STS-128

Launch, orbit & landing data: Designation  35811 / 09045A Launch date - time  29 Aug 2009 - 03:59 (04:00?) UT Launch site  KSC, LC39A Launch vehicle  Space Shuttle Orbiter  Discovery #37 Primary payload  MPLM FM-1 (Leonardo) Mass (kg)   Target spacecraft/port  ISS/ Docking date  31 Aug 2009 - 00:54 UT Earth orbit on :    - Perigee / Apogee  ~350 km    - Inclination  51.6°    - Period   min Undocking date  08 Sept 2009 - 19:26 UT Landing date - time  12 Sept 2009 - 00:53 UT Landing location  Edwards AFB, runway 22 Flight Duration (d:hr:min)  13d 20h 54m Nbr orbits  219 Landing crew  Stott replaced by Kopra (crew STS-127)

Crew

Backup Crew Nr. Name Job 7  Coleman, Catherine  Flight Engineer

Mission details:

• Launch from KSC, landing on Edwards AFB; ISS-17A mission, MPLM Leonardo, LMC.
• Due to bad weather in Florida (25 Aug 2009) and technical problems (26 Aug 2009) the launch was delayed three times.
  
  

  STS-128 1st rollout

  STS-128 2e rollout

  
  
• OV-103 Discovery was launched on Aug 29 on mission STS-128. It carries Multipurpose Logistics Module FM-1 - the MPLM 'Leonardo' - and other cargo carriers.

    STS-128 cargo manifest
    ----------------------
  
    Name                             Bay location   Mass (kg,guess)
  
    Orbiter Docking System           1-2            1800
     with EMU 3009, 3015 suits                       260?
    APC/SPDU                         3 port           17?
    APC/MISSE carrier                4 port           57
    APC/MISSE carrier                5 port           57
    ROEU umbilical                   7 starboard      79?
    Leonardo  (MPLM FM-1)            7-12          12131
    Lightweight MPESS Carrier (LMC)  13             1780
    RMS                              Sill            410
    OBSS                             Sill            382?
    -----------------------------------------------------
                                             Total 16973
  

• Following a two day solo flight Discovery docked to the ISS on 31.08.2009. Shuttle commander Frederick Sturckow, forced by a leaky steering jet to use Discovery's big maneuvering thrusters, instead of preferred fine-control vernier engines.
  
  

  STS-128 in orbit

  STS-128 crew

  
  
• Joint operations with the ISS expedition 20. Transfer Stott to ISS and Kopra to the STS-128-crew. During the mission, the Leonardo module was attached to the nadir port on the Harmony node (from Aug 31 2135 to Sep 8 0001) and experiments and equipment were transferred to the Station from it, including the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT), a crew quarters rack, materials science and fluids experiment racks, and a freezer system.
• During three spacewalks the EUTEF and MISSE 6 experiments were retrieved from Columbus, an ammonia tank assembly (ATA) was replaced on the P1 truss, and the S3 payload attach system was deployed. Cables were laid along the station in preparation for activating the Tranquility node when it arrives, although one cable could not be properly connected.
  Spacewalk details were as follows:

                             EMUs         Depr. H.Open OnBat     H.Close Repress
  EVA-1 Olivas, Stott     3015,3005 Sep 1 2144? 2148  2149  Sep 2 0419    0424
  EVA-2 Olivas, Fuglesang 3015,3009 Sep 3 2204? 2209  2212  Sep 4 0445    0451
  EVA-3 Olivas, Fuglesang 3015,3009 Sep 5 2035? 2038  2039  Sep 6 0334    0340
  

  EMU 3005 will be returned to Earth aboard Discovery (it was launched on STS-126); EMU 3009 replaces it on the Station.
• First EVA by Olivas and Stott on 01.09.2009 (6h 35m) to prepare for the replacement of an empty ammonia tank on the station's port truss, or backbone, by releasing its bolts. They also retrieved a materials processing experiment and a European science experiment mounted outside the Columbus laboratory and stowed them in Discovery's cargo bay for their return to Earth.
  
  

  EVA by Olivas & Stott

  EVA by Stott

  
  
• Second EVA by Olivas and Fuglesang on 03.09.2009 (6h 39m) to remove the new ammonia tank from the shuttle's payload bay and replacing it with the used tank on the station. The new tank, weighing about 1,800 pounds, was the most mass ever moved around by spacewalking astronauts. After the new tank was installed, the old one was stowed in the shuttle for its return to Earth. On Earth, the tank will be refueled and delivered again to the ISS during the mission of STS-131.
  
  

  EVA by Fuglesang

  EVA by Stott

  
  
• Third and final Olivas and Fuglesang on 05.09.2009 (7h 01m) to prepare for the arrival of the Tranquility node by attaching two 18m long cables between the starboard truss and the Unity node, the area where Tranquility will be installed. Tranquility is targeted to arrive to the station on STS-130 in February 2010. The spacewalkers also replaced a communications sensor device, installed two new GPS antennas and a new circuit breaker.
  A small object was released from the payload bay at some point during EVA-3; Discovery made an orbit adjust burn on Sep 10 to avoid it. The object was catalogued as 1998-067BV. Another small object floated out of the payload bay on Sep 9; it has not been catalogued.
• The first two landing opportunitiezs were postponed for one day due to weather conditions. After weather didn't get better in Florida, Discovery landed on runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base at 00:53 UTC on Sep 12, 2009. It flew back to KSC aboard Shuttle Carrier Aircraft NASA 911 on Sep 20-21.
  
  

  Landing STS-128

Astrophilately covers:

Launch cancel KSC. Credit: J. Vd Dr.

Landing cancel Edwards AFB. Credit: J. Vd Dr.