STS-109

Infobox Space mission
mission_name = STS-109
insignia = STS-109 patch.svg
shuttle = Columbia
crew_members = 7
launch_pad = 39-A
launch = March 1, 2002 11:22:02 UTC
landing = March 12, 2002 9:33:10 UTC KSC Runway 33
duration = 10 days 22:11:09
orbits = 165
altitude = 308 nautical miles (570 km)
inclination = 28.5 degrees
distance = 3.9 million miles (6.3 million km)
crew_photo = STS-109 crew.jpg
crew_caption = (L-R): Michael J. Massimino, Richard M. Linnehan, Duane G. Carey, Scott D. Altman, Nancy J. Currie, John M. Grunsfeld and James H. Newman.
previous = STS-108
next = STS-110

STS-109 was the most recent NASA Space Shuttle mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Flown aboard "Columbia" in March 2002, the five spacewalks to replace and install equipment were a complete success. It would also be "Columbia"'s final successful mission from start to finish.

Crew

*Scott D. Altman (3), Commander
*Duane G. Carey (1), Pilot
*John M. Grunsfeld (4), Mission Specialist 1
*Nancy J. Currie (4), Mission Specialist 2
*James H. Newman (4), Mission Specialist 4
*Richard M. Linnehan (3), Mission Specialist 3
*Michael J. Massimino (1), Mission Specialist 5

Number in parentheses indicates number of spaceflights by each individual prior to and including this mission.

Mission parameters

*Mass:
**"Orbiter liftoff:" 116,989 kg
**"Orbiter landing:" 100,564 kg
*Perigee: 486 km
*Apogee: 578 km
*Inclination: 28.5°
*Period: 95.3 min

=Spacewalks=

Mission highlights

The purpose of STS-109 was to service the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). It was "Columbia's" first flight following an extensive two and a half year modification period (its most recent mission being STS-93). During the mission they installed a new science instrument, the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), new rigid Solar Arrays (SA3), new Power Control Unit (PCU) and a new Cryocooler for the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS). STS-109 also reboosted HST to a higher orbit.

The STS-109 astronauts performed a total of five spacewalks in five consecutive days to service and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. The spacewalkers received assistance from their crewmates inside "Columbia". Currie operated the Shuttle's robot arm while Altman was her backup. Carey and Altman documented the EVA activities with video and still images that had silly parts. The video was shown on NASA TV.

Accomplishments of the spacewalks included the installation of new solar arrays, a new camera, a new Power Control Unit, a Reaction Wheel Assembly and an experimental cooling system for the NICMOS unit. STS-109 accumulated a total of 35 hours, 55 minutes of EVA time. Following STS-109, a total of 18 spacewalks had been conducted during four Space Shuttle missions to service Hubble (the others being STS-61, STS-82, STS-103 and STS-125) for a total of 129 hours, 10 minutes by 14 different astronauts.

It was also the last successful flight of the "Columbia" orbiter, as on its next mission, STS-107, it disintegrated on re-entry, killing all on board.

STS-109 is considered a night launch, as sunrise was at 6:47 AM, and "Columbia" launched at 6:22 AM EST, 25 minutes before sunrise.

ee also

* Space science
* Space Shuttle
* List of space shuttle missions
* List of human spaceflights chronologically

External links

* [http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews/reports/sts109/index.html Status reports] - Detailed NASA status reports for each day of the mission.
* [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-109/mission-sts-109.html NASA mission summary]
* [http://space.balettie.com/STS-109_entry.html STS-109 reentry pictures]
* [http://www.spacetelescope.org/about/history/servicing_mission_3b.html ESA/Hubble mission summary]
* [http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/shuttle108.htm STS-109 Video Highlights]