Status Report

STS-109 Status Report #06 Sunday, March 3, 2002 – noon CST

By SpaceRef Editor
March 3, 2002
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STS-109 Extravehicular Activity

  • STS-109 Mission Guide
  • EVA Operations Reference

  • STS-109 EVA Timeline

  • Spacewalk Number One, Flight Day Four: Replace -V2 Solar Array and
    Diode Box Assembly, Install Diode Box Controller Cross Strap Harness

  • Spacewalk Number Two, Flight Day Five: Replace +V2 Solar Array and
    Diode Box Assembly and Reaction Wheel Assembly-1

  • Spacewalk Number Three, Flight Day Six: Replace Power Control Unit
    (PCU)

  • Spacewalk Number Four, Flight Day Seven: Replace Faint Object Camera
    with the Advanced Camera for Surveys, Install Electronics Support Module
    and Perform Power Control Unit Cleanup Tasks

  • Spacewalk Number Five, Flight Day Eight: Install the Near-Infrared Camera
    and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) Cryogenic Cooler and NICMOS
    Cooling System Radiator



  • The Hubble Space Telescope is secure in Columbia’s payload bay following its capture at 3:31 a.m. central time today, as the two spacecraft soared 350 miles above the Pacific Ocean southwest of the Mexican Coast.

    Columbia’s chase of the telescope ended with Commander Scott Altman and Pilot Duane Carey manually flying Columbia to within 35 feet of Hubble allowing Mission Specialist Nancy Currie to use the shuttle’s robot arm to gently grasp the orbiting observatory.

    With the telescope safely in the payload bay, the crew turned its attention to retracting the two large solar arrays that generate power for the telescope. The motors that drive the two arrays had not been used since the panels were originally deployed during the first servicing mission in December 1993. The motors performed flawlessly taking approximately five minutes to retract each of the two arrays. The retractions were scheduled to take place during orbital daytime to allow sunlight to adequately warm the arrays prior to retraction.

    The first in a pair of new-generation solar arrays will be installed by John Grunsfeld and Rick Linnehan on the first scheduled spacewalk of the mission, which is set to begin about 12:30 a.m. Monday. However, it is possible the spacewalk could begin up to one hour earlier than scheduled.

    The crew is scheduled to wake up about 8 p.m. today, and within hours Grunsfeld and Linnehan, with the assistance of crewmates Jim Newman and Mike Massimino, will begin donning their spacesuits. They will begin the spacewalk by setting up some of the tools they will use, before Grunsfeld and Linnehan, working together, remove the old array, stow it in the payload bay and install the new starboard side array. They will also install its associated electrical support components, called a Diode Box Assembly.

    Mission Control bid the crew goodnight just before noon today concluding a busy and successful day culminating with the capture of the Hubble Space Telescope. The next STS-109 mission status report will be issued Sunday evening following crew wake-up or as events warrant.

    SpaceRef staff editor.