STS-10W

STS-10W
Mission insignia
Mission statistics
Mission name	STS-10W
Space shuttle	Patriot
Launch pad	Mid-Pacific Launch Center, SLC-1
Launch date	March 15, 2010 6:35 a.m. UTC-12 (March 15, 2010, 18:35 UTC)
Landing	March 27, 2010 8:07 a.m. UTC-12 (March 28, 2010, 20:07 UTC)
Mission duration	13 days, 1 hours, 32 minutes, 34 seconds
Number of orbits	205
Orbital period	92 min
Orbital altitude	221 miles (356 km)
Orbital inclination	51.6°
Distance traveled	5,157,595 miles (8,300,344.57 kilometers)
Related missions
Previous mission Next mission OCTF STS-11W

STS-10W was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) that launched on March 15, 2010. The mission, flown by the Space Shuttle Patriot, was the second mission on behalf of the International Space Agency flown to the ISS. The mission's primary payload was the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Michelangelo, which carried a number of supplies and experiments intended to increase the amount of time allowable between ISS cargo flights due to the retirement of NASA's Space Shuttle fleet.

Crew

Position	Astronaut
Commander	Harold Hamilton Sixth spaceflight
Pilot	David Sanders Sixth spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1	Ixy Comeaux Eighth spaceflight Lead spacewalker, EV1
Mission Specialist 2	Karri Litmanen, ESA Second spaceflight EV3
Mission Specialist 3	Yuma Tazuka, JAXA Third spaceflight
Spaceflight Participant	Ian Rubin Second spaceflight EV2

Mission parameters

• Mass:

• Orbiter liftoff: 270,465 pounds (122,681 kg)
• Orbiter landing: 226,995 pounds (102,963 kg)

• Perigee: 212 miles (341 km)
• Apogee: 221 miles (356 km)
• Inclination: 51.6°
• Period: 92 min
• Primary payload: Michelangelo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
• Launch window: 12 minutes
• Launch pad: SLC-1A
• Mission duration: 13 days
• Landing Site: Mid-Pacific Launch Center (MPLC)

Mission payload

Location	Cargo	Mass
Bays 1-2	Orbiter Docking System EMU 4000, 4015, 4108 MMU 2000, 2007, 2010	1800 kg ~380 kg ~450 kg
Bay 3P	Shuttle Power Distribution Unit (SPDU)	~17 kg
Bay 5-10	Michelangelo (MPLM FM-4)	12,131 kg
Bay 12-13	Extended Duration Orbiter pallet	1,620 kg
Starboard Sill	Orbiter Boom Sensor System	~382 kg
Port Sill	Canadarm	410 kg
	Total:	17,230 kg

Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) Michelangelo

The Leonardo Multi Purpose Logistics Module rests in Discovery's payload bay in this view taken from the ISS by a crew member using a digital still camera during STS-102.

The primary payload of STS-10W was the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Michelangelo. The mission was the first flight of Michelangelo, and the MPLM contained a number of supplies for the station, along with two experiment racks, one crew quarters rack, and one life support rack. The space shuttle also carried up a number of specialty meals to the station, including pastrami sandwiches with Swiss cheese at the request of several crew members. At the request of several beverage companies, the ISA developed several new types of drink pouches and containers which were flown to the Station and tested by the crews to determine which provided the best flavor and usability.

Michelangelo Specifications

• Length: 21 feet (6.4 m)
• Diameter: 15 feet (4.6 m)
• Payload Mass (launch): 26,744 pounds (12,131 kg)
• Payload Mass (return): 16,268 pounds (7,379 kg)
• Empty Weight: 9,810 pounds (4,450 kg)

Mission timeline

March 15 (Flight Day 1: Launch)

Patriot launched successfully at 06:35:00 UTC-12 (18:35:00 UTC). Once in orbit the crew opened the payload bay doors, activated the radiators and deployed the K_u band antenna. Ixy Comeaux and Yuma Tazuka then proceeded to activate and check out of the Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) and then conducted a survey of the payload bay. The crew was also successful in down-linking imagery and video of the external tank to the ground.

March 16 (Flight Day 2)

Most of the crew day was spent on conducting the standard inspection of the thermal protection system (TPS). All six of the crew members participated at one point during this task. Once the inspection process had moved to the port wing, astronauts Ixy Comeaux and Karri Litmanen began working on checking out and preparing the spacesuits that were to be used during the mission's two spacewalks. Once the survey of the TPS was complete several of the crew began checking out and preparing the tools that were used during the rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS). These tools include a hand-held LIDAR gun used for finding out the closing rate of the shuttle and distance from the ISS, the Orbiter Docking System (ODS) which is the part of the shuttle that connects to the space station and a centerline camera in the ODS used to assist during docking.

During the TPS inspection, engineers noted a possible impact on the underside of the orbiter. A second detailed check of the area confirmed that there had been an impact which had damaged multiple tiles and completely removed one. The crew was briefed on the situation, and a plan to repair the damage during the first EVA was prepared.

March 17 (Flight Day 3: ISS Docking)

During the first part of the crew's workday, the shuttle performed a series of burns to catch up and dock with the International Space Station (ISS). Once it was 600 feet (180 m) below the ISS, Commander Harold Hamilton began what is known as the Rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). During the maneuver, ISS commander Jeff Williams and flight engineer Oleg Kotov took photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system (TPS). Space shuttle Patriot docked with the ISS at 11:34 UTC (5:34 PM CST). After completing leak checks, the hatches between both vehicles were opened at 22:34 UTC (6:34 PM CST). The joint Expedition 22/STS-10W crew conducted the standard welcome ceremony and then conducted their safety brief.

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  The Michelangelo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) visible in Patriot's payload bay.

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  Image of Patriot's aft section taken during the shuttle's approach prior to docking.

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  Patriot approaches the ISS.

March 18 (Flight Day 4: MPLM Berthing)

During the day, the MPLM Michelangelo was berthed to the nadir or earth facing port of Unity using the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS). Once it was berthed, the crews activated it and opened the hatch for ingress. Several more items were transferred from the shuttle mid-deck including the space suits Ixy Comeaux, Karri Litmanen and Ian Rubin were to use during EVA 1. The trio also prepared all the tools used in the EVA. Before the two crews went to bed they conducted a spacewalk procedures review before Comeaux, Litmanen, and Rubin entered the Quest Airlock. They spent the night there at 10.2 psi instead of at the station's 14.6 psi, breathing pure oxygen for an hour before and after their sleep period in order to prevent decompression sickness. Later on during the night when the crews were asleep, the team of ground controllers performed a final review of the images gathered during the TPS inspection and RPM to determine if any changes to the spacewalk were required.

Extra-vehicular activity

EVA #	Spacewalkers	Start (UTC)	End (UTC)	Duration
EVA 1	Ixy Comeaux Karri Litmanen Ian Rubin	19 March 12:17 UTC	19 March 21:32 UTC	9 hours 15 minutes
	Comeaux, Litmanen, and Rubin completed checks on their Manned Maneuvering Units in and around the payload bay of Patriot before beginning their fly around of the ISS. Rubin also maneuvered around the solar arrays in order to test future repair methods. The astronauts then moved to Patriot, where Rubin and Comeaux began to repair the damage to the thermal protection system using on onboard repair kit. This repair marked the first operational use of the TPS Repair Ablator Dispenser, a device which was used to repair damaged tiles. This also marks the first spacewalk by a Finnish citizen, the second ever three-person EVA, and the longest spacewalk in history.

Wake-up calls

A tradition for NASA human spaceflights since the days of Gemini, mission crews are played a special musical track at the start of each day in space. Each track is specially chosen, often by their families, and usually has a special meaning to an individual member of the crew, or is applicable to their daily activities.

Flight Day	Song	Artist/Composer	Played for	Links
Day 2	"Cosmic Castaway"	Electrasy	Ixy Comeaux	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 3	"The U.S. Air Force"	Golden Band From Tiger Land	Harold Hamilton and David Sanders	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 4	“Orinoco Flow”	Enya	Yuma Tazuka	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 5	“Takin' Care of Business”	Bachman-Turner Overdrive	Ian Rubin	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 6	“East Bound and Down”	Jerry Reed	David Sanders	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 7	“The Trail We Blaze”	Elton John	STS-10W Crew	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 8	“Chelsea Dagger”	The Fratellis	Ian Rubin and Karri Litmanen	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 9	“Hoshi Tsumugi no Uta”	Ayaka Hirahara	Yuma Tazuka	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 10	“I Need You Like a Hole in My Head”	Sting	Harold Hamilton	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 11	“Viva la Vida”	Coldplay	STS-10W Crew	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 12	“Hate My Life”	Theory of a Deadman	STS-10W Crew	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 13	“Shalom Lach Eretz Nehederet”	Yehoram Gaon	Ian Rubin	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT

External links

• The ISA's space shuttle page
• The ISA's STS-10W page
• Ian Rubin on Twitter
• Ixy Comeaux on Twitter
• The ISA's Twitter page