Space Shuttle To-Do List

I was surfing on-line and found NASA's press kit for the current space shuttle mission (officially known as STS-116, which is the 117th mission for the space shuttle program). Included in this 135 page press kit is the to-do list (or as they prefer to call it "mission priorities") for the current flight.

I have my own to-do list for the day (pay a few bills, a half dozen or so phone calls to make). Their mission priorities, however, kick butt.

It's interesting that I have three college level physics courses under my belt as well as a semester of Air Force ROTC behind me
and I only understand about half of what they are doing on this twelve day mission.

For the curious amoung us, here is their list. It consists almost entirely of things that are happening on-board the International Space Station.

1. Perform inspection of space shuttle heat shields and downlink sensor data for evaluation on the ground;
2. Document space shuttle tile during rendezvous with station using imagery resources on the International Space Station (ISS) during the rendezvous pitch maneuver, followed by docking with ISS;
3. Complete ISS crew member swap (Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Suni Williams for Expedition 13 Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter);
4. Install the Soyuz seat liner, known as the Individual Equipment Liner Kit;
5. Check out the Russian launch/entry suit, known as the Sokol suit;
6. ISS safety briefing;
7. Transfer mandatory crew rotation items: oxygen (~100 pounds) and water.
   
8. Transfer and return Elektron;
9. Install the P5 truss segment onto P4 using the shuttle and station robotic arms;
10. Remove P5 inboard launch locks (required for mating with P4);
11. Install four truss attachment bolts to structurally mate P5 to P4;
12. Remove P5 grapple fixture and relocate to P5 keel (will allow P4 beta gimbal assembly to rotate);
13. Deactivate P6 2B loads and reconfigure U.S. segment loads to receive power distribution from P4 2A and P6 EB via main bus switching units 2 and 3. This includes establishment of active cooling for channel 2/3 MBSUs and DC‐to‐DC converter units via external active thermal control system loop B;
14. Retract P6 4B solar array wing to one bay and initiate P3/P4 solar alpha rotary joint tracking;
15. Remove P1‐3A DC‐to‐DC converter unit‐E thermal covers;
16. Deactivate P6 4B loads and reconfigure U.S. segment loads to receive power distribution from P4 4A main buss switching unit 1 and 4. This includes establishment of active cooling for channel ¼ MBSUs/DDCUs via external active thermal control system loop A. (P6 4B channel configured to dormant/parachute mode;
17. Remove S1‐4B and S0‐4B DC‐to‐DC converter unit‐E thermal covers;
18. Uplink the D1 patch to portable computer system R9;
19. Transfer critical cargo items per transfer priority list;
20. Transfer Zvezda Service Module debris panels and adapter to pressurized mating adapter‐3 aft grapple fixture;
21. Relocate both Crew and Equipment Translation Aid carts from the starboard side to the port side. (a) Perform contingency spacewalk to complete primary mission objectives. (b) Perform late inspection of Discovery’s wing leading edge and nosecap;
22. Perform minimum crew handover (12 hours) for rotating crew members;
23. Perform the Oxygen Recharge Compressor Assembly and Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly removal and replacement and return removed hardware via shuttle;
24. Perform utilization activities to support experiments, including midodrine, ALTEA, Latent Virus, Sleep Short, and PMDIS;
25. Perform daily ISS payload status checks as required;
26. Transfer remaining cargo items per mission rules;
27. Perform external wireless instrumentation system power connections between P5 and P4.
28. Remove and replace External Television Camera Group Camera Port 3, Starboard 1 Outboard Lower;
29. Transfer the adjustable grapple bar from inside the station to the flex hose rotary coupler on external stowage platform;
30. Perform P6 4B final retraction and latching of the solar array blanket box;
31. Install power cables for S0 channels 1/4 2/3;
32. Perform payload operations to support STP‐H2 (ANDE, MEPSI, RAFT). 21. Perform the following to allow return of on‐orbit hardware: a) Treadmill gyro removal and replacement and b) Charcoal bed assembly;
33. Respiratory support pack checkout
34. Transfer nitrogen from the shuttle to the ISS Quest Airlock high pressure tanks.
35. Perform U.S. and Russian payload research operation tasks.
36. Perform an additional four hours of ISS crew handover (16 hours total).
37. Perform imagery survey of the ISS exterior from shuttle after undocking.
38. Perform payload operations to support Maui Analysis of Upper Atmospheric Injections and Ram Burn Observations;
    
39. Reboost ISS (altitude TBD based on available shuttle propellant);
40. The following tasks fit within the existing spacewalk timelines; however, they may be deferred if the spacewalk is behind schedule. The EVA will not be extended to complete these tasks;
41. Install station robot arm force moment sensor insulation;
42. Install the starboard and port fluid quick disconnect bags on the Quest Airlock;

Oh, and one other thing for their to-do list: retun home safely.

Of course, I think one of the most intersting things about this shuttle mission is something that no one else has touched on. The shuttle crew consists of two women, two Blacks and one Latina and this fact isn't considered to be "newsworthy".

We have finally reached the point where those individuals are just astronauts and they are making news because of their ethnic background or gender.

And that is just plain cool.