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| launch_pad = [[Launch complex 39|LC-39A]]
| launch_pad = [[Launch complex 39|LC-39A]]
| launch = NET July 11, 2009<ref name="window"/><ref name="ql1"/>
| launch = NET July 11, 2009<ref name="window"/><ref name="ql1"/>
| landing = July 27, 2009
| landing = TBD
| duration = 16 days
| duration = 16 days
| apog = TBD
| apog = TBD
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The first launch attempt on June 13 was scrubbed due to a gaseous hydrogen leak observed during tanking.<ref name="scrub1"/><ref name="second"/> The Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate on the external fuel tank experienced a potentially hazardous hydrogen gas leak similar to the fault which delayed [[Space Shuttle Discovery]], mission [[STS-119]] in March of 2009. There should be some indication of a new lift off time on Sunday, June 14, 2009. A launch date of June 17 would conflict with the launch of the [[Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter]] (LRO) / Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS).<ref name="scrub3">{{cite news|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts127/090613scrub/|title=Space shuttle Endeavour launch postponed by leak|author=William Harwood for CBS News|date=June 13, 2009|publisher=Spaceflightnow.com|accessdate=June 14, 2009}}</ref><Ref>{{cite news | title = Leak Halts Shuttle Launching | author= Kenneth Chang| publisher = [[New York Times]] | date = June 13, 2009 | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/science/space/14shuttle.html?ref=science | accessdate = 2009-06-13}}</ref> NASA managers discussed the conflict issues with both the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter project, as well as the Air Force Eastern Range which provides tracking support for rockets launched from Florida, and looked at options for launching the shuttle, without affecting the LRO project significantly.<ref name="scrub3"/> A decision was made to allow the shuttle to attempt a second launch on June 17, and LRO would launch on June 18.<ref name="second">{{cite news|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts127/090615newdate/|title= NASA sets Wednesday launch date for shuttle Endeavour|author=William Harwood for CBS News|date=June 15, 2009|publisher=Spaceflightnow.com|accessdate=June 16, 2009}}</ref> If ''Endeavour'' is unable to launch by June 20, a [[beta angle]] cutout would push the launch to July.<ref name="window">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/127/127windows.html|title=STS-127 Launch Windows|author=William Harwood|date=June 12, 2009|publisher=CBS News|accessdate=June 14, 2009}}</ref>
The first launch attempt on June 13 was scrubbed due to a gaseous hydrogen leak observed during tanking.<ref name="scrub1"/><ref name="second"/> The Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate on the external fuel tank experienced a potentially hazardous hydrogen gas leak similar to the fault which delayed [[Space Shuttle Discovery]], mission [[STS-119]] in March of 2009. There should be some indication of a new lift off time on Sunday, June 14, 2009. A launch date of June 17 would conflict with the launch of the [[Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter]] (LRO) / Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS).<ref name="scrub3">{{cite news|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts127/090613scrub/|title=Space shuttle Endeavour launch postponed by leak|author=William Harwood for CBS News|date=June 13, 2009|publisher=Spaceflightnow.com|accessdate=June 14, 2009}}</ref><Ref>{{cite news | title = Leak Halts Shuttle Launching | author= Kenneth Chang| publisher = [[New York Times]] | date = June 13, 2009 | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/science/space/14shuttle.html?ref=science | accessdate = 2009-06-13}}</ref> NASA managers discussed the conflict issues with both the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter project, as well as the Air Force Eastern Range which provides tracking support for rockets launched from Florida, and looked at options for launching the shuttle, without affecting the LRO project significantly.<ref name="scrub3"/> A decision was made to allow the shuttle to attempt a second launch on June 17, and LRO would launch on June 18.<ref name="second">{{cite news|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts127/090615newdate/|title= NASA sets Wednesday launch date for shuttle Endeavour|author=William Harwood for CBS News|date=June 15, 2009|publisher=Spaceflightnow.com|accessdate=June 16, 2009}}</ref> If ''Endeavour'' is unable to launch by June 20, a [[beta angle]] cutout would push the launch to July.<ref name="window">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/127/127windows.html|title=STS-127 Launch Windows|author=William Harwood|date=June 12, 2009|publisher=CBS News|accessdate=June 14, 2009}}</ref>


The second launch attempt on June 17, was also scrubbed due to hydrogen leak issues seen from the GUCP.<ref name="scrub17">{{cite news|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/06/live-endeavour-article-updates-count/|title=STS-127 finally begins tanking - another GUCP leak|last=Chris Bergin|date=June 17, 2009|publisher=NASA Spaceflight.com|accessdate=June 17, 2009}}</ref> Due to conflicts with the launch of the LRO, The earliest ''Endeavour'' would be able to launch is July 11, 2009.<ref name="window"/>
The second launch attempt on June 17, was also scrubbed due to hydrogen leak issues seen from the GUCP.<ref name="scrub17">{{cite news|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/06/live-endeavour-article-updates-count/|title= STS-127 suffers another GUCP leak after late tanking|last=Chris Bergin|date=June 17, 2009|publisher=NASA Spaceflight.com|accessdate=June 17, 2009}}</ref> Due to conflicts with the launch of the LRO, The earliest ''Endeavour'' would be able to launch is July 11, 2009.<ref name="window"/>


==Crew==
==Crew==

Revision as of 06:26, 17 June 2009

Template:Launching/STS

STS-127
COSPAR ID2009-038A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.35633Edit this on Wikidata
End of mission
 

STS-127 (ISS assembly flight 2J/A) is the next space shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS).[2] It will be the 23rd flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour. The primary purpose of the STS-127 mission is to deliver and install the final two components of the Japanese Experiment Module: the Exposed Facility (JEM EF), and the Exposed Section of the Experiment Logistics Module (ELM-ES).[4][5]

When Endeavour docks with ISS, it will be the first time thirteen people have been at the station at the same time.[6] It will also set a record for the most humans in space at the same time in the same vehicle — the space station. It will become the third there have been thirteen people in space at any one time. Thirteen people have previously been in space at the same time during STS-67, Mir EO-15, and Soyuz TM-21 on March 14, 1995, and with STS-119, Expedition 19, and Soyuz TMA-14 on March 26, 2009.

The first launch attempt on June 13 was scrubbed due to a gaseous hydrogen leak observed during tanking.[7][8] The Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate on the external fuel tank experienced a potentially hazardous hydrogen gas leak similar to the fault which delayed Space Shuttle Discovery, mission STS-119 in March of 2009. There should be some indication of a new lift off time on Sunday, June 14, 2009. A launch date of June 17 would conflict with the launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) / Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS).[9][10] NASA managers discussed the conflict issues with both the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter project, as well as the Air Force Eastern Range which provides tracking support for rockets launched from Florida, and looked at options for launching the shuttle, without affecting the LRO project significantly.[9] A decision was made to allow the shuttle to attempt a second launch on June 17, and LRO would launch on June 18.[8] If Endeavour is unable to launch by June 20, a beta angle cutout would push the launch to July.[1]

The second launch attempt on June 17, was also scrubbed due to hydrogen leak issues seen from the GUCP.[11] Due to conflicts with the launch of the LRO, The earliest Endeavour would be able to launch is July 11, 2009.[1]

Crew

Position[2][5][12] Launching Astronaut Landing Astronaut
Commander Mark L. Polansky
Third spaceflight
Pilot Douglas G. Hurley
First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1 Christopher J. Cassidy
First spaceflight
EV3
Mission Specialist 2 Julie Payette, CSA
Second spaceflight
Flight Engineer
Mission Specialist 3 Thomas H. Marshburn
First spaceflight
EV4
Mission Specialist 4 David Wolf
Fourth spaceflight
Lead Spacewalker EV1
Mission Specialist 5 Timothy Kopra
Expedition 20
First spaceflight
EV2 		Koichi Wakata, JAXA
Expedition 20
Third spaceflight
STS-127 will mark the first time that two Canadian astronauts, Robert Thirsk and Julie Payette, are in space at the same time.

Christopher Cassidy will be the 500th person to fly in space.[13]

Mission payload

Endeavour at Launch Pad 39A

Endeavour will carry a wide variety of equipment and cargo in the payload bay, with the largest item being the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility (JEM EF), and the Kibo Japanese Experiment Logistics Module - Exposed Section (ELM-ES).[5] The exposed facility is a part of Kibo that will allow astronauts to perform science experiments that are exposed to the vacuum of space. The exposed section is similar to the logistics module on the Kibo laboratory, but is not pressurized.[5] Once its payloads are transferred to the JEM EF, the ELM-ES will be returned to the payload bay.

Also inside the payload bay will be an Integrated Cargo Carrier that contains a variety of equipment and spare components for the station. The carrier contains six new batteries for installation on the P6 truss, that will be installed during two of the mission's spacewalks, as well as a spare space-to-ground antenna and a spare linear drive unit and pump module which will be stored on an external stowage platform on the station's truss during one of the spacewalks.[5]

Two satellites will also be carried by the orbiter, for deployment at the end of the mission. The Dual Autonomous Global Positioning System On-Orbit Navigator Satellite, called DRAGONSAT, will gather data on autonomous spacecraft rendezvous and docking capabilities, and consists of two picosatellites, the AggieSat2, and PARADIGM, which acquire GPS data from a device at NASA and send it to ground stations at Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin.[5][14] After release, the two picosatellites will remain attached for two orbits to collect GPS data, and separate during the third orbit.[5]

A second satellite, the Atmospheric Neutral Density Experiment (ANDE-2), is part of a United States Department of Defense project flown by the Naval Research Laboratory to provide high-quality satellites, and will measure the density and composition of the low Earth orbit atmosphere while being tracked from the ground, to better predict the movement and decay of objects in orbit.[5][15] ANDE-2 consists of two spherical microsatellites, ANDE Active spacecraft (Castor) and the ANDE Passive spacecraft (Pollux), and will be tracked by the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) network as well as the Space Surveillance Network (SSN).[5][15] One of the satellites, Pollux, is running Arduino libraries, with its payload programmed and built by students.

Mission background

The mission marks:[2]

  • 158th American manned space flight
  • 127th shuttle mission since STS-1
  • 23rd flight of Endeavour
  • 29th shuttle mission to the ISS
  • 102nd post-Challenger mission
  • 14th post-Columbia mission

Shuttle processing

Close-up view of the gaseous hydrogen vent line on STS-127's external tank

Endeavour served as the STS-400 rescue vehicle for STS-125, and was prepared for a possible liftoff from Launch Pad 39B on May 15, 2009, four days after the launch of STS-125.[16][17] After Atlantis performed the late inspection and was cleared for re-entry, Endeavour was officially released from stand-by status on Thursday, May 21 2009, and preparations for STS-127 were initiated.[18]

Endeavour moved from Launch Pad 39B to 39A on May 31 in preparation for STS-127.[19][20] The crew of STS-127 arrived at Kennedy Space Center on June 2, 2009 for the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) that concluded with a full launch dress rehearsal.[20][21] The Flight Readiness Review (FRR), a meeting during which NASA managers assess mission preparations and officially set the launch date, concluded on June 3, 2009.[22] For the first time, live status updates about the FRR were published periodically during the meeting via NASA's Twitter page.[22]

The launch countdown began June 10, but on June 13 as tanking was underway, a gaseous hydrogen leak on a vent line near the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate was observed, and the June 13 launch was scrubbed at 12:26 a.m. EDT.[7] A similar leak situation was seen during the first launch attempt of STS-119; the hydrogen flow control valves are used to synchronize the flow of gaseous hydrogen between the external fuel tank and the space shuttle main engines, creating an even flow.[8][23] NASA managers met on June 14 and 15 and evaluated the leak, discussed steps that had to be taken, and set a new launch date of June 17, 2009, at 5:40 a.m. EDT.[7][8]

During the second launch attempt on June 17, loading of the external tank with liquid hydrogen and liquid helium was delayed two hours due to poor weather around the launch site, but tanking began once the weather cleared.[11] Approximately two hours after tanking began, engineers saw leak indications in the GUCP similar to those seen during the first launch attempt. The launch was officially scrubbed at 1:55 a.m. EDT.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c William Harwood (June 12, 2009). "STS-127 Launch Windows". CBS News. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d William Harwood (June 1, 2009). "STS-127 Mission Quick-Look 1". CBS News. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
  3. ^ NASA HSF (June 1, 2009). "ISS Orbital Tracking". NASA. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
  4. ^ Boeing (June 6, 2009). "STS-127 Spaceflight Notepad" (.pdf). Boeing. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i NASA (June 6, 2009). "STS-127 Press Kit" (.pdf). NASA. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  6. ^ Irene Klotz (June 12, 2009). "NASA fuels space shuttle Endeavour for launch". Reuters. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  7. ^ a b c Chris Bergin (June 13, 2009). "STS-127 scrubbed due to GUCP leak - launch moves to NET June 17". NASA Spaceflight.com. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
  8. ^ a b c d William Harwood for CBS News (June 15, 2009). "NASA sets Wednesday launch date for shuttle Endeavour". Spaceflightnow.com. Retrieved June 16, 2009.
  9. ^ a b William Harwood for CBS News (June 13, 2009). "Space shuttle Endeavour launch postponed by leak". Spaceflightnow.com. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  10. ^ Kenneth Chang (June 13, 2009). "Leak Halts Shuttle Launching". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  11. ^ a b c Chris Bergin (June 17, 2009). "STS-127 suffers another GUCP leak after late tanking". NASA Spaceflight.com. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  12. ^ NASA (February 11, 2008). "NASA Assigns Crews for STS-127 and Expedition 19 Missions". NASA. Retrieved February 11, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
  13. ^ Robert Pearlman (June 12, 2009). "L+500 and counting: 500th person in space". collectspace.com. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  14. ^ NASA (October 6, 2008). "Dual RF Astrodynamic GPS Orbital Navigator Satellite (DRAGONSat)". NASA. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
  15. ^ a b Carey Noll for NASA. "ANDE (Castor and Pollux)". NASA. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  16. ^ NASA (December 4, 2008). "STS-125: Final Shuttle Mission to Hubble Space Telescope". NASA. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
  17. ^ NASA (July 7, 2008). "NASA Sets Launch Dates for Remaining Space Shuttle Missions". NASA. Retrieved October 13 2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
  18. ^ William Harwood for CBS News (May 21, 2009). "Iffy weather forecast for Friday's shuttle landing". Spaceflightnow.com. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
  19. ^ Tariq Malik (June 1, 2009). "Endeavour moves to another launch pad". MSNBC. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
  20. ^ a b NASA HQ (May 28, 2009). "NASA Updates Shuttle Endeavour's Move to Launch Pad, TCDT". NASA. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
  21. ^ Polansky, Mark (June 2, 2009). "Mark Polansky (Astro_127)". Twitter.com. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
  22. ^ a b NASA HQ (May 29, 2009). "NASA Sets Briefing About Shuttle Endeavour's Readiness to Launch". NASA. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
  23. ^ NASA (February, 2009). "Flow Valve Fact Sheet" (.pdf). NASA. Retrieved March 19, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to STS-127.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=STS-127&oldid=296908305"