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News Archive 2009: September

Mercury flyby hindered by unexplained power glitch
A NASA probe hit an interplanetary bullseye during its close flyby of Mercury on Tuesday, but the spacecraft unexpectedly went into safe mode during the encounter and did not achieve all of its science goals.
   FULL STORY
   PREVIEW STORY
New crewmates and tourist launch to the space station
A Russian Soyuz rocket blasted off from Yuri Gagarin's launch pad in Kazakhstan Wednesday, carrying two fresh crew members and the founder of Cirque du Soleil on a voyage to the International Space Station.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
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VIDEO: FULL EXPERIENCE FROM LIFTOFF TO ORBIT PLAY
VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS SITE 254 FOR LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO: VIPS MEET THE CREW ON LAUNCH MORNING PLAY
VIDEO: CREW MEMBERS DON THEIR SOKOL SPACESUITS PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH MORNING TRADITIONS AT CREW QUARTERS PLAY
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Soyuz on the launch pad
The Russian Soyuz rocket that will launch the Expedition 21 crew to the International Space Station was transported from its assembly facility to the launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome on Monday morning.
   PHOTO GALLERY
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VIDEO: PREVIEW OF NEXT SIX MONTHS AT SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: POST-ROLLOUT COMMENTS FROM NASA OFFICIALS PLAY
VIDEO: SOYUZ ROCKET ROLLED TO BAIKONUR LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO: ASSEMBLY OF SOYUZ ROCKET STAGES COMPLETED PLAY
VIDEO: HIGHLIGHTS OF CREW'S ACTIVITIES AT BAIKONUR PLAY
VIDEO: CELEBRATIONS MARK CREW'S DEPARTURE FROM STAR CITY PLAY
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NASA faces hurdles to get launch date for next shuttle
Two upcoming satellite launches, a pair of meteor showers, multiple Russian missions and tight launch windows are causing potential headaches for NASA planners looking ahead to the next shuttle mission in November.
   FULL STORY
NASA probe has close encounter with Mercury
The MESSENGER probe rapidly flew past Mercury on Tuesday for a close encounter just 142 miles over its jagged surface, a maneuver that simultaneously served scientific goals and bent the spacecraft's trajectory for its 2011 return to the innermost planet. Closest approach occurred at 5:55 p.m. EDT, according to NASA.
   PREVIEW STORY
New impact site for LCROSS water-hunting mission
Officials have shifted the target for next week's smash into the moon by the LCROSS lunar impactor mission after a new analysis showed another crater has a better chance of yielding results verifying the existence of water at the south pole.
   FULL STORY
One month from crucial Ares rocket test launch
With one month left before NASA takes the new Ares 1 rocket on an early test run, a senior official says he is "pretty confident" engineers will be allowed to launch the booster despite swirling questions about the program's future.
   FULL STORY
   STORE: ARES 1-X PATCH
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VIDEO: FAMED CONTROL ROOM HANDED TO ARES ROCKETS PLAY
VIDEO: ANIMATION OF THE ARES 1-X TEST FLIGHT PLAY | HI-DEF
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Spectacular Delta 2 launch captured in photo gallery
Check out this collection of photographs taken during the Delta 2 rocket's Friday morning blastoff with the tandem STSS Demo satellites for the Missile Defense Agency.
   IMAGE GALLERY
Delta 2 rocket launches missile defense satellites
A Delta 2 rocket powered two experimental missile-tracking satellites into orbit Friday to test advanced technologies for the nation's defense against enemy attacks.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
   BEACH PHOTO GALLERY
   LAUNCH TIMELINE
   GROUND TRACK MAP
   STSS DEMO MISSION ILLUSTRATIONS
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FULL LAUNCH EXPERIENCE PLAY
VIDEO: DELTA 2 ROCKET LAUNCHES STSS DEMO PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: STSS DEMO SATELLITES DEPLOYED PLAY
VIDEO: POST-LAUNCH BRIEFING WITH NASA AND MDA PLAY

VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAYS: CAPE CANAVERAL BEACH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAYS: WIDE VIEW FROM PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAYS: TIGHT SHOT FROM PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAYS: KSC DOAMS TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAYS: UCS 23 TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAYS: PAD CAMERA NORTHEAST PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAYS: PAD CAMERA SOUTHWEST PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAYS: PAD CAMERA WEST PLAY

VIDEO: NARRATED REVIEW OF STSS DEMO PREPS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NARRATED REVIEW OF DELTA 2'S PREPARATIONS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PAD TOWER ROLLS BACK AROUND DELTA 2 AFTER SCRUB PLAY
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Station astronauts complete three days of robotics work
An empty pallet that delivered two Earth science experiments to the International Space Station was returned Friday to its housing inside a Japanese cargo ship.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
SpaceX doubles down on inaugural Falcon 9 mission
SpaceX has announced the payload for the first Falcon 9 launch later this year will be a stripped-down version of the company's own Dragon capsule, a vehicle being developed to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
   FULL STORY
Mars probe still mired in safe mode, science on hold
After four unexplained glitches aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter this year, the probe's science operations remain suspended as engineers investigate the mysterious string of problems.
   FULL STORY
Water ice detected in freshly dug craters on Mars
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has revealed frozen water hidden just below the surface of the red planet in fresh impact craters located about half-way between the north pole and the equator.
   FULL STORY
Scientists present new evidence of water on Moon
Data from the Indian Chandrayaan-1 Moon mission, supported with similar data collected during Deep Impact and Cassini flybys of the Moon, has provided unambiguous evidence of water locked up in the lunar soil, bringing dreams of a sustainable Moon base one step closer.
   FULL STORY
Juno probe on target for 2011 departure to Jupiter
NASA's Juno spacecraft, an energy-efficient probe now being built in Colorado, is less than two years from beginning its journey to map Jupiter in hopes of unlocking secrets about the enormous planet's ancient formation.
   FULL STORY
Ocean studies satellite launched by Indian rocket
A new spacecraft dedicated to studying the Earth's oceans was shot into orbit aboard an Indian rocket early Wednesday, marking the country's 20th successful satellite delivery mission.
   FULL STORY
Next month's Ares 1 test flight moved up four days
NASA has decided to move up the first test launch of its new Ares 1 rocket by four days to Oct. 27, the agency announced Tuesday. The flight will give engineers early data on the booster's aerodynamic characteristics.
   FULL STORY
PAN satellite finishes its climb to geostationary orbit
The mystery communications spacecraft launched aboard an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral earlier this month -- and pictured in this story -- has arrived in a geostationary orbit that views the Middle East, hobbyist satellite trackers report.
   FULL STORY
   LAUNCH COVERAGE
Vivid vista shines light on center of the Milky Way
The European Southern Observatory has released the second of three new breath-taking portraits showing the Milky Way in unprecedented detail.
   FULL STORY
Cassini finds ring quirks during Saturn equinox
NASA scientists are marveling over the extent of ruffles and dust clouds revealed in the rings of Saturn during the planet's equinox last month. Scientists once thought the rings were almost completely flat, but new images reveal the heights of some newly discovered bumps in the rings are as high as the Rocky Mountains.
   FULL STORY
Welcome back, Discovery!
Space shuttle Discovery completed its ferryflight across the country Monday, reaching the Kennedy Space Center just after 12 noon EDT. The trek began at daybreak Sunday when the spacecraft departed Edwards Air Force Base in California atop the modified 747 carrier jet. The duo made refueling stops in Amarillo and Fort Worth, Texas, before heading to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana for an overnight stay.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
   IMAGES: DISCOVERY HOME AGAIN
   IMAGES: FERRYFLIGHT DEPARTS EDWARDS AFB
   IMAGES: DISCOVERY'S PREPS FOR FERRYFLIGHT
   MOVIES: HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO
   MOVIES: STANDARD DEFINITION VIDEO
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VIDEO: DISCOVERY LANDS IN FLORIDA ATOP 747 PLAY | HI-DEF

FROM THE ARCHIVE: BEHIND THE SCENES OF FERRYFLIGHT TREK PLAY
FROM THE ARCHIVE: HOW TO PUT SPACE SHUTTLE ATOP 747 PLAY
FROM THE ARCHIVE: PREPARING FOR A FERRYFLIGHT PLAY
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Joint Russian and Chinese mission to Mars slips to '11
Planetary mission sources say the Russian Space Agency will officially delay launch of its sample return mission to the Martian moon Phobos until 2011 because of delays with integration and test of the vehicle in time to make its originally planned October launch window.
   FULL STORY
Photo gallery: Japan's new resupply ship arrives
The Expedition crew living and working aboard the International Space Station took these dramatic photos of the Japanese cargo freighter arriving at the outpost for capture by the Canadian-built robotic arm.
   PHOTO GALLERY
Mars rover Spirit's fate weighed as options dwindle
The Mars rover Spirit engineering team trying to free the spacecraft from the sand trap that halted driving five months ago is becoming more realistic, if not pessimistic, about whether this marvel of the U.S. space program will ever rove again.
   FULL STORY
NASA names crew for final space shuttle mission
Chief astronaut Steven Lindsey, a veteran of four shuttle missions, will command an all-veteran six-member crew for the final planned space shuttle flight next year, NASA announced Friday. Peggy Whitson, a veteran space station commander, will take over as chief astronaut as the shuttle program winds down.
   FULL STORY
International Space Station welcomes Japanese visitor
In a precise orbital ballet more than 200 miles above the planet, a bus-sized Japanese cargo ship approached the International Space Station on Thursday and astronaut Nicole Stott plucked the satellite from space using the complex's robot arm.
   FULL STORY
   PREVIEW STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
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VIDEO: HTV MANEUVERED INTO DOCKING PORT AND ATTACHED PLAY
VIDEO: ROBOTIC ARM REACHES OUT AND GRABS THE HTV PLAY
VIDEO: THE CARGO FREIGHTER APPROACHES THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: OVERVIEW OF THE HTV MISSION FROM START TO FINISH PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH AS SEEN FROM PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: WATCH THE FULL HTV LAUNCH BROADCAST PLAY
VIDEO: OVERVIEW OF H-2B ROCKET AND HTV SPACECRAFT PLAY
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Successful satellite launch aims to boost DISH Network
A Canadian commercial communications satellite was shot into space from the famed Baikonur Cosmodrome on Thursday to serve customers across the United States who subscribe to the DISH Network.
   FULL STORY
NASA's new lunar mapper begins primary mission
After two months of checkout and calibration, NASA's $504 million Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter was maneuvered into a circular 31-mile-high mapping orbit Tuesday and scientists said Thursday the spacecraft's instruments are delivering intriguing clues about the possible presence of water ice.
   FULL STORY
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VIDEO: EARLY RESULTS COMING BACK FROM LRO SPACECRAFT PLAY

VIDEO: LRO AND LCROSS LAUNCH ABOARD ATLAS 5 ROCKET PLAY
VIDEO: SPECTACULAR ONBOARD VIDEO CAMERA FOOTAGE PLAY
VIDEO: ONBOARD VIEW OF NOSE CONE JETTISON PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAYS: VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAYS: VIEW FROM SHUTTLE PAD PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAYS: KSC PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER MISSION SUMMARY PLAY
VIDEO: LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER SCIENCE SUMMARY PLAY
MORE: LRO AND LCROSS VIDEO COVERAGE
MORE: HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO
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Soyuz rocket launches Russian weather satellite
A Russian Soyuz launched rocketed into space Thursday with an upgraded weather satellite and several other small payloads destined for a variety of missions.
   FULL STORY
Rocky exo-world breaks new records about planets
A small planet 500 light years away has been found to be the fastest moving planet known, whizzing around its star once every 20 hours.
   FULL STORY
Augustine testifies to Congress on space review
NASA's embattled Constellation moon program, thought by many to be on life support in the face of ongoing budget cuts, is technically feasible, "soundly" managed and capable of putting American astronauts back on the moon as planned in the 2020s, the chairman of a manned space review said Tuesday.
   FULL STORY
Japanese craft on course for space station linkup
Senior space station managers have approved plans for Japan's first cargo ship to make its final approach to the complex Thursday, confirming the new supply craft has performed well so far in its mission.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
Lightning storm on Saturn breaks solar system record
A powerful lightning storm in Saturn's atmosphere that began in mid-January has become the Solar System's longest continuously observed thunderstorm. It broke the record duration set by another thunderstorm observed on Saturn by NASA's Cassini spacecraft a couple of years ago.
   FULL STORY
OTHER HEADLINES  Additional stories today
Jupiter captured comet for 12 years in last century -- Comet 147P/Kushida-Muramatsu was captured as a temporary moon of Jupiter in the mid-20th century and remained trapped in an irregular orbit for about twelve years.

Craters on Vesta and Ceres could tell Jupiter's age -- Crater patterns on Vesta and Ceres could help pinpoint when Jupiter began to form during the evolution of the early Solar System.
One more look back at shuttle Discovery's launch
Onboard rocket camera footage always dazzles and the video from shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank and solid boosters didn't disappoint. The inspiring views of the spacecraft rocketing toward orbit are presented here for Spaceflight Now+Plus users with launch audio.
Spaceflight Now Plus
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VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING UPWARD PLAY
VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING INBOARD PLAY
VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING DOWNWARD PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING UPWARD PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING INBOARD PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING DOWNWARD PLAY
VIDEO: EXTERNAL TANK CAMERA FROM LIFTOFF TO SEPARATION PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Shuttle Discovery lands safely in Mojave Desert
Dogged by persistent unfavorable weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA diverted shuttle Discovery's landing to the backup site at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The spacecraft touched down at 8:53 p.m. EDT (5:53 p.m. local) on Friday to finish the two-week mission to the International Space Station.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
   IMAGES: DISCOVERY LANDS IN CALIFORNIA
   MORNING STORY
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. R (.pdf download)
   OUR SHUTTLE ARCHIVE
   MOVIES: HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO
   MOVIES: STANDARD DEFINITION VIDEO
Spaceflight Now Plus
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VIDEO: SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LANDS IN CALIFORNIA PLAY
VIDEO: BEHIND THE SCENES IN MISSION CONTROL PLAY
VIDEO: LANDING REPLAY: CAMERA 1 PLAY
VIDEO: LANDING REPLAY: CAMERA 2 PLAY
VIDEO: LANDING REPLAY: CAMERA 3 PLAY
VIDEO: LANDING REPLAY: CAMERA LOOKING OUT PILOT'S WINDOW PLAY
VIDEO: NASA AND ESA POST-LANDING BRIEFING PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Scientists pick bullseye for lunar impact mission
Scientists now know the final destination for NASA's water-seeking lunar impact probe, an eternally-dark depression called Cabeus A near the moon's south pole believed to harbor hidden ice.
   FULL STORY
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VIDEO: LCROSS TARGET PRESS CONFERENCE PLAY
MORE: FULL LCROSS VIDEO COLLECTION VIEW
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Bad weather postpones shuttle landing to Friday
The Discovery astronauts were forced to pass up two landing opportunities Thursday because of dynamic, hard-to-predict weather at the Kennedy Space Center, delaying re-entry until Friday in hopes conditions will improve enough to permit a Florida landing.
   FULL STORY
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VIDEO: WEATHER POSTPONES LANDING A DAY PLAY
VIDEO: FIRST LANDING OPPORTUNITY WAVED OFF PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Japan's new rocket launches cargo freighter
The launch of Japan's H-2B rocket Thursday heralded a giant leap forward for the International Space Station, but Japanese officials are hoping the picture-perfect launch continues reverberating through the space world long after its loud rumble fades away.
   FULL STORY
   PREVIEW STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates and video!
   LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY
   TANEGASHIMA SUNSET PHOTOS
   LAUNCH TIMELINE
   MISSION TIMELINE
Spaceflight Now Plus
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VIDEO: LAUNCH AS SEEN FROM PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: WATCH THE FULL HTV LAUNCH BROADCAST PLAY
VIDEO: OVERVIEW OF H-2B ROCKET AND HTV SPACECRAFT PLAY
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ATK test fires Ares 1
five-segment booster

With the future of NASA's embattled moon program in doubt, Alliant Techsystems test fired a huge five-segment solid-fuel booster in Utah Thursday, a ground-shaking demonstration designed to collect performance data for a new rocket intended to replace the space shuttle.
   FULL STORY
Crew gets Discovery ready for Thursday's landing
With flight controllers keeping tabs on threatening weather, the Discovery astronauts packed up Wednesday and tested the shuttle's re-entry systems in preparation for landing Thursday at the Kennedy Space Center, weather permitting, to close out a successful space station resupply mission.
   FULL STORY
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. P (.pdf download)
Spaceflight Now Plus
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VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 13 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF DISCOVERY'S RE-ENTRY EXPERIMENT PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LANDING BRIEFING WITH ENTRY FLIGHT DIRECTOR PLAY
VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEWS WITH CBS, ABC AND CNN PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 12 PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 11 PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 10-P2 PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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New pictures show healthy Hubble is back in action
NASA scientists showed off spectacular new pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope Wednesday, a stunning gallery of remote galaxies, an enormous globular cluster packed with countless pinpoint stars and a dying sun blowing off its outer atmosphere in butterfly-like wings of debris.
   FULL STORY
   SEE THE IMAGES
   OUR SERVICING MISSION ARCHIVE
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VIDEO: THE REBIRTH OF HUBBLE PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS WHO SERVICED THE SPACE TELESCOPE PLAY
MORE: STS-125 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Atlas rocket successfully launches its secret payload
A mysterious spacecraft whose mission is cloaked in secrecy left Cape Canaveral atop the hard-to-miss roar of its Atlas 5 rocket and then revealed a major clue about itself while cruising above a satellite-tracking hobbyist a short time later.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
   LAUNCH TIMELINE
   IMAGES: STUNNING PAD CAMERA SHOTS
   IMAGES: VIEW FROM PLAYALINDA BEACH
   IMAGES: LIFTOFF SEEN FROM PRESS SITE
   IMAGES: PRE-LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY
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VIDEO: ATLAS 5 ROCKET BLASTS OFF PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SECRET PAN MISSION BEGINS PLAY
VIDEO: VIEW OF LAUNCH FROM NORTH OF COMPLEX 41 PLAY
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Augustine panel presents five manned space options
A presidential panel assessing U.S. manned space flight presented five options to the White House Tuesday, ranging from NASA's current plan to build outposts on the moon to a "flexible path" approach to explore a variety of targets in the inner solar system.
   FULL STORY
Shuttle Discovery undocks from the space station
With pilot Kevin Ford at the controls, the shuttle Discovery undocked from the International Space Station on Tuesday after delivering a fresh crew member and more than 18,500 pounds of needed equipment and supplies.
   FULL STORY
   MORNING STORY
   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. O (.pdf download)
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 12 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY EVENING'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY FLIES AROUND INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE DISCOVERY UNDOCKS FROM SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Leonardo stowed as space crews say their farewells
The Discovery astronauts detached the Leonardo cargo module from the space station Monday and berthed it in the shuttle's cargo bay for return to Earth. After a late-night farewell ceremony, hatches the shuttle and station were closed, setting the stage for undocking Tuesday.
   FULL STORY
   MORNING STORY
   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. L (.pdf download)
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 11 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY EVENING'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: FAREWELL BETWEEN SHUTTLE AND STATION CREWS PLAY
VIDEO: LEONARDO MODULE RETURNED TO THE PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ANSWER QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY PUBLIC PLAY
VIDEO: TELEMUNDO, TAMPA AND UNIVISION CREW INTERVIEWS PLAY
VIDEO: EL PASO AND AUSTIN TELEVISION CREW INTERVIEWS PLAY
VIDEO: JOSE HERNANDEZ LIVE INTERVIEWS FROM ORBIT PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY ASTRONAUT EVENT PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 10 PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 9 PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Can vaccine breakthrough help cure NASA's ills?
A vaccine to protect people against Salmonella, a deadly bacteria that often contaminates food processing operations, is headed for human testing following commercial development in zero gravity on the space shuttle and International Space Station.
   FULL STORY
Astronauts wrapping up supply transfers to station
Sailing into the home stretch of a busy space station resupply mission, the Discovery astronauts worked Sunday to wrap up equipment and supply transfers before enjoying a half day off to relax and enjoy the view.
   MORNING STORY
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. K (.pdf download)
Spaceflight Now Plus
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VIDEO: SUNDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: POST-EVA MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Discovery astronauts finish mission's last spacewalk
Astronauts Danny Olivas and Christer Fuglesang took the mission's third and final spacewalk Saturday evening, a seven-hour excursion outside the International Space Station that deployed a payload mounting mechanism, replaced a failed circuit breaker and an orientation sensor, installed GPS antennas and routed long cables for a future module.
   SPACEWALK CONCLUDES
   ATTACHMENT MECHANISM DEPLOYED
   EVA NO. 3 BEGINS
   MORNING STORY
   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. J (.pdf download)
Spaceflight Now Plus
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VIDEO: FUGLESANG'S HELMET-CAM COMES LOOSE PLAY
VIDEO: ROUTING AVONICS CABLES FOR TRANQUILITY PLAY
VIDEO: FAILED ORIENTATION SENSOR REMOVED PLAY
VIDEO: WORK TO DEPLOY PAYLOAD MECHANISM PLAY
VIDEO: EVA NO. 3 BEGINS PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 8 PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 7 PLAY
VIDEO: INTERNATIONAL CREW NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Space shuttle main engine nozzle leaks being studied
Engineers are looking into what might have caused more than 300 microscopic leaks in the nozzle of a space shuttle main engine used to help launch Endeavour in July. But officials Friday characterized the issue as relatively minor, saying the leaks were well below any threshold that could cause an in-flight problem.
   FULL STORY
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HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 7: SPACEWALKERS COME BACK INSIDE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 7: MORE WORK WITH LEONARDO PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 7: OLIVAS AND FUGLESANG ON EVA PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY AFTERNOON'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Discovery crew getting some free time in orbit
The Discovery astronauts and their space station colleagues enjoyed a half-day off Friday, taking a break to relax and enjoy the view from 220 miles up after a grueling week in orbit resupplying the International Space Station.
   MORNING STORY
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. I (.pdf download)
Spacewalkers install new coolant reservior on station
Astronauts Danny Olivas and Christer Fuglesang completed a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk Thursday evening to install a new 1,700-pound ammonia coolant tank in the International Space Station's truss backbone. A depleted tank, removed during a spacewalk Tuesday, was mounted in the shuttle Discovery's cargo bay for return to Earth and refurbishment.
   SPACEWALK A SUCCESS
   NEW TANK INSTALLED
   MORNING STORY
   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. H (.pdf download)
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HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 6: PREPPING FOR NEXT EVA PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 6: MOVING FROZEN SCIENCE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 6: EMPTYING OUT LEONARDO PLAY

VIDEO: POST-EVA MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: OLD TANK MOVED TO SHUTTLE FOR RECYCLING PLAY
VIDEO: NEW TANK HOOKED UP TO STATION UMBILICALS PLAY
VIDEO: CHRISTER FUGLESANG CARRIES NEW AMMONIA TANK PLAY
VIDEO: PREPS IN SHUTTLE BAY TO UNPACK NEW AMMONIA TANK PLAY
VIDEO: DANNY OLIVAS FLOATS OUT OF AIRLOCK TO START EVA PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP SUMMARY OF SPACEWALK NO. 2 PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 6 PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Astronauts spend the day
on equipment transfers

The Discovery astronauts focused on equipment transfers Wednesday, moving science racks and other gear into the International Space Station from a cargo module delivered by the shuttle. Flight controllers, meanwhile, studied the track of a derelict European rocket body to determine if an avoidance maneuver might be necessary.
   NASA SAYS AVOIDANCE MANEUVER UNLIKELY
   HEAT SHIELD CLEARED
   MORNING STORY
   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: SPACEWALKERS CELEBRATE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: OLIVAS AND STOTT ON EVA NO. 1 PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: COLBERT TREADMILL UNPACKED PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: SPACEWALKERS GET SUITED UP PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 4: LEONARDO MODULE OPENED PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 4: MOVING ITEMS FROM SHUTTLE PLAY

VIDEO: WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY

VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 5 PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 4 PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: JOIN CREW IN DOCKING PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 3 PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Spacewalkers remove old coolant tank, experiments
Astronauts Danny Olivas and Nicole Stott took a 6.5-hour spacewalk Tuesday night to remove a massive ammonia coolant tank from the International Space Station's solar power truss and retrieve space exposure experiment packages.
   ALL OBJECTIVES ACCOMPLISHED ON EVA
   AMMONIA COOLANT TANK REMOVED
   MORNING STORY
   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. G (.pdf download)
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: POST-EVA MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS PUT THIRD EXPERIMENT IN SHUTTLE PLAY
VIDEO: BRIEFCASE-LIKE PACKAGE RETRIEVED FROM STATION PLAY
VIDEO: EUROPEAN PAYLOAD MOVED FROM STATION TO SHUTTLE PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS FREE COOLANT TANK FROM TRUSS PLAY
VIDEO: DANNY OLIVAS DISCONNECTS OLD AMMONIA TANK PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS EMERGE FROM AIRLOCK TO START EVA PLAY
VIDEO: OVERVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 5 ACTIVITIES PLAY
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP SUMMARY OF SPACEWALK NO. 1 PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
MORE: STS-128 VIDEO COVERAGE
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