STS-126

STS-126
Bowen atop the S1 truss, en route to repair a faulty Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) joints during the mission's first Extravehicular activity (EVA).
NamesSpace Transportation System-126
Mission typeISS assembly
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID2008-059A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.33441
Mission duration15 days, 20 hours, 30 minutes, 30 seconds (achieved)[1]
Distance travelled10,645,986 km (6,615,109 mi)[2]
Orbits completed251
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftSpace Shuttle Endeavour[1]
Launch mass121,061 kg (266,894 lb)
Landing mass101,343 kg (223,423 lb)
Payload mass14,698 kg (32,404 lb)
Crew
Crew size7
Members
LaunchingSandra H. Magnus
LandingGregory E. Chamitoff
Start of mission
Launch date15 November 2008, 00:55:39 UTC[1]
Launch siteKennedy, LC-39A
End of mission
Landing date30 November 2008, 21:25:09 UTC[1]
Landing siteEdwards, Runway 4L
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude343 km (213 mi)[3]
Apogee altitude352 km (219 mi)
Inclination51.60°[4]
Period91.60 minutes
Docking with International Space Station
Docking portPMA-2
(Harmony forward)
Docking date16 November 2008, 22:01 UTC
Undocking date28 November 2008, 14:47 UTC
Time docked11 days, 16 hours, 46 minutes

STS-126 mission patch

Sandra H. Magnus, Stephen G. Bowen, Donald R. Pettit, Christopher J. Ferguson, Eric A. Boe, Robert S. Kimbrough, Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper
← STS-124 (123)
STS-119 (125) →

STS-126 was the one hundred and twenty-fourth NASA Space Shuttle mission, and twenty-second orbital flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour (OV-105) to the International Space Station (ISS).[5] The purpose of the mission, referred to as ULF2 by the ISS program, was to deliver equipment and supplies to the station, to service the Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ), and repair the problem in the starboard SARJ that had limited its use since STS-120.[5][6] STS-126 launched on 15 November 2008 at 00:55:39 UTC from Launch Pad 39A (LC-39A) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) with no delays or issues.[7][8] Endeavour successfully docked with the station on 16 November 2008.[9] After spending 15 days, 20 hours, 30 minutes, and 30 seconds docked to the station, during which the crew performed four spacewalks, and transferred cargo, the orbiter undocked on 28 November 2008.[10] Due to poor weather at Kennedy Space Center, Endeavour landed at Edwards Air Force Base on 30 November 2008 at 21:25:09 UTC.[11]

  1. ^ a b c d "STS-126" (PDF). NASA. September 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2022. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "STS-126 MCC Status Report #33". NASA. 30 November 2008. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2022. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ "STS-126 - Orbit".
  4. ^ William Harwood (2008). "CBS NEWS Mission Quick-Look 1". CBS News. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
  5. ^ a b "STS-126 Press Kit" (PDF). NASA. November 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2022. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ "STS-126 Mission Overview Briefing Materials". NASA. 19 December 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2022. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. ^ Carreau, Mark (14 November 2008). "Endeavour embarks on home improvement mission". The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference lb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "STS-126 MCC Status Report #05". NASA. 16 November 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2022. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference SR29 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference landingblog was invoked but never defined (see the help page).