STS-119 Fact Sheet

By Cliff Lethbridge

STS-119 – Discovery

125th Space Shuttle Mission

36th Flight of Discovery

Crew:

Lee Archambault, Commander

Tony Antonelli, Pilot

Richard Arnold, Mission Specialist

Joseph Acaba, Mission Specialist

John Phillips, Mission Specialist

Steve Swanson, Mission Specialist

Kiochi Wakata, Mission Specialist, Embarking to International Space Station

Sandra Magnus, Flight Engineer, Returning from International Space Station

Orbiter Preparations:

Tow to Orbiter Processing Facility – June 14, 2008

Rollover to Vehicle Assembly Building – January 7, 2009

Rollout to Launch Pad 39A – January 14, 2009

Launch:

March 15, 2009 – 7:43 p.m. EDT. Launch was originally scheduled for February 12 but was postponed after an issue surfaced with gaseous hydrogen flow control valves. The valves were replaced. Launch attempt on March 11 was postponed due to a hydrogen leak in a liquid hydrogen vent line between the Shuttle and External Tank. March 15 launch occurred on time with no delays.

Landing:

March 28, 2009 – 3:14:45 p.m. EDT at Runway 15, Kennedy Space Center. The first landing opportunity was waived due to bad weather. Mission duration was 12 days, 19 hours, 31 minutes, 1 second.

Mission Summary:

The main goal of the mission was to deliver the International Space Station (ISS) fourth and final set of solar arrays and the S6 Truss, completing the backbone of ISS. There were three spacewalks during the mission. The first spacewalk was conducted on March 19 and lasted 6 hours, 7 minutes. Astronauts Swanson and Arnold bolted the S6 Truss in place and connected power and data cables.

The second spacewalk was conducted on March 21 and lasted 6 hours, 30 minutes. Astronauts Swanson and Acaba prepared a work site for new ISS batteries and installed a Global Positioning System antennae on the KIBO laboratory. The third spacewalk was conducted on March 23 and lasted 6 hours, 27 minutes. Astronauts Acaba and Arnold relocated one of two crew equipment carts and lubricated the ISS robotic arm.