STS-108 (107)

Endeavour (17)

Pad 39-B (49)

107th Shuttle Mission

Crew:

Dominic L. Gorie (3), Commander

Mark E. Kelly (1), Pilot

Linda M. Godwin (4), Mission Specialist

Daniel M. Tani (1), Mission Specialist

Yuri I. Onufrienko (2), Expedition 4 RSA (UP)

Carl E. Walz (4), Expedition 4 (UP)

Daniel W. Bursch (4), Expedition 4 (UP)

Frank L. Culbertson, Jr. (3) Expedition 3 Commander

Mikhail Turin (1), Expedition 3 RSA (DOWN)

Vladimir N. Dezhurov (2), Expedition 3 RSA (DOWN)

Milestones:

OPF -- 05/09/01 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 05/09/2001)

VAB -- 10/24/01 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 11/05/2001)

PAD -- 10/30/01 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 11/05/2001)

Payload:

Space Station Utilization Flight (UF-1), MPLM (Raffaello), GAS(4), MACH-1

Mission Objectives:

Click here for Additional Info on STS-108

STS-108 will be the 12th space shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station and the 4th mission to utilize the Italian Multipurpose Logistics Module (MPLM). There are three MPLMs and this flight will use the one called Raffaello which flew once before on STS-100. Raffaello will be attached to the stations Unity node while unloading its cargo, much of which will be transfered into the U.S. Lab called Destiny. Eight resupply stowage racks and four resupply stowage platforms will be unloaded.

The flight will also feature a spacewalk to install thermal blankets over the Beta Gimbal Assemblies (BGAs) at the bases of the space station's solar panels. The BGAs, mounted atop the stations P6 Truss, control the panels to keep them at an optimal angle in relation to the sun.

Other Payloads on this mission include the Lightweight Mission Peculiar Support Structure Carrier (LMC) with four Get Away Special (GAS) experiments and the Multiple Application Customized Hitchhiker-1 (MACH-1) Payload. The MACH-1 payload contains the Starshine, Capilary Pumped Loop Experiment-3, the Prototype Synchrotron Radiation Detector, two Space Experiment Modules containing multiple small experiments and a GAS canister containing seven experiments.

Just forward of the Hitchhiker, on the right payload bay wall, are two GAS containers, one housing seven experiments from Utah State University and the other with an experiment looking at smoldering combustion in microgravity. Behind Raffaello, at the rear of the cargo bay, is the Lightweight Multipurpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier (LMC), with four more GAS canisters. One has three Penn State University experiments and another contains 10 student experiments. A third houses a Swedish Space Corp. experiment focusing on weak Marangoni flows and the fourth, from Ames Research Center, is a test of a prototype instrument cooler for planetary missions. In Endeavour's middeck area will be the Avian Development Facility and the Commercial Biomedical Testing Module Animal Enclosure Module. The Avian Development Facility is flown to validate subsystems and will contain two experiments on development in space of Japanese quail eggs. The Animal Enclosure Module is a commercial experiment using mice and seeking information that could lead to better treatment of osteoporosis in humans.

Launch:

Wednesday, December 5, 2001 5:19pm EST (22:19 UTC)

On Wednesday, December 5, 2001, the launch countdown proceeded as scheduled. Tanking began at 7:45am EST and completed shortly after 11:00am EST. At 1:30p.m. EST the astronauts departed the crew quarters in the Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) for the 20 minute ride to Pad 39-B. By 3:00pm. they were strapped in and ready for the terminal count. At 17:12 p.m. EST the Orbiter Access Arm was retracted and launch occured exactly on time at the beginning of the window. Main Engine Cutoff occured at the 8 minute 26 second mark.

On Tuesday, December 4, 2001, the launch was scheduled for 5:45 p.m. EST. The crew left the O&C building, departed for Launch Pad 39-B and entered the orbiter. At 15:40 p.m. EST the hatch was closed and locked for flight. At 16:40 p.m. EST the countdown clock came out of the hold at the T-minus 20 minute mark. After a final poll of the launch team, the mission management team gave a go to countdown to the T-minus 5 minute mark. The only constraint was due to weather. At 17:37 EST, the countdown clock came out of the hold at the T-minus 9 minute mark and counted down to T-minus 5 minutes. A go was given for Orbiter Access Arm retract. At 17:44, STA, RTLS and range were all no-go due to weather constraints and the launch was scrubbed with a 24 hour recycle.

The launch attempt for Thursday, November 29, 2001 (7:44p.m. EST) was delayed to give officials time to analyze a problem with a Russian Progress freighter that is not fully hard docked to the aft port of the Zvezda service module.

Launch preparations for Shuttle Endeavour remain on schedule at Pad B. Ordnance installation and pressurization of the hypergolic propellant system are complete. Work in progress includes final stowage in both the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) and the crew compartment. External Tank purge and aft closeouts are under way. No work is scheduled for the Thanksgiving holidays (Thursday-Friday). Over the weekend, the launch crew will begin preparations for picking up the final countdown, scheduled for 11 p.m. Monday, Nov. 26. The seven STS-108 crewmembers will arrive at KSC on Sunday, Nov. 25. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 11/20/2001)

Shuttle Endeavour remains on schedule for launch on Nov. 29. At Pad B, the STS-108 flight crew participated in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test that was completed successfully this morning. The crew will return to Houston this afternoon. Later today, the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) will be installed into Endeavour's payload bay. This weekend, pad technicians will replace the yaw actuator arm in Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) #2 and preparations will begin for hypergol propellant loading. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 11/09/01)

Previous launch date was no earlier than January 11, 2001 and

then November 1, 2001.

Orbit:

Altitude: 122 nm

Inclination: 51.6

Orbits:

Duration: 10 days, 19 hours, 57 minutes, seconds. (Estimated)

Distance: miles

Hardware:

SRB:

SRM:

ET :

MLP :

SSME-1: SN-

SSME-2: SN-

SSME-3: SN-

Landing:

KSC, December 17, 2001 12:55 p.m. EST

Main Gear Touchdown: 12:55:16 EST (MET: 11 days 19 hours 35 min 42 sec)

Nose Gear Touchdown: 12:55:23 EST (MET: 11 days 19 hours 35 min 55 sec)

Wheel Stop: 12:56:13 EST (MET: 11 days 19 hours 36 min 45 sec)

A go for the deorbit burn was given at 11:40 a.m. Eastern time to bring Endeavour home to KSC.

Mission Highlights:

STS-108 Flight Day 1 Highlights:
STS-108 Flight Day 2 Highlights:
STS-108 Flight Day 3 Highlights:
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STS-108 Flight Day 9 Highlights:
STS-108 Flight Day 10 Highlights:
STS-108 Flight Day 11 Highlights:
STS-108 Flight Day 12 Highlights:
STS-108 Flight Day 13 Highlights:

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