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STS-118

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STS-118
COSPAR ID2007-035A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.32008Edit this on Wikidata
Crew
Members7
End of mission
File:STS-118 Crew patch.png File:Sts-118crewdrew.jpg

STS-118 is a current Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station, being flown by the Space Shuttle Endeavour. STS-118 successfully lifted off on August 8, 2007 from launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

It is the first flight of Endeavour since STS-113 in November 2002, the last successful Space Shuttle flight before the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-107. STS-118 pilot, Charles Hobaugh was the entry team CAPCOM for STS-107. The completion of the mission will leave twelve flights remaining in the Space Shuttle program until its end in 2010, excluding two as-yet-unconfirmed Contingency Logistic Flights.

The mission also marks the first flight of an Educator Astronaut, the successor program to NASA's Teacher in Space Project which ended when the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after lift-off during STS-51-L.

STS-118 commander Scott Kelly's twin brother Mark Kelly was pilot on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121 after the loss of Columbia on February 1, 2003.

Crew

Number in parentheses indicates number of space flights by each individual prior to, and including, this mission.

Crew notes

Astronaut Clayton Anderson originally was slated to be launched to the ISS on this mission, but was moved to STS-117. His replacement is Al Drew.[1]

Prior to the Columbia disaster, the inital crew manifest for STS-118 was:

  • Scott Kelly - Commander
  • Charlie Hobaugh - Pilot
  • Scott E. Parazynski - Mission Specialist
  • Dave Williams - Mission Specialist  Canada CSA
  • Lisa Nowak - Mission Specialist
  • Barbara Morgan - Mission Specialist

Mission parameters

Mission payloads

Computer-generated artist's rendering of the International Space Station after flight STS-118/13A.1. (August 2006/NASA)

The STS-118 mission will deliver and assemble the starboard S5 truss segment to the International Space Station, as well as External Stowage Platform 3, and a replacement Control Moment Gyroscope (CMG). The mission also will carry the Spacehab (Logistics Single Module).

STS-118 will be the final flight to include the Spacehab module, a pressurized aluminum habitat that is carried inside the cargo bay. The Spacehab has a capacity of 6,000 pounds, and will carry a variety of cargo and research projects, including supply materials for the ISS. The Spacehab will return with approximately 3,000 pounds of cargo, including the MISSE PEC, a Department of Defense payload that had been installed on the ISS. Launched in July 2006, the MISSE PEC contains over 850 materials specimens that will be studied after long-term exposure to the environment of space.

Mission background

Space Shuttle Endeavour arrives at launch pad 39A.

The mission was originally scheduled to be flown by Columbia; STS-118 would have marked that orbiter's 29th flight and its first visit to the International Space Station. It was rescheduled for Endeavour and this mission will also serve as Endeavour's return to flight after being grounded for re-fit and maintenance.

The mission will feature mission specialist Barbara Morgan as the first Educator Mission Specialist. Morgan trained as the backup to Christa McAuliffe, NASA's Teacher in Space candidate in 1986, who was killed in the space shuttle Challenger accident. While McAuliffe and Morgan were classified as spaceflight participants and not as mission specialists in 1986, after the Teacher in Space Project was canceled, Morgan applied and was accepted into the NASA Astronaut Corps as NASA's first Educator Astronaut. Morgan will become the first teacher in space on STS-118, and will share what she learns from the experience with students during and after her flight.

As a result of Endeavour's planned refit, STS-118 will mark the debut of an upgraded power-distribution module, the Station-Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS). SSPTS allows Endeavour to operate from ISS power supply, converting up to eight kilowatts (8 kW) of electrical power from 120-volts direct-current (120VDC) ISS main voltage to the 28VDC system used by the Shuttle Orbiter. SSPTS was outfitted to the ISS Pressurized Mating Adapter-2 (PMA2) during STS-116. These upgrades should allow orbiters to remain docked at the station for an additional three to four days during each of the remaining Shuttle missions.[2][3][4]

From top to bottom: Orbiter docking system, Spacehab, S5 truss, ESP-3. The CMG is the globe bottom left.

Endeavour (OV-105) was moved from the Orbiter Processing Facility, bay OPF-2 to the Vehicle Assembly Building on July 2.[5] On July 10, Endeavour moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A. Moving at less than one mile per hour atop the crawler-transporter, the move began at 8:10 p.m. EDT, and was "hard down" (secured in place at the pad) at 3:02 a.m. EDT, July 11.

The crew completed the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test on July 19, and the Flight Readiness Review meetings were held on July 25 and 26, after which NASA managers declared STS-118 a "go" for launch.[6] The launch was delayed one day to repair a valve in the shuttle's crew cabin pressurization system.[7]

Commander Kelly and the crew arrived at Kennedy Space Center on Friday, August 3, for final launch preparations. The countdown clock began at 8:00 p.m. EDT Sunday, August 5, for the launch at 6:36 p.m. EDT August 8.

The mission marks:

  • 150th manned US space launch
  • 119th Space Shuttle flight
  • 20th flight of Endeavour
  • 94th Post-Challenger mission
  • 6th Post-Columbia mission
  • First flight with SSPTS

Mission timeline

8 August - (Flight day 1, Launch)

Launch of STS-118

Fueling of the external tank began at 8:11 a.m. EDT (12:11 UTC) and finished around 11:00 a.m. EDT. The ice team began their inspection of the orbiter to ensure no ice was on the orbiter or any of the fuel tanks, unlikely due to the unusually warm conditions as launch time approached. Their inspection lasted about 40 minutes shorter than the usual two hours. Launch occurred at 6:36:42 PM EDT (22:36:42 UTC). All systems were reported to be working well. The crew departed for the Operations & Checkout (O&C) building, for the launch pad at 2:46 p.m. EDT (18:46 UTC), and arrived at the pad at 3:02 p.m. EDT (19:02 UTC).

Countdown and launch notes:

  • The Ice Team members discovered a small crack in the foam surrounding the external fuel tank during their pre-flight examination. After a review by the Mission Management Team, it was concluded that there was no debris issue regarding the crack, and the tank was safe to fly.
  • A problem with the switches associated with the crew hatch required a second and third hatch closure attempt. Hatch closure was completed and verified at 5:23 p.m. EDT (21:23 UTC).
  • The high-definition video camera used to inspect the shuttle from Kennedy Space Center during launch failed prior to liftoff. The launch team decided that the cameras on the external tank and the orbiter would be sufficient for observations, and went on to launch without it.
  • Launch Director Mike Leinbach conducted his T-9 poll, and declared Endeavour a "go" for launch at 6:26 p.m. EDT (22:26 UTC).
  • Liftoff occurred at 6:36:42 p.m. EDT. (22:36:42 UTC)
  • Solid Rocket Boosters successfully separated at 6:39 p.m. EDT (22:39 UTC).
  • Main Engine Cutoff occurred at 6:45:30 p.m. EDT (22:45:30 UTC)
  • External Tank separation occurred at 6:45:45 p.m. EDT (22:45:45 UTC)

The primary TAL site was Zaragoza Airport in Spain.

Following the procedures for post-ascent, the crew opened the payload bay doors, activated the Spacehab, powered up the Remote Manipulator System, and performed a variety of other payload activation procedures, before entering their scheduled sleep shift at 04:36 a.m. UTC (12:36 a.m. EDT) August 9, 2007.

9 August - (Flight day 2)

The shuttle crew spent most of the day inspecting the outer hull and the heat shield. During the mission status briefing, Deputy Shuttle Program Manager (and Mission Management Team chairman) John Shannon reported that during launch, approximately nine pieces of foam were observed breaking off the external fuel tanks. Three of these struck the shuttle. All three strikes are considered to be minor in nature.[8]

10 August - (Flight day 3)

Endeavour successfully docked with the International Space Station at 18:02 UTC (2:02 p.m. EDT). Approximately an hour before docking, Endeavour performed the one-degree-per-second backflip, called the Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver (RPM), so the ISS crew members could take digital pictures of the heat shield of the orbiter. The images are then analyzed by NASA's Image Analysis Team, as well as the Mission Management Team to help determine the safety of the orbiter's heat shield. Following a series of leak checks, the hatches were opened at 20:04 UTC (4:04 p.m. EDT), and the Expedition 15 crew welcomed the STS-118 crew aboard the station.

After preliminary review of the photos taken by the Expedition 15 crew during the RPM, an area of interest was discovered on the belly of the Shuttle; an area behind the right landing gear door covered with black silica tiles.[9] The tile directly aft of the door had a 3 inches square gouge in it. NASA noted in the press conference that launch-time video did confirm a strike, and the initial assumption was that ice broke off during launch. This area is less critical than the leading-edge reinforced carbon-carbon tiles that were damaged in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, but it is still something the Mission Management Team would take a close look at. A focused inspection was scheduled for Sunday. After this inspection it will be determined if a patch attempt will be undertaken by the astronauts during an EVA. [10]

The crew activated the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS) after docking.[11] SSPTS transfers electrical power from the station to the shuttle, allowing the shuttle to conserve its own power generating resources. Extension of the STS-118 from 11 to 14 days is dependent on proper operation of SSPTS.

11 August (Flight day 4)

At 21:45 (UTC), Rick Mastracchio and Dave Williams completed the first EVA of the mission, installing the S5 truss to the station, increasing the total weight of the ISS to 513,000 lbs. The EVA duration was 6 hours and 17 minutes, and all objectives were successfully completed.

During the Mission Status press conference, Lead ISS Flight Director Joel Montalbano reported that the SSPTS was working well, and the recommendation to the Mission Management Team will be to extend the mission to the planned 14-day mission.

Mission Management Team chair John Shannon reported after additional analysis, it appeared that a piece of foam came off the external tank in the area of the tank's feed line, and bounced off a nearby strut, resulting in a hit to the orbiter's underside. An almost identical section of foam was lost on STS-115, but did not strike the orbiter. John reported after further review of photos taken on flight day three, they do not feel the damage went all the way through the tile, but focused inspection is still planned for flight day five, and decisions would not be made until more information is obtained. Five specific areas will be inspected during focused inspection, and with the data gathered, thermal testing can be done to determine what actions, if any, need to be taken.

Overall, John Shannon classified the foam loss as a "concern", but only with regards to the history that the specific area has with regards to foam loss in past missions. Shannon reported that analysis would be complete by Tuesday at the latest.

John Shannon also reported that the possible protruding gap filler noticed on fight day 3, was reviewed further, and was determined to be what is called "shim stock", which will burn off in the upper atmosphere, and poses no issues for re-entry.

Planned mission timeline

Taken from: STS-118 Press Kit[12]

Flight Day 5: Canadarm2 Grapple of Boom Sensor System for Focused Inspection • Focused Inspection of Endeavour’s Thermal Heat Shield • Cargo Transfer Operations • EVA 2 Campout (Mastracchio and Williams) • Perform EPO Kit‐C video

Flight Day 6: EVA 2 (Mastracchio and Williams; Control Moment Gyroscope‐3 Replacement on Z1 Truss) • Deactivate External Stowage Platform‐3 (ESP‐3) Power Connection • Cargo Transfer Operations

Flight Day 7: External Stowage Platform‐3 Unberth from Endeavour’s Payload Bay and Installation on P3 Truss • Destiny Lab Window Scratch Pane Replacement • Cargo Transfer Operations • Educational Event • U.S. PAO Event • EVA 3 Campout (Mastracchio and Anderson)

Flight Day 8: EVA 3 (Mastracchio and Anderson; P6 S‐Band Antenna Subassembly Relocation to P1 Truss, P1 Truss Baseband Signal Processor and transponder Installation, Canadarm2 relocation of two Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) carts to starboard truss for P6 Relocation clearance, retrieve the P6 transponder, engage the gimbal locks on the Z1 S‐band Antenna Subassembly, retrieve Materials on the International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) 3 and 4 payload packages) • Cargo Transfer Operations

11 Day mission

Flight Day 9: Final Cargo Transfers • Joint Crew News Conference • Crew Off Duty Period • Farewells and Hatch Closure

Flight Day 10: Final SSPTS Deactivation (for an 11‐day mission) • Undocking from the International Space Station and Flyaround • Final Separation Maneuver • Late Inspection of Endeavour’s Wings and Nose Cap

Flight Day 11: Cabin Stowage • Flight Control System Checkout • Reaction Control System Hot‐Fire Test • Deorbit Procedures Review • Ku‐Band Antenna Stowage • Crew Off Duty Period • Canadian Space Agency PAO Event • U.S. PAO Event

Flight Day 12: Deorbit Preparations • Payload Bay Door Closing • KSC Landing

14 Day mission

Flight Day 9: Cargo Transfer Operations • Joint Crew News Conference • Crew Off Duty Period • EVA 4 Campout (Williams and Anderson) • Educational Event

Flight Day 10 • EVA 4 (Williams and Anderson; Secure Lab1 C2‐03 and Nod1 C2‐02 MMOD Shields, verify integrity of remaining P6 radiator push in pull (PiP) pins along translation paths, install EWIS antennas (2) on Lab, install OBSS berthing support equipment on S1 Truss zenith trunnions, install wireless TV equipment on S3 Camera Port 1, other get‐ahead tasks) • Perform Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization (CEVIS) Remove and Replace • Perform Treadmill Vibration Isolation System (TVIS) Skirt Remove and Replace

Flight Day 11: Cargo Transfer Operations • Perform DAUI Troubleshooting and Replace (if necessary) • U.S. PAO Event • Educational Event

Flight Day 12: Final Cargo Transfers • Crew Off Duty Period • Educational Event • Farewells and Hatch Closure

Flight Day 13: Final SSPTS Deactivation • Undocking from the International Space Station and Flyaround • Final Separation Maneuver • Late Inspection of Endeavour’s Wings and Nose Cap

Flight Day 14: Cabin Stowage • Flight Control System Checkout • Reaction Control System Hot‐Fire Test • Stow Cabin and Prepare Spacehab for Entry • Deorbit Procedures Review • Ku‐Band Antenna Stowage • Crew Off Duty Period • Canadian Space Agency PAO Event

Flight Day 15: Deorbit Preparations • Payload Bay Door Closing • Deorbit Burn • KSC Landing

Scheduled EVAs

See also: Extra-vehicular activity
Spacewalkers Start End Duration Mission
EVA1 Rick Mastracchio
Dave Williams 		16:28 UTC (12:28 p.m. EDT) 22:45 UTC 6 hours, 17 minutes S5 Installation, P6 Radiator retraction and cinch.
EVA2 Rick Mastracchio
Dave Williams 		TBD TBD Estimated: 6 hours, 30 minutes Failed CMG removal; new CMG installation.
EVA3 Rick Mastracchio
Clayton Anderson 		TBD TBD Estimated: 6 hours, 30 minutes SASA relocation; CETA Cart relocation; MISSE retrieval; P6 Transponder retrieval.
EVA4 Dave Williams
Clayton Anderson 		TBD TBD Estimated: 6 hours, 30 minutes OBSS Boom Stand Install; GPS Antenna (#4) removal; EWIS Antenna Install; WETA Antenna Install; MMOD Clean-up. Will be scheduled if the station to shuttle power system works

Wake-up calls

A tradition for NASA spaceflights since the days of Gemini, mission crews are played a special musical track at the start of each day in space. Each track is specially chosen, often by their family, and usually has special meaning to an individual member of the crew, or is applicable to their daily activities.[13]

Contingency planning

STS-320

STS-320 is the designation given to the Contingency Shuttle Crew Support mission which would be launched in the event Space Shuttle Endeavour becomes disabled during STS-118. It would be a modified version of the STS-120 mission, which would involve the launch date being brought forward. If it is needed, it would be launched no earlier than September 22, 2007. The crew for this mission would be a four-person subset of the full STS-120 crew.

See also

Wikinews has related news:

References

  1. ^ ""STS-118: Endeavour"". Space and Astronautics News. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  2. ^ "Vehicle Upgrades: Station-Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS)". Return to Flight. Boeing: Integrated Defense Systems. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  3. ^ Johnson Space Center (October 26, 2003). "NASA Presolicitation Notice: Station-Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS)". NASA. Retrieved 2007-07-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "NASA's Space Shuttle Processing Status Report: S05-034" (Press release). NASA. 2 December 2005. Retrieved 2007-07-11. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ Halvorson, Todd (January 25, 2007). "Endeavour prepped for return to flight". FloridaToday.com. Retrieved 2007-07-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "NASA Gives 'Go' for Shuttle Endeavour Launch on Aug. 7" (Press release). NASA. 2007-07-26. Retrieved 2007-08-09. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ Harwood, William (August 3, 2007). "Shuttle launch postponed; Crew flies to Cape". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 2007-08-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Liz Austin Peterson. Shuttle Endeavour Nearing Space Station. Washington Post. 10 August 2007. [1]
  9. ^ Thermal protection system explains the different kinds of tiles.
  10. ^ Harwood, William (2007-08-11). "Mission status briefing; tank appears to have performed well". CBS News. Retrieved 2007-08-11. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  11. ^ "STS-118 MCC Status Report #05". NASA.
  12. ^ "STS-118 Press Kit" (PDF). NASA. July 2007. pp. p. 13. Retrieved 2007-08-09. {{cite web}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  13. ^ Fries, Colin (2006-07-18). "Chronology of Wakeup calls" (PDF). NASA. p. 62. Retrieved 2006-12-16.
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