SPACE STATION POPULATION HITS RECORD HIGH - The International Space Station is now more crowded than it's ever been before, with a record number of 13 people onboard. The population boost came from the influx of seven newcomers aboard the space shuttle Endeavour, which docked Friday at 1:47 p.m. EDT (1747 GMT), and opened its hatch into the station a couple hours later. More (Source: Fox News - Jul 19)
ENDEAVOUR DOCKS AT STATION - Commander Mark Polansky docked space shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station’s Harmony node at 1:47 p.m. EDT while flying about 220 miles above the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the north coast of Australia. Following leak checks, the hatches between the two craft will open at 3:43 p.m., creating the first 13-member crew in space history. Shortly after hatch opening, NASA Television will air the traditional Welcome Ceremony. More (Source: NASA - Jul 17)
CREW INSPECTS SHUTTLE, PREPARES FOR DOCKING - Astronauts aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour spent their first full day in space conducting a routine inspection of their thermal protection system ahead of docking Friday. While inspections take place to ensure Endeavour’s wing leading edge panels and nosecap are in good shape, imagery experts will continue to assess the overall health of the shuttle’s thermal protection system. The early review indicates only a few minor dings in some tiles is present in video due to some unexpected losses of small foam pieces from the external tank. More (Source: NASA - Jul 17)
SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR SET TO LAUNCH; HAM TO BE DELIVERED TO ISS - After lightning strikes and thunderstorms delayed the launch of the space shuttle Endeavour (STS 127) this past weekend, the spacecraft is set to launch at 6:03 PM on Wednesday, July 15. Endeavor's 16 day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will feature five planned spacewalks and complete the construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Astronauts will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module that will allow experiments to be exposed to space. More (Source: ARRL - Jul 16)
DAMAGE EYED AS SHUTTLE HEADS TOWARD SPACE STATION - Space shuttle Endeavour rocketed toward the international space station Thursday as engineers on Earth pored over launch pictures that showed debris breaking off the fuel tank and striking the craft. Mission Control told the astronauts late Wednesday that the damage looked less extensive at first glance than what occurred on the last shuttle flight, but it will take days to sort through available data to reach a conclusion. More (Source: The Associated Press - Jul 16)
SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR BLASTS OFF AFTER SEVERAL POSTPONEMENTS - The space shuttle Endeavour lifted off en route to the international space station Wednesday evening after several days of weather delays. The shuttle took off at 6:03 p.m. Wednesday night after being scrubbed five times before. "The weather is cooperating, and it's now time to fly," Launch Director Pete Nickolenko announced. More (Source: CNN - Jul 15)
LIFTOFF OF SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR! - Space shuttle Endeavour and a crew of seven astronauts are rocketing into orbit, beginning a two-day pursuit of the International Space Station. Endeavour's two solid rocket boosters ignited right on schedule at 6:03 p.m. EDT, sending the shuttle soaring past the launch tower at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The boosters burn out about two minutes into the climb, leaving Endeavour's trio of main engines to complete the ascent to orbit. Stand by for main engine cutoff, expected about eight-and-a-half minutes into flight. More (Source: NASA - Jul 15)
ENDEAVOUR HOPES TO GET OFF THE GROUND AFTER THREE CONSECUTIVE SCRUBS DUE TO WEATHER - NASA is hoping to launch the space shuttle Endeavour Wednesday evening, if showers and thunderstorms don't force the space agency to scrub liftoff yet again. The next launch window for the mission, officially known as STS-127, opens at 6:03 pm Wednesday— forecasters are calling for a 40% chance of bad weather in the vicinity of Florida's Kennedy Space Center at the time. More (Source: Information Week - Jul 15)
SOUTH KOREA TO LAUNCH FIRST HOMEGROWN SATELLITE - South Korea plans to send its own satellite into orbit before the end of this month, space officials announced on Tuesday. "It will mark the first time that South Korea will launch a satellite from its own territory, using its own launch vehicle," Park Jeong-Joo, director of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, told reporters on Tuesday. More (Source: RedOrbit - Jul 15)
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