1 00:00:13,850 --> 00:00:16,620 \h Damon Talley/NASA Digital Learning Network Hi, and welcome to another exciting year of space shuttle launches 2 00:00:16,620 --> 00:00:19,610 \h as we continue construction of the International Space Station. 3 00:00:19,610 --> 00:00:23,150 \h I'm your host, Damon Talley with NASA's Digital Learning Network. 4 00:00:23,150 --> 00:00:27,960 \h Have you ever wondered how the massive space station segments are prepared and packed for their trip into space? 5 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,690 \h Well, we're going to show you the huge facility at Kennedy Space Center 6 00:00:31,690 --> 00:00:34,860 \h where all the final checkouts and preparations take place. 7 00:00:34,860 --> 00:00:39,780 \h We'll also learn about the segment set to fly aboard Discovery on the STS-119 mission. 8 00:00:39,780 --> 00:00:43,060 \h Then we'll introduce you to the crew set to carry out the mission. 9 00:00:43,060 --> 00:00:46,890 \h Before I join the payload manager inside Kennedy's Space Station Processing Facility, 10 00:00:46,890 --> 00:00:50,980 \h let's learn a little more about this unique building. 11 00:00:50,980 --> 00:00:52,070 \h Damon Talley/NASA Digital Learning Network The Space Station Processing 12 00:00:52,070 --> 00:00:55,300 \h Facility is in the Kennedy Space Center Industrial Area. 13 00:00:55,300 --> 00:01:00,770 \h Built to handle the final processing of space station components, it was completed in 1994. 14 00:01:00,770 --> 00:01:09,200 \h The three-story facility has 457,000 square feet of space. The building includes two processing bays, an airlock, 15 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:16,030 \h operational control rooms, laboratories, logistics areas, office space and a cafeteria. 16 00:01:16,030 --> 00:01:19,520 \h As the last stop on Earth for each space station segment and module, 17 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:24,970 \h this is where teams of technicians carry out the final preparation, inspection and testing. 18 00:01:24,970 --> 00:01:30,330 \h International partners, like European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 19 00:01:30,330 --> 00:01:34,280 \h send teams of technicians to prepare their modules in the facility. 20 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,310 \h The processing facility also is where astronauts get final hands-on experience 21 00:01:38,310 --> 00:01:43,240 \h with hardware they will later install on the station during their missions. 22 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,260 \h Damon Talley/NASA Digital Learning Network And here we are in the high bay of the Space Station Processing Facility. 23 00:01:46,260 --> 00:01:51,900 \h This place is huge! It has eight "footprints" -- or separate locations for the various segments to be processed. 24 00:01:51,900 --> 00:01:56,360 \h Right now, technicians are working on the external component of the Japanese Kibo module, 25 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:01,010 \h the Cupola module, and Node 3 set to arrive soon. Here we also have all three of the 26 00:02:01,010 --> 00:02:05,390 \h Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules used to carry supplies to the station. 27 00:02:05,390 --> 00:02:11,410 \h And down at that end is where they bring in the large canister to transfer the segments to the launch pad. 28 00:02:11,410 --> 00:02:12,680 \h Damon Talley/NASA Digital Learning Network Joining me is Robby Ashley, 29 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:20,660 \h manager for this mission's payload. Robby, tell us how the STS-119 S6, or Starboard 6, payload was processed here. 30 00:02:20,660 --> 00:02:22,720 \h Robby Ashley/STS-119 Payload Mission Manager OK. It's my pleasure to be here, Damon. 31 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:31,630 \h S6 arrived in two pieces actually, back in December 2002. There was the integrated equipment assembly and the long spacer. 32 00:02:31,630 --> 00:02:40,790 \h After completing installation of all the electronics boxes, we did a quick functional checkout just to make sure 33 00:02:40,790 --> 00:02:46,010 \h everything was functioning properly and then we integrated the two elements -- the long spacer to the IEA, 34 00:02:46,010 --> 00:02:52,260 \h or integrated equipment assembly, back in September of 2003. 35 00:02:52,260 --> 00:02:56,650 \h Damon Talley/NASA Digital Learning Network When the processing is finished, how is the segment loaded and transported to the launch pad? 36 00:02:56,650 --> 00:02:59,650 \h Robby Ashley/STS-119 Payload Mission Manager Well, we have a payload canister, which is basically, 37 00:02:59,650 --> 00:03:04,020 \h it's built to the dimensions of the orbiter's payload bay and it rides on a crawler-transporter. 38 00:03:04,020 --> 00:03:10,760 \h And we lift it out of its work stand, translate it down the length of the high bay and install it in the payload canister. 39 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:16,100 \h We install the payload vertically at the launch pad. And once we get out to the launch pad, 40 00:03:16,100 --> 00:03:22,220 \h the payload canister is hoisted up to the 195-foot-level where we have a payload clean room, 41 00:03:22,220 --> 00:03:26,700 \h or it's referred to the payload changeout room. We install the payload into the 42 00:03:26,700 --> 00:03:30,590 \h payload changeout room where it awaits the arrival of the shuttle. 43 00:03:30,590 --> 00:03:32,490 \h Damon Talley/NASA Digital Learning Network And that's where the S6 is now -- tucked inside 44 00:03:32,490 --> 00:03:38,970 \h the payload bay of the space shuttle Discovery as it stands ready just a few miles from here on Launch Pad 39A. 45 00:03:38,970 --> 00:03:46,110 \h Now we'd like you to meet Discovery's crew members who will install the S6 truss. 46 00:03:46,110 --> 00:03:49,370 \h Damon Talley/NASA Digital Learning Network When Discovery's astronauts are finished with the STS-119 mission, 47 00:03:49,370 --> 00:03:54,310 \h they will leave the space station with the ability to generate enough power to support a crew of six. 48 00:03:54,310 --> 00:03:58,970 \h That's because they will deliver and install the S6 -- the final truss segment with its set of 49 00:03:58,970 --> 00:04:03,330 \h solar arrays attached -- performing four spacewalks during the mission. 50 00:04:03,330 --> 00:04:10,650 \h Led by Commander Lee Archambault, the crew members are Pilot Tony Antonelli, Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, 51 00:04:10,650 --> 00:04:18,810 \h John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold, and Koichi Wakata from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. 52 00:04:18,810 --> 00:04:24,110 \h Wakata will stay aboard the station at the end of the mission, and current station resident Sandy Magnus 53 00:04:24,110 --> 00:04:29,590 \h will return to Earth aboard Discovery. The spacewalkers will have their work cut out for them, 54 00:04:29,590 --> 00:04:36,370 \h since the S6 must be installed at the farthest end to the right, or starboard, side of the station. 55 00:04:36,370 --> 00:04:43,850 \h That means the station's robotic arm must extend its reach about as far as it will go, leaving little room to maneuver. 56 00:04:43,850 --> 00:04:49,550 \h Once the segment is attached, the two 115-foot solar wings will be carefully unfolded. 57 00:04:49,550 --> 00:04:56,290 \h Mission Specialist John Phillips is charged with that critical task. Phillips previously lived and worked aboard the 58 00:04:56,290 --> 00:05:01,330 \h space station as science officer and flight engineer for the Expedition 11 crew. 59 00:05:01,330 --> 00:05:06,010 \h He describes the teamwork involved in the deployment of the solar wings. 60 00:05:06,010 --> 00:05:08,570 \h John Phillips/STS-119 Mission Specialist "We've got the entire shuttle crew work on this. 61 00:05:08,570 --> 00:05:12,380 \h We’ve got 12 TV monitors up looking at different views. We’ve got a guy on the shuttle, 62 00:05:12,380 --> 00:05:19,860 \h six guys on the station and I -- and it's a big team effort. When we unfold these arrays, they’re coming out of the boxes and they’re, 63 00:05:19,860 --> 00:05:24,570 \h and they’re pleated together, and the pleats are flattening as they come out of the boxes. 64 00:05:24,570 --> 00:05:27,040 \h Damon Talley/NASA Digital Learning Network With plenty of troubleshooting time built into the mission, 65 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:33,320 \h the teams on Earth and in space will breathe a collective sigh of relief when the arrays are fully extended. 66 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:39,430 \h As Discovery and crew depart the station at the end of their 14-day mission, they will be able to give us all the first look at 67 00:05:39,430 --> 00:05:45,840 \h the space station with the full expanse of its superstructure and solar wings in place. 68 00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:46,890 \h Damon Talley/NASA Digital Learning Network Well the payload is ready, 69 00:05:46,890 --> 00:05:50,620 \h the crew is ready and the space shuttle Discovery is poised for liftoff. 70 00:05:50,620 --> 00:05:54,460 \h Live coverage begins about five hours before liftoff on NASA TV 71 00:05:54,460 --> 00:06:00,880 \h and on NASA's Launch Blog -- that's at www.nasa.gov/shuttle. 72 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:05,080 \h You can also join me for a live interactive webcast beginning one hour before