By TonyF on 14 October 2008 at 10:58PM
The Russian Soyuz spacecraft, with the next Space Station crew aboard, has docked with the ISS. Joining them is computer game mogul Richard Garriott, who will be returning home next week with the departing Expedition 17 crew. His dad is Skylab and Shuttle veteran Owen Garriott. Richard isn't the first guy to follow his father's footsteps into space, though - that would be Sergei Volkov (son of Alexander) who is in charge of the ISS now. NASA reports:
Image above: The crew members of Expeditions 17 and 18 participate in an interview aboard the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA TV
Commander Edward Michael "Mike" Fincke and Flight Engineer Yury Valentinovich Lonchakov of the 18th International Space Station crew docked their Soyuz TMA-13 to the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module at 4:26 a.m. EDT Tuesday.
Hatches between the two spacecraft were opened at 5:55 a.m. A welcome ceremony and a safety briefing for the new arrivals followed.
The new crew launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3:01 a.m. EDT Sunday to begin a six-month stay in space.
With Fincke, an Air Force colonel, and Lonchakov, a colonel in the Russian Air Force, is spaceflight participant Richard Garriott, flying under contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency.
Garriott will return to Earth with Expedition 17 crew members, Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko, in their Soyuz TMA-12 on Oct. 23. Expedition 17 launched to the station April 8.
Aboard the station to welcome Expedition 18 crew members was the Expedition 17 crew, including astronaut Gregory E. Chamitoff. He launched to the station on the STS-124 mission of Discovery May 31. He joined Expedition 17 in progress and will provide Expedition 18 with an experienced flight engineer for the first part of its increment.
Fincke, 41, is making his second long-duration flight on the station. He is a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holds master's degrees from Stanford University and the University of Houston, Clear Lake.
He served as an Air Force flight test engineer. He was selected by NASA in 1996. He was commander of the second NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO 2), working seven days on the seafloor off Florida in May 2002. He served as a flight engineer on station Expedition 9 from April to October 2004.
Lonchakov, 43, is a graduate of the Orenburg Air Force Pilot School and the Zhukovski Air Force Academy. He is a class 1 air force pilot. He has more than 1,400 hours of flight time. He also is a paratroop training instructor with 526 jumps.
He was selected as a test cosmonaut candidate in late 1997. He has flown two previous space missions, STS-100 to the station in April 2001 and a Soyuz delivery flight to the station in October and November 2002.
Astronaut Sandra H. Magnus is scheduled to fly to the station on STS-126 to replace Chamitoff as a flight engineer on E18. Magnus, 43, will be replaced near the end of Expedition 18 by Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, who will launch on Discovery on the STS-119 mission. Magnus holds bachelor's and master's degrees in physics from the University of Missouri-Rolla and a Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology.
She was selected as an astronaut in 1996. Magnus will be making her second spaceflight. She flew as a mission specialist on STS-112 in October 2002.
News video here. Expedition 18 pics are up at the JSC Gallery. Video clips here. Discussion here. News resources here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.
By TonyF on 14 June 2008 at 12:15PM
Shuttle Discovery returned to Florida today from a successful two-week mission to the ISS. NASA reports:
Image above: Space shuttle Discovery lands at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Photo credit: NASA TV
Space shuttle Discovery glided through a clear Florida sky this morning before touching down safely at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 11:15 a.m. EDT. With Commander Mark Kelly at the controls, the shuttle ended two weeks in space that saw the crew install the large Japanese Pressurized Module on the International Space Station. The 36-foot-long cylinder is the largest habitable module on the space station.
Kelly, Pilot Ken Ham and Mission Specialists Karen Nyberg, Ron Garan, Mike Fossum, Greg Chamitoff and Japan's Akihiko Hoshide launched from Kennedy on May 31. Chamitoff remained on the International Space Station for a six-month mission in space. He replaces Garrett Reisman, who came back with Discovery's crew.
The crew will remain inside Discovery for about an hour, going through a number of procedures so ground crews can move in and ready the shuttle for its slow trip to its processing hangar.
Image above: Space shuttle Discovery jettisons its drag chute as it rolls down the runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Discovery landed on-time at 11:15 a.m. EDT to end the STS-124 mission. Image credit: NASA
Landed: Sat., June 14, 2008, 11:15 a.m. EDT
Landing Site: Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
Mission Elapsed Time: 13 days, 18 hours, 13 minutes, 7 secs
Official Landing Times
Main gear touchdown: 11:15:19 a.m. EDT
Nose gear touchdown: 11:15:30 a.m. EDT
Wheels stop: 11:16:19 a.m. EDT
Total miles: 5.7 million
Live chat at Bad Astronomy. Discussions at Nasaspaceflight. Official NASA landing blog here.
Landing video here. Landing pics at KSC. Discussion here. Status Report #29 here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.
By TonyF on 14 June 2008 at 11:42AM
"Discovery ... wrapping up a 5.7-million-mile mission to further expand the global city in space."
Discovery glided home through sunny Florida skies. Fox News was covering the landing live with former astronaut Thomas Jones. NASA reports:
Image above: Space shuttle Discovery lands at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Photo credit: NASA
› Share your comments about the mission
With Commander Mark Kelly and Pilot Ken Ham at the controls, space shuttle Discovery descended to a smooth landing at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The STS-124 crew concluded their successful assembly mission to the International Space Station when the shuttle landed at 11:15 a.m. EDT.
The STS-124 crew arrived at the station June 2, delivering the second component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory and a new Expedition 17 crew member – Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff – to the station. Chamitoff took the place of Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who is returning to Earth as a member of the Discovery crew.
STS-124 is the 123rd shuttle mission and 26th shuttle flight to visit the space station.
Live chat at Bad Astronomy. Discussions at Nasaspaceflight. Official NASA landing blog here.
Deorbit burn video here. Landing video here. Look for landing pics and video at KSC. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.
By TonyF on 14 June 2008 at 10:58AM
Discovery has fired her OMS engines and is headed for a landing at KSC's Runway 15. NASA reports:
Image above: A graphic representation of space shuttle Discovery's re-entry path. Photo credit: NASA
› Share your comments about the mission
Commander Mark Kelly performed the deorbit burn at 10:10 a.m. EDT to begin space shuttle Discovery's descent to Kennedy Space Center for landing. Discovery is expected to land at 11:15 a.m. on runway 15 at the shuttle landing facility.
The STS-124 crew arrived at the International Space Station June 2, delivering the second component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory and a new Expedition 17 crew member – Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff – to the station. Chamitoff took the place of Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who is returning to Earth as a member of the Discovery crew.
STS-124 is the 123rd shuttle mission and 26th shuttle flight to visit the space station.
Live chat at Bad Astronomy. Discussions at Nasaspaceflight. Official NASA landing blog here.
Mission pics from Florida Today and CF13News. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.
By TonyF on 14 June 2008 at 8:52AM
Flight Day 15 should be Homecoming Day for the seven astronauts of Discovery's crew, now including Garrett Reisman. Weather at KSC is looking good. The payload bay doors are closed, and deorbit burn is scheduled for 10:10AM EDT. NASA reports:
Image above: This image displays the long-range ground track for Discovery's first landing opportunity tomorrow at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Image credit: NASA
› Share your comments about the mission
Two landing opportunities are available for space shuttle Discovery and the STS-124 crew to return to Earth today.
Discovery's first landing opportunity is at 11:15 a.m. EDT on orbit 217. If controllers elect to take it, Commander Mark Kelly will perform the deorbit burn at 10:10 a.m. to begin the descent to Kennedy. Orbit 218 provides a second opportunity at 12:50 p.m.
Forecasters predict good weather at the landing site.
The STS-124 crew arrived at the station June 2, delivering the second component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory and a new Expedition 17 crew member – Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff – to the station. Chamitoff took the place of Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who is returning to Earth as a member of the Discovery crew.
STS-124 is the 123rd shuttle mission and 26th shuttle flight to visit the space station.
STS-124 Mission Information
› STS-124 Landing Ground Tracks
› STS-124 Mission TV Schedule
› STS-124 Execute Packages
› STS-124 Mission Summary (539 Kb PDF)
› STS-124 Press Kit (7 Mb PDF)
› Meet the Crew
Live chat at Bad Astronomy. Discussions at Nasaspaceflight. Official NASA landing blog here.
Flight Day 14 Highlights and Mission Status Briefing are up at Space Multimedia. Flight Day 12 images and Flight Day 14 videos are up at the JSC Gallery. Lotsa Youtube goodness at Space Get. Status Report #28 here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.
By TonyF on 13 June 2008 at 8:11AM
With their mission at the ISS wrapped up and the orbiter inspected, Discovery's crew is getting ready to come home tomorrow morning. NASA reports:
Image above: Space shuttle Discovery is pictured from the International Space Station shortly after undocking. The shuttle's robotic arm with the orbiter boom sensor system extends over its empty payload bay. Photo credit: NASA
› Share your comments about the mission
The crew members of space shuttle Discovery are spending today getting ready for their return home and the end of the STS-124 mission. Among the preparations is a test of the thrusters that will be used to position the orbiter for re-entry and the control surfaces for its flight through the atmosphere.
The STS-124 astronauts also will set up the recumbent seat for Mission Specialist Garrett Reisman, who joined the crew of Discovery on the International Space Station. Reisman, who served as Expedition 17 flight engineer for three months, was replaced on the station crew by NASA astronaut Greg Chamitoff.
STS-124 arrived at the station June 2, delivering the Japanese Pressurized Module (JPM), the second and largest component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory. The tour bus-sized JPM was attached to the left side of the Harmony connecting node by shuttle and station crew members during a series of three spacewalks.
Discovery is scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., tomorrow.
STS-124 Mission Information
› STS-124 Landing Ground Tracks
› STS-124 Mission TV Schedule
› STS-124 Execute Packages
› STS-124 Mission Summary (539 Kb PDF)
› STS-124 Press Kit (7 Mb PDF)
› Meet the Crew
Flight Day 13 Highlights and Mission Status Briefing are up at Space Multimedia. Flight Day 13 videos are up at the JSC Gallery. Watch KSC for landing pics. Discussion here. Status Report #26 here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.
By TonyF on 9 June 2008 at 8:14AM
With the third spacewalk in the books, Discovery's astronauts are continuing their work with the ISS crew. Monday will see a workout of the Japanese robotic arm (the first of two) on the Kibo lab. NASA reports:
Image above: The STS-124 and Expedition 17 crews have their group portrait taken inside the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory. Photo credit: NASA TV
With the third and final spacewalk completed Sunday, the Expedition 17 and STS-124 crews are heading into the home stretch of their joint mission.
The crew members will maneuver the newly activated robotic arm on the Kibo laboratory to its stowed position today. They also will perform a checkout of the arm’s brakes.
The crews also will work in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station to replace battery charger modules. The modules charge the batteries that provide power to U.S. spacesuits during spacewalks. Flight managers elected to replace the modules, which have shown slightly increased toxicity levels due to their age.
The shuttle and station crews are scheduled to take a break from their activities at 5:02 p.m. EDT for the traditional joint crew news conference.
Flight Day 9 Highlights video here. EVA #3 video highlights here. Flight Day 9 videos are up at the JSC Gallery. More pics and video at KSC. Discussion here. Status Report #18 here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.
By TonyF on 8 June 2008 at 11:20AM
Discovery's third (and what should be final) spacewalk of this mission started 37 minutes ahead of schedule, with the EVA team leaving the airlock at 9:37AM EDT. NASA reports:
Image above: STS-124 Mission Specialist Ron Garan exits the Quest airlock at the start of the mission's third spacewalk. Photo credit: NASA TV
Spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan left the International Space Station’s Quest airlock at 9:55 a.m. EDT. STS-124 Commander Mark Kelly helped the spacewalkers get ready for the 6.5-hour excursion.
During the two previous spacewalks Fossum and Garan outfitted Japan’s Kibo module and did station maintenance tasks. Today, they are replacing a nitrogen tank assembly, installing TV equipment and removing a thermal cover from Japan’s new robotic arm.
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide has activated Kibo’s robotic arm monitor for camera support as the spacewalkers work outside the station. Hoshide and Mission Specialist Karen Nyberg are assisting Fossum and Garan with Canadarm2, the station’s main robotic arm.
After the spacewalk, Hoshide and Nyberg will continue outfitting the vestibule inside Kibo’s pressurized logistics module. They also will deploy and maneuver Japan’s robotic arm to its stowed position.
New Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff and his predecessor, Mission Specialist Garrett Reisman, continue handover activities. Reisman, who has been on the station since March and is now a member of the STS-124 crew, will go home on space shuttle Discovery completing a three-month stay in space.
Follow the action with video and chat at Justin.TV. Flight Day 8 Highlights here. Flight Day 8 pics and video are up at the JSC Gallery. More pics and video at KSC. Discussion here. Status Report #16 here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.
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