STS-124 Mission Update: Part 2
Shuttle
Astronauts Awake for Last Full Day at ISS
10 June 2008 4:48 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Astronauts aboard NASA?s shuttle Discovery have begun their last full
day at the International Space Station as they prepare
for a Wednesday undocking after nine days of successful construction.
NASA?s Mission Control here at the
Johnson Space Center roused the crew at 4:32 a.m. EDT (0832 GMT) with the song ?All
Because of You? by the band U2, a tune chosen specifically
for Discovery mission specialist Ron Garan.
?Good morning Discovery, and a
special good morning to you Ron,? NASA astronaut Shannon Lucid radioed up to
Discovery?s crew from Mission Control.
?Thank you Shannon,? replied Garan, as he thanks his wife Carmel and three boys for the
wake up music. ?It?s another beautiful day in space.?
The astronauts are scheduled to install a backup system for Kibo's robotic arm, take a few hours off, speak with reporters on Earth at about 2:10 p.m. EDT (1810 GMT) and shut the hatches between the station and shuttle at 3:57 p.m. EDT (1957 GMT).
Today is Flight Day 11 of Discovery?s planned 14-day mission to the space station.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Astronauts
Reopen Station?s Kibo Attic
9 June 2008 4:26 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide reopened the storage
room atop the Kibo laboratory aboard the International Space
Station as he and crewmates continue their STS-124 mission.
The module was moved from a temporary perch atop the station?s hub-like Harmony node on a 30-foot (9-meter) trek to Kibo?s rooftop on Friday during a brief robotic arm trip.
At about 5:02 p.m. EDT (2102 GMT)
today, all 10 astronauts will speak with reporters on Earth to discus their
mission.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Astronauts
Upgrade Spacesuit Battery Chargers
9 June 2008 1:36 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Shuttle Discovery astronauts are hard at work on a four-hour upgrade
of the International Space Station?s U.S. spacesuit battery chargers to install
less toxic equipment in the critical devices.
Shuttle commander Mark Kelly and
mission specialist Mike Fossum are installing the new
chargers inside the station?s U.S. Quest airlock. Earlier today, their
crewmates successfully tested
the station?s new Japanese robotic arm.
Later this afternoon, the
spaceflyers are slated to reopen the station?s Kibo lab
storage room, a squat 14-foot (4-meter) cylinder that was moved to the roof of the
Kibo
lab itself last Friday.
At about 5:02 p.m. EDT (2102 GMT)
today, all 10 astronauts will speak with reporters on Earth to discus their
mission.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Space Station
Stretches Japanese Robotic Arm
9 June 2008 9:14 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? The International Space Station?s newest
robotic arm has successfully been outstretched to nearly its full 33-foot
(10-meter) length.
?It was such a pretty view,? said
Japanese Akihiko Hoshide, who is flying the arm alongside crewmate
Karen Nyberg and Gregory Chamitoff of NASA.
The Japanese arm sits at the end of
the station?s new laboratory Kibo and is designed to move experiments
on an external platform that is slated to launch later next year. Kibo
is equipped with a small outboard facing airlock to pass experiments out to the
exposed facility. ?
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Astronauts
Awake for Robotic Arm Test Day
9 June 2008 6:22 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Astronauts aboard NASA?s space shuttle Discovery are up and working
as they prepare to put the International Space Station?s newest robotic arm through
its paces today.
NASA?s Mission Control here at the
Johnson Space Center roused the crew at 5:02 a.m. EDT (0902 GMT) with the
Spirit of Aggieland,
the alma mater of Texas A & M University where Discovery STS-124 mission
specialist Mike Fossum attended.
?Good morning Discovery, and a
special good morning to you Mike,? NASA astronaut Shannon Lucid radioed up from
Mission Control.
?Good morning Shannon, the spirit of
an Aggie knows that?s the ?Spirit of Aggieland,?? said Fossum.
?Thanks to my Aggie wife this morning for that wake up music. It shows my Aggie
pride to the hundreds of thousands of Aggies on campus and around the world.
It?s going to be a great day.?
Today is Flight Day 10 of
Discovery?s 14-day mission to the space for a look at station.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Shuttle
Mission?s Last Spacewalk Concludes at ISS
8 June 2008 4:37 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Discovery shuttle astronauts Mike Fossum and
Ron Garan
are repressurizing
the Quest airlock aboard the International Space Station, officially ending today?s
spacewalk outside the orbital lab.
The spacewalk began at 9:55 a.m. EDT
(1355 GMT) and ended at 4:28 p.m. EDT (2028 GMT).
Total spacewalking time: 6 hours, 33
minutes.
The spacewalk marked the sixth
career excursion for Fossum and the third for Garan.
It was the third and last planned spacewalk of Discovery?s STS-124 mission.
A wrap up of today?s orbital work
will be posted to the SPACE.com homepage shortly.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers
Return to Station Airlock
8 June 2008 4:26 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? As
they prepare to end today?s third spacewalk outside the International Space
Station, spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan
are back inside the outpost?s Quest airlock after a successful day of orbital
work.
The spacewalk began at 9:55 a.m. EDT
(1355 GMT) with the astronauts completing all of their main chores plus a few
extra ones.? ?
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalk
Passes Six-Hour Mark Outside ISS
8 June 2008 4:00 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan
are preparing to wrap up their orbital work as they pass the six-hour mark
outside the International
Space Station. ?
Today?s spacewalk began at 9:55 a.m.
EDT (1355 GMT) and is slated to run about 6 1/2 hours.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers
Move on to Extra Chores
8 June 2008 3:23 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan
have completed all of their primary tasks and are now moving on to more extra chores outside the
International Space Station.
Fossum in installing extra insulation covers
on one of the station?s modules while Garan is headed starboard to the
station?s right side solar alpha rotary joint to remove a set of launch
restraints.
Today?s spacewalk began at 9:55 a.m.
EDT (1355 GMT) and is slated to run about 6 1/2 hours.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers
Tackle Camera Tasks
8 June 2008 2:51 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? With their major
chores complete, spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan
are moving ahead with video camera tasks outside the International Space
Station.
Fossum has tightened down a loose camera
outside the station?s new Kibo lab, while Garan
is reattaching a camera that was repaired inside the station in recent days.
Today?s spacewalk is nearing the
five-hour mark and began on 9:55 a.m. EDT (1355 GMT) today. The spacewalk is
slated to run about 6 1/2 hours.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers
Deploy Japanese Lab?s Debris Shields
8 June 2008 2:26 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalker
Mike Fossum has successful deployed a set of
metal shields to ward off damage from orbital debris and tiny space rocks at
the attachment point between the International Space Station?s new Japanese Kibo lab and its storage attic.
?The debris shields are deployed,? Fossum said.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers
Work on Japanese Lab
8 June 2008 1:42 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers Mike Fossum is working to remove thermal
covers from the end of the station?s Japanese Kibo
lab?s robotic arm while his
partner Ron Garan is hooking up fluid lines for the
outpost?s new nitrogen tank.
Today?s spacewalk
has passed is nearing the four-hour mark and began at 9:55 a.m. EDT (1355 GMT).
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers
Finish First Tasks Outside Station
8 June 2008 1:09 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan
have completed their initial
tasks for today?s spacewalk outside the International Space Station:
installing a new nitrogen gas tank and inspecting a healthy port-side solar
array gear.
Fossum is moving ahead
now to some outfitting tasks at the end of the station?s new tour bus-sized Kibo laboratory, where Garan will
join him soon to remove thermal covers and restraints from its robotic arm and
one of two windows.
Garan also planned to
prepare a repaired video camera for reinstallation on the station?s main truss
later today.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers
Inspect Gear, Hook Up New Pressure Tank
8 June 2008 12:34 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalker Mike Fossum has successfully inspected
the port side solar array gear of the International Space Station and used
orange Kapton tape to take two samples of a dust-like deposit on
its surface.
He also reported
seeing the same grease material as he did during a Thursday spacewalk. The port
side gear is working fine, but engineers wanted Fossum to take another
look and collect samples in the hope of better understanding damage to the
station?s starboard gear.
Meanwhile, Garan is on the
station?s starboard side, where he is hooking up a series of power, data and
other cables to tie a new
nitrogen pressure tank into the outpost?s cooling system.
Today?s spacewalk
is nearing the three-hour mark and began at 9:55 a.m. EDT (1355 GMT).
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers
to Install New Tank, Inspect Gear
8 June 2008 12:11 p.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers Ron Garan and Mike Fossum have passed the two-hour mark of
their spacewalk outside the International Space Station today as they work to
install a new nitrogen tank.
Garan has returned to
his original worksite on the station?s starboard side truss to install the new
pressure tank.
Fossum, meanwhile, is
tackling an extra task: the inspection of the station?s port side solar array
rotary gear, a 10-foot (3-meter) wide joint that rotates the left solar wings
like a paddlewheel to track the sun.
Fossum spotted
unexpected grease and gray dust on the gear during a Thursday spacewalk. While
not thought to pose a problem, engineers want him to collect samples of the
dust and take more photos of the area.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers
Retrieve New Station Pressure Tank
8 June 2008 11:43 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalker Ron Garan has now plucked the new nitrogen
tank free from its storage point and will now tote the 528 pounds (239 kg) vessel
back to the starboard side of the station.
?I think I?m ready
to go,? Garan said. ?I?m ready
when you are.?
Unlike the last pass, which was conducted in night, Garan will return to the tank installation site in full daylight.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalker
Retrieves Empty Pressure Tank
8 June 2008 11:14 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalker Ron Garan has retrieved an empty nitrogen gas
tank serving the outpost?s cooling system, a refrigerator-sized unit weighing
about 528 pounds (239 kg).
?Light as a
feather, huh,? said his spacewalking partner Mike Fossum as Garan plucked the tank
free.
Garan is standing at
the tip of an extension of the space station?s already 57-foot (17-meter) long
robotic arm. NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg will fly him in a ?windshield wiper
maneuver? from the tank?s starboard location to a spare parts platform on the
opposite side of the space station to pick up the spare.
?Enjoy the ride,? Nyberg
said.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers
Tackle Cooling System Tank Swap
8 June 2008 10:59 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan are tackling the first major task
of their work outside the International Space Station (ISS) today: the
replacement of an empty nitrogen gas tank serving the outpost?s cooling system.
Garan is perched at the
tip of the space station?s 57-foot (17-meter) Canadarm2
robotic arm, where he is removing a series of four bolts to free the empty
tank. He is on the starboard side of the station?s main truss.
Fossum, meanwhile, is
Today?s spacewalk
began at 9:55 a.m. EDT (1355 GMT) and is slated to run about 6 1/2 hours.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Spacewalkers
Exit Station Airlock
8 June 2008 10:11 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalker Ron Garan has floated outside the Quest
airlock and is now taking tools from his partner Mike Fossum as they prepare the equipment they
will use during today?s
spacewalk outside the International Space Station.
After Fossum passes all the
tools outside the airlock to Garan, they will set up
a foot restraint and then begin their first major task,
the replacement of an empty nitrogen gas tank in the station?s cooling system.
Today?s spacewalk
began at 9:55 a.m. EDT (1355 GMT) and is slated to run about 6 1/2 hours.
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.
-- Tariq Malik
Third
Spacewalk Begins at Space Station
8 June 2008 9:57 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan have opened the outer hatch of the
Quest airlock aboard the International Space Station and switched their NASA
spacesuits to battery power, officially beginning today?s
spacewalk.
The spacewalk began at 9:55 a.m. EDT (1355
GMT), 37 minutes early, as the space station and the docked shuttle Discovery
flew over the Southern Pacific Ocean on nightside of
Earth. ?
Click here for a look at today?s work for the shuttle?s STS-124 crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s mission live on NASA











