Flight Controllers Develop Workaround to Bypass Suspect Filter

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:05:10 AM GMT+0530

A routine disposal overboard of waste water and urine collected aboard Atlantis was terminated early. It is not necessary to dump the now half-full collection tank before landing Friday. Flight controllers have a workaround available for the crew to bypass a suspected clogged filter and dump the liquid, if landing is delayed.

The STS-129 astronauts began their sleep shift at 5:28 p.m. EST and will awaken at 1:28 a.m. Thursday. Atlantis’ first landing opportunity is Friday at 9:44 a.m. at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Space Shuttle Mission: STS-129



Image above: Space shuttle Atlantis flies around the International Space Station after undocking. Photo credit: NASA


› Meet the STS-129 Crew

Atlantis Undocks from Station, Scheduled for Friday Landing
Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station at 4:53 a.m. EST Wednesday, ending a successful resupply visit that included three spacewalks. The total docked time was 6 days, 17 hours and 2 minutes.

Atlantis brought to the station about 14 tons of cargo in its payload bay, including two large carriers with heavy spare parts that were installed on the station. The shuttle also carried about a ton of cargo in its crew cabin. It is bringing home about the same weight of cabin cargo from the orbiting laboratory.

Atlantis Commander Charles Hobaugh, Pilot Barry Wilmore and Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Randy Bresnik, Mike Foreman, Robert Satcher Jr. and Nicole Stott are scheduled to land at 9:44 a.m. Friday at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Tuesday at 10 a.m., European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne handed over command of the station to NASA astronaut Jeff Williams. De Winne and Expedition 21 Flight Engineers Roman Romanenko and Robert Thirsk are scheduled to leave the station for return to Earth in a Soyuz capsule on Nov. 30.

› View video of change of command ceremony

On Sunday, Bresnik told the flight controllers his new daughter, Abigail Mae Bresnik, had been born in Houston at 11:04 p.m. CST Saturday. He said his wife Rebecca and new daughter, 6 pounds, 13 ounces and 20 inches long, were doing well. Bresnik got the news by private phone patch through mission control shortly after the crew was awakened.

› Listen to Bresnik's comments
› View video of announcement
› Read the Pre-flight Interview with Randy and Rebecca Bresnik

STS-129 Additional Resources
› STS-129 Landing Ground Tracks
› STS-129 Mission Overview
› STS-129 Press Kit (15.5 Mb PDF)
› Mission Summary (518 kb PDF)
› More about STS-129 Crew
› Remaining Shuttle Missions (730Kb)

Orbiter Status
› About the Orbiters

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