Mission Atlantis: Stocking Up Space Station
The space shuttle Atlantis launched on its second to last spaceflight, the STS-128 mission, on Nov. 16, 2009 to deliver a huge shipment of vital supplies to the International Space Station.
Commanded by veteran spaceflyer Charlie ?Scorch? Hobaugh, Atlantis flew an 11-day mission and delivered about 27,250 pounds (12,360 kg) of vital spare parts to the station in order to extend its lifespan. The astronauts celebrated the birth of a crewmate?s daughter while they were in space (the little girl was born on Earth) and spent Thanksgiving in orbit.
Below is SPACE.com?s special report on Atlantis? STS-128 mission, which marked the fifth shuttle flight of the year in 2009. This page was updated on Nov. 28, 2009.
Home Again
Space
Shuttle Atlantis Lands Safely in Florida
Space shuttle Atlantis landed safely
in Florida early Friday, gliding in under sunny skies to wrap up a successful 11-day
delivery mission to the International Space Station.
Atlantis
Shuttle Astronauts Hope for Morning Landing
The seven astronauts aboard space
shuttle Atlantis are hoping for clear skies above Florida so they can return
home today.
Astronauts
Celebrate Thanksgiving in Space on Two Spaceships
A dozen astronauts in orbit took a break
from their orbital work Thursday to celebrate a weightless Thanksgiving,
despite the fact that they're flying on two different spaceships.
Atlantis
Astronauts to Give Their Thanks with Shuttle Stuff(ing)
They may not have the traditional
fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner, but the seven astronauts returning to Earth
onboard space shuttle Atlantis are set to show their thanks with a
memento-stuffed locker for those who made their mission a success.
Holiday
Sky Treat: Spot the Space Station
The space shuttle Atlantis and the
International Space Station are separately flying around the Earth until
Friday, and they can be seen as a pair of bright lights in the sky at certain
times over the next few days.
Shuttle
Atlantis Departs From Space Station
The space shuttle Atlantis cast off
from the International Space Station early Wednesday after almost a week linked
to deliver vital spare parts.
Astronauts
Prepare to Leave Space Station
The seven astronauts on shuttle
Atlantis have bid farewell to the crew of the space station and are gearing up
to undock on Wednesday.
Astronauts
to Spend Last Day At Space Station
The crew of the shuttle Atlantis
plans to spend today wrapping up work at the International Space Station (ISS)
in preparation for departure tomorrow.
Astronauts
Wrap Up Final Tasks in Delayed Spacewalk
Two NASA astronauts completed their
mission's third and last spacewalk Monday, installing a new science experiment
and an oxygen tank outside the International Space Station.
Astronauts
Poised for Mission's Last Spacewalk
Two astronauts, one a proud new dad
for the second time, will venture outside the International Space Station Monday
on the third and last spacewalk of their mission.
Shuttle
Astronauts Take Time Off in Space
Astronauts aboard the linked shuttle
Atlantis and International Space Station took some well-deserved time off
Sunday to rest up from their mission to stock up the orbiting lab, with one
spaceflyer overjoyed after hearing news of the birth of his new baby daughter.
Astronauts
Speed Through Second Spacewalk
Two astronauts raced through the
second spacewalk of their docked shuttle mission at the International Space
Station Saturday, getting so far ahead of schedule they took on jobs scheduled
for future excursions.
Astronaut Dad in Space
It's
a Girl! Astronaut's Daughter Born While He's in Space
Talk about one proud papa. Astronaut
Randy Bresnik beamed with joy Sunday after hearing news of the arrival of his
new baby daughter, who was born on Earth while he orbited above on the
International Space Station.
Astronauts
Prepare for Second Spacewalk, New Baby
Astronaut Randy Bresnik may be
expecting his wife Rebecca to give birth, but that hasn't shaken his focus for
a planned spacewalk outside the International Space Station today to install
new video antennas and other equipment.
NASA:
Birth of Astronaut's Daughter Delayed
NASA has joined astronaut Randy
Bresnik, who is in orbit now, in the waiting game for the birth his daughter,
just one day before the spaceflyer is poised to make his first spacewalk.
Astronauts
Unfazed by False Alarms in Space
Astronauts on the linked shuttle
Atlantis and International Space Station said Friday that they're not worried
about recent false alarms that disrupted their sleep with erroneous reports of
calamity.
Astronaut
Stuck in Space for Daughter's Birth
It may be the mother lode of all bad
timing: Atlantis shuttle astronaut Randy Bresnik is stuck at the International
Space Station, hundreds of miles from his pregnant wife Rebecca, who is
expected to give birth to a baby girl as early as today.
Astronauts
Breeze Through Mission's First Spacewalk
Two astronauts breezed through the
first spacewalk of their mission Thursday as they upgraded the International
Space Station with a spare antenna and other gear.
Astronauts
Gear Up for First Spacewalk
Two astronauts will step out of the
International Space Station today on the first of three spacewalks to stock the
orbiting lab with spare parts.
Shuttle
Atlantis Arrives at Space Station
The space shuttle Atlantis and its
crew of six arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) Wednesday to drop
off some massive spare parts for the orbiting laboratory.
Shuttle
Atlantis Closing In On Space Station
NASA's space shuttle Atlantis is
closing in on the International Space Station and on track to link up with the
orbiting laboratory later today.
Astronauts
Inspect Space Shuttle for Damage
WASHINGTON ? Astronauts aboard NASA's
space shuttle Atlantis inspected their spacecraft's sensitive heat shield
Tuesday for any signs of damage incurred during launch.
Space
Shuttle Atlantis Blasts Off on Delivery Mission
WASHINGTON ? The space shuttle
Atlantis roared into space Monday afternoon to begin a vital 11-day delivery
run to the International Space Station.
Shuttle Launch Success
NASA
Hails Fifth Shuttle Launch of 2009
WASHINGTON ? NASA hailed the flawless
liftoff of space shuttle Atlantis Monday, a space shot that marked the agency's
fifth shuttle launch of the year ? a flight rate not seen since 2002, before
the tragic Columbia accident.
Space
Shuttle Atlantis Poised for Monday Launch
WASHINGTON ? The space shuttle
Atlantis is poised to soar into space Monday to ferry six astronauts and tons
of spare parts to the International Space Station.
Skies
Look Clear for Monday Space Shuttle Launch
The skies above NASA's Florida
spaceport look to be clear for tomorrow's planned launch of the space shuttle
Atlantis.
Twitter Fans Flock to Space Shuttle
Launch
NASA
is about to open space shuttle launches to a whole new audience.
Space
Shuttle Atlantis 'Go' For Monday Launch
NASA cleared the space shuttle
Atlantis to launch toward the International Space Station Monday on a delivery
mission.
Space
Shuttle On Track for Monday Launch
NASA is on track to launch the space
shuttle Atlantis on Monday, but only if an unmanned rocket lifts off early
Saturday as planned.
Butterflies
to Hitch Orbital Ride on Space Shuttle
Butterflies are slated to get another
shot at surviving life aboard the International Space Station. Thousands of
students plan to join scientists in watching NASA's space shuttle Atlantis
launch to the space station on Nov. 16 with a cargo of two butterfly species,
apparently undiscouraged by last year's experiment where caterpillars in space
failed to emerge from their cocoons.
Atlantis
Shuttle Astronauts Prepare for Nov. 16 Launch
The six astronauts preparing to blast
off on the space shuttle Atlantis Monday have arrived at NASA's Florida
spaceport to prepare for launch.
New
Russian Docking Port Launches Toward Space Station
A Russian rocket launched into space
Tuesday carrying a brand-new docking port for the International Space Station.
NASA
Opens Space Shuttle Launch to Twitter Fans
Here's something to tweet about: NASA
has invited some Twitter followers to view the November launch of space shuttle
Atlantis in person during a NASA "tweetup."
NASA
Delays Shuttle Launch for New Rocket Test
NASA has pushed back the launch
target for the space shuttle Atlantis to Nov. 16 ? a four-day slip ? to give
its new Ares I-X rocket an extra chance to blast off, agency officials said
Monday.
Shuttle
Atlantis Moves to Launch Pad for November Flight
The space shuttle Atlantis rolled out
toward its Florida launch pad early Wednesday to prepare for a November
liftoff, even though NASA is still unsure of exactly when the spacecraft will
fly.
Space
Traffic, Meteor Showers Threaten Next Shuttle Launch Date
CAPE CANAVERAL - Two planned rocket
launches, short shuttle launch windows, traffic congestion at the International
Space Station and two meteor showers could conspire to push space shuttle
Atlantis' planned November flight into the new year.
More Resources
- Complete Shuttle Mission Coverage
- Complete International Space Station Expedition Coverage
- Fixing NASA: Complete
Coverage of Space Shuttle Return to Flight
SPACE.com's complete coverage of NASA's STS-114 Return to Flight mission. - Special Report: STS-107
Columbia Disaster
SPACE.com's complete coverage of NASA's 2003 Columbia accident. - All About the Space Shuttle
- All About the International Space Station











