Back to newsletter listDate:
Tue, March 25, 2008 11:47:35 AMFrom:
CBS Space News
Subject:
1140a 3/25 Update: Astronauts pack for Wednesday landing
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CBS NEWS STS-123 STATUS REPORT: 68
Posted: 11:30 AM, 3/25/08
By William Harwood
CBS News Space Analyst
Changes and additions:
SR-66 (03/24/08): Shuttle Endeavour undocks after solar panel glitch resolved
SR-67 (03/25/08): Suffredini provides detailed SARJ update; contamination samples point to possible bearing problem in solar array joint; but troubleshooting not yet definitive
SR-68 (03/25/08): Astronauts prepare for Wednesday landing
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11:30 AM, 3/25/08, Update: Astronauts prepare for Wednesday landing
The Endeavour astronauts faced a busy day in space today, testing the shuttle's re-entry systems and packing up for landing Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center to close out a 16-day space station assembly mission. There are no technical problems of any significance and forecasters are predicting good weather for Endeavour's 7:05 p.m. Wednesday touchdown.
Commander Dominic Gorie, pilot Gregory Johnson and flight engineer Mike Foreman planned to fire up one of the shuttle's hydraulic power units this afternoon for a detailed flight control system checkout before test firing maneuvering jets to make sure the orbiter's entry systems are ready for the descent from orbit.
The astronauts also will set up a reclining seat on the shuttle's lower deck for European Space Agency astronaut Leopold Eyharts, returning to the uncomfortable tug of Earth's gravity after 48 days in weightlessness. Eyharts was launched to the international space station Feb. 7 to help commission ESA's Columbus research module. His replacement, Garrett Reisman, was ferried to the outpost aboard Endeavour.
Two final astronaut interview sessions are on tap today, one with Eyharts at 6:33 p.m. and the other, at 8:13 p.m., with U.S. reporters. A mission status briefing with entry flight director Richard Jones to review the weather and landing preparations is scheduled for 10 p.m.
Here is an updated timeline of today's activity (in EDT and mission elapsed time; includes revision M of the NASA television schedule):
EDT........DD...HH...MM...EVENT
03/25/08
10:58 AM...14...08...30...Crew wakeup
01:53 PM...14...11...25...Orbit adjust rocket firing
01:58 PM...14...11...30...Cabin stow begins
02:28 PM...14...12...00...Flight control system checkout
03:53 PM...14...13...25...Reaction control system hotfire
04:08 PM...14...13...40...PILOT landing simulator practice
06:08 PM...14...15...40...Crew meals begin
06:33 PM...14...16...05...ESA PAO event
08:13 PM...14...17...45...U.S. media interviews
08:33 PM...14...18...05...Cabin stow resumes
08:33 PM...14...18...05...Entry video setup
09:28 PM...14...19...00...Launch/entry suit checkout
10:00 PM...14...19...32...Mission status briefing on NASA TV
10:28 PM...14...20...00...Recumbent seat setup
10:38 PM...14...20...10...Wing leading edge sensors deactivated
10:58 PM...14...20...30...Laptop computer teardown (part 1)
11:18 PM...14...20...50...KU-band antenna stow
11:28 PM...14...21...00...Deorbit review
03/26/08
02:58 AM...15...00...30...Crew sleep begins
03:00 AM...15...00...32...Daily video highlights reel on NASA TV
10:58 AM...15...08...30...Crew wakeup
12:58 PM...15...10...30...Group B computer powerup
01:13 PM...15...10...45...Inertial measurement unit alignment
01:58 PM...15...11...30...Deorbit timeline begins
05:58 PM...15...15...30...Deorbit ignition (rev. 248)
07:05 PM...15...16...37...Landing
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Quick-Launch Web Links:
CBS News STS-123 Status Reports:
http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/current.html
CBS News STS-123 Quick-Look Page:
http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/currentglance.html
NASA Shuttle Web: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/index.html
NASA Station Web: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/index.html
Spaceflight Now: http://spaceflightnow.com/index.html
GoogleSatTrack: http://www.lizard-tail.com/isana/tracking/
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