SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR COMING HOME TODAY JULY 31st, 2009 @ 10:48AM EST

SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR STS 127 LANDS TODAY @10:48 AM.READ ON
A lot of more pictures further down. Awesome landing.


















Convoy Rolling
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:54:18 AM EDT

The ground support convoy is moving onto the runway to retrieve the crew and begin the lengthy process of getting the shuttle ready to be towed back to its Orbiter Processing Facility, the hangar where workers ready the shuttles for flight.

Touchdown!
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:49:00 AM EDT

Endeavour has landed!

Flare and Gear Down
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:47:59 AM EDT

Polansky pitches the nose of Endeavour up to slow Endeavour for touchdown on the runway. Landing gear down and locked.

Endeavour Gliding Over Kennedy!
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:45:01 AM EDT

The shuttle has just flown overhead here at Kennedy and Polansky is making his final line up to the runway.

Five Minutes
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:43:52 AM EDT

Endeavour continues on its prescribed landing path toward Kennedy. Polansky will guide the shuttle along the heading alignment cylinder in about two minutes.

Endeavour at Mach 2.5
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:42:12 AM EDT

The shuttle has slowed to Mach 2.5. Six minutes to landing.

10 Minutes to Landing
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:38:22 AM EDT

Endeavour will glide over Cuba before heading up Florida's Atlantic coast on its way to Kennedy. Landing is still on schedule for 10:48 a.m. Shuttle is 443,000 feet above Earth.

Roll Reversal
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:36:37 AM EDT

Moving at 11,000 mph and slowing, Endeavour is turning to the right now to conclude a sweeping S-turn that helps the shuttle dissipate speed and energy. 450 miles to go.

Peak Heating
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:29:27 AM EDT

Endeavour is now in the area of maximum heating. It will last another six minutes or so as the shuttle slows tremendously from its orbital speed of Mach 25. Polansky and Hurley work carefully to make sure they keep up the shuttle's energy to glide all the way back to Florida and land safely. All systems are working as they should.

First Roll
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:25:28 AM EDT

Steering through the thickening atmosphere, Polansky and the seven crew members are watching the plasma form around the spacecraft as the heat shield insulates the craft from the effects.

Support Convoy Moving Into Position
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:21:34 AM EDT

A long string of specialized trucks is lining up just off the runway here. They will move into place after Endeavour comes to a stop and the area around it has been deemed safe. Some of the trucks vent hazardous chemicals out of the orbiter's systems, while others tend to the crew and time-sensitive experiments and equipment. New NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is scheduled to be in the convoy commander's vehicle as it rolls out to meet Endeavour.

Entry Interface
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:16:44 AM EDT

Endeavour is starting to encounter the upper levels of the atmosphere. It is about 5,000 miles from Kennedy. Polansky will steer the shuttle into a sweeping left turn in about five minutes to help slow the spacecraft, sort of like a skier using the edges to bite into a snowy slope.

Less than an Hour Before Landing
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:56:07 AM EDT

Endeavour's return to Earth is about 50 minutes away, scheduled for 10:48 a.m.

Teams Watch for Birds
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:53:44 AM EDT

The Shuttle Landing Facility, like all the KSC facilities, is in a wildlife refuge. So occasionally a team goes out and fires blanks into the air to scare away groups of birds that mingle around the runway. The shots, along with the engines of the Shuttle Training Aircraft, define the sounds out here on landing day.

Burn Complete, Endeavour on Target
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:46:12 AM EDT

The orbital maneuvering system has done its job and Endeavour has taken a critical step to land at 10:48 a.m. at Kennedy today.

Engines Burning for Deorbit
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:44:37 AM EDT

The two orbital maneuvering system thrusters at the back of Endeavour are firing now to slow the spacecraft. They will slow Endeavour's Mach 25 velocity. Then Endeavour, which is flying backward with its payload bay facing Earth, will flip over so its nose is pointing forward and the heat shield will be facing the atmosphere.

Deorbit Burn at 9:42 a.m.
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:32:12 AM EDT

Polansky will maneuver Endeavour so it is facing backward in relation to the Earth. He will fire the twin orbital maneuvering system engines for a couple minutes, just enough to slow the shuttle's 17,500 mph speed so gravity can take hold and pull it into the atmosphere.

"Go" for Deorbit Burn
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:28:32 AM EDT

Mission Control cleared Endeavour to land at the 10:48 a.m. opportunity at Kennedy, the first of today. "You are a steely eyed hero," Polansky radioed back to Houston when told of the "go."

Crew Strapped In
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:17:58 AM EDT

The seven astronauts on Endeavour are not all keeping the same seats they had for launch. As commander and pilot, Polansky and Doug Hurley remain in the front seats of the flight deck. Each has identical controls and a stick and both can fly Endeavour's landing profile from their seats. Julie Payette keeps her station as flight engineer, sitting behind and between Polansky and Hurley as she did for launch. Tom Marshburn sits behind Hurley on the flight deck for landing, a change from his launch seat. On the lower level, called the middeck, Chris Cassidy sits on the left, closest to the hatch. Japan's Koichi Wakata, who was living on the International Space Station, will sit in a reclined seat between Cassidy and David Wolf, who is on the right side of the middeck.

Endeavour to aim for Runway 15
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:13:39 AM EDT

Commander Mark Polansky is to steer Endeavour to land from the northwest, on what is known as runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The SLF has only one runway, but it is numbered differently depending on which direction the shuttle approaches from. The runway 33 designation uses a glide approach from the south east.

Landing Tracks
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:59:42 AM EDT

Paste this address into your browser to see the paths Endeavour would take during its two landing opportunities: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts127/news/landing.html

"Go" for Fluid Loading
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:39:40 AM EDT

The astronauts inside Endeavour have been told to begin drinking fluids in preparation for the return to gravity.

What to Expect This Morning
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:34:25 AM EDT

The decision from Mission Control to "go" for landing sets off a timeline that begins when the shuttle is floating in space at 17,500 mph and ends with the shuttle sitting still on the runway at Kennedy. Although there are scores of small steps along the way, the major milestones are the deorbit burn, entry interface, peak heating and the long glide before banking the shuttle through a broad turn to line up with the runway. Then there's the touch down of the main gear and nose gear before the landing can be declared a success. We'll highlight these crucial points throughout the morning. The "go/no-go" decision is expected at 9:22 a.m. and the weather here remains acceptable for landing at 10:48 a.m.

STS-127 a Busy but Successful Mission
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:21:57 AM EDT

Endeavour's seven astronauts spent more than two weeks in space, and they needed all of it to pull off a challenging array of tasks. They installed the last piece of Japan's "Kibo" space laboratory complex on the International Space Station, performed five spacewalks and used three robotic arms to help in the work along the way. Tim Kopra, who flew into space aboard Endeavour, remains on the station after trading seats with Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, who is returning to Earth today aboard Endeavour.

Lindsey Takes Off to Evaluate Weather
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:07:48 AM EDT

Chief astronaut Steve Lindsey just took off from the Shuttle Landing Facility in a Shuttle Training Aircraft to study weather conditions along Endeavour's projected landing path. The STA, as it is known, is a Gulfstream II business jet that has been modified to fly like a gliding shuttle so commanders and pilots can practice landings. Lindsey's experiences this morning will be radioed to Endeavour Commander Mark Polansky so he can know more of what to expect as when he and his crew land.

Welcome to Landing Coverage of Endeavour!
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:00:44 AM EDT

Good morning from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, where the sun is helping provide us with a bright but humid morning. We are at the Shuttle Landing Facility, a 3-mile-long runway built specifically for the space shuttle. Landing time is 10:48 a.m. and we expect the seven astronauts on Endeavour to get an official "go/no-go" decision at 9:22 a.m. for this first landing try. The weather forecast remains acceptable for landing this morning, although meteorologists will watch the conditions carefully throughout the morning. There is also a second opportunity today at 12:22 p.m. here at Kennedy. Enjoy the coverage!

Weather Forecast "Go" for First Opportunity
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:30:14 AM EDT

The current and forecast weather conditions are "go" for that landing try, but meteorologists will continue to monitor the conditions throughout the morning. A final decision on the first landing time will be made at about 9:20 a.m. Right now, Endeavour's payload bay doors are closed and latched. First landing try would put Endeavour on the runway at 10:48 a.m.

Endeavour Gets "Go" to Close Doors
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:00:26 AM EDT

Mission Control gave STS-127 Commander Mark "Roman" Polansky the go-ahead to close Endeavour's payload bay doors. That is a critical step in the landing procedure, though it doesn't necessarily mean controllers have decided to land at the first opportunity today, which is at 10:48 a.m.

Join Us at 8 a.m. for Landing!
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:50:27 AM EDT

Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew of seven astronauts are to return to Kennedy Space Center in Florida today after more than two weeks in space. We will cover the entry and landing from here at the Shuttle Landing Facility starting at 8 a.m. EDT.

Landing 101

Follow along with the landing! Whether the space shuttle lands at the prime landing site at Kennedy Space Center in Florida or its backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in California, the Virtual Launch Control Center is the only place online to get breaking information directly from NASA.

When it is time to return to Earth, the orbiter is rotated tail-first into the direction of travel to prepare for another firing of the orbital maneuvering system engines. This firing is called the deorbit burn. Time of ignition (TIG) is usually about an hour before landing. The burn lasts three to four minutes and slows the shuttle enough to begin its descent.

Leaving behind in orbit a new porch for the International Space Station, two pair of small research satellites, and a new space station resident, the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour is turning its attention toward home.

Endeavour is scheduled to land at Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Friday with a touchdown at 9:48 a.m. CDT. The shuttle would begin its descent from orbit with a deorbit engine firing at 8:42 a.m. CDT. In preparation for that landing, Endeavour's payload bay doors would be closed at 6:02 a.m. CDT. Weather conditions at Kennedy are forecast to be favorable for landing, although a slight chance of rain is possible.

A second opportunity exists for a landing in Florida on Friday, beginning with a deorbit engine firing at 10:17 a.m. CDT, leading to an 11:22 a.m. CDT touchdown. No other shuttle landing sites are being considered for a Friday landing. If weather prevents a landing Friday, alternate landing sites would be called up for Saturday’s landing opportunities.

Today, Endeavour Commander Mark Polansky and Pilot Doug Hurley checked out the systems the shuttle will use as it returns home, finding everything in excellent shape. The crew also deployed two pairs of small satellites from canisters in the shuttle’s payload bay. The first, called Dual RF Astrodynamic GPS Orbital Navigator Satellite (DRAGONSat), studies the independent rendezvous of spacecraft in orbit using Global Positioning Satellite data. The two satellites were designed and built by students at the University of Texas, Austin, and Texas A&M University, College Station.

The second pair of satellites, called Atmospheric Neutral Density Experiment-2 (ANDE-2), measure the density and composition of the rarified atmosphere 200 miles above the Earth’s surface.

Endeavour will bring home Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, who has spent 138 days in space and was a member of three station expedition crews. NASA astronaut Tim Kopra launched aboard Endeavour and remains on the station as a resident.

Endeavour's crew begins its sleep period at 5:03 p.m. CDT. The crew will awaken at 1:03 a.m. CDT Friday. The next shuttle status report will be issued after landing, or earlier if events warrant.