Author: Rainer Gerhards

STS-120
Report #19
2:30 a.m. CDT Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON – Space Shuttle Discovery’s astronauts today will assemble and configure tools to repair a torn solar array blanket on the International Space Station’s port truss during the mission’s fourth spacewalk, now scheduled for Saturday.

Wednesday, mission managers decided the astronauts would not inspect the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint during the spacewalk, changing the priority to mending the torn array. Managers believe the potential exists for further damage to the partially deployed array if the blanket is torn further.

Early Thursday, crewmembers were told the spacewalk would be postponed until Saturday, to give mission managers and engineers additional time to plan the repair activities.

The wakeup song for the eventful day was, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by Robert John. It was played at 11:08 p.m. CDT Wednesday. The song was chosen by the crew’s training team.

The array is currently providing power, but to ensure that the array receives no further damage it needs to be fully extended. NASA engineers have been working around the clock examining the issue and preparing the plan for the spacewalk.

The leading theory is that one of the three guide wires on the array snagged on one of the grommets that it feeds through, starting the tear. Spacewalkers Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock will attempt to remove the snag and transfer the loads carried by the broken hinge by installing straps that the crew will build today.

The crew also will study the spacewalk procedures delivered today and reconfigure a right-hand spare spacesuit glove to better fit Wheelock.

During the spacewalk, Parazynski will be working from the end of the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) grappled by Canadarm2, while Wheelock provides clearance and visual perspective for the robotic arm operator maneuvering Parazynski.

Robotic arm operations to prepare include setting up the station arm for mission control to move the Mobile Transporter from worksite 8, near the P6 segment, to worksite 3, near the center of the station. The OBSS is in better reach of Canadarm2 from worksite 3.

With the spacewalk now planned for Saturday, the schedule still includes the return of Discovery to Earth next Wednesday.

The mission’s fifth spacewalk – which had been planned for Saturday – will be done by the station crew after the shuttle leaves.

The next STS-120 status report will be issued Thursday evening or earlier if events warrant.

STS-120
Report #18
Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007 – 5 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON – Space shuttle Discovery astronauts will have an extra day to prepare for their mission’s fourth spacewalk, as the International Space Station Program has changed its priority from inspection of a rotary joint to repair of a solar array.

The spacewalk, planned for Thursday, now has been moved to Friday, or possibly Saturday if extra time is needed for preparation.

The array was left partially deployed on Tuesday, when damage was noted during its deployment. It is currently providing power, but to ensure that the array receives no further damage, it needs to be fully extended.

Station Program Manager Mike Suffredini said finding a way to do so is the priority for the remainder of the mission and plans for possible solutions are already in the works.

“We give this team a little time to start thinking about creative solutions, and it doesn’t take them long to blow you away with what they come up with,” he said.

The inspection of the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint planned for Thursday will be put off until a later date. The mission’s fifth spacewalk – which had been planned for Saturday – will be performed by the station crew after the shuttle leaves. If the spacewalkers are able to repair the array on Friday, the STS-120 crew of Discovery will then begin preparations for its return to Earth next Wednesday. If they are unable to fix the problem, another spacewalk may be added pending further discussion by station and shuttle management.

The crew spent part of today preparing for the spacewalk they would have taken on Thursday, which will put them ahead of schedule for preparations for Friday’s spacewalk. They also participated in a news conference with reporters from the United States, Italy and Russia.

The next STS-120 status report will be issued Thursday morning or earlier if events warrant.

STS-120
Report #17
12:15 a.m. CDT Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON – Crewmembers on space shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station will spend today preparing for a spacewalk designed to learn more about the joint that rotates the starboard side solar arrays.

The wakeup song, “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu” by Domenico Modugno, was played at 11:38 p.m. CDT Tuesday for Mission Specialist Paolo Nespoli, who’s scheduled to receive a congratulatory phone call from the president of Italy at 3:13 a.m. today. The song’s title translates as “In the blue (sky), painted blue;” it is widely known as “Volare.”

Today spacewalkers Scott Parazynski, Doug Wheelock, and spacewalk coordinator Nespoli will review newly written procedures for tomorrow’s fourth spacewalk, devoted to examination of the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint. They’ll also reconfigure a spacesuit for Parazynski to wear in place of one that was having issues with cooling. Wheelock will use a backup pair of gloves for Thursday’s spacewalk in place of a pair that was damaged during EVA 3.

The starboard SARJ has experienced a slight increase in friction during rotation the past month and a half, and metal shavings were found inside the joint during Sunday’s spacewalk. During Thursday’s spacewalk, the astronauts will remove the covers from the SARJ, inspect the interior, take samples of debris if any is found, and look for clues to the root cause of the friction.

Meanwhile, specialists in Houston are working on their next steps to complete deployment of one of the two solar array wings on the P6 truss. That truss was successfully installed on the P5 element during yesterday’s EVA. One of the two solar array wings on P6 was completely deployed, but the other suffered a tear in a solar blanket that prompted a halt to the deploy operations.

International Space Station program officials say the current configuration is safe and note that the array is producing more than 95 percent of the power it would generate if it were fully deployed.

Today station Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Dan Tani will work inside the new Harmony module, deploying the Zero Gravity Stowage Rack and removing the anti-vibration mount launch bracket from the common cabin air assembly.

The next STS-120 status report will be issued Wednesday afternoon or earlier if events warrant.

STS-120
Report #16
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007 – 5 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON – The crew of space shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station executed a flawless spacewalk today, but ran into some unexpected issues afterward.

Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock left the space station at 4:45 a.m. to begin what would be a 7 hour, 8 minute excursion to complete all of their scheduled tasks and a few get-ahead items for future spacewalks.

They were able to install the port 6 – or P6 – truss segment with its set of solar arrays to its permanent home and install a spare main bus switching unit on a stowage platform for future use if needed.

Additionally, Parazynski took a look at the port Solar Alpha Rotary Joint to gather comparison data for the starboard rotary joint, which has been experiencing increased friction over the past month and a half. Parazynski described the joint as being “pristine,” unlike its starboard counterpart, which was found to have some debris inside the joint during a similar inspection on the mission’s second space walk.

As the spacewalk ended, the P6 solar arrays were deployed with one experiencing a tear in a blanket as it reached the 80 percent deployed point. The crew immediately halted the deploy as engineers in Mission Control began a detailed forensics analysis to determine what the next steps would entail.

The current configuration is safe and there is no urgency to solve the problem immediately allowing station managers and engineers plenty of time to understand the problem before taking any action. The other half of the array deployed perfectly with no issues.

Space Station Program Manager Mike Suffredini said the array is currently producing almost as much power as it would be expected to if fully unfurled – just 3 percent less than normal.

“This will take time and needs to be worked,” Suffredini said. “But my personal opinion is we’ve got the time to work this issue, so we can be methodical about it. And we will.”

After reentering the station, Wheelock noticed a small hole in the outer layer of his right glove thumb. Further analysis will dictate the options as he prepares to join Parazynski on the fourth spacewalk Thursday.

The crew is scheduled to spend Wednesday transferring cargo from the shuttle to the station and preparing for the mission’s fourth spacewalk. They will also participate in a news conference, scheduled for 6:48 a.m.

The next STS-120 status report will be issued Wednesday morning or earlier if events warrant.

STS-120
Report #15
1 a.m. CDT Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON – Astronauts Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock today install the International Space Station’s P6 truss in its final location. A new task was also added to this third spacewalk of the mission to provide comparison data of the station’s two solar array rotary joints. The spacewalk is set to begin at 3:53 a.m. CDT.

Today’s wakeup music at 11:38 p.m., “Malaguena Salerosa” by Chingon, was played for Pilot George Zamka, who will be operating the shuttle robotic arm.

After analyzing photos of debris found inside the station’s starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, mission managers decided Parazynski should take time near the end of the spacewalk to inspect the port rotary joint to provide a comparison. The joints rotate the solar arrays to track the sun for electrical power generation. Parazynski will take photographs and samples of any debris he finds for evaluation.

On Monday managers also decided to devote the mission’s fourth spacewalk on Thursday to additional inspection of the starboard joint. That joint has been experiencing increased friction during rotation for the past month and a half and station operators have limited its use while the situation is assessed.

The fourth spacewalk originally was to test a shuttle tile repair dispensing “gun” known as the T-RAD. That test has been deferred to a future shuttle mission.

During today’s spacewalk, Parazynski and Wheelock will work at the end of the port truss to help station robotic arm operators attach the P6 to its new location on P5. The two will provide verbal cues to Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Dan Tani and Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson as they align the truss.

Once the 17.5 ton truss is in place, Wheelock will secure it with the mechanical capture claw so the two can install the bolts that will permanently hold it and then attach its power source.

Next, the spacewalkers will remove thermal shrouds on P6 and configure the P6 radiator for deployment by ground controllers. Wheelock will also install a spare main bus switching unit on a station storage platform. Zamka and Wilson will operate the shuttle robotic arm during this hardware transfer task.

Following the spacewalk the giant solar array wings on P6 will be redeployed so they can begin gathering sunlight for power again.

The next STS-120 status report will be issued Tuesday afternoon or earlier if events warrant.

STS-120
Report #14
Monday, Oct. 29, 2007 – 5 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON – As crewmembers aboard the International Space Station and space shuttle Discovery prepared for the third spacewalk, they learned that the shuttle will spend an extra day in space, with landing now scheduled for just after 4 a.m. Nov. 7.

After analyzing photos of debris found inside the station’s starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, mission managers today decided to devote the mission’s fourth spacewalk Thursday to further inspection of the joint. That spacewalk originally was dedicated to testing of a shuttle tile repair dispensing “gun,” which has been deferred to a future shuttle mission.

The additional docked day has been inserted between the fourth and fifth spacewalks and provides for some crew off-duty time, along with ample equipment preparation and turnaround for the fifth spacewalk, scheduled for Saturday. Mission flight planners now are working detailed timelines to reflect the decision by the Mission Management Team. Discovery now is scheduled to undock from the station on Nov. 5 and land a week from Wednesday completing the STS-120 mission.

As a precursor to the additional rotary joint inspection spacewalk, Tuesday’s spacewalk by Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock will include a short task to inspect the port rotary joint to provide comparison data to station managers who will spend the night developing procedures for the fourth spacewalk. All other tasks for the third spacewalk remain as trained with the focus being on installation of the P6 truss to its permanent location outboard of the port truss.

Today the crew completed final preparations for the P6 truss installation and continued outfitting and activation of avionics and systems racks inside the Harmony Node. Despite the shutdown of the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly in the U.S. Destiny laboratory, work continues as normal with no interruption to operations with other means of carbon dioxide scrubbing equipment on board.

The crew day ended with Parazynski and Wheelock beginning their routine overnight “campout” in the Quest airlock. They plan to begin the spacewalk at about 4:28 a.m. Tuesday following a wakeup call from Mission Control late tonight about 11:30.

The next STS-120 status report will be issued Tuesday morning or earlier if events warrant.

STS-120
Report #13
12:45 a.m. CDT Monday, October 29, 2007
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON – With two successful spacewalks completed in three days, the crews on Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station have some time to relax today while also completing a big handoff and getting prepared for another EVA on Tuesday.

This morning’s wakeup music at 11:39 p.m., “One by One” by Wynton Marsalis, was played for Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson, one of the robot arm operators for this morning’s hand off of the P6 truss element between the shuttle and station robot arms.

P6, which was removed from the station during Sunday’s spacewalk, spent the night in a parked position in the grip of Canadarm2, which is based on the station’s Mobile Base System. At 2:08 a.m. CDT Wilson and Pilot George Zamka will fly the shuttle robot arm to grapple P6. Mission Specialist Clay Anderson and Flight Engineer Dan Tani will command the station arm to let go and then they will position the arm for a ride across the station’s truss.

At 4:23 a.m. the Mobile Transporter will begin a 90-minute transit to work site 8, the last stop on the port end of the station’s truss. Once the railcar locks down there, Anderson and Tani will reach out with Canadarm2 and take P6 back from the shuttle arm. It will be held there overnight and then installed on the port end of the truss during the mission’s third spacewalk Tuesday morning.

In between the two handoffs the crews are scheduled for off duty time. After lunch Tani and space station Commander Peggy Whitson will begin outfitting the avionics rack in the Harmony node while Mission Specialist Paolo Nespoli helps spacewalkers Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock prepare the airlock for the next spacewalk.

At 12:43 p.m. shuttle Commander Pam Melroy, Wilson and Anderson will join Whitson, Tani and Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko in the Harmony node to talk about the progress of the flight with ABC News, NBC News and CNN News.

The station and space shuttle flight control teams and mission managers are discussing options following the discovery by Tani during yesterday’s spacewalk of particulate matter (of unknown composition) inside the station’s starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint. That joint has been experiencing increased friction during rotation for the past month and a half. Station managers have decided to limit the use of the SARJ while the situation is assessed.

The next STS-120 status report will be issued Monday afternoon or earlier if events warrant.