Tag: ISS
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STS-134 Soyuz Flyabout Cancelled – Planning switched to STS-135
Following a meeting between NASA and Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) managers on Friday, a decision was made to call off the planned Soyuz documentary flyabout of the International Space Station (ISS) and Endeavour during the STS-134/ULF-6 mission, due to concerns with crew impacts in the event that the Soyuz should fail to re-dock with the…
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Soyuz TMA-21 in commemorative launch to International Space Station
Russia’s Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft, which also goes by its American designation of 26S, has blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday (4th April) at 10:18:20 PM GMT, carrying three crewmembers for the International Space Station’s (ISS’) Expedition 27 and Expedition 28 crews. Soyuz Launch: Following a two day free flight, TMA-21 will…
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High hopes for Soyuz flyabout during STS-134 following positive planning
NASA managers have been presented with a working plan and completed assessments on the potential for a Soyuz flyaround of the Shuttle/Station stack during Endeavour’s docked mission. With many of the hurdles from the cancelled STS-133 flyabout plan removed, the unique event has a high potential of being approved by the International Space Station (ISS)…
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Japan’s HTV-2 departs from the ISS after two month visit
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA’s) H-II Transfer Vehicle-2 (HTV-2) “Kounotori” (White Stork) is departing from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday, after a 60 day visit to the orbital outpost. Launched to the ISS on 22nd January, HTV-2 arrived at the space station on 27th January after a five day free flight, whereupon it was…
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STS-133: Workhorse Discovery exemplifying routine orbiter excellence
With Discovery enjoying her final docked mission – with glowing praise from her crew during nearly every media event – the workhorse of the fleet is providing no headaches for her engineering teams on the ground during her swansong flight. No issues of note are being worked on the orbiter in one of the “cleanest”…
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STS-133: PMM successfully installed – Soyuz flyabout cancelled
With the first spacewalk (EVA) of the mission behind them, Discovery’s crew has further completed one of the mission’s primary objectives: the installation of the PMM (Permanent Multipurpose Module) Leonardo, the final U.S. permanent pressurized module, to the International Space Station. Meanwhile, a proposed flyabout by a Russian Soyuz has been formally cancelled. PMM Leonardo –…
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STS-133: Pristine Discovery enjoying her docked mission swansong
The Damage Assessment Team (DAT) confirmed Discovery’s clean ascent into space by clearing the orbiter from a Focused Inspection, as STS-133’s mission continues to proceed flawlessly. With a host of robotic operations picking up shortly after Discovery arrived at the orbital outpost for the final time, the crew are heading toward the opening spacewalk –…
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Discovery Completes Visually Spectacular Docking to Space Station
A healthy orbiter Discovery and her crew have completed a stunning R-bar Pitch Maneuver (RPM) and docking to the International Space Station. Additionally, Discovery’s extremely clean ride to orbit signals the outstanding work of numerous engineers to clear a potential contamination concern within the External Tank following the inadvertent opening of a backup Fill and…
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ATV-2 successfully docks with International Space Station
After an eight-day (8 day) orbital chase, Europe’s Automated Transfer Vehicle-2 (ATV-2) has conducted a picture perfect automated docking to the aft end of the International Space Station’s (ISS’s) “Zvezda” Service Module (SM). ATV-2 was launched atop an Ariane V booster from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana last Wednesday (16th February) evening, and…
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STS-133: ISS Gears Up for Discovery’s Arrival – Soyuz Flyaround Update
With the countdown clocks now ticking down for the launch of STS-133 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) have been hard at work this past week, reconfiguring the station for the arrival of Discovery this Saturday. The reconfiguration period is set to continue this week, as the…