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| STS-128 | |
|---|---|
| Name | STS-128 |
| Operator | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Discovery |
| Launch | August 28, 2009 |
| Landing | September 11, 2009 |
| Mission duration | 13 days, 20 hours, 54 minutes, 2 seconds |
| Orbit | Low Earth Orbit |
STS-128 STS-128 was a Space Shuttle program flight of Space Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 2009. The mission delivered logistics, experiments, and crew rotation support for the Expedition 20 and Expedition 21 crews aboard the Destiny (ISS module), Columbus (ISS module), and Harmony (ISS module). Launch operations occurred from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A with recovery and landing at Edwards Air Force Base due to weather contingencies.
The mission supported ongoing operations for the International Space Station partnership involving Roscosmos, European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Canadian Space Agency, and Agenzia Spaziale Italiana. Objectives included the delivery of an Multi-Purpose Logistics Module or MPLM named Leonardo (module), the installation of external equipment such as an ammonia External Thermal Control System component, and the rotation of crew connecting with Expedition 20 and Expedition 21 mission timelines. Flight controllers at Johnson Space Center coordinated payload integration with teams from Marshall Space Flight Center, Kennedy Space Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, and contractors like Boeing and United Space Alliance.
The six-person crew comprised mission specialists, a pilot, and a commander drawn from agencies including NASA and military services. Crew assignments involved cross-training at Johnson Space Center, technical briefings at Langley Research Center, and simulations with personnel from European Space Agency facilities. Command and control responsibilities interfaced with the Mission Control Center and flight surgeons at Ellington Field.
Prelaunch processing occurred in the Vehicle Assembly Building and at Launch Pad 39A with solid rocket booster stacking and external tank integration supervised by teams from Michoud Assembly Facility. Liftoff initiated a rendezvous sequence using the shuttle’s orbital maneuvering system to approach the International Space Station. Docking operations were executed with the Pressurized Mating Adapter attached to the Harmony (ISS module), followed by MPLM berthing procedures coordinated with the station robotic arm, the Canadarm2. After on-orbit operations, undocking, deorbit burn, atmospheric entry, and landing followed abort contingency protocols involving Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility and diversion to Edwards Air Force Base when required.
Primary payloads included the MPLM Leonardo (module) carrying logistics and scientific hardware for laboratories such as Destiny (ISS module), Kibo (ISS module), and Columbus (ISS module). Scientific experiments encompassed research from institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Colorado, University of California, Berkeley, and California Institute of Technology focusing on life sciences, fluid physics, and materials science. External payloads included a nitrogen-pressurized ammonia tank spare associated with the External Thermal Control System and components for the Mobile Servicing System maintained by Canadian Space Agency engineers. Cargo manifests listed EVA tools, replacement flight hardware from Orbital Sciences Corporation, and spare parts supplied by Thales Alenia Space and Sierra Nevada Corporation.
Extravehicular activities were planned and executed to install hardware and replace line-replaceable units on the Integrated Truss Structure and external systems of the International Space Station. EVA crews trained in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory to rehearse procedures involving the Extravehicular Mobility Unit suits and tethers supplied by Hamilton Sundstrand. Operations required coordination with Mission Control Center EVA flight controllers, robotics operators for Canadarm2 and the Space Station Remote Manipulator System, and contingency planning with the Johnson Space Center flight surgeon team.
The orbiter Space Shuttle Discovery underwent orbiter vehicle processing at Orbiter Processing Facility and was fitted with a redesigned external tank and thermal protection system inspections monitored by the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel. Systems testing involved avionics teams from Rockwell International legacy groups and propulsion specialists at Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. On-orbit life support and power interfaced with the International Space Station via the docking mechanism and common communications links maintained by NASA Deep Space Network and the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System.
Mission insignia design involved crew input and was produced by mission patch artists collaborating with Johnson Space Center public affairs. The patch incorporated symbolism reflecting the MPLM Leonardo (module), the shuttle orbiter heritage connected to Enterprise (orbiter), and the international partnership exemplified by flags from United States, Italy, Japan, Canada, and member states of the European Space Agency. NASA outreach distributed mission patches to schools and museums including the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
Category:Space Shuttle missions Category:2009 spaceflights Category:Space Shuttle Discovery