STS-69 Day 3 Highlights

Back to STS-69 Flight Day 02 Highlights:

On Saturday, September 9, 1995, 8 a.m. CDT, STS-69 MCC Status Report # 04 reports:

Endeavour's astronauts pressed ahead with a variety of experiments in their third day in orbit as they prepared for tomorrow's rendezvous and retrieval of the SPARTAN solar science satellite.

Commander Dave Walker and Pilot Ken Cockrell fired Endeavour's reaction control system jets this morning to refine the Shuttle's orbit in order to maintain a distance of about 65 statute miles from the SPARTAN satellite. Another rendezvous maneuver designed to adjust Endeavour's altitude was deleted from the flight plan because of the precision with which Endeavour is flying in relation to SPARTAN. Payload controllers say SPARTAN's systems are functioning normally, although the amount of data gathered by the satellite during its 48 hours of free-flying science operations will not be known until the probe is returned to Earth. SPARTAN is scheduled to be grappled by Astronaut Mike Gernhardt through the use of Endeavour's robot arm at 9:24 AM Central time tomorrow following a series of complex rendezvous maneuvers by Walker and Cockrell to catch up to SPARTAN.

The astronauts conducted work with the GLO experiment in the cargo bay, designed to measure the luminescence created around the Shuttle as it plows through atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit at a speed of five miles a second. They also monitored several experiments in the middeck area designed to capture data on materials and life science.

A pair of problems continue to impact the operation of two of Endeavour's payloads. The U-V STAR experiment, which is part of the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker payload in the cargo bay, has not worked properly since launch because of a pressure problem and a glitch in a system which enables the telescope to swivel back and forth. Another telescope in the IEH payload is working normally.

The EPICS experiment in the Shuttle's middeck, designed to test the capability to separate hydrogen and oxygen components in water generated by the Shuttle, has yet to yield any results because of a suspected problem in its data acquisiton system. Troubleshooting efforts are underway for both EPICS and U-V STAR.

One minor problem was resolved this morning when Astronaut Jim Voss successfully activated an audio-speaker system in the Shuttle's middeck area. Voss plugged in a different handheld microphone unit than one which was used shortly after launch and the middeck system checked out in good shape.

Astronaut Gernhardt took a few minutes out this morning to discuss the progress of the flight with Scott Carpenter, one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, who was linked to Gernhardt from an underwater research laboratory off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. Carpenter and Gernhardt discussed the interdependence of underwater research and outer space exploration. thirty years ago, Carpenter conducted a similar discussion with fellow Mercury 7 astronaut Gordon Cooper as Cooper flew in space on the Gemini 5 mission.

As they passed over the Atlantic at the start of their 31st orbit, the astronauts downlinked video of Hurricane Luis swirling with maximum sustained winds of 109 miles an hour. The huge eyewall of the storm was clearly visible as Endeavour passed overhead.

On Saturday, September 9, 1995, 3 p.m. CDT, STS-69 MCC Status Report # 05 reports:

With the Spartan spacecraft flying ahead of Endeavour, the stage is set for Sunday morning's planned rendezvous and retrieval of the free-flying science satellite.

Commander Dave Walker and Pilot Ken Cockrell fired Endeavour's reaction control system jets in a two-second burn designed to maintain a distance of at least 40 nautical miles between the two orbiting spacecraft until the rendezvous activities begin early Sunday morning. Those rendezvous activities will start with Walker and Cockrell conducting a series of complex maneuvers designed to bring Endeavour to a point about 350 feet away from Spartan by 8:59 a.m. Central on Sunday. After Walker edges Endeavour closer to Spartan, Mission Specialist Mike Gernhardt will reach out with the Shuttle's robot arm and grapple Spartan at 9:24 a.m. Central, placing it back in Endeavour's payload bay.

Work with the GLO experiment mounted in the payload bay will continue overnight as the five astronauts on board sleep. The GLO instruments will measure the luminescence created around the Shuttle as it plows through atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit at a speed of five miles a second.

The EPICS experiment in the Shuttle's middeck, designed to test the capability to separate hydrogen and oxygen components in water generated by the Shuttle, has been powered down after all three self-contained electrolysis units experienced an automatic shutdown. After reviewing their options for restoring power to at least two of those units, payload controllers opted to completely power off the experiment. Troubleshooting efforts continue to resolve a problem with the UV-STAR experiment which comprises a part of the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchiker payload. Pressure problems and difficulty commanding an elevation gimble which enables the telescope to swivel back and forth have kept the telescope from its study of the sun's coronal plasma. A second telescope is performing normally.

Go to STS-69 Flight Day 4 Highlights: