STS-119 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
STS-119

The International Space Station (ISS) after Discovery left, with its new solar arrays installed.
Mission type	ISS assembly
Operator	NASA
Mission duration	12 days, 19 hours, 29 minutes, 33 seconds
Orbits completed	202
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Discovery
Launch mass	120,859 kilograms (266,448 lb)
Landing mass	91,166 kilograms (200,986 lb)
Crew
Crew size	7
Members	Lee J. Archambault Dominic A. "Tony" Antonelli Joseph M. Acaba Steven R. Swanson Richard R. Arnold John L. Phillips
Launching	Koichi Wakata
Landing	Sandra H. Magnus
Start of mission
Launch date	15 March 2009, 23:43 (2009-03-15UTC23:43Z) UTC
Launch site	Kennedy LC-39A
End of mission
Landing date	28 March 2009, 19:13 (2009-03-28UTC19:14Z) UTC
Landing site	Kennedy SLF Runway 15
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee	385 kilometres (208 nmi)
Apogee	402 kilometres (217 nmi)
Inclination	51.6 degrees
Period	91.6 minutes
Docking with ISS
Docking port	PMA-2 (Harmony forward)
Docking date	17 March 2009, 21:20 UTC
Undocking date	25 March 2009, 19:53 UTC
Time docked	7 days, 22 hours, 33 minutes
Front row (L–R) Antonelli, Archambault. Back row (L–R) Acaba, Phillips, Swanson, Arnold and Wakata. Space Shuttle program ← STS-126 STS-125 →

STS-119 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in March 2009. The space shuttle Discovery carried a very important part to the ISS. This part was the fourth and final set of solar arrays and batteries. These arrays help power the station.

The mission launched on March 15, 2009. Discovery landed safely on March 28, 2009. This mission was a big step in finishing the construction of the ISS.

Meet the Astronauts: The STS-119 Crew

The STS-119 mission had a team of seven astronauts. They were all very important for the mission's success.

• Commander: Lee J. Archambault (his second and last flight)
• Pilot: Dominic A. "Tony" Antonelli (his first flight)
• Mission Specialist 1: Joseph M. Acaba (his first flight)
• Mission Specialist 2: Steven R. Swanson (his second flight)
• Mission Specialist 3: Richard R. Arnold (his first flight)
• Mission Specialist 4: John L. Phillips (his third and last flight)
• Mission Specialist 5: Koichi Wakata (his third flight, he stayed on the ISS)

Sandra H. Magnus was already on the ISS. She returned to Earth with the STS-119 crew.

What Did STS-119 Carry?

The main goal of STS-119 was to deliver the S6 solar arrays to the space station. These solar arrays are like giant wings that collect sunlight and turn it into electricity. They were the last major pieces needed to complete the station's main power system.

The mission also carried some science experiments. These included tests about how the shuttle's exhaust affects the upper atmosphere. Another experiment looked at how heat moves on the shuttle's surface during reentry.

Important Facts About the Mission

STS-119 was a special mission for many reasons:

• It was the 156th time NASA sent people into space.
• It was the 125th flight of a space shuttle.
• It was the 36th flight for the space shuttle Discovery.
• It was the 100th mission after the Challenger accident.
• It was the 12th mission after the Columbia accident.
• It was the 28th shuttle mission to the International Space Station.

Getting Ready for Launch

Space Shuttle Discovery on March 11, 2009, getting ready for launch.

The space shuttle Discovery was moved to its launch pad on January 14, 2009. This was Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The S6 truss, which held the solar arrays, was already there.

Before the launch, engineers found a problem with some valves on the shuttle. These valves help control the flow of hydrogen fuel to the engines. Because of this, the launch was delayed. Engineers replaced the valves to make sure everything was safe.

The launch was first set for March 11, 2009. But it was delayed again because of a small leak in a hydrogen vent line. Finally, on March 15, 2009, Discovery successfully lifted off!

Mission Timeline: A Day-by-Day Look

March 15: Launch Day!

Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from Kennedy Space Center.

Discovery launched right on time at 7:43 PM EDT. The launch looked perfect, with no major issues. After reaching orbit, the crew opened the shuttle's cargo bay doors. They also got the robotic arm ready.

A Bat on the Tank?

During the countdown, a small bat was seen clinging to the shuttle's external fuel tank. People thought it would fly away when the shuttle launched. But it stayed! Sadly, the bat probably didn't survive the powerful rocket exhaust. Experts later thought the bat might have had a broken wing.

March 16: Checking the Shuttle

On the second day, the crew inspected Discovery's heat shield. This shield protects the shuttle from extreme heat when it returns to Earth. They used the shuttle's robotic arm with special cameras and sensors. The images were sent to experts on the ground to check for any damage. Everything looked good!

March 17: Hello, Space Station!

The crew prepared to meet and connect with the International Space Station. Before docking, Discovery did a special flip. This allowed the ISS crew to take pictures of the shuttle's underside.

Discovery successfully docked with the ISS at 5:20 PM UTC. After checking for leaks, the hatches between the shuttle and station were opened. The astronauts greeted each other. Then, they started moving important items between the two spacecraft. This included swapping seat liners for astronauts Koichi Wakata and Sandra Magnus. This meant Wakata officially joined the ISS crew, and Magnus joined the shuttle crew.

March 18: Moving the Big Piece

The S6 truss segment being moved into place.

The crews worked together to move the S6 truss, which held the new solar arrays, out of Discovery's cargo bay. This was a tricky job! The station's robotic arm and the shuttle's robotic arm had to pass the truss back and forth. This was done to get it into the right position for installation.

Two astronauts, Steven Swanson and Richard Arnold, spent the night in the Quest airlock. They slept in a special low-nitrogen atmosphere. This helps spacewalkers avoid getting sick from pressure changes.

March 19: First Spacewalk and Solar Array Installation

Astronaut Arnold during his first spacewalk.

Astronauts Swanson and Arnold went outside the station for the first spacewalk. They started installing the S6 truss segment. They bolted it into place and connected power and data cables. They also removed covers and prepared the solar arrays for deployment. The spacewalk lasted over 6 hours.

Because the shuttle looked so good after launch, mission managers decided to deploy the solar arrays earlier than planned. This was a smart move in case any problems came up that needed another spacewalk.

March 20: Unfurling the Solar Wings

Astronaut Acaba exercising before the solar arrays were deployed.

The S6 truss solar array fully opened.

This was a big day! The crews began unfolding the new solar arrays on the S6 truss. The station was moved to stay in constant sunlight. This helped warm up the arrays and prevent them from sticking.

The first array unfolded smoothly. The second one had been packed for eight years, so it was a bit sticky. But it also fully opened! With these new arrays, the station's power doubled. The total area of the station's solar arrays is now almost one acre!

March 21: Second Spacewalk

The unpressurized cargo carrier attachment system (UCCAS).

Swanson and Acaba performed the second spacewalk. They prepared a work site for a future mission. They also installed a new GPS antenna on the Japanese Kibo laboratory. They worked on some radiator panels and reconfigured power connectors. They also had a bit of trouble with a cargo attachment system, but they secured it safely. This spacewalk lasted 6 hours and 30 minutes.

March 22: Dodging Space Junk

The shuttle and station had to move to avoid a piece of space debris. This shows how important it is to track objects in orbit.

March 23: Third Spacewalk

Acaba and Arnold completed the third spacewalk. They moved a cart for crew equipment and lubricated parts of the station's robotic arm. They tried again to deploy the cargo carrier system from the previous spacewalk, but it was still stuck. They secured it for later repair. This spacewalk lasted almost 6 and a half hours.

March 24: A Call from the President

President Obama speaks with astronauts aboard the ISS.

All the astronauts on Discovery and the ISS gathered to talk with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. They also spoke with members of Congress and schoolchildren.

March 25: Saying Goodbye to the ISS

The hatches between Discovery and the ISS were closed. The Space Shuttle then undocked from the International Space Station.

March 26: Checking for Damage

Space Shuttle Discovery landing after its mission.

Astronaut Tony Antonelli used the shuttle's robotic arm to scan Discovery for any damage from space debris.

March 27: Getting Ready to Land

The crew put away items in the cabin and checked the shuttle's flight controls.

March 28: Back on Earth!

The STS-119 crew after landing. From left: Lee Archambault, Tony Antonelli, Joseph Acaba, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold, and John Phillips.

After a short delay due to high winds, Discovery landed successfully at 3:13 PM EDT. The mission was a great success!

Spacewalks (EVAs)

During STS-119, astronauts performed three spacewalks. A spacewalk is when an astronaut goes outside the spacecraft. The total time spent on spacewalks for this mission was over 19 hours.

Wake-Up Calls in Space

It's a tradition for NASA missions to play a special song for the astronauts each morning. These songs are often chosen by their families and have a special meaning.

Images for kids

• 

  Bat clinging to the External Tank.

• 

  ISS after departure of STS-119

See also

In Spanish: STS-119 para niños