NASA Pushes Toward Space Station Completion
Guy Norris and Andy Nativi
Kennedy Space Center
Final elements of the International Space Station (ISS) are moving toward completion in NASA's Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) here, where near-term work is focused on completing the payload for STS-127, scheduled for a June 13 launch.
Due to be carried aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on its 23rd flight, the payload will include the Japanese-supplied exposed facility that represents the final elements of the Kibo experiment module. The exposed section will be used to house science experiments in the vacuum of space and forms a "porch-like" structure attached to the end of the module. This will be mounted on the "Harmony" Node 2, and will be accompanied in Endeavour's cargo bay by nine large external spare parts mounted on an integrated cargo carrier.
Endeavour has been sitting at the ready on launch Pad 39B for a potential rescue mission for the ongoing STS-125 Hubble repair mission. But assuming its help will not be needed, Endeavour soon will be moved to Pad 39A in preparation for its upcoming ISS resupply and delivery mission. Discovery is meanwhile close to being refurbished in the nearby Orbiter Processing Facility in readiness for the upcoming STS-128 ISS delivery mission scheduled for Aug. 6.
STS-128 is slated to deliver crew systems racks and stowage aboard the "Leonardo" multipurpose logistics module. The mission also will deliver an ammonia tank mounted aboard a lightweight multipurpose experiment support structure carrier.
NASA also expects Node 3 to be delivered here by an Airbus Beluga transport on May 20 from Thales/Alenia's site in Torino, Italy. The unit is the second European Space Agency-supplied node, and will support the Cupola observation deck currently in the final stages of preparation at the SSPF. Fitted with large armored windows, the Cupola was originally withdrawn from the ISS plan but later reinstated after pressure from the astronaut community. It is now scheduled to be launched on Feb 4, 2010, on STS-130.
NASA plans to make the most of the last few shuttle missions to the ISS to deliver a batch of large-scale spare parts that will be stockpiled on specially developed Express Logistics Carriers (ELC). Carrying spares such as gyroscopes, pumps, tanks and other significant "rotables," two ELCs will travel to the ISS on STS-129, scheduled for Nov. 12. The manifest of spares, or "orbital replacement units," include a battery charge discharge unit, plasma contactor unit, control moment gyroscopes, nitrogen tanks, pump module, high-pressure gas tank, ammonia tank and a trailing umbilical system reel assembly. Work on equipping the ELCs is now under way at the Kennedy Space Center processing facility.
Photo: NASA
