Six NASA Astronauts - Including D.C. Native - Available For Interviews

Joshua Buck

Headquarters, Washington     

 

WASHINGTON -- The astronauts who flew aboard space shuttle Discovery's last flight will visit NASA Headquarters in Washington on Tuesday, May 10. They will give a presentation about their 13-day mission at 11 a.m. EDT and will be available for media interviews from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The STS-133 crew consists of Commander Steve Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe, mission specialists Alvin Drew, Nicole Stott, Steve Bowen and Michael Barratt. Drew was born in the District of Columbia and graduated from the city's Gonzaga College High School.

The crew will share mission highlights with agency employees, their families and reporters in the NASA Headquarters' James E. Webb Auditorium, located at 300 E Street SW. The presentation will air live on NASA Television. Reporters must call 202-358-1100 to attend the presentation or to schedule an interview.

STS-133 was the last mission for the longest-serving veteran of NASA's space shuttle fleet. Since 1984, Discovery flew 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited Earth 5,830 times and traveled 148,221,675 miles.

Discovery and its crew delivered to the International Space Station the Permanent Multipurpose Module, or PMM, which was converted from the multipurpose logistics module Leonardo. The PMM can host experiments in fluid physics, materials science, biology, biotechnology and other areas.

STS-133 also brought critical spare components and the Express Logistics Carrier 4 to the International Space Station. Robonaut 2, or R2, became the first human-like robot in space and a permanent resident of the station. The mission's two spacewalks assisted in outfitting the station and completed a variety of other tasks designed to upgrade station systems.

For more information about the STS-133 crew members and their mission, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/main.

For more information about the space station, visit http://www.nasa.gov/station.

For NASA TV schedule information and links to streaming video, visit http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.

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Welcome Home

STS-133 mission crew members, from left, Nicole Stott, Michael Barratt, pilot Eric Boe, Commander Steve Lindsey, Alvin Drew and Steve Bowen, pose for a photograph in front of the space shuttle Discovery after landing, Wednesday, March 9, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., completing Discovery's 39th and final flight. Since 1984, Discovery flew 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited Earth 5,830 times and traveled 148,221,675 miles.

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Discovery Comes Home

With its drag chute unfurled, space shuttle Discovery rolls down Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Landing was at 11:57 a.m. EST, completing the 13-day STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. Main gear touchdown was at 11:57:17 a.m., followed by nose gear touchdown at 11:57:28, and wheelstop at 11:58:14 a.m. On board were Commander Steve Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe, and Mission Specialists Nicole Stott, Michael Barratt, Alvin Drew and Steve Bowen.

Discovery and its six-member crew delivered the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the orbiting outpost. STS-133 was Discovery's 39th and final mission. This was the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.

Image Credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

Taking a Break

Inside the newly installed Permanent Multipurpose Module on the International Space Station are the six crew members of the STS-133 crew who've been spending busy days with the six astronauts and cosmonauts of Expedition 26. On the bottom row, from the left, are astronauts Eric Boe, Steve Lindsey and Michael Barratt. On the top row are astronauts Alvin Drew, Nicole Stott and Steve Bowen.

Image Credit: NASA

Anchored

Anchored to a Canadarm2 mobile foot restraint, NASA astronaut Steve Bowen participates in the STS-133 mission's second spacewalk as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 14-minute spacewalk, Bowen and fellow astronaut Alvin Drew tackled a variety of tasks, including venting into space some remaining ammonia from a failed pump module they moved during the mission's first spacewalk.

Image Credit: NASA

Crew Wraps Up Flight Day 9

The Discovery crew’s sleep period begins at 7:23 p.m. EST, with a wakeup call scheduled for 3:23 a.m. Saturday. Highlights of Flight Day 9 will be replayed hourly on NASA Television during crew sleep beginning at 8 p.m.

During the afternoon Friday, Mission Specialists Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew stowed tools they used outside on the spacewalks earlier this week. Meanwhile their colleagues continued with Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module activities, moving supplies and equipment from the new module into the station and outfitting the interior of the module.

Earlier in the day, all 12 shuttle and station crew members gathered for the joint news conference. They took questions from reporters at Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space Center and in Italy.

Another Day at Work

Anchored to a Canadarm2 mobile foot restraint, astronaut Steve Bowen tackled a variety of tasks, including venting into space some remaining ammonia from a failed pump module they moved during the STS-133 mission’s first spacewalk. Fellow astronaut Alvin Drew worked in conjunction with Bowen to complete the day's tasks during this the second spacewalk of the mission.

Image Credit: NASA

Making the Grade

NASA astronauts Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew (partially obscured at center) conducted the STS-133 mission's spacewalk on Monday, Feb. 28. During the six-hour, 34-minute spacewalk, Bowen and Drew installed the J612 power extension cable, moved a failed ammonia pump module to the External Stowage Platform 2 on the Quest Airlock for return to Earth at a later date, installed a camera wedge on the right hand truss segment, installed extensions to the mobile transporter rail and exposed the Japanese "Message in a Bottle" experiment to space.

Image Credit: NASA

Ammonia Vented from Failed Pump Module

Spacewalker Alvin Drew vented the remaining ammonia into space from a pump module he and Steve Bowen installed during Monday's first excursion. The failed pump module now is ready to be returned to Earth on a future mission for analysis.

Spacewalker Retrieves Lightweight Adapter Plate Assembly

Riding aboard the station’s robotic arm, Steve Bowen retrieved a lightweight adapter plate assembly (LWAPA) that was used to attach experiments to the outside of the Columbus module. While Bowen places LWAPA in Discovery’s payload bay for return to Earth, Drew will remove insulation from the avionics assembly on the Express Logistics Carrier-4 and gather up three sets of stowage bags from the Crew Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) cart on the left side of the station’s truss, or backbone.

Earlier, after Drew vented ammonia from the failed pump module, Mission Control observed some ammonia ice floating around the vicinity. There is no concern. None of the ice contacted the spacewalkers’ suits.

Second Spacewalk in Progress

The second STS-133 spacewalk began at 10:42 a.m. EST, when Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew switched their suits to battery power.

This is Bowen's seventh spacewalk and Drew's second. It is the 244th by U.S. astronauts and the 155th spacewalk in support of International Space Station assembly and maintenance. Discovery Mission Specialist Nicole Stott is once again inside the station, choreographing the activities and coordinating communications between the spacewalkers and Mission Control in Houston. Station Commander Scott Kelly and shuttle Mission Specialist Mike Barratt are in the cupola operating the station's 58-foot long robotic arm during the spacewalk.

Bowen is EV-1, the lead spacewalker, and is wearing a suit with red stripes. His helmet camera displays the number 19. Drew is EV-2, wears an all-white spacesuit, and his helmet camera displays the number 20.

Drew will complete the last task related to the failed ammonia pump module the pair moved into a storage location on Monday. He will vent the remaining ammonia from the module into space, using a special tool to protect his spacesuit from any ammonia contamination. Once he's done, he'll remove the tool and place it back in the airlock.

Meanwhile, Bowen will ride the station's robotic arm to the Columbus module and retrieve a lightweight adapter plate assembly that was used to attach experiments to the outside of Columbus. Drew will remove insulation from the avionics assembly on the Express Logistics Carrier-4 and gather up three sets of stowage bags from the Crew Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) cart on the left side of the station's truss, or backbone.

The crew will move a sunshade away from the lens of a video camera near Express Logistics Carrier-4. The sunshade is partially obscuring the camera's view. Throughout the remainder of the spacewalk the pair will work separately. Bowen will ride the arm to the Dextre robot, where he will install a camera light and pan and tilt assembly and remove unneeded insulation while Drew installs a light on the CETA cart. From there, Drew will move to a radiator beam on the left hand truss segment and install insulation on its valve module fluid line. He also will tighten a loose radiator grapple fixture stowage beam that was installed on STS-131 and might be used to temporarily store handles that would be necessary if a radiator ever needed to be replaced. Next, Drew will head to the Tranquility node to remove insulation covering electrical connectors. Bowen will climb off of the robotic arm and install a lens cover on the arm's elbow joint camera, which will protect the lens from erosion that might be caused by visiting spacecraft thrusters. The rest of the spacewalk will be spent installing similar covers on other cameras.

First

NASA astronauts Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew are shown performing the STS-133 mission's first spacewalk as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 34-minute spacewalk, Bowen and Drew installed the J612 power extension cable, move a failed ammonia pump module to the External Stowage Platform 2 on the Quest Airlock for return to Earth at a later date, installed a camera wedge on the right hand truss segment, installed extensions to the mobile transporter rail and exposed the Japanese "Message in a Bottle" experiment to space.

Image Credit: NASA

Crew Members Troubleshoot Minor Spacesuit Leak

Crew members aboard the International Space Station are troubleshooting a minor leak in Steve Bowen's spacesuit as he and Alvin Drew prepare for today's spacewalk. The suit has failed two leak checks. The two spacewalkers are in the Quest airlock receiving assistance from fellow crew members Mike Barratt and Paolo Nespoli and are in no danger. They are working to isolate and repair the leak and believe the source is an o-ring in a lithium hydroxide canister on the suit. The canister helps scrub carbon dioxide from the suit. The second STS-133 spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 10:18 a.m. EST.

Second Spacewalk Begins Today at 10:18 a.m. EST

Mission Control woke up the space shuttle Discovery and International Space Station crews at 5:24 a.m. EST to begin Flight Day 7. “Speed of Sound” by Coldplay was played for shuttle Pilot Eric Boe.

Spacewalk preparations begin at 7:13 a.m. Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew spent Tuesday “camping out” in the Quest airlock with the air pressure lowered to 10.2 psi to help prevent the “bends” when they begin the mission’s second spacewalk at 10:18 a.m. During a 6 hour, 30 minute excursion, Bowen and Drew will tackle a variety of tasks, including venting into space some remaining ammonia from a failed pump module they moved on Monday.

Crew Enters Permanent Multipurpose Module; Prepares for Spacewalk

At 6:17 p.m. EST, International Space Station Commander Scott Kelly became the first crew member to enter the newly-installed Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM). The PMM was attached to the Earth-facing port of the station’s Unity node earlier in the day and will provide 2,472 cubic feet of pressurized volume for storage and scientific use. Discovery and station astronauts will use their mission extension day to help unload cargo from PMM and dispose of trash in the HTV.

Mission Specialists Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew are preparing for the second spacewalk of the mission by “camping out” in the Quest airlock at 7:48 p.m. The space station crew goes to sleep at 8:53 p.m. and the remainder of the Discovery crew goes to sleep at 9:23 p.m.

A Good Day for a Spacewalk

Emerging from the Quest airlock on the International Space Station, astronaut Alvin Drew began his shared spacewalking duties with fellow astronaut Steve Bowen. Drew and Bowen completed the STS-133 mission's first spacewalk on Monday, Feb. 28. Drew is the 200th human to perform a spacewalk, his first. This is Steve Bowen’s sixth spacewalk. This is the 154th spacewalk supporting assembly and maintenance of the space station and the 234th excursion conducted by U.S. astronauts.

Image Credit: NASA

Spacewalkers Adjust Video Camera

Spacewalkers Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew installed a wedge on the right hand truss segment, canting a video camera away from Express Logistics Carrier-4 to provide enough clearance for spare parts to be added to the carrier.

Bowen, Drew Conducting First STS-133 Spacewalk

Alvin Drew is the 200th human to perform a spacewalk, his first. This is Steve Bowen’s sixth spacewalk. The first STS-133 spacewalk began at 10:46 a.m. EST.

Bowen, EV-1, is the lead spacewalker and is wearing a suit with red stripes, while Drew, EV-2, wears an all-white spacesuit. Bowen’s helmet camera displays the number 19 and Drew’s the number 20.

Bowen and Drew will install the J612 power extension cable in preparation for Tuesday’s attachment of the Permanent Multipurpose Module to the Unity node. Next, they will move an 800 pound failed pump module to External Stowage Platform 2 on the outside of the Quest airlock, where it will remain until it can be returned to Earth at a future time. They will install a camera wedge on the right hand truss segment to give the camera added clearance now that Express Logistics Carrier-4 is attached to the station. After that, they will move further down the right hand truss to the solar alpha rotary joint where they will affix two extensions to the station’s mobile transporter track, which will allow the transporter to travel the entire track length with the Crew Equipment Translation Aid cart and still reach all of the many worksites. They also will open and fill a metal cylinder with the vacuum of space, part of a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency activity called “Message in a Bottle.” The bottle will be returned to Earth for public display.

Discovery Mission Specialist Nicole Stott is inside the International Space Station, choreographing the activities and coordinating communications between the spacewalkers and Mission Control in Houston. Station Commander Scott Kelly and Discovery Mission Specialist Mike Barratt will operate the station’s 58-foot long robotic arm to maneuver the pump module and other hardware during the spacewalk.

This is the 154th spacewalk supporting assembly and maintenance of the space station and the 234th excursion conducted by U.S. astronauts.

Shuttle and Station Crews Go to Work

Space shuttle Discovery docked to the International Space Station at 2:14 p.m. EST Saturday with its cargo of a new station module, equipment and supplies for the orbiting laboratory.

After a delay to let the relative motion between the two spacecraft, with a combined mass of 1.2 million pounds, dampen out, hatches separating crews were opened at 4:16 p.m. Shuttle astronauts, Commander Steve Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Steve Bowen, Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott moved into the station.

Following handshakes, hugs and a welcoming ceremony by the station crew, Expedition 26 Commander Scott Kelly and Flight Engineers Oleg Skripochka, Alexander Kaleri, Dmitry Kondratyev, Paolo Nespoli and Catherine Coleman, Discovery astronauts received the standard station safety briefing.

The crews promptly went to work, with Barratt and Stott preparing to use the station’s robotic arm to pluck Express Logistic Carrier 4 from the shuttle cargo bay and hand it off to the shuttle’s arm, operated by Drew and Boe. After moving the base of Canadarm2, the shuttle arm was to hand ELC4 back for installation on the Earth-facing side of the station’s starboard truss. There it will be used for stowage of spare parts, including a spare radiator launched aboard Discovery.

STS-133: Discovery Launches Into History

Mike Curie/STS-133 Launch Commentator: Go for main engine start. We have main engine start. 2 . . . 1 . . . booster ignition.

And the final liftoff of Discovery! A tribute to the dedication, hard work and pride of America's space shuttle team.

The shuttle has cleared the tower.

Josh Byerly/STS-133 Ascent Commentator: Discovery now making one last reach for the stars.

Discovery's engines are now throttling down as the orbiter passes through the area of maximum pressure reducing the stress on the shuttle as it goes supersonic.

Charlie Hobaugh/STS-133 CAPCOM: Discovery, Houston, you are go at throttle up.

Steve Lindsey/STS-133 Commander: (Inaudible)

Josh Byerly/STS-133 Ascent Commentator: Commander Steve Lindsey acknowledging the call from CAPCOM Charlie Hobaugh as Discovery's three main engines throttle back up.

Lindsey is joined on the flight deck by Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialist Al Drew and Nicole Stott. Mission Specialist Mike Barratt and Steve Bowen.

Discovery's three main engines are burning fuel at a rate that would drain an average swimming pool in about 25 seconds. The engines, combined with the solid rocket boosters, produce more than 7 million pounds of thrust.

One minute, 50 seconds into the flight, we're standing by for separation of the twin solid rocket boosters. Discovery now traveling 2,695 miles an hour. It's altitude 24 miles. Downrange from the Kennedy Space Center 29 miles.

Booster separation confirmed. Discovery's guidance is now converging as the shuttle's onboard computers fine tune the flight.