Orbital Contingency Test Flight

STS-8W Mission insignia Mission statistics Mission name STS-8W Space shuttle Terra Nova Launch pad SLC-7 Launch date February 12, 2010 12:37 p.m. PST (20:37 UTC) Landing TBD Mission duration TBD Number of orbits TBD Orbital period 94 minutes Orbital altitude 191 miles (307 km) Orbital inclination 90° Distance traveled TBD Related missions Previous mission Next mission STS-7W STS-10W

STS-509 Mission statistics Mission name STS-509 Space shuttle Patriot Launch pad SLC-7 Launch date February 17, 2010 12:35 p.m. PST (20:35 UTC) Landing TBD Mission duration TBD Number of orbits TBD Orbital period 94 minutes Orbital altitude TBD Orbital inclination 90° Distance traveled TBD

Terra Nova crew

Position	Launching Astronaut	Landing Astronaut
Commander	Frank Rosewood Third spaceflight	None
Pilot	Anatoly Orlav Third spaceflight	None
Mission Specialist 1	Daniel Baxter Sixth spaceflight	None
Mission Specialist 2	Thomas Kincaid Second spaceflight	None
Mission Specialist 3	Clarissa Thomas, ESA Second spaceflight	None

Patriot crew

Position	Launching Astronaut	Landing Astronaut
Commander	Harold Hamilton Seventh spaceflight
Pilot	David Sanders Fifth spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1	Ixy Comeaux Seventh spaceflight
STS-8W Commander	None	Frank Rosewood
STS-8W Pilot	None	Anatoly Orlav
STS-8W Mission Specialist 1	None	Daniel Baxter
STS-8W Mission Specialist 2	None	Thomas Kincaid
STS-8W Mission Specialist 3	None	Clarissa Thomas

Mission parameters

• Mass:
• Perigee:
• Apogee:
• Inclination:
  • 90°
• Period:
  • 94 minutes

Docking

• First docking: July 17, 1975 - 16:19:09 UTC
• Last undocking: July 19, 1975 - 15:26:12 UTC
• Time docked: 1 day, 23 hours, 07 minutes, 03 seconds

Mission timeline

February 12 (Flight Day 1: Launch)

Terra Nova launched successfully at 12:37:00 PST (20:37:00 UTC). Per the mission script, at approximately 154 seconds into the launch, crews simulated a foam impact to the orbiter's right wing. Once in orbit the crew opened the payload bay doors, activated the radiators and deployed the Ku band antenna. Daniel Baxter and Clarissa Thomas 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.

February 13 (Flight Day 2)

A majority of the day was spent inspecting the thermal protection system using the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS). Special emphasis was given to the right wing. Per the mission script, crews simulated detecting a large breach of the reinforced carbon-carbon panels located on that section of the orbiter. Contingency procedures were initiated at this point, however the crew would have been in no danger had the situation been real.

February 14 (Flight Day 3)

The crew successfully deployed the 11th TDRS satellite.

February 15 (Flight Day 4: Spacewalk 1)

Mission Specialist Baxter tested several in flight repair techniques and attempted to repair the damage to the orbiter's wing, as per the mission script. Baxter was not successful, according to mission planners, and plans were set in motion to launch Patriot on a rescue mission. ISA Director Ian Rubin held a press conference that afternoon to inform the press of the contingency proceedings, and informed the media that the crew was safe. The media was also made aware that the orbiter was in reality undamaged and would make a successful landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base later in the week.

February 16 (Flight Day 5)

On Tuesday, the crew of Terra Nova held a small Mardi Gras party aboard the shuttle, where a king cake was served. Patriot was prepared for launch, and its crew was briefed on final mission procedures.

February 19 (LON Flight Day 3: Rescue EVA 1)

On Flight day 3 of STS-509, the first rescue EVA was performed. Ixy Comeaux and Daniel Baxter set up rescue tethers between the two shuttles, and transferred two large sized Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs), and a Personal Rescue Enclosure or "rescue ball" to Terra Nova. Baxter's EMU was transferred back to Terra Nova, and Thomas Kincaid transferred to Patriot.

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	“Takin' Care of Business”	Bachman-Turner Overdrive	Daniel Baxter	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 3	“Beautiful Day”	U2	Clarissa Thomas	WAV, MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 4	“Life Is a Highway”	Rascal Flatts	Frank Rosewood	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 5	“Mardi Gras Mambo”	The Meters	STS-8W Crew	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 5	“Rescue Me”	Fontella Bass	STS-8W Crew	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 6	“Shine”	3 Doors Down	Thomas Kincaid	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 7 (LON Day 2)	“Hold On Tight”	Electric Light Orchestra	STS-8W Crew	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 8 (LON Day 3)	“All Star”	Smash Mouth	STS-509 Crew	MP3 WAV TRANSCRIPT
Day 9 (LON Day 4)	“Hate My Life”	Theory of a Deadman	Clarissa Thomas	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT
Day 10 (LON Day 5)	“Homecoming (We're Coming Home Again)”	Green Day	Dedicated to Space Shuttle Terra Nova	WAV MP3 TRANSCRIPT

See also

• STS-400

External links

• The ISA homepage
• The ISA's OCTF page
• ISA Rescue Mission press conference transcript
• Space Shuttle in-orbit abort procedures