STS-114

Int. Designation	2005-026A
Launched	26 July 2005
Launch Site	Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Landed	9 August 2005
Landing Site	Runway 22, Edwards AFB, California
Launch Vehicle	OV-103 Discovery /ET-121/SRB BI-125/SSME #1 2057;
	#2 2054; #3 2056
Duration	13 days 21 hrs 32 min 48 sec
Call sign	Discovery
Objective	ISS mission LF-1; return-to-flight; MPLM logistics mission

Flight Crew

COLLINS, Eileen Marie, 48, USAF, commander, 4th mission Previous missions: STS-63 (1995); STS-84 (1997); STS-93 (1999)

KELLY, James McNeal, 41, USAF, pilot, 2nd mission Previous mission: STS-102 (2001)

NOGUCHI, Soichi, 40, civilian, Japanese mission specialist 1 ROBINSON, Stephen Kern, 49, civilian, mission specialist 2, 3rd mission Previous missions: STS-85 (1997); STS-95 (1998)

THOMAS, Andrew Sydney Withiel, 53, civilian, mission specialist 3,

4th mission

Previous missions: STS-77 (1996); STS-89/91 (1996); STS-102 (2001) LAWRENCE, Wendy Barrien, 46, USN, mission specialist 4, 4th mission Previous missions: STS-67 (1995); STS-86 (1997); STS-91 (1998) CAMARDA, Charles Joseph, 53, civilian, mission specialist 5

Flight Log

It was almost 30 months between the loss of Columbia and the launch of Discovery. During this time, apart from the investigation into the probable cause of the accident and the steps taken to reduce the risk of it happening again, the whole Shuttle programme had been evaluated and a new long-term goal established. After clearing the Shuttle for flight operations, it would be used to complete the construction of ISS by 2010. After that, the fleet would be retired and replaced by a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). The CEV would be able to visit the station, but its primary role would be to return America to the Moon, hopefully by 2019 (the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11). American commitments to ISS would be met by 2016. Exactly what their in­volvement with the station would be after that is still to be decided.

The first launch attempt for STS-114 on 13 July was cancelled when an ET fuel sensor failed. Extensive troubleshooting delayed the mission, but the 26 July launch

Performing the first EVA beneath the belly of a Shuttle orbiter, astronaut Stephen Robinson, on the end of the ISS robotic arm Canadarm2 (out of frame), works to remove gap fillers protruding from the heat-shielding tiles of Discovery during the mission’s third EVA

occurred on time and was the most extensively documented launch into space in history. A myriad of ground-based and high-altitude aircraft-borne cameras, ground radar systems, sensors and lasers on the ascending Shuttle and a TV system on the ET, all recorded spectacular shots of the ascent from the pad, SRB separation and Orbiter/ ET separation. They also recorded the loss of some foam from the ET once more, which caused grave concern on the ground.

Discovery docked with ISS on 28 July. Prior to docking, Collins performed the first Rendezvous Pitch Manoeuvre some 183 metres from the station, at a rate of 0.75°/second, to allow the ISS-11 crew to photo-document the underside of the Discovery and its protective tiles. Analysis of the images revealed a little tile and foam damage, but the most serious problem appeared to be two protruding tile gap fillers, which might cause hot spots on entry. Several options were discussed and evaluated before the final solution was reached as the crew worked aboard the ISS. It was decided to allow the EVA crew to manually extract the fillers.

During the first EVA (30 Jul for 6 hours 50 minutes), Robinson (EV1) and Noguchi (EV2) worked with intentionally damaged tiles that had been brought up

to space for the purpose of evaluating new repair procedures and equipment. They also installed a base and cabling for a stowage platform and rerouted power cables to CMG-2, one of the four gyroscopes that orientate the station. The second EVA (1 Aug for 7 hours 14 minutes) saw the removal of the failed CMG-1 and its replacement with a new unit, restoring ISS to four functioning units. The added third EVA (3rd Aug for 6 hours 1 minute) saw Robinson ride the RMS over the side of Discovery to remove the two gap fillers with his gloved hand, which was much easier than first thought. This was the first time that an astronaut had ventured underneath the Shuttle during an EVA. The final EVA also included installation of an external stowage platform on ISS and the deployment of a materials experiment package for long-term exposure to the harsh conditions of space.

During their 9 days of docked activities, the crew transferred significant logistics to the station. MPLM Raffaello was relocated to the side of Destiny on 29 July and unloaded over several days. It carried 1,710kg of supplies and cargo, including the Human Research Facility 2 and the new CMG that was installed during EVA 2. Returned items included the 3.5 tons of material accumulated and stored since 2002, creating much welcomed volume inside the Zvezda when the waste had been relocated into Raffaello.

Discovery undocked from the station and performed a fly around, with both crews photographing each other’s spacecraft before the Shuttle crew prepared for the much anticipated return from orbit. To add to the tension both on Earth and in orbit, the landing was delayed by two days after four opportunities to land at Florida were cancelled by bad weather. Much to everyone’s relief, Discovery made a safe entry and landing at Edwards AFB. The mission had returned the fleet to space after the loss of Columbia, but there were still questions about the integrity of the foam fixtures. As a result, the next Shuttle mission would be delayed until the problems of foam coming off the ET were better understood.

Milestones

244th manned space flight

144th US manned space flight

114th Shuttle mission

31st flight of Discovery

57th US and 94th flight with EVA operations

17th Shuttle ISS mission

5th Discovery ISS mission

6th MPLM flight

3rd flight of MPLM-2 Raffaello