KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - Space shuttle Endeavour's astronauts completed thee days of launch training at Kennedy Space Center in preparation for their mission to the International Space Station next month. The prelaunch exercises culminated in a simulated countdown and launch abort with the seven astronauts strapped inside the orbiter as they will be on launch day.
VIDEO: THE CREW OF ENDEAVOUR TAKES PART IN LAUNCH COUNTDOWN REHEARSAL The Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) involved the entire crew and launch team simulating an actual launch countdown with all shuttle systems powered up in a real-life dress rehearsal of launch day. The countdown ends with a simulated Redundant Set Launch Sequencer (RSLS) abort on the pad and a practice evacuation from the orbiter. Also during their three days of training at KSC, the astronauts learned how to drive the M-113 tank that they would use to evacuate the pad area in case of an emergency. They practiced other emergency procedures. Shuttle commander Chris Ferguson and pilot Eric Boe practiced approach and landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility in the modified Gulfstream 2 Shuttle Training Aircraft. With TCDT complete, the astronauts flew back to Houston for final launch preparations before they return to Kennedy Space Center in early November for Endeavour's scheduled launch. The launch is targeted for November 14 at 7:55 p.m. EDT. NASA managers are holding the executive level Flight Readiness Review at KSC this week and are expected to formally announce November 14 at the official launch date for STS-126. Endeavour will fly to the space station loaded with 32,000 pounds of equipment needed to support an expanded crew size of six astronauts. The new equipment includes additional sleeping quarters, a new galley with a refrigerator, an experimental freezer, a second toilet and a resistance exercise device. Endeavour will also carry the first (partially) closed-loop life-support system ever to be used in space, a regenerative water reclamation system. After the new hardware is installed on the station, it will undergo several months of checkout to ensure it's operating correctly before the station's crew size is doubled in the middle of next year. On STS-126, Endeavour's crew will also conduct vital repairs to the joints of the solar arrays, which rotate to keep the arrays always facing the Sun. The starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint has been in limited use since September of last year when contamination and damage was discovered inside the 10-foot wide mechanism. The repairs, to be conducted over four spacewalks, are critical for the station's future ability to house a larger crew size and full science complement. Endeavour's crew is led by commander Chris Ferguson (Captain, U.S. Navy). He is a veteran of one spaceflight, STS-115 in 2006. 47 years old and married with three children, he is also the drummer for the astronaut rocket band Max Q. He is accompanied by his pilot on STS-126, first-time flier Eric Boe (Colonel, U.S. Air force). Completing the STS-126 crew are mission specialists Donald Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus. Pettit is a veteran who flew as science officer on ISS Expedition 6. Piper will be making her second flight, having flown with Ferguson on STS-115. Magnus flew one time previously, on STS-112 in 2002. In addition to station repair and outfitting tasks, STS-126 will also conduct a crew rotation with Expedition 18. When Endeavour returns home, Sandra Magnus will remain on the station, joining Expedition 18 as flight engineer. She will be taking the place of Greg Chamitoff, who has been aboard the complex since he launched to the station on STS-124 last May. Magnus will return aboard STS-119, currently targeted for a February 2009 launch. STS-126 will feature four six and a half hour spacewalks outside the space station. On flight day 5, Piper and Bowen will conduct external outfitting of the station. They will replace a depleted nitrogen tank and a device used to help the flow of coolant from the truss, the backbone of the station. They also will remove thermal covers from the Japanese Kibo module to inspect the berthing mechanism where the module's exposed facility will be installed during the STS127 mission in 2009. They also will start inspecting, cleaning and lubricating the starboard SARJ and begin replacing 11 of 12 trundle bearings. One was replaced during the STS-124 mission in June. On flight day 7, Piper and Kimbrough will relocate equipment carts, setting the stage for the installation of the starboard S6 truss. The spacewalkers also will lubricate the end effector, or hand, of the Canadarm2, the station's robotic arm. They also will continue lubricating the starboard SARJ and replacing trundle bearings. On flight day 9, Piper and Bowen will complete starboard SARJ cleaning, lubricating and trundle bearing work. On flight day 11, Bowen and Kimbrough will remove several thermal covers on the port SARJ. Kimbrough will lubricate the port SARJ, while Bowen will reinstall the thermal insulation covers (removed on flight day 5) on Kibo. He then will install two GPS antennas on Kibo's logistics module, while Kimbrough installs a new TV camera on the truss. If time permits, they will remove launch restraint hose clamps on cooling lines. (The Spacearium / Space Medi Corporation)
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