NASA STS-128 MCC Status Report #06 1 p.m. CDT Monday, Aug. 31, 2009

Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

The combined crews of space shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station awoke today to start the first of eight days of joint operations. With the successful docking last night, the crews will focus on transfer work and spacewalks.

The shuttle crew wake-up song was “Mi Tierra,” performed by Gloria Estefan. The song was selected for Mission Specialist Jose Hernandez. Later today, Hernandez will participate in an interview with Univision, which will air on NASA TV at 9:29 p.m. CDT.

Pilot Kevin Ford and Expedition 20 Flight Engineer Mike Barratt will use the station robotic arm to move the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) from Discovery’s payload bay to the Earth-facing port on the station’s Harmony module. They’re expected to start the nearly three-hour maneuver just after 2:30 p.m. Mission specialists Christer Fuglesang of the European Space Agency and Tim Kopra will assist with the attachment and activation activity. After leak checks and pressurization, the teams are expected to open the hatches to the cargo module at 12:34 a.m. Tuesday.

The MPLM is carrying 15,000 pounds of supplies and equipment for use on the station, including more science facilities. The crew will spend the next several days unloading the hardware.

Meanwhile, transfer of equipment from the shuttle’s middeck will get under way. Mission specialists Pat Forrester, Hernandez and Danny Olivas will carry over items from the shuttle to the station, including the spacesuits to be used in the upcoming spacewalks. Shuttle Commander Rick Sturckow will assist with transfer as well as monitor shuttle systems.

Flight Engineer Nicole Stott, whose rotation with Kopra on the station crew was made official yesterday, will conduct some transfer work and familiarization of her new home in space. She will join Olivas to set up their tools for tomorrow’s spacewalk. The two will be joined later by all of the U.S. crew members and station Commander Gennady Padalka for a procedures review for that spacewalk.

Expedition 20 flight engineers Roman Romanenko, Robert Thirsk and Frank De Winne will continue with station science, maintenance work and exercise.

The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s workday, or earlier if events warrant.