NASA sets next shuttle launch date

CAPE CANAVERAL: NASA on Friday scheduled the launch date for the next space shuttle mission.

The scheduled date for the explosion of Shuttle Endeavour is on February 7.

The shuttle will deliver the final module of the U.S. portion to the international space station.

Endeavour's flight will commence the final year of space shuttle operations.

5 shuttle missions are planned in 2010, with the final flight currently targeted for launch in September.

First Earth vs. Space Chess Match Ends – Earth Wins

The first Earth versus Space chess match, begun during astronaut Greg Chamitoff’s Expedition 17 stay aboard the International Space Station, is over – and the Earth won.

NASA and the U.S. Chess Federation (USCF) teamed up to host the match, which started in September 2008. Greg Chamitoff conceded the match in a December 16, 2009, letter to the third grade U.S. Chess Championship Team and its chess club teammates from Stevenson Elementary School in Bellevue, Wash. The USCF facilitated the match, coordinating worldwide voting on the Earth’s moves, which were proposed by the K-3 champions.

Greg Chamitoff, who continued the match via e-mail after his 183-day space mission and return to Earth on November 30, 2008, is scheduled to fly again on the forthcoming STS-134 mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Endeavour Readied for VAB Trip

In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians are halfway complete with a three-day leak test on space shuttle Endeavour's environmental control and life support system, as well as structural leak tests.

The shuttle's move, also known as rollover, to the Vehicle Assembly Building is scheduled for Dec. 12. Once inside, the Endeavour will be hoisted and then lowered onto the waiting mobile launcher platform where the massive external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters stand ready.

Today, the six STS-130 astronauts are studying flight procedures at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Shuttle Endeavour, with its payload of the Tranquility node and the seven-windowed Cupola module, is targeted to launch Feb. 4, 2010.

Endeavour, Crew Prep for STS-130 On-going

Technicians in Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are preparing space shuttle Endeavour for its move to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Dec. 12.

Throughout the next three days, they'll leak test Endeavour's environmental control and life support system. Techs also are testing the space shuttle main engine and aerosurface hydraulics, as well as testing and calibrating the Inertial Measurement Units, or IMUs, which provide navigational information for the shuttle while it's in orbit.

Meanwhile, Endeavour's STS-130 astronauts ‪are practicing an integrated launch simulation today at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

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Endeavour, Crew Prepare for Next Mission

Technicians in Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are preparing space shuttle Endeavour for its move to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Dec. 12.

They're taking samples and filling the nitrogen gas system of the environmental control and life support system for the shuttle. Techs also are conducting tests of the space shuttle main engine and aerosurface hydraulics today. The team finished the brake, anti-skid and nose wheel steering checks yesterday.

Endeavour's STS-130 mission astronauts ‪are conducting a variety of systems training exercises today at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Atlantis Astros Feted Today; Endeavour Crew Rehearse for STS-130

After a flawless mission to resupply the International Space Station, the STS-129 crew members now are back at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. They will be honored with a homecoming ceremony at nearby Ellington Field today.

Meanwhile, preparations for space shuttle Endeavour and its crew are ramping up for the STS-130 mission targeted to launch Feb. 4, 2010.

Endeavour is scheduled to roll over from the orbiter processing facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in late December. There, it will be lifted and attached to the waiting external tank and twin solid rocket boosters.

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NASA Managers Congratulate the STS-129 Mission Crew

During a post-landing press conference held at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations said, "This has just been an amazing mission. On-time launch, on-time landing .. just a phenomenal team effort across the board."

Gerstenmaier also gave special thanks to the production workers who prepared the hardware for this flight, especially those who have taken voluntary retirement and have been laid off as part of the staff reduction requirements.

"There's still a lot of activity in front us .. still a very busy time," continued Gerstenmaier. "The teams are focused - we're moving forward and doing great things."

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Atlantis crew returns home safely

The space shuttle Atlantis glided to a picture-perfect landing Friday morning under bright, sunny skies at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The seven-person crew returned after an 11-day mission to deliver key spare parts to prolong the life of the international space station.

The original six-member crew, with flight engineer Nicole Stott - who launched in August - returned amid sunny, clear Florida weather

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Crew Performs Flight Control System Checkout

The Atlantis crew has performed the Flight Control System checkout and the Reaction Control System hot-fire test. Landing is scheduled for Friday at 9:44 a.m. EDT at Kennedy Space Center.

Waste Water Dump Flow Reduction Not Expected to be Issue

During a purge of the space shuttle waste water tank Wednesday morning, Mission Control noticed a reduction in the flow from the nozzle that vents the waste water into space. This has occurred on past shuttle missions and is not expected to be an issue. Capsule Communicator Stan Love told Atlantis Commander Charles Hobaugh it is likely no further waste dumps will be necessary before Friday’s planned landing.

As a precaution, to determine if there is ice on the outside of the nozzle, a robotic arm camera may be used to view the nozzle during a planned pause in the “late inspection” survey. There are heaters at the waste water dump nozzle to prevent water from freezing and flight controllers believe ice formation is unlikely, due to the nozzle temperatures they are measuring.

The waste water system stores waste from the crew cabin humidity separator and from the crew. The tank is located below the crew compartment middeck floor, and the dump nozzle is on the left side of the shuttle.

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Spacewalkers Install High Pressure Gas Tank

The high pressure gas tank has been installed on the outside of the Quest airlock and activated. The tank will be used to replenish Quest air that is lost when spacewalkers exit and enter Quest.

Spacewalkers Robert Satcher Jr. and Randy Bresnik are about 30 minutes ahead of schedule as the elapsed time passed the three hour mark.

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NASA's Wise Gets Ready to Survey the Whole Sky

NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or Wise, is chilled out, sporting a sunshade and getting ready to roll. NASA's newest spacecraft is scheduled to roll to the pad on Friday, Nov. 20, its last stop before launching into space to survey the entire sky in infrared light.

Wise is scheduled to launch no earlier than 6:09 a.m. PST (9:09 a.m. EST) on Dec. 9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It will circle Earth over the poles, scanning the entire sky one-and-a-half times in nine months. The mission will uncover hidden cosmic objects, including the coolest stars, dark asteroids and the most luminous galaxies.

"The eyes of Wise are a vast improvement over those of past infrared surveys," said Edward "Ned" Wright, the principal investigator for the mission at UCLA. "We will find millions of objects that have never been seen before."

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Spacewalkers Ahead of Timeline

Spacewalker Mike Foreman installed a set of cables along the Destiny laboratory for the station’s future space-to-ground antenna. He then swapped out a handrail on the Unity node with a bracket that will be used to route an ammonia cable to the Tranquility node when it arrives next year. Meanwhile Robert L. Satcher, Jr. lubricated the latching snares on the station’s mobile base system. The pair now is nearly two hours ahead of schedule.

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