NASA Space Shuttle STS-131 Press Kit

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION
STS-131
Experiment
Express
PRESS KIT/April 2010
www.nasa.gov
CONTENTS
Section Page
STS-131/19A MISSION OVERVIEW ........................................................................................ 1
STS-131 TIMELINE OVERVIEW ............................................................................................... 11
MISSION PROFILE ................................................................................................................... 15
MISSION OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................ 17
MISSION PERSONNEL ............................................................................................................. 19
STS-131 CREW ....................................................................................................................... 21
PAYLOAD OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................. 31

L E O NAR D O MUL T I -P UR POSE L OG I ST I CS M O DUL E (MP L M ) FLI GHT MO D UL E 1 (FM1 ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
T H E L I GH TWE I GH T M UL T I- P UR PO S E EXP E RIM E N T SUPP O RT ST RUC T UR E C ARR I ER (L M C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING ....................................................................................................... 45

U N D O CK I NG , S E PA RA TI O N , A N D D EPA RTU R E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
SPACEWALKS ......................................................................................................................... 49
EXPERIMENTS ......................................................................................................................... 57
D E TA IL E D T ES T O B J E CT I VE S A N D D ETAI L ED S UP PL EM E NT AR Y O BJ E C T I V E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
S H OR T- D UR AT I O N U. S. I NT E GR AT E D R ES E AR C H T O BE C O MPL E TED D U R IN G STS - 1 3 1 / 1 9A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
EDUCATION ACTIVITIES ......................................................................................................... 73
SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA .................................................................................................... 75
LAUNCH AND LANDING ........................................................................................................... 93

L A U N CH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
A B OR T- T O- OR B IT ( AT O ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 93
T RA N SA TLA NT I C A B OR T L A N D I NG ( TAL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
R E T UR N -T O -L A U N CH - SI T E ( R TL S ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 93
A B OR T O N C E A RO U N D (A OA ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 93
L A N D I NG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
APRIL 2010 CONTENTS i

Section Page
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................... 95
MEDIA ASSISTANCE ............................................................................................................... 109
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS .................................................................................................. 111
ii CONTENTS APRIL 2010

STS-131/19A MISSION OVERVIEW
Backdropped by a blue and white part of Earth, the International Space Station is featured in this
image photographed by an STS-130 crew member on space shuttle Endeavour.
As the last round-trip for the Leonardo experiments, unneeded hardware and trash to
Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, Discovery’s the ground – all other cargo transfer vehicles
13-day mission will provide the International burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. And
Space Station with not only some 8 tons of although Leonardo will return to the station
science equipment and cargo, but also one last once more on the last space shuttle mission
opportunity to send a large load of cargo back later this year, this is scheduled to be its last
to the ground. round trip – Leonardo will remain permanently
at the station after STS-133. So while it will
Leonardo serves as basically a moving van for deliver one more batch of goods, the cargo
the space station, allowing the shuttle to, first of returning on STS-131 will be the last that it
all, deliver shipments of equipment and brings home.
supplies larger than any other vehicle could
accommodate, and, second, to return science
APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 1

And although there are only four shuttle Discovery, commanded by spaceflight veteran
missions left before the space shuttle fleet is Alan G. Poindexter, is scheduled to lift off from
retired, the program is still making some space Kennedy Space Center at 6:21 a.m. EDT on
“firsts” possible. With three female crew Monday, April 5, and arrive at the orbiting
members arriving on board Discovery and one complex early on Wednesday, April 7.
already at the station, the STS-131 mission will
mark the first time that four women have been While docked to the station, Discovery’s crew
in space at one time. And as there is one will conduct three spacewalks and spend
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut about 100 combined hours moving cargo in
on each crew, the mission is also the first time and out of Leonardo and the shuttle’s middeck.
for two JAXA astronauts to be in space at the
same time.
NASA astronaut Alan G. Poindexter, STS-131 commander, attired in a training version of his
shuttle launch and entry suit, occupies the commander’s station on the flight deck of the
Full Fuselage Trainer in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
2 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

Poindexter, 48, a U.S. Navy captain, served as of the Quest airlock at the station. Docking
pilot on STS-122 in 2008. He will be joined on preparations will occupy the remainder of the
the mission by pilot James P. Dutton Jr., 41, a crew’s workday.
U.S. Air Force colonel, who will be making his
first trip to space. Mission specialists are On the third day of the flight, Discovery will
Rick Mastracchio, 50, who flew on STS-106 be flown by Poindexter and Dutton on its
and STS-118 in 2000 and 2007, respectively; approach for docking to the station. After a
Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, 34, a former series of jet firings to fine-tune Discovery’s path
teacher who became an astronaut in 2004; to the complex, the shuttle will arrive at a
Stephanie Wilson, 43, who flew on STS-121 point about 600 feet directly below the station
and STS-120 in 2006 and 2007, respectively; about an hour before docking. At that time,
Naoko Yamazaki, 39, a Japan Aerospace Poindexter will execute the rendezvous pitch
Exploration Agency astronaut; and maneuver, a one-degree-per-second rotational
Clayton Anderson, 51, who spent 152 days on “backflip” to enable station crew members to
the space station as a member of the snap hundreds of detailed photos of the
Expedition 15 crew in 2007, traveling to the shuttle’s heat shield and other areas of potential
station on STS-117 and returning to Earth on interest – another data point for imagery
STS-120. analysts to pore over in determining the health
of the shuttle’s thermal protection system.
The day after launch, Poindexter, Dutton,
Metcalf-Lindenburger, Wilson and Yamazaki Once the rotation is completed, Poindexter will
will take turns from Discovery’s aft flight deck fly Discovery in front of the station before
maneuvering its robotic arm in the traditional slowly closing in for a linkup to the forward
day-long scan of the reinforced carbon-carbon docking port on the Harmony module. Less
on the leading edges of the shuttle’s wings and than two hours later, hatches will be opened
its nose cap. This initial inspection, using a between the two spacecraft and a combined
50-foot-long robotic arm extension equipped crew of 13 will begin nine days of work.
with sensors and lasers, called the Orbiter Discovery’s crew will be working with
Boom Sensor System, will provide imagery Expedition 23 commander, Russian cosmonaut
experts on the ground a close-up look at the Oleg Kotov and flight engineers T.J. Creamer
orbiter’s heat shield following the dynamic and Tracy Caldwell Dyson, both of NASA;
liftoff. A follow-up inspection will take place Soichi Noguchi, a Japan Aerospace
after Discovery undocks from the station. Agency astronaut; and cosmonauts
Alexander Skvortsov and Mikhail Kornienko.
While the inspection takes place, Mastracchio Anderson and Kotov were Expedition 15 crew
and Anderson will prepare the spacesuits they members together, and Mastracchio visited
will wear for their three spacewalks out during that time as part of the STS-118 mission.

NASA astronaut James P. Dutton Jr., STS-131 pilot, occupies the pilot’s station during a
training session in the shuttle mission simulator in the Jake Garn Simulation and
Training Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
After a station safety briefing, Wilson and prepare Leonardo’s hatch for opening near the
Yamazaki will operate the station’s robotic arm end of the day.
to remove the OBSS from Discovery’s cargo bay
and hand it off to the shuttle robotic arm being That night, spacewalkers Mastracchio and
operated by Dutton and Metcalf-Lindenburger. Anderson will sleep in the Quest airlock as part
of the overnight “campout” procedure that
Wilson and Yamazaki will be back at the helps purge nitrogen from their bloodstreams,
controls of the station’s robotic arm the preventing decompression sickness once they
following day, flight day 4, as they unberth move out into the vacuum of space. The
Leonardo and maneuver it into place for campout will be repeated the night before each
installation on the station’s Harmony node. spacewalk.
Anderson will then work with Noguchi to

Astronaut Clayton Anderson, STS-131 mission specialist, participates in an Extravehicular
Mobility Unit spacesuit fit check in the Space Station Airlock Test Article in the Crew
Systems Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Astronaut
Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, mission specialist, assists Anderson.

On the fifth day of the mission, the station allows astronauts to exercise seven different
will be a hive of activity inside and out. joints and scientists to study the strength of the
Spacewalkers Mastracchio and Anderson will muscles they use.
prepare the ammonia tank assembly brought
up in Discovery’s cargo bay to be removed by The sixth day is available for focused
Dutton and Wilson at the controls of the inspection of Discovery’s heat shield if mission
station’s robotic arm and temporarily stored on managers deem it necessary. Dutton,
the arm’s mobile base. They will also retrieve a Metcalf-Lindenburger and Wilson would
science experiment on the Japanese Kibo conduct that survey in the crew’s morning
Laboratory’s exposed facility, replace a rate while Mastracchio, Yamazaki and Anderson
gyro assembly on the center segment of the continued unpacking Leonardo. After lunch,
station’s truss and prepare the batteries on the Mastracchio and Anderson will begin
station’s P6 solar arrays for replacement later. preparations for their second spacewalk, while
the rest of the shuttle crew, along with Kotov
Mastracchio (EV 1) will wear a suit with stripes. and Noguchi, carry on with the transfer work.
Anderson (EV 2) will wear a suit with no
stripes. Mastracchio and Anderson each have Among the items scheduled to make their way
three spacewalks under their belt, one of which over to the space station on flight day 6 are the
they performed together during the STS-118 Window Observational Research Facility,
mission. which provides a set of cameras, multispectral
and hyperspectral scanners, camcorders and
While that is going on outside, inside Yamazaki other instruments to capture imagery of the
and Noguchi will get to work unpacking some Earth and space through the Destiny
of the larger items brought up inside Leonardo, laboratory’s window; and EXPRESS rack 7,
including a new Minus Eighty-Degree which will provide power, data, cooling, water
Laboratory Freezer for ISS, a new crew quarters and other support to a number of experiments
rack and the Muscle Atrophy Resistive Exercise at the station.
System, a piece of exercise equipment that

NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, STS-131 mission specialist, participates in a training session in
an International Space Station mock-up/trainer in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at
NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
All Discovery crew members will participate in flight day 9. During that six-and-a-half-hour
transfer of one form or another on flight day 7. spacewalk, Mastracchio and Anderson will
For Mastracchio and Anderson, the work will install in the shuttle’s cargo bay the spent
occur over six and a half hours outside the ammonia tank assembly they removed on the
station, as they remove a spent ammonia tank previous spacewalk. They’ll also remove a
assembly from the starboard side of the piece of hardware used to attach equipment
station’s truss and replace it with the new tank and experiments to the exterior of the
they removed from Discovery during the first Columbus laboratory and store it in Discovery’s
spacewalk. cargo bay; install a camera and remove an
insulation blanket on the Special Purpose
The following morning, the crew will have the Dexterous Manipulator; and replace a light in a
first half of flight day 8 off to enjoy some camera on the exterior of Destiny.
well-earned off duty time, then it will be back
to work in Leonardo and time to prepare for the
third and final spacewalk of the mission on

Crew members inside will perform more Wilson and Yamazaki, who will use the space
transfer work while the spacewalk is going on station’s robotic arm to pack it back into
outside, and that work will finish up on the Discovery’s cargo bay for return home. With
morning flight day 10 before the crews go off that done, Discovery’s crew will say farewell to
duty in the afternoon. All 13 members of the the Expedition 23 crew, and hatches will be
crew will also take some time out for the closed between the two vehicles.
traditional joint crew news conference on this
day. Discovery will leave the space station with
more than 20,000 pounds of trash, hardware
The hatches between Harmony and Leonardo that’s no longer needed and science
will be closed on the morning of flight day 11 in experiments to return to Earth.
preparation for its removal from the station by
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Naoko Yamazaki (foreground) and
NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson, both STS-131 mission specialists, participate in a
Thermal Protection System Orbiter Boom Sensor System training session in the
Jake Garn Simulation and Training Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

After Discovery undocks early in the morning Metcalf-Lindenburger will conduct the
of April 16, Dutton will guide the shuttle traditional checkout of the shuttle’s flight
on a 360-degree fly-around of the station control systems and steering jets, setting
so that other crew members can document Discovery up for its supersonic return to Earth.
the exterior condition of the orbiting outpost.
After that is complete, Poindexter, Dutton, On the 14th day of the mission, weather
Metcalf-Lindenburger, Wilson and Yamazaki permitting, Poindexter and Dutton will steer
will conduct one last inspection of Discovery’s Discovery to a morning landing on April 18 at
heat shield using the shuttle’s robotic arm and the Kennedy Space Center. When the shuttle’s
orbiter boom sensor system. wheels roll to a stop, it will wrap up the
38th flight for Discovery, the 131th mission in
The last full day of orbital activities shuttle program history and the 33nd shuttle
by the STS-131 crew will focus on landing visit to the International Space Station
preparations. Poindexter, Dutton and

STS-131 crew members, attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, take a
moment to pose for a crew photo prior to a training session in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at
NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Pictured from the left are NASA astronauts Clayton Anderson and
Stephanie Wilson, both mission specialists; James P. Dutton Jr., pilot; Alan G. Poindexter,
commander; Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
astronaut Naoko Yamazaki and NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, all mission specialists.

STS-131 TIMELINE OVERVIEW
Flight Day 1 • Docking to Harmony/Pressurized Mating
Adapter-2
• Launch
• Hatch Opening and Welcoming
• Payload Bay Door Opening
• Canadarm2 grapple of OBSS and handoff to
• Ku-Band Antenna Deployment Shuttle robotic arm
• Shuttle Robotic Arm Activation and Flight Day 4
Payload Bay Survey
• Leonardo Multi-purpose Logistics Module
• Umbilical Well and Hand-held External unberth from Discovery’s cargo bay
Tank Photo and TV Downlink and installation on Harmony module’s
Earth-facing port
Flight Day 2
• Discovery’s Thermal Protection System • Leonardo activation and ingress

Survey with Shuttle Robotic Arm/Orbiter • Spacewalk 1 preparations by Mastracchio
Boom Sensor System (OBSS) and Anderson
• Extravehicular Mobility Unit checkout • Spacewalk 1 procedure review
• Centerline Camera Installation • Spacewalk 1 campout by Mastracchio and
• Orbiter Docking System Ring Extension Anderson in the Quest airlock
• Orbital Maneuvering System Pod Survey Flight Day 5
• Rendezvous tools checkout • Transfer of cargo from Leonardo to ISS
• Spacewalk 1 by Mastracchio and Anderson

Flight Day 3
(removal of depleted Ammonia Tank
• Rendezvous with the International Space Assembly from S1 truss, replacement of a
Station failed gyroscope unit in the S0 truss,
retrieval of Japanese experiment from the
• Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver Photography Japanese Exposed Facility, preparations for
of Discovery’s Thermal Protection System replacement of batteries on the P6 truss on a
by Expedition 23 crew members Creamer later mission)
and Kotov
APRIL 2010 TIMELINE OVERVIEW 11

Flight Day 6 Flight Day 9
• Focused inspection of Discovery’s thermal • Spacewalk 3 by Mastracchio and Anderson
protection heat shield, if required (install depleted ammonia tank back in
Discovery’s cargo bay, installation of a
• Cargo and rack transfer from Leonardo to lightweight plate adapter assembly on the
ISS Dextre robot, installation of a new light on a
• Spacewalk 2 procedure review camera assembly on the Destiny laboratory,
installation of a camera pan and tilt
• Spacewalk 2 campout by Mastracchio and assembly on Dextre)
Anderson in the Quest airlock
• Cargo transfer from Leonardo to ISS
Flight Day 7
Flight Day 10
• Spacewalk 2 by Mastracchio and Anderson
(install new Ammonia Tank Assembly on • Final cargo transfer operations
the S1 truss, temporarily stow the depleted • Joint Crew News Conference
ammonia tank on the truss’ crew translation
cart, install micrometeoroid debris shields • Crew off duty time
on the Quest airlock)
Flight Day 11
Flight Day 8
• Demate of the Leonardo Multi-purpose
• Crew off duty time Logistics Module from the Harmony
Earth-facing port and berthing back in
• Cargo transfer from Leonardo to ISS Discovery’s cargo bay
• Spacewalk 3 procedure review • Farewells and Hatch Closure
• Spacewalk 3 campout by Mastracchio and • Rendezvous Tool checkout
Anderson in the Quest airlock
Flight Day 12
• Discovery undocking from ISS and
flyaround
• Final separation from the ISS
• OBSS late inspection of Discovery’s thermal

heat shield
• OBSS berth
12 TIMELINE OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

Flight Day 13 Flight Day 14
• Cabin stowage • Deorbit preparations
• Flight Control System checkout • Payload Bay Door closing
• Reaction Control System hot-fire test • Deorbit burn
• Deorbit Preparation Briefing • KSC Landing
• Ku-band antenna stowage
APRIL 2010 TIMELINE OVERVIEW 13

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14 TIMELINE OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

MISSION PROFILE
CREW Space Shuttle Main Engines:
Commander: Alan G. Poindexter SSME 1: 2045

Pilot: James P. Dutton, Jr. SSME 2: 2060
Mission Specialist 1: Rick Mastracchio SSME 3: 2054
Mission Specialist 2: Dorothy Metcalf- External Tank: ET-135
Lindenburger SRB Set: BI-142
Mission Specialist 3: Stephanie Wilson RSRM Set: 110
Mission Specialist 4: Naoko Yamazaki
Mission Specialist 5: Clayton Anderson SHUTTLE ABORTS
Abort Landing Sites
LAUNCH
RTLS: Kennedy Space Center Shuttle
Orbiter: Discovery (OV-103)
Landing Facility
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center
TAL: Primary – Zaragoza, Spain
Launch Pad 39A
Alternates – Moron, Spain and
Launch Date: April 5, 2010
Istres, France
Launch Time: 6:21 a.m. EDT
AOA: Primary – Kennedy Space Center
(Preferred In-Plane
Shuttle Landing Facility
launch time for 4/5)
Alternate – White Sands Space
Launch Window: 10 Minutes
Harbor
Altitude: 122 Nautical Miles
(140 Miles) Orbital
LANDING
Insertion; 185 NM
(213 Miles) Rendezvous Landing Date: April 18, 2010
Inclination: 51.6 Degrees Landing Time: 8:35 a.m. EDT
Duration: 13 Days 2 Hours Primary landing Site: Kennedy Space Center
14 Minutes Shuttle Landing Facility
VEHICLE DATA PAYLOADS

Shuttle Liftoff Weight: 4,521,749 Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
pounds
Orbiter/Payload Liftoff Weight: 266,864
pounds
Orbiter/Payload Landing Weight: 224,957
pounds
Software Version: OI-34
APRIL 2010 MISSION PROFILE 15

16 MISSION PROFILE APRIL 2010

MISSION OBJECTIVES
MAJOR OBJECTIVES − Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory
Freezer for ISS (MELFI-3)
1. Perform middeck and Multi-Purpose
Logistics Module cargo transfers. − EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments
to Space Station (EXPRESS) Rack No. 7
2. Remove current Ammonia Tank Assembly
on S1 and install new ATA (old ATA to be − Crew Quarters No. 2
installed on Lightweight Multi-Purpose
− 2 Zero-g Stowage Racks (ZSR)
Experiment Support Structure Carrier).
4. Retrieve Light Weight Adapter Plate
3. Transfer and install the following racks: Assembly payload.
− Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise 5. Retrieve Japanese Experiment Module

System (MARES) SEED payload.
− Window Observational Research
6. Return three Integrated Stowage Platforms.
Facility (WORF)
APRIL 2010 MISSION OBJECTIVES 17

18 MISSION OBJECTIVES APRIL 2010

MISSION PERSONNEL
KEY CONSOLE POSITIONS FOR STS-131
Flt. Director CAPCOM PAO
Ascent Bryan Lunney Rick Sturckow Brandi Dean
George Zamka (Wx)
Orbit 1 (Lead) Richard Jones Rick Sturckow Brandi Dean
Orbit 2 Mike Sarafin Aki Hoshide Josh Byerly
Planning Ginger Kerrick Megan McArthur/ Lynnette Madison

Chris Cassidy
Entry Bryan Lunney Rick Sturckow Brandi Dean

George Zamka (Wx)
Shuttle Team 4 Gary Horlacher N/A N/A
ISS Orbit 1 Courtenay McMillan Mike Jensen N/A
ISS Orbit 2 (Lead) Ron Spencer Stan Love N/A
ISS Orbit 3 Ed Van Cise Marcus Reagan N/A
Station Team 4 Brian Smith
JSC PAO Representative at KSC for Launch – Jenny Knotts
KSC Launch Commentator – Mike Curie
KSC Launch Director – Pete Nickolenko
NASA Launch Test Director – Steve Payne
APRIL 2010 MISSION PERSONNEL 19

20 MISSION PERSONNEL APRIL 2010

STS-131 CREW
The STS-131/19A crew patch highlights the In the space shuttle’s cargo bay is the
space shuttle in the Rendezvous Pitch Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM)
Maneuver (RPM). This maneuver is heavily Leonardo, which is carrying several science
photographed by the International Space racks, the last of the four crew quarters and
Station crew members, and the photos are supplies for the space station. Out of view and
analyzed back on Earth to clear the space directly behind the MPLM is the Ammonia
shuttle’s thermal protection system for re-entry. Tank Assembly (ATA) that will be used to
The RPM illustrates the teamwork and safety replace the current ATA. This will take place
process behind each space shuttle launch. during three spacewalks. The 51.6Â° space
shuttle orbit is illustrated by the three gold bars
APRIL 2010 CREW 21

of the astronaut symbol, and its elliptical proud to represent the United States and Japan
wreath contains the orbit of the station. The during this mission.
star atop the astronaut symbol is the dawning
sun, which is spreading its early light across the Short biographical sketches of the crew follow
Earth. The background star field contains with detailed background available at:
seven stars, one for each crew member; they are http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/
The STS-131 crew is commanded by Alan G. Poindexter (seated, right) and piloted by
James P. Dutton Jr. (seated, left). Standing from the left are Mission Specialists
Rick Mastracchio, Stephanie Wilson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Naoko Yamazaki
and Clayton Anderson.
22 CREW APRIL 2010

STS-130 CREW BIOGRAPHIES
Alan G. Poindexter
A captain in the U.S. Navy, Alan G. Poindexter vehicle activities. As commander, he will fly
will command the STS-131 crew on its mission Discovery during the rendezvous pitch
to the space station. This will be the second trip maneuver. He also will fly the shuttle during
to space for Poindexter, who has more than docking and landing back on Earth.
306 hours of spaceflight experience after
serving as pilot of STS-122, which delivered Selected by NASA in 1998, Poindexter served as
and installed the European Space Agency’s a CAPCOM and in the Astronaut Office Shuttle
Columbus Laboratory in 2008. Operations Branch performing duties as the
lead support astronaut at Kennedy Space
Poindexter will be responsible for the execution Center.
of the mission and will oversee all crew and
APRIL 2010 CREW 23

James P. Dutton Jr.
Marking his first spaceflight journey, Dutton graduated from the U.S. Air Force
James P. Dutton, Jr., a colonel in the Academy in 1991. After being selected by
U.S. Air Force, will serve as pilot of STS-131. NASA in 2004 and completing astronaut
He will assist Poindexter with rendezvous and candidate training two years later, he was
landing and will fly the orbiter during the ascent/entry CAPCOM for STS-122 and
undocking and the fly-around. In addition, STS-123, both in 2008. He has logged over
he will serve as lead shuttle robotic arm 3,300 flight hours in more than 30 different
operator for the mission, will be responsible aircraft.
for airlock operations in preparation for EVAs
and will assist Wilson with the station robotic
arm operations.
24 CREW APRIL 2010

Rick Mastracchio
Veteran astronaut Rick Mastracchio will serve Astronaut Office Computer Support Branch,
as mission specialist 1 on STS-131, marking his the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Branch,
third trip to space. He joined NASA in 1990 and also served as lead for cockpit avionics
as an engineer in the Flight Crew Operations upgrades. He flew as the ascent/entry flight
Directorate. Before being selected as an engineer on STS-106 and STS-118 and
astronaut he worked as an ascent/entry participated in three spacewalks on STS-118.
guidance and procedures officer in Mission
Control supporting 17 missions as a flight Mastracchio, lead EVA crew member, will be
controller. Selected as an astronaut in 1996, on the flight deck for ascent and will perform
he has worked technical issues for the three spacewalks with Clay Anderson.
APRIL 2010 CREW 25

Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger
A former teacher, Dorothy Metcalf- served as the Astronaut Office Station Branch
Lindenburger will serve as mission specialist 2 lead for systems and crew interfaces.
on STS-131. She is the intravehicular crew
member, responsible for coordinating all She spent five years teaching Earth science
spacewalk activities. She also will operate the and astronomy, three years of coaching
shuttle robotic arm. cross-country at the high school level and
two years of teaching Science Olympiad. She
Selected by NASA as a mission specialist in also did undergraduate research in geology for
2004, Metcalf-Lindenburger has most recently two summers.
26 CREW APRIL 2010

Stephanie Wilson
A Harvard engineering graduate and veteran of plan that transforms Discovery from a launch
two spaceflights, Stephanie Wilson is assigned vehicle to an orbiting vehicle to an entry
as mission specialist 3 for STS-131. She vehicle.
previously flew on STS-121 in 2006 and STS-120
in 2007. At the conclusion of STS-131, she will After being selected by NASA in 1996 from the
have flown on Discovery for all three Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Wilson was initially
of her spaceflights. Wilson’s primary duties for assigned technical duties in the Astronaut
the STS-131 mission include operating the Office Space Station Operations Branch to
space station robotic arm, operating the work with space station payload displays and
hand-held LIDAR and the rendezvous procedures. She then went on to serve in the
situational awareness tools during docking and Astronaut Office CAPCOM Branch, working in
undocking with the station, and managing the mission control as a prime communicator with
in-orbit crews.
APRIL 2010 CREW 27

Naoko Yamazaki
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) For two years she was involved in the
astronaut Naoko Yamazaki will serve as development of the station centrifuge (life
mission specialist 4 on STS-131, her first science experiment facility) and conducted
spaceflight. Loadmaster for the mission, she conceptual framework and preliminary design
will be responsible for all payload and transfer in the Centrifuge Project Team.
operations, and she will also assist Wilson with
MPLM install and berthing operations with Selected by NASDA (currently JAXA) in 1999 as
SSRMS. one of three astronaut candidates for the space
station, five years later she arrived at Johnson
Yamazaki joined the National Space Space Center where she initially served in the
Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) in Astronaut Office Robotics Branch.
1996 and was involved in the Japanese
Experiment Module system integration and
specifically assigned developmental tasks.
28 CREW APRIL 2010

Clayton Anderson
Veteran of one long-duration spaceflight, while serving as the backup for the Magellan
Clayton Anderson will serve as mission Planetary Mission, STS-31. In 1993, he was
specialist 5 for STS-131. In 2007, he launched named chief of the Flight Design Branch.
to the station aboard STS-117 and replaced Anderson later then held the position of
Suni Williams as the Expedition 15 flight manager of the Emergency Operations Center.
engineer and returned home as a member of the He was selected by NASA in 1998.
STS-120 crew.
Anderson will be on the flight deck for entry.
At Johnson Space Center, Anderson worked in He will assist with rendezvous and undocking
the Mission Operations Directorate as a flight and will perform three spacewalks with
design manager leading the trajectory design Mastracchio.
team for the Galileo Planetary Mission, STS-34,
APRIL 2010 CREW 29

30 CREW APRIL 2010

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW
The graphic depicts the placement of the primary STS-131 payloads

in the shuttle’s cargo bay.
Space shuttle Discovery’s STS-131/19A payload On the middeck of the space shuttle, it will
includes the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics carry GLACIER, which is a freezer designed to
Module (MPLM) and the Lightweight provide cryogenic transportation and
Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure preservation capability for samples. The unit
Carrier (LMC). The total payload weight, not is a double locker equivalent unit capable
counting the middeck, is 31,130 pounds. The of transport and operation in the middeck and
return weight is expected to be 24,118 pounds. on-orbit operation in the EXPRESS Rack.
APRIL 2010 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 31

The space shuttle will carry on its middeck carried on the middeck will include
(ascent) the following items: GLACIER, GLACIER, MERLIN, Mouse Immunology,
MERLIN, Mouse Immunology, Space Tissue Space Tissue Loss, NLP-Vaccine-8,
Loss, NLP-Vaccine-8, BRIC-16, APEX BRIC-16, APEX-Cambium, Coldbag, JAXA
Cambium, ESA ECCO with WAICO2, JAXA 2D Nanoskeleton, JAXA Space Seed, SWAB Return
Nano Template, JAXA Myo Lab, JAXA Neuro Kit, Sleep.
Rad, Sleep. On its return, among the items
GLACIER
32 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

LEONARDO MULTI-PURPOSE Leonardo includes components that provide
LOGISTICS MODULE (MPLM) FLIGHT life support, fire detection and suppression,
electrical distribution and computers when it is
MODULE 1 (FM1)
attached to the station. The cylindrical logistics
The Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module module acts as a pressurized “moving van” for
(MPLM) is one of three differently named large, the space station, carrying cargo, experiments
reusable pressurized elements, carried in the and supplies for delivery to support the
space shuttle’s cargo bay, used to ferry cargo six-person crew on-board the station. The
back and forth to the station. For STS-131, FM1 module also returns spent Orbital Replacement
was modified by removing hardware to reduce Units (ORUs) and components that need
the weight of the module so that more maintenance for backup spares. Each MPLM
hardware could be launched for this mission. module is 21 feet long and 15 feet in diameter –
Approximately 178.1 pounds of noncritical the same size as the European Space Agency’s
hardware were removed from FM1. Columbus module.
MPLM

On the STS-131 mission, Leonardo will carry and crop and weather damage and health
16 racks to the station – four experiment racks, assessments. Special sensors can also provide
one systems rack, seven Resupply Stowage important data regarding transient atmospheric
Platforms (RSPs), and four Resupply Stowage and geologic phenomena (hurricanes and
Racks (RSRs). The MPLM will also include the volcanic eruptions), as well as act as a test bed
fully stocked Aft Cone Stowage (first used on for collecting data for new sensor technology
STS-126/Flight Utilization Logistics Flight 2 on development
November 14, 2008). The aft cone modification
The WORF is located on the nadir (Earth
allows 12 additional cargo bags, which are
facing) side of the U.S. Destiny laboratory
similar to the size of carry-on suitcases.
module. The Lab window, which features the
The four experiment racks carried in Leonardo highest quality optics ever flown on a human
are: Express Rack 7, Muscle Atrophy Research occupied spacecraft, allows viewing of
and Exercise System (MARES), Minus Eighty 39.5 degrees forward along the axis of the
Laboratory Freezer 3 (MELFI-3), and Window station, 32.2 degrees aft and 79.1 degrees from
Observational Research Facility (WORF). The port to starboard.
station system rack is Crew Quarters 4 (CQ-4).
The following are more detailed descriptions on

each of these racks:
WINDOW OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH

FACILITY (WORF)
The Window Observational Research Facility
(WORF) provides new capability for scientific
and commercial payloads and will be a
resource for public outreach and educational
opportunities for Earth Sciences (e.g., the
EarthKAM, etc.). Images from space have
many applications; i.e., they can be used to
study global climates, land and sea formations,
WORF

Schematic of the WORF
The WORF design uses the existing EXpedite and hyperspectral scanners, camcorders and
the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station other instruments) to capture imagery of the
(EXPRESS) Rack hardware which includes a Earth and space. It provides attachment points,
Rack Interface Controller (RIC) box for power power and data transfer capability for
and data connection, Avionics Air Assembly instruments to be mounted near the window.
(AAA) fan for air circulation within the rack, Multiple instruments can be mounted at the
rack fire detection, and appropriate avionics to same time. The rack is designed to allow rapid
communicate with the station data network. changes of equipment by the crew. The WORF
The WORF consists of a facility that provides will have available a bracket for small cameras
protection for the interior of the Lab window such as 35 mm, 70 mm and camcorders. Other
and controls stray light exchange between the larger payloads, which require a nonstandard
Lab interior and the external Station attachment, or require additional instrument
environment. The WORF will maximize the isolation, must supply their own brackets or
use of the Lab window by providing platforms which mount to the WORF using the
attachments for sensors (cameras, multispectral attachment points.

MUSCLE ATROPHY RESEARCH AND pantograph (an articulated arm supporting the
EXERCISE SYSTEM (MARES) chair, used to properly position the user), a
direct drive motor, associated electronics and
The Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise experiment programming software, a linear
System (MARES) will be used for research adapter that translates motor rotation into
on musculoskeletal, biomechanical, and linear movements, and a vibration isolation
neuromuscular human physiology to better frame.
understand the effects of microgravity on the
muscular system. MARES is capable of supporting measurements
and exercise on seven different human
MARES enables scientists to study the joints, encompassing nine different angular
detailed effects of microgravity on the human movements, as well as two additional linear
muscle-skeletal system. It also provides a movements (arms and legs). It is considerably
means to evaluate countermeasures designed to more advanced than current ground-based
mitigate the negative effect, especially muscle medical dynamometers (devices used to
atrophy. measure force or torque) and a vast
improvement over existing station muscle
The MARES hardware is made up of an research facilities.
adjustable chair and human restraint system, a
MARES

MARES is integrated into a single International It may be used together with an associated
Standard Payload Rack (ISPR), called the device called the Percutaneous Electrical
Human Research Facility (HRF) MARES Rack, Muscle Stimulator (PEMS II).
where it can also be stowed when not in use.
MARES

EXPRESS RACK 7
EXPRESS rack
EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to integration of multiple payloads aboard the

Space Station Rack 7 (EXPRESS rack 7) is a space station. The system is composed of
multipurpose payload rack system that stores elements that remain on the station and
and supports experiments aboard the elements that travel back and forth between the
International Space Station. The EXPRESS rack station and Earth via the space shuttle.
system supports science experiments in any EXPRESS racks remain on orbit continually.
discipline by providing structural interfaces, Experiments are replaced in the EXPRESS racks
power, data, cooling, water, and other items as needed, remaining on the station for
needed to operate science experiments in space. periods ranging from three months to several
years, depending on the experiment's time
With standardized hardware interfaces and requirements.
streamlined approach, the EXpedite the
PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station Payloads within an EXPRESS rack can operate
(EXPRESS) rack enables quick, simple independently of each other, allowing for

differences in temperature, power levels, Experiments contained within EXPRESS racks
and schedules. The EXPRESS rack provides may be controlled by the station crew or
stowage, power, data, command and control, remotely by the Payload Rack Officer (PRO) on
video, water cooling, air cooling, vacuum duty at the Payload Operations and Integration
exhaust, and nitrogen supply to payloads. Center at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center
Each EXPRESS rack is housed in an in Huntsville, Ala. Linked by computer to all
International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR), a payload racks aboard the station, the PRO
refrigerator-size container that serves as the routinely checks rack integrity, temperature
rack’s exterior shell. control, and proper working conditions for
station research payloads.

MINUS EIGHTY-DEGREE LABORATORY operate at different temperatures. Each dewar
FREEZER 3 (MELFI-3) is a cylindrical, vacuum-insulated 75-liter
container and can accommodate samples of a
Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for variety of sizes and shapes. The total capacity
ISS (MELFI) is a European Space Agency-built, of the unit is 300 liters and can range in
NASA-operated freezer that allows samples to temperatures from refrigerated to “fast frozen.”
be stored on the station at temperatures as low The first MELFI unit was flown to the station
as -80 degrees centigrade. It comprises four on STS-121 and the second MELFI unit was
temperature-controlled, insulated, independent flown on STS-128.
containers called “dewars,” which can be set to
MELFI

CREW QUARTERS (CQ) 4 equipment, redundant electrical systems, and
redundant caution and warning systems. The
The crew quarters delivered on STS-131/19A rack-sized CQ is a system with multiple crew
will be installed in the Harmony module member restraints, adjustable lighting,
(Node 2). The CQ provides private crew controllable ventilation, and interfaces that
member space with enhanced acoustic noise allow each crew member to personalize their
mitigation, integrated radiation reduction CQ workspace.
material, controllable airflow, communication
Crew quarters

MPLM BACKGROUND INFORMATION Leonardo was the first MPLM to fly to the
station on STS-102 (March 8, 2002) and there
The Italian-built, U.S.-owned logistics modules have been nine flights total for the two
are capable of ferrying more than 7.5 tons modules. This will be the seventh Leonardo
(15,000 pounds) of cargo, spares and supplies. mission – Raffaello has flown three missions.
This is the equivalent of a semi-truck trailer full Of the three MPLM modules, only two remain
of station gear bringing equipment to and from in active service to NASA for future flights.
the space station. Equipment such as container
racks with science equipment, science The space shuttle flies logistic modules in its
experiments from NASA and its international cargo bay when a large quantity of hardware
partners, assembly and spare parts and other has to be ferried to the orbiting habitat at one
hardware items for return, such as completed time. The modules are attached to the inside of
experiments, system racks, station hardware the bay for launch and landing. When in the
that needs repair and refuse from the cargo bay, the module is independent of the
approximately 220 mile-high outpost. Some of shuttle cabin, and there is no passageway for
these items are for disposal on Earth while shuttle crew members to travel from the shuttle
others are for analysis and data collection by cabin to the module.
hardware providers and scientists.
The Leonardo logistics module will make its seventh trip to space.

After the shuttle has docked to the outpost, deliver supplies to the station. The two other
typically on the fourth flight day after shuttle modules are named Raffaello, after master
launch, Leonardo is mated to the station using painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio, and
the station’s robotic arm to the Node 2 NADIR Donatello, for one of the founders of modern
port. In the event of a failure or issue which sculpture, Donato di Niccolo Di Betto Bardi.
may prevent the successful latching of the Raffaello has flown three times. Leonardo has
MPLM to the nadir port, the zenith port can flown the most because it is equipped with
be used to mate the MPLM to the station. programmable heater thermostats on the
Nodes are modules that connect the elements to outside of the module that allow for more
the station, and Unity was the first element mission flexibility. Donatello is not currently
launched to the station to connect the U.S. and on the shuttle manifest to fly because of the cost
Russian segments of the outpost. For its return associated with getting the module up to flight
trip to Earth, Leonardo will be detached from status code. STS-131 is the last MPLM flight
the station and positioned back into the scheduled before the station is complete and
shuttle's cargo bay. space shuttle retires later this year.
NASA solely owns the modules which were Boeing has the responsibility under its
acquired in a bartered agreement between Checkout, Assembly and Payload Processing
NASA and the Italian Space Agency for using Services (CAPPS) contract with NASA, for
the modules in exchange for allowing the payload integration and processing for every
Italians to have crew time on board station. major payload that flies on each space shuttle
flight. The Boeing MPLM and LMC processing
LEONARDO SPECIFICATIONS
team provides all engineering and hands-on
Dimensions: Length: 21 feet work including payload support, project
Diameter: 15 feet planning, receiving of payloads, payload
Payload Mass (launch): 27,274 lbs processing, maintenance of associated payload
Payload Mass (return): 20,375 lbs ground systems, and logistics support. This
includes integration of payloads into the space
Empty Weight: 9,632 lbs
shuttle, test and checkout of the payload with
the orbiter systems, launch support and orbiter
The MPLM Module Leonardo is named post-landing payload activities including
after the Italian inventor and scientist de-stow of the module.
Leonardo da Vinci. It was the first MPLM to

THE LIGHTWEIGHT MULTI-PURPOSE EXPERIMENT SUPPORT STRUCTURE CARRIER
(LMC)
Located behind Leonardo in the space shuttle Flight Center and ATK Space provide the
payload bay, is the Lightweight Multi-Purpose sustaining engineering for the LMC carriers,
Experiment Support Structure Carrier (LMC), a which have flown successfully on five previous
nondeployable cross-bay carrier providing missions.
launch and landing transportation. The LMC is
a light-weight Shuttle stowage platform that During ascent, the LMC is carrying the
only weighs 1,100 pounds. The launch weight Ammonia Tank Assembly (ATA), a critical
of the LMC is 3,890 pounds and the return spare Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU). During
weight will be 3,740 pounds. Goddard Space descent, the LMC will be carrying a spent
Ammonia Tank Assembly (ATA).

RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING
Backdropped by a blue and white part of Earth, space shuttle Atlantis is featured in this image
photographed by an Expedition 21 crew member as the shuttle approaches the International Space
Station during STS-129 rendezvous and docking operations.
Discovery’s launch for the STS-131 mission is As Discovery moves closer to the station, its
precisely timed to lead to a link up with the rendezvous radar system and trajectory control
International Space Station about 220 miles sensor will provide the crew with range and
above the earth. A series of engine firings closing-rate data. Several small correction
during the first two days of the mission will burns will place the shuttle about 1,000 feet
bring the shuttle to a point about 50,000 feet below the station.
behind the station. Once there, Discovery will
start its final approach. About 2.5 hours before Commander Alan G. Poindexter, with help
docking, the shuttle’s jets will be fired during from Pilot James P. Dutton, Jr. and other crew
what is called the terminal initiation burn. The members, will manually fly the shuttle for the
shuttle will cover the final miles to the station remainder of the approach and docking.
during the next orbit.
APRIL 2010 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 45

Poindexter will stop Discovery about 600 feet Using a video camera mounted in the center of
below the station. Timing the next steps to the Orbiter Docking System, Poindexter will
occur with proper lighting, he will maneuver line up the docking ports of the two spacecraft.
the shuttle through a nine-minute backflip If necessary, he will pause the shuttle 30 feet
called the Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver, also from the station to ensure proper alignment of
known as a the R-bar Pitch Maneuver the docking mechanisms. He will maintain the
since Discovery is in line with an imaginary shuttle’s speed relative to the station at about
vertical R-bar directly below the station. one-tenth of a foot per second, while both
During this maneuver, station crew members Discovery and the station are moving at
Timothy (T.J.) Creamer and Oleg Kotov will about 17,500 mph. Poindexter will keep the
photograph Discovery’s upper and bottom docking mechanisms aligned to a tolerance of
surfaces through windows of the Zvezda three inches.
Service Module. They will use digital cameras
with an 800mm lens to provide up to one-inch When Discovery makes contact with the
resolution and one with a 400mm lens that station, preliminary latches will automatically
provides three-inch resolution. attach the two spacecraft. The shuttle’s steering
jets will be deactivated to reduce the forces
The photography is one of several techniques acting at the docking interface. Shock absorber
used to inspect the shuttle’s thermal protection springs in the docking mechanism will dampen
system for possible damage. Areas of special any relative motion between the shuttle and
interest include the thermal protection tiles, the station.
reinforced carbon-carbon of the nose and
leading edges of the wings, landing gear doors Once motion between the shuttle and the
and the elevon cove. The photos will be station has been stopped, the docking ring will
downlinked through the station’s Ku-band be retracted to close a final set of latches
communications system for analysis by systems between the two vehicles.
engineers and mission managers.
UNDOCKING, SEPARATION, AND
When Discovery completes its backflip, it will DEPARTURE
be back where it started, with its payload bay
facing the station. Poindexter then will fly the At undocking time, the hooks and latches will
shuttle through a quarter circle to a position be opened and springs will push the shuttle
about 400 feet directly in front of the station. away from the station. Discovery’s steering jets
From that point he will begin the final approach will be shut off to avoid any inadvertent firings
to docking to the Pressurized Mating Adapter 2 during the initial separation.
at the forward end of the Harmony node. Once the shuttle is about two feet from the
The shuttle crew members will operate laptop station and the docking devices are clear of one
computers that process the navigational data, another, Dutton will turn the steering jets back
the laser range systems and Discovery’s on and will manually control Discovery within
docking mechanism. a tight corridor as the shuttle separates from the
station.
46 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING APRIL 2010

Discovery will move to a distance of about increase its distance behind the station with
450 feet, where Dutton will begin to fly around each trip around the earth while ground teams
the station. Dutton will circle the shuttle analyze data from the late inspection of the
around the station at a distance of 600 - 700 feet. shuttle’s heat shield. However, the distance
will be close enough to allow the shuttle to
Once the shuttle completes 1.5 revolutions of return to the station in the unlikely event that
the complex, Dutton will fire Discovery’s jets to the heat shield is damaged, preventing the
leave the area. The shuttle will begin to shuttle’s safe re-entry.
APRIL 2010 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 47

48 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING APRIL 2010

SPACEWALKS
Astronaut Rick Mastracchio participates in the STS-118 mission’s first planned session of
extravehicular activity, as construction continues on the International Space Station.
The complex choreography of the three cargo bay. That means unpacking the new
spacewalks scheduled for the STS-131 mission assembly, storing it, a base change for the
will center around getting the ammonia tank robotic arm, removing the old assembly, storing
assembly delivered by Discovery into place on it, installing the new, another base change for
the starboard side of the station’s truss and the arm and then packing the old assembly into
getting the spent ammonia tank assembly into the cargo bay. And all that work will take three
Discovery’s cargo bay. spacewalks to accomplish, with some space
here and there for get-ahead work.
Because of the location of the old starboard
ammonia tank assembly, the space station’s Mission Specialists Rick Mastracchio and
robotic arm cannot reach it from the same Clayton Anderson will spend a total of
location that it must be in to remove the new 19.5 hours outside the station on flight days 5,
ammonia tank assembly from the shuttle’s 7 and 9. Mastracchio, the lead spacewalker for
APRIL 2010 SPACEWALKS 49

the mission, will wear a spacesuit marked with Preparations will start the night before each
solid red stripes, while Anderson will wear an spacewalk, when the astronauts spend time in
all-white spacesuit. These will be the fourth, the station’s Quest Airlock. This practice is
fifth and sixth spacewalks for both astronauts, called the campout prebreathe protocol and is
and the second, third and fourth that they have used to purge nitrogen from the spacewalkers’
performed together. Mastracchio performed systems and prevent decompression sickness,
three spacewalks during the STS-118 mission, also known as “the bends.”
and Anderson performed two during that
mission and one during his stint as an During the campout, the two astronauts
Expedition 15 flight engineer. performing the spacewalk will isolate
themselves inside the airlock while the air
When a spacewalk – also called extravehicular pressure is lowered to 10.2 pounds per square
activity, or EVA for short – is going on outside, inch, or psi. The station is kept at the
one crew member inside the International near-sea-level pressure of 14.7 psi. The
Space Station is assigned the job of morning of the spacewalk, the astronauts will
intravehicular officer, or spacewalk wear oxygen masks while the airlock’s pressure
choreographer. In this case, that crew member is raised back to 14.7 psi for an hour and the
will be Mission Specialist Dorothy Metcalf- hatch between the airlock and the rest of the
Lindenburger. The first spacewalks will also station is opened. That allows the spacewalkers
require astronauts inside the station to be at the to perform their morning routines before
controls of the station’s 58-foot-long robotic returning to the airlock, where the air pressure
arm to maneuver ammonia tank assembly and is lowered again. Approximately 50 minutes
other pieces of hardware. Pilot James P. Dutton after the spacewalkers don their spacesuits, the
Jr. and Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson prebreathe protocol will be complete.
will be at the arm’s controls for those
operations, with some help from Expedition 23 The procedure enables spacewalks to begin
Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi on the final earlier in the crew’s day than was possible
spacewalk. before the protocol was adopted.
50 SPACEWALKS APRIL 2010

EVA-1 • Replace rate gyro assembly
Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes • Prepare P6 solar array batteries for

EVA Crew: Mastracchio and Anderson replacement
IV CREW: Metcalf-Lindenburger
The first leg of the ammonia tank assembly
Robotic Arm Operators: Dutton and Wilson
swap will start in the shuttle’s cargo bay. After
EVA Operations: picking up a handle that the space station
robotic arm will use to grasp the new tank,
• Prepare new ammonia tank assembly for Mastracchio will move to the cargo bay and
removal from the cargo bay install it on the new tank then begin releasing
the four bolts that hold it in place during its
• Hand new ammonia tank to space station
journey to the station.
robotic arm for temporary storage
Anderson, meanwhile, will move to the
• Retrieve MPAC/SEED from Kibo exposed
station’s starboard truss segment and
facility
disconnect the old tank’s four ammonia and

nitrogen lines before meeting Mastracchio in insulation protecting the assembly, disconnect
the cargo bay to do the same on the new tank. two power cables and release the final
Once the lines are disconnected and the bolts two bolts. He will then remove the old
released, Anderson and Mastracchio will work assembly and slide the new one into place,
together to lift it out of the cargo bay and into engaging the first two bolts, connecting the
position for the robotic arm to grasp it and fly it power cables and then engaging the last
to the external stowage platform 2 on the Quest two bolts.
airlock.
Meanwhile, Anderson will have moved on to
While it makes its way there, Anderson will their final tasks of the mission: The preparation
clean up their work area while Mastracchio will of the batteries on the farthest port solar array
move to the Kibo laboratory’s porch – the for replacement on a later mission. There are
Japanese Experiment Module’s exposed two sets of batteries, and the first set was
facility – to retrieve the Micro-Particles replaced on STS-127, and some of the
Capture/Space Environment Exposure Device equipment used in that work – a gap spanner
experiment and temporarily stow it outside of and a foot restraint – is still in place. Anderson
the airlock – he will move it inside later in the will move it from the set of batteries replaced
spacewalk. during STS-127 to the set of batteries he and
Mastracchio will be working with. The
They will meet the robotic arm back at the spacewalker will be loosening the 12 bolts
external stowage platform to install another holding the six batteries in place before heading
handle on the new ammonia tank assembly, back inside the station.
while it is still in the grasp of the arm. This
second handle will be used to attach the EVA-2
assembly to a temporary storage location on the
robotic arm’s mobile transporter, where it will Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes
wait for installation on the second spacewalk of EVA Crew: Mastracchio and Anderson
the mission. IV Crew: Metcalf-Lindenburger
Robotic Arm Operators: Dutton and Wilson
Once that handle is installed, the robotic arm
will fly the tank assembly to the storage EVA Operations
location, and the spacewalkers will move on to
• Remove spent ammonia tank assembly and
other tasks. The first of the tasks will be the
store temporarily
replacement of a rate gyro assembly on the
center section of the station’s truss. While • Install new ammonia tank assembly on S1
moving the experiment inside of the airlock, truss segment
Mastracchio will retrieve a new rate gyro
assembly, then move to the center of the truss, • Install two port radiator grapple fixture
where Anderson will have removed from stowage beams
inside the truss, two of the four bolts holding
• Retrieve two debris covers from external
the old assembly in place. When Mastracchio
stowage platform 2
arrives at the truss segment, he will open

Mastracchio and Anderson will begin the By the time they are done with that, the new
second spacewalk at the site of the spent ammonia tank assembly should be in place.
ammonia tank assembly on the first segment of Mastracchio will first remove the handle that
the station’s starboard truss. Anderson will allowed it to be stored on the mobile
disconnect two electrical cables. Then he and transporter. Then he and Anderson will work
Mastracchio will work together to release the together to install it, engaging four bolts and
four bolts holding the assembly in place, lift it connecting six cables. Once the robotic arm is
off of the station’s truss and hand it to the able to release its hold, the spacewalkers will be
robotic arm. able to remove the handle it used to grip the
assembly.
Mastracchio will then move a crew and
equipment translation aid cart – or CETA The next step will be to go back to the CETA
cart – into place to provide temporary storage cart, where Mastracchio will untie the old
for the old ammonia tank assembly. When the ammonia tank assembly and allow the robotic
assembly arrives via robotic arm at the CETA arm to grasp it. Then Anderson will install
cart via robotic arm, the spacewalkers will tie it another handle on it that will allow the
to the cart with six tethers. assembly to be stored on the mobile transporter
until the final spacewalk, just as the new
That frees the robotic arm up for the installation assembly was stored between the first and
of the new ammonia tank assembly. While it is second spacewalks.
retrieving the new assembly from the mobile
transporter system, Mastracchio and Anderson The final tasks of the second spacewalk calls for
will take advantage of the time by installing Mastracchio and Anderson to return to the
two radiator grapple fixture stowage beams on external stowage platform 2 by the Quest
the first port segment of the station’s truss. airlock and retrieve two debris shields left there
These beams will be used temporarily to store during STS-129.
handles that would be necessary if a radiator
ever needed to be replaced.

EVA-3 • Install two starboard radiator grapple
fixture stowage beams
Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes
EVA Crew: Mastracchio and Anderson • Install worksite interface extender on
IV Crew: Metcalf-Lindenburger mobile transporter
Robotic Arm Operators: Dutton, Wilson and
The ammonia tank swapout will be more than
Noguchi
halfway done by the beginning of the final
EVA Operations spacewalk. Before they leave the airlock, the
robotic arm will have retrieved the old
• Install spent ammonia tank assembly in ammonia tank assembly from the mobile
Discovery’s cargo bay transporter. They will meet the arm at external
stowage platform 2 to remove the handle that
• Retrieve light-weight adapter plate
held it in place there and stow the handle on
assembly
the platform.
• Install Dextre camera
The next stop for the assembly will be
• Remove Dextre insulation cover Discovery’s cargo bay. The spacewalkers will
tighten four bolts to hold it in place for landing
• Replace Destiny camera light and remove the remaining handle that allowed

the robotic arm to carry the assembly. That will Dextre. There he will install a second camera
wrap up the ammonia tank assembly work for on the robot and remove an unnecessary
the mission. insulation blanket. He will finish his work on
the final spacewalk by removing the foot
That will take about an hour of their time, and restraint that allowed him to ride the robotic
they will fill the rest of the spacewalk with arm.
get-ahead work for future missions.
Meanwhile Mastracchio will replace a light on a
Anderson’s next tasks will take him to the camera on the Destiny laboratory and install
Columbus laboratory. He will ride the robotic two more two radiator grapple fixture stowage
arm to the end of that module to pick up a beams, this time on the starboard side of the
light-weight adapter plate assembly, which has station’s truss. His final spacewalking task of
been used to attach experiments to the exterior the mission will be to retrieve a worksite
of Columbus. Anderson will store it in the interface extender from the external stowage
shuttle’s cargo bay with help from Matracchio. platform 2 and install it on the mobile
Then the robotic arm will fly Anderson to the transporter.
Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or


EXPERIMENTS
The space shuttle and International Space will provide greater statistical significance of
Station have an integrated research program the data for use in dynamic analyses of the four
that optimizes the use of shuttle crew members segment motors. These analyses and computer
and long-duration space station crew members models will be used for future propulsion
to address research questions in a variety of system designs.
disciplines.
The pressure oscillation that is observed in
For information on science on the station, visit solid rocket motors is similar to the hum made
when blowing into a bottle. At 1.5 psi, or
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/
pounds per square inch, a pressure wave will
science/index.html
move up and down the motor from the front to
or the rear, generating acoustic noise as well as
physical loads in the structure. These data are
http://iss-science.jsc.nasa.gov/index.cfm necessary to help propulsion engineers confirm
Detailed information is located at modeling techniques of pressure oscillations
and the loads they create. As NASA engineers
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/ develop alternate propulsion designs for use in
science/experiments/List.html NASA, they will take advantage of current
designs from which they can learn and
DETAILED TEST OBJECTIVES AND
measure.
DETAILED SUPPLEMENTARY
OBJECTIVES In an effort to obtain data to correlate pressure
oscillation with the loads it can generate, the
Detailed Test Objectives (DTOs) are aimed at Space Shuttle Program is continuing to use the
testing, evaluating or documenting systems or Enhanced Data Acquisition System to gather
hardware or proposed improvements to detailed information.
hardware, systems and operations.
The Enhanced Data Acquisition System, or
DTO 900 Solid Rocket Booster Thrust EDAS, is a data acquisition system that will
Oscillation record pressure data from one of the Reusable
Solid Rocket Booster Operational Pressure
The Space Shuttle Program is continuing to
Transducers, or OPT, and from accelerometers
gather data on pressure oscillation, or periodic
and strain gages placed on the forward skirt
variation, a phenomenon that regularly occurs
walls. These data will provide engineers with
within solid rocket motors through the
time synchronized data that will allow them to
remaining shuttle flights. The data obtained
determine the accelerations and loads that are
from five flights designated to acquire pressure
transferred through the structure due to the
oscillation data have provided a better
pressure oscillation forces.
understanding of solid rocket motor dynamics.
The collection of these additional data points
APRIL 2010 EXPERIMENTS 57

DTO 854 Boundary Layer Transition layer,” this phenomenon can create eddies of
(BLT) Flight Experiment turbulence that, in turn, result in higher
downstream heating.
The Boundary Layer Transition (BLT) flight
experiment will gather information on the effect For the experiment, a heat shield tile with a
of high Mach number boundary layer transition “speed bump” on it was installed under
caused by a protuberance on the space shuttle Discovery’s left wing to intentionally disturb
during the re-entry trajectory. the airflow in a controlled manner and make
the airflow turbulent. The bump is four inches
The experiment is designed to further long and 0.3 inch wide. Ten thermocouples are
understand the high Mach number thermal installed on the tile with the protuberance and
environments created by a protuberance on the on tiles downstream to capture test data.
lower side of the orbiter during re-entry. The
protuberance was built on a BRI-18 tile Additionally data from this experiment will
originally developed as a heat shield upgrade expand the Aerodynamics and Aeroheating
on the orbiters. Due to its geometry and knowledge base and will be used to verify and
re-entry profile, the Orion crew vehicle will improve design efforts for future spacecraft.
experience a high Mach number boundary
layer transition during atmospheric entry. By DTO 701A TriDar Sensor (Triangulation
flying this protuberance during the orbiter’s and LIDAR Automated Rendezvous and
re-entry, a high Mach number transition Docking)
environment will be created on a small zone of This will be the second space shuttle flight for
the orbiter’s underside, which will aid in the TriDAR system. TriDAR is a rendezvous
gaining an improved understanding of the and docking sensor that has been integrated
heating in high Mach number environments. into the space shuttle orbiter to test this new
STS-131 will be the third phase of the flight technology in space. TriDAR provides critical
experiment and represents a repeat of the guidance information that can be used to
experiment flown on STS-128. The experiment guide a vehicle during rendezvous and
on STS-128 in August of 2009 gathered data on docking operations in space. Unlike current
a 0.35 inch protuberance at Mach 18 speed. The technologies, TriDAR does not rely on any
engineering team’s goal is to refine its reference markers, such as reflectors, positioned
understanding of the Mach 18 environment on the target spacecraft. To achieve this, it
before stepping up to a higher Mach number relies on a laser based 3D sensor and a thermal
protuberance on currently planned for STS-134. imager. Geometrical information contained in
successive 3D images is matched against the
Boundary layer transition is a disruption of the known shape of the target object to calculate its
smooth, laminar flow of supersonic air across position and orientation in real-time.
the shuttle’s belly and occurs normally when
the shuttle’s velocity has dropped to around On its first test flight, TriDAR successfully
eight to 10 times the speed of sound, starting demonstrated 3D sensor based tracking in
toward the back of the heat shield and moving real-time during rendezvous and docking to
forward. Known as “tripping the boundary the International Space Station. Building on the
58 EXPERIMENTS APRIL 2010

success of this first flight, TriDAR’s second test understanding of the new sensors’ performance
flight will focus on performance improvements, on-orbit in order to validate ground simulation
enhanced pilot displays as well as enhanced models and properly characterize sensor
long range acquisition capabilities using performance. STORRM will occur both during
passive thermal imaging. the space shuttle’s approach to and departure
from the station.
Developed by Canada’s Neptec Design Group
Company, TriDAR’s 3D sensor is dual sensing, After Discovery docks to the station, the crew
multi-purpose scanner that builds on Neptec’s will install a set of reflective elements. The
Laser Camera System (LCS) technology retro-reflectors are titanium clamping
currently used to inspect the space shuttle’s mechanisms that contain a small piece of
thermal protection tiles. TriDAR’s shape reflective tape covered by Schott glass. The
tracking technology is very flexible and can be reflectors will augment the station docking
adapted for multiple applications such as: target and stand-off cross used by the shuttle.
robotic operations, planetary landing as well as
rover navigation. The reflectors are designed to prevent the
shuttle Trajectory Control Sensor (TCS) from
DTO 703 Sensor Test for Orion Relative tracking the reflective elements at their
Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) wavelength, preventing any confusion for the
shuttle crew during docking and undocking.
The first element of the STORRM test is being
flown to the International Space Station on the The reflective elements, which were built at
STS-131 mission. STORRM, which is not slated Langley Research Center in Virginia, will be
for testing until the STS-134 mission, is placed in a known pattern during STS-131.
designed to demonstrate the capability of Having multiple reflectors in the sensor’s field
relative navigation sensors developed for of vision at the same time allows the sensor to
automated rendezvous and docking of Orion or determine the relative attitude of the vehicle as
other future spacecrafts. This DTO will test the well as relative position and velocity. This will
Vision Navigation Sensor (VNS) flash LIDAR provide six degrees of freedom for a future a
and high definition docking camera currently vehicle’s Guidance, Navigation and Control
planned for the Orion crew exploration vehicle. system.
Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) is an The prototype VNS and docking camera will be
optical remote sensing technology that mounted in an enclosure on the Orbiter
measures properties of scattered light to find Docking System truss next to the TCS.
range and/or other information of a distant
target. The system was developed by Ball Aerospace
and Technologies in Boulder, Colo. and
The test is being performed because it is provided to NASA by Lockheed Martin
important that engineers gain a thorough Corporation in Bethesda, MD.

Detailed Supplementary Objectives (DSOs) The objective of this study is to identify the key
are space and life science investigations. Their underlying physiological factors that contribute
purpose is to determine the extent of to changes in performance of a set of functional
physiological deconditioning resulting from tasks that are representative of critical mission
spaceflight, to test countermeasures to those tasks for lunar and Mars operations.
changes and to characterize the space Astronauts will be tested on an integrated
environment relative to crew health. suite of functional and interdisciplinary
physiological tests before and after short and
DSO 640 Physiological Factors long-duration spaceflight. Using this strategy,
Astronauts experience alterations in multiple the investigators will be able to: (1) identify
physiological systems due to exposure to the critical mission tasks that may be impacted by
microgravity conditions of spaceflight. These alterations in physiological responses; (2) map
physiological changes include sensorimotor physiological changes to alterations in
disturbances, cardiovascular deconditioning, functional performance; and (3) design and
and loss of muscle mass and strength. These implement countermeasures that specifically
changes may lead to a disruption in the ability target the physiological systems responsible for
to walk and perform functional tasks during impaired functional performance.
the initial reintroduction to gravity following For more information, follow these links:
prolonged spaceflight and may cause
significant impairments in performance of https://rlsda.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/experiment
operational tasks immediately following /exper.cfm?exp_index=1448
landing. https://rlsda.jsc.nasa.gov/docs/research/res
earch_detail.cfm?experiment_type_code=35
&researchtype=

EXPERIMENTS ESA’s Anomalous Long Term Effects on
Astronauts’ Central Nervous System – Shield
The STS-131/19A mission continues the (ALTEA-Shield) will assess the radiation
transition from a focus on International Space environment inside the space station, and
Station assembly to continuous scientific JAXA’s Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience
research in the fall of 2010. Experiment in Space (PADLES) will test a new,
low-overhead method for measuring radiation
Nearly 150 operating experiments in human
exposure levels on the station.
research; biological and biotechnology;
physical and materials sciences; technology Several experiments also will look at
development; Earth and space science, and operational issues related to human health on
educational activities will be conducted aboard orbit. The IntraVenous Fluid GENeration for
the station, including several pathfinder Exploration Missions (IVGEN) experiment will
investigations under the auspices of the look at methods for purifying fluids to be
station’s new role as a U.S. National used in treating ill or injured crew members on
Laboratory. long-duration missions, and the JAXA
Mycological Evaluation of Crew Exposure
In the past, assembly and maintenance
to Space Station Ambient Air – 2 (Myco-2)
activities have dominated the available time for
experiment will support a detailed examination
crew work. But as completion of the orbiting
of the risk of crew exposure to allergens in
laboratory nears, additional facilities and the
the closed environments. The Vehicle Cabin
crew members to operate them will enable a
Atmosphere Monitor (VCAM) investigation
measured increase in time devoted to research
looks at potentially harmful gases that are
as a national and multi-national laboratory.
present in minute quantities in the space station
The space shuttle and space station have an breathing air. And the Evaluation of Maximal
integrated research program that optimizes use Oxygen Uptake and Submaximal Estimates of
of shuttle crew members and long-duration VO2max Before, During, and After Long
station crew members to address research Duration International Space Station Missions
questions in a variety of disciplines. (VO2maX) will look at how astronaut’s ability
to take in oxygen during exercise changes on
On STS-131, research into how the human long-duration missions.
body is affected by long-duration stays
in microgravity will be delivered to the In addition, Discovery will deliver the Window
space station by Discovery’s crew. NASA’s Observational Research Facility (WORF), which
Integrated Cardiovascular experiment will will provide support for Earth science remote
continue on-going research into the sensing instruments using the highest quality
documented decrease in the size of the human optics ever flown on a human-occupied
heart muscle and seek to determine the spacecraft; the EXpedite the PRocessing of
underlying causes for such atrophy. NASA’s Experiments to Space Station Rack 7, a
Integrated Immune experiment will look at multi-purpose payload rack system that stores
how space flight changes the human body’s and supports by providing structural interfaces,
ability to fight off disease and infection. power, data, cooling, water, and other items

needed to operate science experiments in space; Mouse Immunology will expand the
the Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise knowledge base of the effects of space
System, which provide equipment needed to environment on mammalian immunology and
investigate and measure the effects of provide fundamental knowledge for current
microgravity on measurements and exercise on applications that form a foundation for future
seven different human joints, and a third Minus long-duration space exploration missions.
Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer to the space
station for storing experiment samples. National Laboratory Pathfinder – Vaccine – 8
(NLP-Vaccine-8) is a commercial payload
SHORT-DURATION U.S. INTEGRATED serving as a pathfinder for the use of the
RESEARCH TO BE COMPLETED DURING International Space Station as a National
Laboratory after space station assembly is
STS-131/19A
complete. It contains several different
Biological Research in Canisters – 16 pathogenic (disease causing) organisms. This
(BRIC-16) germinates Arabidopsis thaliana seeds research is investigating the use of space flight
in microgravity to be returned to Earth for to develop potential vaccines for the prevention
analysis by investigator teams. The Arabidopsis of different infections caused by these
plant is the preferred model species for plant pathogens on Earth and in microgravity.
investigations in space. BRIC-16 contains
Ram Burn Observations (RAMBO) is an
Arabidopsis seeds from various experimenters to
experiment in which the Department of
the space station. The seeds will germinate on
Defense uses a satellite to observe space shuttle
orbit and subsequently be returned to Earth
Orbital Maneuvering System engine burns. Its
with the returning space shuttle. Investigators
purpose is to improve plume models, which
can make use of the in flight option for
predict the direction the plume, or rising
seedlings to be exposed to selected
column of exhaust, will move as the shuttle
experimental treatments and subsequently
maneuvers on orbit. Understanding the
fixed, or not, prior to return.
direction in which the spacecraft engine plume,
Maui Analysis of Upper Atmospheric or exhaust flows could be significant to the safe
Injections (MAUI) will observe the space arrival and departure of spacecraft on current
shuttle engine exhaust plumes from the Maui and future exploration missions.
Space Surveillance Site in Hawaii. The
Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure
observations will occur when the space shuttle
During Spaceflight-Short (Sleep-Short) will
fires its engines at night or twilight. A
examine the effects of space flight on the
telescope and all-sky imagers will take images
sleep of the astronauts during space
and data while the space shuttle flies over the
shuttle missions. Advancing state-of-the-art
Maui site. The images will be analyzed to
technology for monitoring, diagnosing and
better understand the interaction between the
assessing treatment of sleep patterns is vital to
spacecraft plume and the upper atmosphere of
treating insomnia on Earth and in space.
Earth.

Shuttle Exhaust Ion Turbulence Experiments understanding and enhancing the repair
(SEITE) will use space-based sensors to detect activities of regenerative cells for improved
the ionospheric turbulence inferred from the health maintenance in space and corollaries on
radar observations from a previous space the ground.
shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System burn
experiment using ground-based radars. Education Payload Operations – Robotics
(EPO-Robo) creates an on-orbit video
Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed demonstration explaining robotic arm
Localized Exhaust Experiments (SIMPLEX) operations on the space shuttle and the
will investigate plasma turbulence driven International Space Station. EPO-Robo
by rocket exhaust in the ionosphere using supports NASA’s goal of attracting and
ground-based radars by providing direct retaining students in science, technology,
measurements of exhaust flow sources and engineering, and mathematic disciplines.
developing quantitative models of plasma EPO-Robo will be tied to an agency-wide
turbulence that degrades tracking and imaging ground-based robotic education plan revolved
radars. This is a payload of opportunity on around STS-131/19A mission specialist and
every shuttle flight based on available Orbital educator Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger.
Maneuvering System fuel, crew time, and EPO-Robo will involve two on-orbit video
over-flight of ground sites. demonstrations explaining robotic arm
operations and scientific investigations. The
Space Tissue Loss (STL) Space Tissue Loss robotic arm stations on space shuttle and space
advances research objectives for U.S. Army’s station will be used as show and tell items.
Combat Casualty Care Research Program by
defining cellular effects and growth Mycological Evaluation of Crew Exposure to
characteristics in microgravity for immune Space station Ambient Air (JAXA Myco-2) The
system modulation, shock response abatement purpose of Myco is to evaluate the risk of
and directed tissue regeneration. The STL microorganisms via inhalation and adhesion to
experiments using the Cell Culture Module the skin to determine which fungi act as
(CCM) conduct cellular and regenerative allergens on the space station. Samples are
medicine research. Exposure to microgravity collected from the nasal cavity, the pharynx and
causes cells to react in a destructive cascade the skin of crew before, during and after flight,
similar to wounds. This breakdown of tissue focusing particularly on fungi, which act as
and function present serious challenges to the strong allergens in the internal space station
health of humans in space. The STL/CCM environment. It is well known that a living and
modules allow for the controlled study of cell working environment in the space station
and tissue populations. Special emphasis is on has been progressively contaminated by a
the study of the resident population of number of microorganisms from the beginning
regenerative cells that normally maintains and of construction. These microorganisms can
repairs tissue. These regenerative cells have possibly cause serious life-threatening diseases
demonstrated tremendous utility in wound and allergies if human immunity is
repair, tissue repair and return to function of compromised.
damaged organs. Special emphasis is placed on

RESEARCH TO BE DELIVERED TO THE facility that interfaces standard modules into
SPACE STATION the space station EXPRESS Racks. The Cube
Lab platforms are small modules that can be
U.S. Research used within a pressurized space station
environment in orbit, with a nominal length,
Capillary Channel Flow (CCF) is a versatile
width, and height of 100 millimeter and a mass
experiment for studying a critical variety of of no more than 1 kilogram.
inertial-capillary dominated flows key to
spacecraft systems that cannot be studied on DEvice for the study of Critical LIquids and
Earth. CCF results are immediately useful Crystallization (DECLIC) is a multi-user
for the design, testing, and instrumentation facility utilized to study transparent media and
for verification and validation of liquid their phase transitions in microgravity on board
management systems of current orbiting, the International Space Station. The Alice-Like
design stage, and advanced spacecraft Insert (ALI) portion of DECLIC studies the
envisioned for future exploration missions. dynamics of near-ambient temperature critical
fluids of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), a colorless,
Capillary Flow Experiment – 2 (CFE-2) is a odorless, nontoxic and nonflammable gas and
suite of fluid physics experiments that carbon dioxide (CO2). ALI is one of the
investigate capillary flows and flows of fluids modules developed for DECLIC that will be
in containers with complex geometries. Results used to continue the program on fluid physics
will improve current computer models that are and dynamics close to critical point.
used by designers of low gravity fluid systems
and may improve fluid transfer systems on Cardiac Atrophy and Diastolic Dysfunction
future spacecraft. During and After Long Duration Spaceflight:
Functional Consequences for Orthostatic
Coarsening in Solid Liquid Mixtures-2 Intolerance, Exercise Capability and
(CSLM-2) examines the kinetics of competitive Risk for Cardiac Arrhythmias (Integrated
particle growth within a liquid metal matrix. Cardiovascular) will quantify the extent, time
During this process, small particles of tin course and clinical significance of cardiac
suspended in a liquid tin-lead matrix shrink by atrophy (decrease in the size of the heart
losing atoms to larger particles of tin, causing muscle) associated with long-duration space
the larger particles to grow (coarsen). This flight. This experiment also will identify the
study defines the mechanisms and rates of mechanisms of this atrophy and the functional
coarsening in the absence of gravitational consequences for crew members who will
settling. This work has direct applications to spend extended periods of time in space.
metal alloy manufacturing on Earth, including
materials critical for aerospace applications Validation of Procedures for Monitoring Crew
(e.g., the production of better aluminum alloys member Immune Function (Integrated
for turbine blades). Immune) will assess the clinical risks resulting
from the adverse effects of space flight on the
Cube Lab is a low-cost 1 kilogram platform for human immune system and will validate a
educational projects on the International Space flight-compatible immune monitoring strategy.
Station. The lab is a multi-purpose research

Researchers will collect and analyze blood, could accompany crew members during
urine and saliva samples from crew members long-duration exploration missions.
before, during and after space flight to monitor
changes in the immune system. Evaluation of Maximal Oxygen Uptake
and Submaximal Estimates of VO2max
IntraVenous Fluid GENeration for Before, During, and After Long Duration
Exploration Missions (IVGEN) will International Space Station Mspace Station
demonstrate the capability to purify water to (VO2maX) documents changes in maximum
the standards required for intravenous oxygen uptake for crew members onboard the
administration, then mix the water with salt space station on long-duration missions.
crystals to produce normal saline. This
hardware is a prototype that will allow flight Canadian Space Agency
surgeons more options to treat ill or injured Cambium (Cambium) The Cambium
crew members during future long-duration investigation is one in a pair of investigations
exploration missions. which utilizes the Advanced Biological
Materials Science Laboratory – Columnar-to- Research System (ABRS). Cambium seeks
Equiaxed Transition in Solidification definitive evidence that gravity has a direct
Processing and Microstructure Formation in effect on cambial cells (cells located under the
Casting of Technical Alloys under Diffusive inner bark where secondary growth occurs) in
and Magnetically Controlled Convective willow, Salix babylonica. The Cambium
Conditions (MSL-CETSOL and MICAST) are experiment will provide an understanding
two investigations that support research into of physiological processes such as gene
metallurgical solidification, semiconductor expression, metabolism and general plant
crystal growth (Bridgman and zone melting), development that are affected in plant systems
and measurement of thermo-physical exposed to space flight. Following return to
properties of materials. This is a cooperative Earth the plants will be analyzed by microscopy
investigation with ESA and NASA for and chemical methods.
accommodation and operation aboard the European Space Agency Research
International Space Station.
Anomalous Long-Term Effects on
Preliminary Advanced Colloids Experiment Astronauts’ Central Nervous System – Shield
(PACE) will characterize the capability (ALTEA-Shield) will provide an assessment of
of conducting high magnification colloid the radiation environment inside the space
experiments with the Light Microscopy Module station. Astronauts in orbit are exposed to
(LMM) to determine the minimum size cosmic radiation that is of sufficient frequency
particles which can be resolved. and intensity to cause effects on the central
Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor (VCAM) nervous system. Radiation exposure represents
identifies gases that are present in minute one of the greatest risks to humans traveling
quantities in the International Space Station on exploration missions beyond Low Earth
breathing air that could harm the crew’s Orbit (LEO). The experimental program makes
health. If successful, instruments like VCAM use of the ALTEA detectors to perform a

radiation survey on board space station and long-term space flight. The objective of this
will improve the understanding of the effect of study is to examine the effect of long-term
ionizing radiation on the CNS functions. microgravity exposure on cardiac autonomic
function by monitoring pre-in, and post-flight
Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at 24-hours electrocardiogram. The results will be
Different g-levels (WAICO) studies the analyzed for improving crew health care
interaction of circumnutation (the successive technology in long-duration space flight.
bowing or bending in different directions of the
growing tip of the stems and roots) and Chaos, Turbulence and Its Transition Process
gravitropism (a tendency to grow toward or in Marangoni Convection (Marangoni)
away from gravity) in microgravity and analyzes the behavior of a surface-tension-
1-gravity of Arabidopsis thaliana. Specifically, driven flow in microgravity. Marangoni
verify that circumnutation of Arabidoposis convection is a surface-tension-driven flow.
roots is driven by an endogenous mechanism, A liquid bridge of silicone oil (5 or 10 cSt) is
that is independent of gravity as a cue. formed into a pair of disks. Convection is
induced by imposing the temperature
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency difference between disks. Due to the fluid
Research instability, flow transits from laminar to
Production of Two Dimensional oscillatory, chaos, and turbulence flows one by
NanoTemplate in Microgravity ones as the driving force increases. We observe
(2D-NanoTemplate) fabricates large and the flow and temperature fields in each stages
highly oriented nano-scale two-dimensional and investigate the transition conditions and
arranged peptide arrays by suppressing processes precisely.
convection, sedimentation, and buoyancy. The Molecular Mechanism of Microgravity-
arrangement generated will be used as the Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy –
template of electronic materials on Earth. Physiological Relevance of Cbl-b Ubiquitin
The Effect of Long-Term Microgravity Ligase (MyoLab) studies a rat muscle gene
Exposure on Cardiac Autonomic Function by modified cell line to determine the effects of
Analyzing 24-hours Electrocardiogram microgravity. The number of bedridden elderly
(Biological Rhythms) examines the effect of people in Japan is remarkably increasing, which
long-term microgravity exposure on cardiac can be considered a serious social problem.
autonomic function by analyzing 24-hour However, there is no effective countermeasure
electrocardiogram of long-duration space for muscle atrophy (decrease in muscle
station crew members. It has been mass), which is a main cause for bedridden
demonstrated that space flight induces conditions. The few countermeasures for
adverse consequences such as cardiovascular unloading mediated muscle atrophy include:
deconditioning and sleep disturbance which rehabilitation, diet and drugs. The MyoLab
may be accompanied by disruption in circadian payload will focus on the inhibition of
rhythms. As those consequences are closely Cbl-b-mediated ubiquitination (enzyme found
related to autonomic function, cardiac in humans) to improve IGF-1 (insulin-like
autonomic function may be changed during growth hormone) resistance of skeletal muscle

cells. Ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b is inhibited by number of microorganisms from the beginning
focusing on the competitively inhibitory of construction. These microorganisms can
function of oligopeptides (molecules containing possibly cause serious life-threatening
a small number of peptides). diseases and allergies if human immunity is
compromised.
Biological Effects of Space Radiation and
Microgravity on Mammalian Cells Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment
(NeuroRad) studies the effects of space in Space (PADLES) measures radiation
radiation on the human neuroblastoma cell exposure levels onboard the space station using
(nerve cell containing a tumor) line in passive and integrating dosimeters to detect
microgravity. NeuroRad will investigate the radiation levels. Passive dosimeter packages
biological effects of space radiation on and an analysis system are developed by
mammalian nerve cells using SK-N-SH (human JAXA for supporting life science experiments.
neuroblastoma cell line). NeuroRad will They provide environmental data for space
evaluate the risk factors of long-term space radiation. Data reading can be done only on
flight by investigating the ability to recover the ground after return. PADLES is a compact
from radiation damage acquired in and battery-less Dosimeter, and has the
microgravity. NeuroRad will also evaluate the advantage of no necessity of crew times and
effects of radiation accumulation as a result of package for setting extremely close to biological
long-term space flight missions. NeuroRad will samples.
focus on changes in the mitochondria-related
gene expression, since the mitochondria is well Changes in Nutrient Contents in Space Food
known for having a crucial role in apotosis After Long-Term Space Flight (Space Food
(programmed cell death). After recovery, the Nutrient) assesses the changes in nutrient
effects of radiation in microgravity will be contents in Japanese space foods after exposure
comprehensively analyzed using the following to space station environment for long-duration
techniques: nuclear DNA microarray, western space flight. Space Food Nutrient examines the
blotting, and mutation assays. effect of exposure to microgravity on the
degradation of select of Japanese foods.
Mycological Evaluation of Crew Exposure to
Space Station Ambient Air – 2 (Myco-2) FACILITIES TO BE DELIVERED TO
evaluates the risk of microorganisms’ via INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
inhalation and adhesion to the skin to
determine which fungi act as allergens on the NASA
space station. Myco-2 samples will be collected Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer
from the nasal cavity, the pharynx and the for Space Station (MELFI) is an ESA-built,
skin of crew during preflight, in flight and NASA-operated freezer that will store samples
post-flight focusing particularly on fungi on space station at temperatures as low as
that act as strong allergens in our living -80 degrees C. This multi-purpose freezer
environment. It is well known that a living and significantly enhances the research capabilities
working environment in the space station has of the U.S. Laboratory on space station. MELFI
been progressively contaminated by a will support a wide range of life science

experiments by preserving biological samples International Space Station. The EXPRESS rack
(such as blood, saliva, urine, microbial or plant system supports science experiments in any
samples) collected aboard space station for later discipline by providing structural interfaces,
return and analysis back on Earth. Samples power, data, cooling, water, and other items
from the space station Medical Project will be needed to operate science experiments in space.
stored in MELFI and contribute to multiple
studies of the effect of space flight on human European Space Agency Research
health. The Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise
The Window Observational Research Facility System (MARES) will be used for research
(WORF) provides a facility for Earth science on musculoskeletal, biomechanical, and
remote sensing instruments using the Destiny neuromuscular human physiology to better
science window with the highest quality optics understand the effects of microgravity on the
ever flown on a human-occupied spacecraft. muscular system. MARES enables scientists to
The Window Observational Research Facility study the detailed effects of microgravity on the
(WORF) provides a facility by which remotely human muscle-skeletal system. It also provides
operated payloads and crew members can a means to evaluate countermeasures designed
perform Earth and space science research, to mitigate the negative effect, especially
including hand-held photography, at the U.S. muscle atrophy. The MARES hardware is
Laboratory Science Window on the space made up of an adjustable chair and human
station. WORF is based on an International restraint system, a pantograph (an articulated
Standard Payload Rack (ISPR) and utilizes arm supporting the chair, used to properly
avionics and hardware adapted from the position the user), a direct drive motor,
EXPRESS Rack program. The rack provides a associated electronics and experiment
payload volume equivalent to 0.8 cubic meters, programming software, a linear adapter that
and will be able to support up to three payloads translates motor rotation into linear
simultaneously, depending on available movements, and a vibration isolation frame.
resources and space available at the window. MARES is capable of supporting measurements
The WORF will also provide access and and exercise on seven different human
equipment for crew Earth observations, such as joints, encompassing nine different angular
crew restraints, camera/camcorder brackets, movements, as well as two additional linear
and condensation prevention. movements (arms and legs). It is considerably
more advanced than current ground-based
EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to medical dynamometers (devices used to
Space Station Rack 7 (EXPRESS Rack 7) is a measure force or torque) and a vast
multi-purpose payload rack system that stores improvement over existing space station
and supports experiments aboard the muscle research facilities.

RESEARCH SAMPLES TO BE RETURNED environments and will be critically important
ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE for the successful completion of future
long-duration missions beyond low Earth orbit.
U.S. Research
DEvice for the study of Critical LIquids and
Bisphosphonates as a Countermeasure to Crystallization-High Temperature Insert
Space Flight Induced Bone Loss (DECLIC-HTI) is a multi-user facility utilized
(Bisphosphonates) will determine whether to study transparent media and their phase
antiresorptive agents help reduce bone loss, transitions in microgravity onboard the
in conjunction with the routine in-flight International Space Station. The High
exercise program, will protect space station Temperature Insert (HTI) portion of DECLIC
crew members from the regional decreases in studies water (H2O) near its critical point. HTI
bone mineral density documented on previous is a thermostat for critical fluid experiments
space station missions. involving water between 350 degrees Celsius to
405 degrees Celsius. At around 374 degrees
Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Control
Celsius, close to its critical point, water shows a
on Return from Space Station (CCISS) will singular behavior, which is scientifically very
study the effects of long-duration space flight interesting to investigate in absence of gravity.
on crew members’ heart functions and their HTI is intended to enable the study of
blood vessels that supply the brain. near-critical water, and later of other super-
Learning more about the cardiovascular critical fluids.
and cerebrovascular systems could lead to
specific countermeasures that might better Cardiac Atrophy and Diastolic Dysfunction
protect future space travelers. This experiment During and After Long Duration Spaceflight:
is collaborative effort with CSA. Functional Consequences for Orthostatic
Intolerance, Exercise Capability and Risk
Constrained Vapor Bubble (CVB) operates a for Cardiac Arrhythmias (Integrated
miniature wickless heat pipe (heat exchanger) Cardiovascular) will quantify the extent, time
to understand the physics of evaporation and course and clinical significance of cardiac
condensation as they affect heat transfer atrophy (decrease in the size of the heart
processes in microgravity. The thermophysical muscle) associated with long-duration space
principles underlying change-of-phase heat flight. This experiment will also identify the
transfer systems controlled by interfacial mechanisms of this atrophy and the functional
phenomena are not well understood under consequences for crew members who will
microgravity conditions and are less than spend extended periods of time in space.
optimized even under earth gravity conditions.
As a result, related passive engineering systems Validating Vegetable Production Unit (VPU)
for enhanced heat transfer such as heat pipes Plants, Protocols, Procedures and
have not been optimized. The information Requirements (P3R) Using Currently Existing
obtained from CVB will be used to optimize Flight Resources (Lada-VPU-P3R) is a study to
the design and operation of passive heat advance the technology required for plant
transfer devices for Earth and microgravity growth in microgravity and to research

related food safety issues. Lada-VPU-P3R also nutritional status of the astronauts participating
investigates the nonnutritional value to the in the study. The results will have an impact
flight crew of developing plants on-orbit. The on the definition of nutritional requirements
Lada-VPU-P3R uses the Lada hardware on the and development of food systems for future
space station and falls under a cooperative exploration missions to the Moon and Mars.
agreement between NASA and RSA. This experiment also will help researchers
understand the effectiveness of measures taken
Materials International Space Station to counteract the effects of space flight, as well
Experiment – 6A and 6B (MISSE-6A and 6B) is as the impact of exercise and pharmaceutical
a sample box attached to the outside of the countermeasures on nutritional status and
International Space Station; it is used for nutrient requirements for astronauts.
testing the effects of exposure to the space
environment on small samples of new Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect
materials. These samples will be evaluated for Against Changes in Bone Metabolism during
their reaction to atomic oxygen erosion, direct Spaceflight and Recovery (Pro-K) investigation
sunlight, radiation, and extremes of heat is NASA’s first evaluation of a dietary
and cold. Results will provide a better countermeasure to lessen bone loss of
understanding of the durability of various astronauts. Pro-K proposes that a flight diet
materials, with important applications in the with a decreased ratio of animal protein to
design of future spacecraft. potassium will lead to decreased loss of bone
mineral. Pro-K will have an impact on the
National Laboratory Pathfinder – Cells – 3: definition of nutritional requirements and
Jatropha Biofuels (NLP-Cells-3) assesses the development of food systems for future
effects of microgravity on cells of the Jatropha exploration missions, and could yield a method
curcas plant. The purpose of the study is to of counteracting bone loss that would have
verify the potential effects of microgravity on virtually no risk of side effects.
improving characteristics such as cell structure,
growth and development, for accelerating the National Aeronautics and Space
breeding process of new cultivars of J. curcas for Administration Biological Specimen
commercial use. Accelerated breeding could Repository (Repository) is a storage bank
allow J. curcas to be used as an alternative that is used to maintain biological specimens
energy crop, or biofuel. over extended periods of time and under
well-controlled conditions. Biological samples
Nutritional Status Assessment (Nutrition) is a from the International Space Station, including
comprehensive in-flight study being done to blood and urine, will be collected, processed
understand changes in human physiology and archived during the preflight, in-flight and
during long-duration space flight. This post-flight phases of space station missions.
study includes measures of bone metabolism, This investigation has been developed to
oxidative damage, and chemistry and hormonal archive biosamples for use as a resource for
changes, as well as assessments of the future space flight related research.

Surface, Water and Air Biocharacterization – the ability to perform an egress task while
A Comprehensive Characterization of wearing a launch and escape space suit;
Microorganisms and Allergens in Spacecraft therefore, decreased VO2max may represent a
Environment (SWAB) will use advanced safety concern in the event of an emergency
molecular techniques to comprehensively during space flight. By understanding the
evaluate microbes on board the space station, changes in VO2max that occur within space
including pathogens (organisms that may cause flight, necessary adjustments can be made to
disease). It also will track changes in the EVA exercise countermeasures.
microbial community as spacecraft visit the
station and new station modules are added. Canadian Space Agency
This study will allow an assessment of the risk Vascular Health Consequences of Long-
of microbes to the crew and the spacecraft. Duration Space Flight (Vascular) determines
Analysis of a Novel Sensory Mechanism in the impact of long-duration space flight on the
Root Phototropism (Tropi) studies Arabidopsis blood vessels of astronauts. Vascular Health
thaliana plants sprouting from seeds to gain Consequences of Long-Duration Space Flight
insights into sustainable agriculture for future determines the impact of long-duration space
long-duration space missions. Tropi is a plant flight on the blood vessels of astronauts. Space
growth experiment that will investigate how flight accelerates the aging process and we
plant roots from Arabidopsis thaliana (thale must understand this to determine the need for
cress) respond to varying levels of light and specific countermeasures.
gravity. Plant growth under various gravity European Space Agency Research
conditions (0g to 1.0g) is achieved using a
rotating centrifuge. Plants grown will be Long Term Microgravity: A Model for
analyzed to determine which genes are Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease
responsible for successful plant growth in with New Portable Equipment (Card)
microgravity. This experiment will help gain experiment studies blood pressure decreases in
insight into how plants grow in space to help the human body exposed to microgravity
create sustainable life support systems for long onboard the space station. In microgravity, the
term space travel. cardiovascular system relaxes causing a drop in
the blood volume and pressure. This also
Evaluation of Maximal Oxygen Uptake and causes the fluid and sodium retaining systems
Submaximal Estimates of VO2max Before, to be activated. One theory of this occurrence
During, and After Long Duration is that the body’s level of sodium is decreased.
International Space Station Mspace Station This investigation will examine whether blood
(VO2max) documents changes in maximum pressure and volume can be restored to the
oxygen uptake for crew members onboard the same levels that were measured during
space station on long-duration missions. ground-based measurements by adding
VO2max, sometimes referred to as VO2peak, is additional salt to the astronauts’ food.
the standard measure of aerobic capacity and is
directly related to the physical working
capacity of an individual. VO2max is related to

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment
Research in Space (PADLES) measures radiation
exposure levels onboard the space station using
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency – passive and integrating dosimeters to detect
Education Payload Observation (JAXA-EPO) radiation levels. Passive dosimeter packages
activities demonstrate educational events and and an analysis system are developed by JAXA
artistic activities on board the space station to for supporting life science experiments. They
enlighten the general public and create provide environmental data for space radiation.
enthusiasm about microgravity research and Data reading can be done only on the ground
human space flight. after return. PADLES is a compact and
Leavenest – Information to be provided by battery-less dosimeter, it has the advantage of
JAXA at a later date. no necessity of crew times and package for
setting extremely close to biological samples.
Chaos, Turbulence and its Transition
Process in Marangoni Convection Life Cycles of Higher Plants Under
(Marangoni) analyzes the behavior of a Microgravity Conditions (SpaceSeed)
surface-tension-driven flow in microgravity. cultivates Arabidopsis thaliana (a small flowering
Marangoni convection is a surface-tension- plant) in microgravity to improve the
driven flow. A liquid bridge of silicone oil productivity of crops in space as well as
(5 or 10 cSt) is formed into a pair of disks. for understanding the role of gravity in
Convection is induced by imposing the regulating the life cycle of higher plants. The
temperature difference between disks. Due experiments with Arabidopsis under the
to the fluid instability, flow transits from microgravity environment on JEM will provide
laminar to oscillatory, chaos, and turbulence an abundance of important and useful
flows one by ones as the driving force increases. information necessary for improving the
We observe the flow and temperature fields productivity of crops in space, as well as for
in each stages and investigate the transition understanding the role of gravity in regulating
conditions and processes precisely. the life cycle of higher plants.
Production of High Performance

Nanomaterials in Microgravity
(Nanoskeleton) aims to clarify the effect of
gravity on oil flotation, sedimentation
and convection on crystals generated in
microgravity. Nanoskeleton will quantitatively
investigate the effects of gravity during a
chemical reaction process.

EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
For STS-131 education activities, NASA encourage young women to pursue STEM
Education selected two education themes careers.
aligned to the mission: robotics and women
in Science, Technology, Engineering and Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger
Mathematics, or STEM, careers. The STS-131 Before becoming an astronaut in 2004,
crew will be heavily involved in complex Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger taught Earth
robotic operations during its mission. Three of science and astronomy for five years at
the mission specialists are women, excellent Hudson’s Bay High School in Vancouver,
role models for young girls interested in STEM Wash. As a mission specialist on STS-131, she
careers. will operate the space shuttle’s robotic arm
and the 50-foot Orbiter Boom Sensor System.
ROBOTICS
For STS-131, NASA Education developed a IN-ORBIT EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
comprehensive robotics Web site – a one-stop Education Payload Operations (EPO)
shop for NASA K-12 education activities and
resources related to robotics. While there are During the mission, Metcalf-Lindenburger and
many ways to teach robotics, by design, this one of her crewmates, Japan Aerospace
NASA Web site is focused on simple and Exploration Agency astronaut Naoko
inexpensive ways to introduce students to Yamazaki, will conduct education payload
robotic concepts. Educators can find multiple operations to capture video on both the shuttle
lesson plans that use common materials and and the International Space Station for a
objects. NASA education film. The video will highlight
robotic arm operations and NASA’s diverse
The Web site is found at: robotic missions; it also will explore the many
www.nasa.gov/education/robotics career fields associated with robotics. It is not
anticipated that the video will be downlinked
WOMEN IN STEM during the mission. This video will be edited
post-flight and will be posted to the robotics
Launch Conference Web site.
The NASA Office of Education will host an In-flight Education Downlinks
education forum in Florida in the days before
the STS-131 launch. Focus for the launch If mission operations permit, members of the
forum will be on strategies to encourage STS-131 crew will participate in two live
young women to pursue STEM careers and in-flight education downlinks. During the
robotics as an effective learning tool. NASA education downlinks, crew members will
Education plans to bring together members of answer questions from K-12 students. To
the K-12, higher education and informal select the downlink hosts, which are formal
education communities to discuss strategies to and informal education communities, NASA
APRIL 2010 EDUCATION ACTIVITIES 73

Education released a call for proposals. After a NPGS plans to share the downlink and related
highly competitive process, two education activities with a large off-site K-12 audience
organizations were selected as downlink hosts. that could potentially include Department of
Defense schools around the world.
On flight day 6, STS-131 Commander
Alan G. Poindexter, Pilot James P. Dutton, Jr. On flight day 10, Poindexter and Mission
and Metcalf-Lindenburger are scheduled to Specialists Stephanie Wilson, Clayton Anderson
participate in an education downlink with K-12 and Metcalf-Lindenburger are scheduled to
educators and students gathered at the participate in an education downlink with
Naval Post Graduate School (NPGS) in educators and students at Eastern Guildford
Monterey, Calif. Education activities related High School in Gibsonville, N.C. The high
to NASA and the mission are planned both school plans to involve K-12 students from the
before and after the downlink. Through social entire school district in STEM education
media and partnerships with media groups, the activities before, during and after the mission.
74 EDUCATION ACTIVITIES APRIL 2010

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA
SHUTTLE ABORT MODES launch site, KSC, approximately 25 minutes
after liftoff.
Redundant Sequence Launch Sequencer
(RSLS) Aborts The RTLS profile is designed to accommodate
the loss of thrust from one space shuttle main
These occur when the on-board shuttle
engine between liftoff and approximately
computers detect a problem and command a
four minutes 20 seconds, after which not
halt in the launch sequence after taking over
enough main propulsion system propellant
from the ground launch sequencer and before
remains to return to the launch site. An RTLS
solid rocket booster ignition.
can be considered to consist of three stages – a
Ascent Aborts powered stage, during which the space shuttle
main engines are still thrusting; an external
Selection of an ascent abort mode may become tank separation phase; and the glide phase,
necessary if there is a failure that affects vehicle during which the orbiter glides to a landing at
performance, such as the failure of a space the KSC. The powered RTLS phase begins with
shuttle main engine or an orbital maneuvering the crew selection of the RTLS abort, after solid
system engine. Other failures requiring early rocket booster separation. The crew selects the
termination of a flight, such as a cabin leak, abort mode by positioning the abort rotary
might also require the selection of an abort switch to RTLS and depressing the abort push
mode. There are two basic types of ascent abort button. The time at which the RTLS is selected
modes for space shuttle missions: intact aborts depends on the reason for the abort. For
and contingency aborts. Intact aborts are example, a three-engine RTLS is selected at the
designed to provide a safe return of the orbiter last moment, about 3 minutes, 34 seconds into
to a planned landing site. Contingency aborts the mission; whereas an RTLS chosen due to an
are designed to permit flight crew survival engine out at liftoff is selected at the earliest
following more severe failures when an intact time, about 2 minutes, 20 seconds into the
abort is not possible. A contingency abort mission (after solid rocket booster separation).
would generally result in a ditch operation.
After RTLS is selected, the vehicle continues
Intact Aborts downrange to dissipate excess main propulsion
There are four types of intact aborts: abort to system propellant. The goal is to leave only
orbit (ATO), abort once around (AOA), enough main propulsion system propellant to
transoceanic abort landing (TAL) and return to be able to turn the vehicle around, fly back
launch site (RTLS). toward the KSC and achieve the proper main
engine cutoff conditions so the vehicle can glide
Return to Launch Site to the KSC after external tank separation.
The RTLS abort mode is designed to allow the During the downrange phase, a pitch-around
return of the orbiter, crew, and payload to the maneuver is initiated (the time depends in part
on the time of a space shuttle main engine
APRIL 2010 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 75

failure) to orient the orbiter/external tank pressure leak or cooling system failure, occurs
configuration to a heads-up attitude, pointing after the last RTLS opportunity, making it
toward the launch site. At this time, the vehicle imperative to land as quickly as possible.
is still moving away from the launch site, but
the space shuttle main engines are now In a TAL abort, the vehicle continues on a
thrusting to null the downrange velocity. In ballistic trajectory across the Atlantic Ocean to
addition, excess orbital maneuvering system land at a predetermined runway. Landing
and reaction control system propellants are occurs about 45 minutes after launch. The
dumped by continuous orbital maneuvering landing site is selected near the normal ascent
system and reaction control system engine ground track of the orbiter to make the most
thrustings to improve the orbiter weight and efficient use of space shuttle main engine
center of gravity for the glide phase and propellant. The landing site also must have the
landing. necessary runway length, weather conditions
and U.S. State Department approval. The three
The vehicle will reach the desired main engine landing sites that have been identified for a
cutoff point with less than 2 percent excess launch are Zaragoza, Spain; Moron, Spain; and
propellant remaining in the external tank. At Istres, France.
main engine cutoff minus 20 seconds, a pitch
down maneuver (called powered pitch-down) To select the TAL abort mode, the crew must
takes the mated vehicle to the required external place the abort rotary switch in the TAL/AOA
tank separation attitude and pitch rate. After position and depress the abort push button
main engine cutoff has been commanded, the before main engine cutoff (depressing it after
external tank separation sequence begins, main engine cutoff selects the AOA abort
including a reaction control system maneuver mode). The TAL abort mode begins sending
that ensures that the orbiter does not recontact commands to steer the vehicle toward the plane
the external tank and that the orbiter has of the landing site. It also rolls the vehicle
achieved the necessary pitch attitude to begin heads up before main engine cutoff and sends
the glide phase of the RTLS. commands to begin an orbital maneuvering
system propellant dump (by burning the
After the reaction control system maneuver has propellants through the orbital maneuvering
been completed, the glide phase of the RTLS system engines and the reaction control system
begins. From then on, the RTLS is handled engines). This dump is necessary to increase
similarly to a normal entry. vehicle performance (by decreasing weight) to
place the center of gravity in the proper place
Transoceanic Abort Landing for vehicle control and to decrease the vehicle’s
The TAL abort mode was developed to landing weight. TAL is handled like a normal
improve the options available when a space entry.
shuttle main engine fails after the last RTLS Abort to Orbit
opportunity but before the first time that an
AOA can be accomplished with only two space An ATO is an abort mode used to boost the
shuttle main engines or when a major orbiter orbiter to a safe orbital altitude when
system failure, for example, a large cabin performance has been lost and it is impossible
76 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA APRIL 2010

to reach the planned orbital altitude. If a space necessitate a contingency abort. Such an abort
shuttle main engine fails in a region that results would maintain orbiter integrity for in-flight
in a main engine cutoff under speed, the MCC crew escape if a landing cannot be achieved at a
will determine that an abort mode is necessary suitable landing field.
and will inform the crew. The orbital
maneuvering system engines would be used to Contingency aborts due to system failures other
place the orbiter in a circular orbit. than those involving the main engines would
normally result in an intact recovery of vehicle
Abort Once Around and crew. Loss of more than one main engine
may, depending on engine failure times, result
The AOA abort mode is used in cases in which
in a safe runway landing. However, in most
vehicle performance has been lost to such an
three-engine-out cases during ascent, the
extent that either it is impossible to achieve a
orbiter would have to be ditched. The inflight
viable orbit or not enough orbital maneuvering
crew escape system would be used before
system propellant is available to accomplish the
ditching the orbiter.
orbital maneuvering system thrusting
maneuver to place the orbiter on orbit and the Abort Decisions
deorbit thrusting maneuver. In addition, an
AOA is used in cases in which a major systems There is a definite order of preference for the
problem (cabin leak, loss of cooling) makes it various abort modes. The type of failure and the
necessary to land quickly. In the AOA abort time of the failure determine which type of abort
mode, one orbital maneuvering system is selected. In cases where performance loss is
thrusting sequence is made to adjust the the only factor, the preferred modes are ATO,
post-main engine cutoff orbit so a second AOA, TAL and RTLS, in that order. The mode
orbital maneuvering system thrusting sequence chosen is the highest one that can be completed
will result in the vehicle deorbiting and landing with the remaining vehicle performance.
at the AOA landing site (White Sands, N.M.; In the case of some support system failures,
Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; or the Kennedy such as cabin leaks or vehicle cooling problems,
Space Center, Fla). Thus, an AOA results in the the preferred mode might be the one that will
orbiter circling the Earth once and landing end the mission most quickly. In these cases,
about 90 minutes after liftoff. TAL or RTLS might be preferable to AOA or
After the deorbit thrusting sequence has been ATO. A contingency abort is never chosen if
executed, the flight crew flies to a landing at the another abort option exists.
planned site much as it would for a nominal Mission Control Houston is prime for calling
entry. these aborts because it has a more precise
Contingency Aborts knowledge of the orbiter’s position than the
crew can obtain from on-board systems. Before
Contingency aborts are caused by loss of more main engine cutoff, Mission Control makes
than one main engine or failures in other periodic calls to the crew to identify which
systems. Loss of one main engine while abort mode is (or is not) available. If ground
another is stuck at a low thrust setting also may communications are lost, the flight crew has

onboard methods, such as cue cards, dedicated (STS-55) March 22, 1993
displays and display information, to determine
The countdown for Columbia’s launch was
the abort region. Which abort mode is selected
halted by onboard computers at T-3 seconds
depends on the cause and timing of the failure
following a problem with purge pressure
causing the abort and which mode is safest or
readings in the oxidizer preburner on main
improves mission success. If the problem is a
engine No. 2. Columbia’s three main engines
space shuttle main engine failure, the flight
were replaced on the launch pad, and the flight
crew and Mission Control Center select the best
was rescheduled behind Discovery’s launch
option available at the time a main engine fails.
on STS-56. Columbia finally launched on
If the problem is a system failure that April 26, 1993.
jeopardizes the vehicle, the fastest abort mode
(STS-51) Aug. 12, 1993
that results in the earliest vehicle landing is
chosen. RTLS and TAL are the quickest options The countdown for Discovery’s third launch
(35 minutes), whereas an AOA requires about attempt ended at the T-3 second mark when
90 minutes. Which of these is selected depends onboard computers detected the failure of one
on the time of the failure with three good space of four sensors in main engine No. 2 which
shuttle main engines. monitor the flow of hydrogen fuel to the
engine. All of Discovery’s main engines were
The flight crew selects the abort mode by ordered replaced on the launch pad, delaying
positioning an abort mode switch and the shuttle’s fourth launch attempt until
depressing an abort push button. Sept. 12, 1993.
SHUTTLE ABORT HISTORY (STS-68) Aug. 18, 1994
RSLS Abort History The countdown for Endeavour’s first launch

attempt ended 1.9 seconds before liftoff when
(STS-41 D) June 26, 1984 onboard computers detected higher than
acceptable readings in one channel of a sensor
The countdown for the second launch attempt
monitoring the discharge temperature of the
for Discovery’s maiden flight ended at T-4
high pressure oxidizer turbopump in main
seconds when the orbiter’s computers detected
engine No. 3. A test firing of the engine at the
a sluggish valve in main engine No. 3. The
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi on
main engine was replaced and Discovery was
September 2nd confirmed that a slight drift in a
finally launched on Aug. 30, 1984.
fuel flow meter in the engine caused a slight
(STS-51 F) July 12, 1985 increase in the turbopump’s temperature. The
test firing also confirmed a slightly slower start
The countdown for Challenger’s launch was
for main engine No. 3 during the pad abort,
halted at T-3 seconds when onboard computers
which could have contributed to the higher
detected a problem with a coolant valve on
temperatures. After Endeavour was brought
main engine No. 2. The valve was replaced and
back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to be
Challenger was launched on July 29, 1985.
outfitted with three replacement engines,

NASA managers set Oct. 2 as the date for shuttle. The engines shut down just before the
Endeavour’s second launch attempt. shuttle, traveling at about 17,000 miles per
hour, reaches orbit.
Abort to Orbit History
The main engine operates at greater
(STS-51 F) July 29, 1985 temperature extremes than any mechanical
After an RSLS abort on July 12, 1985, system in common use today. The fuel,
Challenger was launched on July 29, 1985. liquefied hydrogen at ‐423 degrees Fahrenheit,
Five minutes and 45 seconds after launch, a is the second coldest liquid on Earth. When it
sensor problem resulted in the shutdown of and the liquid oxygen are combusted, the
center engine No. 1, resulting in a safe “abort to temperature in the main combustion chamber is
orbit” and successful completion of the mission. 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than the
boiling point of iron.
SPACE SHUTTLE MAIN ENGINES
The main engines use a staged combustion
Developed in the 1970s by NASA’s Marshall cycle so that all propellants entering the engines
Space Flight Center, in Huntsville, Ala., the are used to produce thrust, or power, more
space shuttle main engine is the most advanced efficiently than any previous rocket engine. In
liquid‐fueled rocket engine ever built. Every a staged combustion cycle, propellants are first
space shuttle main engine is tested and proven burned partially at high pressure and relatively
flight worthy at NASA’s Stennis Space Center low temperature, and then burned completely
in south Mississippi, before installation on at high temperature and pressure in the main
an orbiter. Its main features include variable combustion chamber. The rapid mixing of the
thrust, high performance reusability, high propellants under these conditions is so
redundancy and a fully integrated engine complete that 99 percent of the fuel is burned.
controller.
At normal operating level, each engine
The shuttle’s three main engines are mounted generates 490,847 pounds of thrust, measured
on the orbiter aft fuselage in a triangular in a vacuum. Full power is 512,900 pounds of
pattern. Spaced so that they are movable thrust; minimum power is 316,100 pounds of
during launch, the engines are used, in thrust.
conjunction with the solid rocket boosters, to
The engine can be throttled by varying the
steer the shuttle vehicle.
output of the preburners, thus varying the
Each of these powerful main engines is 14 feet speed of the high‐pressure turbopumps and,
long, weighs about 7,000 pounds and is 7.5 feet therefore, the flow of the propellant.
in diameter at the end of its nozzle.
At about 26 seconds into ascent, the main
The engines operate for about 8.5 minutes engines are throttled down to 316,000 pounds
during liftoff and ascent, burning more than of thrust to keep the dynamic pressure on the
500,000 gallons of super‐cold liquid hydrogen vehicle below a specified level, about
and liquid oxygen propellants stored in the 580 pounds per square foot, known as max q.
external tank attached to the underside of the Then, the engines are throttled back up to

normal operating level at about 60 seconds. incorporates a large‐throat main combustion
This reduces stress on the vehicle. The main chamber that improves the engine’s reliability
engines are throttled down again at about by reducing pressure and temperature in the
seven minutes, 40 seconds into the mission to chamber.
maintain three g’s, three times the Earth’s
gravitational pull, reducing stress on the crew The most recent engine enhancement is the
and the vehicle. This acceleration level is about Advanced Health Management System, or
one‐third the acceleration experienced on AHMS, which made its first flight in 2007.
previous crewed space vehicles. AHMS is a controller upgrade that provides
new monitoring and insight into the health of
About 10 seconds before main engine cutoff, or the two most complex components of the space
MECO, the cutoff sequence begins. About shuttle main engine – the high pressure fuel
three seconds later the main engines are turbopump and the high pressure oxidizer
commanded to begin throttling at 10 percent turbopump. New advanced digital signal
thrust per second until they achieve 65 percent processors monitor engine vibration and have
thrust. This is held for about 6.7 seconds, and the ability to shut down an engine if vibration
the engines are shut down. exceeds safe limits. AHMS was developed by
engineers at Marshall.
The engine performance has the highest thrust
for its weight of any engine yet developed. In After the orbiter lands, the engines are removed
fact, one space shuttle main engine generates and returned to a processing facility at NASA’s
sufficient thrust to maintain the flight of two Kennedy Space Center, Fla., where they are
and one‐half Boeing 747 airplanes. rechecked and readied for the next flight. Some
components are returned to the main engine’s
The space shuttle main engine also is the first prime contractor, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne,
rocket engine to use a built‐in electronic digital West Palm Beach, Fla., for regular maintenance.
controller, or computer. The controller accepts The main engines are designed to operate for
commands from the orbiter for engine start, 7.5 accumulated hours.
change in throttle, shutdown and monitoring of
engine operation. SPACE SHUTTLE SOLID ROCKET
NASA continues to increase the reliability and BOOSTERS (SRB)
safety of shuttle flights through a series of The two solid rocket boosters required for a
enhancements to the space shuttle main space shuttle launch and first two minutes
engines. The engines were modified in 1988, of powered flight boast the largest
1995, 1998, 2001 and 2007. Modifications solid‐propellant motors ever flown. They are
include new high‐pressure fuel and oxidizer the first large rockets designed for reuse and
turbopumps that reduce maintenance and are the only solid rocket motors rated for
operating costs of the engine, a two‐duct human flight. The SRBs have the capacity to
powerhead that reduces pressure and carry the entire weight of the external fuel tank,
turbulence in the engine, and a single‐coil heat or ET, and orbiter, and to transmit the weight
exchanger that lowers the number of post flight
inspections required. Another modification

load through their structure to the mobile Each booster is just over 149 feet long and
launcher platform, or MLP. 12.17 feet in diameter. Both boosters have a
combined weight of 1,303,314 pounds at lift‐off.
The SRBs provide 71.4 percent of the thrust They are attached to the ET at the SRB aft attach
required to lift the space shuttle off the launch ring by an upper and lower attach strut and a
pad and during first‐stage ascent to an altitude diagonal attach strut. The forward end of each
of about 150,000 feet, or 28 miles. At launch, SRB is affixed to the ET by one attach bolt and
each booster has a sea level thrust of ET ball fitting on the forward skirt. While
approximately 3.3 million pounds and is positioned on the launch pad, the space shuttle
ignited after the ignition and verification of the is attached to the MLP by four bolts and
three space shuttle main engines, or SSMEs. explosive nuts equally spaced around each SRB.
SRB apogee occurs at an altitude of about After ignition of the solid rocket motors, the
230,000 feet, or 43 miles, 75 seconds after nuts are severed by small explosives that allow
separation from the main vehicle. At booster the space shuttle vehicle to perform lift off.
separation, the space shuttle orbiter has reached United Space Alliance (USA)
an altitude of 24 miles and is traveling at a
speed in excess of 3,000 miles per hour. USA, at Kennedy facilities, is responsible for all
SRB operations except the motor and nozzle
The primary elements of each booster are nose portions. In conjunction with maintaining
cap, housing the pilot and drogue parachute; sole responsibility for manufacturing and
frustum, housing the three main parachutes in processing of the non‐motor hardware and
a cluster; forward skirt, housing the booster vehicle integration, USA provides the service
flight avionics, altitude sensing, recovery of retrieval, post flight inspection and
avionics, parachute cameras and range safety analysis, disassembly and refurbishment of the
destruct system; four motor segments, hardware. USA also exclusively retains
containing the solid propellant; motor nozzle; comprehensive responsibility for the orbiter.
and aft skirt, housing the nozzle and thrust
vector control systems required for guidance. The reusable solid rocket motor segments are
Each SRB possesses its own redundant shipped from ATK Launch Systems in Utah to
auxiliary power units and hydraulic pumps. Kennedy, where they are mated by USA
personnel to the other structural components –
SRB impact occurs in the ocean approximately the forward assembly, aft skirt, frustum and
140 miles downrange. SRB retrieval is nose cap – in the Vehicle Assembly Building.
provided after each flight by specifically Work involves the complete disassembly and
designed and built ships. The frustums, refurbishment of the major SRB structures – the
drogue and main parachutes are loaded onto aft skirts, frustums, forward skirts and all
the ships along with the boosters and towed ancillary hardware – required to complete an
back to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, where SRB stack and mate to the ET. Work then
they are disassembled and refurbished for proceeds to ET/SRB mate, mate with the orbiter
reuse. Before retirement, each booster can be and finally, space shuttle close out operations.
used as many as 20 times. After hardware restoration concerning flight

configuration is complete, automated checkout because of NSD gas pressure, gravity and the
and hot fire are performed early in hardware release of tension in the bolt, which is
flow to ensure that the refurbished components pretensioned before launch. The bolt is
satisfy all flight performance requirements. stopped by the stud deceleration stand which
contains sand to absorb the shock of the bolt
ATK Launch Systems (ATK) dropping down several feet. The SRB bolt is
ATK Launch Systems of Brigham City, Utah, 28 inches long, 3.5 inches in diameter and
manufactures space shuttle reusable solid weighs approximately 90 pounds. The
rocket motors, or RSRMs, at their Utah facility. frangible nut is captured in a blast container on
Each RSRM – just over 126 feet long and 12 feet the aft skirt specifically designed to absorb the
in diameter – consists of four rocket motor impact and prevent pieces of the nut from
segments and an aft exit cone assembly is. liberating and becoming debris that could
From ignition to end of burn, each RSRM damage the space shuttle.
generates an average thrust of 2.6 million Integrated Electronic Assembly (IEA)
pounds and burns for approximately
123 seconds. Of the motor’s total weight of The aft IEA, mounted in the ET/SRB attach ring,
1.25 million pounds, propellant accounts for provides the electrical interface between the
1.1 million pounds. The four motor segments SRB systems and the obiter. The aft IEA
are matched by loading each from the same receives data, commands, and electrical power
batches of propellant ingredients to minimize from the orbiter and distributes these inputs
any thrust imbalance. The segmented casing throughout each SRB. Components located in
design assures maximum flexibility in the forward assemblies of each SRB are
fabrication and ease of transportation and powered by the aft IEA through the forward
handling. Each segment is shipped to KSC on a IEA, except for those utilizing the recovery and
heavy-duty rail car with a specialty built cover. range safety batteries located in the forward
assemblies. The forward IEA communicates
SRB Hardware Design Summary with and receives power from the orbiter
through the aft IEA, but has no direct electrical
Hold-Down Posts
connection to the orbiter.
Each SRB has four hold-down posts that fit into
corresponding support posts on the MLP. Electrical Power Distribution
Hold-down bolts secure the SRB and MLP posts Electrical power distribution in each SRB
together. Each bolt has a nut at each end, but consists of orbiter-supplied main dc bus power
the top nut is frangible, or breakable. The top to each SRB via SRB buses A, B and C. Orbiter
nut contains two NASA Standard detonators, main dc buses A, B and C supply main dc bus
or NSDs, that, when ignited at solid rocket power to corresponding SRB buses A, B and C.
motor ignition command, split the upper nut in In addition, orbiter main dc, bus C supplies
half. backup power to SRB buses A and B, and
orbiter bus B supplies backup power to SRB
Splitting the upper nuts allow the hold-down
bus C. This electrical power distribution
bolts to be released and travel downward

arrangement allows all SRB buses to remain pump and control valves and then to the gas
powered in the event one orbiter main bus fails. generator. The gas generator’s catalytic action
decomposes the fuel and creates a hot gas. It
The nominal dc voltage is 28 V dc, with an feeds the hot gas exhaust product to the APU
upper limit of 32 V dc and a lower limit of two-stage gas turbine. Fuel flows primarily
24 V dc. through the startup bypass line until the APU
Hydraulic Power Units (HPUs) speed is such that the fuel pump outlet pressure
is greater than the bypass line’s, at which point
There are two self-contained, independent all the fuel is supplied to the fuel pump.
HPUs on each SRB. Each HPU consists of an
auxiliary power unit, or APU; Fuel Supply The APU turbine assembly provides
Module, or FSM; hydraulic pump; hydraulic mechanical power to the APU gearbox, which
reservoir; and hydraulic fluid manifold drives the APU fuel pump, hydraulic pump
assembly. The APUs are fueled by hydrazine and lube oil pump. The APU lube oil pump
and generate mechanical shaft power to a lubricates the gearbox. The turbine exhaust of
hydraulic pump that produces hydraulic each APU flows over the exterior of the gas
pressure for the SRB hydraulic system. The generator, cooling it and directing it overboard
APU controller electronics are located in the through an exhaust duct.
SRB aft integrated electronic assemblies on the
When the APU speed reaches 100 percent, the
aft ET attach rings. The two separate HPUs
APU primary control valve closes and the
and two hydraulic systems are located inside
APU speed is controlled by the APU controller
the aft skirt of each SRB between the SRB
electronics. If the primary control valve logic
nozzle and skirt. The HPU components are
fails to the open state, the secondary control
mounted on the aft skirt between the rock and
valve assumes control of the APU at
tilt actuators. The two systems operate from
112 percent speed. Each HPU on an SRB is
T minus 28 seconds until SRB separation from
connected to both servoactuators. One HPU
the orbiter and ET. The two independent
serves as the primary hydraulic source for the
hydraulic systems are connected to the rock
servoactuator and the other HPU serves as the
and tilt servoactuators.
secondary hydraulics for the servoactuator.
The HPUs and their fuel systems are isolated Each servoactuator has a switching valve that
from each other. Each fuel supply module, or allows the secondary hydraulics to power the
tank, contains 22 pounds of hydrazine. The actuator if the primary hydraulic pressure
fuel tank is pressurized with gaseous nitrogen drops below 2,050 psi. A switch contact on the
at 400 psi to provide the force to expel via switching valve will close when the valve is in
positive expulsion the fuel from the tank to the the secondary position. When the valve is
fuel distribution line. A positive fuel supply to closed, a signal is sent to the APU controller
the APU throughout its operation is that inhibits the 100 percent APU speed control
maintained. logic and enables the 112 percent APU speed
control logic. The 100 percent APU speed
The fuel isolation valve is opened at APU enables one APU/HPU to supply sufficient
startup to allow fuel to flow to the APU fuel

operating hydraulic pressure to both Each SRB servoactuator consists of four
servoactuators of that SRB. independent, two-stage servovalves that
receive signals from the drivers. Each
The APU 100 percent speed corresponds to servovalve controls one power spool in each
72,000 rpm, 110 percent to 79,200 rpm and actuator, which positions an actuator ram and
112 percent to 80,640 rpm. the nozzle to control the direction of thrust.
The hydraulic pump speed is 3,600 rpm and The four servovalves in each actuator provide a
supplies hydraulic pressure of 3,050, plus or force-summed majority voting arrangement to
minus 50 psi. A high-pressure relief valve position the power spool. With four identical
provides overpressure protection to the commands to the four servovalves, the actuator
hydraulic system and relieves at 3,750 psi. force-sum action prevents a single erroneous
The APUs/HPUs and hydraulic systems are command from affecting power ram motion. If
reusable for 20 missions. the erroneous command persists for more than
a predetermined time, differential pressure
Thrust Vector Control (TVC) sensing activates a selector valve to isolate and
remove the defective servovalve hydraulic
Each SRB has two hydraulic gimbal
pressure. This permits the remaining channels
servoactuators: one for rock and one for tilt.
and servovalves to control the actuator ram
The servoactuators provide the force and
spool.
control to gimbal the nozzle for TVC. The
all-axis gimbaling capability is 8 degrees. Each Failure monitors are provided for each channel
nozzle has a carbon cloth liner that erodes to indicate which channel has been bypassed.
and chars during firing. The nozzle is a An isolation valve on each channel provides the
convergent-divergent, movable design in which capability of resetting a failed or bypassed
an aft pivot-point flexible bearing is the channel.
gimbal mechanism.
Each actuator ram is equipped with transducers
The space shuttle ascent TVC portion of the for position feedback to the thrust vector
flight control system directs the thrust of the control system. Within each servoactuator ram
three SSMEs and the two SRB nozzles to control is a splashdown load relief assembly to cushion
shuttle attitude and trajectory during liftoff and the nozzle at water splashdown and prevent
ascent. Commands from the guidance system damage to the nozzle flexible bearing.
are transmitted to the ascent TVC, or ATVC,
drivers, which transmit signals proportional to SRB Rate Gyro Assemblies (RGAs)
the commands to each servoactuator of the Each SRB contains two RGAs mounted in the
main engines and SRBs. Four independent forward skirt watertight compartment. Each
flight control system channels and four ATVC RGA contains two orthogonally mounted
channels control six main engine and four gyroscopes – pitch and yaw axes. In
SRB ATVC drivers, with each driver controlling conjunction with the orbiter roll rate gyros, they
one hydraulic port on each main and SRB provide angular rate information that describes
servoactuator. the inertial motion of the vehicle cluster to the

orbiter computers and the guidance, navigation master events controllers, or MECs, to the
and control system during first stage ascent NSDs installed in the safe and arm device in
to SRB separation. At SRB separation, all each SRB. A pyrotechnic initiation controller,
guidance control data is handed off from the or PIC, is a single-channel capacitor discharge
SRB RGAs to the orbiter RGAs. The RGAs are device that controls the firing of each
designed and qualified for 20 missions. pyrotechnic device. Three signals must be
present simultaneously for the PIC to generate
Propellant the pyro firing output. These signals – arm, fire
The propellant mixture in each SRB motor 1 and fire 2 – originate in the orbiter
consists of ammonium perchlorate, an oxidizer, general-purpose computers and are transmitted
69.6 percent by weight; aluminum, a fuel, to the MECs. The MECs reformat them to
16 percent by weight; iron oxide, a catalyst, 28 V dc signals for the PICs. The arm signal
0.4 percent by weight; polymer, a binder that charges the PIC capacitor to 40 V dc, minimum
holds the mixture together, 12.04 percent by 20 V dc.
weight; and epoxy curing agent, 1.96 percent by
The fire 2 commands cause the redundant
weight. The propellant is an 11-point
NSDs to fire through a thin barrier seal down a
star-shaped perforation in the forward motor
flame tunnel. This ignites a pyro booster
segment and a double truncated cone
charge, which is retained in the safe and arm
perforation in each of the aft segments and aft
device behind a perforated plate. The booster
closure. This configuration provides high
charge ignites the propellant in the igniter
thrust at ignition and then reduces the thrust by
initiator; and combustion products of this
about one-third 50 seconds after liftoff to
propellant ignite the solid rocket motor igniter,
prevent overstressing the vehicle during
which fires down the length of the solid rocket
maximum dynamic pressure.
motor igniting the solid rocket motor
SRB Ignition propellant.
SRB ignition can occur only when a manual The general purpose computer, or GPC, launch
lock pin from each SRB safe and arm device has sequence also controls certain critical main
been removed by the ground crew during propulsion system valves and monitors the
prelaunch activities. At T minus 5 minutes, the engine-ready indications from the SSMEs. The
SRB safe and arm device is rotated to the arm main propulsion system, or MPS, start
position. The solid rocket motor ignition commands are issued by the on-board
commands are issued when the three SSMEs computers at T minus 6.6 seconds. There is a
are at or above 90 percent rated thrust; no staggered start – engine three, engine two,
SSME fail and/or SRB ignition pyrotechnic engine one – within 0.25 of a second, and the
initiator controller, or PIC low voltage is sequence monitors the thrust buildup of
indicated; and there are no holds from the each engine. All three SSMEs must reach the
launch processing system, or LPS. required 90 percent thrust within three seconds;
otherwise, an orderly shutdown is commanded
The solid rocket motor ignition commands are and safing functions are initiated.
sent by the orbiter computers through the

Normal thrust buildup to the required The forward attachment point consists of a ball
90 percent thrust level will result in the SSMEs on the SRB and socket on the ET, held together
being commanded to the liftoff position at by one bolt. The bolt contains one NSD
T minus 3 seconds as well as the fire 1 pressure cartridge at each end. The forward
command being issued to arm the SRBs. At attachment point also carries the range safety
T minus 3 seconds, the vehicle base bending system cross‐strap wiring connecting each SRB
load modes are allowed to initialize. range safety system, or RSS, and the ET RSS
with each other.
At T minus 0, the two SRBs are ignited by the
four orbiter on‐board computers; commands The aft attachment points consist of three
are sent to release the SRBs; the two T‐0 separate struts: upper, diagonal, and lower.
umbilicals, one on each side of the spacecraft, Each strut contains one bolt with an NSD
are retracted; the on‐board master timing unit, pressure cartridge at each end. The upper strut
event timer and mission event timers are also carries the umbilical interface between its
started; the three SSMEs are at 100 percent; and SRB and the external tank and on to the orbiter.
the ground launch sequence is terminated.
Redesigned Booster Separation Motors (RBSM)
SRB Separation
Eight Booster Separation Motors, or BSMs, are
The SRB/ET separation subsystem provides for located on each booster – four on the forward
separation of the SRBs from the orbiter/ET section and four on the aft skirt. BSMs provide
without damage to or recontact of the elements the force required to push the SRBs away from
– SRBs, orbiter/ET – during or after separation the orbiter/ET at separation. Each BSM weighs
for nominal modes. SRB separation is initiated approximately 165 pounds and is 31.1 inches
when the three solid rocket motor chamber long and 12.8 inches in diameter. Once the
pressure transducers are processed in the SRBs have completed their flight, the BSMs are
redundancy management middle value select fired to jettison the SRBs away from the orbiter
and the head end chamber pressure of both and external tank, allowing the boosters to
SRBs is less than or equal to 50 psi. A backup parachute to Earth and be reused. The BSMs in
cue is the time elapsed from booster ignition. each cluster of four are ignited by firing
redundant NSD pressure cartridges into
The separation sequence is initiated,
redundant confined detonating fuse manifolds.
commanding the thrust vector control actuators
The separation commands issued from the
to the null position and putting the main
orbiter by the SRB separation sequence initiate
propulsion system into a second‐stage
the redundant NSD pressure cartridge in each
configuration 0.8 second from sequence
bolt and ignite the BSMs to effect a clean
initialization, which ensures the thrust of each
separation.
SRB is less than 100,000 pounds. Orbiter yaw
attitude is held for four seconds and SRB thrust Redesigned BSMs flew for the first time in both
drops to less than 60,000 pounds. The SRBs forward and aft locations on STS‐125. As a
separate from the ET within 30 milliseconds of result of vendor viability and manifest support
the ordnance firing command. issues, space shuttle BSMs are now being
manufactured by ATK. The igniter has been

redesigned and other changes include material These cameras each have a dedicated recorder
upgrades driven by obsolescence issues and and are recorded in a digital format. The
improvements to process and inspection cameras were designed, qualified, and
techniques. implemented by USA after Columbia to
provide enhanced imagery capabilities to
SRB Cameras capture potential debris liberation beginning
Each SRB flies with a complement of four with main engine start and continuing through
cameras, three mounted for exterior views SRB separation.
during launch, separation and descent; and one The camera videos are available for engineering
mounted internal to the forward dome for main review approximately 24 hours following the
parachute performance assessment during arrival of the boosters at KSC.
descent.
Range Safety Systems (RSS)
The ET observation camera is mounted on the
SRB forward skirt and provides a wide-angle The RSS consists of two antenna couplers;
view of the ET intertank area. The camera is command receivers/decoders; a dual
activated at lift off by a G-switch and records distributor; a safe and arm device with two
for 350 seconds, after which the recorder is NSDs; two confined detonating fuse manifolds;
switched to a similar camera in the forward seven confined detonator fuse, or CDF
skirt dome to view the deployment and assemblies; and one linear-shaped charge.
performance of the main parachutes to splash
The RSS provides for destruction of a rocket or
down. These cameras share a digital tape
part of it with on-board explosives by remote
recorder located within the data acquisition
command if the rocket is out of control, to
system.
limit danger to people on the ground from
The ET ring camera is mounted on the ET crashing pieces, explosions, fire, and poisonous
attach ring and provides a view up the stacked substances.
vehicle on the orbiter underside and the bipod
The space shuttle has two RSSs, one in each
strut attach point.
SRB. Both are capable of receiving two
The forward skirt camera is mounted on the command messages – arm and fire – which are
external surface of the SRB forward skirt and transmitted from the ground station. The RSS
provides a view aft down the stacked vehicle of is only used when the space shuttle violates a
the orbiter underside and the wing leading launch trajectory red line.
edge reinforced carbon-carbon, or RCC, panels.
The antenna couplers provide the proper
The ET attach ring camera and forward skirt impedance for radio frequency and ground
camera are activated by a global positioning support equipment commands. The command
system command at approximately T minus receivers are tuned to RSS command
1 minute 56 seconds to begin recording at frequencies and provide the input signal to the
approximately T minus 50 seconds. The camera distributors when an RSS command is sent.
images are recorded through splash down. The command decoders use a code plug to

prevent any command signal other than the drogue parachute fully inflates in stages, and at
proper command signal from getting into the 5,500 feet pulls the frustum away from the SRB,
distributors. The distributors contain the logic which initiates the deployment of the three
to supply valid destruct commands to the RSS main parachutes. The parachutes also inflate in
pyrotechnics. stages and further slow the decent of the SRBs
to their final velocity at splashdown. The
The NSDs provide the spark to ignite the CDF parachutes slow each SRB from 368 mph at first
that in turn ignites the linear-shaped charge for deployment to 52 mph at splashdown, allowing
space shuttle destruction. The safe and arm for the recovery and reuse of the boosters.
device provides mechanical isolation between
the NSDs and the CDF before launch and Two 176-foot recovery ships, Freedom Star and
during the SRB separation sequence. Liberty Star, are on station at the splashdown
zone to retrieve the frustums with drogue
The first message, called arm, allows the parachutes attached, the main parachutes and
onboard logic to enable a destruct and the SRBs. The SRB nose caps and solid rocket
illuminates a light on the flight deck display motor nozzle extensions are not recovered. The
and control panel at the commander and pilot SRBs are dewatered using an enhanced diver
station. The second message transmitted is the operating plug to facilitate tow back. These
fire command. The SRB distributors in the plugs are inserted into the motor nozzle and
SRBs are cross-strapped together. Thus, if one air is pumped into the booster, causing it to
SRB received an arm or destruct signal, the lay flat in the water to allow it to be easily
signal would also be sent to the other SRB. towed. The boosters are then towed back to
Electrical power from the RSS battery in each the refurbishment facilities. Each booster is
SRB is routed to RSS system A. The recovery removed from the water and components are
battery in each SRB is used to power RSS disassembled and washed with fresh and
system B as well as the recovery system in the deionized water to limit saltwater corrosion.
SRB. The SRB RSS is powered down during the The motor segments, igniter and nozzle are
separation sequence, and the SRB recovery shipped back to ATK in Utah for
system is powered up. refurbishment. The nonmotor components and
structures are disassembled by USA and are
Descent and Recovery refurbished to like-new condition at both KSC
and equipment manufacturers across the
After separation and at specified altitudes, the
country.
SRB forward avionics system initiates the
release of the nose cap, which houses a pilot SPACE SHUTTLE SUPER LIGHT WEIGHT
parachute and drogue parachute; and the
TANK (SLWT)
frustum, which houses the three main
parachutes. Jettison of the nose cap at The super lightweight external tank (SLWT)
15,700 feet deploys a small pilot parachute and made its first shuttle flight June 2, 1998, on
begins to slow the SRB decent. At an altitude mission STS-91. The SLWT is 7,500 pounds
of 15,200 feet the pilot parachute pulls the lighter than the standard external tank. The
drogue parachute from the frustum. The lighter weight tank allows the shuttle to deliver

International Space Station elements (such as weighs 58,500 pounds empty and
the service module) into the proper orbit. 1,668,500 pounds when filled with propellants.
The SLWT is the same size as the previous The external tank is the “backbone” of the
design. But the liquid hydrogen tank and the shuttle during launch, providing structural
liquid oxygen tank are made of aluminum support for attachment with the solid rocket
lithium, a lighter, stronger material than the boosters and orbiter. It is the only component
metal alloy used for the shuttle’s current tank. of the shuttle that is not reused. Approximately
The tank’s structural design has also been 8.5 minutes after reaching orbit, with its
improved, making it 30 percent stronger and propellant used, the tank is jettisoned and falls
5 percent less dense. in a preplanned trajectory. Most of the tank
disintegrates in the atmosphere, and the
The SLWT, like the standard tank, is remainder falls into the ocean.
manufactured at NASA’s Michoud Assembly
Facility, near New Orleans, by Lockheed The external tank is manufactured at NASA’s
Martin. Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans by
Lockheed Martin Space Systems.
The 154-foot-long external tank is the largest
single component of the space shuttle. It stands Foam Facts
taller than a 15-story building and has a
diameter of about 27 feet. The external tank The external tank is covered with spray-on
holds over 530,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen foam insulation that insulates the tank before
and liquid oxygen in two separate tanks. The and during launch. More than 90 percent of the
hydrogen (fuel) and liquid oxygen (oxidizer) tank’s foam is applied using an automated
are used as propellants for the shuttle’s three system, leaving less than 10 percent to be
main engines. applied manually.
There are two types of foam on the external

EXTERNAL TANK
tank, known as the Thermal Protection System,
The 154-foot-long external tank is the largest or TPS. One is low-density, closed-cell foam on
single component of the space shuttle. It stands the tank acreage and is known as Spray-On-
taller than a 15-story building and has a Foam-Insulation, often referred to by its
diameter of about 27 feet. The external tank acronym, SOFI. Most of the tank is covered by
holds more than 530,000 gallons of liquid either an automated or manually applied SOFI.
hydrogen and liquid oxygen in two separate Most areas around protuberances, such as
tanks, the forward liquid oxygen tank and the brackets and structural elements, are applied by
aft liquid hydrogen tank. An unpressurized pouring foam ingredients into part-specific
intertank unites the two propellant tanks. molds. The other is a denser composite
material made of silicone resins and cork and
Liquid hydrogen (fuel) and liquid oxygen called ablator. An ablator is a material that
(oxidizer) are used as propellants for the dissipates heat by eroding. It is used on areas
shuttle’s three main engines. The external tank of the external tank subjected to extreme heat,
such as the aft dome near the engine exhaust,

and remaining protuberances, such as the cable roughness, density, strength and adhesion. As
trays. These areas are exposed to extreme in most assembly production situations, the
aerodynamic heating. foam is applied in specially designed,
environmentally controlled spray cells and
Closed-cell foam used on the tank was applied in several phases, often over a period of
developed to keep the propellants that fuel the several weeks. Before spraying, the foam’s raw
shuttle’s three main engines at optimum material and mechanical properties are tested
temperature. It keeps the shuttle’s liquid to ensure they meet NASA specifications.
hydrogen fuel at -423 degrees Fahrenheit Multiple visual inspections of all foam surfaces
and the liquid oxygen tank at near are performed after the spraying is complete.
-297 degrees Fahrenheit, even as the tank sits
under the hot Florida sun. At the same time, Most of the foam is applied at NASA’s
the foam prevents a buildup of ice on the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans
outside of the tank. when the tank is manufactured, including most
of the “closeout” areas, or final areas applied.
The foam insulation must be durable enough to These closeouts are done either by hand
endure a 180-day stay at the launch pad, pouring or manual spraying. Additional
withstand temperatures up to 115 degrees closeouts are completed once the tank reaches
Fahrenheit, humidity as high as 100 percent, NASA’sȱKennedy Space Center, Fla.
and resist sand, salt, fog, rain, solar radiation
and even fungus. Then, during launch, the The super lightweight external tank, or SLWT,
foam must tolerate temperatures as high as made its first shuttle flight in June 1998 on
2,200 degrees Fahrenheit generated by mission STS-91. The SLWT is 7,500 pounds
aerodynamic friction and radiant heating from lighter than previously flown tanks. The SLWT
the 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit main engine is the same size as the previous design, but the
plumes. Finally, when the external tank begins liquid hydrogen tank and the liquid oxygen
reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere about tank are made of aluminum lithium, a lighter,
30 minutes after launch, the foam maintains the stronger material than the metal alloy used
tank’s structural temperatures and allows it to previously.
safely disintegrate over a remote ocean location.
Beginning with the first Return to Flight
Though the foam insulation on the majority of mission, STS-114 in June 2005, several
the tank is only 1-inch thick, it adds improvements were made to improve safety
4,823 pounds to the tank’s weight. In the areas and flight reliability.
of the tank subjected to the highest heating,
insulation is somewhat thicker, between 1.5 to Forward Bipod
3 inches thick. Though the foam’s density The external tank’s forward shuttle attach
varies with the type, an average density is fitting, called the bipod, was redesigned to
about 2.4 pounds per cubic foot. eliminate the large insulating foam ramps as a
Application of the foam, whether automated by source of debris. Each external tank has two
computer or hand-sprayed, is designed to meet bipod fittings that connect the tank to the
NASA’s requirements for finish, thickness, orbiter through the shuttle’s two forward

attachment struts. Four rod heaters were along portions of the liquid oxygen and
placed below each forward bipod, replacing the liquid hydrogen tanks. These PAL ramps were
large insulated foam Protuberance Airload, or extensively studied and determined to not be
PAL, ramps. necessary for their original purpose, which was
to protect cable trays from aeroelastic instability
Liquid Hydrogen Tank & Liquid Oxygen during ascent. Extensive tests were conducted
Intertank Flange Closeouts to verify the shuttle could fly safely without
The liquid hydrogen tank flange located at the these particular PAL ramps. Extensions were
bottom of the intertank and the liquid oxygen added to the ice frost ramps for the pressline
tank flange located at the top of the intertank and cable tray brackets, where these PAL ramps
provide joining mechanisms with the intertank. were removed to make the geometry of the
After each of these three component tanks, ramps consistent with other locations on
liquid oxygen, intertank and liquid hydrogen, the tank and thereby provide consistent
are joined mechanically, the flanges at both aerodynamic flow. Nine extensions were
ends are insulated with foam. An enhanced added, six on the liquid hydrogen tank and
closeout, or finishing, procedure was added to three on the liquid oxygen tank.
improve foam application to the stringer, or
Engine Cutoff (ECO) Sensor Modification
intertank ribbing, and to the upper and lower
area of both the liquid hydrogen and liquid Beginning with STS-122, ET-125, which
oxygen intertank flanges. launched on Feb. 7, 2008, the ECO sensor
system feed-through connector on the liquid
Liquid Oxygen Feedline Bellows hydrogen tank was modified by soldering the
The liquid oxygen feedline bellows were connector’s pins and sockets to address false
reshaped to include a “drip lip” that allows readings in the system. All subsequent tanks
condensate moisture to run off and prevent after ET-125 have the same modification.
freezing. A strip heater was added to the
Liquid Hydrogen Tank Ice Frost Ramps
forward bellow to further reduce the potential
of high density ice or frost formation. Joints on ET-128, which flew on the STS-124 shuttle
the liquid oxygen feedline assembly allow the mission, May 31, 2008, was the first tank to fly
feedline to move during installation and during with redesigned liquid hydrogen tank ice frost
liquid hydrogen tank fill. Because it must flex, ramps. Design changes were incorporated at
it cannot be insulated with foam like the all 17 ice frost ramp locations on the liquid
remainder of the tank. hydrogen tank, stations 1151 through 2057, to
reduce foam loss. Although the redesigned
Other tank improvements include: ramps appear identical to the previous design,
Liquid Oxygen & Liquid Hydrogen several changes were made. PDL* and NCFI
Protuberance Airload (PAL) Ramps foam have been replaced with BX* manual
spray foam in the ramp’s base cutout to reduce
External tank ET-119, which flew on the second debonding and cracking; Pressline and cable
Return to Flight mission, STS-121, in July 2006, tray bracket feet corners have been rounded to
was the first tank to fly without PAL ramps reduce stresses; shear pin holes have been

sealed to reduce leak paths; isolators were Liquid Oxygen Feedline Brackets
primed to promote adhesion; isolator corners
were rounded to help reduce thermal ET-128 also was the first tank to fly with
protection system foam stresses; BX manual redesigned liquid oxygen feedline brackets.
spray was applied in bracket pockets to reduce Titanium brackets, much less thermally
geometric voids. conductive than aluminum, replaced aluminum
brackets at four locations, XT 1129, XT 1377,
*BX is a type of foam used on the tank’s Xt 1624 and Xt 1871. This change minimizes ice
“loseout,” or final finished areas; it is applied formation in under-insulated areas, and
manually or hand-sprayed. PDL is an acronym reduces the amount of foam required to cover
for Product Development Laboratory, the first the brackets and the propensity for ice
supplier of the foam during the early days of development. Zero-gap/slip plane Teflon
the external tank’s development. PDL is material was added to the upper outboard
applied by pouring foam ingredients into a monoball attachment to eliminate ice adhesion.
mold. NCFI foam is used on the aft dome, or Additional foam has been added to the liquid
bottom, of the liquid hydrogen tank. oxygen feedline to further minimize ice
formation along the length of the feedline.

LAUNCH AND LANDING
LAUNCH RETURN-TO-LAUNCH-SITE (RTLS)
As with all previous space shuttle launches, If one or more engines shut down early and
Discovery has several options to abort its there is not enough energy to reach Zaragoza,
ascent, if needed, after engine failures or other the shuttle would pitch around toward NASA’s
systems problems. Shuttle launch abort Kennedy Space Center until within gliding
philosophy is intended to facilitate safe distance of the Shuttle Landing Facility. For
recovery of the flight crew and intact recovery launch to proceed, weather conditions must be
of the orbiter and its payload. forecast to be acceptable for a possible RTLS
landing at Kennedy about 20 minutes after
Abort modes include: liftoff.
ABORT-TO-ORBIT (ATO) ABORT ONCE AROUND (AOA)

This mode is used if there is a partial loss of An AOA is selected if the vehicle cannot
main engine thrust late enough to permit achieve a viable orbit or will not have enough
reaching a minimal 105 by 85 nautical mile orbit propellant to perform a deorbit burn, but has
with the orbital maneuvering system engines. enough energy to circle the Earth once and land
The engines boost the shuttle to a safe orbital about 90 minutes after liftoff.
altitude when it is impossible to reach the
planned orbital altitude. LANDING
TRANSATLANTIC ABORT LANDING The primary landing site for Discovery on
(TAL) STS‐131 is the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle
Landing Facility. Alternate landing sites that
The loss of one or more main engines midway could be used if needed because of weather
through powered flight would force a landing conditions or systems failures are at Edwards
at either Zaragoza, Spain; Moron, Spain; or Air Force Base, Calif. and White Sands Space
Istres, France. For launch to proceed, weather Harbor, N.M.
conditions must be acceptable at one of these
TAL sites.
APRIL 2010 LAUNCH & LANDING 93

94 LAUNCH & LANDING APRIL 2010

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
2D-Nano Template Two Dimensional Nano Template
A/G Alignment Guides

A/L Airlock
AAA Avionics Air Assembly
ABC Audio Bus Controller
ABRS Advanced Biological Research System
ACBM Active Common Berthing Mechanism
ACDU Airlock Control and Display Unit
ACO Assembly Checkout Officer
ACS Atmosphere Control and Supply
ACU Arm Control Unit
ADS Audio Distribution System
AE Approach Ellipsoid
AEP Airlock Electronics Package
AI Approach Initiation
AIS Automatic Identification System
AJIS Alpha Joint Interface Structure
ALI Alice-Like Insert
ALTEA-Shield Anomalous Long Term Effects on Astronauts Central Nervous System-Shield
AM Atmosphere Monitoring
AMOS Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site
AOH Assembly Operations Handbook
APAS Androgynous Peripheral Attachment
APCU Assembly Power Converter Unit
APE Antenna Pointing Electronics
Audio Pointing Equipment
APFR Articulating Portable Foot Restraint
APM Antenna Pointing Mechanism
APS Automated Payload Switch
APV Automated Procedure Viewer
AR Atmosphere Revitalization
ARCU American-to-Russian Converter Unit
ARS Atmosphere Revitalization System
ASW Application Software
ATA Ammonia Tank Assembly
ATCS Active Thermal Control System
ATU Audio Terminal Unit
APRIL 2010 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 95

BAD Broadcast Ancillary Data
BC Bus Controller
BCDU Battery Charge/Discharge Unit
Berthing Mechanism Control and Display Unit
BEP Berthing Mechanism Electronics Package
BGA Beta Gimbal Assembly
BIC Bus Interface Controller
BIT Built-In Test
BLT Boundary Layer Transition
BM Berthing Mechanism
BOS BIC Operations Software
BRIC Biological Research in Canisters
BSS Basic Software
BSTS Basic Standard Support Software
C&C Command and Control

C&DH Command and Data Handling
C&T Communication and Tracking
C&W Caution and Warning
C/L Crew Lock
C/O Checkout
CAM Collision Avoidance Maneuver
CAPE Canister for All Payload Ejections
CAPPS Checkout, Assembly and Payload Process Services
CAS Common Attach System
CB Control Bus
CBCS Centerline Berthing Camera System
CBM Common Berthing Mechanism
CCA Circuit Card Assembly
CCAA Common Cabin Air Assembly
CCF Capillary Chanel Flow
CCIS Cardiovascular and Cerebrovacular on Return from Space Station
CCM Cell Culture Module
CCP Camera Control Panel
CCT Communication Configuration Table
CCTV Closed-Circuit Television
CDR Space Shuttle Commander
CDRA Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly
CETA Crew Equipment Translation Aid
CFE-2 Capillary Flow Experiment-2
CHeCS Crew Health Care System
CHX Cabin Heat Exchanger
96 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS APRIL 2010

CISC Complicated Instruction Set Computer
CLA Camera Light Assembly
CLPA Camera Light Pan Tilt Assembly
CLSM-2 Coarsening in Solid Liquid Mixtures
CMG Control Moment Gyro
COTS Commercial Off the Shelf
CPA Control Panel Assembly
CPB Camera Power Box
CQ Crew Quarters
CR Change Request
CRT Cathode-Ray Tube
CSA Canadian Space Agency
CSA-CP Compound Specific Analyzer
CTC Cargo Transport Container
CVB Constrained Vapor Bubble
CVIU Common Video Interface Unit
CVT Current Value Table
CZ Communication Zone
DB Data Book
DC Docking Compartment
DCSU Direct Current Switching Unit
DDCU DC-to-DC Converter Unit
DECLIC-HTI DEvice for the Study of Critical Liquids and Crystalization-High
Temperature Insert
DEM Demodulator
DFL Decommutation Format Load
DIU Data Interface Unit
DMS Data Management System
DMS-R Data Management System-Russian
DPG Differential Pressure Gauge
DPU Baseband Data Processing Unit
DRTS Japanese Data Relay Satellite
DSO Detailed Supplementary Objective
DTO Detailed Test Objective
DYF Display Frame
E/L Equipment Lock

EATCS External Active Thermal Control System
EBCS External Berthing Camera System
ECC Error Correction Code
ECLSS Environmental Control and Life Support System

ECS Environmental Control System
ECU Electronic Control Unit
EDAS Enhanced Data Acquisition System
EDSU External Data Storage Unit
EDU EEU Driver Unit
EE End Effector
EETCS Early External Thermal Control System
EEU Experiment Exchange Unit
EF Exposed Facility
EFBM Exposed Facility Berthing Mechanism
EFHX Exposed Facility Heat Exchanger
EFU Exposed Facility Unit
EGIL Electrical, General Instrumentation, and Lighting
EIU Ethernet Interface Unit
ELC ExPRESS Logistics Carrier
ELM-ES Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section
ELM-PS Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Pressurized Section
ELPS Emergency Lighting Power Supply
EMGF Electric Mechanical Grapple Fixture
EMI Electro-Magnetic Imaging
EMU Extravehicular Mobility Unit
EP Exposed Pallet
EPO Education Payload Operations
EPO-Robo Education Payload Operations – Robotics
EPS Electrical Power System
ES Exposed Section
ESA European Space Agency
ESC JEF System Controller
ESW Extended Support Software
ET External Tank
ETCS External Thermal Control System
ETI Elapsed Time Indicator
ETRS EVA Temporary Rail Stop
ETVCG External Television Camera Group
EV Extravehicular
EVA Extravehicular Activity
EXP-D Experiment-D
EXPRESS EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station
EXT External

FA Fluid Accumulator
FAS Flight Application Software
FCT Flight Control Team
FD Flight Day
FDDI Fiber Distributed Data Interface
FDIR Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery
FDS Fire Detection System
FE Flight Engineer
FET-SW Field Effect Transistor Switch
FGB Functional Cargo Block
FOR Frame of Reference
FPMU Floating Potential Measurement Unit
FPP Fluid Pump Package
FR Flight Rule
FRD Flight Requirements Document
FRGF Flight Releasable Grapple Fixture
FRM Functional Redundancy Mode
FSE Flight Support Equipment
FSEGF Flight Support Equipment Grapple Fixture
FSW Flight Software
GAS Get-Away Special

GATOR Grappling Adaptor to On-orbit Railing
GCA Ground Control Assist
GLA General Lighting Assemblies
General Luminaire Assembly
GLACIER General Laboratory Active Cryogenic ISS Experiment Refrigerator
GLONASS Global Navigational Satellite System
GNC Guidance, Navigation, and Control
GPC General Purpose Computer
GPS Global Positioning System
GPSR Global Positioning System Receiver
GUI Graphical User Interface
H&S Health and Status

HCE Heater Control Equipment
HCTL Heater Controller
HEPA High Efficiency Particulate Acquisition
HPA High Power Amplifier
HPGT High Pressure Gas Tank
HPP Hard Point Plates
HRDR High Rate Data Recorder

HREL Hold/Release Electronics
HRF Human Research Facility
HRFM High Rate Frame Multiplexer
HRM Hold Release Mechanism
HRMS High Rate Multiplexer and Switcher
HTV H-II Transfer Vehicle
HTVCC HTV Control Center
HTV Prox HTV Proximity
HX Heat Exchanger
I/F Interface
IAA Intravehicular Antenna Assembly
IAC Internal Audio Controller
IBM International Business Machines
ICB Inner Capture Box
ICC Integrated Cargo Carrier
ICS Interorbit Communication System
ICS-EF Interorbit Communication System – Exposed Facility
IDRD Increment Definition and Requirements Document
IELK Individual Equipment Liner Kit
IFHX Interface Heat Exchanger
IMCS Integrated Mission Control System
IMCU Image Compressor Unit
IMV Intermodule Ventilation
INCO Instrumentation and Communication Officer
IP International Partner
IP-PCDU ICS-PM Power Control and Distribution Unit
IP-PDB Payload Power Distribution Box
ISP International Standard Payload
ISPR International Standard Payload Rack
ISS International Space Station
ISSSH International Space Station Systems Handbook
ITCS Internal Thermal Control System
ITS Integrated Truss Segment
IVA Intravehicular Activity
IVGEN IntraVenous Fluid GENeration for Exploration Missions
IVSU Internal Video Switch Unit
JAXA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

JCP JEM Control Processor
JEF JEM Exposed Facility
JEM Japanese Experiment Module

JEM-EF Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility
JEM-PM Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module
JEMAL JEM Airlock
JEMRMS Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System
JEUS Joint Expedited Undocking and Separation
JFCT Japanese Flight Control Team
JLE Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section
JLP Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Pressurized Section
JLP-EDU JLP-EFU Driver Unit
JLP-EFU JLP Exposed Facility Unit
JPM Japanese Pressurized Module
JPM WS JEM Pressurized Module Workstation
JSC Johnson Space Center
JTVE JEM Television Equipment
Kbps Kilobit per second

KOS Keep Out Sphere
LB Local Bus
LCA LAB Cradle Assembly
LCD Liquid Crystal Display
LCS Laser Camera System
LED Light Emitting Diode
LEE Latching End Effector
LEO Low Earth Orbit
LIDAR Light Detection and Ranging
LMC Lightweight Multipurpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier
LMM Light Microscopy Module
LSW Light Switch
LTA Launch-to-Activation
LTAB Launch-to-Activation Box
LTL Low Temperature Loop
MA Main Arm
MARES Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise System
MAUI Main Analysis of Upper-Atmospheric Injections
Mb Megabit
Mbps Megabit per second
MBS Mobile Base System
MBSU Main Bus Switching Unit
MCA Major Constituent Analyzer
MCC Mission Control Center

MCC-H Mission Control Center – Houston
MCC-M Mission Control Center – Moscow
MCDS Multifunction Cathode-Ray Tube Display System
MCS Mission Control System
MDA MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.
MDM Multiplexer/Demultiplexer
MDP Management Data Processor
MELFI Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS
MERLIN Microgravity Experiment Research Locker Incubator II
MGB Middle Grapple Box
MIP Mission Integration Plan
MISSE Materials International Space Station Experiment
MKAM Minimum Keep Alive Monitor
MLE Middeck Locker Equivalent
MLI Multi-layer Insulation
MLM Multipurpose Laboratory Module
MMOD Micrometeoroid/Orbital Debris
MOD Modulator
MON Television Monitor
MPC Main Processing Controller
MPESS Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure
MPEV Manual Pressure Equalization Valve
MPL Manipulator Retention Latch
MPLM Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
MPM Manipulator Positioning Mechanism
MPV Manual Procedure Viewer
MSD Mass Storage Device
MSFC Marshall Space Flight Center
MSL-CETSOL Material Science Laboratory – Columnar-to-Equiaxcol Transition in Solidification
MSP Maintenance Switch Panel
MSS Mobile Servicing System
MT Mobile Tracker
Mobile Transporter
MTL Moderate Temperature Loop
MUX Data Multiplexer
Myco-2 Mycological Evaluation of Crew Exposure to Space Station Ambient Air-2
MyoLab Molecular Mechanism of Micrograivty-Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy
n.mi. nautical mile

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NCS Node Control Software
NET No Earlier Than

NeuroRad Biological Effects of Space Radiation and Microgravity on Mammalian Cells
NLP-Vaccine-8 National Lab Pathfinder-Vaccine-8
NLT No Less Than
NPGS Naval post Graduate School
NPRV Negative Pressure Relief Valve
NSV Network Service
NTA Nitrogen Tank Assembly
NTSC National Television Standard Committee
OBSS Orbiter Boom Sensor System

OCA Orbital Communications Adapter
OCAD Operational Control Agreement Document
OCAS Operator Commanded Automatic Sequence
ODF Operations Data File
ODS Orbiter Docking System
OI Orbiter Interface
OIU Orbiter Interface Unit
OMS Orbital Maneuvering System
OODT Onboard Operation Data Table
OPT Operational Pressure Tranducers
ORCA Oxygen Recharge Compressor Assembly
ORU Orbital Replacement Unit
OS Operating System
OSA Orbiter-based Station Avionics
OSE Orbital Support Equipment
OTCM ORU and Tool Changeout Mechanism
OTP ORU and Tool Platform
P3R Plants, Protocals, Procedures and Requirements

P/L Payload
PACE Preliminary Advanced Colloids Experiment
PADLES Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space
PAL Planning and Authorization Letter
PAM Payload Attach Mechanism
PAO Public Affairs Office
PAS Payload Adapter System
PBA Portable Breathing Apparatus
PCA Pressure Control Assembly
PCBM Passive Common Berthing Mechanism
PCN Page Change Notice
PCS Portable Computer System

PCU Plasma Contactor Unit
Power Control Unit
PDA Payload Disconnect Assembly
PDB Power Distribution Box
PDGF Power and Data Grapple Fixture
PDH Payload Data Handling unit
PDRS Payload Deployment Retrieval System
PDU Power Distribution Unit
PEC Passive Experiment Container
PEHG Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway
PEMS II Percutaneous Electrical Muscle Stimulator
PFE Portable Fire Extinguisher
PFRAM Passive Flight Releasable Attachment Mechanism
PGSC Payload General Support Computer
PIB Power Interface Box
PIU Payload Interface Unit
PLB Payload Bay
PLBD Payload Bay Door
PLC Pressurized Logistics Carrier
PLT Payload Laptop Terminal
Space Shuttle Pilot
PM Pressurized Module
Pump Module
PMA Pressurized Mating Adapter
PMCU Power Management Control Unit
PMU Pressurized Mating Adapter
POA Payload ORU Accommodation
POR Point of Resolution
PPRV Positive Pressure Relief Valve
PRCS Primary Reaction Control System
PREX Procedure Executor
PRLA Payload Retention Latch Assembly
PRO Payload Rack Officer
PROX Proximity Communications Center
psia Pounds per Square Inch Absolute
PSP Payload Signal Processor
PSRR Pressurized Section Resupply Rack
PTCS Passive Thermal Control System
PTR Port Thermal Radiator
PTU Pan/Tilt Unit
PVCU Photovoltaic Controller Unit

PVM Photovoltaic Module
PVR Photovoltaic Radiator
PVTCS Photovoltaic Thermal Control System
QD Quick Disconnect
R&MA Restraint and Mobility Aid

RACU Russian-to-American Converter Unit
RAM Read Access Memory
RAMBO Ram Burn Observations
RBVM Radiator Beam Valve Module
RCC Range Control Center
RCT Rack Configuration Table
RF Radio Frequency
RGA Rate Gyro Assemblies
RHC Rotational Hand Controller
RIC Rack Interface Controller
RIGEX Rigidizable Inflatable Get-Away Special Experiment
RIP Remote Interface Panel
RLF Robotic Language File
RLT Robotic Laptop Terminal
RMS Remote Manipulator System
ROEU Remotely Operated Electrical Umbilical
ROM Read Only Memory
R-ORU Robotics Compatible Orbital Replacement Unit
ROS Russian Orbital Segment
RPC Remote Power Controller
RPCM Remote Power Controller Module
RPDA Remote Power Distribution Assembly
RPM Roll Pitch Maneuver
RS Russian Segment
RSP Resupply Stowage Platform
Return Stowage Platform
RSR Resupply Stowage Rack
RT Remote Terminal
RTAS Rocketdyne Truss Attachment System
RVFS Rendezvous Flight Software
RWS Robotics Workstation
SAFER Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue

SAM SFA Airlock Attachment Mechanism
SAPA Small Adapter Plate Assembly

SARJ Solar Alpha Rotary Joint
SASA S-Band Antenna Sub-Assembly
SCU Sync and Control Unit
SD Smoke Detector
SDS Sample Distribution System
SEDA Space Environment Data Acquisition equipment
SEDA-AP Space Environment Data Acquisition equipment – Attached Payload
SEITE Shuttle Exhaust Ion Turbulence Experiments
SELS SpaceOps Electronic Library System
SEU Single Event Upset
SFA Small Fine Arm
SFAE SFA Electronics
SI Smoke Indicator
SIMPLEX Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed Localized Exhaust Experiments
Sleep-Short Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Spaceflight-Short
SLM Structural Latch Mechanism
SLP-D Spacelab Pallet – D
SLP-D1 Spacelab Pallet – Deployable
SLP-D2 Spacelab Pallet – D2
SLT Station Laptop Terminal
System Laptop Terminal
SM Service Module
SMDP Service Module Debris Panel
SOC System Operation Control
SODF Space Operations Data File
SPA Small Payload Attachment
SPB Survival Power Distribution Box
SPDA Secondary Power Distribution Assembly
SPDM Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator
SPEC Specialist
SRAM Static RAM
SRB Solid Rocket Booster
SRMS Shuttle Remote Manipulator System
SSAS Segment-to-Segment Attach System
SSC Station Support Computer
SSCB Space Station Control Board
SSE Small Fine Arm Storage Equipment
SSIPC Space Station Integration and Promotion Center
SSME Space Shuttle Main Engine
SSOR Space-to-Space Orbiter Radio
SSP Standard Switch Panel

SSPTS Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System
SSRMS Space Station Remote Manipulator System
STC Small Fire Arm Transportation Container
STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
STL Space Tissue Lost
STORRM Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation
STR Starboard Thermal Radiator
STS Space Transfer System
STVC SFA Television Camera
SVS Space Vision System
SWAB Surface, Water, and Air Biocharacterization
TA Thruster Assist
TAC TCS Assembly Controller
TAC-M TCS Assembly Controller – M
TCA Thermal Control System Assembly
TCB Total Capture Box
TCCS Trace Contaminant Control System
TCCV Temperature Control and Check Valve
TCS Trajectory Control Sensor
Thermal Control System
TCV Temperature Control Valve
TDK Transportation Device Kit
TDRS Tracking and Data Relay Satellite
THA Tool Holder Assembly
THC Temperature and Humidity Control
Translational Hand Controller
THCU Temperature and Humidity Control Unit
TIU Thermal Interface Unit
TKSC Tsukuba Space Center (Japan)
TLM Telemetry
TMA Russian vehicle designation
TMR Triple Modular Redundancy
TPL Transfer Priority List
TRRJ Thermal Radiator Rotary Joint
TUS Trailing Umbilical System
TVC Television Camera
UCCAS Unpressurized Cargo Carrier Attach System

UCM Umbilical Connect Mechanism
UCM-E UCM – Exposed Section Half
UCM-P UCM – Payload Half

UHF Ultrahigh Frequency
UIL User Interface Language
ULC Unpressurized Logistics Carrier
UMA Umbilical Mating Adapter
UOP Utility Outlet Panel
UPC Up Converter
USA United Space Alliance
US LAB United States Laboratory
USOS United States On-Orbit Segment
UTA Utility Transfer Assembly
VAJ Vacuum Access Jumper

VBSP Video Baseband Signal Processor
VCAM Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor
VCU Video Control Unit
VDS Video Distribution System
VLU Video Light Unit
V02maX Evaluation of Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Submaximal Estimates of V02max
Before, During, and After Long Duration International Space Station Missions
VNS Vision Navigation Sensor
VPU Vegetable Production Unit
VRA Vent Relief Assembly
VRCS Vernier Reaction Control System
VRCV Vent Relief Control Valve
VRIV Vent Relief Isolation Valve
VSU Video Switcher Unit
VSW Video Switcher
WAICO Waiving and Coiling

WCL Water Cooling Loop
WETA Wireless Video System External Transceiver Assembly
WIF Work Interface
WORF Window Observational Research Facility
WRM Water Recovery and Management
WRS Water Recovery System
WS Water Separator
Work Site
Work Station
WVA Water Vent Assembly
ZSR Zero-g Stowage Rack

MEDIA ASSISTANCE
NASA TELEVISION TRANSMISSION Status Reports
NASA Television is carried on an MPEG‐2 Status reports on launch countdown and
digital signal accessed via satellite AMC‐6, at mission progress, in‐orbit activities and landing
72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, operations will be posted at:
4040 MHz, vertical polarization. For those in
Alaska or Hawaii, NASA Television will be http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
seen on AMC‐7, at 137 degrees west longitude, This site also contains information on the crew
transponder 18C, at 4060 MHz, horizontal and will be updated regularly with photos and
polarization. In both instances, a Digital Video video clips throughout the flight.
Broadcast, or DVB‐compliant Integrated
Receiver Decoder, or IRD, with modulation of More Internet Information
QPSK/DBV, data rate of 36.86 and FEC 3/4 will Information on the ISS is available at:
be needed for reception. The NASA Television
schedule and links to streaming video are http://www.nasa.gov/station
available at:
Information on safety enhancements made
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv since the Columbia accident is available at:
NASA TV’s digital conversion will require http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/
members of the broadcast media to upgrade system/index.html
with an “addressable” Integrated Receiver
De‐coder, or IRD, to participate in live news Information on other current NASA activities is
events and interviews, media briefings and available at:
receive NASA’s Video File news feeds on a
http://www.nasa.gov
dedicated Media Services channel. NASA
mission coverage will air on a digital NASA Resources for educators can be found at the
Public Services “Free to Air” channel, for which following address:
only a basic IRD will be needed.
http://education.nasa.gov
Television Schedule
A schedule of key in‐orbit events and media

briefings during the mission will be detailed in
a NASA TV schedule posted at the link above.
The schedule will be updated as necessary and
will also be available at:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/
mission_schedule.html
APRIL 2010 MEDIA ASSISTANCE 109

110 MEDIA ASSISTANCE APRIL 2010

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS
HEADQUARTERS JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
WASHINGTON, DC HOUSTON, TEXAS
Space Operations Mission Directorate James Hartsfield
News Chief
Michael Braukus 281-483-5111
International Partners [email protected]
202-358-1979
[email protected] Kyle Herring
Public Affairs Specialist
Katherine Trinidad Space Shuttle Program Office
Shuttle, Space Station Policy 281-483-5111
202-358-1100 [email protected]
[email protected]
Rob Navias
John Yembrick Program and Mission Operations Lead
Shuttle, Space Station Policy 281-483-5111
202-358-1100 [email protected]
[email protected]
Kelly Humphries
Mike Curie Public Affairs Specialist
Shuttle, Space Station Policy International Space Station and Mission
202-358-1100 Operations Directorate
[email protected] 281-483-5111
[email protected]
Grey Hautaluoma
Research in Space Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters
202-358-0668 Public Affairs Specialist
[email protected] Astronauts
281-483-5111
Ashley Edwards [email protected]
Research in Space
202-358-1756
[email protected]
APRIL 2010 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 111

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER STENNIS SPACE CENTER
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI
Allard Beutel Paul Foerman
News Chief Public Affairs Officer
321-867-2468 228-688-1880
[email protected] [email protected]
Candrea Thomas AMES RESEARCH CENTER

Public Affairs Specialist MOFFETT FIELD, CALIFORNIA
Space Shuttle
321-867-2468 Mike Mewhinney
[email protected] News Chief
650-604-3937
Tracy Young [email protected]
Public Affairs Specialist
International Space Station Rachel Prucey
321-867-2468 Public Affairs Officer
[email protected] 650-604-0643
[email protected]
MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
Ruth Marlaire
HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA
Public Affairs Officer
Dom Amatore 650-604-4709
Public Affairs Manager [email protected]
256-544-0034
Cathy Weselby
[email protected]
June Malone 650-604-2791
News Chief/Media Manager [email protected]
256-544-0034
Karen Hanner
[email protected]
Steve Roy 650-604-4034
Public Affairs Specialist [email protected]
Space Shuttle Propulsion
256-544-0034
[email protected]
112 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS APRIL 2010

DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER
EDWARDS, CALIFORNIA HAMPTON, VIRGINIA
Kevin Rohrer Marny Skora
Director, Public Affairs Head, Office of Communications
661-276-3595 757-864-6121
Alan Brown Keith Henry

News Chief Public Affairs Officer
661-276-2665 757-864-6120
Leslie Williams Kathy Barnstorff

Public Affairs Specialist Public Affairs Officer
661-276-3893 757-864-9886
GLENN RESEARCH CENTER Amy Johnson

CLEVELAND, OHIO Public Affairs Officer
757-864-7022
Lori Rachul [email protected]
News Chief
216-433-8806 UNITED SPACE ALLIANCE
[email protected]
Jessica Pieczonka
Sally Harrington Houston Operations
Public Affairs Specialist 281-212-6252
216-433-2037 832-205-0480
Katherine Martin Tracy Yates

Public Affairs Specialist Florida Operations
216-433-2406 321-861-3956
[email protected] (c) 321-750-1739
[email protected]
APRIL 2010 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 113

BOEING CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY (CSA)
Edmund G. Memi Jean-Pierre Arseneault
Manager, Communications Manager, Media Relations & Information
Boeing Space Exploration Services
281-226-4029 514-824-0560 (cell)
Adam Morgan Media Relations Office

International Space Station Canadian Space Agency
281-226-4030 450-926-4370
[email protected]
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY (ESA)
JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION
AGENCY (JAXA) Clare Mattok
Communication Manager
Kumiko Sagara Paris, France
JAXA Public Affairs Representative 011-33-1-5369-7412
Houston [email protected]
281-792-7468
[email protected]
JAXA Public Affairs Office

Tokyo, Japan
011-81-50-3362-4374
[email protected]
114 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS APRIL 2010

NASA Space Shuttle STS-131 Press Kit

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION

STS-131/19A MISSION OVERVIEW ........................................................................................ 1

STS-131 TIMELINE OVERVIEW ............................................................................................... 11

MISSION PROFILE ................................................................................................................... 15

MISSION OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................ 17

MISSION PERSONNEL ............................................................................................................. 19

STS-131 CREW ....................................................................................................................... 21

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................. 31

RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING ....................................................................................................... 45

EDUCATION ACTIVITIES ......................................................................................................... 73

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA .................................................................................................... 75

LAUNCH AND LANDING ........................................................................................................... 93

APRIL 2010 CONTENTS i

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................... 95

MEDIA ASSISTANCE ............................................................................................................... 109

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS .................................................................................................. 111

ii CONTENTS APRIL 2010

APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 1

2 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 3

4 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 5

6 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 7

8 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 9

10 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

• Discovery’s Thermal Protection System • Leonardo activation and ingress

• Orbital Maneuvering System Pod Survey Flight Day 5

• Rendezvous tools checkout • Transfer of cargo from Leonardo to ISS

• Spacewalk 1 by Mastracchio and Anderson

APRIL 2010 TIMELINE OVERVIEW 11

• Final separation from the ISS

• OBSS late inspection of Discovery’s thermal

12 TIMELINE OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

• Cabin stowage • Deorbit preparations

• Flight Control System checkout • Payload Bay Door closing

• Reaction Control System hot-fire test • Deorbit burn

• Deorbit Preparation Briefing • KSC Landing

• Ku-band antenna stowage

APRIL 2010 TIMELINE OVERVIEW 13

14 TIMELINE OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

Commander: Alan G. Poindexter SSME 1: 2045

VEHICLE DATA PAYLOADS

APRIL 2010 MISSION PROFILE 15

16 MISSION PROFILE APRIL 2010

− Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise 5. Retrieve Japanese Experiment Module

APRIL 2010 MISSION OBJECTIVES 17

18 MISSION OBJECTIVES APRIL 2010

Orbit 1 (Lead) Richard Jones Rick Sturckow Brandi Dean

Orbit 2 Mike Sarafin Aki Hoshide Josh Byerly

Planning Ginger Kerrick Megan McArthur/ Lynnette Madison

Entry Bryan Lunney Rick Sturckow Brandi Dean

Shuttle Team 4 Gary Horlacher N/A N/A

ISS Orbit 1 Courtenay McMillan Mike Jensen N/A

ISS Orbit 2 (Lead) Ron Spencer Stan Love N/A

ISS Orbit 3 Ed Van Cise Marcus Reagan N/A

Station Team 4 Brian Smith