STS-134

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Mission emblem
Mission emblem
Mission dates
Mission: STS-134
COSPAR-ID : 2011-020A
Crew: 6th
Begin: May 16, 2011, 12:57:14 UTC
Starting place: Kennedy Space Center , LC-39A
Space station: ISS
Coupling: May 18, 2011, 10:14 UTC
Decoupling: May 30, 2011, 03:55 UTC
Duration on the ISS: 11d, 17h, 41min
Number of EVA : 4th
Landing: June 1, 2011, 06:35 UTC
Landing place: Kennedy Space Center
Flight duration: 15d, 17h, 38min, 51s
Track height: 350 km
Payload: Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), EXPRESS Logistics Carrier 3 (ELC3)
Team photo
Sitting in front v. l. No. Gregory H. Johnson, Mark Kelly, Andrew Feustel, back row from l. No. Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Roberto Vittori
Sitting in front v. l. No. Gregory H. Johnson, Mark Kelly, Andrew Feustel, back row from l. No.
Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Roberto Vittori
◄ Before / After ►
STS-133 STS-135

STS-134 ( english S pace T ransportation S ystem) is a mission for the US Space Shuttle Endeavor (OV-105) of NASA . Their main task was to transport the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and the EXPRESS Logistics Carrier 3 to the International Space Station (ISS) and to install them there. In addition, the shuttle's orbiter boom sensor system was left behind at the space station.

The launch took place on May 16, 2011 at 12:57 UTC. It was planned to be the 134th and penultimate flight of the space shuttle program, and the 25th and final flight of the space shuttle Endeavor .

prehistory

The modules intended for this flight were originally removed from the flight plan after President Bush announced the end of the space shuttle program at the end of the US fiscal year 2010 on September 30, 2010 after the Columbia disaster . Then the Constellation program should be pushed forward. However, since a lot of money had already flowed into the development of the modules, the US government provided NASA with the financial means for another flight in fiscal year 2009. According to the relevant ordinance, its goal is to “ bring scientific equipment to the International Space Station ”.

The launch, originally planned for the end of July 2010, had to be postponed again after the STS-133 launch due to the conversion of the main payload, the alpha magnetic spectrometer.

team

NASA announced the team on August 11, 2009:

replacement

Rick Sturckow (fifth space flight) was nominated as a reserve commander after Kelly's wife Gabrielle Giffords by the perpetrated on them assassination was seriously injured on 8 January 2011th The move was proposed by Kelly himself, but he resumed his duties as commander since February 7th.

payload

STS-134 transports two large payloads to the ISS: The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer , a particle detector for space, and ELC-3, a support structure with various spare parts and scientific equipment. In addition, the MISSE-8 material and technology experiment was located in the Endeavor's payload bay. Additional scientific equipment and supplies were transported in the middle deck.

Fly Your Face in Space

The Endeavor at the start on May 16, 2011

On the STS-133 and STS-134 missions , NASA offered the opportunity to upload a photo on its own website under the motto Fly Your Face in Space , which was then shot into space.

Mission history

The first attempt at launch took place on April 29th. However, he had to be canceled because a heating element in the fuel line to one of the three hydraulic pressure generator (APU - A uxiliary P ower U nit , dt. APU ) failed. The error analysis showed that the problem was probably caused by a defect in an electronics box. Since the exchange of this box - including subsequent tests - is very time-consuming, the start could not take place before May 16.

On May 16, 2011 at 14:56 CEST (12:56 UTC), the shuttle finally took off as planned.

On May 18, 2011 at 12:14 CEST (10:14 UTC), the Endeavor docked at the ISS. As with most shuttle missions, this was done on the PMA-2 docking adapter that is attached to the Harmony module . The connecting hatches were opened at 13:38 CEST.

While the Endeavor was docked, the Soyuz capsule TMA-20 cast off, so that from there it was possible for the first time to take exterior shots of a shuttle docked at the station.

On June 1, 2011 at 8:35 am CEST (6:35 am UTC), the Endeavor landed on runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, ending its active service.

See also

Web links

Commons : STS-134  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Space Shuttle Launch and Landing. NASA, accessed June 1, 2011 .
  2. ^ AMS in orbit within 2010: the antimatter hunting becomes reality. avionews.com, accessed February 27, 2009 .
  3. ↑ nasaspaceflight.com: STS-134: PRCB baselines Penultimate Shuttle Flight to Take AMS to station , access 7 April 2011
  4. ^ STS-134 Mission Information. NASA, May 6, 2011, accessed May 6, 2011 .
  5. ^ Authorization Bill for Extra Shuttle Flight Clears House Subcommittee. Space.com, May 21, 2008, accessed October 28, 2008 .
  6. ↑ Bush signs NASA authorization act. Orlando Sentinel October 15, 2008; Archived from the original October 17, 2008 ; accessed on October 29, 2008 (English).
  7. ↑ NASA Assigns Crew for STS-134 Shuttle Mission, Change to STS-132. NASA, August 11, 2009, accessed August 12, 2009 .
  8. ↑ NASA Announces Backup Commander For STS-134 Mission. NASA, January 13, 2011, accessed January 13, 2011 .
  9. ↑ NASA astronaut Mark Kelly Resumes Training For STS-134 Mission. NASA, February 4, 2011, accessed February 4, 2011 .
  10. ↑ Shuttle program goes into the penultimate round: STS 134. Raumfahrer.net, accessed on April 29, 2011 .
  11. ↑ cf. Last flight: "Endeavor" took off on a farewell flight ( Memento from May 21, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) at ftd.de, May 16, 2011 (accessed on May 16, 2011).
  12. ↑ NASA: Exterior shots of the station by Paolo Nespoli