STS-126

Infobox Space mission
mission_name = STS-126
insignia = STS-126 insignia.jpg
shuttle = Endeavour
launch_pad = LC-39A
launch = November 14, 2008, Approx. 7:55 p.m. EST (0055 UTC Nov. 15)
landing = November 29, 2008, Approx. 2:18 p.m. EST (1918 UTC)
duration = 15 Days
orbits = TBD
altitude = 122 nautical miles (225 km)
inclination = 51.6 degrees
distance = TBD
crew_photo = STS-126_crew_portrait.jpg
crew_caption = From left to right: Magnus, Bowen, Pettit, Ferguson, Boe, Kimbrough and Stefanyshyn-Piper
previous = STS-124
next = STS-125

STS-126 is the next Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) which will be flown by Space Shuttle "Endeavour". The purpose of the ISS mission, named ULF2, is to deliver equipment and supplies to the station, to service the Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJs), and repair the problem in the starboard SARJ that has limited its use since STS-120.Cite web|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/Pyro070908.xml&headline=Crew%20To%20Pull%20Pyro%20Bolt%20On%20Soyuz%20%20%20%20&channel=space|title=Crew To Pull Pyro Bolt On Soyuz|accessdate=2008-07-30|publisher=Aviation Week|year=2008|author=Frank Morring, Jr.] Launch of STS-126 is targeted for November 14, 2008.Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html|title=NASA's Shuttle and Rocket Missions|accessyear=2008|accessmonthday=July 30|publisher=NASA|year=2008|author=NASA]

Crew

*Christopher Ferguson (2) - CommanderCite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/oct/HQ_07217_STS-126_Crew.html|title=NASA Assigns Crew for Space Station Assembly Mission|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 2|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA|language=English]
*Eric A. Boe (1) - Pilot
*Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (2) - Mission Specialist 1
*Donald Pettit (2)- Mission Specialist 2
*Stephen G. Bowen (1) - Mission Specialist 3Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/nov/HQ_07259_STS-126_crew_change.html|title=NASA Amends Crew Assignment for STS-126 Mission|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 22|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA]
*Robert S. Kimbrough (1) - Mission Specialist 4

Launching ISS Expedition 18 Crew

*Sandra Magnus (2) - Flight Engineer - NASA

Landing ISS Expedition 18 Crew

*Gregory Chamitoff (1) - Flight Engineer - NASANumber in parentheses indicates number of spaceflights by each individual prior to, and including this mission.

Crew notes

Originally scheduled to fly was Joan E. Higginbotham, who was a mission specialist on STS-116. On November 21, 2007, NASA announced a change in the crew manifest, due to Higginbotham's decision to leave NASA to take a job in the private sector. Stephen Bowen was originally assigned to STS-124 but was moved to STS-126 to allow the shuttle to rotate an ISS crew member.Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/oct/HQ_07217_STS-126_Crew.html|title=NASA Assigns Crew for Space Station Assembly Mission |accessyear=2008|accessmonthday=September 30|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA] Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/mar/HQ_07073_STS-124_crew_release.html|title=NASA Assigns Crew for Shuttle Mission to Install Japanese Lab |accessyear=2008|accessmonthday=September 30|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA]

Mission parameters

*Mass: TBD
*Perigee: TBD
*Apogee: TBD
*Inclination: TBD
*Period: TBD

Mission payloads

STS-126 is scheduled to be a 15-day mission with four spacewalks, largely dedicated to servicing and repair of the Solar Alpha Rotary Joints. The starboard SARJ has showed anomalous behavior since STS-120, and its use has been minimized pending diagnosis and repair. Both the starboard and port SARJs will be serviced.Cite web|url=http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts125/080707manifest/manifest.html|title=Summaries of remaining space shuttle flights|accessyear=2008|accessmonthday=July 30|publisher=Spaceflightnow.com|year=2008|author=Spaceflight Now] In addition to lubricating both bearings, the remaining 11 Trundle Bearings in the right SARJ will be replaced. STS-126 will also include the "Leonardo" Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) that will hold supplies and equipment, including additional crew quarters, additional exercise equipment, equipment for the regenerative life support system and spare hardware. [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts126/index.html]

huttle processing

Space Shuttle Endeavour was moved from its Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF-2) to the Vehicle Assembly Building on September 11, 2008. Roll out to Launch pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center took place overnight September 18-19 and was completed at 7am EDT on September 19, 2008.

"Endeavour" was originally moved to launch pad 39B ahead of the normal schedule to be on standby as the Launch on Need (LON) flight for STS-125. In the event that something happened to "Atlantis" during its flight to service the Hubble Space Telescope, a rescue flight could be performed with "Endeavour". With both "Atlantis" and "Endeavour" on the pads, it was the 18th time that two flight-ready orbiters were in position at both launch pads at the same time.Cite web|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/twopads.html|title=List of space shuttles occupying both launch pads|accessyear=2008|accessmonthday=September 30|publisher=Spaceflightnow.com|year=2008|author=Spaceflightnow.com]

On September 29, 2008, NASA announced that due to a problem with the Hubble telescope, they would be revising the manifest to postpone STS-125 until 2009, so a solution to the new issue with the telescope could be implemented into the flight plan.Cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/science/space/W30hubb.html?ref=us|title=NASA Delays Trip to Repair Hubble Telescope |accessyear=2008|accessmonthday=September 29|publisher=New York Times|year=2008|author=Dennis Overbye] Cite web|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jICfbuGENr5-2mQGNAnAEVCla8yQD93GMLB03|title=NASA delays repair mission to Hubble telescope|accessyear=2008|accessmonthday=September 29|publisher=Associated Press|year=2008|author=Marcia Dunn]

"Endeavour" is due to be rolled from pad B to pad A on Launch Complex 39 on October 25, after pad A is vacated by "Atlantis".

EVAs

Mission background

The mission will mark:Cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/126/126quicklook1.html|title=CBS NEWS Mission Quick-Look 1|accessyear=2008|accessmonthday=October 3|publisher=CBS News|year=2008|author=William Harwood]
*155th American manned space flight
*124th shuttle mission since STS-1
*99th post-"Challenger" mission
*11th post-"Columbia" mission
*22nd flight of "Endeavour"
*27th shuttle mission to the ISS

ee also

* Space science
* 2008 in spaceflight
* Space Shuttle program
* List of ISS spacewalks
* List of space shuttle missions
* List of spacewalks and moonwalks
* List of human spaceflights chronologically

References

External links

* [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts126/index.html STS-126 Mission Page]
* [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts125/multimedia/gallery/gallery-index.html STS-126 Image Gallery]