SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION

STS-131

Experiment 

Express

PRESS KIT/April 2010

www.nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

APRIL 2010 CONTENTS i

CONTENTS 

Section Page 

STS-131/19A MISSION OVERVIEW ........................................................................................ 1

STS-131 TIMELINE OVERVIEW ............................................................................................... 11

MISSION PROFILE ................................................................................................................... 15

MISSION OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................ 17

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

STS-131 CREW ....................................................................................................................... 21

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

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

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

RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING ....................................................................................................... 45

UNDOCKING, SEPARATION, AND DEPARTURE ...................................................................................... 4 6

SPACEWALKS ......................................................................................................................... 49

EXPERIMENTS ......................................................................................................................... 57

DETAILED TEST OBJECTIVES AND DETAILE D S U P P L E M E N T A R Y O B J E C T I V E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 7

SHORT-DURATION U.S. INTEGRATED RESEARCH TO BE COMPLETED DURING STS-131/19A ............... 6 2

EDUCATION ACTIVITIES .........................................................................................................73

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA .................................................................................................... 75

LAUNCH AND LANDING ...........................................................................................................93

LAUNCH ............................................................................................................................................... 9 3

ABORT-TO-ORBI T ( A T O ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. 9 3

TRANSATLANTIC ABORT LANDING (TAL) ............................................................................................. 9 3

RETURN-TO-LAUNCH-SI T E ( R T L S ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... 9 3

ABORT ONCE ARO U N D ( A O A ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... 9 3

LANDING ............................................................................................................................................. 9 3
Section Page 

ii CONTENTS APRIL 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................... 95

MEDIA ASSISTANCE ............................................................................................................... 109

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS .................................................................................................. 111
APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 1

STS-131/19A MISSION OVERVIEW 

Backdropped by a blue and white part of Earth, the International Space Station is featured in this 

image photographed by an STS-130 crew member on space shuttle Endeavour. 

As the last round-trip for the Leonardo 

Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, Discovery’s 

13-day mission will provide the International 

Space Station with not only some 8 tons of 

science equipment and cargo, but also one last 

opportunity to send a large load of cargo back 

to the ground. 

Leonardo serves as basically a moving van for 

the space station, allowing the shuttle to, first of 

all, deliver shipments of equipment and 

supplies larger than any other vehicle could 

accommodate, and, second, to return science 

experiments, unneeded hardware and trash to 

the ground – all other cargo transfer vehicles 

burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. And 

although Leonardo will return to the station 

once more on the last space shuttle mission 

later this year, this is scheduled to be its last 

round trip – Leonardo will remain permanently 

at the station after STS-133. So while it will 

deliver one more batch of goods, the cargo 

returning on STS-131 will be the last that it 

brings home. 
2 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

NASA astronaut Alan G. Poindexter, STS-131 commander, attired in a training version of his 

shuttle launch and entry suit, occupies the commander’s station on the flight deck of the 

Full Fuselage Trainer in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. 

And although there are only four shuttle 

missions left before the space shuttle fleet is 

retired, the program is still making some space 

“firsts” possible. With three female crew 

members arriving on board Discovery and one 

already at the station, the STS-131 mission will 

mark the first time that four women have been 

in space at one time. And as there is one 

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut 

on each crew, the mission is also the first time 

for two JAXA astronauts to be in space at the 

same time. 

Discovery, commanded by spaceflight veteran 

Alan G. Poindexter, is scheduled to lift off from 

Kennedy Space Center at 6:21 a.m. EDT on 

Monday, April 5, and arrive at the orbiting 

complex early on Wednesday, April 7. 

While docked to the station, Discovery’s crew 

will conduct three spacewalks and spend 

about 100 combined hours moving cargo in 

and out of Leonardo and the shuttle’s middeck. 
APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 3

Poindexter, 48, a U.S. Navy captain, served as 

pilot on STS-122 in 2008. He will be joined on 

the mission by pilot James P. Dutton Jr., 41, a 

U.S. Air Force colonel, who will be making his 

first trip to space. Mission specialists are 

Rick Mastracchio, 50, who flew on STS-106 

and STS-118 in 2000 and 2007, respectively; 

Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, 34, a former 

teacher who became an astronaut in 2004; 

Stephanie Wilson, 43, who flew on STS-121 

and STS-120 in 2006 and 2007, respectively; 

Naoko Yamazaki, 39, a Japan Aerospace 

Exploration Agency astronaut; and 

Clayton Anderson, 51, who spent 152 days on 

the space station as a member of the 

Expedition 15 crew in 2007, traveling to the 

station on STS-117 and returning to Earth on 

STS-120. 

The day after launch, Poindexter, Dutton, 

Metcalf-Lindenburger, Wilson and Yamazaki 

will take turns from Discovery’s aft flight deck 

maneuvering its robotic arm in the traditional 

day-long scan of the reinforced carbon-carbon 

on the leading edges of the shuttle’s wings and 

its nose cap. This initial inspection, using a 

50-foot-long robotic arm extension equipped 

with sensors and lasers, called the Orbiter 

Boom Sensor System, will provide imagery 

experts on the ground a close-up look at the 

orbiter’s heat shield following the dynamic 

liftoff. A follow-up inspection will take place 

after Discovery undocks from the station. 

While the inspection takes place, Mastracchio 

and Anderson will prepare the spacesuits they 

will wear for their three spacewalks out 

of the Quest airlock at the station. Docking 

preparations will occupy the remainder of the 

crew’s workday. 

On the third day of the flight, Discovery will 

be flown by Poindexter and Dutton 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, 

Poindexter will execute the rendezvous pitch 

maneuver, a one-degree-per-second rotational 

“backflip” to enable station crew members 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. 

Once the rotation is completed, Poindexter will 

fly Discovery 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 and a combined 

crew of 13 will begin nine days of work. 

Discovery’s crew will be working with 

Expedition 23 commander, Russian cosmonaut 

Oleg Kotov and flight engineers T.J. Creamer 

and Tracy Caldwell Dyson, both of NASA; 

Soichi Noguchi, a Japan Aerospace 

Agency astronaut; and cosmonauts 

Alexander Skvortsov and Mikhail Kornienko. 

Anderson and Kotov were Expedition 15 crew 

members together, and Mastracchio visited 

during that time as part of the STS-118 mission. 
4 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

NASA astronaut James P. Dutton Jr., STS-131 pilot, occupies the pilot’s station during a 

training session in the shuttle mission simulator in the Jake Garn Simulation and 

Training Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. 

After a station safety briefing, Wilson and 

Yamazaki will operate the station’s robotic arm 

to remove the OBSS from Discovery’s cargo bay 

and hand it off to the shuttle robotic arm being 

operated by Dutton and Metcalf-Lindenburger. 

Wilson and Yamazaki will be back at the 

controls of the station’s robotic arm the 

following day, flight day 4, as they unberth 

Leonardo and maneuver it into place for 

installation on the station’s Harmony node. 

Anderson will then work with Noguchi to 

prepare Leonardo’s hatch for opening near the 

end of the day. 

That night, spacewalkers Mastracchio and 

Anderson will sleep in the Quest airlock as part 

of the overnight “campout” procedure that 

helps purge nitrogen from their bloodstreams, 

preventing decompression sickness once they 

move out into the vacuum of space. The 

campout will be repeated the night before each 

spacewalk. 
APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 5

Astronaut Clayton Anderson, STS-131 mission specialist, participates in an Extravehicular 

Mobility Unit spacesuit fit check in the Space Station Airlock Test Article in the Crew 

Systems Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Astronaut 

Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, mission specialist, assists Anderson. 
6 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

On the fifth day of the mission, the station 

will be a hive of activity inside and out. 

Spacewalkers Mastracchio and Anderson will 

prepare the ammonia tank assembly brought 

up in Discovery’s cargo bay to be removed by 

Dutton and Wilson at the controls of the 

station’s robotic arm and temporarily stored on 

the arm’s mobile base. They will also retrieve a 

science experiment on the Japanese Kibo 

Laboratory’s exposed facility, replace a rate 

gyro assembly on the center segment of the 

station’s truss and prepare the batteries on the 

station’s P6 solar arrays for replacement later. 

Mastracchio (EV 1) will wear a suit with stripes. 

Anderson (EV 2) will wear a suit with no 

stripes. Mastracchio and Anderson each have 

three spacewalks under their belt, one of which 

they performed together during the STS-118 

mission. 

While that is going on outside, inside Yamazaki 

and Noguchi will get to work unpacking some 

of the larger items brought up inside Leonardo, 

including a new Minus Eighty-Degree 

Laboratory Freezer for ISS, a new crew quarters 

rack and the Muscle Atrophy Resistive Exercise 

System, a piece of exercise equipment that 

allows astronauts to exercise seven different 

joints and scientists to study the strength of the 

muscles they use. 

The sixth day is available for focused 

inspection of Discovery’s heat shield if mission 

managers deem it necessary. Dutton, 

Metcalf-Lindenburger and Wilson would 

conduct that survey in the crew’s morning 

while Mastracchio, Yamazaki and Anderson 

continued unpacking Leonardo. After lunch, 

Mastracchio and Anderson will begin 

preparations for their second spacewalk, while 

the rest of the shuttle crew, along with Kotov 

and Noguchi, carry on with the transfer work. 

Among the items scheduled to make their way 

over to the space station on flight day 6 are the 

Window Observational Research Facility, 

which provides a set of cameras, multispectral 

and hyperspectral scanners, camcorders and 

other instruments to capture imagery of the 

Earth and space through the Destiny 

laboratory’s window; and EXPRESS rack 7, 

which will provide power, data, cooling, water 

and other support to a number of experiments 

at the station. 
APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 7

NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, STS-131 mission specialist, participates in a training session in 

an International Space Station mock-up/trainer in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at 

NASA’s Johnson Space Center. 

All Discovery crew members will participate in 

transfer of one form or another on flight day 7. 

For Mastracchio and Anderson, the work will 

occur over six and a half hours outside the 

station, as they remove a spent ammonia tank 

assembly from the starboard side of the 

station’s truss and replace it with the new tank 

they removed from Discovery during the first 

spacewalk. 

The following morning, the crew will have the 

first half of flight day 8 off to enjoy some 

well-earned off duty time, then it will be back 

to work in Leonardo and time to prepare for the 

third and final spacewalk of the mission on 

flight day 9. During that six-and-a-half-hour 

spacewalk, Mastracchio and Anderson will 

install in the shuttle’s cargo bay the spent 

ammonia tank assembly they removed on the 

previous spacewalk. They’ll also remove a 

piece of hardware used to attach equipment 

and experiments to the exterior of the 

Columbus laboratory and store it in Discovery’s 

cargo bay; install a camera and remove an 

insulation blanket on the Special Purpose 

Dexterous Manipulator; and replace a light in a 

camera on the exterior of Destiny. 
8 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Naoko Yamazaki (foreground) and 

NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson, both STS-131 mission specialists, participate in a 

Thermal Protection System Orbiter Boom Sensor System training session in the 

Jake Garn Simulation and Training Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. 

Crew members inside will perform more 

transfer work while the spacewalk is going on 

outside, and that work will finish up on the 

morning flight day 10 before the crews go off 

duty in the afternoon. All 13 members of the 

crew will also take some time out for the 

traditional joint crew news conference on this 

day. 

The hatches between Harmony and Leonardo 

will be closed on the morning of flight day 11 in 

preparation for its removal from the station by 

Wilson and Yamazaki, who will use the space 

station’s robotic arm to pack it back into 

Discovery’s cargo bay for return home. With 

that done, Discovery’s crew will say farewell to 

the Expedition 23 crew, and hatches will be 

closed between the two vehicles. 

Discovery will leave the space station with 

more than 20,000 pounds of trash, hardware 

that’s no longer needed and science 

experiments to return to Earth. 
APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 9

After Discovery undocks early in the morning 

of April 16, Dutton will guide the shuttle 

on a 360-degree fly-around of the station 

so that other crew members can document 

the exterior condition of the orbiting outpost. 

After that is complete, Poindexter, Dutton, 

Metcalf-Lindenburger, Wilson and Yamazaki 

will conduct one last inspection of Discovery’s 

heat shield using the shuttle’s robotic arm and 

orbiter boom sensor system. 

The last full day of orbital activities 

by the STS-131 crew will focus on landing 

preparations. Poindexter, Dutton and 

Metcalf-Lindenburger will conduct the 

traditional checkout of the shuttle’s flight 

control systems and steering jets, setting 

Discovery up for its supersonic return to Earth. 

On the 14th day of the mission, weather 

permitting, Poindexter and Dutton will steer 

Discovery to a morning landing on April 18 at 

the Kennedy Space Center. When the shuttle’s 

wheels roll to a stop, it will wrap up the 

38th flight for Discovery, the 131th mission in 

shuttle program history and the 33nd shuttle 

visit to the International Space Station 
10 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

STS-131 crew members, attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, take a 

moment to pose for a crew photo prior to a training session in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at 

NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Pictured from the left are NASA astronauts Clayton Anderson and 

Stephanie Wilson, both mission specialists; James P. Dutton Jr., pilot; Alan G. Poindexter, 

commander; Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) 

astronaut Naoko Yamazaki and NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, all mission specialists. 
APRIL 2010 TIMELINE OVERVIEW 11

STS-131 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 Hand-held 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 Expedition 23 crew members Creamer 

and Kotov 

• Docking to Harmony/Pressurized Mating 

Adapter-2 

• Hatch Opening and Welcoming 

• Canadarm2 grapple of OBSS and handoff to 

Shuttle robotic arm 

Flight Day 4 

• Leonardo Multi-purpose Logistics Module 

unberth from Discovery’s cargo bay 

and installation on Harmony module’s 

Earth-facing port 

• Leonardo activation and ingress 

• Spacewalk 1 preparations by Mastracchio 

and Anderson 

• Spacewalk 1 procedure review 

• Spacewalk 1 campout by Mastracchio and 

Anderson in the Quest airlock 

Flight Day 5 

• Transfer of cargo from Leonardo to ISS 

• Spacewalk 1 by Mastracchio and Anderson 

(removal of depleted Ammonia Tank 

Assembly from S1 truss, replacement of a 

failed gyroscope unit in the S0 truss, 

retrieval of Japanese experiment from the 

Japanese Exposed Facility, preparations for 

replacement of batteries on the P6 truss on a 

later mission) 
12 TIMELINE OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

Flight Day 6 

• Focused inspection of Discovery’s thermal 

protection heat shield, if required 

• Cargo and rack transfer from Leonardo to 

ISS 

• Spacewalk 2 procedure review 

• Spacewalk 2 campout by Mastracchio and 

Anderson in the Quest airlock 

Flight Day 7 

• Spacewalk 2 by Mastracchio and Anderson 

(install new Ammonia Tank Assembly on 

the S1 truss, temporarily stow the depleted 

ammonia tank on the truss’ crew translation 

cart, install micrometeoroid debris shields 

on the Quest airlock) 

Flight Day 8 

• Crew off duty time 

• Cargo transfer from Leonardo to ISS 

• Spacewalk 3 procedure review 

• Spacewalk 3 campout by Mastracchio and 

Anderson in the Quest airlock 

Flight Day 9 

• Spacewalk 3 by Mastracchio and Anderson 

(install depleted ammonia tank back in 

Discovery’s cargo bay, installation of a 

lightweight plate adapter assembly on the 

Dextre robot, installation of a new light on a 

camera assembly on the Destiny laboratory, 

installation of a camera pan and tilt 

assembly on Dextre) 

• Cargo transfer from Leonardo to ISS 

Flight Day 10 

• Final cargo transfer operations 

• Joint Crew News Conference 

• Crew off duty time 

Flight Day 11 

• Demate of the Leonardo Multi-purpose 

Logistics Module from the Harmony 

Earth-facing port and berthing back in 

Discovery’s cargo bay 

• Farewells and Hatch Closure 

• Rendezvous Tool checkout 

Flight Day 12 

• Discovery undocking from ISS and 

flyaround 

• Final separation from the station 

• OBSS late inspection of Discovery’s thermal 

heat shield 

• OBSS berth 
APRIL 2010 TIMELINE OVERVIEW 13

Flight Day 13 

• Cabin stowage 

• Flight Control System checkout 

• Reaction Control System hot-fire test 

• Deorbit Preparation Briefing 

• Ku-band antenna stowage 

Flight Day 14 

• Deorbit preparations 

• Payload Bay Door closing 

• Deorbit burn 

• KSC Landing 
14 TIMELINE OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

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APRIL 2010 MISSION PROFILE 15

MISSION PROFILE 

CREW 

Commander: Alan G. Poindexter 

Pilot: James P. Dutton, Jr. 

Mission Specialist 1: Rick Mastracchio 

Mission Specialist 2: Dorothy Metcalf-

 Lindenburger

Mission Specialist 3: Stephanie Wilson 

Mission Specialist 4: Naoko Yamazaki 

Mission Specialist 5: Clayton Anderson 

LAUNCH 

Orbiter: Discovery (OV-103)

Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center 

Launch Pad 39A 

Launch Date: April 5, 2010 

Launch Time: 6:21 a.m. EDT 

(Preferred In-Plane 

launch time for 4/5) 

Launch Window: 10 Minutes 

Altitude: 122 Nautical Miles 

(140 Miles) Orbital 

Insertion; 185 NM 

(213 Miles) Rendezvous 

Inclination: 51.6 Degrees 

Duration: 13 Days 2 Hours 

14 Minutes 

VEHICLE DATA 

Shuttle Liftoff Weight: 4,521,749

pounds 

Orbiter/Payload Liftoff Weight: 266,864 

pounds 

Orbiter/Payload Landing Weight: 224,957 

pounds 

Software Version: OI-34

Space Shuttle Main Engines: 

SSME 1: 2045 

SSME 2: 2060 

SSME 3: 2054 

External Tank: ET-135 

SRB Set: BI-142 

RSRM Set: 110 

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: April 18, 2010 

Landing Time: 8:35 a.m. EDT 

Primary landing Site: Kennedy Space Center 

Shuttle Landing Facility 

PAYLOADS 

Multi-Purpose Logistics Module 
16 MISSION PROFILE APRIL 2010

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APRIL 2010 MISSION OBJECTIVES 17

MISSION OBJECTIVES 

MAJOR OBJECTIVES 

1. Perform middeck and Multi-Purpose 

Logistics Module cargo transfers. 

2. Remove current Ammonia Tank Assembly 

on S1 and install new ATA (old ATA to be 

installed on Lightweight Multi-Purpose 

Experiment Support Structure Carrier). 

3. Transfer and install the following racks: 

− Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise 

System (MARES) 

− Window Observational Research 

Facility (WORF) 

− Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory 

Freezer for ISS (MELFI-3) 

− EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments 

to Space Station (EXPRESS) Rack No. 7 

− Crew Quarters No. 2 

− 2 Zero-g Stowage Racks (ZSR) 

4. Retrieve Light Weight Adapter Plate 

Assembly payload. 

5. Retrieve Japanese Experiment Module 

SEED payload. 

6. Return three Integrated Stowage Platforms. 
18 MISSION OBJECTIVES APRIL 2010

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APRIL 2010 MISSION PERSONNEL 19

MISSION PERSONNEL 

KEY CONSOLE POSITIONS FOR STS-131 

 Flt. Director CAPCOM PAO

Ascent Bryan Lunney Rick Sturckow 

George Zamka (Wx) 

Brandi Dean 

Orbit 1 (Lead) Richard Jones Rick Sturckow Brandi Dean 

Orbit 2 Mike Sarafin Aki Hoshide Josh Byerly 

Planning Ginger Kerrick Megan McArthur/ 

Chris Cassidy 

Lynnette Madison 

Entry Bryan Lunney Rick Sturckow 

George Zamka (Wx) 

Brandi Dean 

Shuttle Team 4 Gary Horlacher N/A N/A 

ISS Orbit 1 Courtenay McMillan Mike Jensen N/A 

ISS Orbit 2 (Lead) Ron Spencer Stan Love N/A 

ISS Orbit 3 Ed Van Cise Marcus Reagan N/A 

Station Team 4 Brian Smith 

JSC PAO Representative at KSC for Launch – Jenny Knotts

KSC Launch Commentator – Mike Curie

KSC Launch Director – Pete Nickolenko

NASA Launch Test Director – Steve Payne
20 MISSION PERSONNEL APRIL 2010

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APRIL 2010 CREW 21

STS-131 CREW 

The STS-131/19A crew patch highlights the 

space shuttle in the Rendezvous Pitch 

Maneuver (RPM). This maneuver is heavily 

photographed by the International Space 

Station crew members, and the photos are 

analyzed back on Earth to clear the space 

shuttle’s thermal protection system for re-entry. 

The RPM illustrates the teamwork and safety 

process behind each space shuttle launch. 

In the space shuttle’s cargo bay is the 

Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) 

Leonardo, which is carrying several science 

racks, the last of the four crew quarters and 

supplies for the space station. Out of view and 

directly behind the MPLM is the Ammonia 

Tank Assembly (ATA) that will be used to 

replace the current ATA. This will take place 

during three spacewalks. The 51.6Â° space 

shuttle orbit is illustrated by the three gold bars 
22 CREW APRIL 2010

The STS-131 crew is commanded by Alan G. Poindexter (seated, right) and piloted by 

James P. Dutton Jr. (seated, left). Standing from the left are Mission Specialists 

Rick Mastracchio, Stephanie Wilson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Naoko Yamazaki 

and Clayton Anderson. 

of the astronaut symbol, and its elliptical 

wreath contains the orbit of the station. The 

star atop the astronaut symbol is the dawning 

sun, which is spreading its early light across the 

Earth. The background star field contains 

seven stars, one for each crew member; they are 

proud to represent the United States and Japan 

during this mission. 

Short biographical sketches of the crew follow 

with detailed background available at: 

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/
APRIL 2010 CREW 23

STS-130 CREW BIOGRAPHIES 

Alan G. Poindexter 

A captain in the U.S. Navy, Alan G. Poindexter 

will command the STS-131 crew on its mission 

to the space station. This will be the second trip 

to space for Poindexter, who has more than 

306 hours of spaceflight experience after 

serving as pilot of STS-122, which delivered 

and installed the European Space Agency’s 

Columbus Laboratory in 2008. 

Poindexter will be responsible for the execution 

of the mission and will oversee all crew and 

vehicle activities. As commander, he will fly 

Discovery during the rendezvous pitch 

maneuver. He also will fly the shuttle during 

docking and landing back on Earth. 

Selected by NASA in 1998, Poindexter served as 

a CAPCOM and in the Astronaut Office Shuttle 

Operations Branch performing duties as the 

lead support astronaut at Kennedy Space 

Center. 
24 CREW APRIL 2010

James P. Dutton Jr. 

Marking his first spaceflight journey, 

James P. Dutton, Jr., a colonel in the 

U.S. Air Force, will serve as pilot of STS-131. 

He will assist Poindexter with rendezvous and 

landing and will fly the orbiter during 

undocking and the fly-around. In addition, 

he will serve as lead shuttle robotic arm 

operator for the mission, will be responsible 

for airlock operations in preparation for EVAs 

and will assist Wilson with the station robotic 

arm operations. 

Dutton graduated from the U.S. Air Force 

Academy in 1991. After being selected by 

NASA in 2004 and completing astronaut 

candidate training two years later, he was 

the ascent/entry CAPCOM for STS-122 and 

STS-123, both in 2008. He has logged over 

3,300 flight hours in more than 30 different 

aircraft. 
APRIL 2010 CREW 25

Rick Mastracchio 

Veteran astronaut Rick Mastracchio will serve 

as mission specialist 1 on STS-131, marking his 

third trip to space. He joined NASA in 1990 

as an engineer in the Flight Crew Operations 

Directorate. Before being selected as an 

astronaut he worked as an ascent/entry 

guidance and procedures officer in Mission 

Control supporting 17 missions as a flight 

controller. Selected as an astronaut in 1996, 

he has worked technical issues for the 

Astronaut Office Computer Support Branch, 

the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Branch, 

and also served as lead for cockpit avionics 

upgrades. He flew as the ascent/entry flight 

engineer on STS-106 and STS-118 and 

participated in three spacewalks on STS-118. 

Mastracchio, lead EVA crew member, will be 

on the flight deck for ascent and will perform 

three spacewalks with Clay Anderson. 
26 CREW APRIL 2010

Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger 

A former teacher, Dorothy MetcalfLindenburger will serve as mission specialist 2 

on STS-131. She is the intravehicular crew 

member, responsible for coordinating all 

spacewalk activities. She also will operate the 

shuttle robotic arm. 

Selected by NASA as a mission specialist in 

2004, Metcalf-Lindenburger has most recently 

served as the Astronaut Office Station Branch 

lead for systems and crew interfaces. 

She spent five years teaching Earth science 

and astronomy, three years of coaching 

cross-country at the high school level and 

two years of teaching Science Olympiad. She 

also did undergraduate research in geology for 

two summers. 
APRIL 2010 CREW 27

Stephanie Wilson 

A Harvard engineering graduate and veteran of 

two spaceflights, Stephanie Wilson is assigned 

as mission specialist 3 for STS-131. She 

previously flew on STS-121 in 2006 and STS-120 

in 2007. At the conclusion of STS-131, she will 

have flown on Discovery for all three 

of her spaceflights. Wilson’s primary duties for 

the STS-131 mission include operating the 

space station robotic arm, operating the 

hand-held LIDAR and the rendezvous 

situational awareness tools during docking and 

undocking with the station, and managing the 

plan that transforms Discovery from a launch 

vehicle to an orbiting vehicle to an entry 

vehicle. 

After being selected by NASA in 1996 from the 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Wilson was initially 

assigned technical duties in the Astronaut 

Office Space Station Operations Branch to 

work with space station payload displays and 

procedures. She then went on to serve in the 

Astronaut Office CAPCOM Branch, working in 

mission control as a prime communicator with 

in-orbit crews. 
28 CREW APRIL 2010

Naoko Yamazaki 

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) 

astronaut Naoko Yamazaki will serve as 

mission specialist 4 on STS-131, her first 

spaceflight. Loadmaster for the mission, she 

will be responsible for all payload and transfer 

operations, and she will also assist Wilson with 

MPLM install and berthing operations with 

SSRMS. 

Yamazaki joined the National Space 

Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) in 

1996 and was involved in the Japanese 

Experiment Module system integration and 

specifically assigned developmental tasks. 

For two years she was involved in the 

development of the station centrifuge (life 

science experiment facility) and conducted 

conceptual framework and preliminary design 

in the Centrifuge Project Team. 

Selected by NASDA (currently JAXA) in 1999 as 

one of three astronaut candidates for the space 

station, five years later she arrived at Johnson 

Space Center where she initially served in the 

Astronaut Office Robotics Branch. 
APRIL 2010 CREW 29

Clayton Anderson

Veteran of one long-duration spaceflight, 

Clayton Anderson will serve as mission 

specialist 5 for STS-131. In 2007, he launched 

to the station aboard STS-117 and replaced 

Suni Williams as the Expedition 15 flight 

engineer and returned home as a member of the 

STS-120 crew. 

At Johnson Space Center, Anderson worked in 

the Mission Operations Directorate as a flight 

design manager leading the trajectory design 

team for the Galileo Planetary Mission, STS-34, 

while serving as the backup for the Magellan 

Planetary Mission, STS-31. In 1993, he was 

named chief of the Flight Design Branch. 

Anderson later then held the position of 

manager of the Emergency Operations Center. 

He was selected by NASA in 1998. 

Anderson will be on the flight deck for entry. 

He will assist with rendezvous and undocking 

and will perform three spacewalks with 

Mastracchio. 
30 CREW APRIL 2010

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APRIL 2010 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 31

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 

The graphic depicts the placement of the primary STS-131 payloads 

in the shuttle’s cargo bay. 

Space shuttle Discovery’s STS-131/19A payload 

includes 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 31,130 pounds. The 

return weight is expected to be 24,118 pounds. 

On the middeck of the space shuttle, it will 

carry GLACIER, which is 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 

on-orbit operation in the EXPRESS Rack. 
32 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

GLACIER 

The space shuttle will carry on its middeck 

(ascent) the following items: GLACIER, 

MERLIN, Mouse Immunology, Space Tissue 

Loss, NLP-Vaccine-8, BRIC-16, APEX 

Cambium, ESA ECCO with WAICO2, JAXA 2D 

Nano Template, JAXA Myo Lab, JAXA Neuro 

Rad, Sleep. On its return, among the items 

carried on the middeck will include 

GLACIER, MERLIN, Mouse Immunology, 

Space Tissue Loss, NLP-Vaccine-8, 

BRIC-16, APEX-Cambium, Coldbag, JAXA 

Nanoskeleton, JAXA Space Seed, SWAB Return 

Kit, Sleep. 
APRIL 2010 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 33

MPLM 

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. For STS-131, FM1 

was modified by removing hardware to reduce 

the weight of the module so that more 

hardware could be launched for this mission. 

Approximately 178.1 pounds of noncritical 

hardware were removed from FM1. 

Leonardo 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 pressurized “moving van” for 

the space station, carrying cargo, experiments 

and supplies for delivery to support the 

six-person crew on-board the station. The 

module also returns spent Orbital Replacement 

Units (ORUs) and components that need 

maintenance for backup spares. Each MPLM 

module is 21 feet long and 15 feet in diameter – 

the same size as the European Space Agency’s 

Columbus module. 
34 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

On the STS-131 mission, Leonardo will carry 

16 racks to the station – four experiment racks, 

one systems rack, seven Resupply Stowage 

Platforms (RSPs), and four Resupply Stowage 

Racks (RSRs). The MPLM will also include the 

fully stocked Aft Cone Stowage (first used on 

STS-126/Flight Utilization Logistics Flight 2 on 

November 14, 2008). The aft cone modification 

allows 12 additional cargo bags, which are 

similar to the size of carry-on suitcases. 

The four experiment racks carried in Leonardo 

are: Express Rack 7, Muscle Atrophy Research 

and Exercise System (MARES), Minus Eighty 

Laboratory Freezer 3 (MELFI-3), and Window 

Observational Research Facility (WORF). The 

station system rack is Crew Quarters 4 (CQ-4). 

The following are more detailed descriptions on 

each of these racks: 

WINDOW OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH 

FACILITY (WORF) 

The Window Observational Research Facility 

(WORF) provides new capability for scientific 

and commercial payloads and will be a 

resource for public outreach and educational 

opportunities for Earth Sciences (e.g., the 

EarthKAM, etc.). Images from space have 

many applications; i.e., they can be used to 

study global climates, land and sea formations, 

and crop and weather damage and health 

assessments. Special sensors can also provide 

important data regarding transient atmospheric 

and geologic phenomena (hurricanes and 

volcanic eruptions), as well as act as a test bed 

for collecting data for new sensor technology 

development 

The WORF is located on the nadir (Earth 

facing) side of the U.S. Destiny laboratory 

module. The Lab window, which features the 

highest quality optics ever flown on a human 

occupied spacecraft, allows viewing of 

39.5 degrees forward along the axis of the 

station, 32.2 degrees aft and 79.1 degrees from 

port to starboard. 

WORF 
APRIL 2010 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 35

Schematic of the WORF 

The WORF design uses the existing EXpedite 

the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station 

(EXPRESS) Rack hardware which includes a 

Rack Interface Controller (RIC) box for power 

and data connection, Avionics Air Assembly 

(AAA) fan for air circulation within the rack, 

rack fire detection, and appropriate avionics to 

communicate with the station data network. 

The WORF consists of a facility that provides 

protection for the interior of the Lab window 

and controls stray light exchange between the 

Lab interior and the external Station 

environment. The WORF will maximize the 

use of the Lab window by providing 

attachments for sensors (cameras, multispectral 

and hyperspectral scanners, camcorders and 

other instruments) to capture imagery of the 

Earth and space. It provides attachment points, 

power and data transfer capability for 

instruments to be mounted near the window. 

Multiple instruments can be mounted at the 

same time. The rack is designed to allow rapid 

changes of equipment by the crew. The WORF 

will have available a bracket for small cameras 

such as 35 mm, 70 mm and camcorders. Other 

larger payloads, which require a nonstandard 

attachment, or require additional instrument 

isolation, must supply their own brackets or 

platforms which mount to the WORF using the 

attachment points. 
36 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

MARES 

MUSCLE ATROPHY RESEARCH AND 

EXERCISE SYSTEM (MARES) 

The Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise 

System (MARES) will be used for research 

on musculoskeletal, biomechanical, and 

neuromuscular human physiology to better 

understand the effects of microgravity on the 

muscular system. 

MARES enables scientists to study the 

detailed effects of microgravity on the human 

muscle-skeletal system. It also provides a 

means to evaluate countermeasures designed to 

mitigate the negative effect, especially muscle 

atrophy. 

The MARES hardware is made up of an 

adjustable chair and human restraint system, a 

pantograph (an articulated arm supporting the 

chair, used to properly position the user), a 

direct drive motor, associated electronics and 

experiment programming software, a linear 

adapter that translates motor rotation into 

linear movements, and a vibration isolation 

frame. 

MARES is capable of supporting measurements 

and exercise on seven different human 

joints, encompassing nine different angular 

movements, as well as two additional linear 

movements (arms and legs). It is considerably 

more advanced than current ground-based 

medical dynamometers (devices used to 

measure force or torque) and a vast 

improvement over existing station muscle 

research facilities. 
APRIL 2010 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 37

MARES 

MARES is integrated into a single International 

Standard Payload Rack (ISPR), called the 

Human Research Facility (HRF) MARES Rack, 

where it can also be stowed when not in use. 

It may be used together with an associated 

device called the Percutaneous Electrical 

Muscle Stimulator (PEMS II). 
38 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

EXPRESS RACK 7 

EXPRESS rack 

EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to 

Space Station Rack 7 (EXPRESS rack 7) is a 

multipurpose payload rack system that stores 

and supports experiments aboard the 

International Space Station. The EXPRESS rack 

system supports science experiments in any 

discipline by providing structural interfaces, 

power, data, cooling, water, and other items 

needed to operate science experiments in space. 

With standardized hardware interfaces and 

streamlined approach, the EXpedite the 

PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station 

(EXPRESS) rack enables quick, simple 

integration of multiple payloads aboard the 

space station. The system is composed of 

elements that remain on the station and 

elements that travel back and forth between the 

station and Earth via the space shuttle. 

EXPRESS racks remain on orbit continually. 

Experiments are replaced in the EXPRESS racks 

as needed, remaining on the station for 

periods ranging from three months to several 

years, depending on the experiment's time 

requirements. 

Payloads within an EXPRESS rack can operate 

independently of each other, allowing for 
APRIL 2010 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 39

differences in temperature, power levels, 

and schedules. The EXPRESS rack provides 

stowage, power, data, command and control, 

video, water cooling, air cooling, vacuum 

exhaust, and nitrogen supply to payloads. 

Each EXPRESS rack is housed in an 

International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR), a 

refrigerator-size container that serves as the 

rack’s exterior shell. 

Experiments contained within EXPRESS racks 

may be controlled by the station crew or 

remotely by the Payload Rack Officer (PRO) on 

duty at the Payload Operations and Integration 

Center at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center 

in Huntsville, Ala. Linked by computer to all 

payload racks aboard the station, the PRO 

routinely checks rack integrity, temperature 

control, and proper working conditions for 

station research payloads. 
40 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

MELFI 

MINUS EIGHTY-DEGREE LABORATORY 

FREEZER 3 (MELFI-3) 

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 

temperature-controlled, insulated, independent 

containers called “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 and can range in 

temperatures from refrigerated to “fast frozen.” 

The first MELFI unit was flown to the station 

on STS-121 and the second MELFI unit was 

flown on STS-128. 
APRIL 2010 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 41

Crew quarters 

CREW QUARTERS (CQ) 4 

The crew quarters delivered on STS-131/19A 

will be installed in the Harmony module 

(Node 2). 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. 
42 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

The Leonardo logistics module will make its seventh trip to space. 

MPLM BACKGROUND INFORMATION 

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. Equipment such as container 

racks with science equipment, science 

experiments from NASA and its international 

partners, assembly and spare parts and other 

hardware items for return, such as 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. 

Leonardo was the first MPLM to fly to the 

station on STS-102 (March 8, 2002) and there 

have been nine flights total for the two 

modules. This will be the seventh Leonardo 

mission – Raffaello has flown three missions. 

Of the three MPLM modules, only two remain 

in active service to NASA for future flights. 

The space shuttle flies logistic 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. 
APRIL 2010 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 43

After the shuttle has docked to the outpost, 

typically on the fourth flight day after shuttle 

launch, Leonardo is mated to the station using 

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 

launched 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. 

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 SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: Length: 21 feet 

Diameter: 15 feet 

Payload Mass (launch): 27,274 lbs 

Payload Mass (return): 20,375 lbs 

Empty Weight: 9,632 lbs 

 

The MPLM Module 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. STS-131 is the last MPLM flight 

scheduled before the station is complete and 

space shuttle retires later this year. 

Boeing has the responsibility under its 

Checkout, Assembly and Payload Processing 

Services (CAPPS) contract with NASA, for 

payload integration and processing for every 

major payload that flies on each space shuttle 

flight. The Boeing MPLM and LMC processing 

team provides all engineering and hands-on 

work including payload support, project 

planning, receiving of payloads, payload 

processing, maintenance of associated payload 

ground systems, and logistics support. This 

includes integration of payloads into the space 

shuttle, test and checkout of the payload with 

the orbiter systems, launch support and orbiter 

post-landing payload activities including 

de-stow of the module. 
44 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

THE LIGHTWEIGHT MULTI-PURPOSE EXPERIMENT SUPPORT STRUCTURE CARRIER 

(LMC) 

Located behind Leonardo in the space shuttle 

payload bay, is the Lightweight Multi-Purpose 

Experiment Support Structure Carrier (LMC), a 

nondeployable cross-bay carrier providing 

launch and landing transportation. The LMC is 

a light-weight Shuttle stowage platform that 

only weighs 1,100 pounds. The launch weight 

of the LMC is 3,890 pounds and the return 

weight will be 3,740 pounds. Goddard Space 

Flight Center and ATK Space provide the 

sustaining engineering for the LMC carriers, 

which have flown successfully on five previous 

missions. 

During ascent, the LMC is carrying the 

Ammonia Tank Assembly (ATA), a critical 

spare Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU). During 

descent, the LMC will be carrying a spent 

Ammonia Tank Assembly (ATA). 
APRIL 2010 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 45

RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 

Backdropped by a blue and white part of Earth, space shuttle Atlantis is featured in this image 

photographed by an Expedition 21 crew member as the shuttle approaches the International Space 

Station during STS-129 rendezvous and docking operations. 

Discovery’s launch for the STS-131 mission is 

precisely timed to lead to a link up with the 

International Space Station about 220 miles 

above the earth. 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 Alan G. Poindexter, with help 

from Pilot James P. Dutton, Jr. and other crew 

members, will manually fly the shuttle for the 

remainder of the approach and docking. 
46 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING APRIL 2010

Poindexter will stop Discovery about 600 feet 

below the station. Timing the next steps to 

occur with proper lighting, he will maneuver 

the shuttle through a nine-minute backflip 

called the Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver, also 

known as a the R-bar Pitch Maneuver 

since Discovery is in line with an imaginary 

vertical R-bar directly below the station. 

During this maneuver, station crew members 

Timothy (T.J.) Creamer and Oleg Kotov will 

photograph Discovery’s upper and bottom 

surfaces through windows of the Zvezda 

Service Module. They will use digital cameras 

with an 800mm lens to provide up to one-inch 

resolution and one with a 400mm lens that 

provides three-inch resolution. 

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. Poindexter 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, Poindexter 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. Poindexter will keep the 

docking mechanisms aligned to a tolerance of 

three 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 two feet from the 

station and the docking devices are clear of one 

another, Dutton will turn the steering jets back 

on and will manually control Discovery within 

a tight corridor as the shuttle separates from the 

station. 
7 

APRIL 2010 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 47

Discovery will move to a distance of about 

450 feet, where Dutton will begin to fly around 

the station. Dutton will circle the shuttle 

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

Once the shuttle completes 1.5 revolutions of 

the complex, Dutton will fire Discovery’s jets to 

leave the area. The shuttle will begin to 

increase its distance behind 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. 
48 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING APRIL 2010

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APRIL 2010 SPACEWALKS 49

SPACEWALKS 

Astronaut Rick Mastracchio participates in the STS-118 mission’s first planned session of 

extravehicular activity, as construction continues on the International Space Station. 

The complex choreography of the three 

spacewalks scheduled for the STS-131 mission 

will center around getting the ammonia tank 

assembly delivered by Discovery into place on 

the starboard side of the station’s truss and 

getting the spent ammonia tank assembly into 

Discovery’s cargo bay. 

Because of the location of the old starboard 

ammonia tank assembly, the space station’s 

robotic arm cannot reach it from the same 

location that it must be in to remove the new 

ammonia tank assembly from the shuttle’s 

cargo bay. That means unpacking the new 

assembly, storing it, a base change for the 

robotic arm, removing the old assembly, storing 

it, installing the new, another base change for 

the arm and then packing the old assembly into 

the cargo bay. And all that work will take three 

spacewalks to accomplish, with some space 

here and there for get-ahead work. 

Mission Specialists Rick Mastracchio and 

Clayton Anderson will spend a total of 

19.5 hours outside the station on flight days 5, 

7 and 9. Mastracchio, the lead spacewalker for 
50 SPACEWALKS APRIL 2010

the mission, will wear a spacesuit marked with 

solid red stripes, while Anderson will wear an 

all-white spacesuit. These will be the fourth, 

fifth and sixth spacewalks for both astronauts, 

and the second, third and fourth that they have 

performed together. Mastracchio performed 

three spacewalks during the STS-118 mission, 

and Anderson performed two during that 

mission and one during his stint as an 

Expedition 15 flight engineer. 

When a spacewalk – also called extravehicular 

activity, or EVA for short – is going on outside, 

one crew member inside the International 

Space Station is assigned the job of 

intravehicular officer, or spacewalk 

choreographer. In this case, that crew member 

will be Mission Specialist Dorothy MetcalfLindenburger. The first spacewalks will also 

require astronauts inside the station to be at the 

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

arm to maneuver ammonia tank assembly and 

other pieces of hardware. Pilot James P. Dutton 

Jr. and Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson 

will be at the arm’s controls for those 

operations, with some help from Expedition 23 

Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi on the final 

spacewalk. 

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-sea-level 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. 
APRIL 2010 SPACEWALKS 51

EVA-1 

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes

EVA Crew: Mastracchio and Anderson

IV CREW: Metcalf-Lindenburger 

Robotic Arm Operators: Dutton and Wilson 

EVA Operations: 

• Prepare new ammonia tank assembly for 

removal from the cargo bay 

• Hand new ammonia tank to space station 

robotic arm for temporary storage 

• Retrieve MPAC/SEED from Kibo exposed 

facility 

• Replace rate gyro assembly 

• Prepare P6 solar array batteries for 

replacement 

The first leg of the ammonia tank assembly 

swap will start in the shuttle’s cargo bay. After 

picking up a handle that the space station 

robotic arm will use to grasp the new tank, 

Mastracchio will move to the cargo bay and 

install it on the new tank then begin releasing 

the four bolts that hold it in place during its 

journey to the station. 

Anderson, meanwhile, will move to the 

station’s starboard truss segment and 

disconnect the old tank’s four ammonia and 
52 SPACEWALKS APRIL 2010

nitrogen lines before meeting Mastracchio in 

the cargo bay to do the same on the new tank. 

Once the lines are disconnected and the bolts 

released, Anderson and Mastracchio will work 

together to lift it out of the cargo bay and into 

position for the robotic arm to grasp it and fly it 

to the external stowage platform 2 on the Quest 

airlock. 

While it makes its way there, Anderson will 

clean up their work area while Mastracchio will 

move to the Kibo laboratory’s porch – the 

Japanese Experiment Module’s exposed 

facility – to retrieve the Micro-Particles 

Capture/Space Environment Exposure Device 

experiment and temporarily stow it outside of 

the airlock – he will move it inside later in the 

spacewalk. 

They will meet the robotic arm back at the 

external stowage platform to install another 

handle on the new ammonia tank assembly, 

while it is still in the grasp of the arm. This 

second handle will be used to attach the 

assembly to a temporary storage location on the 

robotic arm’s mobile transporter, where it will 

wait for installation on the second spacewalk of 

the mission. 

Once that handle is installed, the robotic arm 

will fly the tank assembly to the storage 

location, and the spacewalkers will move on to 

other tasks. The first of the tasks will be the 

replacement of a rate gyro assembly on the 

center section of the station’s truss. While 

moving the experiment inside of the airlock, 

Mastracchio will retrieve a new rate gyro 

assembly, then move to the center of the truss, 

where Anderson will have removed from 

inside the truss, two of the four bolts holding 

the old assembly in place. When Mastracchio 

arrives at the truss segment, he will open 

insulation protecting the assembly, disconnect 

two power cables and release the final 

two bolts. He will then remove the old 

assembly and slide the new one into place, 

engaging the first two bolts, connecting the 

power cables and then engaging the last 

two bolts. 

Meanwhile, Anderson will have moved on to 

their final tasks of the mission: The preparation 

of the batteries on the farthest port solar array 

for replacement on a later mission. There are 

two sets of batteries, and the first set was 

replaced on STS-127, and some of the 

equipment used in that work – a gap spanner 

and a foot restraint – is still in place. Anderson 

will move it from the set of batteries replaced 

during STS-127 to the set of batteries he and 

Mastracchio will be working with. The 

spacewalker will be loosening the 12 bolts 

holding the six batteries in place before heading 

back inside the station. 

EVA-2 

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes

EVA Crew: Mastracchio and Anderson 

IV Crew: Metcalf-Lindenburger 

Robotic Arm Operators: Dutton and Wilson

EVA Operations 

• Remove spent ammonia tank assembly and 

store temporarily 

• Install new ammonia tank assembly on S1 

truss segment 

• Install two port radiator grapple fixture 

stowage beams 

• Retrieve two debris covers from external 

stowage platform 2 
APRIL 2010 SPACEWALKS 53

Mastracchio and Anderson will begin the 

second spacewalk at the site of the spent 

ammonia tank assembly on the first segment of 

the station’s starboard truss. Anderson will 

disconnect two electrical cables. Then he and 

Mastracchio will work together to release the 

four bolts holding the assembly in place, lift it 

off of the station’s truss and hand it to the 

robotic arm. 

Mastracchio will then move a crew and 

equipment translation aid cart – or CETA 

cart – into place to provide temporary storage 

for the old ammonia tank assembly. When the 

assembly arrives via robotic arm at the CETA 

cart via robotic arm, the spacewalkers will tie it 

to the cart with six tethers. 

That frees the robotic arm up for the installation 

of the new ammonia tank assembly. While it is 

retrieving the new assembly from the mobile 

transporter system, Mastracchio and Anderson 

will take advantage of the time by installing 

two radiator grapple fixture stowage beams on 

the first port segment of the station’s truss. 

These beams will be used temporarily to store 

handles that would be necessary if a radiator 

ever needed to be replaced. 

By the time they are done with that, the new 

ammonia tank assembly should be in place. 

Mastracchio will first remove the handle that 

allowed it to be stored on the mobile 

transporter. Then he and Anderson will work 

together to install it, engaging four bolts and 

connecting six cables. Once the robotic arm is 

able to release its hold, the spacewalkers will be 

able to remove the handle it used to grip the 

assembly. 

The next step will be to go back to the CETA 

cart, where Mastracchio will untie the old 

ammonia tank assembly and allow the robotic 

arm to grasp it. Then Anderson will install 

another handle on it that will allow the 

assembly to be stored on the mobile transporter 

until the final spacewalk, just as the new 

assembly was stored between the first and 

second spacewalks. 

The final tasks of the second spacewalk calls for 

Mastracchio and Anderson to return to the 

external stowage platform 2 by the Quest 

airlock and retrieve two debris shields left there 

during STS-129. 

EVA-3 

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes

EVA Crew: Mastracchio and Anderson 

IV Crew: Metcalf-Lindenburger 

Robotic Arm Operators: Dutton, Wilson and 

Noguchi 

EVA Operations 

• Install spent ammonia tank assembly in 

Discovery’s cargo bay 

• Retrieve light-weight adapter plate 

assembly 

• Install Dextre camera 

• Remove Dextre insulation cover 

• Replace Destiny camera light 

• Install two starboard radiator grapple 

fixture stowage beams 

• Install worksite interface extender on 

mobile transporter 
54 SPACEWALKS APRIL 2010

The ammonia tank swapout will be more than 

halfway done by the beginning of the final 

spacewalk. Before they leave the airlock, the 

robotic arm will have retrieved the old 

ammonia tank assembly from the mobile 

transporter. They will meet the arm at external 

stowage platform 2 to remove the handle that 

held it in place there and stow the handle on 

the platform. 

The next stop for the assembly will be 

Discovery’s cargo bay. The spacewalkers will 

tighten four bolts to hold it in place for landing 

and remove the remaining handle that allowed 

the robotic arm to carry the assembly. That will 

wrap up the ammonia tank assembly work for 

the mission. 

That will take about an hour of their time, and 

they will fill the rest of the spacewalk with 

get-ahead work for future missions. 

Anderson’s next tasks will take him to the 

Columbus laboratory. He will ride the robotic 

arm to the end of that module to pick up a 

light-weight adapter plate assembly, which has 

been used to attach experiments to the exterior 

of Columbus. Anderson will store it in the 

shuttle’s cargo bay with help from Matracchio. 

Then the robotic arm will fly Anderson to the 

Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or 

Dextre. There he will install a second camera 

on the robot and remove an unnecessary 

insulation blanket. He will finish his work on 

the final spacewalk by removing the foot 

restraint that allowed him to ride the robotic 

arm. 

Meanwhile Mastracchio will replace a light on a 

camera on the Destiny laboratory and install 

two more two radiator grapple fixture stowage 

beams, this time on the starboard side of the 

station’s truss. His final spacewalking task of 

the mission will be to retrieve a worksite 

interface extender from the external stowage 

platform 2 and install it on the mobile 

transporter. 
APRIL 2010 EXPERIMENTS 55

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/List.html

DETAILED TEST OBJECTIVES AND 

DETAILED SUPPLEMENTARY 

OBJECTIVES 

Detailed Test Objectives (DTOs) are aimed at 

testing, evaluating or documenting systems or 

hardware or proposed improvements to 

hardware, systems and operations. 

DTO 900 Solid Rocket Booster Thrust 

Oscillation 

The Space Shuttle Program is continuing to 

gather data on pressure oscillation, or periodic 

variation, a phenomenon that regularly occurs 

within solid rocket motors through the 

remaining shuttle flights. The data obtained 

from five flights designated to acquire pressure 

oscillation data have provided a better 

understanding of solid rocket motor dynamics. 

The collection of these additional data points 

will provide greater statistical significance of 

the data for use in dynamic analyses of the four 

segment motors. These analyses and computer 

models will be used for future propulsion 

system designs. 

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 

Space Shuttle Program is continuing to use the 

Enhanced Data Acquisition System to gather 

detailed information. 

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. 
56 EXPERIMENTS APRIL 2010

DTO 854 Boundary Layer Transition 

(BLT) Flight Experiment 

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 further 

understand the high Mach number thermal 

environments created by a protuberance on the 

lower side of the orbiter during re-entry. The 

protuberance was built on a BRI-18 tile 

originally developed as a heat shield upgrade 

on the orbiters. Due to its geometry and 

re-entry profile, the Orion crew vehicle will 

experience a high Mach number boundary 

layer transition during atmospheric entry. By 

flying this protuberance during the orbiter’s 

re-entry, a high Mach number transition 

environment will be created on a small zone of 

the orbiter’s underside, which will aid in 

gaining an improved understanding of the 

heating in high Mach number environments. 

STS-131 will be the third phase of the flight 

experiment and represents a repeat of the 

experiment flown on STS-128. The experiment 

on STS-128 in August of 2009 gathered data on 

a 0.35 inch protuberance at Mach 18 speed. The 

engineering team’s goal is to refine its 

understanding of the Mach 18 environment 

before stepping up to a higher Mach number 

protuberance on currently planned for STS-134. 

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 

eight 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 are 

installed on the tile with the protuberance and 

on tiles downstream to capture test data. 

Additionally data from this experiment will 

expand the Aerodynamics and Aeroheating 

knowledge base and will be used to verify and 

improve design efforts for future spacecraft. 

DTO 701A TriDar Sensor (Triangulation 

and LIDAR Automated Rendezvous and 

Docking) 

This will be the second space shuttle flight for 

the TriDAR system. TriDAR is a rendezvous 

and docking sensor that has been integrated 

into the space shuttle orbiter to test this new 

technology in space. TriDAR provides critical 

guidance information that can be used to 

guide a vehicle during rendezvous and 

docking operations in space. Unlike current 

technologies, TriDAR does not rely on any 

reference markers, such as reflectors, positioned 

on the target spacecraft. To achieve this, it 

relies on a laser based 3D sensor and a thermal 

imager. Geometrical information contained in 

successive 3D images is matched against the 

known shape of the target object to calculate its 

position and orientation in real-time. 

On its first test flight, TriDAR successfully 

demonstrated 3D sensor based tracking in 

real-time during rendezvous and docking to 

the International Space Station. Building on the 
APRIL 2010 EXPERIMENTS 57

success of this first flight, TriDAR’s second test 

flight will focus on performance improvements, 

enhanced pilot displays as well as enhanced 

long range acquisition capabilities using 

passive thermal imaging. 

Developed by Canada’s Neptec Design Group 

Company, TriDAR’s 3D sensor is dual sensing, 

multi-purpose scanner that builds on Neptec’s 

Laser Camera System (LCS) technology 

currently used to inspect the space shuttle’s 

thermal protection tiles. TriDAR’s shape 

tracking technology is very flexible and can be 

adapted for multiple applications such as: 

robotic operations, planetary landing as well as 

rover navigation. 

DTO 703 Sensor Test for Orion Relative 

Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) 

The first element of the STORRM test is being 

flown to the International Space Station on the 

STS-131 mission. STORRM, which is not slated 

for testing until the STS-134 mission, is 

designed to demonstrate the capability of 

relative navigation sensors developed for 

automated rendezvous and docking of Orion or 

other future spacecrafts. This DTO will test the 

Vision Navigation Sensor (VNS) flash LIDAR 

and high definition docking camera currently 

planned for the Orion crew exploration vehicle. 

Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) is an 

optical remote sensing technology that 

measures properties of scattered light to find 

range and/or other information of a distant 

target. 

The test is being performed because it is 

important that engineers gain a thorough 

understanding of the new sensors’ performance 

on-orbit in order to validate ground simulation 

models and properly characterize sensor 

performance. STORRM will occur both during 

the space shuttle’s approach to and departure 

from the station. 

After Discovery docks to the station, the crew 

will install a set of reflective elements. The 

retro-reflectors are titanium clamping 

mechanisms that contain a small piece of 

reflective tape covered by Schott glass. The 

reflectors will augment the station docking 

target and stand-off cross used by the shuttle. 

The reflectors are designed to prevent the 

shuttle Trajectory Control Sensor (TCS) from 

tracking the reflective elements at their 

wavelength, preventing any confusion for the 

shuttle crew during docking and undocking. 

The reflective elements, which were built at 

Langley Research Center in Virginia, will be 

placed in a known pattern during STS-131. 

Having multiple reflectors in the sensor’s field 

of vision at the same time allows the sensor to 

determine the relative attitude of the vehicle as 

well as relative position and velocity. This will 

provide six degrees of freedom for a future a 

vehicle’s Guidance, Navigation and Control 

system. 

The prototype VNS and docking camera will be 

mounted in an enclosure on the Orbiter 

Docking System truss next to the TCS. 

The system was developed by Ball Aerospace 

and Technologies in Boulder, Colo., and 

provided to NASA by Lockheed Martin 

Corporation in Bethesda, Md. 
58 EXPERIMENTS APRIL 2010

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 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

/exper.cfm?exp_index=1448

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

earch_detail.cfm?experiment_type_code=35

&researchtype=
APRIL 2010 EXPERIMENTS 59

EXPERIMENTS 

The STS-131/19A mission continues the 

transition from a focus on International Space 

Station assembly to continuous scientific 

research in the fall of 2010. 

Nearly 150 operating experiments in human 

research; biological and biotechnology; 

physical and materials sciences; technology 

development; Earth and space science, and 

educational activities will be conducted aboard 

the station, including several pathfinder 

investigations under the auspices of the 

station’s new role as a U.S. National 

Laboratory. 

In the past, 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 multi-national laboratory. 

The space shuttle and space station have an 

integrated research program that optimizes use 

of shuttle crew members and long-duration 

station crew members to address research 

questions in a variety of disciplines. 

On STS-131, research into how the human 

body is affected by long-duration stays 

in microgravity will be delivered to the 

space station by Discovery’s crew. NASA’s 

Integrated Cardiovascular experiment will 

continue on-going research into the 

documented decrease in the size of the human 

heart muscle and seek to determine the 

underlying causes for such atrophy. NASA’s 

Integrated Immune experiment will look at 

how space flight changes the human body’s 

ability to fight off disease and infection. 

ESA’s Anomalous Long Term Effects on 

Astronauts’ Central Nervous System – Shield 

(ALTEA-Shield) will assess the radiation 

environment inside the space station, and 

JAXA’s Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience 

Experiment in Space (PADLES) will test a new, 

low-overhead method for measuring radiation 

exposure levels on the station. 

Several experiments also will look at 

operational issues related to human health on 

orbit. The IntraVenous Fluid GENeration for 

Exploration Missions (IVGEN) experiment will 

look at methods for purifying fluids to be 

used in treating ill or injured crew members on 

long-duration missions, and the JAXA 

Mycological Evaluation of Crew Exposure 

to Space Station Ambient Air – 2 (Myco-2) 

experiment will support a detailed examination 

of the risk of crew exposure to allergens in 

the closed environments. The Vehicle Cabin 

Atmosphere Monitor (VCAM) investigation 

looks at potentially harmful gases that are 

present in minute quantities in the space station 

breathing air. And the Evaluation of Maximal 

Oxygen Uptake and Submaximal Estimates of 

VO2max Before, During, and After Long 

Duration International Space Station Missions 

(VO2maX) will look at how astronaut’s ability 

to take in oxygen during exercise changes on 

long-duration missions. 

In addition, Discovery will deliver the Window 

Observational Research Facility (WORF), which 

will provide support for Earth science remote 

sensing instruments using the highest quality 

optics ever flown on a human-occupied 

spacecraft; the EXpedite the PRocessing of 

Experiments to Space Station Rack 7, a 

multi-purpose payload rack system that stores 

and supports by providing structural interfaces, 

power, data, cooling, water, and other items 
60 EXPERIMENTS APRIL 2010

needed to operate science experiments in space; 

the Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise 

System, which provide equipment needed to 

investigate and measure the effects of 

microgravity on measurements and exercise on 

seven different human joints, and a third Minus 

Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer to the space 

station for storing experiment samples. 

SHORT-DURATION U.S. INTEGRATED 

RESEARCH TO BE COMPLETED DURING 

STS-131/19A 

Biological Research in Canisters – 16 

(BRIC-16) germinates Arabidopsis thaliana seeds 

in microgravity to be returned to Earth for 

analysis by investigator teams. The Arabidopsis

plant is the preferred model species for plant 

investigations in space. BRIC-16 contains 

Arabidopsis seeds from various experimenters to 

the space station. The seeds will germinate on 

orbit and subsequently be returned to Earth 

with the returning space shuttle. Investigators 

can make use of the in flight option for 

seedlings to be exposed to selected 

experimental treatments and subsequently 

fixed, or not, prior to return. 

Maui Analysis of Upper Atmospheric 

Injections (MAUI) will observe the space 

shuttle engine exhaust plumes from the Maui 

Space Surveillance Site in Hawaii. The 

observations will occur when the space shuttle 

fires its engines at night or twilight. A 

telescope and all-sky imagers will take images 

and data while the space shuttle flies over the 

Maui site. The images will be analyzed to 

better understand the interaction between the 

spacecraft plume and the upper atmosphere of 

Earth. 

Mouse Immunology will expand the 

knowledge base of the effects of space 

environment on mammalian immunology and 

provide fundamental knowledge for current 

applications that form a foundation for future 

long-duration space exploration missions. 

National Laboratory Pathfinder – Vaccine – 8 

(NLP-Vaccine-8) is a commercial payload 

serving as a pathfinder for the use of the 

International Space Station as a National 

Laboratory after space station assembly is 

complete. It contains several different 

pathogenic (disease causing) organisms. This 

research is investigating the use of space flight 

to develop potential vaccines for the prevention 

of different infections caused by these 

pathogens on Earth and in microgravity. 

Ram Burn Observations (RAMBO) is an 

experiment in which the Department of 

Defense uses a satellite to observe space shuttle 

Orbital Maneuvering System engine burns. Its 

purpose is to improve plume models, which 

predict the direction the plume, or rising 

column of exhaust, will move as the shuttle 

maneuvers on orbit. Understanding the 

direction in which the spacecraft engine plume, 

or exhaust flows could be significant to the safe 

arrival and departure of spacecraft on current 

and future exploration missions. 

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure 

During Spaceflight-Short (Sleep-Short) will 

examine the effects of space flight on the 

sleep of the astronauts during space 

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. 
Shuttle Exhaust Ion Turbulence Experiments 

(SEITE) will use space-based sensors to detect 

the ionospheric turbulence inferred from the 

radar observations from a previous space 

shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System burn 

experiment using ground-based radars. 

Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed 

Localized Exhaust Experiments (SIMPLEX) 

will investigate plasma turbulence driven 

by rocket exhaust in the ionosphere using 

ground-based radars by providing direct 

measurements of exhaust flow sources and 

developing quantitative models of plasma 

turbulence that degrades tracking and imaging 

radars. This is a payload of opportunity on 

every shuttle flight based on available Orbital 

Maneuvering System fuel, crew time, and 

over-flight of ground sites. 

Space Tissue Loss (STL) Space Tissue Loss 

advances research objectives for U.S. Army’s 

Combat Casualty Care Research Program by 

defining cellular effects and growth 

characteristics in microgravity for immune 

system modulation, shock response abatement 

and directed tissue regeneration. The STL 

experiments using the Cell Culture Module 

(CCM) conduct cellular and regenerative 

medicine research. Exposure to microgravity 

causes cells to react in a destructive cascade 

similar to wounds. This breakdown of tissue 

and function present serious challenges to the 

health of humans in space. The STL/CCM 

modules allow for the controlled study of cell 

and tissue populations. Special emphasis is on 

the study of the resident population of 

regenerative cells that normally maintains and 

repairs tissue. These regenerative cells have 

demonstrated tremendous utility in wound 

repair, tissue repair and return to function of 

damaged organs. Special emphasis is placed on 

APRIL 2010 EXPERIMENTS 61

understanding and enhancing the repair 

activities of regenerative cells for improved 

health maintenance in space and corollaries on 

the ground. 

Education Payload Operations – Robotics 

(EPO-Robo) creates an on-orbit video 

demonstration explaining robotic arm 

operations on the space shuttle and the 

International Space Station. EPO-Robo 

supports NASA’s goal of attracting and 

retaining students in science, technology, 

engineering, and mathematic disciplines. 

EPO-Robo will be tied to an agency-wide 

ground-based robotic education plan revolved 

around STS-131/19A mission specialist and 

educator Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger. 

EPO-Robo will involve two on-orbit video 

demonstrations explaining robotic arm 

operations and scientific investigations. The 

robotic arm stations on space shuttle and space 

station will be used as show and tell items. 

Mycological Evaluation of Crew Exposure to 

Space station Ambient Air (JAXA Myco-2) The 

purpose of Myco is to evaluate the risk of 

microorganisms via inhalation and adhesion to 

the skin to determine which fungi act as 

allergens on the space station. Samples are 

collected from the nasal cavity, the pharynx and 

the skin of crew before, during and after flight, 

focusing particularly on fungi, which act as 

strong allergens in the internal space station 

environment. It is well known that a living and 

working environment in the space station 

has been progressively contaminated by a 

number of microorganisms from the beginning 

of construction. These microorganisms can 

possibly cause serious life-threatening diseases 

and allergies if human immunity is 

compromised. 
62 EXPERIMENTS APRIL 2010

RESEARCH TO BE DELIVERED TO THE 

SPACE STATION 

U.S. Research 

Capillary Channel Flow (CCF) is a versatile 

experiment for studying a critical variety of 

inertial-capillary dominated flows key to 

spacecraft systems that cannot be studied on 

Earth. CCF results are immediately useful 

for the design, testing, and instrumentation 

for verification and validation of liquid 

management systems of current orbiting, 

design stage, and advanced spacecraft 

envisioned for future exploration missions. 

Capillary Flow Experiment – 2 (CFE-2) is a 

suite of fluid physics experiments that 

investigate capillary flows and flows of fluids 

in containers with complex geometries. Results 

will improve current computer models that are 

used by designers of low gravity fluid systems 

and may improve fluid transfer systems on 

future spacecraft. 

Coarsening in Solid Liquid Mixtures-2 

(CSLM-2) examines the kinetics of competitive 

particle growth within a liquid metal matrix. 

During this process, small particles of tin 

suspended in a liquid tin-lead matrix shrink by 

losing atoms to larger particles of tin, causing 

the larger particles to grow (coarsen). This 

study defines the mechanisms and rates of 

coarsening in the absence of gravitational 

settling. This work has direct applications to 

metal alloy manufacturing on Earth, including 

materials critical for aerospace applications 

(e.g., the production of better aluminum alloys 

for turbine blades). 

Cube Lab is a low-cost 1 kilogram platform for 

educational projects on the International Space 

Station. The lab is a multi-purpose research 

facility that interfaces standard modules into 

the space station EXPRESS Racks. The Cube 

Lab platforms are small modules that can be 

used within a pressurized space station 

environment in orbit, with a nominal length, 

width, and height of 100 millimeter and a mass 

of no more than 1 kilogram. 

DEvice for the study of Critical LIquids and 

Crystallization (DECLIC) is a multi-user 

facility utilized to study transparent media and 

their phase transitions in microgravity on board 

the International Space Station. The Alice-Like 

Insert (ALI) portion of DECLIC studies the 

dynamics of near-ambient temperature critical 

fluids of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), a colorless, 

odorless, nontoxic and nonflammable gas and 

carbon dioxide (CO2). ALI is one of the 

modules developed for DECLIC that will be 

used to continue the program on fluid physics 

and dynamics close to critical point. 

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 space 

flight. This experiment also will identify the 

mechanisms of this atrophy and the functional 

consequences for crew members who will 

spend extended periods of time in space. 

Validation of Procedures for Monitoring Crew 

member Immune Function (Integrated 

Immune) will assess 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. 
APRIL 2010 EXPERIMENTS 63

Researchers will collect and analyze blood, 

urine and saliva samples from crew members 

before, during and after space flight to monitor 

changes in the immune system. 

IntraVenous Fluid GENeration for 

Exploration Missions (IVGEN) will 

demonstrate the capability to purify water to 

the standards required for intravenous 

administration, then mix the water with salt 

crystals to produce normal saline. This 

hardware is a prototype that will allow flight 

surgeons more options to treat ill or injured 

crew members during future long-duration 

exploration missions. 

Materials Science Laboratory – Columnar-toEquiaxed 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 ESA and NASA for 

accommodation and operation aboard the 

International Space Station. 

Preliminary Advanced Colloids Experiment 

(PACE) will characterize the capability 

of conducting high magnification colloid 

experiments with the Light Microscopy Module 

(LMM) to determine the minimum size 

particles which can be resolved. 

Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor (VCAM) 

identifies gases that are present in minute 

quantities in the International Space Station 

breathing air that could harm the crew’s 

health. If successful, instruments like VCAM 

could accompany crew members during 

long-duration exploration missions. 

Evaluation of Maximal Oxygen Uptake 

and Submaximal Estimates of VO2max 

Before, During, and After Long Duration 

International Space Station Mspace Station 

(VO2maX) documents changes in maximum 

oxygen uptake for crew members onboard the 

space station on long-duration missions. 

Canadian Space Agency 

Advanced Plant Experiment-CSA2 

(APEX-CSA2) will compare the gene 

expression and tissue organization of the 

white spruce (Picea glauca) in microgravity and 

on Earth. White spruce seedlings (Picea glauca) 

will be grown in the NASA Advanced 

Biological Research System (ABRS) to 

determine how gravity affects gene expression, 

tissue composition, organization, plant growth 

and wood formation. Following return to 

Earth, samples from the seedlings will be 

analyzed using microscopy and genetic analysis 

using a DNA chip known as a microarray. The 

principal investigator for APEX-CSA2 is 

Dr Jean Beaulieu of Natural Resources Canada. 

European Space Agency Research 

Anomalous Long-Term Effects on 

Astronauts’ Central Nervous System – Shield 

(ALTEA-Shield) will provide an assessment of 

the radiation environment inside the space 

station. Astronauts in orbit are exposed to 

cosmic radiation that is of sufficient frequency 

and intensity to cause effects on the central 

nervous system. Radiation exposure represents 

one of the greatest risks to humans traveling 

on exploration missions beyond Low Earth 

Orbit (LEO). The experimental program makes 

use of the ALTEA detectors to perform a 
64 EXPERIMENTS APRIL 2010

radiation survey on board space station and 

will improve the understanding of the effect of 

ionizing radiation on the CNS functions. 

Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at 

Different g-levels (WAICO) studies the 

interaction of circumnutation (the successive 

bowing or bending in different directions of the 

growing tip of the stems and roots) and 

gravitropism (a tendency to grow toward or 

away from gravity) in microgravity and 

1-gravity of Arabidopsis thaliana. Specifically, 

verify that circumnutation of Arabidoposis 

roots is driven by an endogenous mechanism, 

that is independent of gravity as a cue. 

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 

Research 

Production of Two Dimensional 

NanoTemplate in Microgravity

(2D-NanoTemplate) fabricates large and 

highly oriented nano-scale two-dimensional 

arranged peptide arrays by suppressing 

convection, sedimentation, and buoyancy. The 

arrangement generated will be used as the 

template of electronic materials on Earth. 

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 of long-duration space 

station crew members. It has been 

demonstrated that space flight induces 

adverse consequences such as cardiovascular 

deconditioning and sleep disturbance which 

may be accompanied by disruption in circadian 

rhythms. As those consequences are closely 

related to autonomic function, cardiac 

autonomic function may be changed during 

 

long-term space flight. The objective of this 

study is to examine the effect of long-term 

microgravity exposure on cardiac autonomic 

function by monitoring pre-in, and post-flight 

24-hours electrocardiogram. The results will be 

analyzed for improving crew health care 

technology in long-duration space flight. 

Chaos, Turbulence and Its Transition Process 

in Marangoni Convection (Marangoni) 

analyzes the behavior of a surface-tensiondriven flow in microgravity. Marangoni 

convection is a surface-tension-driven flow. 

A liquid bridge of silicone oil (5 or 10 cSt) is 

formed into a pair of disks. Convection is 

induced by imposing the temperature 

difference between disks. Due to the fluid 

instability, flow transits from laminar to 

oscillatory, chaos, and turbulence flows one by 

ones as the driving force increases. We observe 

the flow and temperature fields in each stages 

and investigate the transition conditions and 

processes precisely. 

Molecular Mechanism of MicrogravityInduced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy –

Physiological Relevance of Cbl-b Ubiquitin 

Ligase (MyoLab) studies a rat muscle gene 

modified cell line to determine the effects of 

microgravity. The number of bedridden elderly 

people in Japan is remarkably increasing, which 

can be considered a serious social problem. 

However, there is no effective countermeasure 

for muscle atrophy (decrease in muscle 

mass), which is a main cause for bedridden 

conditions. The few countermeasures for 

unloading mediated muscle atrophy include: 

rehabilitation, diet and drugs. The MyoLab 

payload will focus on the inhibition of 

Cbl-b-mediated ubiquitination (enzyme found 

in humans) to improve IGF-1 (insulin-like 

growth hormone) resistance of skeletal muscle 
APRIL 2010 EXPERIMENTS 65

cells. Ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b is inhibited by 

focusing on the competitively inhibitory 

function of oligopeptides (molecules containing 

a small number of peptides). 

Biological Effects of Space Radiation and 

Microgravity on Mammalian Cells 

(NeuroRad) studies the effects of space 

radiation on the human neuroblastoma cell 

(nerve cell containing a tumor) line in 

microgravity. NeuroRad will investigate the 

biological effects of space radiation on 

mammalian nerve cells using SK-N-SH (human 

neuroblastoma cell line). NeuroRad will 

evaluate the risk factors of long-term space 

flight by investigating the ability to recover 

from radiation damage acquired in 

microgravity. NeuroRad will also evaluate the 

effects of radiation accumulation as a result of 

long-term space flight missions. NeuroRad will 

focus on changes in the mitochondria-related 

gene expression, since the mitochondria is well 

known for having a crucial role in apotosis 

(programmed cell death). After recovery, the 

effects of radiation in microgravity will be 

comprehensively analyzed using the following 

techniques: nuclear DNA microarray, western 

blotting, and mutation assays. 

Mycological Evaluation of Crew Exposure to 

Space Station Ambient Air – 2 (Myco-2) 

evaluates the risk of microorganisms’ via 

inhalation and adhesion to the skin to 

determine which fungi act as allergens on the 

space station. Myco-2 samples will be collected 

from the nasal cavity, the pharynx and the 

skin of crew during preflight, in flight and 

post-flight focusing particularly on fungi 

that act as strong allergens in our living 

environment. It is well known that a living and 

working environment in the space station has 

been progressively contaminated by a 

number of microorganisms from the beginning 

of construction. These microorganisms can 

possibly cause serious life-threatening 

diseases and allergies if human immunity is 

compromised. 

Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment 

in Space (PADLES) measures radiation 

exposure levels onboard the space station using 

passive and integrating dosimeters to detect 

radiation levels. Passive dosimeter packages 

and an analysis system are developed by 

JAXA for supporting life science experiments. 

They provide environmental data for space 

radiation. Data reading can be done only on 

the ground after return. PADLES is a compact 

and battery-less Dosimeter, and has the 

advantage of no necessity of crew times and 

package for setting extremely close to biological 

samples. 

Changes in Nutrient Contents in Space Food 

After Long-Term Space Flight (Space Food 

Nutrient) assesses the changes in nutrient 

contents in Japanese space foods after exposure 

to space station environment for long-duration 

space flight. Space Food Nutrient examines the 

effect of exposure to microgravity on the 

degradation of select of Japanese foods. 

FACILITIES TO BE DELIVERED TO 

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION 

NASA 

Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer 

for Space Station (MELFI) is an ESA-built, 

NASA-operated freezer that will store samples 

on space station at temperatures as low as 

-80 degrees C. This multi-purpose freezer 

significantly enhances the research capabilities 

of the U.S. Laboratory on space station. MELFI 

will support a wide range of life science 
66 EXPERIMENTS APRIL 2010

experiments by preserving biological samples 

(such as blood, saliva, urine, microbial or plant 

samples) collected aboard space station for later 

return and analysis back on Earth. Samples 

from the space station Medical Project will be 

stored in MELFI and contribute to multiple 

studies of the effect of spaceflight on human 

health. 

The Window Observational Research Facility 

(WORF) provides a facility for Earth science 

remote sensing instruments using the Destiny 

science window with the highest quality optics 

ever flown on a human-occupied spacecraft. 

The Window Observational Research Facility 

(WORF) provides a facility by which remotely 

operated payloads and crew members can 

perform Earth and space science research, 

including hand-held photography, at the U.S. 

Laboratory Science Window on the space 

station. WORF is based on an International 

Standard Payload Rack (ISPR) and utilizes 

avionics and hardware adapted from the 

EXPRESS Rack program. The rack provides a 

payload volume equivalent to 0.8 cubic meters, 

and will be able to support up to three payloads 

simultaneously, depending on available 

resources and space available at the window. 

The WORF will also provide access and 

equipment for crew Earth observations, such as 

crew restraints, camera/camcorder brackets, 

and condensation prevention. 

EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to 

Space Station Rack 7 (EXPRESS Rack 7) is a 

multi-purpose payload rack system that stores 

and supports experiments aboard the 

International Space Station. The EXPRESS rack 

system supports science experiments in any 

discipline by providing structural interfaces, 

power, data, cooling, water, and other items 

needed to operate science experiments in space. 

European Space Agency Research 

The Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise 

System (MARES) will be used for research 

on musculoskeletal, biomechanical, and 

neuromuscular human physiology to better 

understand the effects of microgravity on the 

muscular system. MARES enables scientists to 

study the detailed effects of microgravity on the 

human muscle-skeletal system. It also provides 

a means to evaluate countermeasures designed 

to mitigate the negative effect, especially 

muscle atrophy. The MARES hardware is 

made up of an adjustable chair and human 

restraint system, a pantograph (an articulated 

arm supporting the chair, used to properly 

position the user), a direct drive motor, 

associated electronics and experiment 

programming software, a linear adapter that 

translates motor rotation into linear 

movements, and a vibration isolation frame. 

MARES is capable of supporting measurements 

and exercise on seven different human 

joints, encompassing nine different angular 

movements, as well as two additional linear 

movements (arms and legs). It is considerably 

more advanced than current ground-based 

medical dynamometers (devices used to 

measure force or torque) and a vast 

improvement over existing space station 

muscle research facilities. 
APRIL 2010 EXPERIMENTS 67

RESEARCH SAMPLES TO BE RETURNED 

ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE 

U.S. Research 

Bisphosphonates as a Countermeasure to 

Space Flight Induced Bone Loss 

(Bisphosphonates) will determine whether 

antiresorptive agents help reduce bone loss, 

in conjunction with the routine in-flight 

exercise program, will protect space station 

crew members from the regional decreases in 

bone mineral density documented on previous 

space station missions. 

Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Control 

on Return from Space Station (CCISS) will 

study the effects of long-duration space flight 

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 CSA. 

Constrained Vapor Bubble (CVB) operates a 

miniature wickless heat pipe (heat exchanger) 

to understand the physics of evaporation and 

condensation as they affect heat transfer 

processes in microgravity. The thermophysical 

principles underlying change-of-phase heat 

transfer systems controlled by interfacial 

phenomena are not well understood under 

microgravity conditions and are less than 

optimized even under earth gravity conditions. 

As a result, related passive engineering systems 

for enhanced heat transfer such as heat pipes 

have not been optimized. The information 

obtained from CVB will be used to optimize 

the design and operation of passive heat 

transfer devices for Earth and microgravity 

environments and will be critically important 

for the successful completion of future 

long-duration missions beyond low Earth orbit. 

DEvice for the study of Critical LIquids and 

Crystallization-High Temperature Insert 

(DECLIC-HTI) is a multi-user facility utilized 

to study transparent media and their phase 

transitions in microgravity onboard the 

International Space Station. The High 

Temperature Insert (HTI) portion of DECLIC 

studies water (H2O) near its critical point. HTI 

is a thermostat for critical fluid experiments 

involving water between 350 degrees Celsius to 

405 degrees Celsius. At around 374 degrees 

Celsius, close to its critical point, water shows a 

singular behavior, which is scientifically very 

interesting to investigate in absence of gravity. 

HTI is intended to enable the study of 

near-critical water, and later of other supercritical fluids. 

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 space 

flight. 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. 

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 
68 EXPERIMENTS APRIL 2010

related food safety issues. Lada-VPU-P3R also 

investigates the nonnutritional value to the 

flight crew of developing plants on-orbit. The 

Lada-VPU-P3R uses the Lada hardware on the 

space station and falls under a cooperative 

agreement between NASA and RSA. 

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. 

National Laboratory Pathfinder – Cells – 3: 

Jatropha Biofuels (NLP-Cells-3) assesses the 

effects of microgravity on cells of the Jatropha 

curcas plant. The purpose of the study is to 

verify the potential effects of microgravity on 

improving characteristics such as cell structure, 

growth and development, for accelerating the 

breeding process of new cultivars of J. curcas for 

commercial use. Accelerated breeding could 

allow J. curcas to be used as an alternative 

energy crop, or biofuel. 

Nutritional Status Assessment (Nutrition) is a 

comprehensive in-flight study being done to 

understand changes in human physiology 

during long-duration space flight. This 

study includes measures of bone metabolism, 

oxidative damage, and chemistry and hormonal 

changes, as well as assessments of the 

nutritional status of the astronauts participating 

in the study. The results will have an impact 

on the definition of nutritional requirements 

and development of food systems for future 

exploration missions to the Moon and Mars. 

This experiment also will help researchers 

understand the effectiveness of measures taken 

to counteract the effects of space flight, as well 

as the impact of exercise and pharmaceutical 

countermeasures on nutritional status and 

nutrient requirements for astronauts. 

Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect 

Against Changes in Bone Metabolism during 

Spaceflight and Recovery (Pro-K) investigation 

is NASA’s first evaluation of a dietary 

countermeasure to lessen bone loss of 

astronauts. Pro-K proposes that a flight diet 

with a decreased ratio of animal protein to 

potassium will lead to decreased loss of bone 

mineral. Pro-K will have an impact on the 

definition of nutritional requirements and 

development of food systems for future 

exploration missions, and could yield a method 

of counteracting bone loss that would have 

virtually no risk of side effects. 

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 

well-controlled conditions. Biological samples 

from the International Space Station, including 

blood and urine, will be collected, processed 

and archived during the preflight, in-flight and 

post-flight phases of space station missions. 

This investigation has been developed to 

archive biosamples for use as a resource for 

future space flight related research. 
APRIL 2010 EXPERIMENTS 69

Surface, Water and Air Biocharacterization – 

A Comprehensive Characterization of 

Microorganisms and Allergens in Spacecraft 

Environment (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. 

Analysis of a Novel Sensory Mechanism in 

Root Phototropism (Tropi) studies Arabidopsis 

thaliana plants sprouting from seeds to gain 

insights into sustainable agriculture for future 

long-duration space missions. Tropi is a plant 

growth experiment that will investigate how 

plant roots from Arabidopsis thaliana (thale 

cress) respond to varying levels of light and 

gravity. Plant growth under various gravity 

conditions (0g to 1.0g) is achieved using a 

rotating centrifuge. Plants grown will be 

analyzed to determine which genes are 

responsible for successful plant growth in 

microgravity. This experiment will help gain 

insight into how plants grow in space to help 

create sustainable life support systems for long 

term space travel. 

Evaluation of Maximal Oxygen Uptake and 

Submaximal Estimates of VO2max Before, 

During, and After Long Duration 

International Space Station Mspace Station 

(VO2max) documents changes in maximum 

oxygen uptake for crew members onboard the 

space station on long-duration missions. 

VO2max, sometimes referred to as VO2peak, is 

the standard measure of aerobic capacity and is 

directly related to the physical working 

capacity of an individual. VO2max is related to 

the ability to perform an egress task while 

wearing a launch and escape space suit; 

therefore, decreased VO2max may represent a 

safety concern in the event of an emergency 

during space flight. By understanding the 

changes in VO2max that occur within space 

flight, necessary adjustments can be made to 

EVA exercise countermeasures. 

Canadian Space Agency 

Vascular Health Consequences of LongDuration Space Flight (Vascular) determines 

the impact of long-duration space flight on the 

blood vessels of astronauts. Vascular Health 

Consequences of Long-Duration Space Flight 

determines the impact of long-duration space 

flight on the blood vessels of astronauts. Space 

flight accelerates the aging process and we 

must understand this to determine the need for 

specific countermeasures. 

European Space Agency Research 

Long Term Microgravity: A Model for 

Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease 

with New Portable Equipment (Card) 

experiment studies blood pressure decreases in 

the human body exposed to microgravity 

onboard the space station. In microgravity, the 

cardiovascular system relaxes causing a drop in 

the blood volume and pressure. This also 

causes the fluid and sodium retaining systems 

to be activated. One theory of this occurrence 

is that the body’s level of sodium is decreased. 

This investigation will examine whether blood 

pressure and volume can be restored to the 

same levels that were measured during 

ground-based measurements by adding 

additional salt to the astronauts’ food. 
70 EXPERIMENTS APRIL 2010

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 

Research 

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency – 

Education Payload Observation (JAXA-EPO) 

activities demonstrate educational events and 

artistic activities on board the space station to 

enlighten the general public and create 

enthusiasm about microgravity research and 

human space flight. 

Leavenest – Information to be provided by 

JAXA at a later date. 

Chaos, Turbulence and its Transition 

Process in Marangoni Convection 

(Marangoni) analyzes the behavior of a 

surface-tension-driven flow in microgravity. 

Marangoni convection is a surface-tensiondriven flow. A liquid bridge of silicone oil 

(5 or 10 cSt) is formed into a pair of disks. 

Convection is induced by imposing the 

temperature difference between disks. Due 

to the fluid instability, flow transits from 

laminar to oscillatory, chaos, and turbulence 

flows one by ones as the driving force increases. 

We observe the flow and temperature fields 

in each stages and investigate the transition 

conditions and processes precisely. 

Production of High Performance 

Nanomaterials in Microgravity

(Nanoskeleton) aims to clarify the effect of 

gravity on oil flotation, sedimentation 

and convection on crystals generated in 

microgravity. Nanoskeleton will quantitatively 

investigate the effects of gravity during a 

chemical reaction process. 

Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment 

in Space (PADLES) measures radiation 

exposure levels onboard the space station using 

passive and integrating dosimeters to detect 

radiation levels. Passive dosimeter packages 

and an analysis system are developed by JAXA 

for supporting life science experiments. They 

provide environmental data for space radiation. 

Data reading can be done only on the ground 

after return. PADLES is a compact and 

battery-less dosimeter, it has the advantage of 

no necessity of crew times and package for 

setting extremely close to biological samples. 

Life Cycles of Higher Plants Under 

Microgravity Conditions (SpaceSeed) 

cultivates Arabidopsis thaliana (a small flowering 

plant) in microgravity to improve the 

productivity of crops in space as well as 

for understanding the role of gravity in 

regulating the life cycle of higher plants. The 

experiments with Arabidopsis under the 

microgravity environment on JEM will provide 

an abundance of important and useful 

information necessary for improving the 

productivity of crops in space, as well as for 

understanding the role of gravity in regulating 

the life cycle of higher plants. 
APRIL 2010 EDUCATION ACTIVITIES 71

EDUCATION ACTIVITIES 

For STS-131 education activities, NASA 

Education selected two education themes 

aligned to the mission: robotics and women 

in Science, Technology, Engineering and 

Mathematics, or STEM, careers. The STS-131 

crew will be heavily involved in complex 

robotic operations during its mission. Three of 

the mission specialists are women, excellent 

role models for young girls interested in STEM 

careers. 

ROBOTICS 

For STS-131, NASA Education developed a 

comprehensive robotics Web site – a one-stop 

shop for NASA K-12 education activities and 

resources related to robotics. While there are 

many ways to teach robotics, by design, this 

NASA Web site is focused on simple and 

inexpensive ways to introduce students to 

robotic concepts. Educators can find multiple 

lesson plans that use common materials and 

objects. 

The Web site is found at: 

www.nasa.gov/education/robotics

WOMEN IN STEM 

Launch Conference 

The NASA Office of Education will host an 

education forum in Florida in the days before 

the STS-131 launch. Focus for the launch 

forum will be on strategies to encourage 

young women to pursue STEM careers and 

robotics as an effective learning tool. NASA 

Education plans to bring together members of 

the K-12, higher education and informal 

education communities to discuss strategies to 

encourage young women to pursue STEM 

careers. 

Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger 

Before becoming an astronaut in 2004, 

Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger taught Earth 

science and astronomy for five years at 

Hudson’s Bay High School in Vancouver, 

Wash. As a mission specialist on STS-131, she 

will operate the space shuttle’s robotic arm 

and the 50-foot Orbiter Boom Sensor System. 

IN-ORBIT EDUCATION ACTIVITIES 

Education Payload Operations (EPO) 

During the mission, Metcalf-Lindenburger and 

one of her crewmates, Japan Aerospace 

Exploration Agency astronaut Naoko 

Yamazaki, will conduct education payload 

operations to capture video on both the shuttle 

and the International Space Station for a 

NASA education film. The video will highlight 

robotic arm operations and NASA’s diverse 

robotic missions; it also will explore the many 

career fields associated with robotics. It is not 

anticipated that the video will be downlinked 

during the mission. This video will be edited 

post-flight and will be posted to the robotics 

Web site. 

In-flight Education Downlinks 

If mission operations permit, members of the 

STS-131 crew will participate in two live 

in-flight education downlinks. During the 

education downlinks, crew members will 

answer questions from K-12 students. To 

select the downlink hosts, which are formal 

and informal education communities, NASA 
72 EDUCATION ACTIVITIES APRIL 2010

Education released a call for proposals. After a 

highly competitive process, two education 

organizations were selected as downlink hosts. 

On flight day 6, STS-131 Commander 

Alan G. Poindexter, Pilot James P. Dutton, Jr. 

and Metcalf-Lindenburger are scheduled to 

participate in an education downlink with K-12 

educators and students gathered at the 

Naval Post Graduate School (NPGS) in 

Monterey, Calif. Education activities related 

to NASA and the mission are planned both 

before and after the downlink. Through social 

media and partnerships with media groups, the 

NPGS plans to share the downlink and related 

activities with a large off-site K-12 audience 

that could potentially include Department of 

Defense schools around the world. 

On flight day 10, Poindexter and Mission 

Specialists Stephanie Wilson, Clayton Anderson 

and Metcalf-Lindenburger are scheduled to 

participate in an education downlink with 

educators and students at Eastern Guildford 

High School in Gibsonville, N.C. The high 

school plans to involve K-12 students from the 

entire school district in STEM education 

activities before, during and after the mission. 
SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 

APRIL 2010 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 73

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 APRIL 2010

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 
APRIL 2010 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 APRIL 2010

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, 
APRIL 2010 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, 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 APRIL 2010

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 NASA’s 

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 fuel tank, 

or ET, and orbiter, and to transmit the weight 
APRIL 2010 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 79

load through their structure to the mobile 

launcher 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 NASA’s 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 Kennedy 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 

Kennedy, 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 APRIL 2010

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 
APRIL 2010 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 APRIL 2010

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 
APRIL 2010 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 APRIL 2010

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 3 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 
APRIL 2010 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 APRIL 2010

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 
APRIL 2010 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 NASA’s Michoud Assembly 

Facility, 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, 
88 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA APRIL 2010

and remaining protuberances, such as the cable 

trays. These areas are exposed to extreme 

aerodynamic heating. 

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 

NASA’s 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 
APRIL 2010 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 89

attachment struts. Four rod heaters were 

placed below each forward bipod, replacing the 

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 
90 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA APRIL 2010

sealed to reduce leak paths; isolators were 

primed to promote adhesion; isolator corners 

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. 
APRIL 2010 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 NASA’s 

Kennedy Space Center 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 Kennedy 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‐131 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 APRIL 2010

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APRIL 2010 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 93

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 

2D-Nano Template Two Dimensional Nano Template 

A/G Alignment Guides 

A/L Airlock 

AAA Avionics Air Assembly 

ABC Audio Bus Controller 

ABRS Advanced Biological Research System 

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 

AIS Automatic Identification System 

AJIS Alpha Joint Interface Structure 

ALI Alice-Like Insert 

ALTEA-Shield Anomalous Long Term Effects on Astronauts Central Nervous System-Shield 

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 Atmosphere Revitalization System 

ASW Application Software 

ATA Ammonia Tank Assembly 

ATCS Active Thermal Control System 

ATU Audio Terminal Unit 
94 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS APRIL 2010

BAD Broadcast Ancillary Data 

BC Bus Controller 

BCDU Battery Charge/Discharge Unit 

Berthing Mechanism Control and Display Unit 

BEP Berthing Mechanism Electronics Package 

BGA Beta Gimbal Assembly 

BIC Bus Interface Controller 

BIT Built-In Test 

BLT Boundary Layer Transition 

BM Berthing Mechanism 

BOS BIC Operations Software 

BRIC Biological Research in Canisters 

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 

CAPPS Checkout, Assembly and Payload Process Services 

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 

CCF Capillary Chanel Flow 

CCIS Cardiovascular and Cerebrovacular on Return from Space Station 

CCM Cell Culture Module 

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 

CFE-2 Capillary Flow Experiment-2 

CHeCS Crew Health Care System 

CHX Cabin Heat Exchanger 
APRIL 2010 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 95

CISC Complicated Instruction Set Computer 

CLA Camera Light Assembly 

CLPA Camera Light Pan Tilt Assembly 

CLSM-2 Coarsening in Solid Liquid Mixtures 

CMG Control Moment Gyro 

COTS Commercial Off the Shelf 

CPA Control Panel Assembly 

CPB Camera Power Box 

CQ Crew Quarters 

CR Change Request 

CRT Cathode-Ray Tube 

CSA Canadian Space Agency 

CSA-CP Compound Specific Analyzer 

CTC Cargo Transport Container 

CVB Constrained Vapor Bubble 

CVIU Common Video Interface Unit 

CVT Current Value Table 

CZ Communication Zone 

DB Data Book 

DC Docking Compartment 

DCSU Direct Current Switching Unit 

DDCU DC-to-DC Converter Unit 

DECLIC-HTI DEvice for the Study of Critical Liquids and Crystalization-High 

 Temperature Insert 

DEM Demodulator 

DFL Decommutation Format Load 

DIU Data Interface Unit 

DMS Data Management System 

DMS-R Data Management System-Russian 

DPG Differential Pressure Gauge 

DPU Baseband Data Processing Unit 

DRTS Japanese Data Relay Satellite 

DSO Detailed Supplementary Objective 

DTO Detailed Test Objective 

DYF Display Frame 

E/L Equipment Lock 

EATCS External Active Thermal Control System 

EBCS External Berthing Camera System 

ECC Error Correction Code 

ECLSS Environmental Control and Life Support System 
96 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS APRIL 2010

ECS Environmental Control System 

ECU Electronic Control Unit 

EDAS Enhanced Data Acquisition System 

EDSU External Data Storage Unit 

EDU EEU Driver Unit 

EE End Effector 

EETCS Early External Thermal Control System 

EEU Experiment Exchange Unit 

EF Exposed Facility 

EFBM Exposed Facility Berthing Mechanism 

EFHX Exposed Facility Heat Exchanger 

EFU Exposed Facility Unit 

EGIL Electrical, General Instrumentation, and Lighting 

EIU Ethernet Interface Unit 

ELC ExPRESS Logistics Carrier 

ELM-ES Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section 

ELM-PS Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Pressurized Section 

ELPS Emergency Lighting Power Supply 

EMGF Electric Mechanical Grapple Fixture 

EMI Electro-Magnetic Imaging 

EMU Extravehicular Mobility Unit 

EP Exposed Pallet 

EPO Education Payload Operations 

EPO-Robo Education Payload Operations – Robotics 

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 

EV Extravehicular 

EVA Extravehicular Activity 

EXP-D Experiment-D 

EXPRESS EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station 

EXT External 
APRIL 2010 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 97

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 

FOR Frame of Reference 

FPMU Floating Potential Measurement Unit 

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 

GAS Get-Away Special 

GATOR Grappling Adaptor to On-orbit Railing 

GCA Ground Control Assist 

GLA General Lighting Assemblies 

General Luminaire Assembly 

GLACIER General Laboratory Active Cryogenic ISS Experiment Refrigerator 

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 

HPGT High Pressure Gas Tank 

HPP Hard Point Plates 

HRDR High Rate Data Recorder 
98 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS APRIL 2010

HREL Hold/Release Electronics 

HRF Human Research Facility 

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 

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 

IVGEN IntraVenous Fluid GENeration for Exploration Missions 

IVSU Internal Video Switch Unit 

JAXA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 

JCP JEM Control Processor 

JEF JEM Exposed Facility 

JEM Japanese Experiment Module 
APRIL 2010 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 99

JEM-EF Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility 

JEM-PM Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module 

JEMAL JEM Airlock 

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 

LCS Laser Camera System 

LED Light Emitting Diode 

LEE Latching End Effector 

LEO Low Earth Orbit 

LIDAR Light Detection and Ranging 

LMC Lightweight Multipurpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier 

LMM Light Microscopy Module 

LSW Light Switch 

LTA Launch-to-Activation 

LTAB Launch-to-Activation Box 

LTL Low Temperature Loop 

MA Main Arm 

MARES Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise System 

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 
100 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS APRIL 2010

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 

MERLIN Microgravity Experiment Research Locker Incubator II 

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 Multi-Purpose 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 

MSL-CETSOL Material Science Laboratory – Columnar-to-Equiaxcol Transition in Solidification 

MSP Maintenance Switch Panel 

MSS Mobile Servicing System 

MT Mobile Tracker 

 Mobile Transporter 

MTL Moderate Temperature Loop 

MUX Data Multiplexer 

Myco-2 Mycological Evaluation of Crew Exposure to Space Station Ambient Air-2 

MyoLab Molecular Mechanism of Micrograivty-Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy 

n.mi. nautical mile 

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

NCS Node Control Software 

NET No Earlier Than 
APRIL 2010 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 101

NeuroRad Biological Effects of Space Radiation and Microgravity on Mammalian Cells 

NLP-Vaccine-8 National Lab Pathfinder-Vaccine-8 

NLT No Less Than 

NPGS Naval post Graduate School 

NPRV Negative Pressure Relief Valve 

NSV Network Service 

NTA Nitrogen Tank Assembly 

NTSC National Television Standard Committee 

OBSS Orbiter Boom Sensor System 

OCA Orbital Communications Adapter 

OCAD Operational Control Agreement Document 

OCAS Operator Commanded Automatic Sequence 

ODF Operations Data File 

ODS Orbiter Docking System 

OI Orbiter Interface 

OIU Orbiter Interface Unit 

OMS Orbital Maneuvering System 

OODT Onboard Operation Data Table 

OPT Operational Pressure Tranducers 

ORCA Oxygen Recharge Compressor Assembly 

ORU Orbital Replacement Unit 

OS Operating System 

OSA Orbiter-based Station Avionics 

OSE Orbital Support Equipment 

OTCM ORU and Tool Changeout Mechanism 

OTP ORU and Tool Platform 

P3R Plants, Protocals, Procedures and Requirements 

P/L Payload 

PACE Preliminary Advanced Colloids Experiment 

PADLES Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space 

PAL Planning and Authorization Letter 

PAM Payload Attach Mechanism 

PAO Public Affairs Office 

PAS Payload Adapter System 

PBA Portable Breathing Apparatus 

PCA Pressure Control Assembly 

PCBM Passive Common Berthing Mechanism 

PCN Page Change Notice 

PCS Portable Computer System 
102 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS APRIL 2010

PCU Plasma Contactor Unit 

Power Control Unit 

PDA Payload Disconnect Assembly 

PDB Power Distribution Box 

PDGF Power and Data Grapple Fixture 

PDH Payload Data Handling unit 

PDRS Payload Deployment Retrieval System 

PDU Power Distribution Unit 

PEC Passive Experiment Container 

PEHG Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway 

PEMS II Percutaneous Electrical Muscle Stimulator 

PFE Portable Fire Extinguisher 

PFRAM Passive Flight Releasable Attachment Mechanism 

PGSC Payload General Support Computer 

PIB Power Interface Box 

PIU Payload Interface Unit 

PLB Payload Bay 

PLBD Payload Bay Door 

PLC Pressurized Logistics Carrier 

PLT Payload Laptop Terminal 

Space Shuttle Pilot 

PM Pressurized Module 

 Pump Module 

PMA Pressurized Mating Adapter 

PMCU Power Management Control Unit 

PMU Pressurized Mating Adapter 

POA Payload ORU Accommodation 

POR Point of Resolution 

PPRV Positive Pressure Relief Valve 

PRCS Primary Reaction Control System 

PREX Procedure Executor 

PRLA Payload Retention Latch Assembly 

PRO Payload Rack Officer 

PROX Proximity Communications Center 

psia Pounds per Square Inch Absolute 

PSP Payload Signal Processor 

PSRR Pressurized Section Resupply Rack 

PTCS Passive Thermal Control System 

PTR Port Thermal Radiator 

PTU Pan/Tilt Unit 

PVCU Photovoltaic Controller Unit 
APRIL 2010 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 103

PVM Photovoltaic Module 

PVR Photovoltaic Radiator 

PVTCS Photovoltaic Thermal Control System 

QD Quick Disconnect 

R&MA 

RACU 

Restraint and Mobility Aid 

Russian-to-American Converter Unit 

RAM 

RAMBO 

Read Access Memory 

Ram Burn Observations 

RBVM Radiator Beam Valve Module 

RCC 

RCT 

RF 

RGA 

RHC 

Range Control Center 

Rack Configuration Table 

Radio Frequency 

Rate Gyro Assemblies 

Rotational Hand Controller 

RIC Rack Interface Controller 

RIGEX 

RIP 

Rigidizable Inflatable Get-Away Special Experiment 

Remote Interface Panel 

RLF 

RLT 

RMS 

ROEU 

ROM 

R-ORU 

ROS 

RPC 

Robotic Language File 

Robotic Laptop Terminal 

Remote Manipulator System 

Remotely Operated Electrical Umbilical 

Read Only Memory 

Robotics Compatible Orbital Replacement Unit 

Russian Orbital Segment 

Remote Power Controller 

RPCM Remote Power Controller Module 

RPDA 

RPM 

Remote Power Distribution Assembly 

Roll Pitch Maneuver 

RS

RSP 

RSR 

RT

 Russian Segment 

Resupply Stowage Platform 

Return Stowage Platform 

Resupply Stowage Rack 

 Remote Terminal 

RTAS 

RVFS 

RWS

Rocketdyne Truss Attachment System 

Rendezvous Flight Software 

 Robotics Workstation 

SAFER 

SAM 

Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue 

SFA Airlock Attachment Mechanism 

SAPA Small Adapter Plate Assembly 
104 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS APRIL 2010

SARJ Solar Alpha Rotary Joint 

SASA S-Band Antenna Sub-Assembly 

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 

SEITE Shuttle Exhaust Ion Turbulence Experiments 

SELS SpaceOps Electronic Library System 

SEU Single Event Upset 

SFA Small Fine Arm 

SFAE SFA Electronics 

SI Smoke Indicator 

SIMPLEX Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed Localized Exhaust Experiments 

Sleep-Short Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Spaceflight-Short 

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 
APRIL 2010 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 105

SSPTS Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System 

SSRMS Space Station Remote Manipulator System 

STC Small Fire Arm Transportation Container 

STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics 

STL Space Tissue Lost 

STORRM Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation 

STR Starboard Thermal Radiator 

STS Space Transfer System 

STVC SFA Television Camera 

SVS Space Vision System 

SWAB Surface, Water, and Air Biocharacterization 

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 

TCS Trajectory Control Sensor 

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 
106 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS APRIL 2010

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 

UTA Utility Transfer Assembly 

VAJ Vacuum Access Jumper 

VBSP Video Baseband Signal Processor 

VCAM Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor 

VCU Video Control Unit 

VDS Video Distribution System 

VLU Video Light Unit 

V02maX Evaluation of Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Submaximal Estimates of V02max 

Before, During, and After Long Duration International Space Station Missions 

VNS Vision Navigation Sensor 

VPU Vegetable Production Unit 

VRA Vent Relief Assembly 

VRCS Vernier Reaction Control System 

VRCV Vent Relief Control Valve 

VRIV Vent Relief Isolation Valve 

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 

WORF Window Observational Research Facility 

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 
APRIL 2010 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 APRIL 2010

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PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 

APRIL 2010 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 109

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

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 APRIL 2010

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER 

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA 

Allard Beutel 

News Chief 

321-867-2468 

allard.beutel@nasa.gov

Candrea Thomas 

Public Affairs Specialist 

Space Shuttle 

321-867-2468 

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 

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 

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

Rachel Prucey 

Public Affairs Officer 

650-604-0643 

rachel.l.purcey@nasa.gov

Ruth Marlaire 

Public Affairs Officer 

650-604-4709 

ruth.marlaire@nasa.gov

Cathy Weselby 

Public Affairs Officer 

650-604-2791 

cathy.weselby@nasa.gov

Karen Hanner 

Public Affairs Officer 

650-604-4034 

karen.c.hanner@nasa.gov
APRIL 2010 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

Sally Harrington 

Public Affairs Specialist 

216-433-2037 

sally.v.harrinton@nasa.gov

Katherine Martin 

Public Affairs Specialist 

216-433-2406 

katherine.martin@nasa.gov

LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER 

HAMPTON, VIRGINIA 

Marny Skora 

Head, Office of Communications 

757-864-6121 

marny.skora@nasa.gov

Keith Henry 

Public Affairs Officer 

757-864-6120 

h.k.henry@nasa.gov

Kathy Barnstorff 

Public Affairs Officer 

757-864-9886 

katherine.a.barnstorff@nasa.gov

Amy Johnson 

Public Affairs Officer 

757-864-7022 

amy.johnson@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 APRIL 2010

BOEING 

Edmund G. Memi 

Manager, Communications 

Boeing Space Exploration 

281-226-4029 

edmund.g.memi@boeing.com

Adam Morgan 

International Space Station 

281-226-4030 

adam.k.morgan@boeing.com

JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION 

AGENCY (JAXA) 

Kumiko Sagara 

JAXA Public Affairs Representative 

Houston 

281-792-7468 

sagara.kumiko@jaxa.jp

JAXA Public Affairs Office 

Tokyo, Japan 

011-81-50-3362-4374 

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