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STS-129

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Darcyj (talk | contribs) at 13:26, 17 November 2009 (→Mission Timeline: Shortened launch description to basics. This is not a children's storybook. Also changed time of launch to UT.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

STS-129
COSPAR ID2009-062A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.36094Edit this on Wikidata
End of mission

STS-129 (ISS assembly flight ULF3)[3] is the current Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS), being flown by Space Shuttle Atlantis. Atlantis launched successfully on November 16, 2009, at 2:28 PM {{subst:#switch: EST | -12 = UTC−12:00 | BIT = BIT (UTC−12:00) | IDLW = IDLW (UTC−12:00) | -11 = UTC−11:00 | BET = BET (UTC−11:00) | SST SA = SST (UTC−11:00) | -10 = UTC−10:00 | CKT = CKT (UTC−10:00) | HAST = HAST (UTC−10:00) | TAHT = TAHT (UTC−10:00) | -9:30 = UTC−09:30 | MIT = MIT (UTC−09:30) | -9 = UTC−09:00 | HADT = HADT (UTC−09:00) | AKST = AKST (UTC−09:00) | GIT = GIT (UTC−09:00) | -8 = UTC−08:00 | AKDT = AKDT (UTC−08:00) | CIST = CIST (UTC−08:00) | PST = PST (UTC−08:00) | -7 = UTC−07:00 | MST = MST (UTC−07:00) | PDT = PDT (UTC−07:00) | -6 = UTC−06:00 | CST = CST (UTC−06:00) | GALT = GALT (UTC−06:00) | EAST = EAST (UTC−06:00) | MDT = MDT (UTC−06:00) | -5 = UTC−05:00 | CDT = CDT (UTC−05:00) | COT = COT (UTC−05:00) | EST = EST (UTC−05:00) | ECT = ECT (UTC−05:00) | -4:30 = UTC−04:30 | -4 = UTC−04:00 | AST = AST (UTC−04:00) | ECT NA = ECT (UTC−04:00) | EDT = EDT (UTC−04:00) | -3:30 = UTC−03:30 | NST NA = NST (UTC−03:30) | -3 = UTC−03:00 | ADT = ADT (UTC−03:00) | NDT = NDT (UTC−02:30) | -2 = UTC−02:00 | FDT = FDT (UTC−02:00) | VTZ = VTZ (UTC−02:00) | -1 = UTC−01:00 | AT = AT (UTC−01:00) | CVT = CVT (UTC−01:00) | -0 = UTC±00:00 | +0 = UTC±00:00 | ±0 = UTC±00:00 | 0 = UTC±00:00 | GMT = GMT (UTC±00:00) | WET = WET (UTC±00:00) | +1 = UTC+01:00 | BST = BST (UTC+01:00) | CET = CET (UTC+01:00) | GDT = GDT (UTC+01:00) | IST EU = IST (UTC+01:00) | MET = MET (UTC+01:00) | MEZ = MEZ (UTC+01:00) | WEST = WEST (UTC+01:00) | WEDT = WEDT (UTC+01:00) | WAT = WAT (UTC+01:00) | +2 = UTC+02:00 | CAT = Central Africa Time (UTC+02:00) | CEST = CEST (UTC+02:00) | CEDT = CEDT (UTC+02:00) | EET = EET (UTC+02:00) | IST AS = IST (UTC+02:00) | MESZ = MESZ (UTC+02:00) | SAST = SAST (UTC+02:00) | +3 = UTC+03:00 | AST AS = AST (UTC+03:00) | BT = BT (UTC+03:00) | EEDT = EEDT (UTC+03:00) | EAT = EAT (UTC+03:00) | EEST = EEST (UTC+03:00) | IDT = IDT (UTC+03:00) | MSK = MSK (UTC+03:00) | TST = TST (UTC+3:00) | +3:30 = UTC+03:30 | IRT = IRT (UTC+03:30) | +4 = UTC+04:00 | AZT = AZT (UTC+04:00) | GST = GST (UTC+04:00) | MSD = MSD (UTC+04:00) | MUT = MUT (UTC+04:00) | SAMT = SAMT (UTC+04:00) | SCT = SCT (UTC+04:00) | RET = RET (UTC+04:00) | +4:30 = UTC+4:30 | AFT = AFT (UTC+04:30) | +5 = UTC+05:00 | AMST = AMST (UTC+05:00) | AZST = AZST (UTC+05:00) | PKT = PKT (UTC+05:00) | SAMST = SAMST (UTC+05:00) | YEKT = YEKT (UTC+05:00) | +5:30 = UTC+05:30 | IST = IST (UTC+05:30) | +5:45 = UTC+05:45 | NPT = NPT (UTC+05:45) | +6 = UTC+06:00 | BST AS = BST (UTC+06:00) | BTT = BTT (UTC+06:00) | KGT = KGT (UTC+06:00) | LKT = LKT (UTC+06:00) | MAWT = MAWT (UTC+06:00) | NOVT = NOVT (UTC+06:00) | OMST = OMST (UTC+06:00) | YEKST = YEKST (UTC+06:00) | +6:30 = UTC+06:30 | MMT = MMT UTC+06:30 | NST = NST (UTC+06:30) | +7 = UTC+07:00 | CXT = CXT (UTC+07:00) | ICT = ICT (UTC+07:00) | OMSST = OMSST (UTC+07:00) | KRAT = KRAT (UTC+07:00) | SST = SST (UTC+07:00) | THA = THA (UTC+07:00) | +8 = UTC+08:00 | AWST = AWST (UTC+08:00) | BORT = BORT (UTC+08:00) | BNT = BNT (UTC+08:00) | CST AS = CST (UTC+08:00) | HKT = HKT (UTC+08:00) | IRKT = IRKT (UTC+08:00) | KRAST = KRAST (UTC+08:00) | MST AS = MST (UTC+08:00) | PHT = PHT (UTC+08:00) | PST AS = PST (UTC+08:00) | SST AS = SST (UTC+08:00) | ULAT = ULAT (UTC+08:00) | WST = WST (UTC+08:00) | +9 = UTC+09:00 | IRKST = IRKT (UTC+09:00) | JST = JST (UTC+09:00) | JAYT = JAYT (UTC+09:00) | KST = KST (UTC+09:00) | PWT = PWT (UTC+09:00) | YAKT = YAKT (UTC+09:00) | +9:30 = UTC+09:30 | ACST = ACST (UTC+09:30) | +10 = UTC+10:00 | AEST = AEST (UTC+10:00) | DDUT = DDUT (UTC+10:00) | GST AS = GST (UTC+10:00) | MPT = MPT (UTC+10:00) | PGT = PGT (UTC+10:00) | TRUT = TRUT (UTC+10:00) | VLAT = VLAT (UTC+10:00) | YAKST = YAKST (UTC+10:00) | YAPT = YAPT (UTC+10:00) | +10:30 = UTC+10:30 | ACDT = ACDT (UTC+10:30) | LHST = LHST (UTC+10:30) | +11 = UTC+11:00 | AEDT = AEDT (UTC+11:00) | VLAST = VLAST (UTC+11:00) | MAGT = MAGT (UTC+11:00) | NCT = NCT (UTC+11:00) | PONT = PONT (UTC+11:00) | SBT = SBT (UTC+11:00) | VUT = VUT (UTC+11:00) | +11:30 = UTC+11:30 | NFT = NFT (UTC+11:30) | +12 = UTC+12:00 | FJT = FJT (UTC+12:00) | GILT = GILT (UTC+12:00) | IDLE = IDLE (UTC+12:00) | KOST = KOST (UTC+12:00) | MAGST = MAGST (UTC+12:00) | MHT = MHT (UTC+12:00) | NRT = NRT (UTC+12:00) | NZST = NZST (UTC+12:00) | NZT = NZT (UTC+12:00) | PETT = PETT (UTC+12:00) | TVT = TVT (UTC+12:00) | WAKT = WAKT (UTC+12:00) | WFT = WFT (UTC+12:00) | +12:45 = UTC+12:45 | CHAST = CHAST (UTC+12:45) | +13:00 = UTC+13:00 | PETST = PETST (UTC+13:00) | NZDT = NZDT (UTC+13:00) | PHOT = PHOT (UTC+13:00) | TOT = TOT (UTC+13:00) | +14:00 = UTC+14:00 | LINT = LINT (UTC+14:00) | #default = EST }} .[4][5]

STS-129 will focus on staging spare components outside the station. The 11-day flight is scheduled to include at least three spacewalks. The payload bay will carry two large ExPRESS Logistics Carriers holding two spare gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly, a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm, a spare trailing umbilical system for the Mobile Transporter, and a high-pressure gas tank. This will be the first flight of an ExPRESS Logistics Carrier. The completion of this mission will leave five space shuttle flights remaining until the end of the program.[6]

NASA is holding its first-ever live Shuttle launch tweetup with 100 members of the general public at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.[7]

Crew

Position[8] Launching Astronaut Landing Astronaut
Commander Charles O. Hobaugh
Third spaceflight
Pilot Barry E. Wilmore
First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1 Leland D. Melvin
Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2 Randolph Bresnik
First spaceflight
Flight Engineer/EV3
Mission Specialist 3 Michael Foreman
Second spaceflight
EV1
Mission Specialist 4 Robert Satcher
First spaceflight
EV2
Mission Specialist 5 None Nicole Stott
Expedition 21
First spaceflight
Robert Thirsk from CSA was originally slated to return from his stay aboard the station with STS-129, but due to flight delays, it was announced that Stott and Thirsk would swap return seats, with Stott returning aboard STS-129, and Thirsk returning on Soyuz TMA-15.[9]

STS-129 is slated to be the final space shuttle crew rotation flight to or from the ISS.

STS-129 is the 2nd flight to carry two African-American astronauts, Leland Melvin and Robert Satcher. The first was STS-116, which included Robert Curbeam and Joan Higginbotham.

Crew seating designation


File:Shuttle seat assignments.gif
Seats 1-4 are on the Flight Deck. Seats 5-7 are on the Mid-deck 		Seat[10] Launch Landing
S1 Charles Hobaugh Charles Hobaugh
S2 Barry Wilmore Barry Wilmore
S3 Leland Melvin Randolph Bresnik
S4 Randolph Bresnik Leland Melvin
S5 Michael Foreman Michael Foreman
S6 Robert Satcher Robert Satcher
S7 -- Nicole Stott

Mission payload

ExPRESS Logistics Carriers 1 & 2

ELC1
ELC2 with its various orbital replacement units installed.

The primary payload of STS-129 is scheduled to be the ExPRESS (Expedite the Processing of Experiments to the Space Station) Logistics Carrier (ELC1) and the ELC2. The mass capacity of each ELC is 4,445 kg (9,800 pounds) with a volume of 30 meters cubed (total with spares, ELC 1: 13,842 lbs and ELC 2: 13,365 lbs)[11].

ExPRESS Logistics Carrier-1 will launch with an Ammonia Tank Assembly, a Battery Charge Discharge Unit, a Space Station Remote Manipulator System Latching End Effector, a Control Moment Gyro, a Nitrogen Tank Assembly, a Pump Module, a Plasma Contactor Unit and two empty Passive Flight Releasable Attachment Mechanisms.

ExPRESS Logistics Carrier-2 will launch with a High Pressure Gas Tank, a Cargo Transport Container 1 (CTC-1) mounted to a Small Adapter Plate Assembly, a Mobile Transporter/Trailing Umbilical System, a Control Moment Gyro, a Nitrogen Tank Assembly, a Pump Module, Utility Transfer Assembly (UTA) Flight Support Equipment (FSE), one empty Payload Passive Flight Releasable Attachment Mechanism.

ELC1 will be berthed to the P3 truss' lower Unpressurized Cargo Carrier Attachment Systems and ELC2 will be berthed to the S3 truss' upper outboard payload attach structures[10]. NASA Goddard Space Center served as the overall integrator and manufacturer for ELC1 and ELC2.

Materials on International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) carrier

MISSE-7 is the most recent in a series of MISSEs to fly on the exterior of the space station

ELC2 will also carry MISSE-7, an experiment that will expose a variety of materials and coatings being considered for future spacecraft to the extreme conditions outside the space station. The materials are being evaluated for the effects of atomic oxygen, ultraviolet, direct sunlight, radiation, and extremes of heat and cold[12]. The experimental findings will benefit better understanding, development and to test new materials suitable to better withstand the rigors of space environments with applications in the design of future spacecraft.

MISSE-7 is composed of two suitcase-sized Passive Experiment Containers (PECs), identified as MISSE 7A and MISSE 7B. Once installed in the exterior of ISS by space walking astronauts, the PECs are opened. The orientation of MISSE 7A will be space facing/Earth facing while MISSE 7B will face forward/backward relative to the ISS orbit. Both MISSE 7A and MISSE 7B contain active and passive experiments. Passive experiments are designed for pre- and post-flight evaluation in ground-based laboratories. Being a first in the MISSE program, active experiments are designed to interface with the power and communication systems on ISS allowing data to be transmitted back to Earth.

The Naval Research Laboratory handles primary responsibility for MISSE 7A, while the Air Force Research Laboratory, NASA, Boeing, other industry collaborators, and academia have experiments on MISSE 7B[13]. Approximately 1 year after installation, the two PECs will be closed and returned to Earth.

S-band Antenna Sub-Assembly (SASA) package

The SASA package.

Atlantis will deliver a repaired S-band Antenna Sub-Assembly (SASA) to the ISS which was returned to Earth during the STS-120 mission in October 2007. SASA is a space station antenna assembly consisting of

  • Assembly Contingency Radio Frequency Group (RFG or ACRFG)
  • SASA Boom
  • Avionics Wire Harness

Major functions of the ACRFG are to transmit/receive radio signals to/from the transponder, amplification of signals to a power level necessary to be acquired by a Tracking Data and Relay Satellite and to broadcast/receive signals through the selected antenna.

The SASA boom assembly consists of a mast, an extra-vehicular activity (EVA) handle, a harness, a connector panel, a mounting surface for the RFG and a baseplate fitting. The fitting will serve as the structural interface for mounting the SASA to the Zenith 1 truss on the ISS.

The Avionics Wire Harness installed on the SASA Boom provides operational and heater power to the RFG. Another function of the harness is to send command/status/RF signals to and from RFG.

The SASA package will be attached to the sidewall inside the payload bay of Atlantis during the ascent to the ISS. It will be installed on the Zenith 1 truss as a spare.

COTS UHF communication unit

In a middeck stowage locker, Atlantis also will carry the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Communication Unit developed by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) in collaboration with NASA to the ISS[14][15]. It will be integrated on the space station in preparation for future SpaceX flights to the orbiting complex. The unit will allow for communication between the station, SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft and ground-based mission control. It will also allow the station crew to monitor an approaching or departing capsule.

Mission experiments

1) Microbe experiment - An experiment developed by Texas Southern University students in Houston that aims to study how microbes grow under weightless conditions in space[16].

2) Butterflies in Space Program - The shuttle will carry a suitcase sized payload holding larvae of Painted Lady butterflies and Monarch butterflies to the space station. Researchers at the University of Colorado in Boulder expect to compare the space caterpillars with butterfly larvae raised on Earth by students from 100 U.S. elementary and middle schools[17][18]. Visit http://www.bioedonline.org to follow the ground-based experiment on Earth at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, or to download the Butterflies in Space free teacher's guide for classroom use.[19]

3) Advanced Plant Experiments on orbit (APEX-Cambium project) – This joint Canadian Space Agency/NASA project aims to help determine the role gravity plays in the formation of reaction wood in trees[20]. APEX-Cambium will also carry out a second experiment to detect the effects of stressors in space on gene expression in higher plants.

4) Atlantis will transport thousands of the microscopic Caenorhabditis elegans worm that have been sent from the University of Nottingham, U.K to the ISS[21][22]. The worms which will suffer similar weight loss as humans will be stored inside the Kibo laboratory. They will be used to study the effect of zero gravity on the human body's muscle development and physiology. Several potential treatments for muscle loss will be tested on the creatures and the research findings will pave the way for treatments to be safely tested on astronauts.

Mission background

Space Shuttle Atlantis is at Launch Pad 39A after rolled out from the VAB on 14 October, 2009.

The mission marks:

  • 160th American manned space flight
  • 129th shuttle mission since STS-1
  • 31st flight of Atlantis
  • 31st shuttle mission to the ISS
  • 5th shuttle flight in 2009
  • 104th post-Challenger mission
  • 16th post-Columbia mission

Launch window

The launch window of space shuttle Atlantis in November (16-20 November 2009) was complicated by the Mini-Russian Research Module 2 (MRM-2) launch on top of a Soyuz-U rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and Eastern Range constraints with two other satellite launches from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, one at the beginning of the window and the other at the end. The Eastern Range had been reserved on 14 and 15 November for a communications satellite (Intelsat 14) launch aboard an Atlas-V rocket. A Delta-IV rocket carrying a Wideband Global SATCOM satellite was also expected to lift off on November 19.

On 10 November, MRM-2 was successfully launched (subsequently docking with the ISS happened on the 12th) while on the same day the Delta-IV rocket team announced that they have delayed their launch to a yet to be determined future date[23], allowing the shuttle to gain all additional launch opportunities at the end of the window if it requires. Atlas V's launch with the Intelsat 14 was scrubbed on the 14th due to a technical issue requiring a rollback[24]. The scrub for more than 24 hours, meant that Atlantis also avoided a possible postponement of its launch slipping into November 17.

Shuttle processing

Workers prepare Atlantis prior to STS-129.
The Ares I-X test rocket lifts off from pad 39B while Atlantis waits to launch on STS 129 from pad 39A.
The canister containing STS-129 payload at pad 39A awaiting installation into Atlantis' payload bay

Atlantis was towed from its hangar in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on 6 October, 2009 at about 7 a.m. EDT[25][26]. The move, known as rollover, was completed at 8:25 a.m. when Atlantis arrived in the VAB transfer aisle. Atlantis was initially scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39A on October 13. However, an issue with a crane that was being used to transfer Atlantis for attachment to its external fuel tank and two solid rocket boosters caused a delay in operations forcing the shuttle managers to add extra 24-hours to the rollout preparations.

Atlantis rolled out from the VAB to the Launch Complex 39A on Wednesday, October 14, 2009, at 6.38 a.m. EDT in a slow drive on the top of the Crawler-transporter. The 3.4-mile (5.5 km) rollout was completed with the launch platform secured in place at about 1:31 p.m EDT[27].

The final flight readiness review (FRR) meeting for the STS-129 mission took place at Kennedy Space Center during the last week of October. The FRR had approved the installation of a special minicam pointing out of window 4 on Atlantis' flight deck. The camera will film the forward portion of the External Tank during the shuttle's ascent to orbit, in order to capture the behavior of the LO2 Ice Frost Ramps (IFRs) located on the upper part of the tank during potential liberation events[28].

NASA managers held a post news conference to brief about the outcomes of the FRR on 30 October 2009. The briefing was broadcasted on NASA TV and was attended by William Gerstenmaier, NASA's Associate Administrator for Space Operations, Michael Moses, Launch Integration Manager, Space Shuttle Program and Michael Leinbach, space shuttle launch director. Mr. Gerstenmaier and Mr. Moses mentioned about two issues related to ongoing shuttle processing that had been discussed during the FRR: (1) Effects of vibrations and acoustics associated with the Main Engine ignition — a potential issue with a stinger (bolt) structure on the aft of the shuttle, which may be susceptible to the stresses of Main Engine ignition (2) Shuttle's toilet – a new Aluminum bracket used to help anchor the toilet to the crew module structure had been installed. For future flights, NASA plans to use a redesigned Titanium bracket[29].

The payload for the mission was moved to Launch Pad 39A on the 29 October and was installed into the shuttle's payload bay on 4 November 2009.

During the post-flight interview on 16 November, shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach told that Atlantis officially beat shuttle Discovery on the record low amount of Interim Problem Reports, with a total of just 54 listed since returning from the STS-125. He continued to add "It's due to the team and the hardware processing. They just did a great job. The record will probably never be broken again in the history of the Space Shuttle Program, so congratulations to them".

Launch preparations

Final launch preparations commenced at Pad 39A with technicians closing Atlantis' payload bay doors during the morning hours on 13 November. On the same day, NASA's official launch countdown clock began at 1 p.m. and the crew flew to the Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility in a Shuttle Training Aircraft Gulfstream II jet at 12:35 p.m. EST to prepare for the launch.

On 14 November, after the L-2 Mission Management Team (MMT) meeting, space shuttle launch integration manager Michael Moses announced that the MMT gave the official "go" for Atlantis’s launch on Monday, and Hobaugh and Wilmore practiced landings in the Shuttle Training Aircraft. On the evening at about 5.30 p.m. the Rotating Service Structure that protects the shuttle from adverse weather conditions was rolled back anticipating next day's launch.

The MMT again met at 4:30 a.m. EST on 16 November and gave a "go" to begin loading shuttle Atlantis’ external tank. The tanking began at 5:03 a.m. and was completed at 8 a.m. The final unanimous "go" for launch directive from the mission management team, mission control and the launch team came during the countdown clock holding at T-9 minutes.


Attempt Planned Result Turnaround Reason Decision point Weather go (%) Notes
1 16 Nov 2009, 2:28:00 pm successful — Initially 90%; Later 70% due to lower cloud cover ceilings; Changed to 80% at liftoff.

Mission Timeline

STS-129 launch countdown sign.
Space Shuttle Atlantis launches from Kennedy Space Center, November 16, 2009
STS-129 launch viewed from east Orlando

Nov. 16 (Flight Day 1 – Launch)

Atlantis launched on time at 19:28:10 UT, with launch commentator George Diller's words upon launch being "liftoff of space shuttle Atlantis, on a mission to build, re-supply and to do research on the International Space Station". Powered flight conformed to the standard timeline (see Space Shuttle - Mission Profile - Launch), with main engine cutoff (MECO) occurring at 8m33s into the flight. A further boost from the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engines was not required due to the nominal MECO and Atlantis settled into its planned preliminary orbit. A subsequent NC1 engine firing adjusted the orbital path of the shuttle to the ISS, by altering the shuttle's velocity, resulting in a new orbit of 147 by 118 statute miles.

At the post-launch news conference, NASA officials reported that three foam events were seen in the external tank video camera footage[30]. They further quoted that the events weren’t a concern since the foam loss events occurred after the aerodynamic sensitive time period. Later in the day, based on a quick-look review of the launch video, crew communicator (CAPCOM) astronaut Chris Ferguson also informed the shuttle crew that there were no ascent debris events of concern.

Flight day 1 on-orbit operations included, opening of the both payload bay doors of Atlantis, deploying the radiators, deploying Ku-Band antenna to gain favourable communications, opening of the protective doors covering the star trackers on the nose of the shuttle, setting up the onboard computer network, downlinking imagery and data collected during the flight into orbit, getting out of their launch and entry spacesuits and stowing away the mission specialists' seats.

The crew also completed a thorough checkout of the space shuttle's robotic arm earlier in preparation for the survey of Atlantis' wing leading edge panels and nose cap on flight day 2. The six astronauts started their sleep period around 9:45 p.m. EST about an hour or so later than originally planned.

Source: NASA Press Kit[1]

Nov. 17 (Flight Day 2)

The crew members aboard space shuttle Atlantis began their first full day in space at 4:28 a.m. EST. Activities for the STS-129 crew include:

  • Atlantis’ Thermal Protection System Survey with Shuttle Robotic Arm/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS)
  • Extravehicular Mobility Unit Checkout
  • Centerline Camera Installation
  • Orbiter Docking System Ring Extension
  • Orbital Maneuvering System Pod Survey
  • Rendezvous tools checkout
  • Shuttle RMS grapple of ELC1 in payload

Spacewalks

EVA # Spacewalkers Start (UTC) End (UTC) Duration
EVA 1
 Michael Foreman
Robert Satcher 		Flight day 4 6 hours, 30 minutes (planned)
Install a spare antenna on the station’s truss and a bracket for ammonia lines on the Unity module. They will lubricate the grapple mechanism on the Payload Orbital Replacement Unit Attachment Device on the Mobile Base System and lubricate the snares of the hand of the station's Japanese robotic arm.
EVA 2
 Michael Foreman
Randolph Bresnik 		Flight day 6 6 hours, 30 minutes (planned)
Install the GATOR (Grappling Adaptor to On-Orbit Railing) bracket to the Columbus laboratory and an additional ham radio antenna. They will install on the truss an antenna for wireless helmet camera video. They also will relocate the Floating Potential Measurement Unit that records electrical potential around the station as it orbits the Earth and deploy a bracket to attach cargo on the truss.
EVA 3
 Robert Satcher
Randolph Bresnik 		Flight day 8 6 hours, 30 minutes (planned)
Install a new oxygen tank on the Quest airlock and the next set of the “Materials on International Space Station Experiment,” known as MISSE-7A and 7B, on ELC-2. They will work the heater cables on a docking adapter in advance of the Tranquility module installation on Unity’s port side and deploy another cargo platform on the truss.


Mission insignia

The STS-129 mission patch was designed by Tim Gagnon and Dr. Jorge Cartes[31][32]. The rather unique shape of the patch resulted from the crew's desire for the patch signify the mission's payload (2 ExPRESS Logistics Carriers) providing equipment ensuring the longevity of the ISS.

The insignia incorporates a number of design elements not typically incorporated into a single patch: the Sun, Moon, Mars, NASA's astronaut symbol (ascending on red, white & blue stripes symbolizing the all-U.S. crew), the ISS, the Shuttle orbiter and the continental United States (representing the major U.S. centers supporting the Space Shuttle Program).

The 13 stars on the patch represent the crewmembers' children, and the moon and Mars represent the future of space exploration.[31] The names of the crew members are denoted on the outer band of the patch.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e NASA (October 2009). "Space Shuttle Mission STS-129 Stocking the Station PRESS KIT" (PDF). NASA.gov. Retrieved October 27, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
  2. ^ NASA (September 2009). "Remaining Space Shuttle Missions" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved October 16, 2009.
  3. ^ NASA (September 24, 2009). "Consolidated Launch Manifest". NASA. Retrieved October 16, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
  4. ^ NASA (October 14, 2009). "NASA's Shuttle and Rocket Missions". NASA. Retrieved October 16, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
  5. ^ Chris Bergin (October 19, 2009). "STS-129 Slips To November 16 After Wins Range Battle". NAsaSpaceFlight.com. Retrieved October 19, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
  6. ^ NASA (July 7, 2008). "NASA Sets Launch Dates for Remaining Space Shuttle Missions". NASA. Retrieved October 6 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  7. ^ "NASA Tweetup For Space Shuttle Atlantis Liftoff in Florida". NASA. October 19, 2009. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  8. ^ NASA (September 30, 2008). "NASA Assigns Crew For Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-129 Mission". NASA. Retrieved October 6, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  9. ^ NASA (March 3, 2009). "NASA Announces Change for Return of Station Crew Members". NASA. Retrieved May 23, 2009.
  10. ^ a b Chris Gebhardt (2 November, 2009). "Shuttle Program managers outline mission priorities for STS-129". Retrieved 3 November, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  11. ^ NASA. "STS-129 Mission Summary Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-129)" (PDF). NASA.gov. Retrieved 17 October, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ^ NASA (24 July 2009). "Materials International Space Station Experiment - 7 (MISSE-7)". Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  13. ^ Donald A. Jaworske and John Siamidis. "Overview of Materials International Space Station Experiment 7B" (PDF). Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  14. ^ SpaceX (September 1, 2009). "SpaceX Delivers Hardware to Cape Canaveral in Preparation for Flight Aboard STS-129 and Integration with the International Space Station". www.spacex.com. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  15. ^ Chris Bergin (10 November 2009). "STS-129 ready to support Dragon communication demo with ISS". NASAspaceflight.com. Retrieved 11 November 2009.
  16. ^ NASA (12 November 2009). "Students Send Microbe Experiment on Space Shuttle Atlantis". Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  17. ^ Jeremy Hsu (14 November 2009). "Butterflies to Hitch Orbital Ride on Space Shuttle". SPACE.com. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  18. ^ "Monarchs in Space". Monarchwatch.org. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  19. ^ Baylor College of Medicine, Center for Educational Outreach, http://www.bcm.edu; BioEd Online, http://www.bioedonline.org.
  20. ^ Canadian Space Agency. "Advanced Plant Experiments on orbit (APEX-Cambium) Canada's first study of how trees grow in space". Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  21. ^ "Space mission for worms". The University of Nottingham. 19 January 2009. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
  22. ^ "British scientists to send worms into space to help find cure for muscle-wasting diseases". MailOnline. 20 January 2009. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
  23. ^ Chris Gebhardt (11 November 2009). "MEI Flight Rationale success – Delta IV delay aids Atlantis' launch window". NASAspaceflight.com. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  24. ^ William Graham (14 November 2009). "Intelsat 14 launch on Atlas V AV-024 scrubbed – STS-129 remains on track". NASAspaceflight.com. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  25. ^ "Space Shuttle Atlantis Updates". NASA.gov. Retrieved 17 October 2009. {{cite news}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  26. ^ Gebhardt, Chris. "Atlantis Arrives at Pad 39A". nasaspaceflight.com. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
  27. ^ Gebhardt, Chris. "STS-129 may Slip Several Days due to Range Battle with Atlas Launch". nasaspaceflight.com. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
  28. ^ Chris Bergin (30 October 2009). "STS-129: Special flight deck Minicam set to film ET ramps during ascent". Retrieved 5 November 2009.
  29. ^ William Harwood (30 October 2009). "Shuttle Atlantis tentatively cleared for Nov. 16 launch". Retrieved 5 november 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  30. ^ Chris Bergin (16 November 2009). "STS-129: Atlantis in clean launch ahead of opening TPS inspections". NASAspaceflight.com. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
  31. ^ a b "STS-129 mission patch". collectSPACE. June 5, 2009. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
  32. ^ "About the Artist". Retrieved October 22, 2009.
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