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STS-119: The programs

In advance of shuttle Discovery's STS-119 mission to the station, managers from both programs discuss the flight.

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STS-119: The mission

A detailed preview of Discovery's mission to deliver and activate the space station's final power truss is provided in this briefing.

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STS-119: Spacewalks

Four spacewalks are planned during Discovery's STS-119 mission to the station.

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STS-119: The Crew

The Discovery astronauts, led by commander Lee Archambault, meet the press in the traditional pre-flight news conference.

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Astronauts prep Discovery for Saturday's landing
BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: March 27, 2009

The Discovery astronauts worked through a busy day in orbit today, checking out the shuttle's re-entry systems and packing for the glide back to Earth Saturday to close out a challenging space station assembly mission.

The Spaceflight Meteorology Group at the Johnson Space Center in Houston is predicting generally acceptable weather ahead of an approaching front, with scattered clouds at 5,000 and 20,000 feet and winds out of 170 degrees at 13 knots with gusts to 21. That works out to a crosswind of just 5 knots or so but a headwind/tailwind up to 20 knots. Forecasters also are predicting a slight chance for a broken deck of clouds at 5,000 feet that could cause problems.

The forecast for Sunday calls for out-of-limits crosswinds gusting to 20 knots, a chance of broken clouds at 8,000 feet and possible thunderstorms within 30 nautical miles of the runway. The forecast calls for acceptable conditions in Florida on Monday.

Deorbit ignition on orbit 201 is planned for 12:33:44 p.m. Saturday with landing at the Kennedy Space Center expected around 1:39:42 p.m. A second Florida landing opportunity is available one orbit later, at 3:13:59 p.m. Entry Flight Director Richard Jones will brief reporters on his landing strategy today at 4 p.m. As of this writing, NASA does not plan to staff its backup landing sites Saturday.

Commander Lee Archambault, pilot Dominic "Tony" Antonelli and flight engineer Steven Swanson began powering up and testing Discovery's flight control systems just before 9:45 a.m. Their crewmates - John Phillips, Richard Arnold, Joseph Acaba and returning space station flight engineer Sandra Magnus - are busy packing for the trip home.

A final public affairs event is scheduled for 1:03 p.m. when the astronauts will field questions from school kids in Hawaii. Later this afternoon, the astronauts will check out their pressure suits and set up a reclining seat on Discovery's lower deck for Magnus. Returning to Earth after four months in space, Magnus will make the trip home resting on her back to ease her return to the unfamiliar tug of gravity.

Here is an updated timeline of today's activities (in EDT and mission elapsed time; includes revision Q of the NASA television schedule):


EDT........DD...HH...MM...EVENT

03/27/09
05:13 AM...11...09...30...Crew wakeup (flight day 13)
08:13 AM...11...12...30...Cabin stow begins
09:43 AM...11...14...00...Flight control system checkout
10:58 AM...11...15...15...Reaction control system hotfire
11:33 AM...11...15...50...Crew meal
12:33 PM...11...16...50...Deorbit review
01:03 PM...11...17...20...PAO event
01:23 PM...11...17...40...Cabin stow resumes
02:28 PM...11...18...45...Landing comm checks
03:43 PM...11...20...00...Ergometer stow
04:00 PM...11...20...17...Mission status briefing
04:13 PM...11...20...30...Recumbent seat setup
04:38 PM...11...20...55...Wing leading edge sensor system deactivation
04:58 PM...11...21...15...PILOT landing simulator practice
05:13 PM...11...21...30...Launch/entry suit checkout
06:18 PM...11...22...35...Computer network stow (part 1)
06:38 PM...11...22...55...KU antenna stow
09:13 PM...12...01...30...Crew sleep begins
10:00 PM...12...02...17...Daily highlights reel

03/28/09
05:13 AM...12...09...30...Crew wakeup (flight day 14)
07:53 AM...12...12...10...Inertial measurement unit alignment
08:38 AM...12...12...55...Deorbit timeline begins
09:14 AM...12...13...31...Soyuz TMA-14 docking with space station
10:00 AM...12...14...17...Payload bay door closing
12:10 PM...12...16...27...Soyuz TMA-14 hatch opening
12:33 PM...12...16...50...Deorbit ignition (rev. 201)
01:30 PM...12...17...47...MILA C-band radar acquisition
01:39 PM...12...17...56...Landing
02:00 PM...12...18...17...Soyuz TMA-14 post-docking video file
The astronauts have two landing opportunities in Florida on Saturday and multiple opportunities at Kennedy, Edwards Air Force Base in California's Mojave Desert and Northrup Strip in New Mexico on Sunday and Monday. Here are the latest deorbit and landing times for all of those opportunities (in EDT throughout):


ORBIT...SITE...TIG.......LANDING.....WEATHER

Saturday, March 28:

201.....KSC....12:33 PM...01:39 PM
(SCT050 17013P20 (Xwind 5 H/T 20))
202.....KSC....02:08 PM...03:14 PM

Sunday, March 29:

217.....KSC....01:00 PM...02:02 PM
(SCT030 BKN080 17013P21 CHC BKN030, CHC TSRA)
218.....KSC....02:35 PM...03:37 PM
219.....EDW....04:05 PM...05:07 PM
220.....EDW....05:41 PM...06:42 PM

Monday, March 30:

232.....KSC....11:48 AM...12:50 PM...TBD
233.....KSC....01:32 PM...02:25 PM
234.....EDW....02:54 PM...03:56 PM
........NOR....02:55 PM...03:57 PM
235.....EDW....04:29 PM...05:31 PM
........NOR....04:31 PM...05:33 PM

Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: PRE-LANDING MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: EDUCATIONAL EVENT WITH SCHOOL IN HAWAII PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LANDING TESTS OF SHUTTLE'S FLIGHT CONTROLS PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 12 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF LATE INSPECTIONS PLAY

VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING UPWARD PLAY
VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING INBOARD PLAY
VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING DOWNWARD PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING UPWARD PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING INBOARD PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING DOWNWARD PLAY

VIDEO: SOYUZ ROCKET LAUNCHES EXPEDITION 19 PLAY
VIDEO: FULL EXPERIENCE FROM LIFTOFF TO ORBIT PLAY
VIDEO: THREE CAMERA REPLAYS OF THE SOYUZ LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED HIGHLIGHTS OF CREW'S LAUNCH PREPS PLAY
VIDEO: CROWD WELCOMES CREW AT BAIKONUR PAD PLAY
VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS SITE 254 FOR LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO: VIPS MEET THE CREW ON LAUNCH MORNING PLAY
VIDEO: CREW MEMBERS DON THEIR SOKOL SPACESUITS PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH MORNING TRADITIONS AT CREW QUARTERS PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 11 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF FLYING AROUND THE SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: STUNNING VIEWS OF SPACE STATION FROM FLYAROUND PLAY
VIDEO: FOOTAGE OF SHUTTLE DISCOVERY AFTER UNDOCKING PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE DISCOVERY UNDOCKS FROM SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: HATCHWAY CLOSED BETWEEN TWO SPACECRAFT PLAY
VIDEO: FAREWELL CEREMONY BETWEEN THE TWO CREWS PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW ANIMATION OF UNDOCKING AN FLYAROUND PLAY

VIDEO: SOYUZ MOVED TO LAUNCH PAD FOR EXPEDITION 19 PLAY
VIDEO: ROCKET HOISTED VERTICALLY ONTO LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH ISS DEPUTY PROGRAM MANAGER PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH FORMER ISS COMMANDER PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: PRESIDENT OBAMA CALLS THE SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: JOINT CREW IN-FLIGHT NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKER RICK ARNOLD WORKS ON STATION ARM PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKER JOE ACABA MOVES RAIL CART PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: NEWS MEDIA INTERVIEWS WITH CREW PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: WALKTHROUGH OF SPACEWALK NO. 2 PLAN PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: NEWS MEDIA INTERVIEWS WITH CREW PLAY
VIDEO: SECOND SOLAR WING FULLY DEPLOYED PLAY
VIDEO: SECOND SOLAR WING DEPLOYED HALF-WAY PLAY
VIDEO: FIRST SOLAR WING FULLY DEPLOYED PLAY
VIDEO: FIRST SOLAR WING DEPLOYED HALF-WAY PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF SOLAR ARRAY DEPLOYMENT PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKER STEVE SWANSON RELEASES LOCKS PLAY
VIDEO: STARBOARD 6 TRUSS ATTACHED TO THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: WALKTHROUGH OF SPACEWALK NO. 1 PLAN PLAY
VIDEO: OVERVIEW OF THE STARBOARD 6 TRUSS PAYLOAD PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF TRUSS INSTALLATION PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: POWER TRUSS HANDED FROM SHUTTLE TO STATION PLAY
VIDEO: STARBOARD 6 TRUSS HOISTED FROM PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW ANIMATION OF S6 TRUSS UNBERTHING PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED TOUR OF DISCOVERY'S PAYLOAD BAY PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE CREW WELCOMED ABOARD STATION PLAY
VIDEO: SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY DOCKS TO SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE'S POINT OF VIEW DURING BACKFLIP PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY PERFORMS 360-DEGREE BACKFLIP PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW ANIMATION OF RENDEZVOUS AND DOCKING PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW ANIMATION OF HEAT SHIELD INSPECTIONS PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: THE FULL STS-119 LAUNCH EXPERIENCE PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: EXTERNAL TANK CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: VAB ROOF PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-1 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-2 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-6 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: FRONT CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: BEACH TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD PERIMETER PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PLAYALINDA BEACH PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: THE VIP VIEWING SITE PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: WEST TOWER PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 009 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 050 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 051 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 054 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 061 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 063 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 070 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 071 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: UCS-11 TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: UCS-23 TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE PLAY
VIDEO: INSIDE MISSION CONTROL DURING LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: PAYLOAD BAY DOORS OPENED IN ORBIT PLAY

VIDEO: SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY BLASTS OFF PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE'S CREW MODULE HATCH CLOSED FOR FLIGHT PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST STEVE SWANSON BOARDS PLAY
VIDEO: PILOT TONY ANTONELLI BOARDS DISCOVERY PLAY
VIDEO: COMMANDER LEE ARCHAMBAULT BOARDS PLAY
VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS QUARTERS FOR LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS DON SPACESUITS FOR LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF SUNRISE AT LAUNCH PAD 39A PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF HYDROGEN ACCESS ARM RETRACTION PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF SATURDAY NIGHT'S GANTRY ROLLBACK PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY'S SHUTTLE AND WEATHER UPDATE BRIEFING PLAY

VIDEO: POST-SCRUB NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY IN THE PREDAWN DARKESS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S ROLLBACK OF PAD GANTRY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF PAD GANTRY ROLLING BACK PLAY
VIDEO: THE PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE IN FLORIDA FOR LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: POST-ARRIVAL COMMENTS FROM THE CREW PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW BRIEFING PLAY

VIDEO: SECOND LAUNCH POSTPONEMENT BRIEFING PLAY

VIDEO: NARRATED MISSION OVERVIEW MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: MEET SHUTTLE DISCOVERY'S ASTRONAUTS PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH COMMANDER LEE ARCHAMBAULT PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH PILOT TONY ANTONELLI PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH MS1 JOE ACABA PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH MS2 STEVE SWANSON PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH MS3 RICKY ARNOLD PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH MS4 JOHN PHILLIPS PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH MS5 KOICHI WAKATA PLAY

VIDEO: NASA OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE LAUNCH DELAY PLAY
VIDEO: SPACE STATION'S VIBRATIONS DURING REBOOST PLAY

VIDEO: INFORMAL NEWS CONFERENCE AT RUNWAY PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE FOR PRACTICE COUNTDOWN PLAY

VIDEO: DISCOVERY POSITIONED ATOP PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: EARLY MORNING ROLLOUT FROM THE VAB PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE MOVIE OF DISCOVERY ARRIVING AT PAD 39A PLAY

VIDEO: DISCOVERY HOISTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CRANE ROTATES DISCOVERY VERTICALLY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: DISCOVERY MOVES TO ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NOSE WHEEL LANDING GEAR RETRACTED PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE MOVIE OF DISCOVERY GOING VERTICAL PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE MOVIE OF ASSEMBLY BUILDING CRANE WORK PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE MOVIE OF DISCOVERY'S TRIP TO VAB PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE MOVIE OF PAYLOAD'S MOVE PLAY

VIDEO: SHUTTLE AND STATION PROGRAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: STS-119 MISSION OVERVIEW BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW BRIEFING ON MISSION'S SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO: THE ASTRONAUTS' PRE-FLIGHT NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
MORE: STS-119 VIDEO COVERAGE
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