Jan. 23, 2009 Vol. 49, No. 2 Spaceport News John F. - America’s gateway to the universe

www..gov/centers/kennedy/news/snews/spnews_toc.html STS-119 crew arrives for TCDT By Linda Herridge Spaceport News clear blue sky served as the back- A drop as Discovery’s STS-119 crew members touched down at Ken- nedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility aboard T-38 aircraft Jan. 19, for the Terminal Countdown Dem- onstration Test, or TCDT. A year’s worth of training cul- minated in three days at the center to prepare for their mission to the International Space Station to deliver and install the S6 truss segment and solar arrays. They were greeted by Launch Director Mike Lein- bach and NASA Test Direc- NASA/Kim Shiflett tor Pete Nickolenko, and STS-119 mission crew members head across the tarmac to greet the media after arriving at the Shuttle Landing Facility. From left, is Commander Lee Archambault, then fielded questions from Pilot Tony Antonelli, and Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold, John Phillips and . The crew flew to Kennedy Space Center members of the news media to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include equipment familiarization, emergency exit training, and a simulated launch countdown. during a brief Q-and-A. to familiarize themselves adding the final pieces of Johnson Space Center and for NASA’s space program. Commander Lee Ar- with the mission payload, the station’s power supply get out here very seldom “It’s beautiful to see Discov- chambault, Pilot Tony An- practice emergency egress, will allow a full comple- for official training. This ery on the pad and we know tonelli, and Mission Special- and take part in a simulated ment of power to operate the is really the culmination of it’s the result of many thou- ists Richard Arnold, Joseph launch countdown. Columbus and Japanese labs our training when we get to sands and thousands of man Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Commander Archam- on the station. spend a couple days here.” hours,” Archambault said. Swanson and Japan Aero- bault said they’ve been “I’d like to recognize Archambault said it’s Wakata said delivery space Exploration Agency training for more than a year the people at Kennedy,” a great time to recognize of the S6 truss and solar Koichi Wakata, and are anxious to get going Archambault said. “We the thousands of people at spent three days at Kennedy on this mission. He said do most of our training at Kennedy who do so much See STS-119, Page 2

Getting suited up Heritage: Inside this issue . . . First Block II Saturn I launched 45 years ago Director’s update Lightning tower goes up at Launch Pad 39B

Page 2 Page 3 Page 6 Page 7 Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS Jan. 23, 2009 Upcoming challenges bring in the new year new year is upon us gressive in recent years and at early this year is whether and the challenges you can understand why we’re structured properly to Aabound! The future Director’s it’s so important that we meet our commitments to holds great things for the stay focused and continue the programs in the future. Kennedy Space Center, and Update to meet our commitments With that in mind, key successfully navigating the in the excellent manner we members of senior staff and turbulent waters that lay Bob Cabana always have. project managers at Ken- ahead of us will be the key Kennedy Space Center Director Change isn’t always nedy will be meeting in the to our success. easy to deal with. Often This is a truly exciting times it brings with it un- next few weeks to clarify the time for human . certainty about the future, roles and responsibilities of launch later this year. In addition to the new As we look around Kennedy which can cause concern. the programs and the institu- The Operations and challenges presented by the we see the signs of change Administrations, tion, and then determine the Checkout Building’s high Constellation Program, we and new beginnings. programs and management best possible organization bay has been totally redone have five shuttle missions Modifications to Launch personnel may come and for Kennedy to effectively and is being dedicated this scheduled this year, includ- Pad 39B are taking shape as go, but the one thing that utilize our work force. month to support the as- ing four to the International the first of three new light- remains constant is Kennedy The future is here; it’s at ning protection towers has sembly and processing of the Space Station and the final Space Center is the premier new Orion spacecraft. servicing mission to NASA’s Kennedy now, and we have been erected to support the launch facility for America’s to deliver. We must continue Constellation Program. Work is taking place Hubble Space Telescope. space program. You have a to provide excellent techni- In the Vehicle Assembly around the center to prepare These missions are essential secure role in the exploration cal solutions, on time and Building, the upper stage us to launch and recover to complete the ISS, and of space that is vital to our for the Ares I-X test flight is the first new U. S. human continue to increase in their future. under budget. being stacked, and the first spacecraft to be developed in difficulty and criticality. Change also brings with This is going to be a stage solid rocket motor seg- more than thirty years. This Now, add to this an it the opportunity to do our great year and it’s a privilege ments have arrived and are is history in the making and expendable launch program jobs even better. One of the to be a part of this outstand- being processed to support a we’re at the center of it. that’s one of the most ag- areas we’re going to look ing Kennedy team.

From STS-119, Page 1 if the crew needs to exit the and ride the slidewire bas- arrays is significant. “We’re going kets to the ground in an emergency. to the six-member phase of the Later, Commander Archam- International Space Station later this bault and Pilot Antonelli put on year,” Wakata said. “I’m ready and their launch-and-entry suits and looking forward to contributing to practiced landing at the Shuttle this mission.” Landing Facility aboard the Shuttle During the mission, Wakata Training Aircraft, or STA. The STA will transfer to the station and is a modified Gulfstream II jet that replace NASA astronaut Sandra mimics the space shuttle’s gliding Magnus as Expedition 18 flight profile during landing. engineer. On Tuesday, crew members Phillips said the crew watched rode to the pad and participated a lot of video from previous solar in an emergency exit walk down array installations in order to pre- pare for the STS-119 mission. and sat in the slidewire baskets “We take this very seriously,” at the 195-foot level of the fixed Phillips said. “We all have a role to service structure. They also viewed play in this installation.” Discovery’s payload bay from the NASA/Kim Shiflett payload changeout room. Phillips will operate the space STS-119 Commander Lee Archambault is in the driver’s seat of the M-113 armored personnel carrier station’s robotic arm, while An- used for emergency escape, if needed, from Launch Pad 39A. Other crew members behind him are, Just as they will on launch day, tonelli, Acaba and Wakata operate from left, Mission Specialist Steve Swanson, Pilot Tony Antonelli, and Mission Specialists Joseph the crew suited up in the Operations the space shuttle’s robotic arm. Acaba, Richard Arnold, John Phillips and Koichi Wakata, who represents the Japan Aerospace and Checkout Building, boarded the Exploration Agency. Swanson and Arnold will perform Astrovan and traveled to Launch three spacewalks, and Acaba will Constellation Program. of the program.” Pad 39A to participate in a simulated perform two during the mission. “I would at least encourage On Monday, crew members re- launch countdown Wednesday morn- Though the crew’s schedule President Obama to keep the course ceived an orientation on the M-113 ing. In the afternoon they boarded did not permit them to watch the NASA is going on,” Archambault armored vehicle and then practiced the T-38 jets and returned to NASA’s inauguration, Archambault said he said. “The long-term goal of driving the vehicle near Launch Pad Johnson Space Center in Houston. would like to encourage the new getting back to the moon and ulti- 39B. Resembling a small tank, the Discovery’s STS-119 mission is president to press on with the mately beyond is really the future vehicle serves as a means of escape targeted for launch Feb. 12. Jan. 23, 2009 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 First of three Ares lightning protection towers up at Pad 39B

By Linda Herridge Spaceport News “This project ooking out over Ken- is like a reality nedy Space Center’s Lskyline toward the check, it marks Atlantic Ocean, the stage the beginning is being set around Launch of the Pad 39B for the next gen- eration of NASA space Constellation vehicles. Program.” A 600-foot-tall light- ning tower took shape on Jose the east side of the pad as an even taller crane lifted Perez-Morales, the remaining steel structure Launch Pad Senior and fiberglass mast from the Project Manager ground nearby and placed it on top of the tower Jan. 4. “This project is like a March 2010. The pad’s fixed reality check, it marks the service structure and rotat- beginning of the Constella- ing service structure will be tion Program,” said Launch demolished in 2010. Pad Senior Project Manager “These towers will Jose Perez-Morales. significantly change the The tower is the first landscape of Pad B, espe- of three that are part of the cially when the fixed and new lightning protection rotating service structures system for the Constellation are removed from the pad,” Program’s Ares and Orion Perez-Morales said. launches. The contract to A system of catenary complete the work was wires attached to the mast awarded to Ivey’s Construc- of each tower will provide tion Inc. on Merritt Island in the Ares launch vehicles a July 2007 and construction blanket of protection from on the foundation for each lightning strikes, while cam- began in August 2008. eras installed on each tower It’s taking 900 tons will record any strikes. For of steel, about 50 NASA the Ares I-X test flight, and contractor workers, as currently targeted for July well as two cranes, a small 2009, the catenary wires one and a mammoth one, will be attached from tower to complete the work. The 2 to tower 1 to protect the small crane rotates tower vehicle. segments, while a 640- The towers also will foot-tall Manitowoc Model house weather stations at 2100 crane lifts segments to four elevations to measure higher elevations. Workers wind speed, wind direction, preassemble sections of the temperature and humidity. tower on the ground before Workers are testing a proto- lifting them into place. type of the weather station According to Perez- at Kennedy’s Engineering Morales, the initial assem- Development Lab. bly of all three towers is “When all the work is NASA/Kim Shiflett expected to be complete by complete, this launch pad On Launch Pad 39B, a crane places the 100-foot fiberglass mast atop the new lightning tower. The towers are part of the new April and the entire light- will look quite a bit differ- lightning protection system for the Constellation Program’s Ares and Orion launches. Each of the three new lightning towers will ning protection system by ent,” Perez-Morales said. be 500 feet tall with the additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS Jan. 23, 2009 Jan. 23, 2009 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 5 Scenes Around Kennedy Space Center

NASA/Jim Grossmann Nineteen Kennedy Space Center workers were presented with NASA’s Silver Snoopy Award for service to space shuttle . The award was created by the astronauts to honor people who contribute most to the safety and success of . NASA/Kim Shiflett A worker inspects the high-gain antenna on NASA’s Kepler spacecraft in preparation for testing at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA’s planet- hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket.

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NASA/Jim Grossmann NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis Reader-submitted photo [email protected] Johnson Space Center suit techs describe how medics should properly remove an astronaut’s suit in case of a medical emergency at the 2009 Kennedy Space STS-126 crew members chatted with Kennedy workers after the astronauts’ presentation Jan. 14 Mike Sumner, left, receives a flown flag from Jim Hattaway, associate director for Business Center Spaceflight Medical Support Training Course at the Debus Conference Center inside the the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Jan. 13. of their experiences during the mission. Pilot Eric Boe signs a picture during the crew return. Operations, during Sumner’s retirement coffee Dec. 19. Sumner retired after 35 years with NASA. Workers demolish Launch Complex 39 Fire Station Photos by NASA/Tim Jacobs and Jim Grossmann Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS Jan. 23, 2009 Getting suited up, a mission in itself By Anna Heiney just a few of the prepara- Spaceport News tion milestones: Emergency oxygen bottles are inspected n launch day, and installed into their a space shuttle harnesses. The suit’s liquid astronaut’s first O cooling system is checked challenge isn’t handling the to verify it’s not leaking force of liftoff or adjusting and is functioning properly. to microgravity. There are parachute inspec- It’s getting into the tions and suit pressurized bulky, bright-orange Ad- leak checks, as well as an vanced Crew Escape Suit, “end-to-end” check of the or ACES, that provides each communications systems. crew member a safe cocoon of pressure, breathable air All this advance work and survival essentials dur- sets the stage for a smooth ing launch and landing. suit-up on launch day. NASA file/1999 Early in the astronauts’ First, in private, the In the suit-up room at Kennedy Space Center, Mission Specialist Michael Foale smiles as a suit tech helps him put on his launch-and-entry suit before liftoff on the STS-103 mission. launch day activities at Ken- astronaut puts on long- sleeve, long-pant thermal nedy Space Center, they go arms, and gets your head for suit techs to check the of the closeout crew. underwear lined with tubes, to the suit-up room, which is somewhere near the neck entire ensemble for pressure When an astronaut through which cooling water the same room where astro- ring. leaks. Then the helmet and reaches the White Room, flows after the ACES is on. nauts have suited for flight “Now your back is gloves are removed until the Billingsley explains, there Then the astronaut enters since the Apollo missions. sticking out, covered in blue astronaut is seated inside the are several additional tasks the suit-up room and while Each astronaut climbs into underwear. Your legs are in shuttle. to complete. The parachute sitting in a recliner, steps their one-piece suit with the the suit, and your arms are Suit techs pack the harness is put on, as is the into the suit feet-first. help of several United Space in the suit, but the rest of astronaut’s pockets with “snoopy cap,” the cap con- “At this point, you dive Alliance technicians from you isn’t.” survival items such as flares taining the crew member’s and then you scrunch,” said the Crew Escape Equipment Next, the astronaut and radios, along with a communications headset. At astronaut Michael Foale, a Group at Johnson Space ducks his or her head into lanyard to help reach the the same time, the protec- veteran of four space shuttle Center in Houston. the suit’s metal neck ring, suit zipper. Crew members tive booties that covered the missions and long-dura- “Work begins days but the last obstacle is also may carry a variety astronaut’s boots during the tion stays on the Russian and days in advance,” actually a neoprene dam of personal items, such as trip to the launch pad are Mir space station and said Insertion Technician that forms a seal around the a pen, pencil, flashlight, removed. International Space Sta- Drew Billingsley, who has neck. glasses, watch, wrist mirror As the astronauts are tion. “You’re bending your worked with at least 20 “It’s designed to be the and more. seated and strapped in, the stomach muscles as much shuttle crews in the past 12 width of your neck, not your The carefully choreo- gloves and helmets are put years. He’s part of the Crew as you can to bend yourself head, so it’s very tight as graphed launch countdown on once more -- this time, Escape Equipment Group, over in two. You put one you push your head through allows a 45-minute window for flight. A round of voice which includes six insertion hand in, then the other hand, it. Your hair gets pulled out for the completion of suit-up checks confirms each crew techs and 14 suit techs. and wriggle your arms. This as the rubber comes down and testing. Because any member is able to communi- Billingsley reviews pushes you through the suit over your face and squeezes problem that pops up during cate with crewmates, launch your neck,” Foale said. suit testing can take time to controllers at Kennedy A suit tech assists each resolve, the process is time- and mission controllers in crew member through every critical. Houston. step by holding the suit as The flight crew leaves Two minutes before the astronaut climbs in and together for the launch pad, liftoff, crew members close ensures a proper fit before riding the elevator from the and lock their helmet visors zipping the suit closed. Next crew quarters down to the for the upcoming journey are boots, which are strong ground level where the sil- to orbit. Once in space, enough to support the feet ver Astrovan awaits. Inside crew members remove their and ankles in the event of the van, the astronauts can gloves and helmets and a parachute fall but flexible plug into cooling units at climb out of their suits, as- enough to allow the astro- each seat to avoid overheat- sisted by other astronauts if naut to run. ing in their heavy suits. One necessary. They’ll also help The helmet and gloves insertion tech accompanies each other suit up once more NASA/Kim Shiflett are locked into place with the crew to the launch pad; as another successful mission Crew members for space shuttle Endeavour’s STS-126 mission depart for Launch Pad 39A aboard NASA’s silver Astrovan. The sleeves of their tube-lined thermal connecting metal rings, but another is already there. draws to a close and the crew suits are visible beneath their orange launch-and-entry suits. are only worn long enough Both insertion techs are part and shuttle return home. Jan. 23, 2009 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 7 Remembering Our Heritage SA-5 put America ahead in space race By Kay Grinter climb skyward. Reference Librarian The Saturn vehicles all carried an invaluable array of he hustle and bustle visual instrumentation equip- at Kennedy Space ment. The Block II series TCenter’s Launch Pad continued the tradition that 39B today to prepare for the began during Block I flights Constellation Program is with great attention given to reminiscent of the buzz at on-board television systems. Launch Pad 37-B on Cape During the flight, eight Canaveral 45 years ago. on-board motion picture The excitement grew cameras photographed vari- Jan. 29, 1964, with the ous operations of the rocket liftoff of SA-5, the first test and a TV camera provided in NASA’s Apollo Program real-time photographs of of the Saturn I Block II separation and ignition of configuration. SA-5 was the the S-IV stage. The mo- fifth in a series of 10 Saturn tion picture cameras were flights -- all important to the ejected about 750 miles development of the Saturn downrange. IB and Saturn V rockets -- The largest U.S. Air and the maiden launch from Force Air Rescue Service Pad 37-B. aerospace recovery deploy- With a Jupiter nose ment following a rocket cone, SA-5 stood about 164 launch on the Atlantic feet high. It was the first in Missile Range was directed the Saturn series to generate toward recovering these a full 1 1/2 million pounds eight film cassettes. of thrust at liftoff, its full The members of the Air rated thrust. If successful, it Force pararescue team were would be America’s mighti- highly trained and skilled in est space booster, sending the art of survival, first aid, the heaviest payload into the use of scuba, and were orbit at the time. expert parachutists. Despite The Block II series adverse weather conditions was distinguished by the and rough seas, seven of addition of eight aerody- the eight cassettes were namic fins to the lower stage recovered. for enhanced stability in The success of SA-5, flight. The most significant lofting its almost 40,000- feature of Block II, though, pound payload into orbit, was the addition of a live was heralded as placing upper stage, the S-IV, built America one lap ahead of by Douglas Aircraft Co. the Soviet Union in the NASA file The S-IV stage introduced space race. The launch of the SA-5 on Jan. 29, 1964, was the fifth Saturn I launch vehicle.The SA-5 marked a number of firsts, including liquid hydrogen propellant the first flight of the Saturn I Block II vehicle with eight aerodynamic fins at the bottom of the S-I first stage for enhanced The mission made the technology into the Saturn stability in flight. This also was the first flight of a live S-IV upper stage with the cluster of six liquid hydrogen-fueled RL-10 history books for a number vehicle program. engines, the first successful stage separation, and the first use of Cape CanaveralAir Force Station’s Launch Complex 37. of firsts. Not only was it the Six Pratt & Whitney first flight for the S-IV stage, RL-10 liquid hydrogen and an array of sensing and a number of routine prob- the SA-5 launch date had the first successful stage rocket engines were used in evaluation equipment for lems, such as leaking liquid been moved from August to separation in the Apollo the upper stage to allow or- telemetry acquisition from oxygen lines, freezing liquid December. Program, and the first use of bital operations for the first the ground. oxygen vent valves, and When the 562-ton guidance and control pack- time for the Saturn I rockets. By the end of April inoperative gauges. A modi- rocket launched at ages, it also was the first Above the S-IV stage, 1963, Pad 37-B had been fication of the baffles in the 11:25 a.m. EST Jan. 29, it orbital Saturn vehicle, the the Block II vehicles also outfitted with a dummy S-1 stage liquid oxygen tank remained on the pedestal for first Saturn to use uprated carried the first instrument SA-5 vehicle and mechani- was the only major change a seemingly endless three engines and the first suc- canisters for guidance and cal support equipment tests required, but there was time seconds following ignition, cessful recovery of motion control of powered ascent completed. There were to accomplish this because then began its slow, steady picture camera pods. Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS Jan. 23, 2009

ON WORD THE STREET What aeronautics, science or space exploration goal, or goals, would you like President Barack Obama to focus on? “We should get to the moon and go to Mars. We seem to have lost sight of going beyond.” Jason Palmer, with Delaware North Companies Inc.

“To decrease that gap between the shuttle and Photos by NASA/Jim Grossmann the Ares programs. It’s most important right now.” Robin Turner, Discovery makes moves with Abacus Technology Corp. Above, space shuttle Discovery rolls out of Kennedy Space Center’s “He should focus on the U.S. preeminence in Orbiter Processing Facility to head to the space and stress exploration goals for the U.S.” Vehicle Assembly Build- Karen Thompson, ing (background). At with NASA right, Discovery, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, approaches the ramp to “Get the new vehicles flying before we are forced Launch Pad 39A. to fly someone else’s crewed spacecraft.” Larry Geiger, with ASRC Aerospace Corp. Looking up and ahead Feb. 4 Launch/VAFB: Delta II, NOAA-N Prime; 5:22 a.m. EST

Target Feb. 12 Launch/KSC: Discovery, STS-119; 7:32 a.m. “Focus on closing the gap of spaceflight. We can’t afford to be without our own crewed spacecraft.” Target Feb. 23 Launch/VAFB: Taurus XL, OCO; 4:50 a.m. David Ward, Scheduled for March 5 Launch/CCAFS: Delta II, Kepler; 10:48 p.m. EST with NASA

March 7 KSC All-American Picnic, KARS Park I

April 24 Launch/CCAFS: Atlas V, LRO/LCROSS; TBD No earlier than April 28 Launch/CCAFS: Delta IV, GOES-O; TBD

No earlier than May 5 Launch/VAFB: Delta II, STSS-ATRR; TBD John F. Kennedy Space Center Target May 12 Launch/KSC: Atlantis, STS-125; 1:11 p.m. Target May 15 Launch/KSC: Endeavour, STS-127; 4:52 p.m. Spaceport News Target July 11 Launch/KSC: Ares I-X test flight/Launch Pad 39B; TBD Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space Center and Launch/KSC: Atlantis, STS-128; TBD Target Aug. 6 is published on alternate Fridays by External Relations in the interest of KSC civil No earlier than Oct. 1 Launch/VAFB: Taurus, Glory; TBD service and contractor employees. Contributions are welcome and should be submitted three weeks before publication No earlier than Oct. 8 Launch/CCAFS: Atlas V, SDO; TBD to the Media Services Branch, IMCS-440. E-mail submissions can be sent to [email protected] Target Nov. 12 Launch/KSC: Discovery, STS-129; TBD Managing editor ...... Candrea Thomas Target Dec. 10 Launch/KSC: Endeavour, STS-130; TBD Editor ...... Frank Ochoa-Gonzales Copy editor ...... Rebecca Sprague Target Feb. 11, 2010 Launch/KSC: Atlantis, STS-131; TBD

Target April 8, 2010 Launch/KSC: Discovery, STS-132; TBD Editorial support provided by Abacus Technology Corp. Writers Group. NASA at KSC is on the Internet at www.nasa.gov/kennedy Target May 31, 2010 Launch/KSC: Endeavour, STS-133; TBD USGPO: 733-049/600142