STS-126

**STS-126**
Organization	National Aeronautics and Space Administration (UnitedStates)
Mission type	Resupply/Refurbishment/Repair
Launch date	November 15, 2008
Launch vehicle	Space Shuttle
Launch site	Cape Canaveral, United States
COSPAR ID	2008-059A
Inclination	51.6 degrees
Experiments	Here
Alternate Names	33441
Additional Information	Here
Data Collection	Here
Payload Mass Up	17917.35 kg
Payload Mass Down	10384.09 kg
Orbiter	Endeavour
Lift Off Mass	2,056,019.09 kg
Orbiter Weight at Liftoff	121,370.00 kg
Orbiter Weight at Landing	100,607.27 kg
Landed	4:25 p.m. EST, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Orbits of Earth	251
Orbital Altitude	Approximately 190 nautical miles

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Crew

Commander: Christopher J. Ferguson
Pilot: Eric A. Boe
- Payload Commander:
- Mission Specialist 1: Stephen G. Bowen
- Mission Specialist 2: Donald R. Pettit
- Mission Specialist 3: Robert S. Kimbrough
- Mission Specialist 4: Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper
- Mission Specialist 5:
- Payload Specialist 1:
- Payload Specialist 2:

ISS/Mir Crew Transport

- Sandra H. Magnus - up only Gregory Chamitoff - down only

Mission

STS 126 is an American Shuttle that was launched from Cape Canaveral at 00:55 UT on 15 November 2008. It carried seven American astronauts and 14.5 tonnes of construction materials and equipment to the International Space Station (ISS). It docked with the ISS at 22:01 UT on 16 November. The main objectives were to enhance the facility to accommodate six astronauts (instead of the current three), install an additional bathroom and a urine processor to produce drinking water. Also conducted were four spacewalks to repair the solar array orientation joints. It undocked from ISS at 14:47 UT on 28 November and landed at 21:25 UT on 30 November at Edwards Air Force Base.

EVA

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) conducted by Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Stephen Bowen, and Robert Kimbrough during four spacewalks for a total of 26 hours, 41 minutes. EVA 1, 6 hours, 52 minutes; Piper and Bowen spent the majority of this space-walk focusing on one of the station's starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ). These joints are the large, circular devices that allow the complex's solar arrays to automatically rotate and track the sun as the station orbits the Earth. Piper and Bowen cleaned and lubricated part of the joint and removed two of the joint's 12 trundle bearing assemblies (TBA). They also replaced a depleted nitrogen tank on a stowage platform outside the ISS. Additionally, they removed some insulation blankets from the common berthing mechanism on the Kibo laboratory. EVA 2, 6 hours, 45 minutes; Piper and Kimbrough continued to remove debris around the SARJ and apply lubrication, as well as replaced four more of the 12 TBAs. They also relocated two equipment carts in preparation for the installation of the final pair of solar arrays during space shuttle mission STS-119. EVA 3, 6 hours, 57 minutes; Piper and Bowen continued cleaning the starboard SARJ and replaced additional TBAs. EVA 4, 6 hours, 7 minutes; Bowen and Kimbrough installed the final TBA on the starboard SARJ and added lubrication to the port SARJ. They also retracted a berthing mechanism latch on the Kibo lab and reinstalled its thermal cover.