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STS-127
STS-127 JEM-EF.jpg
Canadarm2 grapples the exposed facility of Kibō, prior to its installation on the ISS
Mission type ISS assembly
Operator NASA
Mission duration 15 days, 16 hours, 44 minutes, 58 seconds
Distance travelled 10,537,748 kilometres (6,547,853 mi)
Orbits completed 248
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Space Shuttle Endeavour
Crew
Crew size 7
Members
Launching
  • Timothy Kopra
Landing
Start of mission
Launch date 15 July 2009, 22:03 (2009-07-15UTC22:03Z) UTC
Launch site Kennedy LC-39A
End of mission
Landing date 31 July 2009, 14:48 (2009-07-31UTC14:49Z) UTC
Landing site Kennedy SLF Runway 15
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee 344 kilometres (214 mi)
Apogee 351 kilometres (218 mi)
Inclination 51.6 degrees
Period 91.48 minutes
Epoch 18 July 2009
Docking with ISS
Docking port PMA-2
(Harmony forward)
Docking date 17 July 2009, 17:47 UTC
Undocking date 28 July 2009, 17:26 UTC
Time docked 10 days, 23 hours, 41 minutes
STS-127 Patch.svg STS-127 Crew Photo.jpg
From left to right: Wolf, Cassidy, Hurley, Payette, Polansky, Marshburn, and Kopra
← STS-125
STS-128 →

STS-127 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). It was the twenty-third flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The main goal of STS-127 was to deliver and install the last two parts of the Japanese Experiment Module, called Kibō. These parts were the Exposed Facility (JEM EF) and the Exposed Section of the Experiment Logistics Module (ELM-ES).

When Endeavour docked with the ISS in July 2009, it set a new record. For the first time, thirteen people were in space at the same time on the station. These astronauts represented all the countries that work together on the ISS.

Launching the Mission

The launch of STS-127 faced several delays. The first attempt on 13 June 2009, was stopped because of a small leak of hydrogen gas. This leak happened near a special plate on the shuttle's external fuel tank. A similar problem had delayed another shuttle mission earlier that year.

NASA tried to launch again on 17 June 2009, but the hydrogen leak appeared again. This meant the launch had to be delayed even more. The next chance to launch was set for 11 July 2009. Engineers worked to fix the leak by changing some seals.

On 10 July 2009, lightning struck near the launch pad. This caused another delay, pushing the launch to 12 July. Then, on 12 July and 13 July, bad weather with thunderclouds and lightning near the launch site caused two more delays. Safety rules prevent launches when weather conditions are dangerous.

Finally, on its sixth try, STS-127 successfully launched on 15 July 2009. During the launch, some pieces of foam fell off the external tank. This was a concern because foam shedding had caused problems in the past. However, Endeavour's heat shield only got minor scratches. These were not serious enough to worry about the shuttle's return to Earth. The shuttle landed safely at Kennedy Space Center 16 days later, on 31 July 2009.

Attempt Planned Result Turnaround Reason Decision point Weather go (%) Notes
1 13 Jun 2009, 7:17:19 am scrubbed technical 13 Jun 2009, 12:26 am 90% gaseous hydrogen leak on a vent line near the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate
2 17 Jun 2009, 5:40:52 am scrubbed 3 days, 22 hours, 24 minutes technical 17 Jun 2009, 1:55 am 80% leak persisted
3 11 Jul 2009, 7:39:38 pm scrubbed 24 days, 13 hours, 59 minutes weather 40% lightning strikes to launch pad
4 12 Jul 2009, 7:13:55 pm scrubbed 0 days, 23 hours, 34 minutes weather  ​(T– 9:00 hold) 70% RTLS concerns, cumulus clouds and lightning near launch pad
5 13 Jul 2009, 6:51:24 pm scrubbed 0 days, 23 hours, 37 minutes weather  ​(T– 9:00 hold) 40% Phase-1 Lightning warning at the launch site
6 15 Jul 2009, 6:03:10 pm success 1 day, 23 hours, 12 minutes 60%

The Astronaut Crew

The STS-127 mission had a crew of seven astronauts. They were responsible for flying the shuttle and working on the International Space Station.

Position Launching Astronaut Landing Astronaut
Commander United States Mark L. Polansky
Third and last spaceflight
Pilot United States Douglas G. Hurley
First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1 United States Christopher J. Cassidy
First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2 Canada Julie Payette, CSA
Second and last spaceflight
Mission Specialist 3 United States Thomas H. Marshburn
First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 4 United States David Wolf
Fourth and last spaceflight
Mission Specialist 5 United States Timothy Kopra
Expedition 20
First spaceflight
Japan Koichi Wakata, JAXA
Expedition 20
Third spaceflight
STS-127 was the first time two Canadian astronauts, Robert Thirsk and Julie Payette, were in space together. Christopher Cassidy became the 500th person to fly in space.

What the Shuttle Carried

The Endeavour shuttle carried a lot of important equipment and cargo. The biggest items were parts for the Japanese Kibō module.

  • Kibō Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility (JEM EF): This part of Kibō lets astronauts do science experiments outside, exposed to the vacuum of space.
  • Kibō Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section (ELM-ES): This module is like a storage room for experiments. It is not pressurized, meaning it's open to space. After its contents were moved, it was brought back to Earth.
Endeavour payload bay
The shuttle's payload bay being loaded inside a special cleanroom.
12 ICC-VLD1 STS-127
The ICC-VLD cargo carrier.

The shuttle also carried an Integrated Cargo Carrier-Vertical Light Deployable (ICC-VLD). This carrier held many spare parts for the space station. It included six new batteries for the station's power system. It also had a spare antenna and other important parts. These spares were stored on the station's outside platforms.

Two small satellites were also on board to be released after the mission.

  • DRAGONSAT: This satellite was made of two tiny "picosatellites." They collected data on how spacecraft can meet and dock with each other automatically.
  • Atmospheric Neutral Density Experiment (ANDE-2): This project measured the density of Earth's atmosphere in low orbit. This helps scientists better predict how objects move and decay in space. One of its parts was programmed by students.

The mission also carried other experiments for the ISS, including studies on radiation, astronaut health, and plant growth. The shuttle's Official Flight Kit included special items like water samples from the Great Lakes and a copy of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

A special docking system called DragonEye was also tested. This system would be used by the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to deliver supplies to the ISS in the future.

Location Cargo Mass
Bays 1–2 Orbiter Docking System
EMU 3003 / EMU 3018
SpaceX DragonEye LIDAR
1,800 kilograms (4,000 lb)
~260 kilograms (570 lb)
Bay 3P Shuttle Power
Distribution Unit (SPDU)
~17 kilograms (37 lb)
Bay 3S APC/SSPL
Dragonsat
51 kilograms (112 lb)
6 k
Bays 4–7 Kibō JEM Exposed Facility 3,820 kilograms (8,420 lb)
Bay 5P APC/ECSH ~33 kilograms (73 lb)
Bay 5S APC/PPSU 20 kilograms (44 lb)
Bay 6S APC/PPSU 20 kilograms (44 lb)
Bays 8–9 Kibō ELM Exposed Section 2,453 kilograms (5,408 lb)
Bay 11 ICC-VLD 3,946 kilograms (8,699 lb)
Bay 13P APC/ECSH ~33 kilograms (73 lb)
Bay 13S SPA/CAPE/ANDE-2
ICU container
ANDE Active satellite
ANDE Passive satellite
265 kilograms (584 lb)
54 kilograms (119 lb)
50 kilograms (110 lb)
25 kilograms (55 lb)
Starboard Sill Orbiter Boom Sensor System ~382 kilograms (842 lb)
Port Sill Canadarm 410 kilograms (900 lb)
Total: 13,645 kilograms (30,082 lb)

Mission Highlights

STS-127 Mission Poster
Mission poster

This mission was special for several reasons:

  • It was the 158th time NASA sent a crew into space.
  • It was the 128th Space Shuttle mission overall.
  • It was the 23rd flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
  • It was the 29th shuttle mission to the ISS.
  • It was the first time two Canadian astronauts were in space at the same time.

Shuttle Preparations

STS-127 Endeavour on Launch Pad 39A
Endeavour at Launch Pad 39A.

Before its own mission, Endeavour was ready as a rescue vehicle for another shuttle mission, STS-125. Once that mission was safely completed, Endeavour was prepared for STS-127. It was moved to Launch Pad 39A on 31 May 2009. The crew arrived on 2 June 2009, for practice drills. NASA managers gave the final approval for the launch on 3 June 2009.

Mission Timeline

Day 1: Launch Day (15 July)

The launch was successful! After reaching orbit, the shuttle's payload doors opened. The shuttle's robotic arm was activated. Engineers checked videos of the launch. They saw some foam fall from the external tank. However, they confirmed the shuttle's heat shield was fine for reentry.

Day 2: Checking the Shuttle (16 July)

The crew used the shuttle's robotic arm with a special sensor system (OBSS). They inspected the shuttle's heat shield for any damage. All the information was sent to Earth for analysis. They also checked the spacesuits and prepared for docking with the ISS.

Day 3: Docking with the ISS (17 July)

Endeavour from ISS before docking
Endeavour seen from the ISS before docking.
ISS from Endeavour before docking
The ISS seen from Endeavour's window.
Range finding from shuttle to ISS
Astronaut Christopher Cassidy uses a rangefinder to determine the distance to ISS.
RPM image of Endeavour
An image of Endeavour taken from the ISS during the RPM maneuver.

The shuttle successfully docked with the International Space Station. Before docking, Endeavour performed a special flip maneuver. This allowed the ISS crew to take pictures of the shuttle's underside. Astronaut Koichi Wakata from the ISS swapped places with Tim Kopra from the shuttle. This meant Kopra would stay on the ISS. The shuttle's small thrusters were used to slightly boost the station's orbit. This helped avoid a piece of space debris.

Day 4: First Spacewalk (18 July)

STS-127 EVA1 Kopra04
Tim Kopra working on the Kibō laboratory during the first spacewalk.
STS-127 JEM-EF
The JEF held by the shuttle's robotic arm.

Astronauts Dave Wolf and Tim Kopra performed the first spacewalk. They successfully installed the Japanese Exposed Facility (JEF) onto the Kibō module. This was a complex task using both the station's and shuttle's robotic arms. They also fixed a part on the station that couldn't be deployed during a previous mission. NASA confirmed that the shuttle's heat shield was safe for reentry.

Day 5: Cargo Installation (19 July)

STS-127 ICC
The ICC being handed over by the shuttle's robotic arm.

The Integrated Cargo Carrier-Vertical Light Deployable (ICC-VLD) was installed on the station. This cargo pallet held spare parts and new batteries. The shuttle's arm passed the pallet to the station's arm. These items would be set up during future spacewalks. The shuttle was officially cleared for its return to Earth.

Day 6: Second Spacewalk (20 July)

STS-127 EVA2 Wolf4
Dave Wolf during his second spacewalk.
Astronaut Tom Marshburn performs his first spacewalk
Tom Marshburn during his first spacewalk.
Astronaut Tom Marshburn performs his first spacewalk (2)
Another view of Tom Marshburn during his spacewalk.

Astronauts Wolf and Thomas Marshburn performed the second spacewalk. They moved spare parts from the ICC-VLD to storage platforms on the station. These spares included an antenna, a pump for the cooling system, and parts for the station's robotic arm. These parts are important for the station's future, especially after the shuttle program ended.

Day 7: Japanese Logistics Carrier (21 July)

STS-127 JLE handover
The Japanese logistics carrier being handed over from the shuttle to the station.

The Japanese logistics carrier was attached to the Japanese Exposed Facility. This carrier held experiments like an X-ray astronomy payload. Once the experiments are installed, the carrier will be returned to Earth by the shuttle.

Day 8: Third Spacewalk (22 July)

Astronaut Christopher Cassidy during STS-127's third space walk
Christopher Cassidy working near the JEF during the third spacewalk.

Astronauts Wolf and Christopher Cassidy performed the third spacewalk. Cassidy prepared the experiment carrier for new experiments. Wolf removed some items to clear the way for a future Japanese supply ship. They also started replacing batteries on the P6 truss. However, the spacewalk was cut short. This happened because the carbon dioxide levels in Cassidy's suit started to rise.

Day 9: Kibō Arm in Action (23 July)

The Kibō robotic arm was used for the first time to install experiments. Three experiments were moved from the Japanese cargo pallet to the Exposed Facility. These included a monitor for X-rays and a communications system. The plan for the next spacewalk was changed to finish replacing the batteries.

Day 10: Fourth Spacewalk (24 July)

Astronauts Cassidy and Marshburn completed the fourth spacewalk. They replaced the remaining four batteries on the P6 truss. After this, the old batteries were placed back into the ICC-VLD. The cargo pallet was then returned to the shuttle's payload bay.

Day 11: Rest Day (25 July)

The astronauts on both the shuttle and the station had a day off. The station's carbon dioxide removal system briefly shut down, but it did not cause any problems.

Day 12: Cargo Return (26 July)

The Japanese Exposed Section cargo carrier was moved back into the Endeavour's payload bay. This was done using both the station's and shuttle's robotic arms. The crews of both the station and shuttle held a joint news conference.

Day 13: Fifth Spacewalk (27 July)

Astronauts Tom Marshburn and Christopher Cassidy STS-127 Space walk 5
Marshburn and Cassidy during the fifth spacewalk.

Cassidy and Marshburn performed the fifth spacewalk. They reconfigured power channels for the station's gyroscopes. This made sure that if one power channel failed, it wouldn't affect too many gyroscopes. They also installed video cameras on the Japanese Exposed Facility. These cameras will be used for future dockings of Japanese cargo ships.

Day 14: Undocking from ISS (28 July)

After saying goodbye, Endeavour undocked from the ISS. Pilot Doug Hurley flew the shuttle around the station. This allowed the crew to take many photos of the station's current setup. Then, a final burn of the thrusters moved the shuttle away from the ISS.

Day 15: Final Checks (29 July)

The shuttle's robotic arm and OBSS were used again. They inspected Endeavour's heat shield one last time for any damage from space debris. The images were analyzed to make sure the shuttle was safe for reentry.

Day 16: Satellite Deployment (30 July)

The crew checked all the shuttle's systems for landing. They successfully released the DRAGONSat and ANDE-2 satellites. The shuttle was cleared for reentry. The crew prepared for landing at Kennedy Space Center the next day.

Day 17: Landing Day (31 July)

STS-127 Landing 02
Endeavour touches down at Kennedy Space Center.
STS-127 Landing 01
Endeavour deploys its drag chute to help slow down.

After a 16-day mission, Endeavour landed safely at Kennedy Space Center. The landing had to happen by 1 August. This was because the shuttle had a limited supply of lithium hydroxide, which removes carbon dioxide from the air. The first landing opportunity on 31 July was used.

Spacewalks (EVAs)

Five spacewalks were done during the STS-127 mission.

EVA Spacewalkers Start (UTC) End (UTC) Duration
EVA 1 David A. Wolf
Timothy Kopra
18 July 2009
16:19
18 July 2009
20:51
5 hours, 32 minutes
The JEF was installed. A cargo system (UCCAS) was deployed.
EVA 2 Wolf
Thomas H. Marshburn
20 July 2009
15:27
20 July 2009
22:20
6 hours, 53 minutes
Spare parts (like an antenna and pump module) were moved from the shuttle's cargo carrier to the station's storage platform.
EVA 3 Wolf
Christopher J. Cassidy
22 July 2009
14:32
22 July 2009
20:31
5 hours, 59 minutes
Work was done to prepare the Japanese module. Two of six batteries on the P6 truss were replaced. The spacewalk ended early due to high carbon dioxide levels in Cassidy's suit.
EVA 4 Cassidy
Marshburn
24 July 2009
13:54
24 July 2009
21:06
7 hours, 12 minutes
The remaining four batteries on the P6 truss were replaced.
EVA 5 Cassidy
Marshburn
27 July 2009
11:33
27 July 2009
16:27
4 hours, 54 minutes
Thermal covers were adjusted. Power channels were reconfigured. Video cameras were installed on the Japanese Exposed Facility.

Wake-up Calls

NASA has a tradition of playing music to astronauts to wake them up. Each song is chosen specially, often by the astronauts' families. The songs usually have a special meaning to an astronaut or relate to their daily tasks.

Flight Day Song Artist Played for Links
Day 2 "These Are Days" 10,000 Maniacs Timothy Kopra WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 3 "Here Comes the Sun" The Beatles Mark Polansky WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 4 "Home" Marc Broussard David Wolf WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 5 "Learning to Fly" Tom Petty Christopher Cassidy WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 6 "Thunderbirds March" Barry Gray Julie Payette WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 7 "Life Is a Highway" Rascal Flatts Tom Marshburn WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 8 "Santa Monica" Everclear Douglas Hurley WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 9 "Tiny Dancer" Elton John Mark Polansky WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 10 "Wish You Were Here" Pink Floyd David Wolf WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 11 "In Your Eyes" Peter Gabriel Tom Marshburn WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 12 "Dixit Dominus" George Frederic Handel Julie Payette WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 13 "On the Sunny Side of the Street" Steve Tyrell Mark Polansky WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 14 "Proud to Be an American" Lee Greenwood Chris Cassidy WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 15 "Yellow" Coldplay Doug Hurley WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 16 "I Got You Babe" Sonny & Cher Koichi Wakata WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT
Day 17 "Beautiful Day" U2 Tom Marshburn WAV MP3
TRANSCRIPT

Images for kids

See also

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