Walz Credit: www.spacefacts.de |
Status: Inactive; Active 1990-2008. Born: 1955-09-06. Spaceflights: 4 . Total time in space: 230.54 days. Birth Place: Cleveland, Ohio.
Educated Kent State; John Carroll; Edwards.
Official NASA Biography as of June 2016:Carl E. Walz (Colonel, USAF, Ret.)
NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)
PERSONAL DATA: Born September 6, 1955, in Cleveland, Ohio. Married to the former Pamela J. Glady of Lyndhurst, Ohio. They have two children. He enjoys piano and vocal music, sports.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Charles F. Brush High School, Lyndhurst, Ohio, in 1973; received a bachelor of science degree in physics from Kent State University, Ohio, in 1977, and a master of science in solid state physics from John Carroll University, Ohio, in 1979.
ORGANIZATIONS: American Legion, Kent State University Alumni Association, John Carroll University Alumni Association, Association of Space Explorers.
SPECIAL HONORS: Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Kent State University. Awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal with one Oak Leaf, the USAF Legion of Merit, the USAF Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf, the USAF Commendation Medal, and the USAF Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster. Distinguished Graduate from the USAF Test Pilot School, Class 83A. Inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. Awarded four NASA Space Flight Medals, NASA Distinguished Service Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, Distinguished Alumnus Award, Kent State University, 1997, Alumni Award, John Carroll University, 2002, Diocesan Award, Catholic Diocese of Houston/Galveston 2002, Gagarin Award, National Aeronautic Association, 2003.
EXPERIENCE: From 1979 to 1982, Walz was responsible for analysis of radioactive samples from the Atomic Energy Detection System at the 1155th Technical Operations Squadron, McClellan Air Force Base, California. The subsequent year was spent in study as a Flight Test Engineer at the USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, California. From January 1984 to June 1987, Walz served as a Flight Test Engineer to the F-16 Combined Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base, where he worked on a variety of F-16C airframe avionics and armament development programs. From July 1987 to June 1990, he served as a Flight Test Manager at Detachment 3, Air Force Flight Test Center.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in January 1990, Walz is a veteran of four space flights, and has logged a total of 231 days in space. He was a mission specialist on STS-51 (1993), was the Orbiter flight engineer (MS-2) on STS-65 (1994), was a mission specialist on STS-79 (1996), and served 196 days in space as flight engineer (FE-1) on ISS Expedition-Four (2001-2002). Carl also served as the Director for the Advanced Capabilities Division in the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. He was responsible for a broad range of activities to include Human Research, Technology Development, Nuclear Power and Propulsion and the Lunar Robotic Exploration Programs to support the Vision for Space Exploration. He retired from NASA on December 5, 2008 to pursue interests in the private sector.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-51 Discovery (September 12-22, 1993). During the mission, the five member crew deployed the U.S. Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS), and the Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS) with NASA and German scientific experiments aboard. Walz also participated in a 7-hour space walk (EVA) to evaluate tools for the Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. The mission was accomplished in 9 days, 22 hours, and 12 minutes.
STS-65 Columbia (July 8-23, 1994). STS-65 flew the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) spacelab module, and carried a crew of seven. During the 15-day flight the crew conducted more than 80 experiments focusing on materials and life sciences research in microgravity. The mission completed 236 orbits of the Earth, traveling 6.1 million miles, setting a new flight duration record for the Shuttle program.
STS-79 Atlantis (September 16-26, 1996). On STS-79 the six member crew aboard Atlantis docked with the Russian MIR station, delivered food, water, U.S. scientific experiments and Russian equipment, and exchanged NASA long duration crewmembers. During the mission, the Atlantis/Mir complex set a record for docked mass in space. STS-79 was the first flight of the double Spacehab module, and landed at KSC after 10 days 3 hours and 13 minutes.
Expedition 4 (December 5, 2001 to June 19 2002). The Expedition-4 crew launched on December 5, 2001 aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-108, and docked with the International Space Station on December 7, 2001. During their 196 days in space, the Expedition-4 crew of three (two American astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut) performed flight tests of the station hardware, conducted internal and external maintenance tasks, robotic control tasks, and conducted numerous experiments in a variety of scientific disciplines. Wearing the Russian Orlan spacesuit, Walz logged 6 hours of EVA time with Commander Yury Onufrienko as they continued the outfitting of the Russian-supplied Docking Compartment (DC). In addition, Walz logged 5 hours 52 minutes of EVA time in the U.S. EMU spacesuit in his second spacewalk with flight engineer Dan Bursch, preparing the ISS for the S0 truss, delivered by the STS-110 crew. The Expedition-4 crew also performed a Soyuz relocation from the FGB nadir to the DC nadir hatch to prepare for the arrival of a new Soyuz capsule. The Expedition-4 crew returned to Earth aboard STS-111, with Endeavour landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on June 19, 2002.
DECEMBER 2008
Selected by NASA in January 1990, Walz is a veteran of three space flights, and has logged over 833 hours (34.5 days) in space. He served as a mission specialist on STS-51 (September 12-22, 1993), was the Orbiter flight engineer (MS-2) on STS-65 (July 8-23, 1994), and was a mission specialist on STS-79 (September 16-26, 1996).
On STS-51, the crew of five aboard Space Shuttle Discovery deployed the U.S. Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS), and the Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS) with NASA and German scientific experiments aboard. Walz also participated in a 7-hour space walk (EVA) to evaluate tools for the Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Following 158 orbits of the Earth, the mission concluded with the first night landing at the Kennedy Space Center. Mission duration was 9 days, 22 hours, and 12 minutes.
On STS-65, the crew of seven aboard Space Shuttle Columbia flew the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) spacelab module. During the 15-day flight the crew conducted more than 80 experiments focusing on materials and life sciences research in microgravity. The mission completed 236 orbits of the Earth, traveling 6.1 million miles, setting a new flight duration record for the Shuttle program.
Most recently, on STS-79, the six member crew aboard the Shuttle Atlantis docked with the Russian MIR station, delivered food, water, U.S. scientific experiments and Russian equipment, and exchanged NASA long duration crewmembers - bringing John Blaha to Mir and returning Shannon Lucid to Earth. During this mission, the Atlantis/Mir complex set a record for docked mass in space. STS-79 was the first flight of the double Spacehab module, and landed at KSC after a highly successful flight of 10 days 3 hours and 13 minutes.
The group was selected to provide pilot, engineer, and scientist astronauts for space shuttle flights.. Qualifications: Pilots: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. Advanced degree desirable. At least 1,000 flight-hours of pilot-in-command time. Flight test experience desirable. Excellent health. Vision minimum 20/50 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 vision; maximum sitting blood pressure 140/90. Height between 163 and 193 cm.
Mission Specialists: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics and minimum three years of related experience or an advanced degree. Vision minimum 20/150 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20. Maximum sitting blood pressure of 140/90. Height between 150 and 193 cm.. Reported to the Johnson Space Center in late July 1990 to begin their year long training. Chosen from 1945 qualified applicants, then 106 finalists screened between September and November 1989.
Deployed and retrieved Orfeus-SPAS. During the EVA conducted tests in support of the Hubble Space Telescope first servicing mission and future EVAs, including Space Station assembly and maintenance. First night landing at KSC. Payloads: Advanced Communication Technology Sat-ellite (ACTS)/Transfer Orbit Stage (TOS), Orbiting Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer—Shuttle Pallet Satellite (ORFEUS-SPAS) with Remote IMAX Camera System (RICS), Limited Duration Space Environ-ment Candidate Materials Exposure (LDCE) (Beam Configuration C), Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG Block II), Chromosome and Plant Cell Division in Space (CHROMEX), High Resolution Shuttle Glow Spectroscopy-A (HRSGS-A), Auroral Photography Experiment-B (APE-B), Investigation into Polymer Membrane Processing (IPMP), Radiation Monitoring Equip-ment (RME-III), Air Force Maui Optical Site Cal-ibration Test (AMOS), IMAX In-Cabin Camera.
Carried IML-2; microgravity, biology experiments. Payloads: International Microgravity Laboratory (IML) 2, Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE), Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG), Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS), Military Applications of Ship Tracks (MAST), Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX).
On September 19 Atlantis docked with the Russian Mir space station. Aboard Atlantis in the payload bay were the Orbiter Docking System, the modified Long Tunnel, and the Spacehab Double Module, containing supplies for the Mir. Astronaut John Blaha relieved Shannon Lucid as NASA resident on the complex. Atlantis undocked from the Mir complex on September 23 at 23:33 GMT. Valeriy Korzun, Aleksandr Kaleri and John Blaha remain on Mir. On September 26 Atlantis closed its payload bay doors, and at 11:06 GMT fired its OMS engines for a three minute long deorbit burn. After entry interface at 11:42 GMT the spaceship flew across Canada and the US for a landing at the Kennedy Space Center's Runway 15 at 12:13 GMT.
During their 103rd day aboard the International Space Station, Expedition Three Commander Frank Culbertson, Pilot Vladimir Dezhurov and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin Wednesday began activation of the Progress unpiloted supply vehicle in preparation for its undocking. Additional Details: here....
During their 107th day aboard the International Space Station, Expedition Three Commander Frank Culbertson, Pilot Vladimir Dezhurov and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin continued their preparations for the arrival of the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the Expedition Four crew. Endeavour is targeted for launch from Kennedy Space Center on Thursday at 6:41 p.m. CST on the STS-108 mission. Additional Details: here....
Endeavour lifted off this afternoon on the final space shuttle mission of 2001, and, after a flawless climb to orbit, it is now on its way to deliver a fresh crew to the International Space Station and return home a crew that has spent four months in space. Additional Details: here....
ISS Logistics flight, launch delayed from November 30 and December 4. Gorie, Kelley, Godwin, Tani, Onufrikeno, Bursch, Walz STS-108 flew the UF-1 Utilization Flight mission to the International Space Station. The UF designation distinguished this from earlier Station flights which were considered assembly flights. The shuttle would deliver the Expedition-4 crew of Onufrikeno, Bursch, and Walz to the station and return the Expedition-3 crew to earth. In addition to the crew swap, UF-1 brought supplies to the Station aboard the Raffaello module, and Godwin and Tani conducted a spacewalk to add thermal blankets to the gimbals on the Station's solar arrays. Endeavour reached an orbit of approximately 58 x 230 km (according to the NASA PAO) at 2228 GMT. At 2259 GMT it fired its OMS engines to raise perigee to 225 km. Mass after OMS-2 was 114,692 kg. Endeavour soft docked with the International Space Station at 2003 GMT on December 7. Problems with aligning the vehicles delayed hard dock until 20:51 GMT, and the hatch was opened at 22:43 GMT. The Raffaello module was unberthed from Endeavour at 1701 GMT on December 8 and berthed to the Unity module of the station at 1755 UTC.
STS-108 cargo bay payload was dominated by the Raffaello (MPLM-2) logistics module with 4 RSP and 8 RSR resupply racks. Also in the cargo bay were the MACH-1 and LMC experiment trusses flown under the Goddard small payloads program. MACH-1 was an MPESS-type Hitchhiker bridge carrying the CAPL-3 capillary thermal control experiment on top. On its forward side was the Starshine-2 launch canister, the CAPL-3 avionics plate, the Hitchhiker avionics plate, and the SEM-15 canister. On the aft side was the G-761 canister containing experiments from Argentina, the PSRD synchrotron detector (a prototype for the AMS antimatter experiment which will fly on Station later), and the COLLIDE-2 and SEM-11 canisters. The SEM (Space Experiment Modules) are collections of high school experiments. LMC, the Lightweight MPESS Carrier carried four canisters with materials science and technology experiments: SEM-12, G-785, G-064 and G-730. In addition, an adapter beam on the starboard sidewall carried G-221 and G-775, with materials science and biology experiments.
Raffaello was transferred back to the Shuttle payload bay on December 14. Endeavour undocked from the Station at 17:28 UTC on December 15 and made a half loop around the station before making a small separation burn at 1822 UTC. The Starshine-2 reflector satellite was ejected from the MACH-1 bridge in Endeavour's payload bay at 1502 UTC on December 16. Endeavour landed on runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center at 1755 UTC on December 17. The Expedition 3 crew of Culbertson, Dezhurov and Tyurin returned to Earth aboard Endeavour, leaving the Expedition 4 crew of Onufrienko, Bursch and Walz in charge of the Station.
As Endeavour continues its pursuit of the International Space Station, the seven astronauts and cosmonauts on board were awakened at 6:21 a.m. today to prepare for a busy day as they close the final 765 miles between the two vehicles in anticipation of a docking just before 2 p.m. CST today. Endeavour and the ISS are to link up off the British coast, southwest of Cardiff, Wales. Additional Details: here....
The Expedition Three crew - Commander Frank Culbertson, Pilot Vladimir Dezhurov and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin - officially ended their 117-day residency on board the International Space Station today as their custom Soyuz seatliners were transferred to Endeavour for the return trip home. Additional Details: here....
Waking up to the patriotic tune of "It's A Grand Ole' Flag" performed by the Fire Department of New York Emerald Society Pipes & Drums, Endeavour's crew was awakened at 6:14 a.m. CST today. The Expedition Four crew on board the International Space Station was awakened about a half hour later by a wake-up tone on board. Additional Details: here....
The 10 astronauts and cosmonauts in orbit took a break from the transfer of supplies, experiments and equipment to and from the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station today to pay tribute to the heroes of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and the Pentagon. Additional Details: here....
The crew aboard the space shuttle Endeavour was awakened at 6:12 a.m. CST this morning to the sound of "Jumpin' at the Woodside," performed by Mission Specialist Linda Godwin's own band, Brass, Rhythm and Reeds. Godwin plays tenor sax in this 18-piece big band recording. Additional Details: here....
The song "Let There Be Peace on Earth," performed by Vince and Jenny Gill, awakened Endeavour's crew this morning at 6:19 a.m. CST. The song was played for Expedition Three Commander Frank Culbertson from his wife for his years of dedicated pursuit of peace on Earth through service to his country, and in tribute to a special anniversary today. Additional Details: here....
Activities on board Endeavour and the International Space Station today will focus on continuing transfer of hardware, equipment and supplies between the two spacecraft as well as hardware maintenance and continuing handover briefings between the Expedition Three and Four crews. Additional Details: here....
The crew onboard Endeavour was awakened at 7:17 a.m. CST this morning by the song "Here Comes the Sun", in memory of former Beatle George Harrison, who recently died of cancer. The instrumental was from the IMAX movie, "Everest". The song was played for the Expedition Three Crewmembers, Commander Frank Culbertson, Pilot Vladimir Dezhurov and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin. The crew was allowed to sleep in for an extra hour with a relatively light day of activities in store. Additional Details: here....
In space today, the 10 astronauts and cosmonauts on board Endeavour and the International Space Station, will focus their efforts on final transfer activities and this morning's unberthing of the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module to be placed back in Endeavour's payload bay for a return trip home. Additional Details: here....
The 10 crewmembers of the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station will bid farewell to each other this morning shortly before the hatches are closed between the two vehicles about 7:30 a.m. CST prior to Endeavour's departure from the complex. Additional Details: here....
The Expedition Four crew is completing its fifth week in space aboard the International Space Station, continuing preparations for the first spacewalk of the five-month mission. The six-hour spacewalk by Commander Yury Onufrienko and Flight Engineer Carl Walz is scheduled to begin at 2:56 p.m. CST, Monday, Jan. 14. This week, with the assistance of their crewmate, Flight Engineer Dan Bursch, the two spacewalkers outfitted and tested their Russian Orlan spacesuits and prepared the tools and equipment they will use on Monday. Additional Details: here....
Commander Yury Onufrienko and Flight Engineer Carl Walz floated outside the International Space Station on the first spacewalk of their expedition and finished installing a second Russian cargo boom, part of which had been delivered to the station two and a half years ago. With coordination help from inside the station by Flight Engineer Dan Bursch, the two space walkers also installed an amateur radio antenna on the Zvezda Service Module. Additional Details: here....
The spacewalk was made from the Pirs module. Depress was around 2050 UTC, with hatch open at 2059 UTC and egress around 2110 UTC. The astronauts moved the Strela-2 crane from PMA-1 to Pirs and installed it there; the Strela-1 crane was already functional on Pirs. They also installed an amateur radio antenna on Zvezda. On Jan 15 at about 0254 UTC the crew jettisoned two pairs of Orlan spacesuit gloves and a pair of towels used to wipe the spaceuits down, because of concerns about contamination from Zvezda thrusters. They reentered Pirs at 0255 UTC, with hatch close at 0302 UTC and repressurization above 50 mbar at about 0304 UTC.
Expedition Four Commander Yury Onufrienko and Astronaut Dan Bursch completed a five-hour, 59-minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station today, installing six thruster deflectors at the rear of the Zvezda Service Module, retrieving and replacing a device to measure material from the thrusters and installing a ham radio antenna and its cabling. They also installed three materials experiments on Zvezda's exterior and a physics experiment. Additional Details: here....
Finishing up a month which saw the crew conduct two spacewalks, Expedition Four Commander Yury Onufrienko and Astronauts Dan Bursch and Carl Walz spent a quiet week aboard the complex this week, completing a host of maintenance tasks, physical exercise and evaluations, and science experiments. Additional Details: here....
The Expedition Four crew's normal work was interrupted this morning when a main computer in the International Space Station's Russian Zvezda living quarters module unexpectedly went off-line, disrupting the system which controls the spacecraft's orientation for a few hours. The computer is now back on-line and all station systems are operating normally. Additional Details: here....
This week the Expedition Four crew - Commander Yury Onufrienko and Flight Engineers Carl Walz and Dan Bursch - worked with several of the science experiments aboard the International Space Station. They tested the ultrasound instrument in the Human Research Facility rack, activated the EarthKam experiment and the seventh sample cylinder in the Protein Crystal Growth - Single-locker Thermal Enclosure System, and tested the Zeolite Crystal Growth Furnace, which will be used to grow crystals beginning in April. The crew also completed their periodic physical fitness tests. Additional Details: here....
Expedition 4 astronauts Carl Walz and Dan Bursch completed a successful 5-hour, 47-minute spacewalk Wednesday, testing equipment and procedures for the Airlock Quest and performing other tasks to prepare for Space Shuttle Atlantis' STS-110 mission to the International Space Station in April. The spacewalk, which began at 5:38 a.m. CST and ended at 11:25 a.m., notched some firsts. Additional Details: here....
The spacewalk was made from the Station's Quest airlock. Depressurization was at around 1134 UTC and repressurization was at 1725 UTC. The spacewalk involved some preparatory work with cables and thermal covers in advance of the EVA's planned for STS-110 and the installation of the S0 truss. It was also intended to check out proper functioning of the Quest airlock, which had some minor problems on its first use in July 2001.
The International Space Station Expedition 4 crew returned to normal activities today after Wednesday's successful spacewalk and what largely was a day of rest on Thursday. Commander Yury Onufrienko and astronauts Carl Walz and Dan Bursch participated in a number of medical tests, including post-spacewalk checkouts for Walz and Bursch. Additional Details: here....
After five days of successful spacewalks to rejuvenate the Hubble Space Telescope, the crew of Columbia will enjoy a Sunday off. The crew was awakened at 8:50 p.m. CST Saturday by "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra. The song was played for Commander Scott "Scooter" Altman. Additional Details: here....
Expedition 4 astronauts Carl Walz and Dan Bursch successfully completed an exercise of the International Space Station's robotic arm today, using six of its joints and a software patch to mask the seventh, the failed wrist roll joint. The exercise consisted of the same activities that the Canadarm2 will use in installation of the S-Zero (S0) Truss on the ISS during Atlantis' STS-110 mission. Additional Details: here....
With the International Space Station and the Expedition Four crew orbiting high overhead, the shuttle Atlantis lifted off this afternoon on a complex mission to install a 43-foot long truss structure as the backbone for future expansion of the orbital outpost. Additional Details: here....
Atlantis gently docked with the International Space Station this morning over southern China, setting the stage for the installation of a 13 1/2 ton truss structure to the complex tomorrow and the ultimate expansion of the ISS to the length of a football field. Additional Details: here....
Atlantis has closed the distance between it and the International Space Station to less than 1,800 statute miles, and is continuing its approach in anticipation of docking with the station at 11:06 a.m. central time today. The linkup should occur as the two spacecraft fly over south-central China, to the southwest of Shanghai. The Atlantis crew, Commander Mike Bloomfield, Pilot Steve Frick and mission specialists Rex Walheim, Ellen Ochoa, Lee Morin, Jerry Ross and Steve Smith, was awakened at 3:44 a.m. by "Rapunzel Got a Mohawk," performed by Joe Scruggs. The song was played for Ochoa, at the request of her family. Additional Details: here....
Construction of a framework for expanded research begins today as the S-Zero (S0) truss segment is installed on the International Space Station. The truss will provide support for the cooling and power systems necessary to attach additional laboratories to the complex. Additional Details: here....
The expansion of the International Space Station continued today with the installation of the 13 1/2 ton S0 (S-Zero) truss segment on the orbital outpost. Assisted by Expedition Four Flight Engineer Dan Bursch, Atlantis Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa gently lifted the truss out of the shuttle's payload bay at 5:30 a.m. Central time through the use of the station's robotic arm and maneuvered it onto a clamp at the top of the station's Destiny Laboratory. It took just under four hours to complete the delicate procedure. Additional Details: here....
After successful installation of the S-Zero (S0) Truss and a spacewalk on Thursday, the focus of today's activities will shift from external construction of the International Space Station to the transfer of equipment, supplies and experiments between the space shuttle Atlantis and the orbiting laboratory. Additional Details: here....
The ten crewmembers of the Atlantis / International Space Station complex transferred experiments and supplies into their respective vehicles today as the latest addition to the station, the S-Zero (S0) Truss, continued to pass its initial checkouts with flying colors. Additional Details: here....
Construction of the International Space Station continues today with the second of four scheduled spacewalks to install the S-Zero (S0) Truss segment. Shuttle astronauts Jerry Ross and Lee Morin will float out of the station's Quest Airlock about 9:34 a.m. Additional Details: here....
Outfitting of the newest component of the International Space Station continues today with the mission's third spacewalk. Shuttle astronauts Steve Smith and Rex Walheim will continue installation work on the S-Zero (S0) Truss, now permanently attached to the station's U.S. laboratory Destiny. Additional Details: here....
The first railcar in space crept down the track of a newly installed truss structure at the International Space Station today, paving the way for the future use of the system on which the station's robotic arm will be mounted to travel the full length of the complex. Additional Details: here....
The first space railroad car will get a trial run today, highballing along 26 feet of the track atop the International Space Station's new S-Zero (S0) Truss at a maximum speed of one inch per second, or 100 yards an hour. The 1,900-pound Mobile Transporter begins its run about 6:30 a.m. Additional Details: here....
Atlantis astronauts Jerry Ross and Lee Morin completed the outfitting of the new S-Zero (S0) truss on the International Space Station today during a 6 hour, 37 minute spacewalk, installing a ladder, testing electrical switches for upcoming truss expansion and attaching external lights and equipment to be used in future assembly work. Additional Details: here....
Shuttle astronauts Jerry Ross and Lee Morin will make the fourth and final spacewalk of the STS-110 mission of Atlantis today, stepping out of the International Space Station's Quest airlock at 9:34 a.m. Many of their tasks focus on helping future spacewalkers. Additional Details: here....
Atlantis' astronauts tested out their ship's systems today and packed their gear, aiming for an early afternoon landing at the Kennedy Space Center Friday to wrap up a 4 ½ million mile mission to deliver a huge backbone truss structure to the International Space Station. Additional Details: here....
After traveling more than 4½ million miles on a successful International Space Station assembly mission that saw four spacewalks during installation of the first segment of the station's main truss, Atlantis is scheduled to land at the Kennedy Space Center today. Additional Details: here....
Expedition 4 Commander Yury Onufrienko and Flight Engineers Carl Walz and Dan Bursch spent most of their time this week packing for the arrival of the Expedition 5 crew aboard STS-111. Endeavour will be carrying the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module filled with supplies and equipment for the Expedition 5 crew. The Expedition 4 crew is working to make room for those supplies, as well as prepare any equipment and scientific results that will be brought home with them aboard Leonardo. Additional Details: here....
The Expedition 4 crew of the International Space Station spent much of this week preparing for the arrival of Endeavour on STS-111 and their return home. They packed equipment and supplies for return to Earth aboard Endeavour. They also reconfigured and checked out spacesuits and the station's joint airlock in preparation for three spacewalks at the station by Endeavour mission specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz and Philippe Perrin. Additional Details: here....
With improved weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center, Endeavour lifted off at 4:23 p.m. CDT today, beginning a complex mission to continue the assembly and maintenance of the International Space Station and bring a new trio of residents to the orbital outpost. Additional Details: here....
Endeavour gently docked with the International Space Station this morning 240 miles over the South Pacific, setting the stage for eight days of docked operations highlighted by three scheduled spacewalks and the exchange of resident crews aboard the outpost. Commander Ken Cockrell guided Endeavour to a linkup with the forward docking port of the station's Destiny Laboratory at 11:25 a.m. Central time. The docking culminated a textbook rendezvous executed by Cockrell and Pilot Paul Lockhart. After waiting for about one hour to allow post-contact oscillations to subside, the two vehicles were joined firmly together at 12:27 p.m. Additional Details: here....
The 10-member multinational crew aboard the International Space Station and shuttle complex worked today to move the Leonardo transfer van from the shuttle's payload bay to the station, begin equipment and supply transfers to the station and prepare for Sunday's space walk. Additional Details: here....
The newly arrived crewmembers of Expedition Five aboard the International Space Station - Commander Valery Korzun and Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson and Sergei Treschev - will continue settling into their new home today as they work with Endeavour's astronauts to move the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module from the shuttle's cargo bay to the Unity module of the complex in advance of the start of the transfer of almost 3 tons of equipment and supplies. Additional Details: here....
Endeavour Astronauts Philippe Perrin and Franklin Chang-Díaz are set to step out into the vacuum of space this morning for the first of three spacewalks to help install a platform for the transport of the International Space Station's robotic arm and to replace a faulty joint in the arm itself. Additional Details: here....
A critical device for International Space Station assembly will receive an additional component today. An operations platform, to be installed on a railcar on the station's S0 (S-Zero) Truss, will allow the space station's robotic arm to travel the length of the station for future construction tasks. Additional Details: here....
In a 5-hour spacewalk today, Endeavour astronauts Franklin Chang-Díaz and Philippe Perrin completed installation of the Mobile Remote Servicer Base System, or MBS, on the International Space Station's railcar, the Mobile Transporter. With those tasks completed, they established a moveable base for future use by the station's robotic arm, Canadarm2. Additional Details: here....
Endeavour's astronauts - Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Paul Lockhart, Franklin Chang-Díaz, Philippe Perrin, Yury Onufrienko, Carl Walz and Dan Bursch - were awakened about 4:30 Central time this morning to the sound of "Chasing Sheep is Best Left to Shepherds," by Peter Greenaway, selected for Perrin by his family. The wakeup call began the eighth day of Endeavour's supply, assembly and maintenance mission to the International Space Station. Additional Details: here....
Endeavour's astronauts - Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Paul Lockhart, Franklin Chang-Díaz, Philippe Perrin, Dan Bursch, Yury Onufrienko and Carl Walz - were awakened just before 4:30 Central time this morning to the National Anthem, in honor of Flag Day today. Additional Details: here....
Endeavour's astronauts - Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Paul Lockhart, Franklin Chang-Díaz, Philippe Perrin, Dan Bursch, Yury Onufrienko and Carl Walz - were awakened just before 4:30 Central time this morning to the National Anthem, in honor of Flag Day today. Additional Details: here....
With all the major objectives of the STS-111 mission accomplished, Endeavour's astronauts will bid farewell to the new Expedition Five crew and undock from the International Space Station today, leaving ISS Commander Valery Korzun and Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson and Sergei Treschev to begin their 4 1/2 month stay on board the complex. Additional Details: here....
The hatches between Shuttle and Station were closed at 1223 UTC, with the Expedition 4 crew on the Shuttle for the trip home. Expedition 5 crew members Valeriy Korzun, Peggy Whitson and Sergei Treshchev remain aboard the Station. Endeavour undocked at 1432 UTC, leaving the Station in a 389 x 399 km x 51.6 deg orbit following three reboost burns. After two days of bad weather, Endeavour was diverted to Edwards AFB in California, with a deorbit burn at 1650 UTC on Jun 19 lowering its orbit from 347 x 387 km to 34 x 386 km. The Shuttle nominally entered the atmosphere around 1726 UTC and landed on Runway 22 at Edwards at 17:57:41 UTC.
Endeavour's crewmembers, Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Paul Lockhart, and Mission Specialists Philippe Perrin and Franklin Chang-Diaz, and Expedition 4's Yury Onufrienko, Carl Walz and Dan Bursch, were awakened at 1:23 a.m. CDT by the song "I Got You Babe," by Sonny and Cher, from the "Groundhog Day" movie soundtrack. Additional Details: here....