STS-123

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STS-123
COSPAR ID2008-009A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.32699Edit this on Wikidata
End of mission
 

STS-123 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) which was flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour. STS-123 was the 1J/A ISS assembly mission. The original launch target date was February 14, 2008 but after the delay of STS-122, the shuttle was launched on March 11, 2008. It was the twenty-fifth shuttle mission to visit the ISS, and delivered the first module of the Japanese laboratory, Japanese Experiment Module (Kibō), and the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, (SPDM) Dextre robotics system to the station. The mission duration was 15 days and 18 hours, and it was the first mission to fully utilize the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS), allowing space station power to augment the shuttle power systems. The mission set a record for a shuttle's longest stay at the ISS. [3] The completion of the mission left nine flights remaining in the Space Shuttle program until its end in 2010, excluding two as-yet-unconfirmed Contingency Logistic Flights.

Crew

Number in parentheses indicates number of spaceflights by each individual prior to and including this mission.

Launching ISS Expedition 16 Crew

Landing ISS Expedition 16 Crew

Mission parameters

Mission payloads

JEM Kibo ELM-PS in the Space Station Processing Facility
JEM Kibo ELM-PS and DEXTR on ISS after STS-123
Location Cargo Mass
Bay 1-2 Orbiter Docking System
EMU 3003 / EMU 3004 		1800 kg
~260 kg
Bay 3P Shuttle Power
Distribution Unit (SPDU) 		~100 kg
Bay 3S Canadarm2 Yaw Joint 336 kg
Bay 4P MISSE PEC 6a 103 kg
Bay 4S Direct Current Switching Unit (DCSU) 363 kg
Bay 5P MISSE PEC 6b 103 kg
Bay 5S Direct Current Switching Unit (DCSU) 363 kg
Bay 6S Standard Interface Panels ?
Bay 7-8 Dextre on Spacelab Pallet 3,485 kg
Bay 9P ECSH (EVA Cargo Stowage) on APC ~100 kg
Bay 10-12 Kibo ELM-PS 8,484 kg
Bay 11S Standard Interface Panels ?
Bay 13P Lightweight adapter plane for MISSE 244 kg
Bay 13S USAF RIGEX experiment 315 kg
Starboard Sill Orbiter Boom Sensor System ~450 kg
Port Sill Canadarm 410 kg
Total: 16,916 kg

STS-123 delivered the pressurized section of the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module (ELM-PS) as well as the SPDM to the International Space Station. The SPDM was delivered disassembled on a Spacelab Pallet (SLP) and assembled during three spacewalks once it was at the station.

Shuttle processing

In August 2007, STS-123 crew members participated in crew equipment interface tests for the ELM-PS at Kennedy Space Center.[4] Processing continued on schedule for Endeavour 's launch in early 2008. NASA engineers applied the same ECO sensor modifications used on STS-122's external tank, to Endeavour's tank. In January, a HEPA filter contamination issue was discovered, but was resolved and with no impact to the mission.[5]

On Monday, February 11, 2008, Endeavour was "rolled over" to the Vehicle Assembly Building in preparation for mating with the external tank and solid rocket boosters.[5] On Wednesday, February 13, Endeavour was successfully mated with its external tank and solid rocket boosters, and was rolled out to Launch Pad 39A in the early hours of Monday, February 18, for its planned launch on March 11.[6][7] The Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, a full dress rehearsal for launch with the crew, took place February 23-25.[8]

Mission background

The USAF Thunderbirds display team performs a flypast of the STS-123 stack.

The mission will mark:

  • longest shuttle mission to the ISS to date
  • 153rd manned US space launch
  • 122nd space shuttle flight since STS-1
  • 97th post-Challenger mission
  • 9th post-Columbia mission
  • 30th Night Launch
  • 16th KSC Shuttle Night Landing, 22nd Shuttle Night Landing Overall
  • 21st launch of Endeavour
  • 2nd mission of Endeavour since Return to Flight[9]

Mission timeline

March 10 (Launch & flight day 1)

The launch of STS-123, launched at 2:28:14 a.m. EDT
Wikinews has related news:

Endeavour launched on time at 2:28:14 a.m. EDT (06:28:14 UTC) from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

The Flash Evaporator System switched from its primary controller to the backup controller during launch, and instrumentation for a few left-side control thrusters was lost due to a card failure. These anomalies are not expected to affect the mission.[10]

March 11 (Flight day 2)

The shuttle closed in on the space station. The crew used a 50 ft (15 m) laser-tipped boom to inspect its wings and nose for any sign of launch damage. The inspection has been standard procedure ever since the 2003 Columbia disaster. Flight director Mike Moses said a quick look at the images the astronauts beamed down to Earth revealed no signs of trouble.

In addition to performing the inspection, the astronauts also prepared their spacesuits for the five planned spacewalks and gathered the tools they would need for the docking.[11]

March 12 (Flight day 3)

The pallet with Dextre is temporarily docked to the Mobile Base Station.

Endeavour's commander, Dominic Gorie, guided the shuttle through a 360-degree backflip, known as the rendezvous pitch maneuver, to allow for full photographic surveillance of the thermal tiles on the space shuttle's belly before docking with the space station.[12] Hatches between the two spacecraft were opened at 12:36 a.m. CDT.[13] After docking the pallet carrying Dextre was moved to the Payload ORU Accommodation (POA) of the Mobile Base Station (MSB) by Canadarm.

March 13 (Flight day 4)

Astronaut Linnehan "flies" towards Reisman during the first EVA
The Kibo ELM-PS as installed on Harmony

Spacewalkers Richard Linnehan and Garrett Reisman worked on installing Dextre. However, the Spacelab pallet carrying the SPDM would not power up.[14] Engineers on the ground tried a software patch, though later suspected a design flaw in Dextre's temporary power cable caused the issue.[15]

Crew members on board Endeavour used a robotic arm to remove the Japanese Logistics Module – Pressurized Section (JLP) from Endeavour's cargo bay and attach it to the space station. The JLP was attached to its interim location on the Harmony module at 3:06 a.m. CDT.[16]

March 14 (Flight day 5)

The crew spent time outfitting the Japanese Logistics Module, transferring supplies and equipment into it from space shuttle Endeavour. The station’s arm operators grappled the Canadian-built Dextre Friday at 9:59 p.m. EDT. Canadarm2 successfully powered up Dextre 11 minutes later. Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman spent the night in the station’s Quest Airlock in preparation for the second spacewalk of the mission.[17]

March 15 (Flight day 6)

Dextre was put together today during the second spacewalk of STS-123. Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan and Mike Foreman completed their 7-hour, 8-minute orbital stroll Sunday at 2:57 a.m. EDT. The spacewalkers encountered some difficulty removing two bolts that secured the robot arm during transport, and had to resort to using a prybar to remove them.

Throughout the day, the station and shuttle crew members continued outfitting the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section.[18]

March 16 (Flight day 7)

The crews continued outfitting the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section, transferring supplies and equipment into it from Endeavour, as well as configuring racks inside the module. The crews tested the brakes in the robotic system’s arms. One of the joints in the arm seemed to be operating right on the required margin. Engineers expressed confidence that this issue would be resolved

Rick Linnehan and Robert Behnken ended their day by “camping out” in the station’s Quest Airlock.[19]

March 17 (Flight day 8)

Linnehan and Behnken began the third EVA at 6:51 p.m. EDT. The excursion lasted six hours and 53 minutes. Linnehan and Behnken installed a spare parts platform, cameras, and tool handling assembly for Dextre. Among other tasks, they also checked out and calibrated Dextre’s end effector and attached critical spare parts to an External Stowage Platform.

They were unable to attach a materials science experiment to the Columbus module due to issues with the attachment fitting, but may have another opportunity later in the mission. [20]

March 18 (Flight day 9)

In a day highlighted by robotics activity, Dextre was attached to a power and data grapple fixture located on the U.S. laboratory Destiny. Canadarm2 grabbed the pallet that secured Dextre during its journey to the orbital outpost and returned the pallet to space shuttle Endeavour’s payload bay for the trip back to Earth.

The station and shuttle crews also prepared hardware to be used in a shuttle tile repair test on the next spacewalk, and got some much needed off duty time.[21]

March 19 (Flight day 10)

The crews of space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station got some off-duty time at the beginning of their 10th day in orbit. They also spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and participated in interviews with U.S. media.

The astronauts spent the remainder of their day configuring tools for the fourth STS-123 spacewalk and reviewing spacewalk procedures. Before going to sleep, Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken and Mike Foreman entered the station’s Quest airlock for the standard “camp out.” [22]

March 20 (Flight day 11)

Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken and Mike Foreman completed the fourth STS-123 spacewalk at 12:28 a.m. EDT, spending six hours and 24 minutes on the excursion. The two shuttle crew members replaced a failed Remote Power Control Module – essentially a circuit breaker – on the station’s truss. However, there were difficulties removing a power connector from the Z1 truss.

With Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan coordinating their activities from inside the orbiting complex, the spacewalkers also tested a repair method for damaged heat resistant tiles on the space shuttle. This technique used a caulk-gun-like tool named the Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser to dispense a material called Shuttle Tile Ablator-54 into purposely damaged heat shield tiles. The sample tiles will be returned to Earth to undergo extensive testing on the ground.[23]

March 21 (Flight day 12)

The STS-123 crew performed the final inspection of space shuttle Endeavour’s heat shield using the shuttle’s robot arm and the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS). Gorie, Johnson, and Doi surveyed the orbiter’s wings and nose cap to ensure that no damage had occurred to the tiles that protect Endeavour from the heat of reentry.

The crews spent the remainder of their day configuring tools and reviewing procedures for the flight’s final spacewalk. This included the standard “camp out” in the station’s Quest airlock for Behnken and Foreman.[24]

March 22 (Flight day 13)

Foreman helps tie down the OBSS

Michael Foreman and Robert Behnken completed their six-hour EVA at 02:36 (UTC), attaching a 50 ft (15 m) inspection pole to the international space station and completing other chores. Foreman and Behnken hooked an extra-long power cord to the inspection pole, to keep its lasers and cameras warm for the next two months, then secured the boom to the outside of the space station.

After finishing that task, Foreman inspected a jammed rotating joint that has restricted the use of a set of solar wings for months. NASA hopes to have a plan for dealing with the jammed joint by the end of the month, space station flight director Dana Weigel said.[25]

March 23 (Flight day 14)

The crews of space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station completed their last full day together.

Much of the astronauts’ morning was off‐duty time. Afterward, the crews wrapped up transfers of equipment and supplies between Endeavour and the station, and out the tools needed for undocking and subsequent activities.

The STS-123 and Expedition 16 crews also held a joint crew news conference, answering questions from members of the media on Earth. [26]

March 24 (Flight day 15)

ISS as seen from the departing space shuttle

The hatches between Endeavour and the International Space Station closed around 5:49 ET, ending a 12 day stay at the ISS, with a scheduled undocking of 7:57 ET. Because of problems with a command sent to solar arrays in the ISS, the undocking occurred at 8:25 ET.

March 25 (Flight day 16)

The crew of space shuttle Endeavour spent Tuesday getting ready for its journey home and the end of the STS-123 mission. Early in their day, the crew members performed a test of the thrusters that will be used to position the orbiter for re-entry and the control surfaces for its flight through the atmosphere.

The STS-123 astronauts also set up the recumbent seat for Mission Specialist Léopold Eyharts, who joined the crew of Endeavour on the International Space Station. The recumbent seat is a special seat designed to reduce the stress of gravity on those who have spent long periods of time in the weightless environment of space.[27]

March 26 (Flight day 17, landing)

Endeavour rolls out after touchdown.

Flight controllers gave a no-go on de-orbit for the first landing opportunity at 23:05 UTC (19:05 EDT), due to unfavorable weather conditions at the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center.[28]

Weather conditions were acceptable for the second landing opportunity, planned for 00:39 UTC 27 March, 2008 (20:39 EDT 26 March, 2008). The landing occurred at the Shuttle Landing Facility, and was the sixteenth night landing of the Space Shuttle at KSC , 22nd Shuttle night landing overall. Coincidentally, this mission also began with a night launch.

The second landing opportunity was a complete success with main gear touchdown occurring at 20:39:08 EDT (00:39:08 UTC 27 March, 2008), nose gear touchdown at 20:39:17 EDT (00:39:17 UTC 27 March, 2008), and wheels stop at 20:40:41 EDT (00:40:41 UTC 27 March, 2008), completing the STS-123 crew's 15-day, 18-hour, 11-minutes, and 3-seconds space voyage.

The exhaust produced by the Hydrazine Gas Generator APUs on either side of Endeavour's tail fin created concern among some observers that something was amiss, as it appeared more pronounced than usual in NASA's visual light cameras.[29] However this exhaust is normal and expected. The three Hydrazine Gas Generator APUs are activated 5 minutes before the deorbit burn and are running for 5 min. after wheels stop. The monopropellant hydrazine is changing phase due to a catalyst and reach 1,700°F (927°C).[30] The hydraulic power is needed for the shuttle's rudder/speed brake, elevons, body flap and landing gear during descent, and for the main engine nozzles' gimballing during ascent. Each of the Solid Rocket Boosters have two similar Hydrazine Gas Generators for their nozzle gimballing.

Extra-vehicular activity

Main article: Extra-vehicular activity

Five spacewalks took place during the flight.[31][32] The total time of all spacewalks was 33 hours and 28 minutes.

Spacewalkers Start (UTC) End Duration Mission
EVA 1 Richard M. Linnehan
Garrett E. Reisman 		March 14
01:18 		March 14
08:19 		7 hours, 01 minutes Installation of ELM-PS and Dextre assembly.
EVA 2 Linnehan
Michael J. Foreman 		March 15
23:49 		March 16
06:57 		7 hours, 08 minutes Dextre assembly (cont.).
EVA 3 Linnehan
Robert L. Behnken 		March 17
22:51 		March 18
05:44 		6 hours, 53 minutes Dextre assembly (cont.), prepare the Spacelab Logistics Pallet for landing, transfer a spare Canadarm2 yaw join, transfer two spare Direct Current Switching Units Mission and unsuccessful attempted installation of the MISSE 6 experiment on the exterior of the Columbus module.
EVA 4 Behnken
Foreman 		March 20
22:04 		March 21
04:28 		6 hours, 24 minutes Replacement of Remote Power Control Module and test of tile repair material. Removal of a sock covering the left hand of Dextre and some launch locks on Harmony. Release launch locks on Harmony’s port and nadir Common Berthing Mechanisms
EVA 5 Behnken
Foreman 		March 22
20:34 		March 23
02:36 		6 hours, 02 minutes Storage of Shuttle Orbiter Boom Sensor System on the Station, installation of ELM‐PS trunnion covers, removed five covers from the starboard SARJ and performed inspections, captured digital photography, successful installation of the MISSE 6 experiment on the exterior of the Columbus module and debris collection.

Wake-up calls

A tradition for NASA human spaceflights since the days of Gemini, is that mission crews are played a special musical track at the start of each day in space. Each track is specially chosen, often by their family, and usually has a special meaning to an individual member of the crew, or is applicable to their daily activities.[33][34]

Contingency mission

STS-324 was the designation given to the Contingency Shuttle Crew Support mission which would have been launched in the event Space Shuttle Endeavour became disabled during STS-123.[35] It would have been a modified version of the STS-124 mission and would have involved the launch date being brought forward. The crew for this mission would have been a four-person subset of the full STS-124 crew.[35]

Media

Template:Multi-video start Template:Multi-video item Template:Multi-video end

References

  1. ^ NASA (2008). "Space Shuttle STS-123". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  2. ^ http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/landing_blog.html
  3. ^ "Status Report: STS-123-01". NASA. 2008-03-11. Retrieved 2008-03-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ JAXA (2007). "Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) for Kibo". Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
  5. ^ a b Chris Bergin (2008). "Endeavour rolls to VAB". NASA Spaceflight.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Craig Covault (2008). "Endeavour Headed To Launch Pad Feb. 18". Aviation Week. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ NASA (2008). "NASA's Space Shuttle Endeavour to Move to Launch Pad Monday". NASA. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ Katherine Trinidad (2008). "Space Shuttle Endeavour Arrives at Launch Pad, Countdown Test Set". NASA. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "Mission Quick-Look 1". CBS. 2008-02-24. Retrieved 2008-03-11.
  10. ^ Spaceflight Now | STS-123 Shuttle Report | Mission Status Center
  11. ^ Endeavour set to dock at station
  12. ^ Endeavour's astronauts to begin spacewalk
  13. ^ "STS-123 Mission Control Center Status Report #05". NASA. 2008-03-13.
  14. ^ "STS-123 Mission Control Center Status Report #06". NASA. 2008-03-13.
  15. ^ Space station's new robot on blink
  16. ^ "STS-123 Mission Control Center Status Report #07". NASA. 2008-03-14.
  17. ^ Astronauts Enter JLP, Prepare for Spacewalk
  18. ^ Crew Assembles Dextre During Second Spacewalk
  19. ^ Astronauts Continue Outfitting JLP Today
  20. ^ Astronauts outfit robot with tool belt, cameras
  21. ^ Dextre Moved to Destiny Lab, Crew Enjoys Time Off
  22. ^ Astronauts Prepare for Fourth Spacewalk
  23. ^ Endeavour Crew Tests Repair Method, Prepares for Inspection
  24. ^ Astronauts Prepare for Final STS-123 Spacewalk
  25. ^ Endeavour crew rests before trip home
  26. ^ Crews End Last Full Day Together
  27. ^ STS-123 Continues Landing Preparations
  28. ^ NASA's STS-123 Landing Blog
  29. ^ http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts123/080326fd17/index5.html
  30. ^ Hydrazine Gas Generator performance on Space Shuttle
  31. ^ Dean, Brandi. "All Aboard for STS-123: The Station Goes Global". Johnson Space Center. Retrieved 2008-02-14. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  32. ^ "NASA Sets Briefings to Preview March Space Shuttle Mission, STS-123". NASA. 2008-01-29. Retrieved 2008-02-16.
  33. ^ Fries, Colin (2007-06-25). "Chronology of Wakeup Calls" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 2007-08-13. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  34. ^ NASA (2008). "STS-123 Wakeup Calls". NASA. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  35. ^ a b Bergin, Chris (2007-04-15). "NASA sets new launch date targets through to STS-124". NASASpaceflight. Retrieved 2007-08-21. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to STS-123.
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