STS-128 Launch

The STS-128 Launch used for ISS assembly designated as ISS assembly flight 17A, was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) that launched on 28 August 2009. Shuttle Discovery on STS-128 carried the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo as its payload. Leonardo contained experiments for studying the physics and chemistry of microgravity.

Three seperate spacewalks were conducted during the mission, removing and replaceing materials processing experiments outside ESA’s Columbus module, and also returned a empty ammonia tank assembly.

The mission’s first  STS-128 launch attempt was delayed two hours before the scheduled launch due poor weather concerns, The second launch attempt, scheduled for August 26th 2009 was called off the previous evening due to an a failure in one of the orbiter’s fuel valves.

The launch finally took place on 28 August 2009 at 23:59pm. Discovery landed on 11 September 2009 at Edwards Air Force Base, and was the last landing of a space shuttle at the California facility.

STS-128 LAUNCH DATE: August 28th 2009

• Launch: 11:59 p.m. EDT – Aug. 28, 2009
• Landing: 8:53 p.m. EDT – Sept. 11, 2009
• Orbiter: Discovery
• Mission Number: STS-128 (128th space shuttle flight)
• Launch Window: 10 minutes
• Launch Pad: 39A
• Mission Duration: 13 days, 20 hours, 54 minutes
• Landing Site: EDW
• Inclination/Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical mile
• Primary Payload: 30th station flight (17A), Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module,
• Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier
• Crew: Commander Rick Sturckow, Kevin Ford (pilot), Mission specialists Patrick Forrester, José Hernández, John “Danny” Olivas, Christer Fuglesang, Nicole Stott and Timothy Kopra.
• Mission: International Space Station
• Stott remained on the station as an Expedition 20 flight engineer replacing Timothy Kopra. Kopra returned home aboard Discovery as a mission specialist.
• This was Discovery’s 37th mission to space and the 30th mission of a space shuttle dedicated to the assembly and maintenance of the International Space Station.

NASA Reference: STS 128