NASA Space Shuttle STS-131 Press Kit

8/9/2019 NASA Space Shuttle STS-131 Press Kit

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APRIL 2010 CONTENTS

CONTENTS

Section Page

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

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

MISSION PROFILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MISSION OBJECTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MISSION PERSONNEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LEONARDO MULTI-PURPOSE LOGISTICS MODULE (MPLM) FLIGHT MODULE 1 (FM1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

THE LIGHTWEIGHT MULTI-PURPOSE EXPERIMENT SUPPORT STRUCTURE CARRIER (LMC) . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

UNDOCKING, SEPARATION, AND DEPARTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SPACEWALKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

EXPERIMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

DETAILED TEST OBJECTIVES AND DETAILED SUPPLEMENTARY OBJECTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SHORT-DURATION U.S. INTEGRATED RESEARCH TO BE COMPLETED DURING STS-131/19A . . . . . . . . . . . .

EDUCATION ACTIVITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

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

LAUNCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ABORT-TO-ORBIT (ATO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

TRANSATLANTIC ABORT LANDING (TAL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

RETURN-TO-LAUNCH-SI TE (RTLS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ABORT ONCE AROUND (AOA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LANDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


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ii CONTENTS APRIL 2010

Section Page

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

MEDIA ASSISTANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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


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APRIL 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 1

STS-131/ 19A MISSION OVERVIEW

Backdropped by a blue and white part of Earth, the International Space Station is featured in thisimage photographed by an STS-130 crew member on space shuttle Endeavour.

As the last round-trip for the LeonardoMulti-Purpose Logistics Module, Discoverys13-day mission will provide the InternationalSpace Station with not only some 8 tons ofscience equipment and cargo, but also one last

opportunity to send a large load of cargo backto the ground.

Leonardo serves as basically a moving van forthe space station, allowing the shuttle to, first ofall, deliver shipments of equipment andsupplies larger than any other vehicle couldaccommodate, and, second, to return science

experiments, unneeded hardware and trash tothe ground all other cargo transfer vehicles burn up in the Earths atmosphere. Andalthough Leonardo will return to the stationonce more on the last space shuttle mission

later this year, this is scheduled to be its lastround trip Leonardo will remain permanentlyat the station after STS-133. So while it willdeliver one more batch of goods, the cargoreturning on STS-131 will be the last that it brings home.


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2 MISSION OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

And although there are only four shuttlemissions left before the space shuttle fleet isretired, the program is still making some spacefirsts possible. With three female crewmembers arriving on board Discovery and onealready at the station, the STS-131 mission willmark the first time that four women have beenin space at one time. And as there is one Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronauton each crew, the mission is also the first timefor two JAXA astronauts to be in space at thesame time.

Discovery, commanded by spaceflight veteranAlan G. Poindexter, is scheduled to lift off fromKennedy Space Center at 6:21 a.m. EDT onMonday, April 5, and arrive at the orbitingcomplex early on Wednesday, April 7.

While docked to the station, Discoverys crewwill conduct three spacewalks and spendabout 100 combined hours moving cargo inand out of Leonardo and the shuttles middeck.

NASA astronaut Alan G. Poindexter, STS-131 commander, attired in a training version of hisshuttle launch and entry suit, occupies the commanders station on the flight deck of the

Full Fuselage Trainer in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASAs Johnson Space Center.


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Poindexter, 48, a U.S. Navy captain, served aspilot on STS-122 in 2008. He will be joined onthe mission by pilot James P. Dutton Jr., 41, aU.S. Air Force colonel, who will be making hisfirst trip to space. Mission specialists areRick Mastracchio, 50, who flew on STS-106and STS-118 in 2000 and 2007, respectively;Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, 34, a formerteacher who became an astronaut in 2004;Stephanie Wilson, 43, who flew on STS-121and STS-120 in 2006 and 2007, respectively;Naoko Yamazaki, 39, a Japan AerospaceExploration Agency astronaut; andClayton Anderson, 51, who spent 152 days onthe space station as a member of theExpedition 15 crew in 2007, traveling to thestation on STS-117 and returning to Earth onSTS-120.

The day after launch, Poindexter, Dutton,Metcalf-Lindenburger, Wilson and Yamazakiwill take turns from Discoverys aft flight deckmaneuvering its robotic arm in the traditionalday-long scan of the reinforced carbon-carbonon the leading edges of the shuttles wings andits nose cap. This initial inspection, using a50-foot-long robotic arm extension equippedwith sensors and lasers, called the OrbiterBoom Sensor System, will provide imageryexperts on the ground a close-up look at theorbiters heat shield following the dynamicliftoff. A follow-up inspection will take placeafter Discovery undocks from the station.

While the inspection takes place, Mastracchioand Anderson will prepare the spacesuits theywill wear for their three spacewalks out

of the Quest airlock at the station. Dockingpreparations will occupy the remainder of thecrews workday.

On the third day of the flight, Discovery will be flown by Poindexter and Dutton on itsapproach for docking to the station. After aseries of jet firings to fine-tune Discoverys pathto the complex, the shuttle will arrive at apoint about 600 feet directly below the stationabout an hour before docking. At that time,Poindexter will execute the rendezvous pitchmaneuver, a one-degree-per-second rotational

backflip to enable station crew members tosnap hundreds of detailed photos of theshuttles heat shield and other areas of potentialinterest another data point for imageryanalysts to pore over in determining the healthof the shuttles thermal protection system.

Once the rotation is completed, Poindexter willfly Discovery in front of the station beforeslowly closing in for a linkup to the forwarddocking port on the Harmony module. Lessthan two hours later, hatches will be opened between the two spacecraft and a combinedcrew of 13 will begin nine days of work.Discoverys crew will be working withExpedition 23 commander, Russian cosmonautOleg Kotov and flight engineers T.J. Creamerand Tracy Caldwell Dyson, both of NASA;Soichi Noguchi, a Japan AerospaceAgency astronaut; and cosmonautsAlexander Skvortsov and Mikhail Kornienko.

Anderson and Kotov were Expedition 15 crewmembers together, and Mastracchio visitedduring that time as part of the STS-118 mission.


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NASA astronaut James P. Dutton Jr., STS-131 pilot, occupies the pilots station during atraining session in the shuttle mission simulator in the Jake Garn Simulation and

Training Facility at NASAs Johnson Space Center.

After a station safety briefing, Wilson andYamazaki will operate the stations robotic armto remove the OBSS from Discoverys cargo bayand hand it off to the shuttle robotic arm beingoperated by Dutton and Metcalf-Lindenburger.

Wilson and Yamazaki will be back at thecontrols of the stations robotic arm thefollowing day, flight day 4, as they unberthLeonardo and maneuver it into place forinstallation on the stations Harmony node.Anderson will then work with Noguchi to

prepare Leonardos hatch for opening near theend of the day.

That night, spacewalkers Mastracchio andAnderson will sleep in the Quest airlock as partof the overnight campout procedure thathelps purge nitrogen from their bloodstreams,preventing decompression sickness once theymove out into the vacuum of space. Thecampout will be repeated the night before eachspacewalk.


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Astronaut Clayton Anderson, STS-131 mission specialist, participates in an ExtravehicularMobility Unit spacesuit fit check in the Space Station Airlock Test Article in the Crew

Systems Laboratory at NASAs Johnson Space Center. AstronautDorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, mission specialist, assists Anderson.


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On the fifth day of the mission, the stationwill be a hive of activity inside and out.Spacewalkers Mastracchio and Anderson willprepare the ammonia tank assembly broughtup in Discoverys cargo bay to be removed byDutton and Wilson at the controls of thestations robotic arm and temporarily stored onthe arms mobile base. They will also retrieve ascience experiment on the Japanese KiboLaboratorys exposed facility, replace a rategyro assembly on the center segment of thestations truss and prepare the batteries on thestations P6 solar arrays for replacement later.

Mastracchio (EV 1) will wear a suit with stripes.Anderson (EV 2) will wear a suit with nostripes. Mastracchio and Anderson each havethree spacewalks under their belt, one of whichthey performed together during the STS-118mission.

While that is going on outside, inside Yamazakiand Noguchi will get to work unpacking someof the larger items brought up inside Leonardo,including a new Minus Eighty-DegreeLaboratory Freezer for ISS, a new crew quartersrack and the Muscle Atrophy Resistive ExerciseSystem, a piece of exercise equipment that

allows astronauts to exercise seven different joints and scientists to study the strength of themuscles they use.

The sixth day is available for focusedinspection of Discoverys heat shield if missionmanagers deem it necessary. Dutton,Metcalf-Lindenburger and Wilson wouldconduct that survey in the crews morningwhile Mastracchio, Yamazaki and Andersoncontinued unpacking Leonardo. After lunch,Mastracchio and Anderson will beginpreparations for their second spacewalk, while

the rest of the shuttle crew, along with Kotovand Noguchi, carry on with the transfer work.

Among the items scheduled to make their wayover to the space station on flight day 6 are theWindow Observational Research Facility,which provides a set of cameras, multispectraland hyperspectral scanners, camcorders andother instruments to capture imagery of theEarth and space through the Destinylaboratorys window; and EXPRESS rack 7,which will provide power, data, cooling, waterand other support to a number of experimentsat the station.


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NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, STS-131 mission specialist, participates in a training session inan International Space Station mock-up/trainer in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at

NASAs Johnson Space Center.

All Discovery crew members will participate intransfer of one form or another on flight day 7.For Mastracchio and Anderson, the work willoccur over six and a half hours outside thestation, as they remove a spent ammonia tankassembly from the starboard side of thestations truss and replace it with the new tankthey removed from Discovery during the firstspacewalk.

The following morning, the crew will have thefirst half of flight day 8 off to enjoy somewell-earned off duty time, then it will be backto work in Leonardo and time to prepare for thethird and final spacewalk of the mission on

flight day 9. During that six-and-a-half-hourspacewalk, Mastracchio and Anderson willinstall in the shuttles cargo bay the spentammonia tank assembly they removed on theprevious spacewalk. Theyll also remove apiece of hardware used to attach equipmentand experiments to the exterior of theColumbus laboratory and store it in Discoveryscargo bay; install a camera and remove aninsulation blanket on the Special PurposeDexterous Manipulator; and replace a light in acamera on the exterior of Destiny.


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Crew members inside will perform moretransfer work while the spacewalk is going onoutside, and that work will finish up on themorning flight day 10 before the crews go offduty in the afternoon. All 13 members of thecrew will also take some time out for thetraditional joint crew news conference on thisday.

The hatches between Harmony and Leonardowill be closed on the morning of flight day 11 inpreparation for its removal from the station by

Wilson and Yamazaki, who will use the spacestations robotic arm to pack it back intoDiscoverys cargo bay for return home. Withthat done, Discoverys crew will say farewell tothe Expedition 23 crew, and hatches will beclosed between the two vehicles.

Discovery will leave the space station withmore than 20,000 pounds of trash, hardwarethats no longer needed and scienceexperiments to return to Earth.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Naoko Yamazaki (foreground) andNASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson, both STS-131 mission specialists, participate in a

Thermal Protection System Orbiter Boom Sensor System training session in theJake Garn Simulation and Training Facility at NASAs Johnson Space Center.


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After Discovery undocks early in the morningof April 16, Dutton will guide the shuttleon a 360-degree fly-around of the stationso that other crew members can documentthe exterior condition of the orbiting outpost.After that is complete, Poindexter, Dutton,Metcalf-Lindenburger, Wilson and Yamazakiwill conduct one last inspection of Discoverysheat shield using the shuttles robotic arm andorbiter boom sensor system.

The last full day of orbital activities by the STS-131 crew will focus on landing

preparations. Poindexter, Dutton and

Metcalf-Lindenburger will conduct thetraditional checkout of the shuttles flightcontrol systems and steering jets, settingDiscovery up for its supersonic return to Earth.

On the 14th day of the mission, weatherpermitting, Poindexter and Dutton will steerDiscovery to a morning landing on April 18 atthe Kennedy Space Center. When the shuttleswheels roll to a stop, it will wrap up the38th flight for Discovery, the 131th mission inshuttle program history and the 33nd shuttlevisit to the International Space Station


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STS-131 crew members, attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, take amoment to pose for a crew photo prior to a training session in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility atNASAs 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.


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APRIL 2010 TIMELINEOVERVIEW 11

STS-131 TIMELINE OVERVIEW

Fl i ght Day 1

Launch

Payload Bay Door Opening

Ku-Band Antenna Deployment

Shuttle Robotic Arm Activation andPayload Bay Survey

Umbilical Well and Hand-held ExternalTank Photo and TV Downlink

Fl i ght Day 2

Discoverys Thermal Protection SystemSurvey with Shuttle Robotic Arm/OrbiterBoom Sensor System (OBSS)

Extravehicular Mobility Unit checkout

Centerline Camera Installation

Orbiter Docking System Ring Extension

Orbital Maneuvering System Pod Survey

Rendezvous tools checkout

Fl i ght Day 3

Rendezvous with the International SpaceStation

Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver Photographyof Discoverys Thermal Protection System by Expedition 23 crew members Creamerand Kotov

Docking to Harmony/Pressurized MatingAdapter-2

Hatch Opening and Welcoming

Canadarm2 grapple of OBSS and handoff toShuttle robotic arm

Fl i ght Day 4

Leonardo Multi-purpose Logistics Moduleunberth from Discoverys cargo bayand installation on Harmony modulesEarth-facing port

Leonardo activation and ingress

Spacewalk 1 preparations by Mastracchioand Anderson

Spacewalk 1 procedure review

Spacewalk 1 campout by Mastracchio andAnderson in the Quest airlock

Fl i ght Day 5

Transfer of cargo from Leonardo to ISS

Spacewalk 1 by Mastracchio and Anderson(removal of depleted Ammonia TankAssembly from S1 truss, replacement of afailed gyroscope unit in the S0 truss,retrieval of Japanese experiment from the Japanese Exposed Facility, preparations forreplacement of batteries on the P6 truss on alater mission)


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12 TIMELINEOVERVIEW APRIL 2010

Fl i ght Day 6

Focused inspection of Discoverys thermal

protection heat shield, if required

Cargo and rack transfer from Leonardo toISS



Fl i ght Day 7

Spacewalk 2 by Mastracchio and Anderson(install new Ammonia Tank Assembly onthe S1 truss, temporarily stow the depletedammonia tank on the truss crew translationcart, install micrometeoroid debris shieldson the Quest airlock)

Fl i ght Day 8

Crew off duty time

Cargo transfer from Leonardo to ISS



Fl i ght Day 9

Spacewalk 3 by Mastracchio and Anderson

(install depleted ammonia tank back inDiscoverys cargo bay, installation of alightweight plate adapter assembly on theDextre robot, installation of a new light on acamera assembly on the Destiny laboratory,installation of a camera pan and tiltassembly on Dextre)

Cargo transfer from Leonardo to ISS

Fl i ght Day 10

Final cargo transfer operations

Joint Crew News Conference

Crew off duty time

Fl i ght Day 11

Demate of the Leonardo Multi-purposeLogistics Module from the HarmonyEarth-facing port and berthing back in

Discoverys cargo bay Farewells and Hatch Closure

Rendezvous Tool checkout

Fl i ght Day 12

Discovery undocking from ISS andflyaround

Final separation from the ISS

OBSS late inspection of Discoverys thermalheat shield

OBSS berth


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APRIL 2010 TIMELINEOVERVIEW 13

Fl i ght Day 13

Cabin stowage

Flight Control System checkout

Reaction Control System hot-fire test

Deorbit Preparation Briefing

Ku-band antenna stowage

Fl i ght Day 14

Deorbit preparations

Payload Bay Door closing

Deorbit burn

KSC Landing


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APRIL 2010 MISSION PROFILE 15

MISSION PROFILECREW

Commander: Alan G. PoindexterPilot: James P. Dutton, Jr.Mission Specialist 1: Rick MastracchioMission Specialist 2: Dorothy Metcalf-

LindenburgerMission Specialist 3: Stephanie WilsonMission Specialist 4: Naoko YamazakiMission Specialist 5: Clayton Anderson

LAUNCH

Orbiter: Discovery (OV-103)Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center

Launch Pad 39ALaunch Date: April 5, 2010Launch Time: 6:21 a.m. EDT

(Preferred In-Planelaunch time for 4/5)

Launch Window: 10 MinutesAltitude: 122 Nautical Miles

(140 Miles) OrbitalInsertion; 185 NM(213 Miles) Rendezvous

Inclination: 51.6 DegreesDuration: 13 Days 2 Hours

14 Minutes

VEHICLE DATA

Shuttle Liftoff Weight: 4,521,749pounds

Orbiter/Payload Liftoff Weight: 266,864pounds

Orbiter/Payload Landing Weight: 224,957pounds

Software Version: OI-34

Space Shut t l e Mai n Engi nes:

SSME 1: 2045SSME 2: 2060SSME 3: 2054External Tank: ET-135SRB Set: BI-142RSRM Set: 110

SHUTTLE ABORTS

Abort Landi ng Si tes

RTLS: Kennedy Space Center ShuttleLanding Facility

TAL: Primary Zaragoza, SpainAlternates Moron, Spain andIstres, France

AOA: Primary Kennedy Space CenterShuttle Landing FacilityAlternate White Sands Space

Harbor

LANDING

Landing Date: April 18, 2010Landing Time: 8:35 a.m. EDTPrimary landing Site: Kennedy Space Center

Shuttle Landing Facility

PAYLOADS

Multi-Purpose Logistics Module


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16 MISSION PROFILE APRIL 2010



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APRIL 2010 MISSION OBJECTIVES 17

MISSION OBJECTIVES

MAJOR OBJECTIVES

1. Perform middeck and Multi-PurposeLogistics Module cargo transfers.

2. Remove current Ammonia Tank Assemblyon S1 and install new ATA (old ATA to beinstalled on Lightweight Multi-PurposeExperiment Support Structure Carrier).

3. Transfer and install the following racks:

Muscle Atrophy Research and ExerciseSystem (MARES)

Window Observational ResearchFacility (WORF)

Minus Eighty-Degree LaboratoryFreezer for ISS (MELFI-3)

EXpedite the PRocessing of Experimentsto Space Station (EXPRESS) Rack No. 7

Crew Quarters No. 2

2 Zero-g Stowage Racks (ZSR)

4. Retrieve Light Weight Adapter Plate

Assembly payload.5. Retrieve Japanese Experiment Module

SEED payload.

6. Return three Integrated Stowage Platforms.


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18 MISSION OBJECTIVES APRIL 2010



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APRIL 2010 MISSION PERSONNEL 19

MISSION PERSONNEL

KEY CONSOLE POSITIONS FOR STS-131

Flt. Director CAPCOM PAO

Ascent Bryan Lunney Rick SturckowGeorge Zamka (Wx)

Brandi Dean

Orbit 1 (Lead) Richard Jones Rick Sturckow Brandi Dean

Orbit 2 Mike Sarafin Aki Hoshide Josh Byerly

Planning Ginger Kerrick Megan McArthur/Chris Cassidy

Lynnette Madison

Entry Bryan Lunney Rick SturckowGeorge Zamka (Wx)

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

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


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20 MISSION PERSONNEL APRIL 2010



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APRIL 2010 CREW 21

STS-131 CREW

The STS-131/19A crew patch highlights thespace shuttle in the Rendezvous Pitch

Maneuver (RPM). This maneuver is heavilyphotographed by the International SpaceStation crew members, and the photos areanalyzed back on Earth to clear the spaceshuttles thermal protection system for re-entry.The RPM illustrates the teamwork and safetyprocess behind each space shuttle launch.

In the space shuttles cargo bay is theMulti-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM

Leonardo, which is carrying several sciencracks, the last of the four crew quarters andsupplies for the space station. Out of view andirectly behind the MPLM is the AmmoniTank Assembly (ATA) that will be used toreplace the current ATA. This will take placduring three spacewalks. The 51.6 spacshuttle orbit is illustrated by the three gold bar


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CREW APRIL 2010

22

of the astronaut symbol, and its ellipticalwreath contains the orbit of the station. Thestar atop the astronaut symbol is the dawningsun, which is spreading its early light across theEarth. The background star field containsseven stars, one for each crew member; they are

proud to represent the United States and Japanduring this mission.

Short biographical sketches of the crew followith detailed background available at:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/

The STS-131 crew is commanded by Alan G. Poindexter (seated, right) and piloted byJames P. Dutton Jr. (seated, left). Standing from the left are Mission Specialists

Rick Mastracchio, Stephanie Wilson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Naoko Yamazakiand Clayton Anderson.


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APRIL 2010 CREW 23

STS-130 CREW BIOGRAPHIES

Alan G. Poindexter

A captain in the U.S. Navy, Alan G. Poindexterwill command the STS-131 crew on its missionto the space station. This will be the second tripto space for Poindexter, who has more than306 hours of spaceflight experience afterserving as pilot of STS-122, which deliveredand installed the European Space AgencysColumbus Laboratory in 2008.

Poindexter will be responsible for the executionof the mission and will oversee all crew and

vehicle activities. As commander, he will flyDiscovery during the rendezvous pitchmaneuver. He also will fly the shuttle duringdocking and landing back on Earth.

Selected by NASA in 1998, Poindexter served asa CAPCOM and in the Astronaut Office ShuttleOperations Branch performing duties as thelead support astronaut at Kennedy SpaceCenter.


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24 CREW APRIL 2010

James P. Dutton Jr.

Marking his first spaceflight journey, James P. Dutton, Jr., a colonel in theU.S. Air Force, will serve as pilot of STS-131.

He will assist Poindexter with rendezvous andlanding and will fly the orbiter duringundocking and the fly-around. In addition,he will serve as lead shuttle robotic armoperator for the mission, will be responsiblefor airlock operations in preparation for EVAsand will assist Wilson with the station roboticarm operations.

Dutton graduated from the U.S. Air ForcAcademy in 1991. After being selected bNASA in 2004 and completing astronau

candidate training two years later, he wasthe ascent/entry CAPCOM for STS-122 anSTS-123, both in 2008. He has logged ov3,300 flight hours in more than 30 differenaircraft.


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APRIL 2010 CREW 25

Rick Mastracchio

Veteran astronaut Rick Mastracchio will serveas mission specialist 1 on STS-131, marking histhird trip to space. He joined NASA in 1990as an engineer in the Flight Crew Operations

Directorate. Before being selected as anastronaut he worked as an ascent/entryguidance and procedures officer in MissionControl supporting 17 missions as a flightcontroller. Selected as an astronaut in 1996,he has worked technical issues for the

Astronaut Office Computer Support Branchthe Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Branchand also served as lead for cockpit avionicupgrades. He flew as the ascent/entry fligh

engineer on STS-106 and STS-118 anparticipated in three spacewalks on STS-118.

Mastracchio, lead EVA crew member, will bon the flight deck for ascent and will performthree spacewalks with Clay Anderson.


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26 CREW APRIL 2010

Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger

A former teacher, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger will serve as mission specialist 2

on STS-131. She is the intravehicular crewmember, responsible for coordinating allspacewalk activities. She also will operate theshuttle robotic arm.

Selected by NASA as a mission specialist in2004, Metcalf-Lindenburger has most recently

served as the Astronaut Office Station Branclead for systems and crew interfaces.

She spent five years teaching Earth sciencand astronomy, three years of coachingcross-country at the high school level andtwo years of teaching Science Olympiad. Shalso did undergraduate research in geology fotwo summers.


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APRIL 2010 CREW 27

Stephanie Wilson

A Harvard engineering graduate and veteran oftwo spaceflights, Stephanie Wilson is assignedas mission specialist 3 for STS-131. Shepreviously flew on STS-121 in 2006 and STS-120in 2007. At the conclusion of STS-131, she willhave flown on Discovery for all threeof her spaceflights. Wilsons primary duties forthe STS-131 mission include operating thespace station robotic arm, operating thehand-held LIDAR and the rendezvoussituational awareness tools during docking andundocking with the station, and managing the

plan that transforms Discovery from a launchvehicle to an orbiting vehicle to an entryvehicle.

After being selected by NASA in 1996 from t

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Wilson was initiallassigned technical duties in the AstronautOffice Space Station Operations Branch twork with space station payload displays andprocedures. She then went on to serve in thAstronaut Office CAPCOM Branch, working mission control as a prime communicator within-orbit crews.


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28 CREW APRIL 2010

Naoko Yamazaki

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)astronaut Naoko Yamazaki will serve asmission specialist 4 on STS-131, her firstspaceflight. Loadmaster for the mission, shewill be responsible for all payload and transferoperations, and she will also assist Wilson withMPLM install and berthing operations withSSRMS.

Yamazaki joined the National SpaceDevelopment Agency of Japan (NASDA) in1996 and was involved in the JapaneseExperiment Module system integration andspecifically assigned developmental tasks.

For two years she was involved in thedevelopment of the station centrifuge (lifscience experiment facility) and conducteconceptual framework and preliminary designin the Centrifuge Project Team.

Selected by NASDA (currently JAXA) in 1999one of three astronaut candidates for the spacstation, five years later she arrived at JohnsoSpace Center where she initially served in thAstronaut Office Robotics Branch.


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APRIL 2010 CREW 29

Clayton Anderson

Veteran of one long-duration spaceflight,Clayton Anderson will serve as missionspecialist 5 for STS-131. In 2007, he launchedto the station aboard STS-117 and replacedSuni Williams as the Expedition 15 flightengineer and returned home as a member of theSTS-120 crew.

At Johnson Space Center, Anderson worked inthe Mission Operations Directorate as a flightdesign manager leading the trajectory designteam for the Galileo Planetary Mission, STS-34,

while serving as the backup for the MagellaPlanetary Mission, STS-31. In 1993, he wnamed chief of the Flight Design BranchAnderson later then held the position ofmanager of the Emergency Operations CenteHe was selected by NASA in 1998.

Anderson will be on the flight deck for entryHe will assist with rendezvous and undockingand will perform three spacewalks withMastracchio.


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30 CREW APRIL 2010



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APRIL 2010 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 31

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW

The graphic depicts the placement of the primary STS-131 payloadsin the shuttles cargo bay.

Space shuttle Discoverys STS-131/19A payloadincludes the Leonardo Multi-Purpose LogisticsModule (MPLM) and the LightweightMulti-Purpose Experiment Support StructureCarrier (LMC). The total payload weight, notcounting the middeck, is 31,130 pounds. Thereturn weight is expected to be 24,118 pounds.

On the middeck of the space shuttle, it willcarry GLACIER, which is a freezer designed toprovide cryogenic transportation andpreservation capability for samples. The unitis a double locker equivalent unit capableof transport and operation in the middeck andon-orbit operation in the EXPRESS Rack.


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32 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW APRIL 2010

The space shuttle will carry on its middeck(ascent) the following items: GLACIER,MERLIN, Mouse Immunology, Space TissueLoss, NLP-Vaccine-8, BRIC-16, APEXCambium, ESA ECCO with WAICO2, JAXA 2DNano Template, JAXA Myo Lab, JAXA NeuroRad, Sleep. On its return, among the items

carried on the middeck will includeGLACIER, MERLIN, Mouse Immunology,Space Tissue Loss, NLP-Vaccine-8,BRIC-16, APEX-Cambium, Coldbag, JAXANanoskeleton, JAXA Space Seed, SWAB ReturnKit, Sleep.

GLACIER


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LEONARDO MULTI-PURPOSELOGISTICS MODULE (MPLM) FLIGHT

MODULE 1 (FM1)The Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module(MPLM) is one of three differently named large,reusable pressurized elements, carried in thespace shuttles cargo bay, used to ferry cargo back and forth to the station. For STS-131, FM1was modified by removing hardware to reducethe weight of the module so that morehardware could be launched for this mission.Approximately 178.1 pounds of noncriticalhardware were removed from FM1.

Leonardo includes components that providelife support, fire detection and suppression,electrical distribution and computers when it isattached to the station. The cylindrical logisticsmodule acts as a pressurized moving van forthe space station, carrying cargo, experimentsand supplies for delivery to support thesix-person crew on-board the station. Themodule also returns spent Orbital ReplacementUnits (ORUs) and components that needmaintenance for backup spares. Each MPLMmodule is 21 feet long and 15 feet in diameter the same size as the European Space AgencysColumbus module.

MPLM


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On the STS-131 mission, Leonardo will carry16 racks to the station four experiment racks,one systems rack, seven Resupply StowagePlatforms (RSPs), and four Resupply StowageRacks (RSRs). The MPLM will also include thefully stocked Aft Cone Stowage (first used onSTS-126/Flight Utilization Logistics Flight 2 onNovember 14, 2008). The aft cone modificationallows 12 additional cargo bags, which aresimilar to the size of carry-on suitcases.

The four experiment racks carried in Leonardoare: Express Rack 7, Muscle Atrophy Research

and Exercise System (MARES), Minus EightyLaboratory Freezer 3 (MELFI-3), and WindowObservational Research Facility (WORF). Thestation system rack is Crew Quarters 4 (CQ-4).

The following are more detailed descriptions oneach of these racks:

WINDOW OBSERVATI ONAL RESEARCHFACILITY (WORF)

The Window Observational Research Facility(WORF) provides new capability for scientificand commercial payloads and will be aresource for public outreach and educationalopportunities for Earth Sciences (e.g., theEarthKAM, etc.). Images from space havemany applications; i.e., they can be used tostudy global climates, land and sea formations,

and crop and weather damage and healthassessments. Special sensors can also provideimportant data regarding transient atmosphericand geologic phenomena (hurricanes andvolcanic eruptions), as well as act as a test bedfor collecting data for new sensor technologydevelopment

The WORF is located on the nadir (Earthfacing) side of the U.S. Destiny laboratorymodule. The Lab window, which features thehighest quality optics ever flown on a humanoccupied spacecraft, allows viewing of

39.5 degrees forward along the axis of thestation, 32.2 degrees aft and 79.1 degrees fromport to starboard.

WORF


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Schematic of the WORF

The WORF design uses the existing EXpeditethe PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station(EXPRESS) Rack hardware which includes aRack Interface Controller (RIC) box for powerand data connection, Avionics Air Assembly(AAA) fan for air circulation within the rack,rack fire detection, and appropriate avionics tocommunicate with the station data network.The WORF consists of a facility that provides

protection for the interior of the Lab windowand controls stray light exchange between theLab interior and the external Stationenvironment. The WORF will maximize theuse of the Lab window by providingattachments for sensors (cameras, multispectral

and hyperspectral scanners, camcorders andother instruments) to capture imagery of theEarth and space. It provides attachment points,power and data transfer capability forinstruments to be mounted near the window.Multiple instruments can be mounted at thesame time. The rack is designed to allow rapidchanges of equipment by the crew. The WORFwill have available a bracket for small cameras

such as 35 mm, 70 mm and camcorders. Otherlarger payloads, which require a nonstandardattachment, or require additional instrumentisolation, must supply their own brackets orplatforms which mount to the WORF using theattachment points.


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MUSCLE ATROPHY RESEARCH ANDEXERCISE SYSTEM (MARES)

The Muscle Atrophy Research and ExerciseSystem (MARES) will be used for researchon musculoskeletal, biomechanical, andneuromuscular human physiology to betterunderstand the effects of microgravity on themuscular system.

MARES enables scientists to study thedetailed effects of microgravity on the humanmuscle-skeletal system. It also provides a

means to evaluate countermeasures designed tomitigate the negative effect, especially muscleatrophy.

The MARES hardware is made up of anadjustable chair and human restraint system, a

pantograph (an articulated arm supporting thechair, used to properly position the user), adirect drive motor, associated electronics andexperiment programming software, a linearadapter that translates motor rotation intolinear movements, and a vibration isolationframe.

MARES is capable of supporting measurementsand exercise on seven different human joints, encompassing nine different angularmovements, as well as two additional linearmovements (arms and legs). It is considerably

more advanced than current ground-basedmedical dynamometers (devices used tomeasure force or torque) and a vastimprovement over existing station muscleresearch facilities.

MARES


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MARES is integrated into a single InternationalStandard Payload Rack (ISPR), called theHuman Research Facility (HRF) MARES Rack,where it can also be stowed when not in use.

It may be used together with an associateddevice called the Percutaneous ElectricalMuscle Stimulator (PEMS II).

MARES


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EXPRESS RACK 7

EXPRESS rack

EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments toSpace Station Rack 7 (EXPRESS rack 7) is amultipurpose payload rack system that storesand supports experiments aboard theInternational Space Station. The EXPRESS racksystem supports science experiments in anydiscipline by providing structural interfaces,power, data, cooling, water, and other itemsneeded to operate science experiments in space.

With standardized hardware interfaces andstreamlined approach, the EXpedite thePRocessing of Experiments to Space Station(EXPRESS) rack enables quick, simple

integration of multiple payloads aboard thespace station. The system is composed ofelements that remain on the station andelements that travel back and forth between thestation and Earth via the space shuttle.EXPRESS racks remain on orbit continually.Experiments are replaced in the EXPRESS racksas needed, remaining on the station forperiods ranging from three months to severalyears, depending on the experiment's timerequirements.

Payloads within an EXPRESS rack can operateindependently of each other, allowing for


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differences in temperature, power levels,and schedules. The EXPRESS rack providesstowage, power, data, command and control,video, water cooling, air cooling, vacuumexhaust, and nitrogen supply to payloads.Each EXPRESS rack is housed in anInternational Standard Payload Rack (ISPR), arefrigerator-size container that serves as theracks exterior shell.

Experiments contained within EXPRESS racksmay be controlled by the station crew orremotely by the Payload Rack Officer (PRO) onduty at the Payload Operations and IntegrationCenter at NASAs Marshall Space Flight Centerin Huntsville, Ala. Linked by computer to allpayload racks aboard the station, the PROroutinely checks rack integrity, temperaturecontrol, and proper working conditions forstation research payloads.


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MI NUS EIGHTY-DEGREE LABORATORYFREEZER 3 (MELFI-3)

Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer forISS (MELFI) is a European Space Agency-built,NASA-operated freezer that allows samples to be stored on the station at temperatures as lowas -80 degrees centigrade. It comprises fourtemperature-controlled, insulated, independentcontainers called dewars, which can be set to

operate at different temperatures. Each dewaris a cylindrical, vacuum-insulated 75-litercontainer and can accommodate samples of avariety of sizes and shapes. The total capacityof the unit is 300 liters and can range intemperatures from refrigerated to fast frozen.The first MELFI unit was flown to the stationon STS-121 and the second MELFI unit wasflown on STS-128.

MELFI


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CREW QUARTERS (CQ) 4

The crew quarters delivered on STS-131/19Awill be installed in the Harmony module(Node 2). The CQ provides private crewmember space with enhanced acoustic noisemitigation, integrated radiation reductionmaterial, controllable airflow, communication

equipment, redundant electrical systems, andredundant caution and warning systems. Therack-sized CQ is a system with multiple crewmember restraints, adjustable lighting,controllable ventilation, and interfaces thatallow each crew member to personalize theirCQ workspace.

Crew quarters


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MPLM BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Italian-built, U.S.-owned logistics modulesare capable of ferrying more than 7.5 tons(15,000 pounds) of cargo, spares and supplies.This is the equivalent of a semi-truck trailer fullof station gear bringing equipment to and fromthe space station. Equipment such as containerracks with science equipment, scienceexperiments from NASA and its internationalpartners, assembly and spare parts and otherhardware items for return, such as completedexperiments, system racks, station hardware

that needs repair and refuse from theapproximately 220 mile-high outpost. Some ofthese items are for disposal on Earth whileothers are for analysis and data collection byhardware providers and scientists.

Leonardo was the first MPLM to fly to thestation on STS-102 (March 8, 2002) and therehave been nine flights total for the twomodules. This will be the seventh Leonardomission Raffaello has flown three missions.Of the three MPLM modules, only two remainin active service to NASA for future flights.

The space shuttle flies logistic modules in itscargo bay when a large quantity of hardwarehas to be ferried to the orbiting habitat at onetime. The modules are attached to the inside ofthe bay for launch and landing. When in the

cargo bay, the module is independent of theshuttle cabin, and there is no passageway forshuttle crew members to travel from the shuttlecabin to the module.

The Leonardo logistics module will make its seventh trip to space.


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After the shuttle has docked to the outpost,typically on the fourth flight day after shuttlelaunch, Leonardo is mated to the station usingthe stations robotic arm to the Node 2 NADIRport. In the event of a failure or issue whichmay prevent the successful latching of theMPLM to the nadir port, the zenith port can be used to mate the MPLM to the station.Nodes are modules that connect the elements tothe station, and Unity was the first elementlaunched to the station to connect the U.S. andRussian segments of the outpost. For its returntrip to Earth, Leonardo will be detached fromthe station and positioned back into theshuttle's cargo bay.

NASA solely owns the modules which wereacquired in a bartered agreement betweenNASA and the Italian Space Agency for usingthe modules in exchange for allowing theItalians to have crew time on board station.

LEONARDO SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: Length: 21 feetDiameter: 15 feet

Payload Mass (launch): 27,274 lbs

Payload Mass (return): 20,375 lbs

Empty Weight: 9,632 lbs

The MPLM Module Leonardo is namedafter the Italian inventor and scientistLeonardo da Vinci. It was the first MPLM to

deliver supplies to the station. The two othermodules are named Raffaello, after masterpainter and architect Raffaello Sanzio, andDonatello, for one of the founders of modernsculpture, Donato di Niccolo Di Betto Bardi.Raffaello has flown three times. Leonardo hasflown the most because it is equipped withprogrammable heater thermostats on theoutside of the module that allow for moremission flexibility. Donatello is not currentlyon the shuttle manifest to fly because of the costassociated with getting the module up to flightstatus code. STS-131 is the last MPLM flightscheduled before the station is complete andspace shuttle retires later this year.

Boeing has the responsibility under itsCheckout, Assembly and Payload ProcessingServices (CAPPS) contract with NASA, forpayload integration and processing for everymajor payload that flies on each space shuttleflight. The Boeing MPLM and LMC processingteam provides all engineering and hands-onwork including payload support, projectplanning, receiving of payloads, payloadprocessing, maintenance of associated payloadground systems, and logistics support. Thisincludes integration of payloads into the spaceshuttle, test and checkout of the payload withthe orbiter systems, launch support and orbiterpost-landing payload activities includingde-stow of the module.


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THE LIGHTWEIGHT MULTI -PURPOSE EXPERIMENT SUPPORT STRUCTURE CARRIER(LMC)

Located behind Leonardo in the space shuttlepayload bay, is the Lightweight Multi-PurposeExperiment Support Structure Carrier (LMC), anondeployable cross-bay carrier providinglaunch and landing transportation. The LMC isa light-weight Shuttle stowage platform thatonly weighs 1,100 pounds. The launch weightof the LMC is 3,890 pounds and the returnweight will be 3,740 pounds. Goddard Space

Flight Center and ATK Space provide thesustaining engineering for the LMC carriers,which have flown successfully on five previousmissions.

During ascent, the LMC is carrying theAmmonia Tank Assembly (ATA), a criticalspare Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU). Duringdescent, the LMC will be carrying a spentAmmonia Tank Assembly (ATA).


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APRIL 2010 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 45

RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING

Backdropped by a blue and white part of Earth, space shuttle Atlantis is featured in this imagephotographed by an Expedition 21 crew member as the shuttle approaches the International Space

Station during STS-129 rendezvous and docking operations.

Discoverys launch for the STS-131 mission isprecisely timed to lead to a link up with theInternational Space Station about 220 milesabove the earth. A series of engine firings

during the first two days of the mission will bring the shuttle to a point about 50,000 feet behind the station. Once there, Discovery willstart its final approach. About 2.5 hours beforedocking, the shuttles jets will be fired duringwhat is called the terminal initiation burn. Theshuttle will cover the final miles to the stationduring the next orbit.

As Discovery moves closer to the station, itsrendezvous radar system and trajectory controlsensor will provide the crew with range andclosing-rate data. Several small correction

burns will place the shuttle about 1,000 feet below the station.

Commander Alan G. Poindexter, with helpfrom Pilot James P. Dutton, Jr. and other crewmembers, will manually fly the shuttle for theremainder of the approach and docking.


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46 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING APRIL 2010

Poindexter will stop Discovery about 600 feet below the station. Timing the next steps tooccur with proper lighting, he will maneuverthe shuttle through a nine-minute backflipcalled the Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver, alsoknown as a the R-bar Pitch Maneuversince Discovery is in line with an imaginaryvertical R-bar directly below the station.During this maneuver, station crew membersTimothy (T.J.) Creamer and Oleg Kotov willphotograph Discoverys upper and bottomsurfaces through windows of the ZvezdaService Module. They will use digital cameraswith an 800mm lens to provide up to one-inchresolution and one with a 400mm lens thatprovides three-inch resolution.

The photography is one of several techniquesused to inspect the shuttles thermal protectionsystem for possible damage. Areas of specialinterest include the thermal protection tiles, thereinforced carbon-carbon of the nose andleading edges of the wings, landing gear doorsand the elevon cove. The photos will bedownlinked through the stations Ku-bandcommunications system for analysis by systemsengineers and mission managers.

When Discovery completes its backflip, it will be back where it started, with its payload bayfacing the station. Poindexter then will fly theshuttle through a quarter circle to a positionabout 400 feet directly in front of the station.From that point he will begin the final approach

to docking to the Pressurized Mating Adapter 2at the forward end of the Harmony node.

The shuttle crew members will operate laptopcomputers that process the navigational data,the laser range systems and Discoverysdocking mechanism.

Using a video camera mounted in the center ofthe Orbiter Docking System, Poindexter willline up the docking ports of the two spacecraft.If necessary, he will pause the shuttle 30 feetfrom the station to ensure proper alignment ofthe docking mechanisms. He will maintain theshuttles speed relative to the station at aboutone-tenth of a foot per second, while bothDiscovery and the station are moving atabout 17,500 mph. Poindexter will keep thedocking mechanisms aligned to a tolerance ofthree inches.

When Discovery makes contact with thestation, preliminary latches will automaticallyattach the two spacecraft. The shuttles steering jets will be deactivated to reduce the forcesacting at the docking interface. Shock absorbersprings in the docking mechanism will dampenany relative motion between the shuttle andstation.

Once motion between the shuttle and thestation has been stopped, the docking ring will be retracted to close a final set of latches between the two vehicles.

UNDOCKING, SEPARATION, ANDDEPARTURE

At undocking time, the hooks and latches will be opened and springs will push the shuttleaway from the station. Discoverys steering jetswill be shut off to avoid any inadvertent firings

during the initial separation.Once the shuttle is about two feet from thestation and the docking devices are clear of oneanother, Dutton will turn the steering jets backon and will manually control Discovery withina tight corridor as the shuttle separates from thestation.


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APRIL 2010 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 47

Discovery will move to a distance of about450 feet, where Dutton will begin to fly aroundthe station. Dutton will circle the shuttlearound the station at a distance of 600 - 700 feet.

Once the shuttle completes 1.5 revolutions ofthe complex, Dutton will fire Discoverys jets toleave the area. The shuttle will begin to

increase its distance behind the station witheach trip around the earth while ground teamsanalyze data from the late inspection of theshuttles heat shield. However, the distancewill be close enough to allow the shuttle toreturn to the station in the unlikely event thatthe heat shield is damaged, preventing theshuttles safe re-entry.


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48 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING APRIL 2010



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APRIL 2010 SPACEWALKS 49

SPACEWALKS

Astronaut Rick Mastracchio participates in the STS-118 missions first planned session ofextravehicular activity, as construction continues on the International Space Station.

The complex choreography of the threespacewalks scheduled for the STS-131 missionwill center around getting the ammonia tankassembly delivered by Discovery into place onthe starboard side of the stations truss and

getting the spent ammonia tank assembly intoDiscoverys cargo bay.

Because of the location of the old starboardammonia tank assembly, the space stationsrobotic arm cannot reach it from the samelocation that it must be in to remove the newammonia tank assembly from the shuttles

cargo bay. That means unpacking the newassembly, storing it, a base change for therobotic arm, removing the old assembly, storingit, installing the new, another base change forthe arm and then packing the old assembly into

the cargo bay. And all that work will take threespacewalks to accomplish, with some spacehere and there for get-ahead work.

Mission Specialists Rick Mastracchio andClayton Anderson will spend a total of19.5 hours outside the station on flight days 5,7 and 9. Mastracchio, the lead spacewalker for


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50 SPACEWALKS APRIL 2010

the mission, will wear a spacesuit marked withsolid red stripes, while Anderson will wear anall-white spacesuit. These will be the fourth,fifth and sixth spacewalks for both astronauts,and the second, third and fourth that they haveperformed together. Mastracchio performedthree spacewalks during the STS-118 mission,and Anderson performed two during thatmission and one during his stint as anExpedition 15 flight engineer.

When a spacewalk also called extravehicularactivity, or EVA for short is going on outside,

one crew member inside the InternationalSpace Station is assigned the job ofintravehicular officer, or spacewalkchoreographer. In this case, that crew memberwill be Mission Specialist Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger. The first spacewalks will alsorequire astronauts inside the station to be at thecontrols of the stations 58-foot-long roboticarm to maneuver ammonia tank assembly andother pieces of hardware. Pilot James P. Dutton Jr. and Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilsonwill be at the arms controls for thoseoperations, with some help from Expedition 23Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi on the finalspacewalk.

Preparations will start the night before eachspacewalk, when the astronauts spend time inthe stations Quest Airlock. This practice iscalled the campout prebreathe protocol and isused to purge nitrogen from the spacewalkerssystems and prevent decompression sickness,also known as the bends.

During the campout, the two astronautsperforming the spacewalk will isolatethemselves inside the airlock while the airpressure is lowered to 10.2 pounds per squareinch, or psi. The station is kept at the

near-sea-level pressure of 14.7 psi. Themorning of the spacewalk, the astronauts willwear oxygen masks while the airlocks pressureis raised back to 14.7 psi for an hour and thehatch between the airlock and the rest of thestation is opened. That allows the spacewalkersto perform their morning routines beforereturning to the airlock, where the air pressureis lowered again. Approximately 50 minutesafter the spacewalkers don their spacesuits, theprebreathe protocol will be complete.

The procedure enables spacewalks to beginearlier in the crews day than was possible before the protocol was adopted.


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EVA-1

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes EVA Crew: Mastracchio and Anderson IV CREW: Metcalf-LindenburgerRobotic Arm Operators: Dutton and Wilson

EVA Oper at i ons :

Prepare new ammonia tank assembly forremoval from the cargo bay

Hand new ammonia tank to space stationrobotic arm for temporary storage

Retrieve MPAC/SEED from Kibo exposedfacility

Replace rate gyro assembly

Prepare P6 solar array batteries forreplacement

The first leg of the ammonia tank assemblyswap will start in the shuttles cargo bay. Afterpicking up a handle that the space stationrobotic arm will use to grasp the new tank,Mastracchio will move to the cargo bay andinstall it on the new tank then begin releasingthe four bolts that hold it in place during its journey to the station.

Anderson, meanwhile, will move to thestations starboard truss segment anddisconnect the old tanks four ammonia and


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nitrogen lines before meeting Mastracchio inthe cargo bay to do the same on the new tank.Once the lines are disconnected and the boltsreleased, Anderson and Mastracchio will worktogether to lift it out of the cargo bay and intoposition for the robotic arm to grasp it and fly itto the external stowage platform 2 on the Questairlock.

While it makes its way there, Anderson willclean up their work area while Mastracchio willmove to the Kibo laboratorys porch the Japanese Experiment Modules exposed

facility to retrieve the Micro-ParticlesCapture/Space Environment Exposure Deviceexperiment and temporarily stow it outside ofthe airlock he will move it inside later in thespacewalk.

They will meet the robotic arm back at theexternal stowage platform to install anotherhandle on the new ammonia tank assembly,while it is still in the grasp of the arm. Thissecond handle will be used to attach theassembly to a temporary storage location on therobotic arms mobile transporter, where it willwait for installation on the second spacewalk ofthe mission.

Once that handle is installed, the robotic armwill fly the tank assembly to the storagelocation, and the spacewalkers will move on toother tasks. The first of the tasks will be thereplacement of a rate gyro assembly on the

center section of the stations truss. Whilemoving the experiment inside of the airlock,Mastracchio will retrieve a new rate gyroassembly, then move to the center of the truss,where Anderson will have removed frominside the truss, two of the four bolts holdingthe old assembly in place. When Mastracchioarrives at the truss segment, he will open

insulation protecting the assembly, disconnecttwo power cables and release the finaltwo bolts. He will then remove the oldassembly and slide the new one into place,engaging the first two bolts, connecting thepower cables and then engaging the lasttwo bolts.

Meanwhile, Anderson will have moved on totheir final tasks of the mission: The preparationof the batteries on the farthest port solar arrayfor replacement on a later mission. There aretwo sets of batteries, and the first set was

replaced on STS-127, and some of theequipment used in that work a gap spannerand a foot restraint is still in place. Andersonwill move it from the set of batteries replacedduring STS-127 to the set of batteries he andMastracchio will be working with. Thespacewalker will be loosening the 12 boltsholding the six batteries in place before heading back inside the station.

EVA-2

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes EVA Crew: Mastracchio and AndersonIV Crew: Metcalf-LindenburgerRobotic Arm Operators: Dutton and Wilson

EVA Operat i ons

Remove spent ammonia tank assembly andstore temporarily

Install new ammonia tank assembly on S1truss segment

Install two port radiator grapple fixturestowage beams

Retrieve two debris covers from externalstowage platform 2


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Mastracchio and Anderson will begin thesecond spacewalk at the site of the spentammonia tank assembly on the first segment ofthe stations starboard truss. Anderson willdisconnect two electrical cables. Then he andMastracchio will work together to release thefour bolts holding the assembly in place, lift itoff of the stations truss and hand it to therobotic arm.

Mastracchio will then move a crew andequipment translation aid cart or CETAcart into place to provide temporary storage

for the old ammonia tank assembly. When theassembly arrives via robotic arm at the CETAcart via robotic arm, the spacewalkers will tie itto the cart with six tethers.

That frees the robotic arm up for the installationof the new ammonia tank assembly. While it isretrieving the new assembly from the mobiletransporter system, Mastracchio and Andersonwill take advantage of the time by installingtwo radiator grapple fixture stowage beams onthe first port segment of the stations truss.These beams will be used temporarily to storehandles that would be necessary if a radiatorever needed to be replaced.

By the time they are done with that, the newammonia tank assembly should be in place.Mastracchio will first remove the handle thatallowed it to be stored on the mobiletransporter. Then he and Anderson will worktogether to install it, engaging four bolts andconnecting six cables. Once the robotic arm isable to release its hold, the spacewalkers will beable to remove the handle it used to grip theassembly.

The next step will be to go back to the CETAcart, where Mastracchio will untie the old

ammonia tank assembly and allow the roboticarm to grasp it. Then Anderson will installanother handle on it that will allow theassembly to be stored on the mobile transporteruntil the final spacewalk, just as the newassembly was stored between the first andsecond spacewalks.

The final tasks of the second spacewalk calls forMastracchio and Anderson to return to theexternal stowage platform 2 by the Questairlock and retrieve two debris shields left thereduring STS-129.


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EVA-3

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes EVA Crew: Mastracchio and AndersonIV Crew: Metcalf-LindenburgerRobotic Arm Operators: Dutton, Wilson andNoguchi

EVA Oper at i ons

Install spent ammonia tank assembly inDiscoverys cargo bay

Retrieve light-weight adapter plateassembly

Install Dextre camera

Remove Dextre insulation cover

Replace Destiny camera light

Install two starboard radiator grapplefixture stowage beams

Install worksite interface extender onmobile transporter

The ammonia tank swapout will be more thanhalfway done by the beginning of the finalspacewalk. Before they leave the airlock, therobotic arm will have retrieved the oldammonia tank assembly from the mobiletransporter. They will meet the arm at externalstowage platform 2 to remove the handle thatheld it in place there and stow the handle onthe platform.

The next stop for the assembly will beDiscoverys cargo bay. The spacewalkers willtighten four bolts to hold it in place for landingand remove the remaining handle that allowed


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the robotic arm to carry the assembly. That willwrap up the ammonia tank assembly work forthe mission.

That will take about an hour of their time, andthey will fill the rest of the spacewalk withget-ahead work for future missions.

Andersons next tasks will take him to theColumbus laboratory. He will ride the roboticarm to the end of that module to pick up alight-weight adapter plate assembly, which has been used to attach experiments to the exteriorof Columbus. Anderson will store it in theshuttles cargo bay with help from Matracchio.

Then the robotic arm will fly Anderson to theSpecial Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or

Dextre. There he will install a second cameraon the robot and remove an unnecessaryinsulation blanket. He will finish his work onthe final spacewalk by removing the footrestraint that allowed him to ride the roboticarm.

Meanwhile Mastracchio will replace a light on acamera on the Destiny laboratory and installtwo more two radiator grapple fixture stowage beams, this time on the starboard side of thestations truss. His final spacewalking task ofthe mission will be to retrieve a worksite

interface extender from the external stowageplatform 2 and install it on the mobiletransporter.


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APRIL 2010 EXPERIMENTS 57

EXPERIMENTS

The space shuttle and International SpaceStation have an integrated research programthat optimizes the use of shuttle crew membersand long-duration space station crew membersto address research questions in a variety ofdisciplines.

For information on science on the station, visit

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/ science/index.html

or

http://iss-science.jsc.nasa.gov/index.cfm

Detailed information is located at

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/ science/experiments/List.html

DETAI LED TEST OBJECTIVES ANDDETAI LED SUPPLEMENTARY

OBJECTIVES

Detailed Test Objectives (DTOs) are aimed attesting, evaluating or documenting systems orhardware or proposed improvements tohardware, systems and operations.

DTO 90 0 Sol i d Rock et Boost er Thr ustOsci l l ation

The Space Shuttle Program is continuing to

gather data on pressure oscillation, or periodicvariation, a phenomenon that regularly occurswithin solid rocket motors through theremaining shuttle flights. The data obtainedfrom five flights designated to acquire pressureoscillation data have provided a betterunderstanding of solid rocket motor dynamics.The collection of these additional data points

will provide greater statistical significance ofthe data for use in dynamic analyses of the foursegment motors. These analyses and computermodels will be used for future propulsionsystem designs.

The pressure oscillation that is observed insolid rocket motors is similar to the hum madewhen blowing into a bottle. At 1.5 psi, orpounds per square inch, a pressure wave will

move up and down the motor from the front tothe rear, generating acoustic noise as well asphysical loads in the structure. These data arenecessary to help propulsion engineers confirmmodeling techniques of pressure oscillationsand the loads they create. As NASA engineersdevelop alternate propulsion designs for use inNASA, they will take advantage of currentdesigns from which they can learn andmeasure.

In an effort to obtain data to correlate pressureoscillation with the loads it can generate, theSpace Shuttle Program is continuing to use theEnhanced Data Acquisition System to gatherdetailed information.

The Enhanced Data Acquisition System , orEDAS, is a data acquisition system that willrecord pressure data from one of the ReusableSolid Rocket Booster Operational PressureTransducers, or OPT, and from accelerometersand strain gages placed on the forward skirtwalls. These data will provide engineers withtime synchronized data that will allow them todetermine the accelerations and loads that aretransferred through the structure due to thepressure oscillation forces.


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58 EXPERIMENTS APRIL 2010

DTO 854 Boundar y Layer Transi t i on(BLT) Fl i ght Exper i ment

The Boundary Layer Transition (BLT) flightexperiment will gather information on the effectof high Mach number boundary layer transitioncaused by a protuberance on the space shuttleduring the re-entry trajectory.

The experiment is designed to furtherunderstand the high Mach number thermalenvironments created by a protuberance on thelower side of the orbiter during re-entry. Theprotuberance was built on a BRI-18 tileoriginally developed as a heat shield upgradeon the orbiters. Due to its geometry andre-entry profile, the Orion crew vehicle willexperience a high Mach number boundarylayer transition during atmospheric entry. Byflying this protuberance during the orbitersre-entry, a high Mach number transitionenvironment will be created on a small zone ofthe orbiters underside, which will aid ingaining an improved understanding of theheating in high Mach number environments.

STS-131 will be the third phase of the flightexperiment and represents a repeat of theexperiment flown on STS-128. The experimenton STS-128 in August of 2009 gathered data ona 0.35 inch protuberance at Mach 18 speed. Theengineering teams goal is to refine itsunderstanding of the Mach 18 environment before stepping up to a higher Mach number

protuberance on currently planned for STS-134.Boundary layer transition is a disruption of thesmooth, laminar flow of supersonic air acrossthe shuttles belly and occurs normally whenthe shuttles velocity has dropped to aroundeight to 10 times the speed of sound, startingtoward the back of the heat shield and movingforward. Known as tripping the boundary

layer, this phenomenon can create eddies ofturbulence that, in turn, result in higherdownstream heating.

For the experiment, a heat shield tile with aspeed bump on it was installed underDiscoverys left wing to intentionally disturbthe airflow in a controlled manner and makethe airflow turbulent. The bump is four incheslong and 0.3 inch wide. Ten thermocouples areinstalled on the tile with the protuberance andon tiles downstream to capture test data.

Additionally data from this experiment willexpand the Aerodynamics and Aeroheatingknowledge base and will be used to verify andimprove design efforts for future spacecraft.

DTO 701A TriDar Sensor (Triangulationand LIDAR Aut omat ed Rendezvous andDocking)

This will be the second space shuttle flight forthe TriDAR system. TriDAR is a rendezvousand docking sensor that has been integratedinto the space shuttle orbiter to test this newtechnology in space. TriDAR provides criticalguidance information that can be used toguide a vehicle during rendezvous anddocking operations in space. Unlike currenttechnologies, TriDAR does not rely on anyreference markers, such as reflectors, positionedon the target spacecraft. To achieve this, itrelies on a laser based 3D sensor and a thermalimager. Geometrical information contained insuccessive 3D images is matched against theknown shape of the target object to calculate itsposition and orientation in real-time.

On its first test flight, TriDAR successfullydemonstrated 3D sensor based tracking inreal-time during rendezvous and docking tothe International Space Station. Building on the


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success of this first flight, TriDARs second testflight will focus on performance improvements,enhanced pilot displays as well as enhancedlong range acquisition capabilities usingpassive thermal imaging.

Developed by Canadas Neptec Design GroupCompany, TriDARs 3D sensor is dual sensing,multi-purpose scanner that builds on NeptecsLaser Camera System (LCS) technologycurrently used to inspect the space shuttlesthermal protection tiles. TriDARs shapetracking technology is very flexible and can be

adapted for multiple applications such as:robotic operations, planetary landing as well asrover navigation.

DTO 703 Sensor Test for Or i on Rel at i veNavigat i on Ri sk Mi t i gat i on (STORRM)

The first element of the STORRM test is beingflown to the International Space Station on theSTS-131 mission. STORRM, which is not slatedfor testing until the STS-134 mission, is

designed to demonstrate the capability ofrelative navigation sensors developed forautomated rendezvous and docking of Orion orother future spacecrafts. This DTO will test theVision Navigation Sensor (VNS) flash LIDARand high definition docking camera currentlyplanned for the Orion crew exploration vehicle.

Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) is anoptical remote sensing technology thatmeasures properties of scattered light to findrange and/or other information of a distanttarget.

The test is being performed because it isimportant that engineers gain a thorough

understanding of the new sensors performanceon-orbit in order to validate ground simulationmodels and properly characterize sensorperformance. STORRM will occur both duringthe space shuttles approach to and departurefrom the station.

After Discovery docks to the station, the crewwill install a set of reflective elements. Theretro-reflectors are titanium clampingmechanisms that contain a small piece ofreflective tape covered by Schott glass. Thereflectors will augment the station docking

target and stand-off cross used by the shuttle.

The reflectors are designed to prevent theshuttle Trajectory Control Sensor (TCS) fromtracking the reflective elements at theirwavelength, preventing any confusion for theshuttle crew during docking and undocking.

The reflective elements, which were built atLangley Research Center in Virginia, will beplaced in a known pattern during STS-131.

Having multiple reflectors in the sensors fieldof vision at the same time allows the sensor todetermine the relative attitude of the vehicle aswell as relative position and velocity. This willprovide six degrees of freedom for a future avehicles Guidance, Navigation and Controlsystem.

The prototype VNS and docking camera will bemounted in an enclosure on the OrbiterDocking System truss next to the TCS.

The system was developed by Ball Aerospaceand Technologies in Boulder, Colo. andprovided to NASA by Lockheed MartinCorporation in Bethesda, MD.


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Detailed Supplementary Objectives (DSOs)are space and life science investigations. Theirpurpose is to determine the extent ofphysiological deconditioning resulting fromspaceflight, to test countermeasures to thosechanges and to characterize the spaceenvironment relative to crew health.

DSO 640 Physi ol ogi cal Fact or s

Astronauts experience alterations in multiplephysiological systems due to exposure to themicrogravity conditions of spaceflight. Thesephysiological changes include sensorimotordisturbances, cardiovascular deconditioning,and loss of muscle mass and strength. Thesechanges may lead to a disruption in the abilityto walk and perform functional tasks duringthe initial reintroduction to gravity followingprolonged spaceflight and may causesignificant impairments in performance ofoperational tasks immediately followinglanding.

The objective of this study is to identify the keyunderlying physiological factors that contributeto changes in performance of a set of functionaltasks that are representative of critical missiontasks for lunar and Mars operations.Astronauts will be tested on an integratedsuite of functional and interdisciplinaryphysiological tests before and after short andlong-duration spaceflight. Using this strategy,the investigators will be able to: (1) identifycritical mission tasks that may be impacted byalterations in physiological responses; (2) mapphysiological changes to alterations infunctional performance; and (3) design andimplement countermeasures that specificallytarget the physiological systems responsible forimpaired functional performance.

For more information, follow these links:

https://rlsda.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/experiment /exper.cfm?exp_index=1448

https://rlsda.jsc.nasa.gov/docs/research/research_detail.cfm?experiment_type_code=35

&researchtype=


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EXPERIMENTS

The STS-131/19A mission continues thetransition from a focus on International SpaceStation assembly to continuous scientificresearch in the fall of 2010.

Nearly 150 operating experiments in humanresearch; biological and biotechnology;physical and materials sciences; technologydevelopment; Earth and space science, andeducational activities will be conducted aboardthe station, including several pathfinder

investigations under the auspices of thestations new role as a U.S. NationalLaboratory.

In the past, assembly and maintenanceactivities have dominated the available time forcrew work. But as completion of the orbitinglaboratory nears, additional facilities and thecrew members to operate them will enable ameasured increase in time devoted to researchas a national and multi-national laboratory.

The space shuttle and space station have anintegrated research program that optimizes useof shuttle crew members and long-durationstation crew members to address researchquestions in a variety of disciplines.

On STS-131, research into how the human body is affected by long-duration staysin microgravity will be delivered to thespace station by Discoverys crew. NASAs

Integrated Cardiovascular experiment willcontinue on-going research into thedocumented decrease in the size of the humanheart muscle and seek to determine theunderlying causes for such atrophy. NASAsIntegrated Immune experiment will look athow space flight changes the human bodysability to fight off disease and infection.

ESAs Anomalous Long Term Effects onAstronauts Central Nervous System Shield(ALTEA-Shield) will assess the radiationenvironment inside the space station, and JAXAs Passive Dosimeter for LifescienceExperiment in Space (PADLES) will test a new,low-overhead method for measuring radiationexposure levels on the station.

Several experiments also will look atoperational issues related to human health onorbit. The IntraVenous Fluid GENeration forExploration Missions (IVGEN) experiment will

look at methods for purifying fluids to beused in treating ill or injured crew members onlong-duration missions, and the JAXAMycological Evaluation of Crew Exposureto Space Station Ambient Air 2 (Myco-2)experiment will support a detailed examinationof the risk of crew exposure to allergens inthe closed environments. The Vehicle CabinAtmosphere Monitor (VCAM) investigationlooks at potentially harmful gases that arepresent in minute quantities in the space station breathing air. And the Evaluation of MaximalOxygen Uptake and Submaximal Estimates ofVO2max Before, During, and After LongDuration International Space Station Missions(VO2maX) will look at how astronauts abilityto take in oxygen during exercise changes onlong-duration missions.

In addition, Discovery will deliver the WindowObservational Research Facility (WORF), which

will provide support for Earth science remotesensing instruments using the highest qualityoptics ever flown on a human-occupiedspacecraft; the EXpedite the PRocessing ofExperiments to Space Station Rack 7, amulti-purpose payload rack system that storesand supports by providing structural interfaces,power, data, cooling, water, and other items


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needed to operate science experiments in space;the Muscle Atrophy Research and ExerciseSystem, which provide equipment needed toinvestigate and measure the effects ofmicrogravity on measurements and exercise onseven different human joints, and a third MinusEighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer to the spacestation for storing experiment samples.

SHORT-DURATION U.S. INTEGRATEDRESEARCH TO BE COMPLETED DURINGSTS-131/ 19A

Biological Research in Canisters 16(BRIC-16) germinates Arabidopsis thaliana seedsin microgravity to be returned to Earth foranalysis by investigator teams. The Arabidopsis plant is the preferred model species for plantinvestigations in space. BRIC-16 contains Arabidopsis seeds from various experimenters tothe space station. The seeds will germinate onorbit and subsequently be returned to Earthwith the returning space shuttle. Investigators

can make use of the in flight option forseedlings to be exposed to selectedexperimental treatments and subsequentlyfixed, or not, prior to return.

Maui Analysis of Upper AtmosphericInjections (MAUI) will observe the spaceshuttle engine exhaust plumes from the MauiSpace Surveillance Site in Hawaii. Theobservations will occur when the space shuttlefires its engines at night or twilight. A

telescope and all-sky imagers will take imagesand data while the space shuttle flies over theMaui site. The images will be analyzed to better understand the interaction between thespacecraft plume and the upper atmosphere ofEarth.

Mouse Immunology will expand theknowledge base of the effects of spaceenvironment on mammalian immunology andprovide fundamental knowledge for currentapplications that form a foundation for futurelong-duration space exploration missions.

National Laboratory Pathfinder Vaccine 8(NLP-Vaccine-8) is a commercial payloadserving as a pathfinder for the use of theInternational Space Station as a NationalLaboratory after space station assembly iscomplete. It contains several different

pathogenic (disease causing) organisms. Thisresearch is investigating the use of space flightto develop potential vaccines for the preventionof different infections caused by thesepathogens on Earth and in microgravity.

Ram Burn Observations (RAMBO) is anexperiment in which the Department ofDefense uses a satellite to observe space shuttleOrbital Maneuvering System engine burns. Itspurpose is to improve plume models, whichpredict the direction the plume, or risingcolumn of exhaust, will move as the shuttlemaneuvers on orbit. Understanding thedirection in which the spacecraft engine plume,or exhaust flows could be significant to the safearrival and departure of spacecraft on currentand future exploration missions.

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light ExposureDuring Spaceflight-Short (Sleep-Short) will

examine th

Documents

NASA Space Shuttle STS-131 Press Kit