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Topics of the day:

1. STS-126 MCC Status Report #30
2. STS-126 MCC Status Report #31

Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:58:19 -0600 From: info@JSC NASA GOV Subject: STS-126 MCC Status Report #30

STS-126 Report #30 5 a m CST Saturday, Nov 29, 2008 Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON – Endeavour astronauts are beginning a day of preparations to return home

The crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Don Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, were awakened at 3:55 a m CST by “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star ” It was played for Chamitoff

Deorbit preparations include cabin stowage starting a little after 7 a m

Ferguson and Boe, with help from Bowen, will check out the flight control surfaces, including the rudder and the wing flaps at 9:40 a m Those surfaces will guide Endeavour’s unpowered flight through the atmosphere to a landing Immediately afterwards, at 10:55 a m , the astronauts will test fire reaction control system thrusters The thrusters will control the shuttle’s orientation as it descends and begins its re-entry through the atmosphere

That test will be followed by a 30-minute deorbit briefing for all crew members, beginning at 11:10 a m

All seven crew members will take a break at 11:40 a m to talk with news media representatives During the 20 minute chat they’ll take questions from CNN, KRON-TV of San Francisco and KATU-TV of Portland, Ore

Boe and Kimbrough will begin deployment of the small Pico Satellite Solar Cell Testbed at 2:35 p m They will release springs that will push the Defense Department’s Picosat into space from the cargo bay It will orbit for several months to test new types of solar cells

After setup on the mid-deck of a recumbent seat for Greg Chamitoff, returning after six months as a station crewmember, and stowage of the shuttle’s Ku-band antenna, the crew is scheduled to go to bed at 7:55 p m They’ll be awakened at 3:55 a m Sunday for their scheduled Kennedy Space Center landing The first opportunity would have Endeavour touching down at 12:19 p m CST on Sunday

The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant

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NASA Johnson Space Center Mission Status Reports and other information are available automatically by sending an Internet electronic mail message to listserv@listserver jsc nasa gov In the body of the message (not the subject line) users should type "subscribe hsfnews" (no quotes) This will add the e-mail address that sent the subscribe message to the news release distribution list The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail of each subscription Once you have subscribed you will receive future news releases via e-mail

Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:08:07 -0600 From: info@JSC NASA GOV Subject: STS-126 MCC Status Report #31

STS-126 Report #31 5 p m CST Saturday, Nov 29, 2008 Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON – As Endeavour’s crew prepares for landing, mission managers are closely monitoring a cold front that could affect Sunday’s entry and landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida

Forecasters are predicting the front could bring rain, possible thunderstorms and crosswinds that would violate the shuttle’s flight rules into the Florida spaceport area The two landing opportunities are at 12:19 p m and 1:54 p m CST

Should mission managers wave off landing in Florida, there are two opportunities at Edwards Air Force Base in California at 3:25 p m and 5 p m The California forecast is favorable

The Mission Management Team today declared the shuttle’s heat shield healthy and safe for entry and landing The report followed a review of imagery obtained by the Orbiter Boom Sensor System Friday after Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station

In preparation for landing, Endeavour’s crew tested the ship’s flight control surfaces and reaction control system thrusters Both systems functioned well and are ready to support entry activities After the checkout, Mission Specialist Don Pettit reported seeing an object drifting away from the orbiter But, Flight Director Bryan Lunney said the object appears to have been a temperature/pressure label from the payload bay and does not present a risk to the vehicle

The crew also deployed a small satellite designed to test space environment effects on new solar cell technologies The Picosat satellite was deployed at 2:34 p m while the shuttle was over the southern Pacific Ocean It will remain in orbit for several months

Tomorrow, the crew should begin deorbit preparations at 7:15 a m and close the payload bay doors at 8:34 a m Here are predicted times for tomorrow’s landing opportunities (all CST):

ORBIT SITE DEORBIT BURN LANDING

248 Kennedy 11:14 a m 12:19 p m

249 Kennedy 12:50 p m 1:54 p m

250 Edwards 2:20 p m 3:25 p m

251 Edwards 3:57 p m 5:00 p m

On board the International Space Station the three Expedition 18 crew members awaited the arrival of the Progress 31 cargo ship The Progress vehicle will deliver two-and-a-half tons of supplies to the station, including 2,866 pounds of spare parts, life support gear and equipment hardware It carries 1,918 pounds of propellant for transfer into the Russian segment of the complex to feed the station's maneuvering thrusters, 110 pounds of oxygen and air, and 463 pounds of water The cargo ship is scheduled to dock with the space station at 6:25 a m Sunday There will be live coverage on NASA Television beginning at 5:45 a m The shuttle crew is scheduled to go to sleep about 7:55 p m and awaken at 3:55 a m Sunday to begin landing day preparations

The next status report will be issued at the beginning of the crew’s day or earlier if events warrant

-end-

#

NASA Johnson Space Center Mission Status Reports and other information are available automatically by sending an Internet electronic mail message to listserv@listserver jsc nasa gov In the body of the message (not the subject line) users should type "subscribe hsfnews" (no quotes) This will add the e-mail address that sent the subscribe message to the news release distribution list The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail of each subscription Once you have subscribed you will receive future news releases via e-mail

End of HSFNEWS Digest - 29 Nov 2008 to 30 Nov 2008 (#2008-133)

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