STS-127 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
STS-127

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	Mark L. Polansky Douglas G. Hurley Christopher J. Cassidy Julie Payette Thomas H. Marshburn David Wolf
Launching	Timothy Kopra
Landing	Koichi Wakata
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
From left to right: Wolf, Cassidy, Hurley, Payette, Polansky, Marshburn, and Kopra Space Shuttle program ← 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.

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	Mark L. Polansky Third and last spaceflight
Pilot	Douglas G. Hurley First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1	Christopher J. Cassidy First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2	Julie Payette, CSA Second and last spaceflight
Mission Specialist 3	Thomas H. Marshburn First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 4	David Wolf Fourth and last spaceflight
Mission Specialist 5	Timothy Kopra Expedition 20 First spaceflight	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.

The shuttle's payload bay being loaded inside a special cleanroom.

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.

Mission Highlights

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

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 seen from the ISS before docking.

The ISS seen from Endeavour's window.

Astronaut Christopher Cassidy uses a rangefinder to determine the distance to ISS.

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)

Tim Kopra working on the Kibō laboratory during the first spacewalk.

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)

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)

Dave Wolf during his second spacewalk.

Tom Marshburn during his first spacewalk.

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)

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)

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)

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)

Endeavour touches down at Kennedy Space Center.

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.

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.

Images for kids

• 

  Liftoff of Space Shuttle Endeavour from Launch Pad 39A

• 

  Wide angle view of Endeavour lifting off the pad

• 

  Julie Payette looks through an overhead window while operating controls on the aft flight deck of Endeavour during flight day two activities.

• 

  Lightning strikes Endeavour's Launch Pad.

• 

  Image of orbital sunset taken from Endeavour one day before the shuttle landed

• 

  Endeavour shortly after the shuttle and station post-undocking separation.

• 

  ISS shortly after the shuttle and station post-undocking separation with the JEF prominently seen.

• 

  Close-up view of the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate on STS-127's external tank during the first maintenance effort

See also

In Spanish: STS-127 para niños