AUGUST 2009 CONTENTS i

CONTENTS 

Section Page 

STS-128 MISSION OVERVIEW ................................................................................................ 1

TIMELINE OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................. 11

MISSION PROFILE ................................................................................................................... 13

MISSION OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................ 15

MISSION PERSONNEL ............................................................................................................. 19

STS-128 DISCOVERY CREW ................................................................................................... 21

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................. 31

LEONARDO MULTI-PURPOSE LOGISTICS MODULE (MPLM) FLIGHT MODULE 1 (FM1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3

COMBINED OPERATIONAL LOAD BEARING EXTERNAL RESISTANCE TREADMILL (COLBERT) ................ 4 0

THE LIGHTWEIGHT MULTI-PURPOSE EXPERIMENT SUPPORT STRUCTURE CARRIER (LMC) ................ 4 5

RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING ....................................................................................................... 49

SPACEWALKS ......................................................................................................................... 53

EXPERIMENTS ......................................................................................................................... 59

DETAILED TEST OBJECTIVES AND DETAILED SUPPLEMENTARY OBJECTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 9

SHORT-DURATION RESEARCH AND STATION EXPERIMENTS ............................................................... 6 4

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA .................................................................................................... 73

LAUNCH AND LANDING ...........................................................................................................91

LAUNCH ............................................................................................................................................... 9 1

ABORT-TO-ORBI T ( A T O ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. 9 1

TRANSATLANTIC ABORT LANDING (TAL) ............................................................................................. 9 1

RETURN-TO-LAUNCH-SI T E ( R T L S ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... 9 1

ABORT ONCE ARO U N D ( A O A ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... 9 1

LANDING ............................................................................................................................................. 9 1
Section Page 

ii CONTENTS AUGUST 2009

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................... 93

MEDIA ASSISTANCE ............................................................................................................... 107

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS .................................................................................................. 109

 

 

 

 

 

 
AUGUST 2009 MISSION OVERVIEW 1

STS-128 MISSION OVERVIEW 

The STS-128 crew members take a break during a training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup 

Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. From the left are astronauts Rick Sturckow, commander; 

Patrick Forrester, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Christer Fuglesang, astronauts 

Nicole Stott, Jose Hernandez, John “Danny” Olivas, all mission specialists; and Kevin Ford, pilot. 

Stott is scheduled to join Expedition 20 as flight engineer after launching to the 

International Space Station with the STS-128 crew. 

On the heels of the completion of the Japanese 

segment of the International Space Station, the 

shuttle Discovery is poised to blast off on a 

13-day mission to deliver more than 7 tons of 

supplies, science racks and equipment, as well 

as additional environmental hardware to 

sustain six crew members on the orbital 

outpost. 

Led by veteran shuttle Commander 

Rick Sturckow (STUR-coe) (Col., USMC), 48, 

Discovery is set for launch no earlier than 

1:36:02 a.m. EDT Aug. 25 from Launch 

Pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center. This 

will be Sturckow’s fourth flight into space. 

Kevin Ford (Col., USAF, ret.), 49, will serve as 

Discovery’s pilot in his first flight into space. 

Patrick Forrester (Col., USA, ret.), 52, is making 
2 MISSION OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

his third flight into space. The flight engineer 

for launch and landing is Jose Hernandez, 47. 

The son of an itinerant Mexican farming family, 

he did not learn English until he was 12 years 

old. Hernandez, on his first flight, will 

be involved in cargo transfer operations and 

the operation of the shuttle’s robotic arm. 

Lead spacewalker John “Danny” Olivas 

(oh-LEE-vuhs), 44, is making his second flight 

into space, having also flown with Sturckow on 

his previous mission. Olivas will participate in 

all three of the mission’s spacewalks. Christer 

Fuglesang (FYU-gel-sang) of the European 

Space Agency, 52, will conduct two spacewalks 

with Olivas in his second flight into space. 

They are joined by NASA’s Nicole Stott, 46, a 

former processing director for the shuttle 

Endeavour at the Kennedy Space Center, who 

replaces NASA astronaut Tim Kopra (CO-prah) 

(Col., USA), 46, as a long-duration crew 

member on the space station and a member of 

the Expedition 20 and 21 crews. Stott, who will 

conduct the mission's first spacewalk with 

Olivas, is scheduled to spend three months on 

the complex while Kopra returns home aboard 

Discovery. Stott plans to return in November 

on the shuttle Atlantis as part of the STS-129 

crew. 

The day after launch, Ford, Forrester and 

Hernandez will take turns at Discovery’s aft 

flight deck as they maneuver the shuttle's 

robotic arm to reach over to the starboard sill of 

the orbiter to grapple the Orbiter Boom Sensor 

System, a 50-foot-long crane extension. The 

extension is equipped with sensors and lasers 

that will be used in the traditional daylong scan 

of Discovery’s thermal protection heat shield 

and the reinforced carbon-carbon on the 

leading edges of the shuttle’s wings. This 

initial inspection of the heat shield will provide 

imagery experts on the ground a close-up look 

at the tiles and blankets on the shuttle’s skin to 

determine if the shuttle is ultimately safe to 

re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. A follow-up 

inspection will take place after Discovery 

undocks from the station. 

While the inspection takes place, Olivas, 

Fuglesang and Stott will prepare the spacesuits 

they will wear for the three spacewalks to be 

conducted out of the Quest airlock at the 

station. Other predocking preparations will 

occupy the remainder of the crew’s workday. 

The following day, on the third day of the 

flight, Discovery will be flown by Sturckow and 

Ford on its approach for docking to the station. 

After a series of jet firings to fine-tune 

Discovery’s path to the complex, the shuttle 

will arrive at a point about 600 feet 

directly below the station about an hour before 

docking. At that time, Sturckow will execute 

a one-degree-per-second rotational “backflip” 

to enable Expedtion 20 Commander 

Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer 

Mike Barratt, using digital cameras with 

400 and 800 millimeter lenses, to snap hundreds 

of detailed photos of the shuttle’s heat shield 

and other areas of potential interest – another 

data point for imagery analysts to pore over in 

determining the health of the shuttle’s thermal 

protection system. 
AUGUST 2009 MISSION OVERVIEW 3

Astronaut Nicole Stott, STS-128 mission specialist, attired in a training version of her Extravehicular 

Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit, is pictured during a spacewalk training session in the waters of the 

Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Divers are in the water to 

assist Stott in her rehearsal, intended to help prepare her for work on the exterior of the 

International Space Station. 

Once the rendezvous pitch maneuver is 

completed, Sturckow will fly Discovery to a 

point about 600 feet in front of the station 

before slowly closing in for a linkup to the 

forward docking port on the Harmony module. 

Less than two hours later, hatches will be 

opened between the two spacecraft to begin 

almost nine days of work between the two 

crews. 

Discovery’s arrival at the station two days after 

launch will again place 13 crew members on the 

complex. The shuttle crew will join Padalka of 

Russia, and flight engineers Barratt and Kopra 

of NASA, Roman Romanenko of Russia, 

Bob Thirsk of the Canadian Space Agency and 

Frank De Winne of the European Space 

Agency. 
4 MISSION OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, astronauts Rick Sturckow 

(center), STS-128 commander; Patrick Forrester (left) and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut 

Christer Fuglesang, both mission specialists, listen as a crew trainer (out of frame) briefs the crew in 

preparation for a training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA’s 

Johnson Space Center. 

Aside from the delivery of Stott to join the 

station crew, the primary objective of the flight 

will be the transfer of the science and 

environmental racks to the complex to mark a 

quantum leap in the scientific capability of the 

orbital laboratory. 

Housed for the ride to the station in the 

Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module in 

Discovery’s payload bay are the Materials 

Science Research Rack (MSRR-1), the 

Minus Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer 

for ISS (MELFI) and the Fluids Integration 

Rack (FIR). MSRR-1 will be used for basic 

materials research related to metals, alloys, 

polymers, semiconductors, ceramics, crystals 

and glasses in the microgravity environment. 

MELFI will be used for long-term storage of 

experiment samples that are to be returned to 

Earth for detailed analysis. The FIR is a fluid 

physics research facility designed to host 

investigations in areas such as colloids, gels, 

bubbles, wetting and capillary action, and 

phase changes, including boiling and cooling. 
AUGUST 2009 MISSION OVERVIEW 5

Leonardo, which serves as a large moving van 

for supplies and equipment back and forth 

from the station, also is carrying a new crew 

quarters to provide more sleeping space for 

the expanded station crew members and a 

new exercise device called the Combined 

Operational Load Bearing External Resistance 

Treadmill, or COLBERT, coined after 

late-night cable entertainment personality 

Stephen Colbert. COLBERT will be 

transferred to a temporary location in the 

Harmony node, but will ultimately reside in the 

new Node 3 module – Tranquility – that will be 

launched to the station in 2010 as a final 

connecting point for other modules on the U.S. 

segment of the complex, including the Cupola, 

a multi-windowed module to provide a 

vista-like view of the universe. COLBERT will 

not be checked out and activated until later this 

year. 

In addition to the new treadmill, also referred 

to as “T2,” the crew will transfer a new Air 

Revitalization System (ARS) rack to the station 

for use in Tranquility to maintain a pristine 

environment for the expanded six-person 

crew on the outpost. The system includes 

another carbon dioxide removal system bed 

similar to the Carbon Dioxide Removal 

Assembly (CDRA) that resides in the U.S. 

Destiny laboratory. The rack will be 

temporarily stowed in the Japanese segment of 

the station until Tranquility is in place to accept 

it on a permanent basis. 
6 MISSION OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

Astronaut John “Danny” Olivas, STS-128 mission specialist, dons a training version of his 

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit before being submerged in the waters of the 

Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Astronaut 

Jose Hernandez, mission specialist, assists Olivas.

If the CDRA is operating when Discovery 

arrives at the station, the new ARS rack will be 

temporarily stowed in the Japanese Kibo 

module and not activated until it is installed in 

Tranquility next year. If a problem develops 

with the CDRA, however, the new rack could 

be temporarily installed in the Destiny lab in 

place of the current CDRA and activated to 

assist in the removal of carbon dioxide. 

Ford and Barratt will hoist Leonardo out of 

Discovery’s cargo bay using the station’s 

Canadarm2 robotic arm on the fourth day of 

the flight and will berth it to the Earth-facing 

port on the Harmony module. Once leak 

checks are performed, the hatch to Leonardo 

will be opened to mark the start of transfer 

operations that will be supervised by Fuglesang 

and Hernandez. 

Three spacewalks will be conducted on 

flight days 5, 7 and 9 during the docked 

phase of the mission. 
AUGUST 2009 MISSION OVERVIEW 7

The first spacewalk will see Olivas, who 

conducted two spacewalks on STS-117, and 

Stott venture outside to remove an empty 

ammonia tank from the port 1 (P1) truss of the 

station. The tank, which itself weighs about 

1,800 pounds, contains 600 pounds of ammonia 

to provide the proper cooling for the thermal 

control system in the truss. Ammonia in the 

tank flows in the truss’ Pump Module 

Assembly, which is the heart of the thermal 

control system. Olivas will work in tandem 

with Stott to remove the used tank that will be 

grappled by the Canadarm2 through a fixed 

grapple bar. The grapple bar will be attached 

to the tank before it is parked on a cargo 

carrying platform in Discovery’s payload bay 

for the trip home. The tank that will be 

removed still will contain about 200 pounds of 

ammonia but is considered used and ready for 

replacement. 

Olivas and Stott also will remove two 

experiments from the hull of the European 

Columbus module during the first spacewalk. 

The European Technology Exposure Facility, or 

EuTEF, was installed during the STS-122 

mission in February 2008. EuTEF is a suite of 

nine experiments designed to collect data 

during its lengthy stay in the microgravity 

environment. The spacewalkers also will 

remove a materials science experiment 

called Materials International Space Station 

Experiment (MISSE), a device resembling an 

open suitcase that enables a variety of 

experiments to be exposed to the space 

environment. This latest in the series of 

MISSE experiments was moved to the outside 

of Columbus from a prior location on the 

station during the STS-123 mission in 

March 2008. 

Olivas will be joined by Fuglesang for the 

second spacewalk. Fuglesang conducted three 

spacewalks on his first mission, STS-116. This 

excursion will be exclusively devoted to 

installing a new Ammonia Tank Assembly on 

the P1 truss and stowing the empty tank on the 

cargo carrying platform in Discovery’s payload 

bay. 

Olivas and Fuglesang team up for the final 

spacewalk two days later to begin preparations 

for the arrival of the Tranquility connecting 

module, Node 3, and its Cupola viewing port 

scheduled for launch next year. 
8 MISSION OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

Astronaut Jose Hernandez, STS-128 mission specialist, uses the virtual reality lab in the 

Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center to train for some of his duties 

aboard the space shuttle and space station. This type of computer interface, paired with virtual 

reality training hardware and software, helps to prepare the entire team for dealing with 

space station elements. 

The spacewalkers will begin by completing a 

task that could not be accomplished during 

the STS-127 mission; i.e., the deployment of a 

payload attachment bracket on the starboard 

truss to which several critical spare parts will 

be attached during the STS-129 mission later 

this year. Next, Olivas and Fuglesang will 

route avionics systems cables from the S0 truss 

at the midpoint of the station’s backbone to the 

port side of the complex where Tranquility will 

be permanently attached. After that, they will 

rig cables for heaters that will keep the berthing 

port warm on the port side of the Unity 

connecting module to which Tranquility will be 

mated. 

They will replace a failed component on the 

S0 truss called a rate gyro assembly that works 

with the station’s Global Positioning 

System (GPS) hardware to tell the station what 

its orientation is in relation to the Earth, replace 

a faulty power control module on the S0 that is 

used to route electricity to various components 

inside the complex and install two new GPS 

antennas on the S0 truss. 
AUGUST 2009 MISSION OVERVIEW 9

On the following day, flight day 10, the crew 

will enjoy some off-duty time and complete 

transfer operations before closing the hatch to 

Leonardo on flight day 11 so it can be 

unberthed from Harmony and returned to 

Discovery’s payload bay. Ford and Hernandez 

will operate Canadarm2 from the robotics 

workstation on the station to demate Leonardo 

from its temporary parking spot and lower it 

onto latches in the shuttle’s cargo bay. 

Once the cargo module is berthed in Discovery, 

the two crews will say goodbye to one another 

and close the hatches between the shuttle and 

station to set the stage for undocking. 

With Ford at the controls on flight day 12, 

Discovery will separate from the station. He 

will slowly back the shuttle away to a distance 

of about 400 feet from the station. At that point, 

he will conduct a radial flyaround of the 

complex before firing jets to depart the vicinity 

of the outpost. 

With undocking complete, Ford, Forrester and 

Hernandez will use the shuttle’s robotic arm 

and its Orbiter Boom Sensor System extension 

to conduct a “late” inspection of the orbiter’s 

thermal heat shield – one more opportunity to 

ensure that it is in good shape to support 

landing. 

Sturckow, Ford and Hernandez will conduct 

the traditional checkout of the shuttle’s flight 

control systems and steering jets on flight 

day 13, setting Discovery up for its supersonic 

return to Earth on flight day 14. A special 

recumbent seat will be set up in the shuttle’s 

lower deck for Kopra to ease his reorientation 

to a gravity environment for the first time in 

almost two months. 

Finally, weather permitting, Sturckow and 

Ford will guide Discovery to a landing at the 

Kennedy Space Center on the evening of Sept. 6 

to wrap up the 37th flight for the shuttle’s fleet 

leader, the 128th mission in shuttle program 

history and the 30th shuttle visit to the 

International Space Station. 
10 MISSION OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

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AUGUST 2009 TIMELINE OVERVIEW 11

TIMELINE OVERVIEW 

Flight Day 1 

• Launch 

• Payload Bay Door Opening 

• Ku-Band Antenna Deployment 

• Shuttle Robotic Arm Activation and 

payload bay survey 

• Umbilical Well and Handheld External 

Tank Photo and TV Downlink 

Flight Day 2 

• Discovery’s Thermal Protection System 

Survey with Shuttle Robotic Arm/Orbiter 

Boom Sensor System (OBSS) 

• Extravehicular Mobility Unit Checkout 

• Centerline Camera Installation 

• Orbiter Docking System Ring Extension 

• Orbital Maneuvering System Pod Survey 

• Rendezvous tools checkout 

Flight Day 3 

• Rendezvous with the International Space 

Station 

• Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver Photography 

of Discovery’s Thermal Protection System 

by Barratt and De Winne of the 

Expedition 20 Crew 

• Docking to Harmony/Pressurized Mating 

Adapter-2 

• Hatch Opening and Welcoming 

• Stott and Kopra exchange Soyuz seatliners; 

Stott joins Expedition 20, Kopra joins the 

STS-128 crew 

Flight Day 4 

• Unberthing of the Leonardo Multi-Purpose 

Logistics Module (MPLM) from Discovery’s 

cargo bay and installation on the Earthfacing port of the Harmony node 

• Leonardo systems activation and hatch 

opening 

• Spacewalk 1 Procedure Review 

• Spacewalk 1 Campout in Quest airlock by 

Olivas and Stott 

Flight Day 5 

• Spacewalk 1 by Olivas and Stott 

(Preparation of P1 Truss Ammonia Tank 

Assembly for removal, EuTEF and MISSE 

experiment removal from the Columbus 

module) 

• Rack transfers from Leonardo to the station; 

transfer of the COLBERT treadmill from 

Leonardo to the space station 

Flight Day 6 

• Focused inspection of Discovery’s thermal 

heat shield by the shuttle robotic arm/OBSS, 

if necessary 

• Rack and cargo transfers from Leonardo to 

the station 
12 TIMELINE OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

• Spacewalk 2 Procedure Review 

• Spacewalk 2 Campout in Quest airlock by 

Olivas and Fuglesang 

Flight Day 7 

• Spacewalk 2 by Olivas and Fuglesang 

(Completion of Ammonia Tank Assembly 

swapout on P1 truss) 

• Cargo transfer from Leonardo to space 

station 

Flight Day 8 

• Crew off-duty time 

• Joint Crew News Conference 

• Cargo transfer from Leonardo to the station 

• Spacewalk 3 Procedure Review 

• Spacewalk 3 Campout in Quest airlock by 

Olivas and Fuglesang 

Flight Day 9 

• Spacewalk 3 by Olivas and Fuglesang 

(Routing avionics cables for Tranquility 

Node 3 installation, replacement of Rate 

Gyro Assembly on the S0 truss, installation 

of two GPS antennas on the S0 truss) 

• Cargo transfer from Leonardo to the station 

Flight Day 10 

• Cargo transfer from Leonardo to the station 

• Crew off-duty time 

Flight Day 11 

• Final transfers 

• Leonardo egress and systems deactivation 

• Leonardo demating from Earth-facing port 

on Harmony node and berthing back in 

Discovery’s cargo bay 

• Farewells and Hatch Closure 

• Rendezvous tools checkout 

Flight Day 12 

• Discovery undocking from station 

• Flyaround of station and final separation 

• Late inspection of Discovery’s thermal 

protection system with the OBSS 

Flight Day 13 

• Flight Control System Checkout 

• Reaction Control System hot-fire test 

• Crew Deorbit Briefing 

• Cabin Stowage 

• Recumbent Seat Setup for Kopra 

Flight Day 14 

• Deorbit preparations 

• Payload Bay Door closing 

• Deorbit burn 

• KSC Landing 
AUGUST 2009 MISSION PROFILE 13

MISSION PROFILE 

CREW 

Commander: Rick Sturckow 

Pilot: Kevin Ford 

Mission Specialist 1: Patrick Forrester 

Mission Specialist 2: Jose Hernandez 

Mission Specialist 3: Danny Olivas 

Mission Specialist 4: Christer Fuglesang 

Mission Specialist 5: Nicole Stott (Up) 

Mission Specialist 5: Tim Kopra (Down) 

LAUNCH 

Orbiter: Discovery (OV-103)

Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center 

Launch Pad 39A 

Launch Date: No Earlier Than 

Aug. 25, 2009 

Launch Time: 1:36:02 a.m. EDT 

(Preferred In-Plane 

launch time for 8/25) 

Launch Window: 3 minutes 

Altitude: 122 Nautical Miles 

(140 Miles) Orbital 

Insertion; 188 NM 

(213 Miles) Rendezvous 

Inclination: 51.6 Degrees 

Duration: 12 Days 19 Hours 

04 Minutes 

VEHICLE DATA 

Shuttle Liftoff Weight: 4,522,852

pounds 

Orbiter/Payload Liftoff Weight: 267,689 

pounds 

Orbiter/Payload Landing Weight: 225,860 

pounds 

Software Version: OI-34

Space Shuttle Main Engines: 

SSME 1: 2052 

SSME 2: 2051 

SSME 3: 2047 

External Tank: ET-132 

SRB Set: BI-139 

RSRM Set: 107 

SHUTTLE ABORTS 

Abort Landing Sites 

RTLS: Kennedy Space Center Shuttle 

Landing Facility 

TAL: Primary – Zaragoza, Spain. 

Alternates – Moron, Spain and 

Istres, France 

AOA: Primary – Kennedy Space Center 

Shuttle Landing Facility. 

Alternate – White Sands Space 

Harbor 

LANDING 

Landing Date: No Earlier Than 

Sept. 6, 2009 

Landing Time: 8:40 p.m. EDT 

Primary landing Site: Kennedy Space Center 

Shuttle Landing Facility 

PAYLOADS 

Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), 

Leonardo; Lightweight Multi-Purpose 

Carrier (LMC) with Ammonia Tank 

Assembly (ATA) 
14 MISSION PROFILE AUGUST 2009

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AUGUST 2009 MISSION OBJECTIVES 15

MISSION OBJECTIVES 

MAJOR OBJECTIVES 

1. Dock Discovery to the International Space 

Station’s Pressurized Mating Adaptor-2 

port and perform mandatory crew safety 

briefing for all crew members. 

2. Berth Multi-Purpose Logistics 

Module (MPLM) to the station’s nadir port 

on the Harmony module using the station 

robotic arm, activate and check out MPLM. 

3. Transfer mandatory quantities of water 

from Discovery to the space station. 

4. Rotate Expedition 20 crew member 

Tim Kopra with Expedition 20/21 Flight 

Engineer Nicole Stott, transfer mandatory 

crew rotation equipment and perform 

mandatory tasks consisting of customized 

seatliner install and Sokol suit checkout. 

5. Transfer and install Node 3 Air 

Revitalization System (ARS) rack. 

6. Transfer Treadmill-2 (T2) rack and 

associated system components to the station 

and temporarily install in interim rack 

location. 

7. Transfer and stow critical items. 

8. Transfer and install remaining MPLM racks 

to the space station. 

− Deck Crew Quarters 

− Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory 

Freezer for ISS-2 (MELFI-2) 

− Fluids Integration Rack (FIR) 

− Materials Science Research Rack 

(MSRR) 

9. Transfer, remove, and replace Ammonia 

Tank Assembly (ATA) from the 

Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment 

Support Structure (MPESS) Carrier (LMC) 

to the P1 site using the station robotic arm. 

10. Return empty P1 ATA to the LMC using the 

station robotic arm. 

11. Return MPLM to Discovery’s payload bay 

using the station robotic arm. 

12. Transfer European Technology Exposure 

Facility (EuTEF)/Flight Support 

Equipment (FSE) Integrated Assembly (IA) 

from the station’s Columbus Exposed 

Payload Facility (EPF) to the LMC using the 

station robotic arm. 

13. Perform minimum crew handover of 

12 hours per rotating crew member 

including crew safety handover. 

14. Transfer Materials International Space 

Station Experiment (MISSE) 6a and 6b 

Passive Experiment Containers from the 

station’s Columbus EPF to the Discovery’s 

cargo bay using the station robotic arm. 

15. Transfer remaining cargo items. 

16. Remove and replace the S0 Rate Gyro 

Assembly (RGA). 
16 MISSION OBJECTIVES AUGUST 2009

17. Perform additional Node 3 (Tranquility) 

prep tasks. 

− Pre-route external channel 1/4 power 

and data cable and channel 2/3 power 

and data cables from S0 panel across 

Destiny to (Node 1) Unity. 

− Temporarily connect Node 1 

port/PMA3 heater umbilical and install 

grounding on Node 1 nadir launch-toactivation connector. 

− Remove and replace RPCM S0-1A-D. 

− Remove Node 1 slidewire. 

− Reposition Zarya LAN connector on 

Node 1 port. 

18. Perform Hydrogen ORU Calibration 

Kit (HOCK) verification on the OGS 

pressure sensor. 

19. Perform daily station payload status checks 

as required. 

20. Perform daily middeck activities to support 

payloads. 

21. Perform station payload research operations 

tasks. 

22. Remove MPLM Baseplate Ballast 

Assemblies (BBAs) and Lamp Housing 

Assemblies (LHAs) and transfer to the 

space station. If required, install the failed 

space station BBAs/LHAs back into MPLM. 

23. Perform crew quarters outfitting and 

activation as required to support minimal 

crew habitation. 

24. Perform TriDAR Automated Rendezvous 

and Docking Sensor DTO-701A activities. 

25. Perform an additional four hours per 

rotating crew member of station crew 

handover (16 hours per crew member total). 

26. The following spacewalk tasks are deemed 

to fit within the existing timelines; however, 

they may be deferred if the spacewalk is 

behind schedule. The spacewalk will not be 

extended to complete these tasks. 

− Install Global Positioning System AA 

No. 2 and No. 4 on S0 

− Install Node 1 micrometeoroid orbital 

debris shield 

− Install the station arm camera lens 

cover on Latching End Effector B wrist 

camera 

27. Transfer oxygen from Discovery to the 

station airlock high-pressure gas tanks. 

28. Perform water sampling for return for 

ground testing. 
AUGUST 2009 MISSION OBJECTIVES 17

29. Perform program-approved intravehicular 

activity get-ahead tasks. The following 

intravehicular activity get-ahead tasks do 

not fit in the existing timelines; however, 

the team will be trained and ready to 

perform should the opportunity arise. 

− Complete remainder of crew quarters 

outfitting and activation as required to 

support full crew habitation 

− Perform Node 1 port bulkhead feedthrough modifications (for 20A) 

− Potable Water (J33) 

− Waste Water (J30) 

− ARS Air Sample (J40) 

− Nitrogen (J44) 

− Oxygen (J45) 

− Perform coarse leaks checks of Node 1 

port bulkhead feed-throughs using 

PMA-3 partial depressurization. 

30. Perform program-approved spacewalk 

get-ahead tasks. The following get-ahead 

tasks do not fit in the existing spacewalk 

timelines; however, the spacewalk team will 

be trained and ready to perform should the 

opportunity arise. 

− Tuck down Lab/Node 2 cables. 

− Install a gap spanner on Node 2. 

− Relocate Fixed Grapple Bar in 

preparation of 19A ATA R&R. 

− Install Bootie/Grounding Connector 

Sleeves (launch in 17A MPLM). 

− Install station arm camera lens cover on 

station arm’s elbow camera. 

31. Perform payload of opportunity operations 

to support Shuttle Ionospheric 

Modification with Pulsed Localized 

Exhaust Experiments, Maui Analysis of 

Upper Atmospheric Injections (MAUI) and 

Shuttle Exhaust Ion Turbulence 

Experiments (SEITE). 

32. Reboost the space station with the shuttle if 

mission resources allow and are consistent 

with station trajectory analysis and 

planning. 

33. Perform imagery survey of the station 

exterior during orbiter flyaround after 

undock. 

34. Perform SDTO 13005-U, ISS Structural Life 

Validation and Extension, during shuttle 

mated reboost. 

35. Perform SDTO 13005-U, ISS Structural Life 

Validation and Extension, during 17A 

shuttle undocking, if crew time available. 

36. Perform SDTO 13005-U, ISS Structural Life 

Validation and Extension for MPLM 

Berthing and Unberthing. 
18 MISSION PRIORITIES AUGUST 2009

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AUGUST 2009 MISSION PERSONNEL 19

MISSION PERSONNEL 

KEY CONSOLE POSITIONS FOR STS-128 (DISCOVERY) 

 Flt. Director CAPCOM PAO

Ascent Richard Jones Eric Boe 

TBD (Wx) 

Rob Navias 

Orbit 1 (Lead) Tony Ceccacci Chris Ferguson 

Tony Antonelli 

Rob Navias 

Orbit 2 Kwatsi Alibaruho Stan Love Josh Byerly 

Planning Gary Horlacher Shannon Lucid Nicole Cloutier 

Entry Richard Jones Eric Boe 

TBD (Wx) 

Rob Navias 

Shuttle Team 4 Mike Sarafin N/A N/A 

ISS Orbit 1 Ron Spencer Chris Zajac N/A 

ISS Orbit 2 (Lead) Heather Rarick Robert Hanley N/A 

ISS Orbit 3 Royce Renfrew Mike Jensen N/A 

Station Team 4 Derek Hassmann 

JSC PAO Representative at KSC for Launch – Lynnette Madison

KSC Launch Commentator – Mike Curie

KSC Launch Director – Pete Nickolenko

NASA Launch Test Director – Charlie Blackwell-Thompson 
20 MISSION PERSONNEL AUGUST 2009

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AUGUST 2009 CREW 21

STS-128 DISCOVERY CREW 

The STS-128 patch symbolizes the 17A mission 

and represents the hardware, people and 

partner nations that contribute to the flight. 

The space shuttle Discovery is shown in the 

orbit configuration with the Multi-Purpose 

Logistics Module (MPLM) Leonardo in the 

payload bay. Earth and the International Space 

Station wrap around the Astronaut Office 

symbol reminding us of the continuous human 

presence in space. The names of the STS-128 

crew members border the patch in an unfurled 

manner. Included in the names is the 

expedition crew member who will launch on 

STS-128 and remain on board the station, 

replacing another Expedition crew member 

who will return home with STS-128. The 

banner also completes the Astronaut Office 

symbol and contains the U.S. and Swedish flags 

representing the countries of the STS-128 crew. 
22 CREW AUGUST 2009

Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, these seven astronauts take a 

break from training to pose for the STS-128 crew portrait. Seated are NASA astronauts 

Rick Sturckow (right), commander; and Kevin Ford, pilot. From the left (standing) are astronauts 

Jose Hernandez, John “Danny” Olivas, Nicole Stott, European Space Agency’s Christer Fuglesang 

and Patrick Forrester, all mission specialists. Stott is scheduled to join Expedition 20 as flight 

engineer after launching to the International Space Station on STS-128. 

Short biographical sketches of the crew follow 

with detailed background available at: 

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/
AUGUST 2009 CREW 23

STS-128 CREW BIOGRAPHIES 

Frederick Sturckow 

Frederick Sturckow, a colonel in the 

U.S. Marine Corps, will lead the crew of 

STS-128. He served as pilot on STS-88 in 1998 

(first International Space Station assembly 

mission) and STS-105 in 2001, and as 

commander of STS-117 in 2007. Sturckow has 

overall responsibility for the safety and 

execution of the mission, orbiter systems 

operations and flight operations, including 

landing. He also will fly Discovery through its 

rendezvous and docking to the International 

Space Station. 
24 CREW AUGUST 2009

Kevin Ford 

Astronaut Kevin Ford, a retired U.S. Air Force 

colonel, will serve as the pilot for Discovery. 

This will be his first journey into space. 

Selected by NASA in 2000, he has served in 

various shuttle technical jobs and as a 

CAPCOM. He will be responsible for orbiter 

systems operations, will assist Sturckow with 

rendezvous, and will fly the orbiter during 

undocking and the flyaround. He will be the 

primary operator of the space station robotic 

arm during docked operations, and will also 

assist with shuttle robotic operations during the 

thermal protection system inspections. 
AUGUST 2009 CREW 25

Patrick Forrester 

Veteran astronaut Patrick Forrester will serve as 

a mission specialist for the space shuttle 

Discovery. He will choreograph the three 

planned spacewalks, as well as participate in 

robotics operations to inspect Discovery after 

launch and before re-entry. Forrester flew on 

STS-105 in 2001 and STS-117 in 2007. He has 

conducted four spacewalks totaling 25 hours, 

22 minutes. 
26 CREW AUGUST 2009

Jose Hernandez 

This is the first spaceflight for Jose Hernandez. 

He was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2004 

and completed his initial training in 

February 2006. He is slated to perform robotic 

operations to inspect Discovery after launch 

and assist with cargo transfer from shuttle to 

station. 
AUGUST 2009 CREW 27

Christer Fuglesang 

An astronaut with the European Space Agency 

since 1992, Christer Fuglesang joined NASA 

in 1996 as a mission specialist. He will 

conduct two spacewalks with Olivas to assist 

with installation of a new Ammonia Tank 

Assembly (ATA) and make preparations for the 

arrival of the Tranquility connecting module. 

He will serve as the loadmaster for the MultiPurpose Logistics Module during the mission. 

This will be Fuglesang’s second spaceflight, the 

previous being STS-116 in 2006 that installed 

the P5 spacer truss segment. 
28 CREW AUGUST 2009

Danny Olivas 

Astronaut Danny Olivas will serve as the 

lead spacewalker for this mission. He will 

participate in all three spacewalks during the 

mission. Spacewalk tasks include installing a 

new ATA on the station’s Port 1 truss and 

stowing the empty tank on the cargo carrying 

platform in Discovery’s payload bay, retrieving 

two experiments from the hull of the European 

Columbus module and routing power cables 

for Tranquility (Node 3). Olivas also flew on 

STS-117 in 2007, which delivered the second 

starboard truss segment, third set of solar 

arrays, batteries and associated equipment. 
AUGUST 2009 CREW 29

Nicole Stott 

This will be the first spaceflight for Nicole Stott 

who will serve as flight engineer for 

Expedition 20 and 21 replacing Tim Kopra. 

Aside from serving as a long-duration crew 

member, along with Olivas she will conduct 

the first spacewalk of space shuttle Discovery’s 

mission. Stott was selected as a NASA 

astronaut in 2000. She has worked technical 

aspects of station payloads, supported 

Expedition 10 and has served as a station 

CAPCOM. Stott will launch with the crew of 

STS-128 and return on STS-129. 
30 CREW AUGUST 2009

Tim Kopra 

Tim Kopra, a colonel in the Army, has a history 

at NASA that precedes his joining the astronaut 

corps. Kopra was assigned to NASA at the 

Johnson Space Center in September 1998 as a 

vehicle integration test engineer. In this 

position, he served as an engineering liaison for 

space shuttle launch operations and space 

station hardware testing. He was selected as an 

astronaut in 2000. Since then, he has completed 

training at each of the international partner 

training sites and served as a backup crew 

member to Expeditions 16 and 17. Kopra 

launched to the station with the crew of 

STS-127 to replace Koichi Wakata as the 

Expedition 20 flight engineer. He will return 

with the STS-128 shuttle crew. 
AUGUST 2009 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 31

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 

The space shuttle payload will include the 

Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module 

(MPLM) and the Lightweight Multi-Purpose 

Experiment Support Structure Carrier (LMC). 

The total payload weight, not counting the 

middeck, is 31,694 pounds. The expected 

return weight is 19,053 pounds. 

On the middeck of the space shuttle, it will 

carry GLACIER, a freezer designed to provide 

cryogenic transportation and preservation 

capability for samples. The unit is a double 

locker equivalent unit capable of transport and 

operation in the middeck and in-orbit operation 

in the EXPRESS Rack. 
32 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

The space shuttle will carry on its middeck 

(ascent) the following items: GLACIER (Sortie) 

with refrigerated samples, NLP-Vaccine 

(Sortie), MDS & Support HDW, HRP Integrated 

Immune (SDBI 1900), HRP Sleep Short 

(SDBI 1634) and Sleep Long, JAXA Area 

Dosimeter (PADLES3), JAXA Space Seed, JAXA 

Payload Maintenance, JAXA Rad Silk 

Refrigerated Samples, ESA-CARD, and ESA 

SOLO. On its return, among the items carried 

on the middeck will be GLACIER (Sortie) with 

frozen samples, NLP-Vaccine (Sortie), ESA 

3D-Space, Integrated Immune, Lada-VPU P3R 

root modules and frozen plant samples, HRP 

ISSMP frozen samples, JAXA Area Dosimeter 

(PADLES2), JAXA RAD Silk & Microbe 

refrigerated and frozen samples, and a double 

coldbag with refrigerated samples. 
AUGUST 2009 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 33

LEONARDO MULTI-PURPOSE 

LOGISTICS MODULE (MPLM) FLIGHT 

MODULE 1 (FM1) 

The Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics 

Module (MPLM) is one of three differently 

named large, reusable pressurized elements, 

carried in the space shuttle’s cargo bay, used to 

ferry cargo back and forth to the station. The 

STS-128 flight will be the second to the last time 

that Flight Module 1 (FM1) will be launched in 

its full configuration. After STS-128, FM1 will 

be modified to remove hardware to reduce the 

weight of the module so that more hardware 

can be launched on STS-131/Flight 19A. The 

cylindrical module includes components that 

provide life support, fire detection and 

suppression, electrical distribution and 

computers when it is attached to the station. 

The cylindrical logistics module acts as a 

“moving van” for the space station, carrying 

cargo, experiments and supplies for delivery to 

support the six-person crew on board the 

station, and to return spent materials, trash and 
34 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

unneeded hardware to Earth. The MPLM is 

designed to fit in the space shuttle cargo bay 

and can take up six bays. Each module is 

approximately 21 feet long and 15 feet in 

diameter. 

On the STS-128 mission, Leonardo will carry 

two research racks, four station system racks, 

seven Resupply Stowage Platforms (RSPs), two 

Resupply Stowage Racks (RSRs), one Zero 

Stowage Rack (ZSR) and one Integrated 

Stowage Platform (ISP) and will include Aft 

Cone Stowage (first used on STS-126/ 

Flight Utilization Logistics Flight 2 on 

Nov. 14, 2008). The aft cone modification 

allows 12 additional cargo bags which are 

similar to the size of carry-on suitcases. In 

the aft endcone, additional Lithium 

Hydroxide (LiOH) canisters, which support the 

station’s Environmental Control Life Support 

System (ECLSS), additional Remote Power 

Control Modules (RPCM), which support the 

Electrical Power System (EPS), as well as food 

containers and other hardware to support the 

crew will be flown. 

In addition, the sixth set of Materials 

International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) 

labeled 6a and 6b will be removed by the 

spacewalk crew from Columbus and 

transferred into the MPLM for return to Earth. 

MISSE is a series of experiments mounted 

externally on the station that investigate the 

effects of long-term exposure of materials to the 

harsh space environment. MISSE 6a and 6b 

were launched by space shuttle Endeavour 

during mission STS-123 on March 13, 2008, and 

contained more than 400 specimens of various 

materials. 

The two research racks carried in Leonardo are: 

Fluid Integrated Rack (FIR) and Materials 

Science Research Rack (MSRR). The four 

station system racks are: Crew Quarters (CQ), 

Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for 

ISS-2 (MELFI-2), Node 3 Air Revitalization 

System Rack (ARS), and Treadmill 2, which 

was renamed Combined Operational Load 

Bearing External Resistance Treadmill or 

COLBERT for short by NASA. 

The following are more detailed descriptions on 

each of these racks: 

Crew Quarters (CQ) 

The crew quarters delivered on STS-128/17A 

will be installed in the Japanese Experiment 

Module (JEM) pressurized module. Two crew 

quarters are already installed in Node 2 and 

able to accommodate two crew members. The 

CQ provides private crew member space with 

enhanced acoustic noise mitigation, integrated 

radiation reduction material, controllable 

airflow, communication equipment, redundant 

electrical systems, and redundant caution and 

warning systems. The rack-sized CQ is a 

system with multiple crew member restraints, 

adjustable lighting, controllable ventilation, and 

interfaces that allow each crew member to 

personalize their CQ workspace. 
AUGUST 2009 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 35

Crew quarters (interior view) 

Crew quarters (exterior view) 

Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) 

The Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) is a 

complementary fluid physics research facility 

designed to host investigations in areas such 

as colloids, gels, bubbles, wetting and 

capillary action, and phase changes including 

boiling and cooling. Fluids under microgravity 

conditions perform differently than those on 

Earth. Understanding how fluids react in these 

conditions will lead to improved designs on 

fuel tanks, water systems and other fluid-based 

systems. 

The FIR features a large user-configurable 

volume for experiments. The volume 

resembles a laboratory optics bench. An 

experiment can be built up on the bench from 

components, or it can be attached as a 

self-contained package, or a combination. The 

FIR provides data acquisition and control, 

sensor interfaces, laser and white light 

sources, advanced imaging capabilities, power, 
36 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

cooling, and other resources. Astronauts can 

quickly mount and set up the experiment 

with final operations accomplished by 

remote control from the NASA Glenn Research 

Center’s Telescience Support Center (TSC) 

in Cleveland or from the principal 

investigator home institution. The FIR offers 

the crew members easy access to the back of the 

optics bench for maintenance and experiment 

reconfiguration. 
AUGUST 2009 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 37

Materials Science Research Rack 1 

(MSRR-1) 

The Materials Science Research Rack-1 

(MSRR-1) will be used for basic materials 

research in the microgravity environment of the 

station. MSRR-1 can accommodate and support 

diverse Experiment Modules (EMs). In this 

way many material types, such as metals, 

alloys, polymers, semiconductors, ceramics, 

crystals, and glasses, can be studied to 

discover new applications for existing 

materials and new or improved materials. 

Initially, the MSRR-1 will house the European 

Space Agency-developed Materials Science 

Laboratory (MSL) and the Low Gradient 

Furnace (LFG). Sample cartridge assemblies 

will be inserted into the furnace and heated, 

then cooled down to resolidify the sample 

material free from the effects of gravity. 

MSRR-1 will be moved by the crew from the 

MPLM to its rack location in the Destiny 

laboratory. 
38 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer 

2 (MELFI-2) 

Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for 

ISS (MELFI) is a European Space Agency-built, 

NASA-operated freezer that allows samples to 

be stored on the station at temperatures as low 

as -80 degrees centigrade. It comprises four 

independent dewars which can be set to 

operate at different temperatures. Each dewar 

is a cylindrical vacuum-insulated 75-liter 

container and can accommodate samples of a 

variety of sizes and shapes. The total capacity 

of the unit is 300 liters. The first MELFI unit, 

FU-1, was flown to the station on STS-121, 

installed in the Destiny laboratory, and 

commissioned by Thomas Reiter. The MELFI 

was subsequently relocated to the “Kibo” 

Japanese Experiment Module. The second one 

will be installed in the U.S. laboratory. 
AUGUST 2009 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 39

Node 3 Air Revitalization System Rack 

(N3 ARS) 

The N3 ARS will provide a Carbon Dioxide 

Removal Assembly (CDRA) to remove carbon 

dioxide from the cabin atmosphere in the 

International Space Station. The rack also 

contains a Trace Contaminant Control 

Subassembly (TCCS) that removes potentially 

hazardous trace contaminants from the cabin 

atmosphere. The third element contained in the 

rack is called a Major Constituent Analyzer 

(MCA), which monitors the cabin atmosphere 

for major constituents (N2, O2, CO2, CH4, H2, 

and water vapor). The N3 ARS will be 

temporarily installed in the JEM pressurized 

module and eventually transferred to Node 3 

when it arrives. 
40 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

COMBINED OPERATIONAL LOAD BEARING EXTERNAL RESISTANCE TREADMILL 

(COLBERT) 

The Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT) is packed and 

prepared for stowage aboard Discovery for its transport to the International Space Station. 

Training for future exploration missions is a 

key goal for the International Space Station 

Program, and a new treadmill launching on 

STS-128 will help doctors determine just how 

important “training” is to humans on 

long-space journeys. 

That’s training as in exercise, and treadmill as 

in COLBERT, or the Combined Operational 

Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill, so 

named for comedian Stephen Colbert of 

Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.” 

The COLBERT will be the second treadmill on 

the space station, adding to a complement of six 

different exercise devices already in orbit that 

range from stationary bicycles to resistive 

exercise devices. First and foremost, the new 

treadmill is a critical countermeasure device 

that will be used to keep the international crew 

healthy while in orbit, and prepare them for 

return to Earth. 

In addition, the COLBERT will feature data 

collection devices that will allow doctors and 

scientists to evaluate how effective the treadmill 

exercise is in reducing the amount of bone and 

muscle density loss due to life without gravity. 

Data on treadmill speed, session duration 

and body load of each crew member’s exercise 
AUGUST 2009 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 41

session will help scientists understand 

spaceflight-induced physiological changes 

in the cardiovascular, muscle, bone and 

sensorimotor systems. 

The first experiment to use the COLBERT 

will be the Functional Task Test (FTT), a 

multidisciplinary study designed to identify the 

key underlying physiological factors that 

contribute to performance of functional tests 

that are representative of critical mission tasks 

for lunar and Mars operations. FTT’s principal 

investigator is Jacob Bloomberg of NASA’s 

Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston. 

This is not the first treadmill on the 

station. Station residents currently are using 

the Treadmill with Vibration Isolation 

System (TVIS) that’s recessed in the floor of the 

Zvezda service module. Expedition 20 flight 

engineers Mike Barratt and Koichi Wakata just 

performed a complete overhaul of that 

treadmill to extend its life. Both treadmills will 

continue to be used, which will nearly double 

the availability of this critical work-out device 

for six-person crews. 

While the purpose and general functionality of 

TVIS and COLBERT will be the same, there are 

a couple of significant differences. 

First, the actual treadmill for COLBERT 

was purchased from Woodway USA, 

Waukesha, Wis., while TVIS was developed inhouse at JSC. The COLBERT and supporting 

subsystems (power, cooling, etc.) will be 

housed in an International Standard Payloads 

Rack (ISPR). The entire assembly will be 

housed initially in the station’s Harmony 

module, then be moved to the Tranquility 

module after it is launched in early 2010. 

Tranquility is a pressurized module that will 

provide room for many of the space station’s 

life support systems. Attached to the node is a 

cupola, which is a unique workstation with six 

windows on the sides and one on top. 

Second, the two use different methods to keep 

the vibrations generated by runners from 

shaking the sensitive microgravity experiments 

on the station. TVIS uses an active system of 

throw masses that sense running forces and 

“throw” a counterweight in the opposite 

direction to counteract the vibrations. TVIS 

also uses some light tethers and a gyroscope. 

COLBERT was designed to be heavy, so that its 

inertial mass will be the primary method for 

dampening the vibrations. The total weight of 

the COLBERT rack is 2,200 pounds fully 

configured in orbit. Launch weight is around 

1,600 pounds. Individual treadmill weighs 

about 300 pounds. The entire rack will have a 

modified Passive Rack Isolation System (PaRIS) 

that uses two-stage isolators, or springs, to 

dampen different vibration frequencies. 

The main reasons for the different approach 

were to simplify the system, making it easier 

and less costly to maintain. The simpler design 

also is expected to result in higher reliability, 

making the new treadmill consistently available 

to the crew, which must work out daily to 

counteract the loss of bone and muscle density 

that is a side effect of long-duration stays in 

orbit. If all goes as expected, the COLBERT 

will have a five-year service life. 

There are a number of COLBERT and TVIS 

similarities. Both have running surfaces made 

of aluminum. The COLBERT treadmill surface 

uses the exact same aluminum as a commercial 

treadmill, but a rubber coating is stripped off 

the top of the treads and that aluminum is 

anodized to provide surface roughness and 

protection. 
42 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

Both treadmills meet the payload requirements 

for vibration isolation. COLBERT and TVIS are 

very close in most frequencies, but each is able 

to dampen some frequencies better than the 

other. 

COLBERT’s maximum speed is 12.4 miles an 

hour, but don’t expect crew members to 

run that fast because 12.4 miles an hour is 

faster than the Olympic 100-meter race 

record. An average person runs 7- to- 8 miles 

an hour, and most crew members will run 

about 4- to- 8 miles an hour. 

Another improvement is that COLBERT is 

designed so that ground experts tracking crew 

health in orbit can create individual exercise 

prescriptions and uplink them to the crew as a 

profile. COLBERT will use the same control 

interface as that used for the Advanced 

Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) so that crew 

members won’t have to learn a new interface. 

The interface is modeled on commercial 

treadmills and looks nearly identical to what 

you’d find in many gyms on Earth. The 

standard rack connection device, the same seat 

tracks used in Boeing airliners, will provide 

locations where the crew can mount devices 

such as laptop computers so they can entertain 

themselves while exercising. 

Each crew member is required to work out a 

total of two and a half hours a day, about an 

hour of that on the treadmill. Astronauts are 

expected to burn between 250 and 500 calories 

while working out on COLBERT, which has 

instrumented load cells and three-axis 

accelerometers that can measure the foot 

force of running. Ground experts will be able 

to use this information to determine how 

well they are being conditioned or losing 

their deconditioning, and adjust exercise 

prescriptions accordingly. 

Setting up for an exercise session on COLBERT 

should be fairly simple. The first runner of the 

day will turn it on by flipping the rack power 

switch. After waiting a couple minutes for all 

systems to activate, they’ll position the control 

interface to a location comfortable for them. 

They’ll connect bungee cords to provide a load 

that will generate the foot force necessary to 

give the astronaut’s bones and muscles a 

workout in the absence of gravity. They’ll put 

on the harness that connects them to the 

bungees, set the desired load and verify that 

they agree with their prescription. Then, they’ll 

log into the system, pick a profile, hit start and 

go. In the future, a new load system being 

developed by the European Space Agency will 

provide highly accurate, continuous force that’s 

closer to a full one-gravity body weight. 

The two treadmills provide side benefits for the 

entire crew, because as humans exercise they 

respire (breathe) and perspire (sweat) and that 

moisture is reclaimed by the station’s systems 

that recycle moisture from the station’s 

atmosphere. 

NASA chose the acronym COLBERT after the 

television comedian’s campaign for write-in 

votes to name the next module after himself. 

NASA chose to name the module Tranquility 

instead, in honor of the 40th anniversary 

of the first Apollo landing on the moon. 

Expedition 14 and 15 astronaut Suni Williams 

made the announcement on “The Colbert 

Report” two years after running the Boston 

Marathon in space. 

The COLBERT rack, treadmill and support 

hardware will launch in the Leonardo 

Multi-purpose Logistics Module and be 

transferred to the station on flight day 5. 

The new workout machine will be set up and 

used after the shuttle Discovery departs. 
AUGUST 2009 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 43

MPLM BACKGROUND INFORMATION 

Leonardo 

The Italian-built, U.S.-owned logistics modules 

are capable of ferrying more than 7.5 tons 

(15,000 pounds) of cargo, spares and supplies. 

This is the equivalent of a semi-truck trailer full 

of station gear bringing equipment to and from 

the space station. Return equipment includes 

container racks with science equipment, science 

experiments from NASA and its international 

partners, assembly and spare parts; other 

return hardware items include completed 

experiments, system racks, station hardware 

that needs repair and refuse from the 

approximately 220-mile-high outpost. Some of 

these items are for disposal on Earth while 

others are for analysis and data collection by 

hardware providers and scientists. 

Including STS-128, the MPLMs in total have 

flown nine times since 2001. This will be the 

sixth flight for Leonardo. Of the three MPLM 

modules, only two remain in active service to 

NASA for future flights. The space shuttle flies 

logistics modules in its cargo bay when a large 

quantity of hardware has to be ferried to the 

orbiting habitat at one time. The modules are 

attached to the inside of the bay for launch and 

landing. When in the cargo bay, the module is 

independent of the shuttle cabin, and there is 

no passageway for shuttle crew members to 

travel from the shuttle cabin to the module. 

After the shuttle has docked to the outpost, 

typically on the fourth flight day after shuttle 

launch, Leonardo is mated to the station using 
44 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

the station’s robotic arm to the Node 2 nadir 

port. In the event of a failure or issue which 

may prevent the successful latching of the 

MPLM to the nadir port, the Zenith port can be 

used to mate the MPLM to the station. Nodes 

are modules that connect the elements to the 

station, and Unity was the first element to 

the station to connect the U.S. and Russian 

segments of the outpost. For its return trip to 

Earth, Leonardo will be detached from the 

station and positioned back into the shuttle’s 

cargo bay. 

LEONARDO SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: Length: 21 feet 

Diameter: 15 feet

Payload Mass (launch): 27,510 lbs

Payload Mass (return): 16,268 lbs

Empty Weight: 9,810 lbs

NASA solely owns the modules which were 

acquired in a bartered agreement between 

NASA and the Italian Space Agency for using 

the modules in exchange for allowing the 

Italians to have crew time on board station. 

Leonardo is named after the Italian inventor 

and scientist Leonardo da Vinci. It was the first 

MPLM to deliver supplies to the station. The 

two other modules are named Raffaello, after 

master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio, 

and Donatello, for one of the founders of 

modern sculpture, Donato di Niccolo Di 

Betto Bardi. Raffaello has flown three times. 

Leonardo has flown the most because 

it is equipped with programmable heater 

thermostats on the outside of the module that 

allow for more mission flexibility. Donatello is 

not currently on the shuttle manifest to fly 

because of the cost associated with getting the 

module up to flight status code. There is 

only one more MPLM flight scheduled on 

STS-131/19A before the station is complete and 

space shuttle retires in 2010. 

Under its Checkout, Assembly and Payload 

Processing Services (CAPPS) contract with 

NASA, Boeing processes every major payload 

that flies on all space shuttle flights, and the 

team performs all aspects of payload support, 

including the planning and receiving of 

payloads, payload processing, maintenance of 

associated payload ground systems, logistics 

support, integration of payloads with the space 

shuttle, launch support and space shuttle 

post-landing payload activities. On this 

particular mission, Leonardo’s micrometeoroid 

panel bolts were inspected by Boeing 

technicians at the recommendation of the 

Marshall Space Flight Center MPLM project 

office and the chief engineer’s office. All 290 

bolts were inspected and 16 were replaced on 

68 debris shields. 
AUGUST 2009 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 45

THE LIGHTWEIGHT MULTI-PURPOSE EXPERIMENT SUPPORT STRUCTURE 

CARRIER (LMC) 

 Return Configuration

Located behind Leonardo in the space shuttle 

payload is the Lightweight Multi-Purpose 

Experiment Support Structure Carrier (LMC), 

a non-deployable cross-bay carrier providing 

launch and landing transportation. The LMC 

is a light-weight shuttle stowage platform 

that is maintained by the Goddard Space 

Flight Center and ATK Space for NASA and 

has flown on four previous missions 

(STS-108/UF-1, STS-114/LF1, STS-121/ULF1.1 

and STS-126/ULF2). The LMC weighs 

1,108 pounds. The launch weight of the 

integrated LMC is 3,926 pounds and the return 

weight will be 4,146 pounds. 

The LMC is the platform which carries the 

Ammonia Tank Assembly (ATA), a critical 

spare Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU), in the 

space shuttle payload bay to the International 

Space Station and returns with a spent ATA, as 

well as the European Technology Exposure 

Facility (EuTEF). 

The LMC will be carrying a replacement ATA. 

The tank, installed on the port one truss, is part 

of the station’s cooling system for the electronic 

components. The ATA that the space shuttle 

returns with will have about 30 percent of its 

ammonia remaining in its tank. 
46 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

EuTEF will be removed from its orbital 

mounting platform outside of the Columbus 

module. There will be a special Contingency 

Pin Kit (CPK) carried on the LMC. The CPK 

provides the EVA crew with frontside access to 

the backside release mechanism of the Passive 

Flight Releasable Attach Mechanism (PFRAM) 

to Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU) restraint 

system if required for safe return of an ORU on 

the LMC. 
AUGUST 2009 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 47

In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-128 

Mission Specialists John “Danny” Olivas (left) and Christer Fuglesang (far right) inspect the ATA. 
48 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW AUGUST 2009

EuTEF carries a suite of 13 different 

experiments in the fields of exobiology, 

fundamental physics, and technology requiring 

exposure to the space environment. The 

experiments and facility infrastructure are 

accommodated on the Columbus External 

Payload Adaptor (CEPA), consisting of an 

adapter plate, the Active Flight Releasable 

Attachment Mechanism and the connectors and 

harness. The experiments are mounted either 

directly on the adapter plate or an intermediate 

support structure that elevates them for 

optimum exposure to the direction of flight or 

pointing away from the Earth. 

The suite of experiments on EuTEF consists of: 

• Exposure Experiment (Expose): 

Exobiological organic samples exposure 

facility 

• Dosimetric Telescope (DOSTEL): cosmic 

radiation environment measurement 

• EuTEF Thermometer (EuTEMP): EuTEF’s 

thermal environment measurement 

• Earth Viewing Camera (EVC): Earth 

observing camera 

• DEBris In-orbit Evaluator (DEBIE-2): 

Micrometeoroid and orbital debris detector 

• Flux (Phi) Probe EXperiment (FIPEX): 

Atomic oxygen detector 

• Material Exposure and Degradation 

Experiment (MEDET): Materials 

degradation examination 

• Plasma Electron Gun Payload (PLEGPAY): 

Plasma discharge in orbit 

• Experiments on Space Tribology (Tribolab): 

Testbed for tribology (study of friction on 

moving parts) and properties of materials 
AUGUST 2009 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 49

RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 

The above image depicts space shuttle Discovery’s final docking approach with the 

International Space Station. 

When Discovery launches on the STS-128 

mission, it will fly on a trajectory to chase 

the International Space Station. A series of 

engine firings during the first two days of the 

mission will bring the shuttle to a point about 

50,000 feet behind the station. Once there, 

Discovery will start its final approach. About 

2.5 hours before docking, the shuttle’s jets will 

be fired during what is called the terminal 

initiation burn. The shuttle will cover the final 

miles to the station during the next orbit. 

As Discovery moves closer to the station, its 

rendezvous radar system and trajectory control 

sensor will provide the crew with range and 

closing-rate data. Several small correction 

burns will place the shuttle about 1,000 feet 

below the station. 

Commander Rick Sturckow, with help from 

Pilot Kevin Ford and other crew members, will 

manually fly the shuttle for the remainder of 

the approach and docking. 
50 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING AUGUST 2009

Sturckow will stop Discovery about 600 feet 

below the station. Once he determines there 

is proper lighting, he will maneuver the 

shuttle through a 9-minute backflip called the 

Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver. During this 

maneuver, station crew members Mike Barratt 

and Gennady Padalka will use digital cameras 

with 400 mm and 800 mm lenses to photograph 

Discovery’s upper and bottom surfaces through 

windows of the Zvezda Service Module. The 

400 mm lens provides up to 3-inch resolution 

and the 800 mm lens up to 1-inch resolution. 

Padalka will use the 400 mm and Barratt will 

use the 800 mm. 

The photography is one of several techniques 

used to inspect the shuttle’s thermal protection 

system for possible damage. Areas of special 

interest include the thermal protection tiles, the 

reinforced carbon-carbon of the nose and 

leading edges of the wings, landing gear doors 

and the elevon cove. The photos will be 

downlinked through the station’s Ku-band 

communications system for analysis by systems 

engineers and mission managers. 

When Discovery completes its backflip, it will 

be back where it started, with its payload bay 

facing the station. Sturckow then will fly the 

shuttle through a quarter circle to a position 

about 400 feet directly in front of the station. 

From that point, he will begin the final 

approach to docking to the Pressurized Mating 

Adapter 2 at the forward end of the Harmony 

node. 

The shuttle crew members will operate laptop 

computers that process the navigational data, 

the laser range systems and Discovery’s 

docking mechanism. 

Using a video camera mounted in the center of 

the Orbiter Docking System, Sturckow will line 

up the docking ports of the two spacecraft. If 

necessary, he will pause the shuttle 30 feet from 

the station to ensure proper alignment of the 

docking mechanisms. He will maintain the 

shuttle’s speed relative to the station at about 

one-tenth of a foot per second, while both 

Discovery and the station are moving at about 

17,500 mph. Sturckow will keep the docking 

mechanisms aligned to a tolerance of 3 inches. 

When Discovery makes contact with the 

station, preliminary latches will automatically 

attach the two spacecraft. The shuttle’s steering 

jets will be deactivated to reduce the forces 

acting at the docking interface. Shock absorber 

springs in the docking mechanism will dampen 

any relative motion between the shuttle and 

station. 

Once motion between the shuttle and the 

station has been stopped, the docking ring will 

be retracted to close a final set of latches 

between the two vehicles. 

UNDOCKING, SEPARATION AND 

DEPARTURE 

At undocking time, the hooks and latches will 

be opened and springs will push the shuttle 

away from the station. Discovery’s steering jets 

will be shut off to avoid any inadvertent firings 

during the initial separation. 

Once the shuttle is about 2 feet from the station 

and the docking devices are clear of one 

another, Ford will turn the steering jets back on 

and will manually control Discovery within a 

tight corridor as the shuttle separates from the 

station. 
7 

AUGUST 2009 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 51

Backdropped by the blackness of space and Earth’s horizon, the International Space Station is seen 

from space shuttle Discovery as the two spacecraft begin their relative separation. 

Discovery will move to a distance of about 

450 feet, where Ford will begin to fly around 

the station. Ford will circle the shuttle around 

the station at a distance of 600-700 feet. This 

will only be done if propellant margins and 

mission timeline activities permit. 

Once the shuttle completes 1.5 revolutions of 

the complex, Ford will fire Discovery’s jets to 

leave the area. The shuttle will begin to 

increase its distance from the station with 

each trip around the Earth, while ground teams 

analyze data from the late inspection of the 

shuttle’s heat shield. However, the distance 

will be close enough to allow the shuttle to 

return to the station in the unlikely event that 

the heat shield is damaged, preventing the 

shuttle’s safe re-entry. 
52 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING AUGUST 2009

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AUGUST 2009 SPACEWALKS 53

SPACEWALKS 

Astronauts Jim Reilly (bottom) and John “Danny” Olivas (top right), both STS-117 mission 

specialists, participate in the mission’s first planned session of extravehicular activity (EVA), as 

construction resumes on the International Space Station. 

There are three spacewalks scheduled for the 

STS-128 mission. 

Mission Specialists John “Danny” Olivas, 

Christer Fuglesang and Nicole Stott will spend 

a combined total of 19.5 hours outside the 

station on flight days 5, 7 and 9. Olivas, the 

lead spacewalker for the mission, will suit 

up for all three spacewalks in a spacesuit 

marked with solid red stripes. He is a veteran 

spacewalker with two extravehicular activities, 

or EVAs, performed during the STS-117 

mission in 2007. 

European Space Agency astronaut Fuglesang 

will be participating in the second and third 

spacewalks, adding to the more than 18 hours 

of spacewalking time that he built up over three 

EVAs during the STS-116 mission in 2006. He 

will wear an all white spacesuit. 
54 SPACEWALKS AUGUST 2009

Stott, who will be staying behind as a station 

crew member, whose first spacewalk will also 

be the first of the mission, will wear a spacesuit 

with broken red stripes. 

On each EVA day, a spacewalker inside the 

station will act as the intravehicular officer, or 

spacewalk choreographer. The first and second 

spacewalks will require at least two crew 

members inside the station or shuttle to be at 

the controls of the station’s 58-foot-long robotic 

arm to carry and maneuver equipment and 

spacewalkers. 

Preparations will start the night before each 

spacewalk, when the astronauts spend time in 

the station’s Quest Airlock. This practice is 

called the campout prebreathe protocol and is 

used to purge nitrogen from the spacewalkers’ 

systems and prevent decompression sickness, 

also known as “the bends.” 

During the campout, the two astronauts 

performing the spacewalk will isolate 

themselves inside the airlock while the air 

pressure is lowered to 10.2 pounds per square 

inch, or psi. The station is kept at the near-sealevel pressure of 14.7 psi. The morning of the 

spacewalk, the astronauts will wear oxygen 

masks while the airlock’s pressure is raised 

back to 14.7 psi for an hour and the hatch 

between the airlock and the rest of the station is 

opened. That allows the spacewalkers to 

perform their morning routines before 

returning to the airlock, where the air pressure 

is lowered again. Approximately 50 minutes 

after the spacewalkers don their spacesuits, the 

prebreathe protocol will be complete. 

The procedure enables spacewalks to begin 

earlier in the crew’s day than was possible 

before the protocol was adopted. 

EVA-1 

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes 

Crew: Olivas and Stott 

IV Crew: Forrester 

Robotic Arm 

Operators: Ford and Thirsk 

EVA Operations 

• Old ammonia tank assembly removal 

• EuTEF removal 

• MISSE 6 removal 

The work to replace the ammonia tank 

assembly on the first port segment of the 

station’s truss – P1 – will begin on the first 

spacewalk of the mission. Olivas and Stott will 

be removing the depleted tank from the truss, 

so that it may be picked up by the station’s 

robotic arm for storage until after the second 

spacewalk. 

To remove it from the station’s truss, Olivas 

and Stott will disconnect two lines used to 

transfer its ammonia, two lines which provide 

nitrogen for pressurization, and two electrical 

connections and release four bolts. They’ll then 

work together to lift the tank away from the 

truss and maneuver it into position for the 

robotic arm to latch onto. 
AUGUST 2009 SPACEWALKS 55

While the arm is still holding the tank 

assembly, Stott will install a foot restraint on it 

as well, which she’ll then climb into for the 

removal of the European Technology Exposure 

Facility, or EuTEF. While Stott gets into place, 

Olivas will document the experiment’s 

condition by taking some photographs. Olivas 

will then detach the experiment by releasing 

one bolt, and Stott will lift it away from its 

place on the Columbus laboratory. From there, 

Ford and Thirsk will drive her via the robotic 

arm to the shuttle’s cargo bay, where she’ll 

work with Olivas to store it on a cargo carrier 

for transport back to Earth. One bolt will be 

used to attach it to the carrier. 

The spacewalkers’ final task will be the removal 

of the sixth Materials International Space 

Station Experiment – or MISSE. Stott will climb 

out of the robotic arm’s foot restraint and meet 

Olivas back at Columbus. (Although MISSE is 

a NASA experiment, it is located on the exterior 

of the Columbus laboratory.) While he waits 

for Stott to arrive, Olivas will close the passive 

experiment containers in which the two parts 

of the MISSE experiment are housed, and 

disconnect two cables. Olivas will then remove 

the first of the containers and pass it on to Stott 

for installation in a storage location. The 

second will be removed and stowed by Olvias. 
56 SPACEWALKS AUGUST 2009

EVA-2 

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes 

Crew: Olivas and Fuglesang

IV Crew: Forrester 

Robotic Arm 

Operators: Ford and Stott 

EVA Operations 

• New ammonia tank assembly installation 

• Old ammonia tank assembly storage 

The entire second spacewalk of the mission 

will focus on completing the ammonia tank 

assembly swap. Olivas will begin by removing 

insulation on the new ammonia tank while 

Fuglesang gets into position in the robotic 

arm’s foot restraint. He and Olivas will then 

work together to release the four bolts securing 

the assembly to the cargo carrier inside the 

shuttle’s cargo bay. Ford and Stott will then 

drive the robotic arm – carrying Fuglesang and 

both ammonia tanks – to the installation site on 

the P1 truss segment. 

Olivas will meet Fuglesang there, and together 

they’ll drive the four bolts that will hold it in 

place. Olivas will then connect two electrical 

cables and four fluid lines. 
AUGUST 2009 SPACEWALKS 57

With the new tank assembly installed, Olivas 

and Fuglesang will prepare for the storage of 

the old tank assembly, still latched to the 

robotic arm. Olivas will tether the old tank 

assembly to himself and then give Ford and 

Stott the OK to command the robotic arm to 

release it. Then Fuglesang will attach his tether 

to the assembly and Olivas will remove his 

tether, allowing Fuglesang and the old tank to 

make their way back to the shuttle’s cargo bay 

via robotic arm. 

Once there, Olivas and Fuglesang will install it 

on the cargo carrier with four bolts. 

EVA-3 

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes 

Crew: Olivas and Fuglesang 

IV Crew: Forrester 

Robotic Arm 

Operators: None 

EVA Operations: 

• S3 upper, outboard payload attachment 

system deploy 

• S0 rate gyro assembly replacement 

• S0 remote power control module 

replacement 

• Pressurized mating adapter 3 heater cable 

connection 

• Tranquility node avionics cable routing 

• Unity node slidewire removal 

• Robotic arm camera and light assembly 

insulation installation 

The first tasks of the final spacewalk of the 

mission will finish work left by the 

previous space shuttle mission. The STS-127 

spacewalkers completed the deployment of the 

one cargo attachment system on the P1 truss 

segment, but had to leave the set up of similar 

systems on S3 for future missions. On STS-119 

a jammed detent pin on the first of the systems 

prevented them from deploying the P1 system. 

A special tool was built to assist with the 

deployment. The STS-127 spacewalkers were 

successful in clearing the jam. Olivas and 

Fuglesang will have the same tool on hand for 

use if needed. 

If the detent pin does not jam, however, the 

cargo attachment system will be set up by 

removing brackets and pins holding it in place, 

moving it into its correct position and then 

reinstalling the brackets and pins. 

Once that’s complete, Olivas and Fuglesang 

will work together to remove and replace a 

failed rate gyro assembly in the center of the 

station’s truss. To remove the failed assembly, 

Olivas will disconnect two cables and remove 

two bolts. Fuglesang will remove the final two 

holding the assembly in place, and then Olivas 

will remove it and temporarily store it nearby. 

To install the new one, Olivas and Fuglesang 

will each drive four bolts, and Olivas will then 

connect its two cables before moving on to the 

next task. 

At this point in the spacewalk, Olivas and 

Fuglesang will split up. Olivas will set up 

heater cables that will be used to keep the 

PMA 3 berthing port between the Unity and the 

coming Tranquility node warm so it can be 

pressurized. This will allow the station crew to 

prepare the vestibule for Tranquility node’s 

arrival. That will involve disconnecting four 
58 SPACEWALKS AUGUST 2009

cables and wire-tying them into place along a 

handrails on the Unity node. One of them will 

be connected to an outlet on Unity, the rest will 

have caps installed on them. 

Meanwhile, Fuglesang will replace a failed 

remote power control module on the center 

segment of the station’s truss. To remove the 

failed module, he’ll simply release one bolt. To 

install the new unit, he’ll slide it into place on a 

guide rail and then secure it using one bolt. 

He’ll follow that up by installing an insulation 

sleeve on a cable inside the truss. 

With those tasks done, Fuglesang and Olivas 

will come together again in the center of the 

truss to route avionics systems cables. They’ll 

be using wire ties to secure two cable bundles 

to handrails along the truss system and the 

Unity node, and then a panel on the truss. 

Olivas will wrap up the spacewalk by removing 

a damaged slidewire from a stanchion on 

Unity, while Fuglesang installs a lens cover on a 

camera and light assembly on the space 

station’s robotic arm. 
AUGUST 2009 EXPERIMENTS 59

EXPERIMENTS 

The space shuttle and International Space 

Station have an integrated research program 

that optimizes the use of shuttle crew members 

and long-duration space station crew members 

to address research questions in a variety of 

disciplines. 

For information on science on the station, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/

science/index.html

or 

http://iss-science.jsc.nasa.gov/index.cfm

Detailed information is located at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/

science/experiments/Expedition.html

DETAILED TEST OBJECTIVES AND 

DETAILED SUPPLEMENTARY 

OBJECTIVES 

Detailed Test Objectives (DTOs) are aimed at 

testing, evaluating, documenting systems or 

hardware, and proposing improvements to 

hardware, systems, and operations. Many of 

the DTOs on this mission are to provide 

additional information for engineers working 

for the Constellation Program as they develop 

requirements for the rocket and crew module 

that will return humans to the moon. 

DTO 695 Thrust Oscillation Seat 

Accelerometer/SBDI-1904 Effects of 

Vibration on Visual Performance during 

Launch 

For this test, accelerometers are being placed on 

crew seats in the orbiter to gather information 

on the seat vibration environment during 

launch. This DTO is being done in conjunction 

with another test that will measure crew visual 

performance during launch to help determine 

how the design of the Orion crew displays 

might be improved. 

Three crew seats -- the same seats that were 

instrumented for the test on STS-119 in 

March 2009 and STS-125 in May 2009 -- will be 

instrumented for this flight. 

During ascent, this DTO will measure the 

vibration of shuttle flight deck seat three and 

middeck seats five and six. Each seat will have 

a total of three triaxial accelerometers, each 

placed on the seat pan, the backrest, and the 

headrest. 

Although the Seat DTO data alone are 

important in terms of providing a measure of 

vibration, human performance data are 

required to fully interpret the operational 

impact of the vibration values collected. 

These human factors data will be provided by 

the Visual Performance test that has been 

designed for participation of the shuttle 

middeck crew members in seats five, six and 

seven over the course of two flights (STS-119 

and STS-128). 

Participating crew members will be requested 

to view a placard attached with Velcro to the 

middeck lockers directly in front of them. The 

placard will depict a representative Orion 

display format in each of four quadrants 

(i.e., four numbered display formats per 

placard). Each display format will depict a 

different effective font size, for a total of four 
60 EXPERIMENTS AUGUST 2009

tested font sizes. There will also be displays 

containing different color schemes. 

Crew members will indicate using a response 

card included in their kneeboard or flight 

notebook, by which quadrant had the 

minimum readable font size, and to rate the 

readability of the various display schemes, 

during the launch phase of the flight. Once 

vibration has subsided, after solid rocket 

booster separation and before main engine cutoff, the crew members will respond to a brief 

questionnaire. A post-flight debrief will be 

held with crew members to elaborate on their 

experience. When practical within mission 

constraints, a video camera will record the 

motion of the middeck crew for correlation 

with seat vibration. 

For additional information, follow this link: 

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/sci

ence/experiments/Visual_Performance.html

DTO 696 Grab Sample Container (GSC) 

Redesign for Shuttle 

Successfully sustaining life in space requires 

closely monitoring the environment to ensure 

the health and performance of the crew. 

Astronauts can be more sensitive to air 

pollutants because of the closed environment, 

and the health effects of pollutants are 

magnified in space exploration because the 

astronauts’ exposure is continuous. One 

hazard is the off-gassing of vapors from plastics 

and other inorganic materials aboard the 

vehicle. 

To monitor air contaminant levels, crew 

members use devices called grab sample 

canisters. The containers to be flown on this 

mission have been redesigned so that they 

minimize overall size and volume. Three of the 

new GSCs will fit into the packing volume 

previously needed for one GSC. The smaller 

GSCs will also be used on the space station and 

evaluated during this mission. 

DTO 701A TriDAR Sensor (Triangulation 

and LIDAR Automated Rendezvous and 

Docking) 

The TriDAR Sensor is a 3D autonomous 

rendezvous and docking system that will be 

integrated into the space shuttle orbiter to 

demonstrate that technology in low Earth orbit. 

The complete vision system will incorporate 

scanning laser ranging and imaging capability, 

along with software to perform real-time 

tracking and six degrees of freedom pose 

calculation, to allow spacecraft rendezvous and 

docking without typical target markers. Future 

applications include using TriDAR for 

multifunction sensor robotic operations, 

potentially assisting with lander guidance, 

rover navigation, vehicle inspection, and 

exploration science. 

Such flexible capability in a single sensor will 

be critical in future exploration missions where 

size, weight, and power limits are small. 

Developed by Canada’s Neptec Design 

Company, TriDAR is a dual sensing, multipurpose scanner capable of full pose – six 

degrees of freedom – and sensors for long range 

rendezvous, vehicle inspection and hazard 

avoidance. It is a hybrid scanner combining 

features of the Orbiter Boom Sensor System 

Laser Camera System with a long-range Time 

of Flight or LIDAR system. Unlike pure 

LIDAR system, the TriDAR operates at 

distances ranging from 0.5 meters to more than 

2,000 meters. 
AUGUST 2009 EXPERIMENTS 61

TriDAR uses its random access capability to 

rapidly acquire 3D data. Model-based tracking 

algorithms then calculate the six degrees of 

freedom relative pose of the target spacecraft 

from the acquired data in real-time. The system 

relies only on the vehicle’s geometry and does 

not require cooperative target. The sensor 

can also perform high-resolution inspection 

scans or low-resolution range and bearing 

determination. 

Triangulation is typically used for highresolution virtualization of objects for a variety 

of purposes including video games, movies, 

reverse engineering, inspection, archiving of 

historic artifacts. LIDARs are most often used 

for airborne or ground-based imaging such as 

geological surveys, forestry, urban planning, 

and automatic target recognition. 

DTO 854 Boundary Layer Transition 

(BLT) Flight Experiment 

Tested successfully in arc jet facilities, the 

Boundary Layer Transition (BLT) flight 

experiment will gather information on the effect 

of high Mach number boundary layer transition 

caused by a protuberance on the space shuttle 

during the re-entry trajectory. 

The experiment is designed to demonstrate that 

a protuberance on an orbiter BRI-18 tile is 

safe to fly. BRI-18 is a tile originally developed 

as a potential heat shield upgrade on the 

orbiters and is now being considered for use on 

the Orion crew exploration vehicles. Due to 

Orion’s geometry, the tiles could experience 

re-entry heating temperatures up to 

3,400 degrees Fahrenheit, about 500 degrees 

higher than the 2,900 degrees experienced by an 

orbiter during re-entry. 

STS-128 will be the second phase of the flight 

experiment. The BLT flight experiment on 

STS-119, which flew in March 2009, provided 

temperature data on a 0.25-inch protuberance 

near Mach 16. That information is still being 

assessed. The goal for STS-128 is to gather data 

on a 0.35-inch protuberance at Mach 18 speed. 

Boundary layer transition is a disruption of the 

smooth, laminar flow of supersonic air across 

the shuttle’s belly and occurs normally when 

the shuttle’s velocity has dropped to around 

8 to 10 times the speed of sound, starting 

toward the back of the heat shield and moving 

forward. Known as “tripping the boundary 

layer,” this phenomenon can create eddies of 

turbulence that, in turn, result in higher 

downstream heating. 

For the experiment, a heat shield tile with a 

“speed bump” on it was installed under 

Discovery’s left wing to intentionally disturb 

the airflow in a controlled manner and make 

the airflow turbulent. The bump is four inches 

long and 0.3-inch wide. Ten thermocouples 

will be installed on the tile with the 

protuberance and on tiles downstream to 

capture test data. 

The experiment will receive additional support 

from a U.S. Navy aircraft that will check the 

orbiter’s exterior temperatures. A Navy NP-3D 

Orion will fly below Discovery during re-entry 

and use a long-range infrared camera to 

remotely monitor heating to the shuttle’s lower 

surface. The imagery captured and recorded 

will complement the information collected by 

the onboard instruments. Both will be used to 

verify and improve design efforts for future 

spacecraft. 
62 EXPERIMENTS AUGUST 2009

Hypersonic Thermodynamic Infrared 

Measurements (HYTHIRM) 

(Not a DTO but associated with the BLT flight 

experiment)

Hypersonic Thermodynamic Infrared 

Measurements (HYTHIRM) will take advantage 

of the shuttle BLT flight experiment on STS-128 

to continue a study of heating patterns of 

the space shuttle on re-entry. Temperature 

increases from a protuberance purposely placed 

on the orbiter’s lower left (port) wing will be 

imaged by the HYTHIRM team with the help of 

a U.S. Navy NP-3D Orion aircraft. Equipped 

with a long-range infrared optical system called 

“Cast Glance,” the aircraft will fly 25 to 35 miles 

under Discovery as it returns to Earth at speeds 

18 times the speed of a bullet. The Cast Glance 

system, as used during STS-119 and STS-125, 

will remotely monitor and record heating to the 

shuttle’s lower surface using a long-range 

infrared camera. HYTHIRM imagery will 

provide ancillary flight data to the BLT Detailed 

Test Objective by complementing its onboard 

instruments. Both sets of data will be used to 

verify and improve design efforts for future 

spacecraft. HYTHIRM is managed by NASA’s 

Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. 

DTO 900 Solid Rocket Booster Thrust 

Oscillation 

The Space Shuttle Program is gathering data 

on five shuttle flights, beginning with STS-126, 

to gain a greater understanding of the pressure 

oscillation, or periodic variation, phenomena 

that regularly occurs within solid rocket 

motors. The pressure oscillation that is 

observed in solid rocket motors is similar to the 

hum made when blowing into a bottle. At 

1.5 psi, or pounds per square inch, a pressure 

wave will move up and down the motor from 

the front to the rear, generating acoustic noise 

as well as physical loads in the structure. These 

data are necessary to help propulsion engineers 

confirm modeling techniques of pressure 

oscillations and the loads they create. As 

NASA engineers develop alternate propulsion 

designs for use in NASA, they will take 

advantage of current designs from which they 

can learn and measure. In an effort to obtain 

data to correlate pressure oscillation with the 

loads it can generate, the shuttle program is 

using two data systems to gather detailed 

information. Both systems are located on the 

top of the solid rocket motors inside the 

forward skirt. 

The Intelligent Pressure Transducer, or IPT, is 

a standalone pressure transducer with an 

internal data acquisition system that will 

record pressure data to an internal memory 

chip. The data will be downloaded to a 

computer after the booster has been recovered 

and returned to the Solid Rocket Booster 

Assembly and Refurbishment Facility at 

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla. This 

system has been used on numerous full-scale 

static test motors in Utah and will provide 

engineers with a common base to compare 

flight data to ground test data. 

The Enhanced Data Acquisition System, or 

EDAS, is a data acquisition system that will 

record pressure data from one of the Reusable 

Solid Rocket Booster Operational Pressure 

Transducers, or OPT, and from accelerometers 

and strain gages placed on the forward skirt 

walls. These data will provide engineers with 

time synchronized data that will allow them to 

determine the accelerations and loads that are 

transferred through the structure due to the 

pressure oscillation forces. 
AUGUST 2009 EXPERIMENTS 63

Intelligent Pressure Transducer 

Detailed Supplementary Objectives (DSOs) are 

space and life science investigations. Their 

purpose is to determine the extent of 

physiological deconditioning resulting from 

spaceflight, to test countermeasures to those 

changes and to characterize the space 

environment relative to crew health. 

DSO 640 Physiological Factors 

Astronauts experience alterations in multiple 

physiological systems due to exposure to the 

microgravity conditions of spaceflight. These 

physiological changes include sensorimotor 

disturbances, cardiovascular deconditioning, 

and loss of muscle mass and strength. 

These changes may lead to a disruption in the 

ability to walk and perform functional tasks 

during the initial reintroduction to gravity 

following prolonged spaceflight, and may 

cause significant impairments in performance 

of operational tasks immediately following 

landing. 

The objective of this study is to identify the 

key underlying physiological factors that 

contribute to changes in performance of a set 

of functional tasks that are representative of 

critical mission tasks for lunar and 

Mars operations. Astronauts will be tested on 

an integrated suite of functional and 

interdisciplinary physiological tests before and 

after short- and long-duration spaceflight. 

Using this strategy, the investigators will be 
64 EXPERIMENTS AUGUST 2009

able to: 1) identify critical mission tasks that 

may be impacted by alterations in physiological 

responses; 2) map physiological changes to 

alterations in functional performance; and 

3) design and implement countermeasures that 

specifically target the physiological systems 

responsible for impaired functional 

performance. 

For more information, follow these links: 

https://rlsda.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/experiment/ex

per.cfm?exp_index=1448

https://rlsda.jsc.nasa.gov/docs/research/researc

h_detail.cfm?experiment_type_code=35&resear

chtype

SHORT-DURATION RESEARCH AND 

STATION EXPERIMENTS 

The STS-128 space shuttle mission marks the 

start of the transition from assembling the 

International Space Station to using it for 

continuous scientific research. Assembly and 

maintenance activities have dominated the 

available time for crew work. But as 

completion of the orbiting laboratory nears, 

additional facilities and the crew members to 

operate them will enable a measured increase 

in time devoted to research as a national and 

multinational laboratory. 

Two major additions to the research facilities 

aboard the station – the Materials Science 

Research Rack-1 and the Fluids Integrated 

Rack – will be delivered by Discovery’s crew 

inside the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics 

Module. 

A host of short-duration experiments 

investigating the causes of and potential 

solutions to the harmful effects of long-duration 

spaceflight on the human body, technology 

development work for future human space 

exploration and the physical and biological 

sciences are planned. 

In addition, a second treadmill, the Combined 

Operational Load Bearing External Resistance 

Treadmill (COLBERT), will provide medical 

researchers with new insight into the 

effectiveness of exercise as a countermeasure 

for bone and muscle density loss due to 

spaceflight. 

New Facilities Delivered by STS-128/17A 

Materials Science Research Rack-1 (MSRR-1)

is used for basic materials research in the 

microgravity environment of the station. 

MSRR-1 can accommodate and support diverse 

Experiment Modules (EMs). In this way 

many material types, such as metals, alloys, 

polymers, semiconductors, ceramics, crystals, 

and glasses, can be studied to discover new 

applications for existing materials and new or 

improved materials 

The Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) is a 

complementary fluid physics research facility 

designed to host investigations in areas such as 

colloids, gels, bubbles, wetting and capillary 

action, and phase changes, including boiling 

and cooling. 

Short-Duration Research to Be 

Completed During STS-128/17A 

The space shuttle and International Space 

Station have an integrated research program 

that optimizes use of shuttle crew members and 

long-duration space station crew members in 

addressing research questions in a variety of 

disciplines. 
AUGUST 2009 EXPERIMENTS 65

Human Research and Countermeasure 

Development for Exploration 

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure 

during Spaceflight – Short (Sleep-Short)

examines the effects of spaceflight on the 

sleep-wake cycles of the astronauts during 

shuttle missions. Advancing state-of-the-art 

technology for monitoring, diagnosing and 

assessing treatment of sleep patterns is vital to 

treating insomnia on Earth and in space. 

(NASA) 

Validation of Procedures for Monitoring 

Crew Member Immune Function – Short 

Duration Biological Investigation (Integrated 

Immune-SDBI) assesses the clinical risks 

resulting from the adverse effects of space 

flight on the human immune system and will 

validate a flight-compatible immune 

monitoring strategy. Immune system changes 

will be monitored by collecting and analyzing 

blood, urine and saliva samples from crew 

members before, during and after spaceflight. 

(NASA) 

Spinal Elongation and Its Effects on Seated 

Height in a Microgravity Environment (Spinal 

Elongation) study provides quantitative data as 

to the amount of change that occurs in the 

seated height due to spinal elongation in 

microgravity. (NASA) 

Human Factors Assessment of Vibration 

Effects on Visual Performance During Launch 

(Visual Performance) determines the visual 

performance limits during operational 

vibration and g-loads on the space shuttle, 

specifically through the determination of 

minimum readable font size during ascent 

using planned Orion display formats. (NASA) 

National Lab Pathfinder-Vaccine-5 (NLPVaccine-5) is a commercial payload serving as 

a pathfinder for the use of the International 

Space Station as a National Laboratory after 

station assembly is complete. It contains 

several different pathogenic (disease causing) 

organisms. This research is investigating the 

use of spaceflight to develop potential vaccines 

for the prevention of different infections 

caused by these pathogens on Earth and in 

microgravity. (NASA) 

Studies on Microbiota On Board the 

International Space Station and Their 

Relationship to Health Problem (Microbe-I)

examines the microbial (bacteria and fungi) 

environment on board the International Space 

Station. This investigation uses samples from 

surfaces and air to determine the variety of 

microbes through culture analysis. (JAXA) 

The Study of Lower Back Pain in Crew 

Members During Space Flight (Mus) will 

study the details on development of Low 

Back Pain (LBP) during flight in astronauts/ 

cosmonauts. According to biomechanical 

model, strain on the ilio-lumbar ligaments 

increases with backward tilt of the pelvis in 

conjunction with forward flexion of the spine. 

This is what astronauts may experience due to 

loss of curvature. The objective is to assess 

astronaut deep muscle corset atrophy in 

response to microgravity exposure. (ESA) 

Technology Development 

Maui Analysis of Upper Atmospheric 

Injections (MAUI) observes the space shuttle 

engine exhaust plumes from the Maui Space 

Surveillance Site in Hawaii. As the shuttle flies 

over the Maui site, a telescope and all-sky 

imagers capture images and data when the 

shuttle engines fire at night or twilight. The 
66 EXPERIMENTS AUGUST 2009

data collected is analyzed to determine the 

interaction between the spacecraft exhaust 

plume and the upper atmosphere. (NASA) 

Shuttle Exhaust Ion Turbulence Experiments 

(SEITE) uses space-based sensors to detect the 

ionospheric turbulence inferred from the radar 

observation from a previous space shuttle 

Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) burn 

experiment using ground-based radar. (NASA) 

The Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with 

Pulsed Localized Exhaust Experiments 

(SIMPLEX) investigates plasma turbulence 

driven by rocket exhaust in the ionosphere 

using ground-based radars. (NASA) 

New Facilities and Experiments 

Delivered by STS-128/17A 

Facilities 

Materials Science Research Rack-1 (MSRR-1)

is used for basic materials research in the 

microgravity environment of the station. 

MSRR-1 can accommodate and support diverse 

Experiment Modules (EMs). In this way, 

many material types, such as metals, alloys, 

polymers, semiconductors, ceramics, crystals, 

and glasses, can be studied to discover new 

applications for existing materials and new or 

improved materials. 

The Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) is a 

complementary fluid physics research facility 

designed to host investigations in areas such as 

colloids, gels, bubbles, wetting and capillary 

action, and phase changes including, boiling 

and cooling. 

Human Research and Countermeasure 

Development for Exploration 

Neutron Field Study (RaDI-N) will 

characterize the neutron environment of the 

station to develop risk countermeasures for 

crew members living and working in space. 

(CSA) 

Physical and Biological Sciences in 

Microgravity 

The Materials Science Laboratory – Columnarto-Equiaxed Transition in Solidification 

Processing and Microstructure Formation in 

Casting of Technical Alloys under Diffusive 

and Magnetically Controlled Convective 

Conditions (MSL-CETSOL and MICAST) are 

two investigations that support research 

into metallurgical solidification, semiconductor 

crystal growth (Bridgman and zone 

melting) and measurement of thermo-physical 

properties of materials. This is a cooperative 

investigation with the European Space 

Agency (ESA) and NASA for accommodation 

and operation aboard the International Space 

Station. 

Mice Drawer System (MDS) is an Italian Space 

Agency investigation that will use a validated 

mouse model to investigate the genetic 

mechanisms underlying bone mass loss in 

microgravity. Research conducted with the 

MDS is an analog to the Human Research 

Program, which has the objective to extend the 

human presence safely beyond low Earth orbit. 

Constrained Vapor Bubble (CVB) consists of a 

remotely controlled microscope and a small, 

wickless heat pipe, or heat exchanger, operating 

on an evaporation/condensation cycle. The 

objective is to better understand the physics of 

evaporation and condensation as they affect 
AUGUST 2009 EXPERIMENTS 67

heat transfer processes in a heat exchanger 

designed for cooling critical, high heat output 

components in microgravity. (NASA) 

DEvice for the Study of Critical LIquids and 

Crystallization (DECLIC) is a multi-user 

facility consisting of three investigations, 

DECLIC – Alice Like Insert (DECLIC-ALI), 

DECLIC – High Temperature Insert 

(DECLIC-HTI) and DECLIC – Directional 

Solidification Insert (DECLIC-DSI) to study 

transparent media and their phase 

transitions in microgravity on board the station. 

(NASA/CNES) 

Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument – 

Influence of Vibration on Diffusion of 

Liquids (SODI-IVIDIL) will study the 

influence of controlled vibration stimulus (slow 

shaking) on diffusion between different liquids 

in absence of convection induced by the gravity 

field. Such investigation will help scientists to 

model numerically this physical phenomenon. 

(ESA) 

Life Cycle of Higher Plants under 

Microgravity Conditions (Space Seed) uses 

Arabidopsis thaliana to determine if the life cycle 

of this plant can be achieved in microgravity. 

Additionally, this study will examine the 

specific genes in the cell wall of the plant that 

do not activate in microgravity that normally 

activate in 1-g conditions. (JAXA) 

Integrated Assessment of Long-term Cosmic 

Radiation Through Biological Responses of 

the Silkworm, Bombyx mori, in Space 

(RadSilk) examines the effects of radiation 

exposure in microgravity on silkworms. 

(JAXA) 

Observing the Earth and Educational 

Activities 

Space Education Project of Leave a nest C. Ltd 

(Leaveanest Seed Project) is a commercial 

venture between the JAXA and the Leave a nest 

C. Ltd. For this educational activity, Bonsai 

Tomato and MicroTom seeds are brought to the 

station and then returned for distribution. 

(JAXA) 

Technology Development for Exploration 

Autonomous Robotic Operations Performed 

from the ISS (Avatar Explore) is a technology 

demonstration used to develop remote 

communications for robot autonomy software. 

This experiment uses the amateur HAM radio 

on board the station to interact with a rover on 

Earth in a Mars exploration scenario. 

Space Dynamically Responding Ultrasonic 

Matrix System (SpaceDRUMS) is a suite of 

hardware that enables containerless processing 

of experimental materials without ever 

touching a container wall. Using a collection of 

20 acoustic beam emitters, SpaceDRUMS can 

completely suspend a baseball-sized solid or 

liquid sample during combustion or heat-based 

synthesis. Because the samples never contact 

the container walls, materials can be produced 

in microgravity with an unparalleled quality of 

shape and composition. The goal of the 

SpaceDRUMS hardware is to assist with the 

development of advanced materials of a 

commercial quantity and quality, using the 

space-based experiments to guide development 

of manufacturing processes on Earth. (NASA) 
68 EXPERIMENTS AUGUST 2009

ISS Research Samples Returned on 

STS-128/17A 

Human Research and Countermeasure 

Development for Exploration 

Nutritional Status Assessment (Nutrition) is 

the most comprehensive inflight study done 

by NASA to date of human physiologic 

changes during long-duration spaceflight; this 

includes measures of bone metabolism, 

oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and 

hormonal changes. This study will impact both 

the definition of nutritional requirements and 

development of food systems for future space 

exploration missions to the moon and Mars. 

This experiment will also help to understand 

the impact of countermeasures (exercise and 

pharmaceuticals) on nutritional status and 

nutrient requirements for astronauts. (NASA) 

The National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration Biological Specimen 

Repository (Repository) is a storage bank that 

is used to maintain biological specimens over 

extended periods of time and under wellcontrolled conditions. Biological samples from 

the International Space Station, including blood 

and urine, will be collected, processed and 

archived during the preflight, inflight and 

postflight phases of station missions. This 

investigation has been developed to archive 

biosamples for use as a resource for future 

spaceflight-related research. (NASA) 

Validation of Procedures for Monitoring Crew 

Member Immune Function (Integrated 

Immune) assesses the clinical risks resulting 

from the adverse effects of spaceflight on the 

human immune system and will validate a 

flight-compatible immune monitoring strategy. 

Researchers collect and analyze blood, urine 

and saliva samples from crew members before, 

during and after spaceflight to monitor changes 

in the immune system. Changes in the immune 

system are monitored by collecting and 

analyzing blood and saliva samples from crew 

members during flight and blood, urine, and 

saliva samples before and after spaceflight. 

(NASA) 

Bisphosphonates as a Countermeasure to 

Space Flight Induced Bone Loss 

(Bisphosphonates) determines whether 

antiresorptive agents (help reduce bone loss), in 

conjunction with the routine inflight exercise 

program, will protect station crew members 

from the regional decreases in bone mineral 

density documented on previous station 

missions. (NASA) 

A Comprehensive Characterization of 

Microorganisms and Allergens in Spacecraft 

(SWAB) will use advanced molecular 

techniques to comprehensively evaluate 

microbes on board the space station, including 

pathogens (organisms that may cause disease). 

It also will track changes in the microbial 

community as spacecraft visit the station and 

new station modules are added. This study 

will allow an assessment of the risk of microbes 

to the crew and the spacecraft. (NASA) 

Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Control 

on Return from ISS (CCISS) will study the 

effects of long-duration spaceflight on crew 

members’ heart functions and their blood 

vessels that supply the brain. Learning more 

about the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular 

systems could lead to specific countermeasures 

that might better protect future space travelers. 

This experiment is collaborative effort with the 

Canadian Space Agency. (NASA/CSA) 
AUGUST 2009 EXPERIMENTS 69

Passive Dosimeter for Life Science 

Experiment in Space (PADLES) measures 

radiation exposure levels on board the 

International Space Station. PADLES uses 

passive and integrating dosimeters to detect 

radiation levels. These dosimeters are located 

near the biological experiment facilities and 

on the end of the Japanese Experiment Module, 

Kibo. The proposed research seeks to survey 

the radiation environment inside the Kibo 

by using Area dosimeter. Area dosimeter and 

the analysis system have been developed in 

JAXA as a system for space radiation 

dosimetry. The dosimeters measure absorbed 

doses, equivalent doses and Liner Energy 

Transfer (LET) distributions. (JAXA) 

Mental Representation of Spatial Cues 

During Space Flight (3D-Space) experiment 

investigates the effects of exposure to 

microgravity on the mental representation of 

spatial cues by astronauts during and after 

spaceflight. The absence of the gravitational 

frame of reference during spaceflight could be 

responsible for disturbances in the mental 

representation of spatial cues, such as the 

perception of horizontal and vertical lines, the 

perception of objects’ depth and the perception 

of targets’ distance. (ESA) 

Physical and Biological Science in 

Microgravity 

Integrated Assessment of Long-term Cosmic 

Radiation Through Biological Responses of 

the Silkworm, Bombyx mori, in Space 

(RadSilk) examines the effects of radiation 

exposure in microgravity on silkworms. 

(JAXA) 

Validating Vegetable Production Unit (VPU) 

Plants, Protocols, Procedures and 

Requirements (P3R) Using Currently Existing 

Flight Resources (Lada-VPU-P3R) is a study to 

advance the technology required for plant 

growth in microgravity and to research related 

food safety issues. Lada-VPU-P3R also 

investigates the non-nutritional value to the 

flight crew of developing plants in orbit. The 

Lada-VPU-P3R uses the Lada hardware on the 

station and falls under a cooperative agreement 

between the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration (NASA) and the Russian 

Federal Space Agency (FSA). (NASA/FSA) 

Technology Development 

Materials International Space Station 

Experiment – 6A and 6B (MISSE-6A and 6B) is 

a sample box attached to the outside of 

the International Space Station; it is used for 

testing the effects of exposure to the space 

environment on small samples of new 

materials. These samples will be evaluated 

for their reaction to atomic oxygen erosion, 

direct sunlight, radiation, and extremes of heat 

and cold. Results will provide a better 

understanding of the durability of various 

materials, with important applications in the 

design of future spacecraft. (NASA) 

European Technology Exposure Facility 

(EuTEF) is a platform that provides power, 

data, thermal control and structural support 

to payloads mounted on the Columbus External 

Payload Facility. During its time in orbit, 

EuTEF supported the following nine 

experiments: 

− DEBris In-orbit Evaluator (DEBIE-2): 

Micrometeoroid and orbital debris detector 
70 EXPERIMENTS AUGUST 2009

− Dosimetric Telescope (DOSTEL): 

Measuring the radiation environment 

− EuTEF Thermometer (EuTEMP): Measure 

EuTEF’s thermal environment 

− Earth Viewing Camera (EVC): Earth 

observing camera 

− Exposure Experiment (Expose): An 

exobiological exposure facility 

− Flux(Phi) Probe EXperiment (FIPEX): 

Atomic oxygen detector 

− Material Exposure and Degradation 

Experiment (MEDET): Examine material 

degradation 

− Plasma Electron Gun Payload (PLEGPAY): 

Plasma discharge in orbit 

− An Experiment on Space Tribology 

Experiment (Tribolab): Testbed for the 

tribology (study of friction on moving parts) 

properties of materials 

Additional Station Research from Now 

Until the End of Expedition 20 

Human Research and Countermeasure 

Development for Exploration 

Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Control 

on Return from ISS (CCISS) will study the 

effects of long-duration spaceflight on crew 

members’ heart functions and their blood 

vessels that supply the brain. Learning more 

about the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular 

systems could lead to specific countermeasures 

that might better protect future space travelers. 

This experiment is collaborative effort with the 

Canadian Space Agency. (NASA/CSA) 

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure 

During Spaceflight-Long (Sleep-Long) 

examines the effects of spaceflight and ambient 

light exposure on the sleep-wake cycles of the 

crew members during long-duration stays on 

the space station. (NASA) 

Nutritional Status Assessment (Nutrition) is 

the most comprehensive inflight study done 

by NASA to date of human physiologic 

changes during long-duration spaceflight; this 

includes measures of bone metabolism, 

oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and 

hormonal changes. This study will impact both 

the definition of nutritional requirements and 

development of food systems for future space 

exploration missions to the moon and Mars. 

This experiment will also help to understand 

the impact of countermeasures (exercise and 

pharmaceuticals) on nutritional status and 

nutrient requirements for astronauts. (NASA) 

The National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration Biological Specimen 

Repository (Repository) is a storage bank that 

is used to maintain biological specimens over 

extended periods of time and under wellcontrolled conditions. Biological samples from 

the International Space Station, including blood 

and urine, will be collected, processed and 

archived during the preflight, inflight 

and postflight phases of station missions. This 

investigation has been developed to archive 

biosamples for use as a resource for future 

spaceflight-related research. (NASA) 

Validation of Procedures for Monitoring Crew 

Member Immune Function (Integrated 

Immune) assesses the clinical risks resulting 

from the adverse effects of spaceflight on the 

human immune system and will validate a 

flight-compatible immune monitoring strategy. 
AUGUST 2009 EXPERIMENTS 71

Researchers collect and analyze blood, urine 

and saliva samples from crew members before, 

during and after spaceflight to monitor changes 

in the immune system. Changes in the immune 

system are monitored by collecting and 

analyzing blood and saliva samples from crew 

members during flight and blood, urine, and 

saliva samples before and after spaceflight. 

(NASA) 

Cardiac Atrophy and Diastolic Dysfunction 

During and After Long-Duration Spaceflight: 

Functional Consequences for Orthostatic 

Intolerance, Exercise Capability and Risk 

for Cardiac Arrhythmias (Integrated 

Cardiovascular) will quantify the extent, time 

course and clinical significance of cardiac 

atrophy (decrease in the size of the heart 

muscle) associated with long-duration 

spaceflight. This experiment will also identify 

the mechanisms of this atrophy and the 

functional consequences for crew members 

who will spend extended periods of time in 

space. (NASA) 

Bisphosphonates as a Countermeasure to 

Space Flight Induced Bone Loss 

(Bisphosphonates) determines whether 

antiresorptive agents (help reduce bone loss), in 

conjunction with the routine inflight exercise 

program, will protect station crew members 

from the regional decreases in bone mineral 

density documented on previous station 

missions. (NASA) 

The Effect of Long-Term Microgravity 

Exposure on Cardiac Autonomic Function by 

Analyzing 24-hours Electrocardiogram 

(Biological Rhythms) examines the effect of 

long-term microgravity exposure on cardiac 

autonomic function by analyzing 24-hour 

electrocardiogram. (JAXA) 

SOdium LOading in Microgravity (SOLO) is a 

continuation of extensive research into the 

mechanisms of fluid and salt retention in 

the body during bed rest and spaceflights. It 

is a metabolically-controlled study. During 

long-term space missions, astronauts will 

participate in two study phases, five days each. 

Subjects follow a diet of constant either low or 

normal sodium intake, fairly high fluid 

consumption and isocaloric nutrition. 

Observing the Earth and Educational 

Activities 

Crew Earth Observations (CEO) takes 

advantage of the crew in space to observe and 

photograph natural and human-made changes 

on Earth. The photographs record the Earth’s 

surface changes over time, along with dynamic 

events such as storms, floods, fires and volcanic 

eruptions. These images provide researchers 

on Earth with key data to better understand the 

planet. 

Education Payload Operation – 

Demonstrations (EPO-Demos) are recorded 

video education demonstrations performed 

on the International Space Station by crew 

members using hardware already on board the 

station. EPO-Demos are videotaped, edited, 

and used to enhance existing NASA education 

resources and programs for educators and 

students in grades K-12. EPO-Demos are 

designed to support the NASA mission to 

inspire the next generation of explorers 

Technology Development 

Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, 

Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES)

are bowling-ball sized spherical satellites. They 

are used inside the space station to test a 

set of well-defined instructions for spacecraft 
72 EXPERIMENTS AUGUST 2009

performing autonomous rendezvous and 

docking maneuvers. Three free-flying spheres 

fly within the cabin of the station, performing 

flight formations. Each satellite is selfcontained with power, propulsion, computers 

and navigation equipment. The results are 

important for satellite servicing, vehicle 

assembly and formation flying spacecraft 

configurations. (NASA) 

Space Dynamically Responding Ultrasonic 

Matrix System (SpaceDRUMS) comprises a 

suite of hardware that enables containerless 

processing (samples of experimental materials 

can be processed without ever touching a 

container wall). Using a collection of 

20 acoustic beam emitters, SpaceDRUMS can 

completely suspend a baseball-sized solid or 

liquid sample during combustion or heat-based 

synthesis. Because the samples never contact 

the container walls, materials can be produced 

in microgravity with an unparalleled quality of 

shape and composition. The ultimate goal of 

the SpaceDRUMS hardware is to assist with the 

development of advanced materials of a 

commercial quantity and quality, using the 

space-based experiments to guide development 

of manufacturing processes on Earth. 

Microgravity Acceleration Measurement 

System (MAMS) and Space Acceleration 

Measurement System (SAMS-II) measure 

vibration and quasi-steady accelerations that 

result from vehicle control burns, docking 

and undocking activities. The two different 

equipment packages measure vibrations at 

different frequencies. 
AUGUST 2009 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 73

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 

SHUTTLE ABORT MODES 

Redundant Sequence Launch Sequencer 

(RSLS) Aborts 

These occur when the on-board shuttle 

computers detect a problem and command a 

halt in the launch sequence after taking over 

from the ground launch sequencer and before 

solid rocket booster ignition. 

Ascent Aborts 

Selection of an ascent abort mode may become 

necessary if there is a failure that affects vehicle 

performance, such as the failure of a space 

shuttle main engine or an orbital maneuvering 

system engine. Other failures requiring early 

termination of a flight, such as a cabin leak, 

might also require the selection of an abort 

mode. There are two basic types of ascent abort 

modes for space shuttle missions: intact aborts 

and contingency aborts. Intact aborts are 

designed to provide a safe return of the orbiter 

to a planned landing site. Contingency aborts 

are designed to permit flight crew survival 

following more severe failures when an intact 

abort is not possible. A contingency abort 

would generally result in a ditch operation. 

Intact Aborts 

There are four types of intact aborts: abort to 

orbit (ATO), abort once around (AOA), 

transoceanic abort landing (TAL) and return to 

launch site (RTLS). 

Return to Launch Site 

The RTLS abort mode is designed to allow the 

return of the orbiter, crew, and payload to the 

launch site, KSC, approximately 25 minutes 

after liftoff. 

The RTLS profile is designed to accommodate 

the loss of thrust from one space shuttle main 

engine between liftoff and approximately 

four minutes 20 seconds, after which not 

enough main propulsion system propellant 

remains to return to the launch site. An RTLS 

can be considered to consist of three stages – a 

powered stage, during which the space shuttle 

main engines are still thrusting; an external 

tank separation phase; and the glide phase, 

during which the orbiter glides to a landing at 

the KSC. The powered RTLS phase begins with 

the crew selection of the RTLS abort, after solid 

rocket booster separation. The crew selects the 

abort mode by positioning the abort rotary 

switch to RTLS and depressing the abort push 

button. The time at which the RTLS is selected 

depends on the reason for the abort. For 

example, a three-engine RTLS is selected at the 

last moment, about 3 minutes, 34 seconds into 

the mission; whereas an RTLS chosen due to an 

engine out at liftoff is selected at the earliest 

time, about 2 minutes, 20 seconds into the 

mission (after solid rocket booster separation). 

After RTLS is selected, the vehicle continues 

downrange to dissipate excess main propulsion 

system propellant. The goal is to leave only 

enough main propulsion system propellant to 

be able to turn the vehicle around, fly back 

toward the KSC and achieve the proper main 

engine cutoff conditions so the vehicle can glide 

to the KSC after external tank separation. 

During the downrange phase, a pitch-around 

maneuver is initiated (the time depends in part 

on the time of a space shuttle main engine 
74 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA AUGUST 2009

failure) to orient the orbiter/external tank 

configuration to a heads-up attitude, pointing 

toward the launch site. At this time, the vehicle 

is still moving away from the launch site, but 

the space shuttle main engines are now 

thrusting to null the downrange velocity. In 

addition, excess orbital maneuvering system 

and reaction control system propellants are 

dumped by continuous orbital maneuvering 

system and reaction control system engine 

thrustings to improve the orbiter weight and 

center of gravity for the glide phase and 

landing. 

The vehicle will reach the desired main engine 

cutoff point with less than 2 percent excess 

propellant remaining in the external tank. At 

main engine cutoff minus 20 seconds, a pitch 

down maneuver (called powered pitch-down) 

takes the mated vehicle to the required external 

tank separation attitude and pitch rate. After 

main engine cutoff has been commanded, the 

external tank separation sequence begins, 

including a reaction control system maneuver 

that ensures that the orbiter does not recontact 

the external tank and that the orbiter has 

achieved the necessary pitch attitude to begin 

the glide phase of the RTLS. 

After the reaction control system maneuver has 

been completed, the glide phase of the RTLS 

begins. From then on, the RTLS is handled 

similarly to a normal entry. 

Transoceanic Abort Landing 

The TAL abort mode was developed to 

improve the options available when a space 

shuttle main engine fails after the last RTLS 

opportunity but before the first time that an 

AOA can be accomplished with only two space 

shuttle main engines or when a major orbiter 

system failure, for example, a large cabin 

pressure leak or cooling system failure, occurs 

after the last RTLS opportunity, making it 

imperative to land as quickly as possible. 

In a TAL abort, the vehicle continues on a 

ballistic trajectory across the Atlantic Ocean to 

land at a predetermined runway. Landing 

occurs about 45 minutes after launch. The 

landing site is selected near the normal ascent 

ground track of the orbiter to make the most 

efficient use of space shuttle main engine 

propellant. The landing site also must have the 

necessary runway length, weather conditions 

and U.S. State Department approval. The three 

landing sites that have been identified for a 

launch are Zaragoza, Spain; Moron, Spain; and 

Istres, France. 

To select the TAL abort mode, the crew must 

place the abort rotary switch in the TAL/AOA 

position and depress the abort push button 

before main engine cutoff (depressing it after 

main engine cutoff selects the AOA abort 

mode). The TAL abort mode begins sending 

commands to steer the vehicle toward the plane 

of the landing site. It also rolls the vehicle 

heads up before main engine cutoff and sends 

commands to begin an orbital maneuvering 

system propellant dump (by burning the 

propellants through the orbital maneuvering 

system engines and the reaction control system 

engines). This dump is necessary to increase 

vehicle performance (by decreasing weight) to 

place the center of gravity in the proper place 

for vehicle control and to decrease the vehicle’s 

landing weight. TAL is handled like a normal 

entry. 

Abort to Orbit 

An ATO is an abort mode used to boost the 

orbiter to a safe orbital altitude when 

performance has been lost and it is impossible 
AUGUST 2009 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 75

to reach the planned orbital altitude. If a space 

shuttle main engine fails in a region that results 

in a main engine cutoff under speed, the MCC 

will determine that an abort mode is necessary 

and will inform the crew. The orbital 

maneuvering system engines would be used to 

place the orbiter in a circular orbit. 

Abort Once Around 

The AOA abort mode is used in cases in which 

vehicle performance has been lost to such an 

extent that either it is impossible to achieve a 

viable orbit or not enough orbital maneuvering 

system propellant is available to accomplish the 

orbital maneuvering system thrusting 

maneuver to place the orbiter on orbit and the 

deorbit thrusting maneuver. In addition, an 

AOA is used in cases in which a major systems 

problem (cabin leak, loss of cooling) makes it 

necessary to land quickly. In the AOA abort 

mode, one orbital maneuvering system 

thrusting sequence is made to adjust the 

post-main engine cutoff orbit so a second 

orbital maneuvering system thrusting sequence 

will result in the vehicle deorbiting and landing 

at the AOA landing site (White Sands, N.M.; 

Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; or the Kennedy 

Space Center, Fla). Thus, an AOA results in the 

orbiter circling the Earth once and landing 

about 90 minutes after liftoff. 

After the deorbit thrusting sequence has been 

executed, the flight crew flies to a landing at the 

planned site much as it would for a nominal 

entry. 

Contingency Aborts 

Contingency aborts are caused by loss of more 

than one main engine or failures in other 

systems. Loss of one main engine while 

another is stuck at a low thrust setting also may 

necessitate a contingency abort. Such an abort 

would maintain orbiter integrity for in-flight 

crew escape if a landing cannot be achieved at a 

suitable landing field. 

Contingency aborts due to system failures other 

than those involving the main engines would 

normally result in an intact recovery of vehicle 

and crew. Loss of more than one main engine 

may, depending on engine failure times, result 

in a safe runway landing. However, in most 

three-engine-out cases during ascent, the 

orbiter would have to be ditched. The inflight 

crew escape system would be used before 

ditching the orbiter. 

Abort Decisions 

There is a definite order of preference for the 

various abort modes. The type of failure and the 

time of the failure determine which type of abort 

is selected. In cases where performance loss is 

the only factor, the preferred modes are ATO, 

AOA, TAL and RTLS, in that order. The mode 

chosen is the highest one that can be completed 

with the remaining vehicle performance. 

In the case of some support system failures, 

such as cabin leaks or vehicle cooling problems, 

the preferred mode might be the one that will 

end the mission most quickly. In these cases, 

TAL or RTLS might be preferable to AOA or 

ATO. A contingency abort is never chosen if 

another abort option exists. 

Mission Control Houston is prime for calling 

these aborts because it has a more precise 

knowledge of the orbiter’s position than the 

crew can obtain from on-board systems. Before 

main engine cutoff, Mission Control makes 

periodic calls to the crew to identify which 

abort mode is (or is not) available. If ground 

communications are lost, the flight crew has 
76 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA AUGUST 2009

onboard methods, such as cue cards, dedicated 

displays and display information, to determine 

the abort region. Which abort mode is selected 

depends on the cause and timing of the failure 

causing the abort and which mode is safest or 

improves mission success. If the problem is a 

space shuttle main engine failure, the flight 

crew and Mission Control Center select the best 

option available at the time a main engine fails. 

If the problem is a system failure that 

jeopardizes the vehicle, the fastest abort mode 

that results in the earliest vehicle landing is 

chosen. RTLS and TAL are the quickest options 

(35 minutes), whereas an AOA requires about 

90 minutes. Which of these is selected depends 

on the time of the failure with three good space 

shuttle main engines. 

The flight crew selects the abort mode by 

positioning an abort mode switch and 

depressing an abort push button. 

SHUTTLE ABORT HISTORY 

RSLS Abort History 

(STS-41 D) June 26, 1984 

The countdown for the second launch attempt 

for Discovery’s maiden flight ended at T-4 

seconds when the orbiter’s computers detected 

a sluggish valve in main engine No. 3. The 

main engine was replaced and Discovery was 

finally launched on Aug. 30, 1984. 

(STS-51 F) July 12, 1985 

The countdown for Challenger’s launch was 

halted at T-3 seconds when onboard computers 

detected a problem with a coolant valve on 

main engine No. 2. The valve was replaced and 

Challenger was launched on July 29, 1985. 

(STS-55) March 22, 1993 

The countdown for Columbia’s launch was 

halted by onboard computers at T-3 seconds 

following a problem with purge pressure 

readings in the oxidizer preburner on main 

engine No. 2. Columbia’s three main engines 

were replaced on the launch pad, and the flight 

was rescheduled behind Discovery’s launch 

on STS-56. Columbia finally launched on 

April 26, 1993. 

(STS-51) Aug. 12, 1993 

The countdown for Discovery’s third launch 

attempt ended at the T-3 second mark when 

onboard computers detected the failure of one 

of four sensors in main engine No. 2 which 

monitor the flow of hydrogen fuel to the 

engine. All of Discovery’s main engines were 

ordered replaced on the launch pad, delaying 

the shuttle’s fourth launch attempt until 

Sept. 12, 1993. 

(STS-68) Aug. 18, 1994 

The countdown for Endeavour’s first launch 

attempt ended 1.9 seconds before liftoff when 

onboard computers detected higher than 

acceptable readings in one channel of a sensor 

monitoring the discharge temperature of the 

high pressure oxidizer turbopump in main 

engine No. 3. A test firing of the engine at the 

Stennis Space Center in Mississippi on 

September 2nd confirmed that a slight drift in a 

fuel flow meter in the engine caused a slight 

increase in the turbopump’s temperature. The 

test firing also confirmed a slightly slower start 

for main engine No. 3 during the pad abort, 

which could have contributed to the higher 

temperatures. After Endeavour was brought 

back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to be 

outfitted with three replacement engines, 
AUGUST 2009 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 77

NASA managers set Oct. 2 as the date for 

Endeavour’s second launch attempt. 

Abort to Orbit History 

(STS-51 F) July 29, 1985 

After an RSLS abort on July 12, 1985, 

Challenger was launched on July 29, 1985. 

Five minutes and 45 seconds after launch, a 

sensor problem resulted in the shutdown of 

center engine No. 1, resulting in a safe “abort to 

orbit” and successful completion of the mission. 

SPACE SHUTTLE MAIN ENGINES 

Developed in the 1970s by NASA’s Marshall 

Space Flight Center, MSFC in Huntsville, Ala., 

the space shuttle main engine is the most 

advanced liquid-fueled rocket engine ever built. 

Every space shuttle main engine is tested and 

proven flight worthy at NASA’s Stennis Space 

Center in south Mississippi, before installation 

on an orbiter. Its main features include variable 

thrust, high performance reusability, high 

redundancy and a fully integrated engine 

controller. 

The shuttle’s three main engines are mounted 

on the orbiter aft fuselage in a triangular 

pattern. Spaced so that they are movable 

during launch, the engines are used, in 

conjunction with the solid rocket boosters, to 

steer the shuttle vehicle. 

Each of these powerful main engines is 14 feet 

long, weighs about 7,000 pounds and is 7.5 feet 

in diameter at the end of its nozzle. 

The engines operate for about 8.5 minutes 

during liftoff and ascent, burning more than 

500,000 gallons of super-cold liquid hydrogen 

and liquid oxygen propellants stored in the 

external tank attached to the underside of the 

shuttle. The engines shut down just before the 

shuttle, traveling at about 17,000 miles per 

hour, reaches orbit. 

The main engine operates at greater 

temperature extremes than any mechanical 

system in common use today. The fuel, 

liquefied hydrogen at -423 degrees Fahrenheit, 

is the second coldest liquid on Earth. When it 

and the liquid oxygen are combusted, the 

temperature in the main combustion chamber is 

6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than the 

boiling point of iron. 

The main engines use a staged combustion 

cycle so that all propellants entering the engines 

are used to produce thrust, or power, more 

efficiently than any previous rocket engine. In 

a staged combustion cycle, propellants are first 

burned partially at high pressure and relatively 

low temperature, and then burned completely 

at high temperature and pressure in the main 

combustion chamber. The rapid mixing of the 

propellants under these conditions is so 

complete that 99 percent of the fuel is burned. 

At normal operating level, each engine 

generates 490,847 pounds of thrust, measured 

in a vacuum. Full power is 512,900 pounds of 

thrust; minimum power is 316,100 pounds of 

thrust. 

The engine can be throttled by varying the 

output of the preburners, thus varying the 

speed of the high-pressure turbopumps and, 

therefore, the flow of the propellant. 

At about 26 seconds into ascent, the main 

engines are throttled down to 316,000 pounds 

of thrust to keep the dynamic pressure on the 

vehicle below a specified level, about 

580 pounds per square foot, known as max q. 

Then, the engines are throttled back up to 
78 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA AUGUST 2009

normal operating level at about 60 seconds. 

This reduces stress on the vehicle. The main 

engines are throttled down again at about 

seven minutes, 40 seconds into the mission to 

maintain three g’s, three times the Earth’s 

gravitational pull, reducing stress on the crew 

and the vehicle. This acceleration level is about 

one-third the acceleration experienced on 

previous crewed space vehicles. 

About 10 seconds before main engine cutoff, or 

MECO, the cutoff sequence begins. About 

three seconds later the main engines are 

commanded to begin throttling at 10 percent 

thrust per second until they achieve 65 percent 

thrust. This is held for about 6.7 seconds, and 

the engines are shut down. 

The engine performance has the highest thrust 

for its weight of any engine yet developed. In 

fact, one space shuttle main engine generates 

sufficient thrust to maintain the flight of two 

and one-half Boeing 747 airplanes. 

The space shuttle main engine also is the first 

rocket engine to use a built-in electronic digital 

controller, or computer. The controller accepts 

commands from the orbiter for engine start, 

change in throttle, shutdown and monitoring of 

engine operation. 

NASA continues to increase the reliability and 

safety of shuttle flights through a series of 

enhancements to the space shuttle main 

engines. The engines were modified in 1988, 

1995, 1998, 2001 and 2007. Modifications 

include new high-pressure fuel and oxidizer 

turbopumps that reduce maintenance and 

operating costs of the engine, a two-duct 

powerhead that reduces pressure and 

turbulence in the engine, and a single-coil heat 

exchanger that lowers the number of post flight 

inspections required. Another modification 

incorporates a large-throat main combustion 

chamber that improves the engine’s reliability 

by reducing pressure and temperature in the 

chamber. 

The most recent engine enhancement is the 

Advanced Health Management System, or 

AHMS, which made its first flight in 2007. 

AHMS is a controller upgrade that provides 

new monitoring and insight into the health of 

the two most complex components of the space 

shuttle main engine – the high pressure fuel 

turbopump and the high pressure oxidizer 

turbopump. New advanced digital signal 

processors monitor engine vibration and have 

the ability to shut down an engine if vibration 

exceeds safe limits. AHMS was developed by 

engineers at Marshall. 

After the orbiter lands, the engines are removed 

and returned to a processing facility at 

Kennedy Space Center, Fla., where they are 

rechecked and readied for the next flight. Some 

components are returned to the main engine’s 

prime contractor, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, 

West Palm Beach, Fla., for regular maintenance. 

The main engines are designed to operate for 

7.5 accumulated hours. 

SPACE SHUTTLE SOLID ROCKET 

BOOSTERS (SRB) 

The two solid rocket boosters required for a 

space shuttle launch and first two minutes 

of powered flight boast the largest 

solid-propellant motors ever flown. They are 

the first large rockets designed for reuse and 

are the only solid rocket motors rated for 

human flight. The SRBs have the capacity to 

carry the entire weight of the external tank, or 

ET, and orbiter, and to transmit the weight load 
AUGUST 2009 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 79

through their structure to the mobile launch 

platform, or MLP.

The SRBs provide 71.4 percent of the thrust 

required to lift the space shuttle off the launch 

pad and during first-stage ascent to an altitude 

of about 150,000 feet, or 28 miles. At launch, 

each booster has a sea level thrust of 

approximately 3.3 million pounds and is 

ignited after the ignition and verification of the 

three space shuttle main engines, or SSMEs. 

SRB apogee occurs at an altitude of about 

230,000 feet, or 43 miles, 75 seconds after 

separation from the main vehicle. At booster 

separation, the space shuttle orbiter has reached 

an altitude of 24 miles and is traveling at a 

speed in excess of 3,000 miles per hour. 

The primary elements of each booster are nose 

cap, housing the pilot and drogue parachute; 

frustum, housing the three main parachutes in 

a cluster; forward skirt, housing the booster 

flight avionics, altitude sensing, recovery 

avionics, parachute cameras and range safety 

destruct system; four motor segments, 

containing the solid propellant; motor nozzle; 

and aft skirt, housing the nozzle and thrust 

vector control systems required for guidance. 

Each SRB possesses its own redundant 

auxiliary power units and hydraulic pumps. 

SRB impact occurs in the ocean approximately 

140 miles downrange. SRB retrieval is 

provided after each flight by specifically 

designed and built ships. The frustums, 

drogue and main parachutes are loaded onto 

the ships along with the boosters and towed 

back to the Kennedy Space Center, where they 

are disassembled and refurbished for reuse. 

Before retirement, each booster can be used as 

many as 20 times. 

Each booster is just over 149 feet long and 

12.17 feet in diameter. Both boosters have a 

combined weight of 1,303,314 pounds at lift-off. 

They are attached to the ET at the SRB aft attach 

ring by an upper and lower attach strut and a 

diagonal attach strut. The forward end of each 

SRB is affixed to the ET by one attach bolt and 

ET ball fitting on the forward skirt. While 

positioned on the launch pad, the space shuttle 

is attached to the MLP by four bolts and 

explosive nuts equally spaced around each SRB. 

After ignition of the solid rocket motors, the 

nuts are severed by small explosives that allow 

the space shuttle vehicle to perform lift off. 

United Space Alliance (USA) 

USA, at KSC facilities, is responsible for all SRB 

operations except the motor and nozzle 

portions. In conjunction with maintaining 

sole responsibility for manufacturing and 

processing of the non-motor hardware and 

vehicle integration, USA provides the service 

of retrieval, post flight inspection and 

analysis, disassembly and refurbishment of the 

hardware. USA also exclusively retains 

comprehensive responsibility for the orbiter. 

The reusable solid rocket motor segments are 

shipped from ATK Launch Systems in Utah to 

KSC, where they are mated by USA personnel 

to the other structural components – the 

forward assembly, aft skirt, frustum and nose 

cap – in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Work 

involves the complete disassembly and 

refurbishment of the major SRB structures – the 

aft skirts, frustums, forward skirts and all 

ancillary hardware – required to complete an 

SRB stack and mate to the ET. Work then 

proceeds to ET/SRB mate, mate with the orbiter 

and finally, space shuttle close out operations. 

After hardware restoration concerning flight 
80 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA AUGUST 2009

configuration is complete, automated checkout 

and hot fire are performed early in hardware 

flow to ensure that the refurbished components 

satisfy all flight performance requirements. 

ATK Launch Systems (ATK) 

ATK Launch Systems of Brigham City, Utah, 

manufactures space shuttle reusable solid 

rocket motors, or RSRMs, at their Utah facility. 

Each RSRM – just over 126 feet long and 12 feet 

in diameter – consists of four rocket motor 

segments and an aft exit cone assembly is. 

From ignition to end of burn, each RSRM 

generates an average thrust of 2.6 million 

pounds and burns for approximately 

123 seconds. Of the motor’s total weight of 

1.25 million pounds, propellant accounts for 

1.1 million pounds. The four motor segments 

are matched by loading each from the same 

batches of propellant ingredients to minimize 

any thrust imbalance. The segmented casing 

design assures maximum flexibility in 

fabrication and ease of transportation and 

handling. Each segment is shipped to KSC on a 

heavy-duty rail car with a specialty built cover. 

SRB Hardware Design Summary 

Hold-Down Posts 

Each SRB has four hold-down posts that fit into 

corresponding support posts on the MLP. 

Hold-down bolts secure the SRB and MLP posts 

together. Each bolt has a nut at each end, but 

the top nut is frangible, or breakable. The top 

nut contains two NASA Standard detonators, 

or NSDs, that, when ignited at solid rocket 

motor ignition command, split the upper nut in 

half. 

Splitting the upper nuts allow the hold-down 

bolts to be released and travel downward 

because of NSD gas pressure, gravity and the 

release of tension in the bolt, which is 

pretensioned before launch. The bolt is 

stopped by the stud deceleration stand which 

contains sand to absorb the shock of the bolt 

dropping down several feet. The SRB bolt is 

28 inches long, 3.5 inches in diameter and 

weighs approximately 90 pounds. The 

frangible nut is captured in a blast container on 

the aft skirt specifically designed to absorb the 

impact and prevent pieces of the nut from 

liberating and becoming debris that could 

damage the space shuttle. 

Integrated Electronic Assembly (IEA) 

The aft IEA, mounted in the ET/SRB attach ring, 

provides the electrical interface between the 

SRB systems and the obiter. The aft IEA 

receives data, commands, and electrical power 

from the orbiter and distributes these inputs 

throughout each SRB. Components located in 

the forward assemblies of each SRB are 

powered by the aft IEA through the forward 

IEA, except for those utilizing the recovery and 

range safety batteries located in the forward 

assemblies. The forward IEA communicates 

with and receives power from the orbiter 

through the aft IEA, but has no direct electrical 

connection to the orbiter. 

Electrical Power Distribution 

Electrical power distribution in each SRB 

consists of orbiter-supplied main dc bus power 

to each SRB via SRB buses A, B and C. Orbiter 

main dc buses A, B and C supply main dc bus 

power to corresponding SRB buses A, B and C. 

In addition, orbiter main dc, bus C supplies 

backup power to SRB buses A and B, and 

orbiter bus B supplies backup power to SRB 

bus C. This electrical power distribution 
AUGUST 2009 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 81

arrangement allows all SRB buses to remain 

powered in the event one orbiter main bus fails. 

The nominal dc voltage is 28 V dc, with an 

upper limit of 32 V dc and a lower limit of 

24 V dc. 

Hydraulic Power Units (HPUs) 

There are two self-contained, independent 

HPUs on each SRB. Each HPU consists of an 

auxiliary power unit, or APU; Fuel Supply 

Module, or FSM; hydraulic pump; hydraulic 

reservoir; and hydraulic fluid manifold 

assembly. The APUs are fueled by hydrazine 

and generate mechanical shaft power to a 

hydraulic pump that produces hydraulic 

pressure for the SRB hydraulic system. The 

APU controller electronics are located in the 

SRB aft integrated electronic assemblies on the 

aft ET attach rings. The two separate HPUs 

and two hydraulic systems are located inside 

the aft skirt of each SRB between the SRB 

nozzle and skirt. The HPU components are 

mounted on the aft skirt between the rock and 

tilt actuators. The two systems operate from 

T minus 28 seconds until SRB separation from 

the orbiter and ET. The two independent 

hydraulic systems are connected to the rock 

and tilt servoactuators. 

The HPUs and their fuel systems are isolated 

from each other. Each fuel supply module, or 

tank, contains 22 pounds of hydrazine. The 

fuel tank is pressurized with gaseous nitrogen 

at 400 psi to provide the force to expel via 

positive expulsion the fuel from the tank to the 

fuel distribution line. A positive fuel supply to 

the APU throughout its operation is 

maintained. 

The fuel isolation valve is opened at APU 

startup to allow fuel to flow to the APU fuel 

pump and control valves and then to the gas 

generator. The gas generator’s catalytic action 

decomposes the fuel and creates a hot gas. It 

feeds the hot gas exhaust product to the APU 

two-stage gas turbine. Fuel flows primarily 

through the startup bypass line until the APU 

speed is such that the fuel pump outlet pressure 

is greater than the bypass line’s, at which point 

all the fuel is supplied to the fuel pump. 

The APU turbine assembly provides 

mechanical power to the APU gearbox, which 

drives the APU fuel pump, hydraulic pump 

and lube oil pump. The APU lube oil pump 

lubricates the gearbox. The turbine exhaust of 

each APU flows over the exterior of the gas 

generator, cooling it and directing it overboard 

through an exhaust duct. 

When the APU speed reaches 100 percent, the 

APU primary control valve closes and the 

APU speed is controlled by the APU controller 

electronics. If the primary control valve logic 

fails to the open state, the secondary control 

valve assumes control of the APU at 

112 percent speed. Each HPU on an SRB is 

connected to both servoactuators. One HPU 

serves as the primary hydraulic source for the 

servoactuator and the other HPU serves as the 

secondary hydraulics for the servoactuator. 

Each servoactuator has a switching valve that 

allows the secondary hydraulics to power the 

actuator if the primary hydraulic pressure 

drops below 2,050 psi. A switch contact on the 

switching valve will close when the valve is in 

the secondary position. When the valve is 

closed, a signal is sent to the APU controller 

that inhibits the 100 percent APU speed control 

logic and enables the 112 percent APU speed 

control logic. The 100 percent APU speed 

enables one APU/HPU to supply sufficient 
82 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA AUGUST 2009

operating hydraulic pressure to both 

servoactuators of that SRB. 

The APU 100 percent speed corresponds to 

72,000 rpm, 110 percent to 79,200 rpm and 

112 percent to 80,640 rpm. 

The hydraulic pump speed is 3,600 rpm and 

supplies hydraulic pressure of 3,050, plus or 

minus 50 psi. A high-pressure relief valve 

provides overpressure protection to the 

hydraulic system and relieves at 3,750 psi. 

The APUs/HPUs and hydraulic systems are 

reusable for 20 missions. 

Thrust Vector Control (TVC) 

Each SRB has two hydraulic gimbal 

servoactuators: one for rock and one for tilt. 

The servoactuators provide the force and 

control to gimbal the nozzle for TVC. The 

all-axis gimbaling capability is 8 degrees. Each 

nozzle has a carbon cloth liner that erodes 

and chars during firing. The nozzle is a 

convergent-divergent, movable design in which 

an aft pivot-point flexible bearing is the 

gimbal mechanism. 

The space shuttle ascent TVC portion of the 

flight control system directs the thrust of the 

three SSMEs and the two SRB nozzles to control 

shuttle attitude and trajectory during liftoff and 

ascent. Commands from the guidance system 

are transmitted to the ascent TVC, or ATVC, 

drivers, which transmit signals proportional to 

the commands to each servoactuator of the 

main engines and SRBs. Four independent 

flight control system channels and four ATVC 

channels control six main engine and four 

SRB ATVC drivers, with each driver controlling 

one hydraulic port on each main and SRB 

servoactuator. 

Each SRB servoactuator consists of four 

independent, two-stage servovalves that 

receive signals from the drivers. Each 

servovalve controls one power spool in each 

actuator, which positions an actuator ram and 

the nozzle to control the direction of thrust. 

The four servovalves in each actuator provide a 

force-summed majority voting arrangement to 

position the power spool. With four identical 

commands to the four servovalves, the actuator 

force-sum action prevents a single erroneous 

command from affecting power ram motion. If 

the erroneous command persists for more than 

a predetermined time, differential pressure 

sensing activates a selector valve to isolate and 

remove the defective servovalve hydraulic 

pressure. This permits the remaining channels 

and servovalves to control the actuator ram 

spool. 

Failure monitors are provided for each channel 

to indicate which channel has been bypassed. 

An isolation valve on each channel provides the 

capability of resetting a failed or bypassed 

channel. 

Each actuator ram is equipped with transducers 

for position feedback to the thrust vector 

control system. Within each servoactuator ram 

is a splashdown load relief assembly to cushion 

the nozzle at water splashdown and prevent 

damage to the nozzle flexible bearing. 

SRB Rate Gyro Assemblies (RGAs) 

Each SRB contains two RGAs mounted in the 

forward skirt watertight compartment. Each 

RGA contains two orthogonally mounted 

gyroscopes – pitch and yaw axes. In 

conjunction with the orbiter roll rate gyros, they 

provide angular rate information that describes 

the inertial motion of the vehicle cluster to the 
AUGUST 2009 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 83

orbiter computers and the guidance, navigation 

and control system during first stage ascent 

to SRB separation. At SRB separation, all 

guidance control data is handed off from the 

SRB RGAs to the orbiter RGAs. The RGAs are 

designed and qualified for 20 missions. 

Propellant 

The propellant mixture in each SRB motor 

consists of ammonium perchlorate, an oxidizer, 

69.6 percent by weight; aluminum, a fuel, 

16 percent by weight; iron oxide, a catalyst, 

0.4 percent by weight; polymer, a binder that 

holds the mixture together, 12.04 percent by 

weight; and epoxy curing agent, 1.96 percent by 

weight. The propellant is an 11-point 

star-shaped perforation in the forward motor 

segment and a double truncated cone 

perforation in each of the aft segments and aft 

closure. This configuration provides high 

thrust at ignition and then reduces the thrust by 

about one-third 50 seconds after liftoff to 

prevent overstressing the vehicle during 

maximum dynamic pressure. 

SRB Ignition 

SRB ignition can occur only when a manual 

lock pin from each SRB safe and arm device has 

been removed by the ground crew during 

prelaunch activities. At T minus 5 minutes, the 

SRB safe and arm device is rotated to the arm 

position. The solid rocket motor ignition 

commands are issued when the three SSMEs 

are at or above 90 percent rated thrust; no 

SSME fail and/or SRB ignition pyrotechnic 

initiator controller, or PIC low voltage is 

indicated; and there are no holds from the 

launch processing system, or LPS. 

The solid rocket motor ignition commands are 

sent by the orbiter computers through the 

master events controllers, or MECs, to the 

NSDs installed in the safe and arm device in 

each SRB. A pyrotechnic initiation controller, 

or PIC, is a single-channel capacitor discharge 

device that controls the firing of each 

pyrotechnic device. Three signals must be 

present simultaneously for the PIC to generate 

the pyro firing output. These signals – arm, fire 

1 and fire 2 – originate in the orbiter 

general-purpose computers and are transmitted 

to the MECs. The MECs reformat them to 

28 V dc signals for the PICs. The arm signal 

charges the PIC capacitor to 40 V dc, minimum 

20 V dc. 

The fire 2 commands cause the redundant 

NSDs to fire through a thin barrier seal down a 

flame tunnel. This ignites a pyro booster 

charge, which is retained in the safe and arm 

device behind a perforated plate. The booster 

charge ignites the propellant in the igniter 

initiator; and combustion products of this 

propellant ignite the solid rocket motor igniter, 

which fires down the length of the solid rocket 

motor igniting the solid rocket motor 

propellant. 

The general purpose computer, or GPC, launch 

sequence also controls certain critical main 

propulsion system valves and monitors the 

engine-ready indications from the SSMEs. The 

main propulsion system, or MPS, start 

commands are issued by the on-board 

computers at T minus 6.6 seconds. There is a 

staggered start – engine three, engine two, 

engine one – within 0.25 of a second, and the 

sequence monitors the thrust buildup of 

each engine. All three SSMEs must reach the 

required 90 percent thrust within three seconds; 

otherwise, an orderly shutdown is commanded 

and safing functions are initiated. 
84 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA AUGUST 2009

Normal thrust buildup to the required 

90 percent thrust level will result in the SSMEs 

being commanded to the liftoff position at 

T minus 3 seconds as well as the fire 1 

command being issued to arm the SRBs. At 

T minus three seconds, the vehicle base 

bending load modes are allowed to initialize. 

At T minus 0, the two SRBs are ignited by the 

four orbiter on-board computers; commands 

are sent to release the SRBs; the two T-0 

umbilicals, one on each side of the spacecraft, 

are retracted; the on-board master timing unit, 

event timer and mission event timers are 

started; the three SSMEs are at 100 percent; and 

the ground launch sequence is terminated. 

SRB Separation 

The SRB/ET separation subsystem provides for 

separation of the SRBs from the orbiter/ET 

without damage to or recontact of the elements 

– SRBs, orbiter/ET – during or after separation 

for nominal modes. SRB separation is initiated 

when the three solid rocket motor chamber 

pressure transducers are processed in the 

redundancy management middle value select 

and the head end chamber pressure of both 

SRBs is less than or equal to 50 psi. A backup 

cue is the time elapsed from booster ignition. 

The separation sequence is initiated, 

commanding the thrust vector control actuators 

to the null position and putting the main 

propulsion system into a second-stage 

configuration 0.8 second from sequence 

initialization, which ensures the thrust of each 

SRB is less than 100,000 pounds. Orbiter yaw 

attitude is held for four seconds and SRB thrust 

drops to less than 60,000 pounds. The SRBs 

separate from the ET within 30 milliseconds of 

the ordnance firing command. 

The forward attachment point consists of a ball 

on the SRB and socket on the ET, held together 

by one bolt. The bolt contains one NSD 

pressure cartridge at each end. The forward 

attachment point also carries the range safety 

system cross-strap wiring connecting each SRB 

range safety system, or RSS, and the ET RSS 

with each other. 

The aft attachment points consist of three 

separate struts: upper, diagonal, and lower. 

Each strut contains one bolt with an NSD 

pressure cartridge at each end. The upper strut 

also carries the umbilical interface between its 

SRB and the external tank and on to the orbiter. 

Redesigned Booster Separation Motors (RBSM) 

Eight Booster Separation Motors, or BSMs, are 

located on each booster – four on the forward 

section and four on the aft skirt. BSMs provide 

the force required to push the SRBs away from 

the orbiter/ET at separation. Each BSM weighs 

approximately 165 pounds and is 31.1 inches 

long and 12.8 inches in diameter. Once the 

SRBs have completed their flight, the BSMs are 

fired to jettison the SRBs away from the orbiter 

and external tank, allowing the boosters to 

parachute to Earth and be reused. The BSMs in 

each cluster of four are ignited by firing 

redundant NSD pressure cartridges into 

redundant confined detonating fuse manifolds. 

The separation commands issued from the 

orbiter by the SRB separation sequence initiate 

the redundant NSD pressure cartridge in each 

bolt and ignite the BSMs to effect a clean 

separation. 

Redesigned BSMs flew for the first time in both 

forward and aft locations on STS-125. As a 

result of vendor viability and manifest support 

issues, space shuttle BSMs are now being 

manufactured by ATK. The igniter has been 
AUGUST 2009 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 85

redesigned and other changes include material 

upgrades driven by obsolescence issues and 

improvements to process and inspection 

techniques. 

SRB Cameras 

Each SRB flies with a complement of four 

cameras, three mounted for exterior views 

during launch, separation and descent; and one 

mounted internal to the forward dome for main 

parachute performance assessment during 

descent. 

The ET observation camera is mounted on the 

SRB forward skirt and provides a wide-angle 

view of the ET intertank area. The camera is 

activated at lift off by a G-switch and records 

for 350 seconds, after which the recorder is 

switched to a similar camera in the forward 

skirt dome to view the deployment and 

performance of the main parachutes to splash 

down. These cameras share a digital tape 

recorder located within the data acquisition 

system. 

The ET ring camera is mounted on the ET 

attach ring and provides a view up the stacked 

vehicle on the orbiter underside and the bipod 

strut attach point. 

The forward skirt camera is mounted on the 

external surface of the SRB forward skirt and 

provides a view aft down the stacked vehicle of 

the orbiter underside and the wing leading 

edge reinforced carbon-carbon, or RCC, panels. 

The ET attach ring camera and forward skirt 

camera are activated by a global positioning 

system command at approximately T minus 

1 minute 56 seconds to begin recording at 

approximately T minus 50 seconds. The camera 

images are recorded through splash down. 

These cameras each have a dedicated recorder 

and are recorded in a digital format. The 

cameras were designed, qualified, and 

implemented by USA after Columbia to 

provide enhanced imagery capabilities to 

capture potential debris liberation beginning 

with main engine start and continuing through 

SRB separation. 

The camera videos are available for engineering 

review approximately 24 hours following the 

arrival of the boosters at KSC. 

Range Safety Systems (RSS) 

The RSS consists of two antenna couplers; 

command receivers/decoders; a dual 

distributor; a safe and arm device with two 

NSDs; two confined detonating fuse manifolds; 

seven confined detonator fuse, or CDF 

assemblies; and one linear-shaped charge. 

The RSS provides for destruction of a rocket or 

part of it with on-board explosives by remote 

command if the rocket is out of control, to 

limit danger to people on the ground from 

crashing pieces, explosions, fire, and poisonous 

substances. 

The space shuttle has two RSSs, one in each 

SRB. Both are capable of receiving two 

command messages – arm and fire – which are 

transmitted from the ground station. The RSS 

is only used when the space shuttle violates a 

launch trajectory red line. 

The antenna couplers provide the proper 

impedance for radio frequency and ground 

support equipment commands. The command 

receivers are tuned to RSS command 

frequencies and provide the input signal to the 

distributors when an RSS command is sent. 

The command decoders use a code plug to 
86 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA AUGUST 2009

prevent any command signal other than the 

proper command signal from getting into the 

distributors. The distributors contain the logic 

to supply valid destruct commands to the RSS 

pyrotechnics. 

The NSDs provide the spark to ignite the CDF 

that in turn ignites the linear shaped charge for 

space shuttle destruction. The safe and arm 

device provides mechanical isolation between 

the NSDs and the CDF before launch and 

during the SRB separation sequence. 

The first message, called arm, allows the 

onboard logic to enable a destruct and 

illuminates a light on the flight deck display 

and control panel at the commander and pilot 

station. The second message transmitted is the 

fire command. The SRB distributors in the 

SRBs are cross-strapped together. Thus, if one 

SRB received an arm or destruct signal, the 

signal would also be sent to the other SRB. 

Electrical power from the RSS battery in each 

SRB is routed to RSS system A. The recovery 

battery in each SRB is used to power RSS 

system B as well as the recovery system in the 

SRB. The SRB RSS is powered down during the 

separation sequence, and the SRB recovery 

system is powered up. 

Descent and Recovery 

After separation and at specified altitudes, the 

SRB forward avionics system initiates the 

release of the nose cap, which houses a pilot 

parachute and drogue parachute; and the 

frustum, which houses the three main 

parachutes. Jettison of the nose cap at 

15,700 feet deploys a small pilot parachute and 

begins to slow the SRB decent. At an altitude 

of 15,200 feet the pilot parachute pulls the 

drogue parachute from the frustum. The 

drogue parachute fully inflates in stages, and at 

5,500 feet pulls the frustum away from the SRB, 

which initiates the deployment of the three 

main parachutes. The parachutes also inflate in 

stages and further slow the decent of the SRBs 

to their final velocity at splashdown. The 

parachutes slow each SRB from 368 mph at first 

deployment to 52 mph at splashdown, allowing 

for the recovery and reuse of the boosters. 

Two 176-foot recovery ships, Freedom Star and 

Liberty Star, are on station at the splashdown 

zone to retrieve the frustums with drogue 

parachutes attached, the main parachutes and 

the SRBs. The SRB nose caps and solid rocket 

motor nozzle extensions are not recovered. The 

SRBs are dewatered using an enhanced diver 

operating plug to facilitate tow back. These 

plugs are inserted into the motor nozzle and 

air is pumped into the booster, causing it to 

lay flat in the water to allow it to be easily 

towed. The boosters are then towed back to 

the refurbishment facilities. Each booster is 

removed from the water and components are 

disassembled and washed with fresh and 

deionized water to limit saltwater corrosion. 

The motor segments, igniter and nozzle are 

shipped back to ATK in Utah for 

refurbishment. The nonmotor components and 

structures are disassembled by USA and are 

refurbished to like-new condition at both KSC 

and equipment manufacturers across the 

country. 

SPACE SHUTTLE SUPER LIGHT WEIGHT 

TANK (SLWT) 

The super lightweight external tank (SLWT) 

made its first shuttle flight June 2, 1998, on 

mission STS-91. The SLWT is 7,500 pounds 

lighter than the standard external tank. The 

lighter weight tank allows the shuttle to deliver 
AUGUST 2009 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 87

International Space Station elements (such as 

the service module) into the proper orbit. 

The SLWT is the same size as the previous 

design. But the liquid hydrogen tank and the 

liquid oxygen tank are made of aluminum 

lithium, a lighter, stronger material than the 

metal alloy used for the shuttle’s current tank. 

The tank’s structural design has also been 

improved, making it 30 percent stronger and 

5 percent less dense. 

The SLWT, like the standard tank, is 

manufactured at Michoud Assembly, near 

New Orleans, by Lockheed Martin. 

The 154-foot-long external tank is the largest 

single component of the space shuttle. It stands 

taller than a 15-story building and has a 

diameter of about 27 feet. The external tank 

holds over 530,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen 

and liquid oxygen in two separate tanks. The 

hydrogen (fuel) and liquid oxygen (oxidizer) 

are used as propellants for the shuttle’s three 

main engines. 

EXTERNAL TANK 

The 154-foot-long external tank is the largest 

single component of the space shuttle. It stands 

taller than a 15-story building and has a 

diameter of about 27 feet. The external tank 

holds more than 530,000 gallons of liquid 

hydrogen and liquid oxygen in two separate 

tanks, the forward liquid oxygen tank and the 

aft liquid hydrogen tank. An unpressurized 

intertank unites the two propellant tanks. 

Liquid hydrogen (fuel) and liquid oxygen 

(oxidizer) are used as propellants for the 

shuttle’s three main engines. The external tank 

weighs 58,500 pounds empty and 

1,668,500 pounds when filled with propellants. 

The external tank is the “backbone” of the 

shuttle during launch, providing structural 

support for attachment with the solid rocket 

boosters and orbiter. It is the only component 

of the shuttle that is not reused. Approximately 

8.5 minutes after reaching orbit, with its 

propellant used, the tank is jettisoned and falls 

in a preplanned trajectory. Most of the tank 

disintegrates in the atmosphere, and the 

remainder falls into the ocean. 

The external tank is manufactured at NASA’s 

Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans by 

Lockheed Martin Space Systems. 

Foam Facts 

The external tank is covered with spray-on 

foam insulation that insulates the tank before 

and during launch. More than 90 percent of the 

tank’s foam is applied using an automated 

system, leaving less than 10 percent to be 

applied manually. 

There are two types of foam on the external 

tank, known as the Thermal Protection System, 

or TPS. One is low-density, closed-cell foam on 

the tank acreage and is known as Spray-OnFoam-Insulation, often referred to by its 

acronym, SOFI. Most of the tank is covered by 

either an automated or manually applied SOFI. 

Most areas around protuberances, such as 

brackets and structural elements, are applied by 

pouring foam ingredients into part-specific 

molds. The other is a denser composite 

material made of silicone resins and cork and 

called ablator. An ablator is a material that 

dissipates heat by eroding. It is used on areas 

of the external tank subjected to extreme heat, 

such as the aft dome near the engine exhaust, 

and remaining protuberances, such as the cable 

trays. These areas are exposed to extreme 

aerodynamic heating. 
88 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA AUGUST 2009

Closed-cell foam used on the tank was 

developed to keep the propellants that fuel the 

shuttle’s three main engines at optimum 

temperature. It keeps the shuttle’s liquid 

hydrogen fuel at -423 degrees Fahrenheit 

and the liquid oxygen tank at near 

-297 degrees Fahrenheit, even as the tank sits 

under the hot Florida sun. At the same time, 

the foam prevents a buildup of ice on the 

outside of the tank. 

The foam insulation must be durable enough to 

endure a 180-day stay at the launch pad, 

withstand temperatures up to 115 degrees 

Fahrenheit, humidity as high as 100 percent, 

and resist sand, salt, fog, rain, solar radiation 

and even fungus. Then, during launch, the 

foam must tolerate temperatures as high as 

2,200 degrees Fahrenheit generated by 

aerodynamic friction and radiant heating from 

the 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit main engine 

plumes. Finally, when the external tank begins 

reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere about 

30 minutes after launch, the foam maintains the 

tank’s structural temperatures and allows it to 

safely disintegrate over a remote ocean location. 

Though the foam insulation on the majority of 

the tank is only 1-inch thick, it adds 

4,823 pounds to the tank’s weight. In the areas 

of the tank subjected to the highest heating, 

insulation is somewhat thicker, between 1.5 to 

3 inches thick. Though the foam’s density 

varies with the type, an average density is 

about 2.4 pounds per cubic foot. 

Application of the foam, whether automated by 

computer or hand-sprayed, is designed to meet 

NASA’s requirements for finish, thickness, 

roughness, density, strength and adhesion. As 

in most assembly production situations, the 

foam is applied in specially designed, 

environmentally controlled spray cells and 

applied in several phases, often over a period of 

several weeks. Before spraying, the foam’s raw 

material and mechanical properties are tested 

to ensure they meet NASA specifications. 

Multiple visual inspections of all foam surfaces 

are performed after the spraying is complete. 

Most of the foam is applied at NASA’s 

Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans 

when the tank is manufactured, including most 

of the “closeout” areas, or final areas applied. 

These closeouts are done either by hand 

pouring or manual spraying. Additional 

closeouts are completed once the tank reaches 

Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 

The super lightweight external tank, or SLWT, 

made its first shuttle flight in June 1998 on 

mission STS-91. The SLWT is 7,500 pounds 

lighter than previously flown tanks. The SLWT 

is the same size as the previous design, but the 

liquid hydrogen tank and the liquid oxygen 

tank are made of aluminum lithium, a lighter, 

stronger material than the metal alloy used 

previously. 

Beginning with the first Return to Flight 

mission, STS-114 in June 2005, several 

improvements were made to improve safety 

and flight reliability. 

Forward Bipod 

The external tank’s forward shuttle attach 

fitting, called the bipod, was redesigned to 

eliminate the large insulating foam ramps as a 

source of debris. Each external tank has two 

bipod fittings that connect the tank to the 

orbiter through the shuttle’s two forward 

attachment struts. Four rod heaters were 

placed below each forward bipod, replacing the 
AUGUST 2009 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 89

large insulated foam Protuberance Airload, or 

PAL, ramps. 

Liquid Hydrogen Tank & Liquid Oxygen 

Intertank Flange Closeouts 

The liquid hydrogen tank flange located at the 

bottom of the intertank and the liquid oxygen 

tank flange located at the top of the intertank 

provide joining mechanisms with the intertank. 

After each of these three component tanks, 

liquid oxygen, intertank and liquid hydrogen, 

are joined mechanically, the flanges at both 

ends are insulated with foam. An enhanced 

closeout, or finishing, procedure was added to 

improve foam application to the stringer, or 

intertank ribbing, and to the upper and lower 

area of both the liquid hydrogen and liquid 

oxygen intertank flanges. 

Liquid Oxygen Feedline Bellows 

The liquid oxygen feedline bellows were 

reshaped to include a “drip lip” that allows 

condensate moisture to run off and prevent 

freezing. A strip heater was added to the 

forward bellow to further reduce the potential 

of high density ice or frost formation. Joints on 

the liquid oxygen feedline assembly allow the 

feedline to move during installation and during 

liquid hydrogen tank fill. Because it must flex, 

it cannot be insulated with foam like the 

remainder of the tank. 

Other tank improvements include: 

Liquid Oxygen & Liquid Hydrogen 

Protuberance Airload (PAL) Ramps 

External tank ET-119, which flew on the second 

Return to Flight mission, STS-121, in July 2006, 

was the first tank to fly without PAL ramps 

along portions of the liquid oxygen and 

liquid hydrogen tanks. These PAL ramps were 

extensively studied and determined to not be 

necessary for their original purpose, which was 

to protect cable trays from aeroelastic instability 

during ascent. Extensive tests were conducted 

to verify the shuttle could fly safely without 

these particular PAL ramps. Extensions were 

added to the ice frost ramps for the pressline 

and cable tray brackets, where these PAL ramps 

were removed to make the geometry of the 

ramps consistent with other locations on 

the tank and thereby provide consistent 

aerodynamic flow. Nine extensions were 

added, six on the liquid hydrogen tank and 

three on the liquid oxygen tank. 

Engine Cutoff (ECO) Sensor Modification 

Beginning with STS-122, ET-125, which 

launched on Feb. 7, 2008, the ECO sensor 

system feed through connector on the liquid 

hydrogen tank was modified by soldering the 

connector’s pins and sockets to address false 

readings in the system. All subsequent tanks 

after ET-125 have the same modification. 

Liquid Hydrogen Tank Ice Frost Ramps 

ET-128, which flew on the STS-124 shuttle 

mission, May 31, 2008, was the first tank to fly 

with redesigned liquid hydrogen tank ice frost 

ramps. Design changes were incorporated at 

all 17 ice frost ramp locations on the liquid 

hydrogen tank, stations 1151 through 2057, to 

reduce foam loss. Although the redesigned 

ramps appear identical to the previous design, 

several changes were made. PDL* and NCFI 

foam have been replaced with BX* manual 

spray foam in the ramp’s base cutout to reduce 

debonding and cracking; Pressline and cable 

tray bracket feet corners have been rounded to 

reduce stresses; shear pin holes have been 

sealed to reduce leak paths; isolators were 

primed to promote adhesion; isolator corners 
90 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA AUGUST 2009

were rounded to help reduce thermal 

protection system foam stresses; BX manual 

spray was applied in bracket pockets to reduce 

geometric voids. 

*BX is a type of foam used on the tank’s 

“loseout,” or final finished areas; it is applied 

manually or hand-sprayed. PDL is an acronym 

for Product Development Laboratory, the first 

supplier of the foam during the early days of 

the external tank’s development. PDL is 

applied by pouring foam ingredients into a 

mold. NCFI foam is used on the aft dome, or 

bottom, of the liquid hydrogen tank. 

Liquid Oxygen Feedline Brackets 

ET-128 also was the first tank to fly with 

redesigned liquid oxygen feedline brackets. 

Titanium brackets, much less thermally 

conductive than aluminum, replaced aluminum 

brackets at four locations, XT 1129, XT 1377, 

Xt 1624 and Xt 1871. This change minimizes ice 

formation in under-insulated areas, and 

reduces the amount of foam required to cover 

the brackets and the propensity for ice 

development. Zero-gap/slip plane Teflon 

material was added to the upper outboard 

monoball attachment to eliminate ice adhesion. 

Additional foam has been added to the liquid 

oxygen feedline to further minimize ice 

formation along the length of the feedline. 
AUGUST 2009 LAUNCH & LANDING 91

LAUNCH AND LANDING 

LAUNCH 

As with all previous space shuttle launches, 

Discovery has several options to abort its ascent 

if needed after engine failures or other systems 

problems. Shuttle launch abort philosophy is 

intended to facilitate safe recovery of the flight 

crew and intact recovery of the orbiter and its 

payload. 

Abort modes include: 

ABORT-TO-ORBIT (ATO) 

This mode is used if there is a partial loss of 

main engine thrust late enough to permit 

reaching a minimal 105 by 85 nautical mile orbit 

with the orbital maneuvering system engines. 

The engines boost the shuttle to a safe orbital 

altitude when it is impossible to reach the 

planned orbital altitude. 

TRANSATLANTIC ABORT LANDING 

(TAL) 

The loss of one or more main engines midway 

through powered flight would force a landing 

at either Zaragoza, Spain; Moron, Spain; or 

Istres, France. For launch to proceed, weather 

conditions must be acceptable at one of these 

TAL sites. 

RETURN-TO-LAUNCH-SITE (RTLS) 

If one or more engines shut down early and 

there is not enough energy to reach Zaragoza, 

the shuttle would pitch around toward 

Kennedy until within gliding distance of 

the Shuttle Landing Facility. For launch to 

proceed, weather conditions must be forecast to 

be acceptable for a possible RTLS landing at 

KSC about 20 minutes after liftoff. 

ABORT ONCE AROUND (AOA) 

An AOA is selected if the vehicle cannot 

achieve a viable orbit or will not have enough 

propellant to perform a deorbit burn, but has 

enough energy to circle the Earth once and land 

about 90 minutes after liftoff. 

LANDING 

The primary landing site for Discovery on 

STS‐128 is the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle 

Landing Facility. Alternate landing sites that 

could be used if needed because of weather 

conditions or systems failures are at Edwards 

Air Force Base, Calif., and White Sands Space 

Harbor, N.M. 
92 LAUNCH & LANDING AUGUST 2009

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AUGUST 2009 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 93

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 

A/G Alignment Guides 

A/L Airlock 

AAA Avionics Air Assembly 

ABC Audio Bus Controller 

ACBM Active Common Berthing Mechanism 

ACDU Airlock Control and Display Unit 

ACO Assembly Checkout Officer 

ACS Atmosphere Control and Supply 

ACU Arm Control Unit 

ADS Audio Distribution System 

AE Approach Ellipsoid 

AEP Airlock Electronics Package 

AI Approach Initiation 

AJIS Alpha Joint Interface Structure 

AM Atmosphere Monitoring 

AMOS Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site 

AOH Assembly Operations Handbook 

APAS Androgynous Peripheral Attachment 

APCU Assembly Power Converter Unit 

APE Antenna Pointing Electronics 

Audio Pointing Equipment 

APFR Articulating Portable Foot Restraint 

APM Antenna Pointing Mechanism 

APS Automated Payload Switch 

APV Automated Procedure Viewer 

AR Atmosphere Revitalization 

ARCU American-to-Russian Converter Unit 

ARS Air Revitalization System 

Atmosphere Revitalization System 

ASW Application Software 

ATA Ammonia Tank Assembly 

ATCS Active Thermal Control System 

ATU Audio Terminal Unit 

BAD Broadcast Ancillary Data 

BC Bus Controller 

BCDU Battery Charge/Discharge Unit 

Berthing Mechanism Control and Display Unit 

BEP Berthing Mechanism Electronics Package 
94 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS AUGUST 2009

BGA Beta Gimbal Assembly 

BIC Bus Interface Controller 

BIT Built-In Test 

BM Berthing Mechanism 

BOS BIC Operations Software 

BSS Basic Software 

BSTS Basic Standard Support Software 

C&C Command and Control 

C&DH Command and Data Handling 

C&T Communication and Tracking 

C&W Caution and Warning 

C/L Crew Lock 

C/O Checkout 

CAM Collision Avoidance Maneuver 

CAPE Canister for All Payload Ejections 

CAS Common Attach System 

CB Control Bus 

CBCS Centerline Berthing Camera System 

CBM Common Berthing Mechanism 

CCA Circuit Card Assembly 

CCAA Common Cabin Air Assembly 

CCHA Crew Communication Headset Assembly 

CCP Camera Control Panel 

CCT Communication Configuration Table 

CCTV Closed-Circuit Television 

CDR Space Shuttle Commander 

CDRA Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly 

CETA Crew Equipment Translation Aid 

CHeCS Crew Health Care System 

CHX Cabin Heat Exchanger 

CISC Complicated Instruction Set Computer 

CLA Camera Light Assembly 

CLPA Camera Light Pan Tilt Assembly 

CMG Control Moment Gyro 

COLBERT Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill 

COTS Commercial Off the Shelf 

CPA Control Panel Assembly 

CPB Camera Power Box 

CR Change Request 

CRT Cathode-Ray Tube 

CSA Canadian Space Agency 
AUGUST 2009 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 95

CSA-CP 

CVIU 

Compound Specific Analyzer 

Common Video Interface Unit 

CVT Current Value Table 

CZ Communication Zone 

DB Data Book 

DC 

DCSU 

DDCU 

Docking Compartment 

Direct Current Switching Unit 

DC-to-DC Converter Unit 

DEM Demodulator 

DFL Decommutation Format Load 

DIU Data Interface Unit 

DMS 

DMS-R 

DPG 

DPU 

DRTS 

DYF 

Data Management System 

Data Management System-Russian 

Differential Pressure Gauge 

Baseband Data Processing Unit 

Japanese Data Relay Satellite 

Display Frame 

E/L 

EATCS 

EBCS 

ECC 

Equipment Lock 

External Active Thermal Control System 

External Berthing Camera System 

Error Correction Code 

ECLSS 

ECS 

ECU 

Environmental Control and Life Support System 

Environmental Control System 

Electronic Control Unit 

EDSU 

EDU 

External Data Storage Unit 

EEU Driver Unit 

EE End Effector 

EETCS 

EEU 

EF 

EFBM 

EFHX 

EFU 

EGIL 

EIU 

Early External Thermal Control System 

Experiment Exchange Unit 

Exposed Facility 

Exposed Facility Berthing Mechanism 

Exposed Facility Heat Exchanger 

Exposed Facility Unit 

Electrical, General Instrumentation, and Lighting 

Ethernet Interface Unit 

ELM-ES 

ELM-PS 

ELPS 

EMGF 

EMI 

Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section 

Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Pressurized Section 

Emergency Lighting Power Supply 

Electric Mechanical Grapple Fixture 

Electro-Magnetic Imaging 
96 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS AUGUST 2009

EMU Extravehicular Mobility Unit 

E-ORU EVA Essential ORU 

EP Exposed Pallet 

EPS Electrical Power System 

ES Exposed Section 

ESA European Space Agency 

ESC JEF System Controller 

ESW Extended Support Software 

ET External Tank 

ETCS External Thermal Control System 

ETI Elapsed Time Indicator 

ETRS EVA Temporary Rail Stop 

ETVCG External Television Camera Group 

EuTEF European Technology Exposure Facility 

EV Extravehicular 

EVA Extravehicular Activity 

EXP-D Experiment-D 

EXT External 

FA Fluid Accumulator 

FAS Flight Application Software 

FCT Flight Control Team 

FD Flight Day 

FDDI Fiber Distributed Data Interface 

FDIR Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery 

FDS Fire Detection System 

FE Flight Engineer 

FET-SW Field Effect Transistor Switch 

FGB Functional Cargo Block 

FIR Fluids Integration Rack 

FOR Frame of Reference 

FPP Fluid Pump Package 

FR Flight Rule 

FRD Flight Requirements Document 

FRGF Flight Releasable Grapple Fixture 

FRM Functional Redundancy Mode 

FSE Flight Support Equipment 

FSEGF Flight Support Equipment Grapple Fixture 

FSW Flight Software 
AUGUST 2009 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 97

GAS Get-Away Special 

GCA Ground Control Assist 

GLA General Lighting Assemblies 

General Luminaire Assembly 

GLONASS Global Navigational Satellite System 

GNC Guidance, Navigation, and Control 

GPC General Purpose Computer 

GPS Global Positioning System 

GPSR Global Positioning System Receiver 

GUI Graphical User Interface 

H&S Health and Status 

HCE Heater Control Equipment 

HCTL Heater Controller 

HEPA High Efficiency Particulate Acquisition 

HPA High Power Amplifier 

HPP Hard Point Plates 

HRDR High Rate Data Recorder 

HREL Hold/Release Electronics 

HRFM High Rate Frame Multiplexer 

HRM Hold Release Mechanism 

HRMS High Rate Multiplexer and Switcher 

HTV H-II Transfer Vehicle 

HTVCC HTV Control Center 

HTV Prox HTV Proximity 

HX Heat Exchanger 

I/F Interface 

IAA Intravehicular Antenna Assembly 

IAC Internal Audio Controller 

IBM International Business Machines 

ICB Inner Capture Box 

ICC Integrated Cargo Carrier 

ICS Interorbit Communication System 

ICS-EF Interorbit Communication System – Exposed Facility 

IDRD Increment Definition and Requirements Document 

IELK Individual Equipment Liner Kit 

IFHX Interface Heat Exchanger 

IMCS Integrated Mission Control System 

IMCU Image Compressor Unit 

IMV Intermodule Ventilation 

INCO Instrumentation and Communication Officer 
98 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS AUGUST 2009

IP International Partner 

IP-PCDU ICS-PM Power Control and Distribution Unit 

IP-PDB Payload Power Distribution Box 

ISP International Standard Payload 

ISPR International Standard Payload Rack 

ISS International Space Station 

ISSSH International Space Station Systems Handbook 

ITCS Internal Thermal Control System 

ITS Integrated Truss Segment 

IVA Intravehicular Activity 

IVSU Internal Video Switch Unit 

JAXA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 

JCP JEM Control Processor 

JEF JEM Exposed Facility 

JEM Japanese Experiment Module 

JEMAL JEM Airlock 

JEM-EF Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility 

JEM-PM Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module 

JEMRMS Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System 

JEUS Joint Expedited Undocking and Separation 

JFCT Japanese Flight Control Team 

JLE Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section 

JLP Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Pressurized Section 

JLP-EDU JLP-EFU Driver Unit 

JLP-EFU JLP Exposed Facility Unit 

JPM Japanese Pressurized Module 

JPM WS JEM Pressurized Module Workstation 

JSC Johnson Space Center 

JTVE JEM Television Equipment 

Kbps Kilobit per second 

KOS Keep Out Sphere 

LB Local Bus 

LCA LAB Cradle Assembly 

LCD Liquid Crystal Display 

LED Light Emitting Diode 

LEE Latching End Effector 

LMC Lightweight MPESS Carrier 

 Lightweight Multipurpose Carrier 

LSW Light Switch 
AUGUST 2009 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 99

LTA Launch-to-Activation 

LTAB Launch-to-Activation Box 

LTL Low Temperature Loop 

MA Main Arm 

MAUI Main Analysis of Upper-Atmospheric Injections 

Mb Megabit 

Mbps Megabit per second 

MBS Mobile Base System 

MBSU Main Bus Switching Unit 

MCA Major Constituent Analyzer 

MCC Mission Control Center 

MCC-H Mission Control Center – Houston 

MCC-M Mission Control Center – Moscow 

MCDS Multifunction Cathode-Ray Tube Display System 

MCS Mission Control System 

MDA MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. 

MDM Multiplexer/Demultiplexer 

MDP Management Data Processor 

MELFI Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS 

MGB Middle Grapple Box 

MIP Mission Integration Plan 

MISSE Materials International Space Station Experiment 

MKAM Minimum Keep Alive Monitor 

MLE Middeck Locker Equivalent 

MLI Multi-layer Insulation 

MLM Multipurpose Laboratory Module 

MMOD Micrometeoroid/Orbital Debris 

MOD Modulator 

MON Television Monitor 

MPC Main Processing Controller 

MPESS Multipurpose Experiment Support Structure 

MPEV Manual Pressure Equalization Valve 

MPL Manipulator Retention Latch 

MPLM Multi-Purpose Logistics Module 

MPM Manipulator Positioning Mechanism 

MPV Manual Procedure Viewer 

MSD Mass Storage Device 

MSFC Marshall Space Flight Center 

MSP Maintenance Switch Panel 

MSRR Materials Science Research Rack 

MSS Mobile Servicing System 
100 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS AUGUST 2009

MT Mobile Tracker 

MTL 

MUX

Moderate Temperature Loop 

 Data Multiplexer 

n.mi. nautical mile 

NASA 

NBL 

NCS 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory 

Node Control Software 

NET No Earlier Than 

NLT No Less Than 

NPRV 

NSV

Negative Pressure Relief Valve 

 Network Service 

NTA 

NTSC 

Nitrogen Tank Assembly 

National Television Standard Committee 

OBSS 

OCA 

OCAD 

OCAS 

ODF 

ODS 

OI 

Orbiter Boom Sensor System 

Orbital Communications Adapter 

Operational Control Agreement Document 

Operator Commanded Automatic Sequence 

Operations Data File 

Orbiter Docking System 

Orbiter Interface 

OIU Orbiter Interface Unit 

OMS 

OODT 

ORCA 

ORU 

OS 

OSA 

Orbital Maneuvering System 

Onboard Operation Data Table 

Oxygen Recharge Compressor Assembly 

Orbital Replacement Unit 

Operating System 

Orbiter-based Station Avionics 

OSE 

OTCM 

OTP 

Orbital Support Equipment 

ORU and Tool Changeout Mechanism 

ORU and Tool Platform 

P/L

PAL 

PAM 

PAO 

 Payload 

Planning and Authorization Letter 

Payload Attach Mechanism 

Public Affairs Office 

PBA 

PCA 

PCBM 

PCN 

PCS 

Portable Breathing Apparatus 

Pressure Control Assembly 

Passive Common Berthing Mechanism 

Page Change Notice 

Portable Computer System 
AUGUST 2009 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 101

PCU Power Control Unit 

PDA 

PDB 

Payload Disconnect Assembly 

Power Distribution Box 

PDGF 

PDH 

PDRS 

PDU 

Power and Data Grapple Fixture 

Payload Data Handling unit 

Payload Deployment Retrieval System 

Power Distribution Unit 

PEC 

PEHG 

PFE 

PGSC 

PIB 

Passive Experiment Container 

Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway 

Portable Fire Extinguisher 

Payload General Support Computer 

Power Interface Box 

PIU 

PLB 

PLBD 

PLC 

PLT 

PM 

Payload Interface Unit 

Payload Bay 

Payload Bay Door 

Pressurized Logistics Carrier 

Payload Laptop Terminal 

Space Shuttle Pilot 

Pressurized Module 

PMA 

PMCU 

POA 

POR 

Pressurized Mating Adapter 

Power Management Control Unit 

Payload ORU Accommodation 

Point of Resolution 

PPRV Positive Pressure Relief Valve 

PRCS 

PREX 

Primary Reaction Control System 

Procedure Executor 

PRLA 

PROX 

psia 

PSP 

PSRR 

PTCS 

PTR 

Payload Retention Latch Assembly 

Proximity Communications Center 

Pounds per Square Inch Absolute 

Payload Signal Processor 

Pressurized Section Resupply Rack 

Passive Thermal Control System 

Port Thermal Radiator 

PTU 

PVCU 

Pan/Tilt Unit 

Photovoltaic Controller Unit 

PVM Photovoltaic Module 

PVR Photovoltaic Radiator 

PVTCS Photovoltaic Thermal Control System 

QD Quick Disconnect 
102 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS AUGUST 2009

R&MA Restraint and Mobility Aid 

RACU Russian-to-American Converter Unit 

RAM Read Access Memory 

RBVM Radiator Beam Valve Module 

RCC Range Control Center 

RCT Rack Configuration Table 

RF Radio Frequency 

RGA Rate Gyro Assemblies 

RHC Rotational Hand Controller 

RIGEX Rigidizable Inflatable Get-Away Special Experiment 

RIP Remote Interface Panel 

RLF Robotic Language File 

RLT Robotic Laptop Terminal 

RMS Remote Manipulator System 

ROEU Remotely Operated Electrical Umbilical 

ROM Read Only Memory 

R-ORU Robotics Compatible Orbital Replacement Unit 

ROS Russian Orbital Segment 

RPC Remote Power Controller 

RPCM Remote Power Controller Module 

RPDA Remote Power Distribution Assembly 

RPM Roll Pitch Maneuver 

RS Russian Segment 

RSP Return Stowage Platform 

RSR Resupply Stowage Rack 

RT Remote Terminal 

RTAS Rocketdyne Truss Attachment System 

RVFS Rendezvous Flight Software 

RWS Robotics Workstation 

SAFER Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue 

SAM SFA Airlock Attachment Mechanism 

SARJ Solar Alpha Rotary Joint 

SCU Sync and Control Unit 

SD Smoke Detector 

SDS Sample Distribution System 

SEDA Space Environment Data Acquisition equipment 

SEDA-AP Space Environment Data Acquisition equipment - Attached Payload 

SELS SpaceOps Electronic Library System 

SEU Single Event Upset 

SFA Small Fine Arm 

SFAE SFA Electronics 
AUGUST 2009 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 103

SI Smoke Indicator 

SLM Structural Latch Mechanism 

SLP-D Spacelab Pallet – D 

SLP-D1 Spacelab Pallet – Deployable 

SLP-D2 Spacelab Pallet – D2 

SLT Station Laptop Terminal 

System Laptop Terminal 

SM Service Module 

SMDP Service Module Debris Panel 

SOC System Operation Control 

SODF Space Operations Data File 

SPA Small Payload Attachment 

SPB Survival Power Distribution Box 

SPDA Secondary Power Distribution Assembly 

SPDM Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator 

SPEC Specialist 

SRAM Static RAM 

SRB Solid Rocket Booster 

SRMS Shuttle Remote Manipulator System 

SSAS Segment-to-Segment Attach System 

SSC Station Support Computer 

SSCB Space Station Control Board 

SSE Small Fine Arm Storage Equipment 

SSIPC Space Station Integration and Promotion Center 

SSME Space Shuttle Main Engine 

SSOR Space-to-Space Orbiter Radio 

SSP Standard Switch Panel 

SSPTS Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System 

SSRMS Space Station Remote Manipulator System 

STC Small Fire Arm Transportation Container 

STR Starboard Thermal Radiator 

STS Space Transfer System 

STVC SFA Television Camera 

SVS Space Vision System 

TA Thruster Assist 

TAC TCS Assembly Controller 

TAC-M TCS Assembly Controller – M 

TCA Thermal Control System Assembly 

TCB Total Capture Box 

TCCS Trace Contaminant Control System 

TCCV Temperature Control and Check Valve 
104 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS AUGUST 2009

TCS Thermal Control System 

TCV Temperature Control Valve 

TDK Transportation Device Kit 

TDRS Tracking and Data Relay Satellite 

THA Tool Holder Assembly 

THC Temperature and Humidity Control 

Translational Hand Controller 

THCU Temperature and Humidity Control Unit 

TIU Thermal Interface Unit 

TKSC Tsukuba Space Center (Japan) 

TLM Telemetry 

TMA Russian vehicle designation 

TMR Triple Modular Redundancy 

TPL Transfer Priority List 

TRRJ Thermal Radiator Rotary Joint 

TUS Trailing Umbilical System 

TVC Television Camera 

UCCAS Unpressurized Cargo Carrier Attach System 

UCM Umbilical Connect Mechanism 

UCM-E UCM – Exposed Section Half 

UCM-P UCM – Payload Half 

UHF Ultrahigh Frequency 

UIL User Interface Language 

ULC Unpressurized Logistics Carrier 

UMA Umbilical Mating Adapter 

UOP Utility Outlet Panel 

UPC Up Converter 

USA United Space Alliance 

US LAB United States Laboratory 

USOS United States On-Orbit Segment 

VAJ Vacuum Access Jumper 

VBSP Video Baseband Signal Processor 

VCU Video Control Unit 

VDS Video Distribution System 

VLU Video Light Unit 

VRA Vent Relief Assembly 

VRCS Vernier Reaction Control System 

VRCV Vent Relief Control Valve 

VRIV Vent Relief Isolation Valve 
AUGUST 2009 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 105

VSU Video Switcher Unit 

VSW Video Switcher 

WAICO Waiving and Coiling 

WCL Water Cooling Loop 

WETA Wireless Video System External Transceiver Assembly 

WIF Work Interface 

WRM Water Recovery and Management 

WRS Water Recovery System 

WS Water Separator 

Work Site 

Work Station 

WVA Water Vent Assembly 

ZSR Zero-g Stowage Rack 
106 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS AUGUST 2009

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AUGUST 2009 MEDIA ASSISTANCE 107

MEDIA ASSISTANCE 

NASA TELEVISION TRANSMISSION 

NASA Television is carried on an MPEG‐2 

digital signal accessed via satellite AMC‐6, at 

72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, 

4040 MHz, vertical polarization. For those in 

Alaska or Hawaii, NASA Television will be 

seen on AMC‐7, at 137 degrees west longitude, 

transponder 18C, at 4060 MHz, horizontal 

polarization. In both instances, a Digital Video 

Broadcast, or DVB‐compliant Integrated 

Receiver Decoder, or IRD, with modulation of 

QPSK/DBV, data rate of 36.86 and FEC 3/4 will 

be needed for reception. The NASA Television 

schedule and links to streaming video are 

available at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

NASA TV’s digital conversion will require 

members of the broadcast media to upgrade 

with an “addressable” Integrated Receiver 

De‐coder, or IRD, to participate in live news 

events and interviews, media briefings and 

receive NASA’s Video File news feeds on a 

dedicated Media Services channel. NASA 

mission coverage will air on a digital NASA 

Public Services “Free to Air” channel, for which 

only a basic IRD will be needed. 

Television Schedule 

A schedule of key in‐orbit events and media 

briefings during the mission will be detailed in 

a NASA TV schedule posted at the link above. 

The schedule will be updated as necessary and 

will also be available at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

mission_schedule.html

Status Reports 

Status reports on launch countdown and 

mission progress, in‐orbit activities and landing 

operations will be posted at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

This site also contains information on the crew 

and will be updated regularly with photos and 

video clips throughout the flight. 

More Internet Information 

Information on the ISS is available at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/station

Information on safety enhancements made 

since the Columbia accident is available at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/

system/index.html

Information on other current NASA activities is 

available at: 

http://www.nasa.gov

Resources for educators can be found at the 

following address: 

http://education.nasa.gov
108 MEDIA ASSISTANCE AUGUST 2009

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AUGUST 2009 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 109

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 

HEADQUARTERS 

WASHINGTON, DC 

Space Operations Mission Directorate 

Michael Braukus 

International Partners 

202-358-1979 

michael.j.braukus@nasa.gov

Katherine Trinidad 

Shuttle, Space Station Policy 

202-358-1100 

katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov

John Yembrick 

Shuttle, Space Station Policy 

202-358-1100 

john.yembrick-1@nasa.gov

Mike Curie 

Shuttle, Space Station Policy 

202-358-1100 

michael.curie@nasa.gov

Science Mission Directorate 

Grey Hautaluoma 

Research in Space 

202-358-0668 

grey.hautaluoma-1@nasa.gov

Ashley Edwards 

Research in Space 

202-358-1756 

ashley.edwards-1@nasa.gov

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER 

HOUSTON, TEXAS 

James Hartsfield 

News Chief 

281-483-5111 

james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov

Kyle Herring 

Public Affairs Specialist 

Space Shuttle Program Office 

281-483-5111 

kyle.j.herring@nasa.gov

Rob Navias 

Program and Mission Operations Lead 

281-483-5111 

rob.navias-1@nasa.gov

Kelly Humphries 

Public Affairs Specialist 

International Space Station and Mission 

Operations Directorate 

281-483-5111 

kelly.o.humphries@nasa.gov

Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters 

Public Affairs Specialist 

Astronauts 

281-483-5111 

nicole.cloutier-1@nasa.gov
110 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS AUGUST 2009

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER 

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA 

Allard Beutel 

News Chief 

321-867-2468 

allard.beutel@nasa.gov

Candrea Thomas 

Public Affairs Specialist 

Space Shuttle 

321-861-2468 

candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

Tracy Young 

Public Affairs Specialist 

International Space Station 

321-867-2468 

tracy.g.young@nasa.gov

MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER 

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 

Dom Amatore 

Public Affairs Manager 

256-544-0034 

dominic.a.amatore@nasa.gov

June Malone 

Public Affairs Specialist 

News Chief/Media Manager 

256-544-0034 

june.e.malone@nasa.gov

Steve Roy 

Public Affairs Specialist 

Space Shuttle Propulsion 

256-544-0034 

steven.e.roy@nasa.gov

STENNIS SPACE CENTER 

BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI 

Chris McGee 

News Chief 

228-688-3249 

christopher.mcgee@nasa.gov

Paul Foerman 

Public Affairs Officer 

228-688-1880 

paul.foerman-1@nasa.gov

AMES RESEARCH CENTER 

MOFFETT FIELD, CALIFORNIA 

Mike Mewhinney 

News Chief 

650-604-3937 

michael.mewhinney@nasa.gov

Jonas Dino 

Public Affairs Specialist 

650-604-5612 

jonas.dino@nasa.gov

Rachel Prucey 

Public Affairs Specialist 

650-604-0643 

Rachel.L.Purcey@nasa.gov
AUGUST 2009 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 111

DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER 

EDWARDS, CALIFORNIA 

Kevin Rohrer 

Director, Public Affairs 

661-276-3595 

kevin.j.rohrer@nasa.gov

Alan Brown 

News Chief 

661-276-2665 

alan.brown@nasa.gov

Leslie Williams 

Public Affairs Specialist 

661-276-3893 

leslie.a.williams@nasa.gov

GLENN RESEARCH CENTER 

CLEVELAND, OHIO 

Lori Rachul 

News Chief 

216-433-8806 

lori.j.rachul@nasa.gov

Jeannette P. Owens 

Public Affairs Specialist 

216-433-2990 

Jeannette.p.owens@nasa.gov

Katherine Martin 

Public Affairs Specialist 

216-433-2406 

katherine.martin@nasa.gov

LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER 

HAMPTON, VIRGINIA 

Marny Skora 

Head, News Media Office 

757-864-3315 

marny.skora@nasa.gov

Keith Henry 

Public Affairs Officer 

757-864-6120 

h.k.henry@nasa.gov

Chris Rink 

Public Affairs Officer 

757-864-6786 

christopher.p.rink@nasa.gov

Kathy Barnstorff 

Public Affairs Officer 

757-864-9886 

katherine.a.barnstorff@nasa.gov

UNITED SPACE ALLIANCE 

Jessica Pieczonka 

Houston Operations 

281-212-6252 

832-205-0480 

jessica.b.pieczonka@usa-spaceops.com

Tracy Yates 

Florida Operations 

321-861-3956 

(c) 321-750-1739 

tracy.e.yates@usa-spaceops.com
112 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS AUGUST 2009

BOEING 

Ed Memi 

Media Relations 

Boeing Space Exploration 

281-226-4029 

edmund.g.memi@boeing.com

JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION 

AGENCY (JAXA) 

Naoko Matsuo 

Houston 

281-483-2251 

matsuo.naoko@jaxa.jp

JAXA Public Affairs Office 

Tokyo, Japan 

011-81-3-6266-6414, 6415, 6416, 6417 

proffice@jaxa.jp

CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY (CSA) 

Jean-Pierre Arseneault 

Manager, Media Relations & Information 

Services 

514-824-0560 (cell) 

jean-pierre.arseneault@space.gc.ca

Media Relations Office 

Canadian Space Agency 

450-926-4370 

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY (ESA) 

Clare Mattok 

Communication Manager 

Paris, France 

011-33-1-5369-7412 

clare.mattok@esa.int