Archive for the ‘ISS’ Category

The Soyuz TMA-19 rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, June 16, 2010, carrying Expedition 24 NASA astronauts Shannon Walker and Douglas Wheelock, and Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin to the International Space Station. Their Soyuz TMA-19 rocket launched at 3:35 a.m Kazakhstan time, or 5:35 p.m EDT. Image Credit: NASA/Carla Cioffi

Space shuttle Atlantis and six astronauts ended a 12-day journey of more than 4.8 million miles with an 8:48 a.m. EDT landing Wednesday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The flawless landing wrapped up a highly successful mission to deliver the Russian-built Mini Research Module-1, known as “Rassvet” (“dawn” in Russian), to the International Space Station.

The third of five shuttle missions planned for 2010, this was the last scheduled flight for Atlantis. Mike Moses, space shuttle launch integration manager, spoke highly of everyone who built and maintained Atlantis during the orbiter’s 25 years of service.

Later today, Atlantis will be towed from the runway to its processing facility. It will go through the normal flow of prelaunch preparations in order to serve as the “launch-on-need” vehicle for Endeavour’s STS-134 mission, the last scheduled flight of the Space Shuttle Program. That flight currently is targeted for November.

The space shuttle Atlantis successfuly lift off for its STS-132 mission to the International Space Station. The Shuttle lift of from Cape Canaveral (FL/USA) today (May 14, 2010) at 2:20 p.m. EDT.

During the 12-day flight, Atlantis and six astronauts will fly to the International Space Station, leaving behind a Russian Mini Research Module, a set of batteries for the station’s truss and dish antenna, along with other replacement parts. NASA astronaut Ken Ham will command an all-veteran flight crew: Pilot Tony Antonelli, and Mission Specialists Michael Good, Garrett Reisman, Piers Sellers and Steve Bowen. After the final STS-132 Flight Readiness Review, John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program manager, pointed out that Atlantis’ last planned mission will be an exciting one.

Source: NASA, SPACE-SKY

Space shuttle Atlantis’ six astronauts are boarding space shuttle Atlantis. Prelaunch activities continue on schedule as teams prepare for Atlantis’ liftoff at 2:20 p.m. EDT.

Watch the lift off of the Space Shuttle online via this link here

Source: NASA

The countdown is on for Friday’s scheduled launch of space shuttle Atlantis on its STS-132 mission. At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians at Launch Pad 39A continue preparations for the liftoff at 2:20 p.m. EDT. The rotating service structure will be moved away from the spacecraft at 5:30 p.m. today.

“We’ve had a very clean countdown so far and we’re currently on schedule, and we’re not working on any issues,” NASA Test Director Jeremy Graeber said during a morning status briefing.

On the eve of their launch to the International Space Station, Atlantis’ astronauts will enjoy a quiet day after conducting an L-1 systems and weather briefing with the ascent team of flight controllers at the Mission Control Center in Houston.‪

During the 12-day mission, Atlantis and the mission’s six astronauts are delivering an Integrated Cargo Carrier and a Russian-built Mini Research Module to the International Space Station.

Favorable weather is predicted for the rest of the week. According to STS-132 Weather Officer Todd McNamara, the primary launch weather concern is a low cloud ceiling. But the forecast is good overall, calling for a 70 percent chance of favorable conditions at launch time.

Source: NASA