Space Shuttle Endeavour Glides Home After Successful Mission

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew of seven astronauts ended a 16-day journey of more than 6.5 million miles with a 10:48 a.m. EDT landing Friday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During the flight, Endeavour delivered the final piece of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and a new crew member to the International Space Station.
Endeavour's mission included five spacewalks and installation of two platforms outside the Japanese module. One platform remained on the station and serves as a type of porch for experiments that require direct exposure to space. The other was an experiment storage pallet that returned aboard the shuttle. During the mission, Kibo's robotic arm transferred three experiments from the palette to the platform. The station now is 83 percent complete and has a mass of more than 685,000 pounds.
Mark Polansky commanded the flight and was joined by Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Christopher Cassidy, Tom Marshburn, Dave Wolf, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette and Tim Kopra. Kopra remained aboard the station, replacing Flight Engineer and Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, who returned to Earth on Endeavour after more than four months on the station.
When Endeavour's seven astronauts joined the six resident Expedition 20 crew members aboard the space station, a record number of 13 people were aboard the orbiting laboratory. All five partner agencies were represented.
A welcome ceremony for the crew's return to Houston will be held at Ellington Field's NASA Hangar 990 at 5 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 1. The public is invited to attend. The crew's return will be broadcast on NASA Television's video file Monday.
With Endeavor and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the launch of STS-128, which is targeted for Aug. 25. Discovery's 13-day flight will deliver a new crew member and 33,000 pounds of equipment to the station. The equipment includes science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill.

For more about the STS-127 mission and the upcoming STS-128 flight, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

Source: http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/jul/HQ_09_179_Shuttle_landing_success.html

First Moon Landing 1969

I was 3 years old back then but only seeing this 40 years later. I believe 100% in this miraculous achievement - the negative theories do not bother me.

This is undoubtedly a GIANT LEAP for mankind! NASA, may you'll grow from strength to strength in your space exploration ENDEAVOURS.

Endeavour, STS-127 Crew Begin Complex Mission

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:00:01 PM UTC+1200

Endeavour is safely in orbit. Its 16-day mission includes 5 spacewalks and will complete the station's Japanese module.

Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew of seven astronauts are in orbit after an on-time launch at 6:03 p.m. EDT from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Following a smooth countdown with no technical issues and weather that steadily improved throughout the afternoon, the shuttle lifted off from Launch Pad 39A and began its orbital chase of the International Space Station.

"It was a testimony for this entire launch and flight control team," Launch Director Pete Nickolenko said of the countdown and successful liftoff, which came on the sixth launch attempt after technical issues and weather concerns prevented the first five tries. "It was an outstanding effort, and it made the complex look really easy. It really was a case of persistence."

Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations, also commended the launch effort, but cautioned that the mission to come is "very challenging," with five spacewalks and robotic activities scheduled. "The teams are fully prepared -- they're ready to go do what they need to go do, and we look forward to the exciting activities as we install the Exposed Facility out on the Kibo module."

NASA Build more Space Stations!!!

I know that everything happens for a good reason, nevertheless, I am getting a little impatient with all the sts-127 mis-launches. I can't imagine how the sts_127 crew and their families must be feeling. God give you strength!

I have a suggestion, to avoid future launch delays, why can't NASA construct an Obama Space Centre in Central Australia or Africa?
It will be well-worth the money spent and we can have multiple launches and missions to speed up our space-explorations. I know that we have made major advances and space discoveries in the recent decades but let's start speeding things up a bit and make it easier for our children's children.

I believe that NASA needs to spread its wings and embrace our entire planet Earth first in order to make extra-ordinary breakthroughs in Space.

I do pray we have a successful launch in 22 hours 30 minutes time...all through the Grace of GOD! Room 8 is waiting anxioulsy for our space questions to be answered from space, live on NASA TV.

Good luck and God Speed sts-127
Mrs Kree Raman

Endeavour Launch Rescheduled for Wednesday

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:41:26 PM UTC+1200


Liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour on the STS-127 mission has been rescheduled for Wednesday, July 15 at 6:03 p.m. EDT.

Monday's attempt was canceled due to poor weather conditions within the launch area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Anvil clouds and storm cells containing lightning flared up toward the end of the countdown, violating stringent launch safety rules.

"Technically, we've been really clean the last two days with our vehicle," Launch Integration Manager Mike Moses said of Endeavour's launch attempts on Sunday and Monday. "It's just been the weather scenario that got us."

The outlook is better on Wednesday, with only a 40 percent chance of weather conditions prohibiting liftoff.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

STS-127 Countdown in Final Planned Hold

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:57:40 AM UTC+1200

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the countdown clock has paused for 45 minutes at the T-9-minute mark. This is the final built-in hold for today's countdown to liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour on its STS-127 mission.

The countdown is going relatively smoothly, with no technical issues in work. Although launch managers and weather officials are monitoring weather conditions around the launch area and Shuttle Landing Facility very closely, liftoff remains scheduled for 6:51 p.m. EDT.

Watch for countdown clocks to resume ticking backwards at 6:42 p.m. when the T-9-minute hold is released.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

God Speed STS_127 - our thoughts and prayers are with you on this 4th launch. Have a blast!!

Latest Space Shuttle Newshttp://www.nasa.gov/shuttle en-us

Careful Testing Under Way After Lightning Strikes
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:59:52 AM UTC+1200


The launch of space shuttle Endeavour was postponed until Sunday evening so engineers could evaluate the spacecraft's myriad systems following 11 lightning strikes in the Launch Complex 39A area.

None of the strikes hit the shuttle or its external tank and solid rocket boosters, but there were strikes to the lightning mast and water tower. The launch pad is equipped with a lightning protection system of wires that is intended to steer bolts away from the shuttle.

"We've seen nothing so far that shows anything affected any of the systems," said Mike Moses, chairman of the pre-launch Mission Management Team.

Two of the strikes were strong enough to trigger an evaluation by engineers just to make sure all of Endeavour's systems are ready for flight. Although early evaluations showed no problems, engineers wanted more time to make sure they have checked everything correctly.

"We need to be 100 percent confident that we have a good system across the board," Moses said.

The launch time for Sunday is 7:13 p.m. EDT. The weather forecast calls for a 60 percent chance of acceptable conditions.

Astronaut Mark Polansky will answer our question live from Space on NASA TV

Refer to Polansky Question Picks
Questions 6 & 8 from Room 8, Kelvin Road School...how cool?

Latest Space Shuttle News STS-127

STS-127 Launch Countdown to Begin Wednesday

Wed, 10 Jun 2009

Preparations to begin the STS-127 launch countdown are proceeding on schedule as NASA prepares for liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour on Saturday, June 13.
The countdown will begin Wednesday at 9 a.m. Space shuttle Endeavour is in place at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, undergoing final preparations for its upcoming 16-day mission to the International Space Station. Mission STS-127 is the 32nd flight dedicated to station construction.

NASA astronaut Mark Polansky, commander of this mission invites followers to submit questions that he will answer from orbit during his mission. Questions should be submitted in the form of a video not longer than 30 seconds, posted to YouTube, and a link to the video sent to Polansky's twitter account. Questions will be selected each week for Astronaut Polansky to answer from space, live on NASA Television.

Room 8 children submitted video questions to YouTube and Joseph and Shar were lucky to have their question picked. Their question was: Can you describe what an astronaut might hear in space?

 

Image above: The STS-127 crew poses for a group portrait following their arrival at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Mission Specialists Tim Kopra, Tom Marshburn, Christopher Cassidy, and Julie Payette of the Canadian Space Agency; Commander Mark Polansky; Pilot Doug Hurley; and Mission Specialist Dave Wolf. Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Space Question for Astronaut Mark Polansky from Kimball & Brooklyn

Welcome Home Atlantis

Atlantis and the crew of the STS-125 mission landed safely in California at Edwards Air Force Base after completing the Hubble Servicing Mission on Sunday, May 24, 2009. The almost 5.3-million-mile mission included five spacewalks to repair and upgrade the world-famous observatory.
Image Credit: NASA/Carla Thomas

Video Footage

NASA Image Gallery Link:

 

Click on NASA Link, then click Slideshow

Atlantis' journey back home from Hubble repair mission - notice the thin line of Earth's atmosphere glowing in the background...22 May 09

Question for Astronaut Mark Polansky from Marino, Jyris & Karnvir