Endeavour Ready For Launch
Ben Cooper
Issue date: 7/31/07 Section: Space Technology
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The Space Shuttle Endeavour, making its first flight in nearly five years, is due to launch Aug. 7 at 7:02 p.m. EDT on ambitious mission that has come to be known as "the Barbara Morgan flight" in the mainstream media. The formal "go for launch" was announced July 26 following the traditional two-day Flight Readiness Review at the Kennedy Space Center.
While Morgan, profiled here last week, takes the spotlight as the first teacher-astronaut, NASA's focus will be on the installation of the S5 truss segment on the international space station and the transfer of supplies from the SpaceHab module in the shuttle's cargo bay to the station.
The STS-118 mission will also mark the first flight of the new Station-Shuttle Power Transfer System, or SSPTS. The SSPTS will allow the flow of power from the station's solar arrays into Endeavour, lengthening the time it can be docked. Planned for a 14-day flight, STS-118 is the longest planned ISS mission to date.
Endeavour's seven-member crew, whose mission patch is seen at right, will oversee the installation of the relatively-small 11 by 15-foot S5 segment to the ISS' solar-array-toting backbone. No arrays will be delivered on this mission like the last, but it will set up the station for the relocation of one of the four giant arrays, known as the P6 truss, on the next flight, STS-120, in October, as well as the fourth and final array delivery on a shuttle mission late next year.
Morgan, Charlie Hobaugh, Tracy Caldwell and ISS resident-since-June Clay Anderson will operate the shuttle and station robotic arms to place the S5 into position. Three astronauts, broken into two teams, will then conduct the four planned spacewalks.
Rick Mastracchio and Canadian Dave Williams will perform the first two EVAs on the flight. On the third, Anderson will team up with Mastracchio and on the final spacewalk it will be Williams and Anderson.
Aside from their attaching the S5 segment, Endeavour is also carrying up a replacement Control-Moment Gyroscope, or CMG. The ISS has four CMGs of which two are needed to control the orientation and attitude of the orbiting complex. One of the CMGs began showing signs of potential impending failure last year and mission controllers deactivated it on Oct. 10.
While Morgan, profiled here last week, takes the spotlight as the first teacher-astronaut, NASA's focus will be on the installation of the S5 truss segment on the international space station and the transfer of supplies from the SpaceHab module in the shuttle's cargo bay to the station.
The STS-118 mission will also mark the first flight of the new Station-Shuttle Power Transfer System, or SSPTS. The SSPTS will allow the flow of power from the station's solar arrays into Endeavour, lengthening the time it can be docked. Planned for a 14-day flight, STS-118 is the longest planned ISS mission to date.
Endeavour's seven-member crew, whose mission patch is seen at right, will oversee the installation of the relatively-small 11 by 15-foot S5 segment to the ISS' solar-array-toting backbone. No arrays will be delivered on this mission like the last, but it will set up the station for the relocation of one of the four giant arrays, known as the P6 truss, on the next flight, STS-120, in October, as well as the fourth and final array delivery on a shuttle mission late next year.
Morgan, Charlie Hobaugh, Tracy Caldwell and ISS resident-since-June Clay Anderson will operate the shuttle and station robotic arms to place the S5 into position. Three astronauts, broken into two teams, will then conduct the four planned spacewalks.
Rick Mastracchio and Canadian Dave Williams will perform the first two EVAs on the flight. On the third, Anderson will team up with Mastracchio and on the final spacewalk it will be Williams and Anderson.
Aside from their attaching the S5 segment, Endeavour is also carrying up a replacement Control-Moment Gyroscope, or CMG. The ISS has four CMGs of which two are needed to control the orientation and attitude of the orbiting complex. One of the CMGs began showing signs of potential impending failure last year and mission controllers deactivated it on Oct. 10.
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