The MCC Status Reports issued by NASA are similar to the Shuttle Processing Status Reports except that they are updates on a mission in progress rather than shuttle ground activities.

MCC status reports for previous mission can be found here: STS-121, STS-115, STS-116, STS-117, STS-118, STS-120 & STS-122.



Tuesday, March 11, 2008 - 3 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-01


STS-123 MCC Status Report #01

Space shuttle Endeavour delivered an early sunrise to the Florida coast this morning, lifting off at 1:28 a.m. CDT from the Kennedy Space Center to begin a 16-day mission to the International Space Station.

Aboard the shuttle are Commander Dominic Gorie, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Robert Behnken, Mike Foreman, Rick Linnehan, Garrett Reisman and Takao Doi, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut.

Endeavour will deliver the first component of the Japanese laboratory complex, Kibo, to the station. Kibo, which means "Hope" in English, is the major contribution of Japan to the International Space Station. The laboratory complex will take three shuttle flights to assemble. Endeavour also is carrying an intricate robotics system called Dextre that was developed for the station by the Canadian Space Agency. The two-armed robot will be attached to the end of the station’s robotic arm to handle smaller tasks that otherwise would require a spacewalk to accomplish.

The STS-123 mission will be the longest mission to date to the station and will include five spacewalks.

International Space Station Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineers Yuri Malenchenko and Leopold Eyharts were awake beginning their workday when Endeavour launched. Reisman will become a member of the station crew after docking as he trades places with Eyharts, who will return to Earth aboard Endeavour once it departs the station.

Endeavour's crew will begin a sleep period at 7:28 a.m. today and awaken at 3:28 p.m. to begin its first full day in space. The shuttle is scheduled to dock to the station at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after the crew awakens this afternoon, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #01

Tuesday, March 11, 2008 - 3 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-02


STS-123 MCC Status Report #02

The seven members of space shuttle Endeavour’s crew have begun their first full day in space.

The crew was awakened at 3:28 p.m. by the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s “Linus & Lucy.” The song, which is from the album “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” was played for Mission Specialist Mike Foreman.

The main activity of the day is the standard inspection of Endeavour’s heat shield to ensure it is in good condition following launch. Commander Dominic Gorie, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialist Takao Doi will use the shuttle’s robotic arm and orbiter boom sensor system to scan the shuttle’s wing leading edges and nose cap. The survey results will be sent to the ground for analysis.

Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken, Rick Linnehan and Garrett Reisman will check out spacesuits in preparation for the five spacewalks they and Foreman will perform while at the International Space Station. Foreman has several other activities scheduled for the day, including preparations for Wednesday’s docking with the station.

The station crew also is preparing for Wednesday’s docking. Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineers Yuri Malenchenko and Leopold Eyharts started their day at 3 p.m., after a shortened sleep period that allowed them to align their schedules with that of the shuttle crew.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day at about 5 a.m. Wednesday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #02

Tuesday, March 12, 2008 - 2:30 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-03


STS-123 MCC Status Report #03

The seven-member crew of Space Shuttle Endeavour is ready for tonight’s rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station, planned for 10:25 p.m. CDT.

Commander Dom Gorie and his crewmates, Pilot Greg Johnson and Mission Specialists Bob Behnken, Mike Foreman, Takao Doi, Rick Linnehan and Garrett Reisman, early Wednesday completed a five-hour inspection of Endeavour’s heat shield using the shuttle’s robotic arm and the Orbiter Boom Sensor System. Imagery analysts and engineers on the ground will add these sensor images to those collected at launch and during the climb to orbit and continue their analysis of the orbiter’s heat shield.

Additionally the STS-123 crew checked out the tools that will be used during Wednesday’s rendezvous and docking to the station; installed the centerline camera that will be used during docking; and extended the outer ring of the Orbiter Docking System.

Spacewalkers Linnehan, Foreman, Behnken and Reisman checked the spacesuits that they will wear during the mission's five planned spacewalks.

On board the space station, Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineers Yuri Malenchenko and Leopold Eyharts readied the station for the arrival of Endeavour by conducting a leak check of the docking port attached to the Harmony node.

About an hour before docking as the shuttle approaches the station, Gorie will perform the rendezvous pitch maneuver – an orbiter back-flip – 600 feet below the station that will allow Whitson and Malenchenko to take hundreds of detailed images of the orbiter’s underside. With the pitch maneuver complete, Gorie will fly the shuttle to a point about 300 feet in front of the station and then slowly ease the orbiter back to a docking.

STS-123 is budgeted for 16 days – the longest mission to the station – and will deliver the Japanese logistics compartment and the Canadian dextrous robot arm to their permanent home. A record five spacewalks will be performed while Endeavour is docked to the station to assist with the robotic attachment of the small logistics module and the assembly of Dextre – the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator that will extend the reach and capability of the station’s robotic arm.

Endeavour’s crew is scheduled to go to sleep at about 7 a.m. with the wakeup call from Mission Control scheduled for 2:58 Wednesday afternoon.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued Wednesday afternoon, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #03

Tuesday, March 12, 2008 - 3:30 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-04


STS-123 MCC Status Report #04

The seven-member crew of space shuttle Endeavour is just a few hours away from arriving at the International Space Station.

Endeavour’s crew started their day at 2:59 p.m. Their wakeup call for the morning was a combination of fight scene music from the Japanese movie “Godzilla Versus Space Godzilla” and the Blue Öyster Cult song “Godzilla.” The songs were played for Japanese Space Agency astronaut Takao Doi.

The shuttle is scheduled to dock with the station at 10:25 p.m., and the crews of both vehicles will spend most of their time today on activities associated with the rendezvous. The shuttle spent the night closing in on the station at a rate of about 515 miles per orbit. By 7:42 p.m., it should be about 9.5 miles away from the station, putting it in place to fire its jets in a terminal initiation burn that begins its final approach to the orbiting complex.

When Endeavour moves to a point 1,000 feet below the station, Commander Dominic Gorie will manually fly the shuttle in a backflip to allow the station crew to photograph the shuttle's heat shield. The photos will be analyzed by engineers on the ground to ensure the heat shield is in good condition.

Once that maneuver is complete, Gorie will fly the shuttle to about 400 feet in front of the station from where it will close in to dock. Following docking, the hatches between the two spacecraft should be ready to open by 12:02 a.m. Thursday.

Once aboard the station, the Endeavour crew will transfer the Soyuz seatliner for Mission Specialist Garrett Reisman. Reisman will stay aboard the station as a crew member of the complex when Endeavour departs. The crew also will begin preparations for the mission's first spacewalk, set to begin Thursday evening.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day at about 5 a.m. Thursday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #04

Thursday, March 13, 2008 - 4:30 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-05


STS-123 MCC Status Report #05

A record 12 days of planned joint operations are now under way, after space shuttle Endeavour docked to the International Space Station at 10:49 p.m. CDT Wednesday.

Shuttle Commander Dom Gorie started the approach with the Terminal Initiation burn earlier Wednesday evening leading to the Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver at 9:26 p.m. From a distance of 600 feet below the station, Gorie manually flew the shuttle through a well-timed backflip allowing the station crew to photograph the shuttle's heat shield. The photos are being analyzed by engineers in Mission Control to ensure the heat shield is in good condition.

Following docking and leak checks, the hatches between the two spacecraft were opened at 12:36 a.m. Thursday.

Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson, joined by Flight Engineers Yuri Malenchenko and Leopold Eyharts, welcomed the shuttle crew onboard and provided an orientation of station operations and safety before proceeding to the remaining tasks.

The first “transfer” item after hatch opening was swapping Mission Specialist Garrett Reisman for Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Eyharts from the European Space Agency.

The transfer was official when the form-fitting Soyuz seatliners were swapped at 2:50 a.m. Eyharts officially spent 33 days as a member of Expedition 16. With an on-time landing March 26, Eyharts will have spent 48 days in space.

The crew also prepared for the mission's first spacewalk, set to begin Thursday evening by Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan and Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Reisman.

Linnehan and Reisman transferred spacesuits to the station, and will spend the night in the Quest Airlock as part of the routine "campout" prebreathe protocol. The spacewalk will take about 6.5 hours as they plan to prepare the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized Section for unberthing from the payload bay. They also will work on some of the initial outfitting and assembly of the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator's two arms.

In preparation for that task, using the Canadarm2, Pilot Gregory Johnson and Mission Specialist Robert Behnken unberthed the Spacelab Pallet containing the Dextre and mated it to a temporary location on the station’s Mobile Base System.

Mission Specialists Mike Foreman and Takao Doi commenced with the initial transfer work that will continue throughout the docked phase and set up photo and TV equipment between the two vehicles. The crews are scheduled to go to bed about 7 a.m. and wake up at 3:28 p.m.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued Thursday afternoon, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #05

Thursday, March 13, 2008 - 5:30 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-06


STS-123 MCC Status Report #06

The crew of space shuttle Endeavour has a full day ahead, and by the end of it, the International Space Station will be as international as it has been planned to be.

Endeavour’s crew started their day at 3:28 p.m. The wake up song for the day, Bay City Rollers’ “Saturday Night,” was played for the station’s newest crew member, Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman.

Reisman will accompany Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan today on the first spacewalk of Endeavour’s mission. Linnehan and Reisman will be preparing the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module, Pressurized Section – or the JLP for short – for installation on the station’s Harmony node.

The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 8:23 p.m. The work on the JLP is the first task on the timeline, but should be done by 10:23 p.m. At that time, the spacewalkers will begin assembling the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, also known as Dextre. Linnehan and Reisman will be attaching two arms on the Canadian Space Agency robot, which could be used in the replacement of certain components on the station’s exterior. The assembly will continue over the mission’s first three spacewalks.

Dextre was removed from Endeavour’s cargo bay just after 2 a.m., and the Space Lab Pallet on which it will be assembled was installed on the station’s P1, or port 1, truss segment. Flight controllers ran into a problem when they attempted to route power to the pallet, but were unable to. Ground teams are currently troubleshooting the problem. Dextre does not need power for the tasks planned for tonight's spacewalk and the problem will not impact today’s activities.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day at about 7 a.m. Friday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #06

Friday, March 14, 2008 - 6:30 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-07


STS-123 MCC Status Report #07

The newest international component of the orbiting International Space Station has officially reached its home in space. After being prepared for its move by two spacewalkers, the Japanese Logistics Module – Pressurized Section (JLP), the first component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory, was installed on the station early Friday morning.

With Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takao Doi at the controls and assisted by Commander Dominic Gorie, the JLP was gently attached to its interim location on the Harmony Node 2 module at 3:06 a.m. CDT. The module, which primarily will be used for storage space atop the larger Kibo Laboratory, will be relocated to its permanent location after the arrival of Kibo on space shuttle Discovery’s STS-124 mission in May.

Preparations for the move were among the tasks accomplished in today’s spacewalk, the first of five planned for the mission. Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan and Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman ventured out of the pressurized confines of the station at 8:18 p.m. to begin the 7-hour, 1-minute spacewalk, which ended at 3:19 a.m.

Once outside the Quest Airlock, they first removed a thermal cover to reveal the Centerline Berthing Camera System on top of the Harmony module. The system provides live video to assist with docking spacecraft and modules together and was used for the attachment of the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section.

Once in the shuttle's payload bay, the two spacewalkers removed contamination covers from the JLP docking mechanism. They also disconnected other power and heater connections, preparing it for its removal.

Next, the two headed to the port truss segment where they worked on the initial assembly of the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, known as “Dextre.” They installed both the Orbital Replacement Unit/Tool Changeout Mechanisms (OTCMs) – the “hands” of Dextre’s arms. The OTCMs are parallel jaws that can hold a payload or tool. They each also have a retractable motorized socket wrench to turn bolts and mate or detach mechanisms, as well as a camera and lights.

Initial attempts to route power to Dextre were not successful Thursday after its unassembled components were temporarily parked on the station's truss in a pallet structure. Canadian Space Agency engineers spent the day developing a software patch to bypass what was initially believed to be a problem in a communications path from the station's robotic workstation to the new device.

But Pierre Jean, CSA's acting ISS program manager, told a Friday morning briefing that a problem with a cable harness on Dextre's pallet housing, and not the robot itself, might be the cause for the initial power glitch. Jean said the grapple of Dextre by the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm later today should initiate the routing of power to Dextre to set the stage for the rest of its assembly over the next few days.

Pilot Greg Johnson also supported the spacewalk activity, overseeing the video operations and Mission Specialist Mike Foreman served as the intravehicular officer, assisting with the choreography of the spacewalks.

Meanwhile, Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson assisted with the pre- and post-spacewalk activities, while Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko worked in the Russian segment.

Friday’s spacewalk marks the 105th devoted to assembly and maintenance of the station with a total cumulative time of 660 hours. The second spacewalk is scheduled for Saturday night.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after the crew wake up at about 3:30 p.m. CDT or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #07

Friday, March 14, 2008 - 4:30 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-08


STS-123 MCC Status Report #08

Space shuttle Endeavour crew members will make their first foray into new international territory today, as the hatch is opened between the International Space Station and its newest module.

The astronauts started their day at 3:35 p.m. to the tune of The Byrds’ “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season).” The song was played for Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan.

Linnehan will be one of the first three crew members to enter the station’s new module, the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module, Pressurized Section – or JLP, for short. Preceding him will be Japanese Space Agency astronaut Takao Doi and station Commander Peggy Whitson. That entry is scheduled to take place at 11:18 p.m.

But before that can happen, Doi, Linnehan and Whitson will spend several hours outfitting the vestibule between the station and the module and beginning activation of the module.

Work will also be done on Endeavour’s other main cargo, the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator. When Dextre, as the robot is known, was removed from the shuttle’s cargo bay after the shuttle docked to the station, ground teams ran into problems routing power to the pallet on which the robot is being assembled. The teams tried troubleshooting the problem with a software patch early this morning, but were not successful.

The next round of troubleshooting is scheduled to start at 8:53 p.m. In hopes of showing that the problem is in the pallet, not the robot itself, Mission Specialists Bob Behnken and Leopold Eyharts will grapple Dextre with the space station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2, and attempt to power the robot through the robotic arm.

Shuttle Commander Dominic Gorie, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and station Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman will take about 20 minutes out of their schedule at 12:28 a.m., to talk with reporters from ABC News, Space.com and Florida Today.

The astronauts will wrap up the fifth day of their mission by reviewing procedures for the mission’s second spacewalk. Spacewalkers Linnehan and Mission Specialist Mike Foreman will spend their sleep period in the station’s Quest Airlock in preparation for that spacewalk on Saturday.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #08

Saturday, March 15, 2008 - 1 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-09


STS-123 MCC Status Report #09

The crews of Space Shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station opened the hatch to the station’s new module, the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Pressurized Section (JLP), at 8:23 p.m. CDT Friday. Commander Peggy Whitson and Mission Specialist Takao Doi were the first to enter the new section, the first of three components that eventually will make up the full “Kibo” science laboratory.

The crew also spent the day handing off the shuttle’s Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) from the station’s arm to the shuttle arm. The astronauts will stow the OBSS onto the station’s main truss during the fifth spacewalk of the mission. The arm extension is being left on the station because the size of the main section of Kibo that is to be launched on the next shuttle mission, STS-124, won’t allow it to be carried in Discovery’s cargo bay. The OBSS will be returned to Earth at the end of that mission.

The shuttle’s mission management team met earlier Friday and cleared Endeavour’s thermal protection system for re-entry, scheduled for Wednesday, March 26. As a result of having a clean heat shield, focused inspection is not required.

Toward the end of their day, the combined crews grappled the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM), nicknamed Dextre, with the station’s robotic arm in order to verify Dextre’s power supply unit was operating properly. Early troubleshooting involving sending up a software modification to the pallet on which Dextre currently resides was unsuccessful.

The station’s arm grabbed Dextre at 8:59 p.m. Friday and power was confirmed a few minutes later at 9:10 p.m. Declaring that a success, the stage is set for the second of five planned spacewalks beginning Saturday evening about 7:23 p.m. by Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman.

The two astronauts will spend their sleep period in the station’s Quest Airlock in preparation for the spacewalk designed to assemble Dextre’s arms and positioning the robot on the outside of the station.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after crew wake up Saturday afternoon, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #09

Saturday, March 15, 2008 - 4 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-10


STS-123 MCC Status Report #10

Two members of the space shuttle Endeavour crew will soon be stepping into space to give the International Space Station’s newest robot a pair of arms.

The crew got its wake up call at 2:28 p.m., in the form of “We’re Going to be Friends” by the White Stripes. The song was played for Mission Specialist Robert L. Behnken.

The main task of the day will be the spacewalk by Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman. The two will be installing two 11-feet-long robotic arms on the Canadian Space Agency’s Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator – or Dextre, as it was dubbed by a Canada-wide naming contest.

Dextre is the third in a trio of robotic elements Canada has provided for the space station. Along with the 57-foot Canadarm2 and a mobile base system that allows the Canadarm2 to move along the station’s truss, Dextre will form the station’s mobile servicing system. Dextre will be able to attach to Canadarm2 or travel by itself on the mobile base system and install or remove small payloads and scientific experiments.

Today’s spacewalk – which is the second of three involving Dextre assembly – is scheduled to begin at 7:23 p.m. and last for seven hours and five minutes. The bulk of Dextre assembly is planned to take place today.

While Foreman and Linnehan are outside the station, Mission Specialist Takao Doi will be working inside the station’s newest module, the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module, Pressurized Section, or JLP. The JLP is the first section of the Japanese Space Agency’s module, Kibo. Doi, a Japanese Space Agency astronaut, will resume JLP outfitting at about 5:30 p.m.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day at about 6 a.m. Sunday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #10

Sunday, March 16, 2008 - 5 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-11


STS-123 MCC Status Report #11

Astronauts Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman spent more than seven hours outside the International Space Station today attaching the two arms of the Canadian Space Agency’s Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator, or Dextre.

Dextre’s arms, each 11 feet long, provide the robot with the ability to work outside the station to install small orbital replacement units and conduct other maintenance tasks. Dextre can operate on the end of the station’s robotic arm or ride independently on the Mobile Base System.

Linnehan and Foreman completed the second spacewalk of the mission removing some of the thermal covers that had been protecting Dextre during its installation. Both astronauts coordinated their movements with Mission Specialist Robert Behnken, who was serving inside Endeavour as the spacewalk choreographer.

Meanwhile, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takao Doi configured experiment and stowage racks within the newly installed Japanese Experiment Logistics Module—Pressurized Section. The module is a storage facility that provides stowage space for experiment payloads, samples and spare items.

Linnehan and Foreman ventured outside the space station at 6:49 p.m. CDT Saturday to begin the 7-hour, 8-minute spacewalk, which ended at 1:57 a.m. The spacewalk was the second in a series of five scheduled for the STS-123 mission.

Wake-up time for both the shuttle and station crews is 2:28 p.m. Sunday. The 10 crew members will spend the day working on various cargo items that are to be transferred back and forth between Endeavour and the International Space Station. The combined crews also will continue configuring racks in the new Japanese module while ground controllers test the electronics systems of Dextre now that it has grown arms. The standard spacewalk procedures review, this one for the third spacewalk, comes toward the end of the crew day.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after crew wake-up on Sunday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #11

Sunday, March 16, 2008 - 4 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-12


STS-123 MCC Status Report #12

Now almost halfway through their 16-day mission, and with two spacewalks under their belts, space shuttle Endeavour’s crew members will focus on getting the cargo they brought to the station up and running.

The crew members were awakened at 2:43 p.m. with “God of Wonders” by Caedmon’s Call. The song was played for Endeavour’s commander, Dominic Gorie.

Just before the crew went to sleep Sunday morning, flight controllers on the ground began checking out systems on Dextre – the Canadian Space Agency’s Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator. Those tests wrapped up at 6:18 a.m., and were all successful.

Mission Specialist Robert L. Behnken and station Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman will pick up where the ground teams left off. Behnken will go through a series of tests to make sure the brakes on the joints on the two 11-foot arms on the robot work. At 10:48 p.m., Behnken will stow Dextre in the configuration needed for the third spacewalk of the mission by him and Rick Linnehan Monday night, when the assembly of Dextre will be completed.

Behnken and Linnehan will be starting their campout in the Quest Airlock for that spacewalk at 3:43 a.m., but before they do that, they’ll join Mission Specialists Mike Foreman, Reisman and station Commander Peggy Whitson for a set of interviews with reporters on the ground. KMOX Radio in St. Louis, WEWS-TV in Cleveland and WBZ-TV in Boston will be talking with the astronauts at 9:18 p.m. All three stations are all in cities close to crew members’ hometowns: Behnken, Linnehan and Foreman are from Missouri, Massachusetts and Ohio, respectively.

Work inside the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module, Pressurized Section, continues to be ahead of schedule. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takao Doi will be doing get-ahead tasks today for the STS-124 mission, when space shuttle Discovery will bring up the second Japanese component, the large Kibo pressurized laboratory.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day at about 6 a.m. Monday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #12

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 5 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-13


STS-123 MCC Status Report #13

A new robot came alive and moved its arms outside the International Space Station overnight. Astronauts onboard the station moved Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency’s Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, for the first time.

Station Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman and Mission Specialist Robert L. Behnken first put Dextre through a series of tests to make sure the brakes on the joints on the two 11-foot arms on the robot work. Dextre passed those tests Sunday evening.

Later, Reisman and Behnken were the first to move Dextre’s arms, positioning them for Dextre’s final assembly during the mission’s third spacewalk. The movement was completed at 11:22 p.m. CDT. The placement will allow Behnken and Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan to install additional accessories and remove thermal blankets from Dextre.

Work inside the Japanese Kibo Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized Section continued ahead of schedule. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takao Doi and European Space Agency astronaut Leopold Eyharts gathered supplies to prepare for the STS-124 mission, when space shuttle Discovery will bring up Kibo’s laboratory module.

The spacewalkers, Linnehan and Behnken, are camping out in the Quest Airlock. The hatch was closed at 4:53 a.m.

All ten crewmembers are scheduled to awaken at 1:28 p.m.

Preparations for today’s spacewalk will resume at 2:08 p.m. and the spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 6:23 p.m.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after crew wake-up on Monday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #13

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 2 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-14


STS-123 MCC Status Report #14

The International Space Station’s newest robot is just one spacewalk away from being fully assembled.

The space shuttle Endeavour’s crew members received their wakeup call at 1:31 p.m. CDT. Their wakeup song for the day was “Sharing the World,” a song written by Pilot Gregory H. Johnson’s brother.

Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan and Robert L. Behnken will spend the day outside the station, performing the mission’s third spacewalk. During this spacewalk, the spacewalkers will be finishing up the assembly of Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency’s Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator. They’ll add a tool holster, a stowage platform and a camera system to the robot, and then remove thermal covers that have been protecting the robot’s system during its assembly.

The spacewalkers will also get the Spacelab Logistics Pallet on which the robot was assembled ready for return to Earth in the shuttle’s cargo bay, and install some spare equipment – a yaw joint for the station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2, and two spare direct current switching units – on the station’s exterior for future use.

Before heading back into the station, Behnken will also install on the station’s exterior Materials International Space Station Experiment 6A and 6B. MISSE 6 is a science experiment that will gather data on how materials and coatings are affected by the extreme environment of space. It’s scheduled to stay outside the station for about six months.

The spacewalk is scheduled to start at 6:23 p.m. and should last about six and a half hours.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #14

Tuesday, March 18, 2008 - 3:00 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-15


STS-123 MCC Status Report #15

Astronauts Rick Linnehan and Bob Behnken completed a 6 hour 53 minute spacewalk today, finishing the assembly and installation of the International Space Station’s newest robot, Dextre. Today’s spacewalk was the third of five planned for the STS-123 mission and was the 107th spacewalk dedicated to the assembly of the station.

Linnehan and Behnken focused on installing Dextre’s tool holder assembly and a Camera Light Pan Tilt Assembly (CLPA), which will serve as Dextre’s eyes. The spacewalkers also prepared the Spacelab Logistics Pallet, on which the robot was assembled, for its return to Endeavour’s cargo bay Tuesday evening.

The astronauts also installed spare equipment for the station on an external platform on the Quest airlock, including a yaw joint for the station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2, and two spare direct current switching units.

The spacewalkers attempted to install the MISSE 6 experiment onto the Columbus module, but were unable to properly engage latching pins used to hold the experiment packages onto the hull of Columbus. MISSE 6 is designed to expose experiments to the space environment for six months and measure how materials and coatings are affected by the extreme environment.

Tuesday night, the crew will again use the station’s robotic arm to grapple Dextre and move it to a power and data grapple fixture (PDGF) on the Destiny laboratory where it will reside. The next spacewalk by Behnken and Mike Foreman is scheduled for Thursday, when they will practice shuttle tile repair techniques and replace a failed circuit breaker on the station’s truss.

Endeavour Commander Dom Gorie spent part of the day examining minor condensation on a cooling line under the floorboards of the shuttle’s mid-deck. The condensation was noted after some noises were detected in that area. Flight controllers say the condensation has no impact on shuttle operations, but the cooling line may be inspected periodically during the remainder of the mission.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after crew wake-up Tuesday afternoon or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #15

Tuesday, March 18, 2008 - 2:30 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-16


STS-123 MCC Status Report #16

With the addition of a now-fully-assembled new robot to the International Space Station, the station and space shuttle Endeavour crews have a busy day of robotics work ahead of them.

The crew’s day started at 1:28 p.m. CDT. Their wake-up call came in the form of Ayaka Hirahara’s “Hoshi Tsumugi no Uta” – a Japanese song that translates to “Song of Spinning Stars.” The song was played for Mission Specialist Takao Doi, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut.

The first robotic work of the day is scheduled to start at 3:43 p.m. when Mission Specialist Leopold Eyharts and International Space Station Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman will tuck away the arms of Dextre, the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator. That will prepare the robot for its move to its temporary home on a Destiny laboratory power and data grapple fixture, by Eyharts and Pilot Gregory H. Johnson.

Attaching Dextre to Destiny will free up the station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2, which has been holding Dextre since early this morning. That will allow Johnson and Reisman to use Canadarm2 to remove the Spacelab Logistics Pallet that Dextre was assembled on from the station’s truss and stow it back inside Endeavour’s cargo bay for return to Earth. Canadarm2 will then be attached to the station’s mobile base system so that it can be moved along the truss to its next worksite by Eyharts and Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson.

Other activities for the day include resizing spacesuits by Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken and Mike Foreman for their next spacewalk on flight day 11, and two hours of off-duty time for the shuttle crew members.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day at about 5 a.m. Wednesday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #16

Tuesday, March 18, 2008 - 11 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-17


STS-123 MCC Status Report #17

The crews of Endeavour and the International Space Station today moved Dextre, the station’s new robotic attachment, to its home on top of the station’s U.S. Destiny Laboratory and worked to move the Spacelab pallet back into Endeavour’s cargo bay.

Mission Specialist Leopold Eyharts and Pilot Greg Johnson used the station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2, to move Dextre to its newest position on Destiny, where it was attached to one of the lab’s power and data grapple fixtures. This position clears the way for Canadarm2 to be used for future robotic missions.

Johnson and Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman then used Canadarm2 to move the Spacelab Logistics Pallet, where Dextre was assembled during the first spacewalk of the mission, from the station’s truss to Endeavour’s cargo bay. The pallet will return to Earth aboard the shuttle. Canadarm2 will be moved to the station’s mobile base system, where it will be transported to another worksite in preparation for Thursday’s fourth spacewalk.

Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken and Mike Foreman will conduct that spacewalk, and the focus will be to test a heat shield repair technique by using a caulk-gun-like tool named the Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser (T-RAD) to dispense a material called Shuttle Tile Ablator-54 (STA-54) into purposely damaged heat shield tiles. Those test samples will be returned to Earth to undergo extensive testing on the ground.

Mission managers in Houston are considering a second attempt to install the Materials International Space Station Experiment 6, or MISSE 6, onto the Columbus module during the fifth and final spacewalk of Endeavour’s mission. During yesterday’s spacewalk, latching pins were unable to properly engage and secure the suitcase-sized packages used to expose experiments to the environment of space. If approved, one of the objectives of the spacewalk – the reinstallation of a spare trundle bearing assembly on the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) – would be deferred to make room for MISSE 6.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after crew wake-up, scheduled for 12:28 p.m. Wednesday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #17

Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 2 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-18


STS-123 MCC Status Report #18

The crews on board space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station are getting a break from the action today before preparing for a spacewalk which will demonstrate a technique for repairing shuttle heat shield tiles.

The wake-up call at 12:41 p.m. CDT was “Burning Love” by Elvis Presley, played for Mission Specialist Mike Foreman.

For the first part of the day all of the crew members on both vehicles are scheduled off duty, a chance to relax after almost a full week of docked operations. So far they’ve completed three spacewalks, delivered and outfitted Japan’s first space station component, and assembled and delivered a Canadian robotic attachment to its home on the station’s U.S. Destiny laboratory.

At 6:08 p.m. shuttle Commander Dominic Gorie and station Commander Peggy Whitson will join Mission Specialist Takao Doi for a congratulatory phone call from Japan’s prime minister, and all 10 crew members will gather at 7:58 p.m. to talk about the flight in interviews with CBS News, NBC News and WMUR-TV in Manchester, N.H.

This evening Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken and Foreman will make preparations for Thursday’s spacewalk, when they will test a heat shield repair technique. The spacewalkers will set up a caulk-gun-like tool named the Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser, which they’ll use to dispense a material called Shuttle Tile Ablator-54 into purposely damaged heat shield tiles. Those test samples will be returned to Earth to undergo extensive testing on the ground.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day, about 4 a.m. Thursday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #18

Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 10.30 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-19


STS-123 MCC Status Report #19

The crews of space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station spent the afternoon speaking with audiences around the world and preparing for tomorrow’s spacewalk to evaluate a shuttle heat shield tile repair technique.

Mission Specialist Takao Doi was joined by shuttle Commander Dom Gorie and station Commander Peggy Whitson for a phone call from Yasuo Fukuda, Japan’s prime minister, who conveyed his congratulations for the successful installation of the first component of the Kibo laboratory at the station. The astronauts also answered questions from Japanese students. Afterward, all 10 crew members discussed their flight with CBS News, NBC News and WMUR-TV in Manchester, N.H.

Mission Specialists Bob Behnken and Mike Foreman, along with their spacewalk coordinator Rick Linnehan, configured the tools they will use during Thursday night’s spacewalk. Behnken and Foreman will employ a tool called the Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser (T-RAD) – a caulk-gun-like device – to apply a substance called Shuttle Tile Ablator-54 (STA-54) into purposely damaged heat shield tiles. Behnken and Foreman will then smooth the substance in place with foam-tipped tools. Those test samples will be returned to Earth to undergo extensive testing on how STA-54 performs in the environment of space. The demonstration is considered important in advance of the Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission later this year since that flight will be conducted independently of a “safe haven” capability at the ISS in the event the shuttle incurs damage to its heat shield.

Additional objectives of the spacewalk include replacement of a failed Remote Power Controller Module (RPCM) on the station’s truss, including the temporary shutdown and spinup of Control Moment Gyroscope-2 (CMG). The RPCM replacement is needed to restore redundant power to CMG-2 and CMG-3.

Both crews reviewed procedures for that spacewalk, scheduled to start at 5:28 p.m. on Thursday and last 6.5 hours. Behnken and Foreman will sleep in the station’s Quest airlock overnight for the standard spacewalk “camp out” procedure to purge the nitrogen from their bodies.

The fifth and final spacewalk is scheduled for Saturday to move the shuttle’s Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) onto the station. This is caused by the size of the huge Japanese Kibo pressurized laboratory module, which will be delivered to the station aboard Discovery in May, preventing the shuttle from carrying its own OBSS. Once Kibo is installed, Discovery’s astronauts will detach the OBSS left behind by Endeavour, use it to perform tile inspections and bring it home.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after crew wake-up, about 12:30 p.m. Thursday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #19

Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 1:30 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-20


STS-123 MCC Status Report #20

The fourth spacewalk of the mission, to test a technique for repairing space shuttle thermal tiles, is only a few hours away for the astronauts on space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station.

Today’s wake-up call at 12:28 p.m. CDT, “Blue Sky” by Big Head Todd and the Monsters, was played for Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan, who will serve as the spacewalk coordinator for today’s 6.5-hour-long excursion by Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken and Mike Foreman.

When the hatch on the Quest airlock opens at 5:28 p.m., Behnken and Foreman will translate onto the International Space Station’s truss. Behnken will replace a failed circuit breaker called a Remote Power Controller Module, while Foreman reconfigures cables on a nearby switching box to provide a redundant power source for the Control Moment Gyroscopes which control the station’s attitude in orbit without the use of propellant.

The major job for Behnken and Foreman on this spacewalk is a demonstration of the Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser – a caulk-gun-like device – to apply a substance called Shuttle Tile Ablator-54 (STA-54) into purposely damaged heat shield tiles. The test samples will be returned to Earth to undergo extensive testing on how STA-54 performs in the environment of space. The work will be done at a worksite the spacewalkers will set up on the nadir side of the Destiny laboratory.

During the spacewalk other members of the crews will continue the transfer of supplies from Endeavour to the space station. Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman has his afternoon blocked out for more handover discussions with his predecessor, European Space Agency astronaut Leopold Eyharts, who is coming home with shuttle Commander Dominic Gorie and his crew.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after the spacewalk, scheduled to end at 11:58 p.m., or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #20

Friday, March 21, 2008 - 3:00 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-21


STS-123 MCC Status Report #21

Astronauts Bob Behnken and Mike Foreman completed the fourth spacewalk of Endeavour’s STS-123 mission early today. The duration of the spacewalk was 6 hours 24 minutes, and it was the 108th spacewalk in support of the construction of the International Space Station.

Behnken and Foreman replaced an electrical circuit box called a Remote Power Controller Module (RPCM) on the station's truss. One of the goals of the task was to restore redundant power to control moment gyroscope (CMG) 2, but the astronauts were unable to remove one of the connectors from the Z1 truss. CMG-2 will continue to operate on its primary RPCM until that connector is removed.

The major focus of today’s spacewalk was a demonstration of the Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser – a caulk-gun-like device – and the application of a substance called Shuttle Tile Ablator-54 (STA-54) into intentionally damaged heat shield tiles. The astronauts applied the STA-54 into various molds, including a few that were created to resemble damage seen on previous shuttle missions and damaged tiles from prior flights. The test samples will be returned to Earth to undergo extensive testing on how STA-54 performs in both a microgravity and vacuum environment.

Behnken and Foreman also removed a cover from Dextre, the station’s new robotic attachment, and some of the launch locks that were still attached to the Harmony module. Those locks were removed in preparation for the arrival of the pressurized Japanese Kibo laboratory aboard Discovery in May.

Mission managers on the ground are continuing to assess what is believed to be a software error involving the shoulder roll joint of Dextre. The shoulder joint had been working properly yesterday, but commands detected errors as the teams worked through power-up procedures. Both of Dextre’s arms are currently stowed in their proper position.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after crew wake-up at 12:28 p.m., or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #21

Friday, March 21, 2008 - 1:30 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-22


STS-123 MCC Status Report #22

The crew will take another look at space shuttle Endeavour’s heat shield today using the Orbiter Boom Sensor System, which will be stowed on the exterior of the International Space Station during tomorrow's fifth and final planned spacewalk of the mission.

The crew started its day at 12:28 p.m., with the song “Enter Sandman” performed by Metallica. The song was played for Mission Specialist Robert L. Behnken.

Shuttle Commander Dominic Gorie, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialist Takao Doi will start the inspection of the shuttle’s heat shield at 3:03 p.m., beginning with the leading edge of the shuttle’s right wing. After taking time out for lunch, they’ll continue just after 6:30 p.m. with the shuttle’s nose cap and left wing leading edge.

The survey’s place in the mission’s timeline is different than in past flights. Normally the inspection is done after the shuttle has undocked from the space station. But Endeavour’s crew is planning to leave the Orbiter Boom Sensor System – or OBSS, an extension attached to the shuttle’s robotic arm that includes cameras and a laser system used to look for damage to the shuttle’s heat shield – behind for the next shuttle visit, and so is doing the survey earlier than usual.

The OBSS is being left on the station to leave extra room in the cargo bay of space shuttle Discovery, the next shuttle to visit the space station. Discovery will be bringing the Japanese Experiment Module to the station, and there is not enough room in the cargo bay for both it and the OBSS. Discovery will bring the OBSS back to Earth at the end of its mission.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day, about 3 a.m. Saturday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #22

Friday, March 21, 2008 - 10:30 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-23


STS-123 MCC Status Report #23

Endeavour’s crew completed additional inspections of the space shuttle’s heat shield using the Orbital Boom Sensor System (OBSS) today. The detailed inspection performed by Commander Dom Gorie, Pilot Greg Johnson and Mission Specialist Takao Doi included up-close examinations of the shuttle’s thermal protection system, including the reinforced carbon-carbon panels on the leading edges of the shuttle’s wings as well as the nose cap of the orbiter.

Ground teams will closely examine the imagery and data collected by the OBSS scan to ensure one last time that Endeavour’s heat-resistant tiles are safe for re-entry.

This inspection is typically completed after the shuttle has undocked from the space station, but because the crew will stow the OBSS on board the station during the fifth and final spacewalk of the mission tomorrow, the inspection was completed earlier. The OBSS will be stowed on the station in preparation for Discovery’s flight in May due to the size of the Japanese pressurized Kibo module it will be carrying. Once Discovery’s crew installs that module on the station, it will pick up the OBSS left behind by Endeavour and will bring it back to Earth after performing inspections.

The crew also continued transfers of cargo and equipment between the shuttle and the station. Tonight, astronauts Bob Behnken and Mike Foreman began the campout period inside the station’s Quest airlock to purge the nitrogen out of their bodies. This will be completed in advance of tomorrow’s spacewalk, which is scheduled to last 6.5 hours.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after crew wake-up tomorrow at 11:28 a.m., or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #23

Saturday, March 22, 2008 - 12 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-24


STS-123 MCC Status Report #24

HOUSTON – Four down and one to go: The space shuttle Endeavour crew is just hours away from beginning its fifth and final planned spacewalk.

The crew members were awakened at 11:29 a.m. CDT, to Heartland’s “I Loved Her First.” The song was played for Endeavour Commander Dominic Gorie.

Preparations for today’s spacewalk are scheduled to resume at 12:08 p.m., and Mission Specialists Mike Foreman and Robert L. Benhken should be ready to begin the spacewalk by 4:23 p.m.

The first task on the astronauts’ agenda is to store on the station’s truss the Orbiter Boom Sensor System – or OBSS – used in Friday’s inspection of Endeavour’s heat shield. Normally, the OBSS is brought back by the space shuttle on each trip. This time, however, the OBSS is being left on the station to leave extra room in the cargo bay of space shuttle Discovery, the next shuttle to visit the space station. Discovery will be bringing the Japanese Experiment Module to the station, and there is not enough room in the cargo bay for both it and the OBSS. Discovery will bring the OBSS back to Earth at the end of its mission.

After the OBSS is safely stored, the astronauts will split up for the spacewalk’s other tasks. Behnken will again try to install the Materials International Space Station Experiment 6 (MISSE-6) on the exterior of the Columbus laboratory. Behnken and Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan attempted to install the MISSE-6 experiment during the mission’s third spacewalk, but were unable to engage latching pins used to hold the experiment packages onto the hull of Columbus. This time around Behnken has a few troubleshooting methods he can try if he runs into the same problem again.

While Behnken works on installing the experiment, Foreman will inspect the station’s right Solar Alpha Rotary Joint. The 10-foot-wide, 2,500-pound rotary joint, which rotates the station’s starboard solar arrays to track the sun, began showing increased vibrations and power usage last fall. Previous inspections have found metal shavings under the rotary joint’s insulation covers, and Foreman will be looking at an area previously photographed to determine whether a pockmark seen in the photos is more metal shavings or damage from micrometeoroid orbital debris.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day, about 3:30 a.m. Sunday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #24

Saturday, March 22, 2008 - 10:30 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-25


STS-123 MCC Status Report #25

HOUSTON – Capping a series of five spacewalks, astronauts Robert L. Behnken and Mike Foreman completed the final spacewalk of the STS-123 mission at 9:36 p.m. CDT. Their 6-hour, 2-minute excursion was highlighted by the positioning of robotic boom to its temporary home on the space station, as well as installation of the Materials International Space Station Experiment-6 (MISSE-6) and inspection of the station’s right Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ).

This was the 109th dedicated to the assembly of the space station. Because the two made quick work of the major tasks, they also were able to remove trunnion covers on the Japanese Logistics Pressurized Module.

Behnken and Foreman, on the third spacewalk for each, first stored the Orbiter Boom Sensor System -- or OBSS -- on the station’s truss. Normally, the OBSS is returned on the space shuttle but this time it is being left on the station because there is not enough room in the cargo bay of space shuttle Discovery to house the next Japanese component to the station – the massive Kibo science laboratory. Discovery will bring the OBSS back to Earth at the end of the STS-124 mission.

After the OBSS was stored, the two spacewalkers split up for other tasks. Behnken installed the MISSE-6 on the outside of the Columbus laboratory while Foreman inspected the SARJ.

The 10-foot-wide, 2,500-pound joint, which rotates the station’s starboard solar arrays to track the sun, began showing increased vibrations and power usage last fall. Previous inspections have found metal shavings under the rotary joint’s insulation covers, and Foreman again looked at an area previously photographed to better characterize an apparent pockmark.

This time around Behnken had no trouble with MISSE-6 thanks to a few troubleshooting methods developed by engineers on the ground. He and Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan had attempted to install the MISSE-6 experiment during the mission’s third spacewalk, but were unable to engage latching pins used to hold the experiment packages onto the hull of Columbus.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after crew wakeup tomorrow at 11:28 a.m., or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #25

Sunday, March 23, 2008 - 12:30 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-26


STS-123 MCC Status Report #26

HOUSTON – After 13 busy days in space, the crew of space shuttle Endeavour will get some downtime today before bidding farewell to the International Space Station tomorrow.

The crews’ morning off started at 11:28 a.m., when their wake up call came in the form of the Newsboys song, “I am Free.” The song was played for Mission Specialist Mike Foreman and performed by the Praise Team at his church.

After a morning of free time and calls home, the crew will come back together for its midday meal and then spend the afternoon checking out tools for tomorrow’s undocking and transferring spacewalk equipment back to the shuttle.

At 10:18 p.m., they’ll pause in those activities and come together again, this time for the traditional joint crew news conference. Both the shuttle and station crews will take questions from American and Japanese reporters, as well as from Radio France. Afterward, they’ll document their stay at the station with an official crew photograph.

Before going to bed for the night, Mission Specialist Takao Doi will be activating the Rigidizable Inflatable Get-Away-Special Experiment, or RIGEX. The experiment will take place in the shuttle’s cargo bay while the crew sleeps. It’s designed to test and collect data on inflated and rigid structures in space by heating and cooling inflatable tubes to form structurally stiff tubes.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day at about 3 a.m. Monday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #26

Sunday, March 23, 2008 - 11:00 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-27


STS-123 MCC Status Report #27

HOUSTON – The crew of Endeavour neared the two-week mark in space preparing for tomorrow’s undocking and departure from the International Space Station.

The crew spent some time speaking with their families back home and transferring cargo, tools and other supplies back to the shuttle. The combined crews also spoke with reporters during the traditional crew news conference. Reporters from the United States, Japan and France participated in the news conference and spoke with the astronauts about the major milestones and accomplishments of the mission as well as life in space.

Endeavour’s crew will say goodbye to the station crew tomorrow afternoon, and the hatches between the two spacecraft are due to be closed at 4:13 p.m. CDT. Endeavour will undock and pull away from the station at 6:56 p.m. and will perform the traditional fly-around of the station. This will give Endeavour’s crew the first chance to see from afar the newly installed Kibo logistics module and the Dextre robot, which is now attached to the outside of the U.S. lab, Destiny. The undocking sets the stage for Endeavour’s scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center Wednesday, just before sunset.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after the crew wakes up tomorrow, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #27

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 11:30 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-28


STS-123 MCC Status Report #28

HOUSTON – The space shuttle Endeavour crew has just a few hours left to spend at the International Space Station.

The crew’s wake-up call came at 10:43 a.m. CDT today. The wake-up song was “Furusato,” a Japanese folksong that translates to “home” in English. The song was performed by Yuko Doi, and played for Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takao Doi.

Doi and the rest of the Endeavour crew will begin their farewells to the station crew members at 4:13 p.m. Once the goodbyes have been said and the hatches are closed between the two vehicles, the hooks and latches connecting the shuttle and station will release and a spring will push the shuttle away at about 6:56 p.m.

Pilot Gregory H. Johnson will then steer the shuttle to a distance about 450 feet away from the space station. At 7:21 p.m. he will begin the traditional fly-around of the station, giving the shuttle crew a bird’s-eye view of the results of their labor at the station. This will be the crew's first chance to see from afar the newly installed Kibo logistics module and the Dextre robot, which is now attached to the outside of the U.S. lab, Destiny.

After completing 1.5 revolutions of the station, Johnson will fire the shuttle’s jets again for the final separation from the space station at 8:39 p.m.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day at about 2 a.m. Tuesday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #28

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 11 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-29

STS-123 MCC Status Report #29


The space shuttle Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station at 7:25 p.m. CDT, completing 11 days, 20 hours and 36 minutes of docked operations.

After saying their goodbyes, the two crews closed hatches between the two vehicles at 4:49 p.m. Undocking was delayed about 30 minutes due to a sticky latch used to lock a mechanism that pivots the P6 solar array to face the sun. The latch finally engaged on the third try, safely locking the array in place for undocking.

Following undocking, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson flew the shuttle to a distance about 450 feet away from the space station and conducted a fly-around of the complex. This offered the shuttle crew a chance to view and photograph the results of their two weeks of joint work, including the installation of the Japanese Kibo logistics module and the Canadian Dextre robot.

After one and a quarter laps around the station, Johnson fired the shuttle’s jets again for the final separation from the outpost at 9:08 p.m.

The shuttle crew is scheduled to begin its sleep period at 1:58 a.m. and will awaken at 9:58 a.m. to begin their final full day in orbit prior to their scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center just before sunset on Wednesday.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after crew wake-up Tuesday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #29

Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 11 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-30

STS-123 MCC Status Report #30


HOUSTON – The space shuttle Endeavour crew members have a day of preparations and last-minute packing ahead of them, as they get ready to return to Earth on Wednesday.

The crew started its day at 9:58 a.m. CDT with the wake-up song “Con Te Partiro,” an Italian song that translates to “I will go with you.” The song was performed by Andrea Bocelli and played for French astronaut Leopold Eyharts.

Commander Dominic Gorie and Pilot Gregory H. Johnson will begin the shuttle’s landing preparations at 12:53 p.m., by performing an orbital adjustment burn to bring Endeavour to the correct orbit for landing.

At 1:28 p.m., Gorie, Johnson and Mission Specialist Mike Foreman will begin checking the shuttle’s aerosurfaces and hydraulic systems as part of the flight control systems checkout. And they’ll follow that with a test of the shuttle’s steering jets during the reaction control system hot fire.

Later in the day the crew members will take time out to talk to reporters. At 5:33 p.m., Eyharts will be talking with two French television stations, as well as the French Ministry of Defense. And at 7:13 p.m., the entire shuttle crew will answer questions from CNN, the Associated Press and KTVI-TV in St. Louis.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued near the end of the crew’s day at about 2 a.m. Wednesday, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #30

Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 9:30 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-31

STS-123 MCC Status Report #31

The space shuttle Endeavour and its crew spent the day making final preparations for their return to Earth tomorrow.

Commander Dominic Gorie and Pilot Gregory H. Johnson performed an orbital adjustment maneuver to provide Endeavour two landing opportunities tomorrow, with the first being just before sunset at the Kennedy Space Center. The crew also performed final tests on the shuttle’s flight surfaces and reaction control system jets, which help the shuttle steer toward its landing.

The crew members in a series of in-flight interviews spoke with CNN, the Associated Press and KTVI-TV in St. Louis, Mo., and mission specialist Leo Eyharts also spoke with media representatives in France as well as the French Minister of Defense.

Endeavour has two landing opportunities tomorrow at the Kennedy Space Center. The first is at 6:05 p.m. CDT and the second is at 7:39 p.m. CDT.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued after crew wake-up tomorrow, or earlier if events warrant.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #31

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - 10:30 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-32

STS-123 MCC Status Report #32

HOUSTON – Space shuttle Endeavour’s record-setting visit to the International Space Station is just hours away from its conclusion.

On what is scheduled to be its last day in space, the crew was awakened at 9:58 a.m. CDT by Train’s "Drops of Jupiter." The song was played for Pilot Gregory H. Johnson.

Deorbit preparations will begin at 1:58 p.m. Then the crew members will ready their seats and should get the okay to close the payload bay doors at 2:18 p.m. If the good weather forecast proves true, Commander Dominic Gorie will conduct the deorbit burn at 4:58 p.m., slowing Endeavour enough to allow it to drop out of orbit and begin its descent. Landing at the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., about half an hour before sunset.

Endeavour has one other opportunity to land today if needed. The second opportunity would get the astronauts to Florida about one hour after sunset. The deorbit burn would occur at 6:33 p.m. for a 7:39 p.m. landing. Either landing would secure for Endeavour the record for longest shuttle mission to the station.

While at the station, the crew delivered 25,839 pounds of equipment, hardware, supplies and consumables. The new Japanese Experiment Logistics Module, Pressurized Section – the first part of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency module, Kibo – accounts for the bulk of that at 18,377 pounds. In all, 23,776 pounds of equipment and hardware made its way from the shuttle’s cargo bay to the station.

From the shuttle’s middeck came 1,432 pounds of transfer and resupply items. And the station also got 608 pounds of water and 23 pounds of nitrogen before Endeavour left.

The next STS-123 status report will be issued following landing.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #32

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - 8 p.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas


STATUS REPORT: STS-123-33

STS-123 MCC Status Report #33

After orbiting the Earth an extra revolution due to weather at the landing site, space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew landed on Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center at 7:39 p.m. CDT today, completing a 16-day journey of more than 6.5 million miles.

Endeavour’s main gear touched down at 7:39:08 p.m. CDT with nose gear touch down at 7:39:17 p.m. Wheels stop occurred at 7:40:41 p.m.

During 249 orbits of Earth, the crew of Endeavour, which includes Commander Dominic Gorie, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Bob Behnken, Mike Foreman, Rick Linnehan, Takao Doi and Leo Eyharts, installed the first segment of the Japanese Kibo module and the Canadian Dextre robot.

The astronauts conducted a record five spacewalks during the mission, which was also the longest mission to date at the International Space Station. The crew also installed the MISSE-6 experiment to the outside of the Columbus laboratory and also tested out a new shuttle heat shield tile repair technique.

Endeavour delivered astronaut Garrett Reisman to the station, replacing Eyharts as a flight engineer aboard the complex. Eyharts spent 48 days in space, including 44 aboard the station after he arrived on shuttle Atlantis during the STS-122 mission in February.

Endeavour will be towed to its orbiter processing facility tonight, where it will begin preparations for its next mission. The crew of Endeavour is planned to return to the Johnson Space Center tomorrow at 4 p.m. CDT.



Source: NASA - STS-123 MCC Status Report #33