11.25.08

10 a.m. CST Monday, Nov. 25, 2008
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas 
STATUS REPORT: STS-126-22

STS-126 MCC STATUS REPORT #22

Crew members aboard Endeavour and the International Space Station got 
good news on two fronts when they were awakened for a day to be 
devoted largely to transfer of materials from the station to be 
returned to Earth. 

The starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, which rotates in a 
paddle-wheel fashion the 240-foot solar wings on the station’s right 
side, was automatically tracking the sun for the first time in more 
than a year during a three-hour, two-orbit test begun at 4:55 a.m. 
CST. The joint appeared to function well after repairs during the 
four spacewalks by Endeavour astronauts, but it will be some time 
before results of this and subsequent tests are known. 

The Urine Processor Assembly, part of the station’s new Water Recovery 
System, completed its second full run. It had shut down four times 
during earlier tests. After some fixes by station Commander Mike 
Fincke and shuttle Mission Specialist Don Pettit, it finished a full 
five-hour run Tuesday morning a little after midnight. After a 
scheduled three-hour cool-down period, a second run, begun at 3:19 
a.m., was completed too. 

Endeavour crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe and 
mission specialists Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie 
Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff, as well as 
Fincke and station flight engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandra Magnus, 
were awakened at 8:25 a.m., half an hour later than scheduled. The 
song was “Fever,” by Bandella. It was for Pettit and sung by his 
wife. That group also includes astronaut Steve Robinson. 

Transfer of equipment and supplies, now mostly from the station to 
Endeavour and the Leonardo cargo carrier, is still a little ahead of 
schedule. With the mission extended a day, today is now the last 
chance to load Leonardo, getting toward the end of its fifth mission 
to the station. Steps to close up the pressurized cargo carrier for 
its transfer back to Endeavour and return to Earth are to begin later 
today. 

Endeavour’s crew is scheduled to go to bed at 11:55 p.m. today and be 
awakened at 7:55 a.m. Wednesday. The next shuttle status report will 
be issued at the end of the crew day, or earlier if events warrant.

	
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