Shuttle Astronauts Set for Reboost, Hour Off
21 November 2008 10:33 a.m. EST
Astronauts aboard NASA?s space shuttle Endeavour areback to work today hauling new supplies into the International Space Stationand tacklingglitches with the space station?s new Water Recovery System that turnsurine into water.
The urine processor was activatedfor about 2 hours this morning before it shut itself down following otherglitches late Thursday. Meanwhile, Endeavour?s crew is due to take about anhour off today and fire their spacecraft?s engine to boost the space stationinto a higher orbit.
Look for the space station reboostto take place at about 12:10 p.m. EST (1710 GMT) and astronauts to speak withreporters around 3:05 p.m. EST (2005 GMT).
Mission Control roused the astronauts at 9:05 a.m.EST (1405 GMT) with a song for lead spacewalker Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper called ?Unharness Your Horses.?
?I?dlike to thank my family and all of my friends for that lively song for wakingup to get us ready for another fun day in orbit today,? Stefanyshyn-Piper said.
Today is Flight Day 8 of Endeavour?s planned 15-daymission to the space station.
Clickhere for a lookat today?s work outside the space station.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Second Spacewalk Concludes for Endeavour Crew
20 November 2008 7:52 p.m. EST
Endeavour astronauts Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper andShane Kimbrough have begun repressurizing the Questairlock aboard the International Space Station, officially ending today?sspacewalk.
Total spacewalking time: 6 hours, 45 minutes
The astronauts began the spacewalk at 12:58 p.m. EST(1758 GMT). During the work, they moved a pair of equipment carts andlubricated the station?s Canadian-built robotic arm. They inspected a blemishedcable and continued the arduous cleaning and lubricating of the space station?sbalky solar array gear.
A wrap up of today?s spacwalkwill be posted to SPACE.com?s homepage shortly.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Spacewalker Heads Back to Station Airlock
20 November 2008 7:33 p.m. EST
SpacewalkerShane Kimbrough is returning to the airlock aboard the International SpaceStation before crewmate Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper due to rising levels of carbondioxide in his spacesuit. Kimbrough?s levels were higher thanStefanyshyn-Piper, so Mission Control ordered him back to the station?s Questairlock.
Stefanyshyn-Piperis also now headed back to the airlock as they spacewalkers prepare to concludetoday?s work outside the station.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Astronauts Wrapping Up Spacewalk
20 November 2008 7:14 p.m. EST
SpacewalkersHeide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are wrapping up their work outsidethe International Space Station after more than six hours of tune-up work onthe orbiting laboratory. They?re gathering their tools before heading back tothe station?s Quest airlock.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Station Gear Clean Up Spacewalk Continues
20 November 2008 6:04 p.m. EST
SpacewalkersHeide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough have passed the five-hour mark of today?splanned 6 1/2-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station.
They?recontinuing work to clean up and lubricate a 10-foot (3-meter) wide gear thatturns the space station?s starboard solar arrays.
?Youguys are doing super work out there,? their crewmates aboard Endeavour said.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Station Gear Clean Up Goes Well in Spacewalk
20 November 2008 5:18 p.m. EST
SpacewalkersHeide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are working steadily through theirwork to clean and lubricate massive gear outside the International SpaceStation. Their working on the far right side of the station, where they?reusing oven mitt-like wet wipes, scrapers and a space grease called Braycote to clean up the 10-foot (3-meter) wide gear.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Station Gear Clean Up Goes Well in Spacewalk
20 November 2008 5:18 p.m. EST
SpacewalkersHeide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are working steadily through theirwork to clean and lubricate massive gear outside the International SpaceStation. Their working on the far right side of the station, where they?reusing oven mitt-like wet wipes, scrapers and a space grease called Braycote to clean up the 10-foot (3-meter) wide gear.
Today?sbegan at 12:58 p.m. EST (1758 GMT) and is expected tolast at least 6 1/2 hours.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Spacewalker Finishes Station Arm Tune-Up
20 November 2008 4:32 p.m. EST
SpacewalkerShane Kimbrough has finished tuning up the International Space Station?sCanadarm2 robotic arm, where he added a bit of lubrication to ensure it cangrapple things properly.
He?sheading over to help crewmate Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper? cleanand lubricate a damaged gear that turns the space station?s starboard solararrays. The work is going smoothly, and has not been held up by the loss of a vitaltool bag during a Tuesday spacewalk.
Today?sspacewalk is nearing the 4-hour mark. It began at 12:58 p.m. EST (1758 GMT).
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers Continue Station Gear Cleaning
20 November 2008 3:30 p.m. EST
SpacewalkersHeide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are resuming work to cleanand lubricate a damaged gear that turns the space station?s starboard solararrays.
Stefanyshyn-Piperis picking up where she left off during a Tuesday spacewalk to clean metalshavings out of the gear and lay down a new layer of grease to ease its abilityto turn. Kimbrough is adding grease to the end of the space station?s roboticarm. After that, he?ll join Stefanyshyn-Piper on the solar array gear.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Spacewalker to Tune-Up Space Station Arm
20 November 2008 3:02 p.m. EST
Aftermoving a pair of equipment carts outside the International Space Station, spacewalkerShane Kimbrough will now give the orbiting laboratory?s Canadian-builtrobotic arm a tune-up of sorts.
He?lluse some space grease to lubricate the sensitive snare at the tip of the arm,which is used to grapple station components, the outpost?s hull and eventuallygrab spacecraft and guide them to open docking ports. Fellow spacewalker HeideStefanyshyn-Piper is beginning work to clean and lubricate the station?s balkystarboard solar array gear.
Today?sspacewalk began at 12:58 p.m. EST (1758 GMT) and has passed the two-hour mark.It is slated to run at least 6 1/2 hours.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers Move Space Station Pushcarts
20 November 2008 2:07 p.m. EST
SpacewalkersHeide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are movinga pair of equipment carts from the right side of the International SpaceStation?s railcar-like Mobile Transporter to its left, or port, side.
Themove is needed to prepare the station for a planned February shuttle missionthat will deliver new solar arrays for the starboard side. In order to installthe new solar wings, the railcar needs a clear path to the rightmost edge ofthe orbital lab.
Thework is going smoothly, with the astronauts working about 20 minutes ahead ofschedule.
Today?sspacewalk began at 12:58 p.m. EST (1758 GMT) on the 10th birthday of the International Space Station.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers Tackle First Tasks Outside Station
20 November 2008 1:34 p.m. EST
SpacewalkersHeide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough arehard at work outside the International Space Station, where they?re gear upto move two pushcarts on the outpost?s backbone-like main truss.
Stefanyshyn-Piperinspected an odd blemish on a cable that transfers power and data to and fromthe station?s railcar-like Mobile Transporter.
?Itlooks like a black mark,? she told Mission Control, which had spotted theblemish before and wanted to know what it was.
Kimbrough,meanwhile, is getting ready to climb aboard the station?s Canadarm2 roboticarm, which is being flown by astronauts Sandra Magnus and Don Pettit inside theorbiting laboratory. Shuttle Endeavour pilot Eric Boe is choreographing today?sspacewalk from inside the orbiter.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Astronauts Begin Second Spacewalk at ISS
20 November 2008 1:15 p.m. EST
AstronautsHeide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough have begun today?s spacewalk outside the International SpaceStation almost an hour early and are hard at work preparing the tools they?lluse for their excursion.
Thetwo spacewalkers floated outside the station?s Quest airlock at 12:58 p.m. EST(1758 GMT), 49 minute minutes earlier than planned.
Thespacewalk is the fourth for Stefanyshyn-Piper, who can be identified by the redstripe on her NASA spacesuit and the number 16 in helmet camera views hereon NASA TV.
Itis the first spacewalk for Kimbrough, who bears a dashed stripe on hisspacesuit and the number 18 on his helmet cam views.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Second Spacewalk to Start Early at Space Station
20 November 2008 12:52 p.m. EST
Endeavourshuttle astronauts Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are preparing tobegin today?sspacewalk outside the International Space Station earlier than planned,thanks to some speedy work to prepare for the excursion.
Theastronauts are set to switch their spacesuits to internal battery power tobegin the spacewalk. It was initially slated to start at 1:45 p.m. EST (1845GMT).
Today?sspacewalk is the second of four planned for Endeavour?s crew. Astronaut willcontinue the complicated cleaning and lubrication of the station?s balkystarboard solar array joint and perform other space station maintenance.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Astronauts Suit Up for Second Station Spacewalk
20 November 2008 10:58 a.m. EST
Endeavourshuttle astronauts Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are donningtheir NASA-issue spacesuits for today?sspacewalk outside the International Space Station on what is the 10thbirthday of the orbital outpost.
Stefanyshyn-Piperis clad in a white spacesuit with red stripes, while Kimbrough is donning awhite spacesuit with dashed red stripes. Today?s spacewalk is the 116thspacewalk outside the space station and the fourth career spacewalk forStefanyshyn-Piper. It is Kimbrough?s first spacewalk.
Clickhere for a lookat the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.
Todayis Flight Day 7 of Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the space station. Theastronauts awoke to the song ?Summertime? performed bythe band Bandelero for mission specialist Don Pettit.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Astronauts Add New Bedrooms to Space Station
19 November 2008 12:12 p.m. EST
Astronautsare adding new bedrooms to the International Space Station to help preparethe outpost for larger crews next year.
Aportsideastronaut sleeping chamber is being installed inside the station right now,with a starboard one to be added later today. The two new bedrooms, each withthe interior space of a large refrigerator or closet, are part of the extrememakeover under way at the station by space shuttle Endeavour astronauts.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Astronauts Wake to False Smoke Alarm
19 November 2008 9:22 a.m. EST
Astronautsaboard the International Space Station and shuttle Endeavour are wide awake, ifthey weren?t before, after a false smoke alarm set off an alert inside thestation?s Russian service module.
?Yeah,we had a nice wake up call,? station commander MichaelFincke told Mission Control.
Thesmoke alarm came just after Mission Control woke Endeavour?s shuttle crew for aday of orbitalplumbing work inside the space station. Station flight engineer Yury Lonchakov conferred with Russia?sMission Control in Korolev, just outside Moscow toconfirm it was a false alarm.
?Ichecked everything for smoke, no smoke,? he said.
NASAMission Control roused Endeavour?s crew at 8:55 a.m. EST (1355 GMT) with thesong ?Fanfare for the Common Man? by Aaron Copeland. The tune was selected forshuttle pilot Eric Boe, who thanked his family for the song.
?We?reready to continue making extremehome improvements,? Boe said.
Todayis Flight Day 6 of Endeavour?s planned 15-day mission to the InternationalSpace Station.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Shuttle Endeavour?s Heat Shield Gets Clean Bill of Health
19 November 2008 12:02 a.m. EST
Thevital heat shield on NASA?s space shuttle Endeavour is clear of any concernsfor its planned landing later this month, Mission Control radioed the orbiter?sseven-astronaut crew. Analysts have reviewed photos and data from twoinspections of Endeavour?s hull and found no areas of concern.
Thenews, while expected, received a glowing review from Endeavour skipper ChrisFerguson:
?That is absolutely fantastic news,?Ferguson told NASA?s shuttle Mission Control in Houston. ?I know it weighs onall of us a little bit until the final word comes but that is just very welcomenews. I think we?ll all rest a little bit easier tonight.?
Endeavour astronauts will stillperform the now standard late inspection of Endeavour?s heat shield to hunt fornew damage caused after the previous two surveys. NASA has kept close watch onshuttle heat shield health since wing damage led to the loss of the shuttleColumbia and its astronaut crew in 2003.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Astronauts Unpack Space Station?s New Bathroom
18 November 2008 9:10 p.m. EST
TheInternational Space Station?s new space commode has been moved into theorbiting laboratory as astronauts continue to unpack new gear from a cargo poddelivered by the visiting shuttle Endeavour.
Whileother astronautstoiled outside the space station today, crewmembers inside also unpacked ascience research rack, second kitchen and a recycling system that turns urineand condensed sweat into drinkable water.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Shuttle Crew?s First Spacewalk Ends at Station
18 November 2008 8:16 p.m. EST
Thefirst spacewalk of NASA?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station isover as spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen have begun repressurizing the outpost?s Quest airlock. The spacewalkended at 8:01 p.m. EST (0101 Nov. 19 GMT).
Totalspacewalking time: 6 hours, 52 minutes.
Thespacewalkers cleaned and lubricated part of a massive space station gear,retrieved an empty nitrogen tank installed a spare part for the station?scooling system and performed other maintenance.
Theyalso lost an equipment bag that drifted off into space while Stefanyshyn-Piperwas cleaning up a grease gun leak.
?In spite of our little hiccup, onemajor hiccup there, I think we did a pretty good job today,? Stefanyshyn-Pipersaid at the end.
?Youwere all champs,? spacecraft communicator Mark Vander Heiadded. ?You rolled with the punches and made it all happen.?
Awrap up of today?s spacewalk will be posted to the SPACE.com homepage shortly.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International SpaceStation on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers Return to Station Airlock
18 November 2008 7:57 p.m. EST
Withall their main tasks complete, spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and SteveBowen have returned to Quest airlock outside the International Space Stationand are preparing to wrap up their orbital work.
Clickhere for an overview of the spacewalks for Endeavour?s planned 15-daymission to the space station.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to theInternational Space Station on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers Wrap Up Station Gear Work
18 November 2008 7:36 p.m. EST
SpacewalkersHeide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen are wrapping up their work for the dayto clean and lubricate a balky solar array gear outside the International SpaceStation.
Theirspacewalk began at 1:09 p.m. EST (1809 GMT) and was slated to run about 6 1/2hours. The two spacewalkers are replacing covers on the space station?sstarboard solar array rotary joint, a 10-foot (3-meter) wide gear designed torotate outboard solar wings to track the sun.
Theyhave two more covers to install and they?ll be finished will all their tasksfor today?s spacewalk.
Clickhere for an overview of the spacewalks for Endeavour?s planned 15-daymission to the space station.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to theInternational Space Station on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page
- Tariq Malik
Station Gear Clean Up Goes Well in Spacewalk
18 November 2008 6:49 p.m. EST
Asidefrom a lost tool bag and exploded grease gun, today?s first foray into cleaningand greasing a massive solar array gear outside the International Space Stationby spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen has gone well.
Asthe spacewalk nears the six-hour mark, Bowen has completed his gear cleaningwork and is packing up his tools. Stefanyshyn-Piper, meanwhile, is continuingher clean up work on a different part of the gear.
Today?sspacewalk began at 1:09 p.m. EST (1809 GMT) and was slated to run about 6 1/2hours.
Insidethe space station, astronauts have unpacked the outpost?s new water recyclingsystem and kitchen much earlier than planned and are getting a jump on otherwork initially slated for tomorrow.
Clickhere for an overview of the spacewalks for Endeavour?s planned 15-daymission to the space station.
NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to theInternational Space Station on NASA TV. Click herefor SPACE.com'sNASA TV feed <
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