KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - Space shuttle Atlantis' six astronauts completed important emergency training and a launch day rehearsal this week at Kennedy Space Center as NASA continues to move ahead toward launch of mission STS-129 to the International Space Station currently scheduled for liftoff at 2:28 p.m. EST on November 16.
WATCH FREE VIDEO: WATCH: STS-129 BEHIND THE SCENES - VOLUME 2 WATCH: STS-129 TCDT ACTIVITIES WATCH: STS-129 BEHIND THE SCENES - VOLUME 1 WATCH: STS-129 PAYLOAD IS TRANSPORTED TO LAUNCH PAD WATCH: LAUNCH PAD CREW Q&A WATCH: STS-129 ASTRONATUS ARRIVE FOR TCDT WATCH: STS-129 CREW TRAINING - PART 1 WATCH: STS-129 CREW TRAINING - PART 2 WATCH: STS-129 PRELAUNCH CREW NEWS CONFERENCE WATCH: STS-129 MISSION OVERVIEW BRIEFING WATCH: STS-129 PROGRAM OVERVIEW BRIEFING WATCH: STS-129 SPACEWALK OVERVIEW BRIEFING WATCH: STS-129 VIDEO FILE WATCH: ROLLOUT HIGHOLIGHTS CLIP WATCH: TIMELAPSE VIDEO OF ROLLOUT WATCH: ATLANTIS IS MATED TO EXTERNAL TANK WATCH: ATLANTIS ROLLOVER TO THE VAB ALL-ACCESS SUBSCRIBERS: DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 BEHIND THE SCENES - VOLUME 2 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 TCDT ACTIVITIES DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 BEHIND THE SCENES - VOLUME 1 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 PAYLOAD IS TRANSPORTED TO LAUNCH PAD DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 POST-FRR NEWS CONFERENCE DOWNLOAD VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD CREW Q&A DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 ASTRONATUS ARRIVE FOR TCDT DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 CREW TRAINING - PART 1 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 CREW TRAINING - PART 2 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 PRELAUNCH CREW NEWS CONFERENCE DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 MISSION OVERVIEW BRIEFING DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 PROGRAM OVERVIEW BRIEFING DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 SPACEWALK OVERVIEW BRIEFING DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-129 VIDEO FILE DOWNLOAD VIDEO: ATLANTIS IS MATED TO EXTERNAL TANK DOWNLOAD VIDEO: ROLLOUT HIGHOLIGHTS CLIP DOWNLOAD VIDEO: TIMELAPSE VIDEO OF ROLLOUT DOWNLOAD VIDEO: ATLANTIS ROLLOUT - PART 1 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: ATLANTIS ROLLOUT - PART 3 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: ATLANTIS ROLLOUT - PART 4 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: ATLANTIS ROLLOUT - PART 4 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: ATLANTIS ROLLOUT - PART 5 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: ATLANTIS ROLLOVER TO THE VAB Led by veteran shuttle commander Charlie Hobaugh and pilot Barry Wilmore, the astronauts flew back to Kennedy Space Center to complete the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test which was interrupted for a week to make room for the Ares I-X test launch. Along with Hobaugh and Wilmore, the STS-129 crew includes mission specialists Mike Foreman, Leland Melvin, Rendy Bresnik and Robert Satcher. DUring TCDT, the astronauts participated in a mock shuttle countdown rehearsal this morning, culminating in a simulated launch pad abort and emergency escape from Atlantis. As they will on launch day, the astronauts donned their day-glow orange "pumpkin" suits and climbed aboard Atlantis on launch pad 39-A during the last couple hours of the countdown. The call to stations for the countdown occurred yesterday at 7:30 am for the two-day coutndown that simulated the exact procedures that will take place on launch day. At 11 a.m. this morning, the countdown stopped as planned at T-4 seconds, simulating an abort on the launch pad. The astronauts then evacuated the shuttle, as would be required if there was a toxic leak or fire at the launch pad, and made their way to the seven slidewire baskets on the opposite side of the launch pad at the 195 foot level. They didn't actually ride the baskets to the ground (due to risk of injury) but practiced climbing into them and slapping the lever that would normally release them to fall by gravity to catch nets at the perimeter of the launch pad area near a concrete bunker the astronauts could take shelter in if they can't make it away from the pad in time. After the conclusion of TCDT, the astronauts will return to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Tx. to make final preparations for their launch in two weeks. They will fly back to Kennedy Space Center for launch on November 12. During STS-129, Atlantis will fly to the International Space Station on an 11-day mission to deliver 15 tons of supplies and spare parts to the spacestation. The shuttle will deliver new ammonia and nitrogen tanks and spare control moment gyroscopes to the complex along with a spare end effector "hand" for the station's robotic arm. The spare parts, which must be delivered by the space shuttle before its retirement next year or early 2011, will be attached to the outside of the space station on two Express Logistics Carriers during the course of three spacewalks. If all goes as planned, Atlantis will return to Kennedy Space Center at 9:57 a.m. EST on November 27 at the completion of its 10 day, 19 hour and and 19 minute mission. (The Spacearium / SpaceflightNews.net)
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