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STS-126: The programs

In advance of shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission to the station, managers from both programs discuss the flight.

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STS-126: The mission

A detailed preview of Endeavour's mission to deliver expanded crew accommodations to the station is provided in this briefing.

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STS-126: Spacewalks

Four spacewalks are planned during Endeavour's STS-126 mission to the station.

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STS-126: The Crew

The Endeavour astronauts, led by commander Chris Ferguson, meet the press in the traditional pre-flight news conference.

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Shuttle rollaround

Space shuttle Endeavour switched launch pads on Oct. 23, traveling from pad 39B to pad 39A.

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Two shuttles sighted

Stunning aerial views of shuttles Atlantis and Endeavour perched atop launch pads 39A and 39B on Sept. 20.

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Endeavour to the VAB

For its role as a rescue craft during the Hubble servicing mission and the scheduled November logistics run to the space station, Endeavour is moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

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Station cargo ship launches; antenna glitch fixed
BY SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: November 26, 2008;
Updated with antenna resolution

Sporting an enhanced computer control system and loaded with food, supplies and holiday gifts, a Russian cargo-delivery spacecraft was launched toward the international space station this morning.


Credit: Energia
 
The robotic Progress M-01M freighter was put into orbit by a three-stage Soyuz booster following a 7:38 a.m. EST liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and 9-minute ascent over Asia.

Onboard commands then extended the Progress craft's two power-generating solar arrays to span 35 feet and unfurled communications and navigation antennas. However, one of those antennas initially did not deploy as planned.

"One of several antennas associated with the Kurs automated rendezvous system apparently did not deploy. The Progress passed out of range of Russian ground stations before all of the data from the initial post-insertion analysis could be received," NASA spokesman John Ira Petty said from Mission Control shortly after launch.

"Russian flight controllers will review data in the hours ahead. They are aiming at determining whether troubleshooting may be required on that antenna. The suspect antenna in question is one of two narrow field proximity antennas used for range and rate updates to the Progress computers through the final stage of its approach for docking at the Pirs Docking Compartment."

But by noon EST, Mission Control-Houston announced a second attempt to deploy the antenna was successful.

This is the 31st such Russian-made craft sent to the station. But it's the first in a new series equipped with a new state-of-the-art onboard computer system and more-compact radiotelemetry hardware.

The updated vessels weigh 165 pounds less, allowing more cargo to be carried, and have 15 fewer parts, according to builder RSC Energia.

"The computer system performance has increased. Automatic diagnostics is provided for the means of direct communication between telemetry system and computer system elements. Communications of the spacecraft with ISS over standard digital interfaces has been provided, which allows integrating all the spacecraft systems into the space station infrastructure," the company said.

Today's launch, known in the station's assembly matrix as Progress mission 31P, will deliver two-and-a-half tons of supplies to the station. The "dry" cargo packed aboard the Progress amounts to 2,963 pounds in the form of spare parts, life support gear, equipment hardware and holiday presents for the station's crew.

The refueling module carries 1,808 pounds of propellant for transfer into the Russian segment of the complex to feed the station's maneuvering thrusters.

And the vessel has 108 pounds of oxygen and air, plus 463 pounds of water to replenish the station's supplies.

Docking to the station's Pirs module is planned for Sunday at 7:23 a.m. EST, just six hours before space shuttle Endeavour lands.

Expedition 18 flight engineer Yury Lonchakov will be standing by to manually dock the Progress if the automated system experiences a problem. The cosmonaut is living aboard the station along with commander Mike Fincke and science officer Sandy Magnus.

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