STS-126 Mission Updates: Part 1

Shuttle Astronauts Set for Reboost, Hour Off
21 November 2008 10:33 a.m. EST

Astronauts aboard NASA?s space shuttle Endeavour are back to work today hauling new supplies into the International Space Station and tackling glitches with the space station?s new Water Recovery System that turns urine into water.

The urine processor was activated for about 2 hours this morning before it shut itself down following other glitches late Thursday. Meanwhile, Endeavour?s crew is due to take about an hour off today and fire their spacecraft?s engine to boost the space station into a higher orbit.

Look for the space station reboost to take place at about 12:10 p.m. EST (1710 GMT) and astronauts to speak with reporters around 3:05 p.m. EST (2005 GMT).

Mission Control roused the astronauts at 9:05 a.m. EST (1405 GMT) with a song for lead spacewalker Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper called ?Unharness Your Horses.?

?I?d like to thank my family and all of my friends for that lively song for waking up to get us ready for another fun day in orbit today,? Stefanyshyn-Piper said.

Today is Flight Day 8 of Endeavour?s planned 15-day mission to the space station.

Click here for a look at today?s work outside the space station.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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

Second Spacewalk Concludes for Endeavour Crew
20 November 2008 7:52 p.m. EST

Endeavour astronauts Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough have begun repressurizing the Quest airlock aboard the International Space Station, officially ending today?s spacewalk.

Total spacewalking time: 6 hours, 45 minutes

The astronauts began the spacewalk at 12:58 p.m. EST (1758 GMT). During the work, they moved a pair of equipment carts and lubricated the station?s Canadian-built robotic arm. They inspected a blemished cable and continued the arduous cleaning and lubricating of the space station?s balky solar array gear.

A wrap up of today?s spacwalk will be posted to SPACE.com?s homepage shortly.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Heads Back to Station Airlock
20 November 2008 7:33 p.m. EST

Spacewalker Shane Kimbrough is returning to the airlock aboard the International Space Station before crewmate Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper due to rising levels of carbon dioxide in his spacesuit. Kimbrough?s levels were higher than Stefanyshyn-Piper, so Mission Control ordered him back to the station?s Quest airlock.

Stefanyshyn-Piper is also now headed back to the airlock as they spacewalkers prepare to conclude today?s work outside the station.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Wrapping Up Spacewalk
20 November 2008 7:14 p.m. EST

Spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are wrapping up their work outside the International Space Station after more than six hours of tune-up work on the orbiting laboratory. They?re gathering their tools before heading back to the station?s Quest airlock.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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

Station Gear Clean Up Spacewalk Continues
20 November 2008 6:04 p.m. EST

Spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough have passed the five-hour mark of today?s planned 6 1/2-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station.

They?re continuing work to clean up and lubricate a 10-foot (3-meter) wide gear that turns the space station?s starboard solar arrays.

?You guys are doing super work out there,? their crewmates aboard Endeavour said.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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

Station Gear Clean Up Goes Well in Spacewalk
20 November 2008 5:18 p.m. EST

Spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are working steadily through their work to clean and lubricate massive gear outside the International Space Station. Their working on the far right side of the station, where they?re using oven mitt-like wet wipes, scrapers and a space grease called Braycote to clean up the 10-foot (3-meter) wide gear.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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

Station Gear Clean Up Goes Well in Spacewalk
20 November 2008 5:18 p.m. EST

Spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are working steadily through their work to clean and lubricate massive gear outside the International Space Station. Their working on the far right side of the station, where they?re using oven mitt-like wet wipes, scrapers and a space grease called Braycote to clean up the 10-foot (3-meter) wide gear.

Today?s began at 12:58 p.m. EST (1758 GMT) and is expected to last at least 6 1/2 hours.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Finishes Station Arm Tune-Up
20 November 2008 4:32 p.m. EST

Spacewalker Shane Kimbrough has finished tuning up the International Space Station?s Canadarm2 robotic arm, where he added a bit of lubrication to ensure it can grapple things properly.

He?s heading over to help crewmate Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper? clean and lubricate a damaged gear that turns the space station?s starboard solar arrays. The work is going smoothly, and has not been held up by the loss of a vital tool bag during a Tuesday spacewalk.

Today?s spacewalk is nearing the 4-hour mark. It began at 12:58 p.m. EST (1758 GMT).

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Continue Station Gear Cleaning
20 November 2008 3:30 p.m. EST

Spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are resuming work to clean and lubricate a damaged gear that turns the space station?s starboard solar arrays.

Stefanyshyn-Piper is picking up where she left off during a Tuesday spacewalk to clean metal shavings out of the gear and lay down a new layer of grease to ease its ability to turn. Kimbrough is adding grease to the end of the space station?s robotic arm. After that, he?ll join Stefanyshyn-Piper on the solar array gear.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 to Tune-Up Space Station Arm
20 November 2008 3:02 p.m. EST

After moving a pair of equipment carts outside the International Space Station, spacewalker Shane Kimbrough will now give the orbiting laboratory?s Canadian-built robotic arm a tune-up of sorts.

He?ll use some space grease to lubricate the sensitive snare at the tip of the arm, which is used to grapple station components, the outpost?s hull and eventually grab spacecraft and guide them to open docking ports. Fellow spacewalker Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper is beginning work to clean and lubricate the station?s balky starboard solar array gear.

Today?s spacewalk began at 12:58 p.m. EST (1758 GMT) and has passed the two-hour mark. It is slated to run at least 6 1/2 hours.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Space Station Pushcarts
20 November 2008 2:07 p.m. EST

Spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are moving a pair of equipment carts from the right side of the International Space Station?s railcar-like Mobile Transporter to its left, or port, side.

The move is needed to prepare the station for a planned February shuttle mission that will deliver new solar arrays for the starboard side. In order to install the new solar wings, the railcar needs a clear path to the rightmost edge of the orbital lab.

The work is going smoothly, with the astronauts working about 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

Today?s spacewalk began at 12:58 p.m. EST (1758 GMT) on the 10th birthday of the International Space Station.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 First Tasks Outside Station
20 November 2008 1:34 p.m. EST

Spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are hard at work outside the International Space Station, where they?re gear up to move two pushcarts on the outpost?s backbone-like main truss.

Stefanyshyn-Piper inspected an odd blemish on a cable that transfers power and data to and from the station?s railcar-like Mobile Transporter.

?It looks like a black mark,? she told Mission Control, which had spotted the blemish before and wanted to know what it was.

Kimbrough, meanwhile, is getting ready to climb aboard the station?s Canadarm2 robotic arm, which is being flown by astronauts Sandra Magnus and Don Pettit inside the orbiting laboratory. Shuttle Endeavour pilot Eric Boe is choreographing today?s spacewalk from inside the orbiter.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Begin Second Spacewalk at ISS
20 November 2008 1:15 p.m. EST

Astronauts Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough have begun today?s spacewalk outside the International Space Station almost an hour early and are hard at work preparing the tools they?ll use for their excursion.

The two spacewalkers floated outside the station?s Quest airlock at 12:58 p.m. EST (1758 GMT), 49 minute minutes earlier than planned.

The spacewalk is the fourth for Stefanyshyn-Piper, who can be identified by the red stripe on her NASA spacesuit and the number 16 in helmet camera views here on NASA TV.

It is the first spacewalk for Kimbrough, who bears a dashed stripe on his spacesuit and the number 18 on his helmet cam views.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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

Second Spacewalk to Start Early at Space Station
20 November 2008 12:52 p.m. EST

Endeavour shuttle astronauts Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are preparing to begin today?s spacewalk outside the International Space Station earlier than planned, thanks to some speedy work to prepare for the excursion.

The astronauts are set to switch their spacesuits to internal battery power to begin the spacewalk. It was initially slated to start at 1:45 p.m. EST (1845 GMT).

Today?s spacewalk is the second of four planned for Endeavour?s crew. Astronaut will continue the complicated cleaning and lubrication of the station?s balky starboard solar array joint and perform other space station maintenance.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Suit Up for Second Station Spacewalk
20 November 2008 10:58 a.m. EST

Endeavour shuttle astronauts Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough are donning their NASA-issue spacesuits for today?s spacewalk outside the International Space Station on what is the 10th birthday of the orbital outpost.

Stefanyshyn-Piper is clad in a white spacesuit with red stripes, while Kimbrough is donning a white spacesuit with dashed red stripes. Today?s spacewalk is the 116th spacewalk outside the space station and the fourth career spacewalk for Stefanyshyn-Piper. It is Kimbrough?s first spacewalk.

Click here for a look at the space station?s 10th birthday and today?s spacewalk activities.

Today is Flight Day 7 of Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the space station. The astronauts awoke to the song ?Summertime? performed by the band Bandelero for mission specialist Don Pettit.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Add New Bedrooms to Space Station
19 November 2008 12:12 p.m. EST

Astronauts are adding new bedrooms to the International Space Station to help prepare the outpost for larger crews next year.

A portside astronaut sleeping chamber is being installed inside the station right now, with a starboard one to be added later today. The two new bedrooms, each with the interior space of a large refrigerator or closet, are part of the extreme makeover under way at the station by space shuttle Endeavour astronauts.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Wake to False Smoke Alarm
19 November 2008 9:22 a.m. EST

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station and shuttle Endeavour are wide awake, if they weren?t before, after a false smoke alarm set off an alert inside the station?s Russian service module.

?Yeah, we had a nice wake up call,? station commander Michael Fincke told Mission Control.

The smoke alarm came just after Mission Control woke Endeavour?s shuttle crew for a day of orbital plumbing work inside the space station. Station flight engineer Yury Lonchakov conferred with Russia?s Mission Control in Korolev, just outside Moscow to confirm it was a false alarm.

?I checked everything for smoke, no smoke,? he said.

NASA Mission Control roused Endeavour?s crew at 8:55 a.m. EST (1355 GMT) with the song ?Fanfare for the Common Man? by Aaron Copeland. The tune was selected for shuttle pilot Eric Boe, who thanked his family for the song.

?We?re ready to continue making extreme home improvements,? Boe said.

Today is Flight Day 6 of Endeavour?s planned 15-day mission to the International Space Station.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Endeavour?s Heat Shield Gets Clean Bill of Health
19 November 2008 12:02 a.m. EST

The vital heat shield on NASA?s space shuttle Endeavour is clear of any concerns for its planned landing later this month, Mission Control radioed the orbiter?s seven-astronaut crew. Analysts have reviewed photos and data from two inspections of Endeavour?s hull and found no areas of concern.

The news, while expected, received a glowing review from Endeavour skipper Chris Ferguson:

?That is absolutely fantastic news,? Ferguson told NASA?s shuttle Mission Control in Houston. ?I know it weighs on all of us a little bit until the final word comes but that is just very welcome news. I think we?ll all rest a little bit easier tonight.?

Endeavour astronauts will still perform the now standard late inspection of Endeavour?s heat shield to hunt for new damage caused after the previous two surveys. NASA has kept close watch on shuttle heat shield health since wing damage led to the loss of the shuttle Columbia and its astronaut crew in 2003.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Unpack Space Station?s New Bathroom
18 November 2008 9:10 p.m. EST

The International Space Station?s new space commode has been moved into the orbiting laboratory as astronauts continue to unpack new gear from a cargo pod delivered by the visiting shuttle Endeavour.

While other astronauts toiled outside the space station today, crewmembers inside also unpacked a science research rack, second kitchen and a recycling system that turns urine and condensed sweat into drinkable water.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Crew?s First Spacewalk Ends at Station
18 November 2008 8:16 p.m. EST

The first spacewalk of NASA?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station is over as spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen have begun repressurizing the outpost?s Quest airlock. The spacewalk ended at 8:01 p.m. EST (0101 Nov. 19 GMT).

Total spacewalking time: 6 hours, 52 minutes.

The spacewalkers cleaned and lubricated part of a massive space station gear, retrieved an empty nitrogen tank installed a spare part for the station?s cooling system and performed other maintenance.

They also lost an equipment bag that drifted off into space while Stefanyshyn-Piper was cleaning up a grease gun leak.

?In spite of our little hiccup, one major hiccup there, I think we did a pretty good job today,? Stefanyshyn-Piper said at the end.

?You were all champs,? spacecraft communicator Mark Vander Hei added. ?You rolled with the punches and made it all happen.?

A wrap up of today?s spacewalk will be posted to the SPACE.com homepage shortly.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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
18 November 2008 7:57 p.m. EST

With all their main tasks complete, spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen have returned to Quest airlock outside the International Space Station and are preparing to wrap up their orbital work.

Click here for an overview of the spacewalks for Endeavour?s planned 15-day mission to the space station.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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 Wrap Up Station Gear Work
18 November 2008 7:36 p.m. EST

Spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen are wrapping up their work for the day to clean and lubricate a balky solar array gear outside the International Space Station.

Their spacewalk began at 1:09 p.m. EST (1809 GMT) and was slated to run about 6 1/2 hours. The two spacewalkers are replacing covers on the space station?s starboard solar array rotary joint, a 10-foot (3-meter) wide gear designed to rotate outboard solar wings to track the sun.

They have two more covers to install and they?ll be finished will all their tasks for today?s spacewalk.

Click here for an overview of the spacewalks for Endeavour?s planned 15-day mission to the space station.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station 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

Station Gear Clean Up Goes Well in Spacewalk
18 November 2008 6:49 p.m. EST

Aside from a lost tool bag and exploded grease gun, today?s first foray into cleaning and greasing a massive solar array gear outside the International Space Station by spacewalkers Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen has gone well.

As the spacewalk nears the six-hour mark, Bowen has completed his gear cleaning work and is packing up his tools. Stefanyshyn-Piper, meanwhile, is continuing her clean up work on a different part of the gear.

Today?s spacewalk began at 1:09 p.m. EST (1809 GMT) and was slated to run about 6 1/2 hours.

Inside the space station, astronauts have unpacked the outpost?s new water recycling system and kitchen much earlier than planned and are getting a jump on other work initially slated for tomorrow.

Click here for an overview of the spacewalks for Endeavour?s planned 15-day mission to the space station.

NASA is broadcasting Endeavour?s STS-126 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed <