more than two weeks in space.

Liftoff of Endeavour remains on schedule for 7:55 p.m., EST, Friday. The weather forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of acceptable conditions and the launch team reports no technical issues.

The flight of space shuttle Endeavour includes several significant steps to install new crew equipment inside the International Space Station and service the solar array joints of the laboratory. During STS-126, the crew of space shuttle Endeavour and the space station will:

– Exchange crew members. Sandra Magnus will swap places with current station resident Greg Chamitoff.

– Conduct four spacewalks. Working in teams of two, astronauts will emerge from the space station’s Quest airlock and work on the two large joints that turn the station’s massive solar array “wings.” They are to service the starboard side joint and perform preventative maintenance on the port side joint.

– Install new crew quarters, a galley, waste water recycling system and oxygen generator inside the space station. The equipment has been packed inside refrigerator-sized racks that require forklifts to lift them on Earth. But in space, a single astronaut can move a rack around with little problem.

Endeavour and its crew are to land at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center after 15 days in space.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space shuttle Endeavour is set for launch on Friday for the STS-126 mission to the International Space Station. Commander Chris Ferguson and his six crewmates are scheduled to lift off at 7:55 p.m. EST.

Endeavour’s STS-126 flight will feature important repair work to the station and prepare it for housing six crew members during long-duration missions. The primary focus of the 15-day flight and its four planned spacewalks is to service the station’s two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints, which allow its solar arrays to track the sun. Endeavour will carry about 32,000 pounds to orbit, including supplies and equipment necessary to double the crew size from three to six members in spring 2009. The new station cargo includes additional sleeping quarters, a second toilet and a resistance exercise device.

Ferguson will be joined on STS-126 by Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Donald Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus. Magnus will replace space station crew member Greg Chamitoff, who has been aboard the station for more than five months. She will return to Earth during the next shuttle mission, STS-119, targeted to launch in February 2009.

The mission comes as Atlantis’ STS-125 Hubble Space Telescope servicing flight, originally set for last month, was put on hold when Tropical Storm Fay closed the Kennedy Space Center. Serendipitously, during that delay, a data recorder aboard the Hubble failed. Mission managers opted to push back Atlantis’ mission to allow for a spare part to be added to the repair checklist.

WASHINGTON — NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander has ceased communications after operating for more than five months. As anticipated, seasonal decline in sunshine at the robot’s arctic landing site is not providing enough sunlight for the solar arrays to collect the power necessary to charge batteries that operate the lander’s instruments.

Mission engineers last received a signal from the lander on Nov. 2. Phoenix, in addition to shorter daylight, has encountered a dustier sky, more clouds and colder temperatures as the northern Mars summer approaches autumn. The mission exceeded its planned operational life of three months to conduct and return science data.

The project team will be listening carefully during the next few weeks to hear if Phoenix revives and phones home. However, engineers now believe that is unlikely because of the worsening weather conditions on Mars. While the spacecraft’s work has ended, the analysis of data from the instruments is in its earliest stages.

“Phoenix has given us some surprises, and I’m confident we will be pulling more gems from this trove of data for years to come,” said Phoenix Principal Investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Launched Aug. 4, 2007, Phoenix landed May 25, 2008, farther north than any previous spacecraft to land on the Martian surface. The lander dug, scooped, baked, sniffed and tasted the Red Planet’s soil. Among early results, it verified the presence of water-ice in the Martian subsurface, which NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter first detected remotely in 2002. Phoenix’s cameras also returned more than 25,000 pictures from sweeping vistas to near the atomic level using the first atomic force microscope ever used outside Earth.

“Phoenix not only met the tremendous challenge of landing safely, it accomplished scientific investigations on 149 of its 152 Martian days as a result of dedicated work by a talented team,” said Phoenix Project Manager Barry Goldstein at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

Phoenix’s preliminary science accomplishments advance the goal of studying whether the Martian arctic environment has ever been favorable for microbes. Additional findings include documenting a mildly alkaline soil environment unlike any found by earlier Mars missions; finding small concentrations of salts that could be nutrients for life; discovering perchlorate salt, which has implications for ice and soil properties; and finding calcium carbonate, a marker of effects of liquid water.

Phoenix findings also support the goal of learning the history of water on Mars. These findings include excavating soil above the ice table, revealing at least two distinct types of ice deposits; observing snow descending from clouds; providing a mission-long weather record, with data on temperature, pressure, humidity and wind; observations of haze, clouds, frost and whirlwinds; and coordinating with NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to perform simultaneous ground and orbital observations of Martian weather.

“Phoenix provided an important step to spur the hope that we can show Mars was once habitable and possibly supported life,” said Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Phoenix was supported by orbiting NASA spacecraft providing communications relay while producing their own fascinating science. With the upcoming launch of the Mars Science Laboratory, the Mars Program never sleeps.”

The University of Arizona leads the Phoenix mission with project management at JPL and development partnership at Lockheed Martin Corporation in Denver. International contributions came from the Canadian Space Agency; the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland; the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus in Denmark; the Max Planck Institute in Germany; the Finnish Meteorological Institute; and Imperial College of London.