STS-129 Fact Sheet

By Cliff Lethbridge

STS-129 – Atlantis

129th Space Shuttle Mission

31st Flight of Atlantis

Crew:

Charles O. Hobaugh, Commander

Barry E. Wilmore, Pilot

Leland D. Melvin, Mission Specialist

Randolph Bresnik, Mission Specialist

Michael Foreman, Mission Specialist

Robert Satcher, Mission Specialist

Nicole Stott, Returning from International Space Station

Orbiter Preparations:

Rollover to Vehicle Assembly Building – October 6, 2009

Rollout to Launch Pad 39A – October 14, 2009

Launch:

November 16, 2009 – 2:28:09 p.m. EST. Launch occurred on time with no delays.

Landing:

November 27, 2009 – 9:44:22 a.m. EST at Runway 33, Kennedy Space Center. Landing occurred during the 171^st orbit. Mission duration was 10 days, 19 hours, 16 minutes, 13 seconds.

Mission Summary:

The primary payloads were the Express Logistics Carriers designated ELC-1 and ELC-2 for the International Space Station (ISS). The units carried a variety of tools and equipment designed to augment and enhance experimentation aboard ISS. Docking between Atlantis and ISS occurred on November 18, 2009. Undocking occurred on November 25, 2009.

There were three spacewalks during the mission. The first spacewalk was conducted on November 19, 2009 and lasted 6 hours, 37 minutes. Astronauts Foreman and Satcher installed a spare antenna and a bracket for ammonia lines outside ISS. They also performed maintenance activities on the ISS Japanese robotic arm.

The second spacewalk was conducted on November 21, 2009 and lasted 6 hours, 8 minutes. Astronauts Foreman and Bresnik installed the Grappling Adaptor to On-Orbit Railing (GATOR) to the ISS Columbus Laboratory plus an additional ham radio antenna. They also installed an antenna for wireless helmet camera video and relocated the Floating Potential Measurement Unit which takes electrical measurements outside ISS.

The third spacewalk was conducted on November 23, 2009 and lasted 5 hours, 42 minutes. Astronauts Satcher and Bresnik installed an oxygen filled High Pressure Gas Tank on the ISS Quest Airlock. They also installed experiments to ELC-2 as well as a number of other maintenance activities.