STS-129 Mission Updates: Part 1

Shuttle Astronauts Say Goodbye to Space Station
24 November 2009 12:49 p.m. EST

With hugs and farewells all around, the seven astronauts set to depart on the shuttle Atlantis Wednesday said goodbye to the five remaining spaceflyers on the International Space Station. The astronauts are now closing the hatches between the two spacecraft.

Before giving the shuttle crew the okay to go ahead, Mission Control wanted to make sure they had transferred over their last piece of cargo ? item 914, A.K.A. astronaut Nicole Stott, who is joining the shuttle crew for the ride home on Atlantis. As a joke, the crew taped a "914" sign to her back to make sure not to forget her.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Command of Space Station Changes Over
24 November 2009 10:13 a.m. EST

Space station Expedition 21 commander Frank DeWinne of Belgium officially handed over command to NASA astronaut Jeff Williams.

"It has been an honor, a pleasure, and a privilege to be able to work with this exceptional crew," DeWinne said. "As the first European commander, it has been a great honor to be able to fulfill this role."

The astronauts decided to hold the ceremony today, rather than wait until DeWinne departs from the station next week, as is usual, because they wanted to include Expedition 21 flight engineer Nicole Stott, who is due to ride home to Earth with the STS-129 crew aboard Atlantis.

Click here for a preview of today's activities in space.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Wake to Marine Corps Music
24 November 2009 5:29 a.m. EST

The seven STS-129 crewmembers awoke early this morning for their last day docked at the International Space Station. The spaceflyers were roused by the "The Marine Corps Hymn," performed by the Marine Corps Band. The song was played especially for commander Charlie Hobaugh.

Click here for a preview of today's activities in space.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Complete Third Spacewalk
23 November 2009 2:06 p.m. EST

Spacewalkers Satcher and Bresnik are back inside the station, and have closed and locked the hatch, wrapping up the mission's third and final spacewalk. Bresnik took time to thank his wife Rebecca for giving birth to the couple's first daughter Saturday.

"I got to see my little girl for the first time yesterday," Bresnik said at the end of his spacewalk. "Thank you to my wonderful wife for bringer her into the world. That is the most beautiful thing I've seen since I left Earth."

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Head Back to the Airlock
23 November 2009 1:47 p.m. EST

Satcher and Bresnik have taken some final snapshots in space and have been told to head back to the Quest airlock to wrap up their spacewalk.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

All Primary Spacewalk Tasks Completed
23 November 2009 1:26 p.m. EST

The two spacewalkers have finished all their primary spacewalk tasks and are doing some final work before getting ready to head back into the space station to wrap up the mission's third spacewalk.

The astronauts are trying to account for a small object that appeared to float away from Satcher's workstation earlier, though they think it is likely just a small wire tie and poses no major problem.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Work on Station Maintenance Chores
23 November 2009 12:48 p.m. EST

The spacewalkers are continuing to run ahead of schedule. Randy Bresnkik is now working on attaching insulating covers to cameras on the station's robotic arm. Bobby Satcher is doing some chores outside the Express Logistics Carrier 1, a large cargo platform the shuttle Altantis delivered to the station last week.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Move to Complete Separate Tasks
23 November 2009 12:08 p.m. EST

Satcher and Bresnik are parting company to work on separate chores. Satcher will release a bolt on an ammonia tank assembly to prepare for a future spacewalk to install a replacement tank.

Meanwhile Bresnik will install some equipment on the station's truss railing.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Tie Down Orbital Debris Shields
23 November 2009 11:42 a.m. EST

The astronauts have almost completed the job of tying down some micrometeoroid and orbital debris shields on top of an external cargo stowage platform. The shields will protect the cargo from being hurt by small pieces of trash or rock orbiting in space.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Running Ahead of Schedule
23 November 2009 11:20 a.m. EST

The spacewalkers have almost finished their work at the oxygen tank, and are breezing through their major tasks for the day. They are currently running about 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Add Massive Gas Tank to Station
23 November 2009 10:58 a.m. EST

Spacewalkers Randy Bresnik and Robert Satcher are finishing up attaching a huge pressurized oxygen gas tank near the space station's Quest Airlock. The station's robotic arm just released its hold on the tank. Satcher is now taking pictures of the work being done.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Attach New Science Experiment
23 November 2009 10:27 a.m. EST

Spacewalker Randy Bresnik has successfully installed a new experiment ? the seventh Materials International Space Station Experiment, or MISSE 7, on the space station.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Work to Install New Equipment
23 November 2009 10:07 a.m. EST

While an oxygen gas tank is being transported via robotic arm to its destination near the Quest airlock, Satcher is already in place helping to pave the way for its installation there.

Meanwhile Bresnik is still working to deploy two experiment boxes on the Express Logistics Carrier 2, a cargo platform that Atlantis delivered to the station last week.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Transfer Gas Tank to Robotic Arm
23 November 2009 9:37 a.m. EST

Satcher and Bresnik have successfully transferred the new oxygen tank to the space station's robotic arm, which is being operated by mission specialist Leland Melvin from inside the station. Melvin will now move the tank to its permanent home on the station.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronaut Carries New Experiment to Station Truss
23 November 2009 9:21 a.m. EST

Spacewalker Randy Bresnik has strapped two boxes of a science experiment onto his back to carry them to their new home on the International Space Station.

"Hey, Wyatt, I look just like Spiderman," Bresnik called, addressing his young son, Wyatt, at home in Houston with Bresnik's wife Rebecca and their new baby daughter, Abigail, who was born Saturday after Bresnik completed his first career spacewalk.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Work to Install New Experiment
23 November 2009 8:55 a.m. EST

Bresnik is working now to install the seventh Materials International Space Station Experiment, or MISSE 7, on the space station.

Meanwhile, Satcher has moved over to a cargo pallet attached to the station's truss, where an oxygen gas tank is attached. He and Bresnik plan to transfer the tank to a spot near the Quest airlock where the spacewalkers recently exited the station.

Click here for a preview of today's spacewalk.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Exit Space Station Hatch
23 November 2009 8:39 a.m. EST

Spacewalkers Randy Bresnik and Robert Satcher have stepped out of the station's Quest Airlock Hatch and moved into space to begin today's spacewalk.

The astronauts' first major task of the day will be to install a new oxygen gas tank on the station.

Click here for a preview of today's spacewalk.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalk Officially Begins!
23 November 2009 8:24 a.m. EST

STS-129 mission specialists Randy Bresnik and Robert Satcher have opened the hatch on the International Space Station and switched their spacesuits to battery power, officially beginning the mission's third spacewalk.

Bresnik and Satcher plan to install a new oxygen gas tank, a materials experiment and complete other tasks.

Click here for a preview of today's spacewalk.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Begin Depressurizing Airlock
23 November 2009 7:55 a.m. EST

Astronauts have begun to depressurize the Quest airlock on the International Space Station to prepare for Randy Bresnik and Robert Satcher to open the hatch and step out into space for their mission's third spacewalk.

The outing is set to begin today at 8:18 a.m. EST (1318 GMT).

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Prepare to Begin Spacewalk
23 November 2009 7:13 a.m. EST

Mission specialists Randy Bresnik and Robert Satcher are proceeding smoothly with preparations to begin today's spacewalk, the third planned for their docked STS-129 mission at the space station.

The two spacewalkers are still about an hour behind schedule after taking time off to fix an issue with the drink bag in Satcher's suit. Since then, preparations have been on track. They plan to switch their suits to battery power and officially begin the spacewalk today at 8:18 a.m. EST (1318 GMT).

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacesuit Problem Repaired
23 November 2009 6:44 a.m. EST

Astronauts have successfully repaired the problem on Bobby Satcher's spacesuit by replacing the loose valve on his drink bag. He should be all set to proceed with suiting up and checking the pressurized suit for leaks, though the work has put the astronauts behind schedule. They may be able to make some of the time up, though.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacesuit Issue Delays Spacewalk Today
23 November 2009 6:35 a.m. EST

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are helping Bobby Satcher and Randy Bresnik don their pressurized spacesuits for a planned spacewalk today. However, the astronauts ran into an issue with the drink bag in Satcher's suit, which allows him to drink water during the spacewalk. The valve attached to it came loose and they are working to replace it.

This minor glitch should be fixable, but has delayed the planned start time of today's spacewalk to 8:18 a.m. EST (1318 GMT), an hour later than planned.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Suit Up for Spacewalk
23 November 2009 6:21 a.m. EST

Astronauts Randy Bresnik and Robert "Bobby" Satcher are suiting up for their mission's third spacewalk, set to begin at 7:18 a.m. EST (1218 GMT).

The spaceflyers are having some trouble with a drink valve on Satcher's suit, which may set them back on the timeline.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts to Take Time Off, Celebrate Baby?s Birth
22 November 2009 8:03 a.m. EST

Astronauts aboard the linked shuttle Atlantis and International Space Station have some much-deserved time off on their schedule today, with one of them ? spaceflyer Randy Bresnik ? reveling in the birth of his baby daughter Abigail Mae.

Click here for the full story on Bresnik?s daughter.

Mission Control roused the crew early Sunday with the song ?Butterfly Kisses? by Bob Carlisle, a tune about a father and daughter beamed to Bresnik at the request of his wife Rebecca.

-- Tariq Malik

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronaut Still Awaits News of Baby Daughter's Birth
21 November 2009 5:12 p.m. EST

Astronaut Randy Bresnik, who completed his first spacewalk today, has been expecting any minute to hear about the birth of a baby to his wife Rebecca, who was induced into labor Friday. NASA said there is still no word, but that everyone is eagerly awaiting good news.

"The Bresnik launch countdown clock has got some unpredictable and variable holds in it," said lead flight director Brian Smith during a briefing. "We certainly wish them all the best and hope that soon their baby is born."

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Close Hatch to Complete Spacewalk
21 November 2009 3:33 p.m. EST

Both Mike Foreman and Randy Bresnik have come back inside the space station's Quest airlock and closed the hatch behind them, capping of this second STS-129 spacewalk.

The outing lasted about six hours, and the spacewalkers completed all the tasks on the checklist, plus some get-ahead work.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Foreman Back Inside the Airlock
21 November 2009 3:18 p.m. EST

Spacewalker Mike Foreman has completed his excursion outside the space station and come back inside the Quest Airlock. His crewmate Randy Bresnik (who's call sign is "Comrade") is on his way.

"Come on in, Comrade, water's fine," Foreman called.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Head Back Inside
21 November 2009 3:00 p.m. EST

The two astronauts outside the International Space Station are headed back inside the spacecraft after spending about six hours on a spacewalk. Mission specialists Mike Foreman and Randy Bresnik completed all the tasks scheduled for them ahead of their timeline, and even had time to take on some extra work.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Install Second Cargo Fixture
21 November 2009 2:07 p.m. EST

The two astronauts outside the International Space Station have completed their installation of a second system to attach cargo to the station's railing. This task was a get-ahead job that was originally planned to be undertaken during the mission's third spacewalk on Monday. The astronauts breezed through the job, though.

"This is the STS-129 contribution to the station," said mission specialist Robert "Bobby" Satcher from inside the orbiting laboratory.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts to Tackle Another Cargo Fixture Attachment
21 November 2009 1:21 p.m. EST

Spacewalkers Mike Foreman and Randy Bresnik did so well installing a first empty cargo platform on the space station that Mission Controllers decided to have them tackle another, since they are running far ahead of schedule.

The idea to complete another cargo pallet attachment was shuttle commander Charlie Hobaugh's.

"Great work, you and Comrade both," Hobaugh told Foreman, referring to Bresnik by his call sign. "Way to kick butt."

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Finish Attaching a New Cargo Platform
21 November 2009 1:01 p.m. EST

Astronauts Mike Foreman and Randy Bresnik have successfully installed an empty cargo platform on the space station meant to hold spare parts to be delivered on future shuttle missions.

The spacewalkers are continuing to run about an hour ahead of schedule, so Mission Control is considering assigning them some "get-ahead" tasks to tack on to the end of their excursion.

"They're really kicking butt on the timeline here," said STS-129 commander Charlie Hobaugh from inside the station. He asked the two spacewalkers if they'd be up for another job nearby their position on the station's S3 truss, and they said they were good to go.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Installing a Cargo Holder on the Station
21 November 2009 12:19 p.m. EST

Foreman and Bresnik have moved on to the S3 segment of the truss, where they are working to install a new cargo attachment system to the station where future crews can store spare parts.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Successfully Move Antenna Box
21 November 2009 11:37 a.m. EST

The spacewalkers have successfully moved an antenna box, called the Floating Potential Measurement Unit, from the starboard to port side of the space station's metal truss frame. They are still moving a bit ahead of schedule and Mission Control is considering adding some get-ahead tasks for the astronauts to work on if they finish their scheduled jobs early.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Relocate Station Part
21 November 2009 11:02 a.m. EST

Bresnik and Foreman have completed their work at the Columbus lab and have moved over to the station's S-1 backbone-like truss, where they will move a box from the starboard to port side to make way for future equipment to be added.

The spacewalk is going smoothly, though Foreman has been having some trouble hearing Mission Control clearly through his communication system. So far they have been able to work around the issue, though.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Ahead of Schedule on Spacewalk
21 November 2009 10:36 a.m. EST

The two astronauts conducting a spacewalk outside the International Space Station today are moving about 40 minutes ahead of schedule and have accomplished all their tasks so far with no issues.

Mission specialist Mike Foreman is attaching cables and routing power wires, while Randy Bresnik works to secure a new antenna to the Columbus laboratory.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Work At Columbus Laboratory
21 November 2009 10:18 a.m. EST

Spacewalkers Randy Bresnik and Mike Foreman have moved over to the station's European Columbus laboratory to work at installing a new set of antennas there.

The spacewalk is progressing smoothly so far, and the spacewalkers are even running a bit ahead of schedule.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Gather New Equipment
21 November 2009 10:04 a.m. EST

Spacewalkers Randy Bresnik and Mike Foreman are at the shuttle Atlantis' payload bay collecting new equipment from a tool box there that they plan to install on the International Space Station.

Bresnik, who is making his first career spacewalk, admired the view from outside the spacecraft.

"Other than seeing my wife for the first time, I don?t think I've ever seen a more beautiful sight," he said.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Exit Space Station
21 November 2009 9:48 a.m. EST

Spacewalkers Randy Bresnik and Mike Foreman have stepped out of the International Space Station on the second spacewalk planned for their STS-129 mission.

This is Bresnik's very first spacewalk, and the first of two he plans to undertake on this trip. In another first for the day, his wife Rebecca is set to give birth to their first daughter today.

Click here for a look at today?s spacewalk.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Begin Second Spacewalk
21 November 2009 9:33 a.m. EST

Mission Specialists Randy Bresnik and Mike Foreman switched their spacesuits onto battery power, officially beginning the second spacewalk of their STS-129 mission.

The spaceflyers plan to spend about six hours outside of the International Space Station to install new video antennas and other equipment.

Click here for a look at today?s spacewalk. Today is Flight Day 6 of Atlantis? 11-day STS-129 mission to the space station.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Depressurize Airlock for Spacewalk
21 November 2009 9:03 a.m. EST

Astronauts Randy Bresnik and Mike Foreman are depressurizing the space station's Quest airlock in preparation for their planned spacewalk today at 9:38 a.m. EST (1438 GMT).

The two spacewalkers plan to spend about six hours outside the lab to attach some new parts and do maintenance on the orbiting laboratory. The spacewalk is delayed about half an hour due to a false alarm that woke the astronauts from sleep last night.

Click here for a look at today?s spacewalk. Today is Flight Day 6 of Atlantis? 11-day STS-129 mission to the space station.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Work to Don Spacesuits
21 November 2009 7:18 a.m. EST

Mission specialists Randy Bresnik and Mike Foreman are in the station's Quest airlock, working to put on their white pressurized spacesuits to wear when they venture into the vacuum of space.

Their spacewalk is set to begin at 9:38 a.m. EST (1438 GMT) and last about six hours.

Meanwhile, the space station's robotic arm has just grabbed onto the cargo platform being moved from the shuttle Atlantis' payload bay. It was first lifted out by the shuttle's robotic arm, and has now been transferred onto the station arm, which will carry it to the truss, or backbone, of the orbiting laboratory.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Shuttle Astronauts Lift Spare Parts Platform From Cargo Bay
21 November 2009 6:48 a.m. EST

Astronauts aboard the shuttle Atlantis have lifted a massive cargo platform out of their vehicle's cargo bay using the shuttle's robotic arm. They plan to transfer this platform, loaded with giant spare parts for the space station, over to the station's robotic arm, which will attach it to the truss, or backbone, of the orbiting laboratory.

Meanwhile, mission specialists Randy Bresnik and Mike Foreman are in the station's Quest airlock preparing to step out for the second of three spacewalks planned during their mission.

-- Clara Moskowitz

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

False Alarms Wake Astronauts Again
21 November 2009 2:07 a.m. EST

False alarms rang out on the International Space Station for the second night in a row late Friday, waking the 12 astronauts aboard the outpost and linked shuttle and stalling a pre-spacewalk campout by astronauts Randy Bresnik and Mike Foreman. Watch the mission live!

The alarms sounded at about 10 p.m. EST (0300 Sat. GMT) while all 12 astronauts on the linked station and shuttle Atlantis were sleeping. Bresnik and Foreman were camping out in the station?s Quest airlock, a process that allows them to sleep at a lower pressure than the station to purge their bodies of nitrogen in order to prevent developing the bends while working outside in their low-pressure NASA spacesuits.

Because of the alarms, the station automatically interrupted that pre-spacewalk campout and equalized the pressure between the airlock and space station. Ventilation fans shut off too, kicking up dust that set off a smoke alarm in the airlock, but all the astronauts were safe at all times.

But the time required to reset the station?s systems meant Bresnik and Foreman had to stop their campout. They will now have to spend time early Saturday exercising while wearing oxygen facemasks to purge their bodies of nitrogen ahead of the spacewalk. The exercise method is a tried and true method for spacewalk preparation.

NASA engineers believe the false alarms, which also sounded late Thursday, are related to a new Russian module called Poisk, which arrived at the station earlier this month and serves as a research area, docking port and airlock.

-- Tariq Malik

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Move Supplies to Space Station
20 November 2009 12:12 p.m. EST

Astronauts aboard the linked shuttle Atlantis and International Space Station are hard at work moving supplies and equipment between their two spacecraft while one member of the crew awaits word on the birth of his daughter.  Watch the mission live!

Earlier today, the astronauts moved a massive carrier with tons of huge spare parts out of Atlantis? cargo bay and attached it to the station?s main truss. Astronaut Randy Bresnik, meanwhile, is waiting to hear on the birth of his daughter today. His wife Rebecca is back on Earth with her family. The couple have one adopted son Wyatt from Ukraine, who is 3 1/2 years old.

Click here to read more about Bresnik?s day in space.

-- Tariq Malik

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Wake Up to Sister Sledge
20 November 2009 6:00 a.m. EST

Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis awoke to the song ?We Are Family? by Sister Sledge early Friday, a tune selected for mission specialist Leland Melvin. Watch the mission live!

Today is Flight Day 5 for Atlantis? 11-day mission. The astronauts are expected to spend to day moving cargo between the shuttle and space station.

-- Tariq Malik

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Astronauts Wrap Up 1st Spacewalk
19 November 2009 4:05 p.m. EST

Astronauts Mike Foreman and Robert Satcher, Jr. have started repressurizing the stations? Quest airlock, officially ending today?s spacewalk outside the space station at 4:01 p.m. EST (2101 GMT). Watch it live!

Total spacewalking time: 6 hours, 37 minutes.

The spacewalk began at 9:24 a.m. EST (1424 GMT), with Foreman and Satcher working two hours ahead of schedule to finish their main chores.

Click here for SPACE.com?s wrap up of today?s orbital work.

-- Tariq Malik

NASA will broadcast the STS-129 mission live on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com?s NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left on this page

Spacewalkers Return to Station Airlock
19 November 2009 3:57 p.m. EST

Spacewalkers Mike Foreman and Robert Satcher, Jr. are back inside the Quest airlock as they near the end of today?s successful work outside the International Space Station.