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MIT Alums In Space – Four, At The Same Time!
(updated
10-13-2009)
There have been many times in
which two MIT astronauts have been in space at the same time (9
Space Shuttle missions and 1 Apollo mission), but for the first time
in NASA history, four MIT astronauts
were in space simultaneously in
November, 2008.
MIT Alums
Stephen Bowen
and
Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper
launched into space on Nov 14, 2008 via Space Shuttle
Mission STS-126 and joined MIT Alums Greg Chamitoff
and
Mike Fincke
on the International Space Station (ISS) on Nov 16, 2008.
Bowen,
Chamitoff,
Fincke and
Stefanyshyn-Piper
were together on the ISS from Nov 16 through Nov 28, 2008.
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Bowen
and
Stefanyshyn-Piper
each performed 3 spacewalks
(EVAs) and spacewalked together on 2 of those EVAs.
The STS-126 mission was extended one day, which translates
to the Space Shuttle and ISS Crews being together on
Thanksgiving Day!
The Space Shuttle departed the ISS at approx
8:47 am CST, Nov 28, 2008.
Bowen,
Chamitoff, and
Stefanyshyn-Piper
returned to Earth when the
Space Shuttle landed on Sunday, Nov 30, 2008, at 3:25pm CST.
STS-126 is the
124th shuttle mission and 27th shuttle flight to visit the
space station.
Chamitoff flew to the ISS
as a mission specialist on
Shuttle
Mission
STS-124 on May 31, 2008.
Fincke
flew to the ISS on
Oct 12, 2008
via Soyuz spacecraft
and returned to Earth via Soyuz spacecraft on
April 8,
2009. |
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STS-126 Launch |
Nov 14, 2008
6:55pm CST
(actual date) |
Bowen and
Stefanyshyn-Piper launch on Space Shuttle mission STS-126
(Space Shuttle Endeavour)
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Endeavour Lifts Off
Blazing light surrounds space shuttle Endeavour,
eclipsing the light from the nearby full moon, as it
roars toward space from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff was on time at 6:55
p.m. CST.
Image credit: NASA/Troy Cryder
Nov. 14, 2008 |
Moon Over Endeavour
Above Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center
in Florida, the full moon hovers over space shuttle
Endeavour waiting for liftoff on the STS-126
mission.
Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Nov. 14, 2008 |
Astronaut Heidemarie
Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-126 mission specialist,
attired in her shuttle launch and entry suit, is
pictured on the middeck of Space Shuttle Endeavour
during post launch activities.
Image credit: NASA
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Astronaut Steve Bowen,
STS-126 mission specialist, prepares to use a still
camera on the middeck of Space Shuttle Endeavour
during post launch activities.
Image credit: NASA |
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Shuttle Docking with ISS |
Nov 16, 2008
4:01pm CST
(actual date) |
Bowen,
Stefanyshyn-Piper, Chamitoff, and Fincke were on the
combined Space Shuttle-International Space Station from Nov
16 - 28, 2008
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Image
above: The STS-126 and Expedition 18 crews greet
each other. Photo credit: NASA TV |
S126-E-008859 (21 Nov. 2008) --- Following a
space-to-Earth press conference, members of the
International Space Station and Space Shuttle
Endeavour crews posed for a group portrait on the
orbital outpost. From left, bottom row, are
astronaut Sandra Magnus, cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov,
and astronauts Gregory Chamitoff and Michael Fincke.
From left, middle row, are astronauts Shane
Kimbrough, Chris Ferguson and Eric Boe. From left,
top row, are astronauts Steve Bowen, Heidemarie
Stefanyshin-Piper and Donald Pettit. Image credit:
NASA
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S126-E-008877 (21 Nov. 2008) --- Following a
space-to-Earth press conference, members of the
International Space Station and Space Shuttle
Endeavour crews posed for a group portrait on the
orbital outpost. Astronaut Donald Pettit appears at
photo center. Just below Pettit is astronaut
Heidemarie Stefanyshin-Piper. Clockwise from her
position are astronauts Shane Kimbrough, Steve
Bowen, Eric Boe, Chris Ferguson and Michael Fincke,
along with cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov, and astronauts
Sandra Magnus and Gregory Chamitoff. Image credit:
NASA
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JSC2008-E-147070 (21 Nov. 2008) --- Flight director
Kwatsi Alibaruho is pictured at his console in the
space shuttle flight control room in the Mission
Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center during
flight day eight activities of the STS-126 mission.
Image credit: NASA
Webmaster's Note:
Kwatsi
Alibaruho '95 Course 16, is one
of the five Space Shuttle STS-126 NASA Mission
Control Flight Directors. |
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EVA #1
(spacewalk) Tasks:
Nitrogen Tank Assembly replacement, assorted station
assembly tasks, start of cleaning and lubrication of
starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint |
Nov 18, 2008
The spacewalk began at
12:09 pm
CST and ended at
7:01
pm CST |
Stefanyshyn-Piper
and Bowen performed spacewalk "EVA #1"
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ISS018-E-009282 (18 Nov.
2008) --- Astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper
(right) and Greg Chamitoff, both STS-126 mission
specialists, take a moment for a photo during
preparations for the mission's first scheduled
session of extravehicular activity (EVA) in the
Quest Airlock of the International Space Station.
Piper is attired in her Extravehicular Mobility Unit
(EMU) spacesuit. Image
credit: NASA
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ISS018-E-009283 (18 Nov.
2008) --- Astronauts Steve Bowen (left) and Greg
Chamitoff, both STS-126 mission specialists, take a
moment for a photo during preparations for the
mission's first scheduled session of extravehicular
activity (EVA) in the Quest Airlock of the
International Space Station. Bowen is attired in his
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit.
Image credit: NASA
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S126-E-008069 (18 Nov.
2008) --- Anchored to a Canadarm2 mobile foot
restraint, astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper,
STS-126 mission specialist, participates in the
mission's first session of extravehicular activity
(EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on
the International Space Station.
Image credit: NASA
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S126-E-008052 (18 Nov. 2008) --- Astronaut Steve
Bowen, STS-126 mission specialist, participates in
the mission's first session of extravehicular
activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance
continue on the International Space Station.
Image credit: NASA
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EVA #2
(spacewalk) Tasks:
Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) Cart Relocation,
lubrication of Canadarm2 end effector, continuation of
cleaning and lubrication of starboard Solar Alpha Rotary
Joint |
Nov 20, 2008
The spacewalk began at
11:58 pm
CST and ended at
6:43
pm CST |
Stefanyshyn-Piper
is 1 of 2 astronauts who performed spacewalk "EVA #2" |
EVA #3
(spacewalk) Tasks:
Continuation of cleaning and lubrication of starboard Solar
Alpha Rotary Joint |
Nov 22, 2008
The spacewalk began at
12:01 pm
CST and ended at
6:58
pm CST |
Stefanyshyn-Piper
and Bowen performed spacewalk "EVA #3" |
EVA #4
(spacewalk) Tasks:
Thermal cover removal from Kibo module, lubrication of port
Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, installation of GPS antenna on
Kibo, thermal cover removal from P3 truss, installation of
camera system on truss |
Nov 24, 2008
The spacewalk began at
12:24 pm
CST and ended at
6:31
pm CST |
Bowen is 1 of 2
astronauts who performed spacewalk "EVA #4"
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S126-E-009930 (24
Nov. 2008) --- Astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-126
mission specialist, participates in the mission's
fourth and final scheduled session of extravehicular
activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance
continue on the International Space Station. During
the six-hour, seven-minute spacewalk, Bowen and
astronaut Shane Kimbrough (out of frame), mission
specialist, completed the lubrication of the port
Solar Alpha Rotary Joints (SARJ) as well as other
station assembly tasks. Bowen returned to the
starboard SARJ to install the final trundle bearing
assembly, retracted a berthing mechanism latch on
the Japanese Kibo Laboratory and reinstalled its
thermal cover. Bowen also installed a video camera
on the Port 1 truss and attached a Global
Positioning System antenna on the Japanese
Experiment Module Pressurized Section.
Image
credit: NASA |
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Thanksgiving In Space !
The STS-126 mission was extended one day, which translates
to the Space Shuttle and ISS Crews being together on
Thanksgiving Day! |
Nov 27, 2008 |
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S126-E-012197 (27 Nov.
2008) --- It appears astronaut Michael Fincke,
Expedition 18 commander, may be practicing his
seating for an upcoming Thanksgiving meal. He had to
leave this position in the Harmony or Node 2 of the
International Space Station and traverse over to the
Space Shuttle Endeavour for the meal, which he
shared with two other station crew members and seven
Endeavour astronauts. Image
credit: NASA |
S126-E-013876 (27 Nov.
2008) --- Astronaut Steve Bowen, mission specialist,
floats into the equipment area of the Quest Airlock
of the International Space Station on Thanksgiving
Day. One more day remains for the Space Shuttle
Endeavour to be docked with the station.
Image credit: NASA |
S126-E-013873 (27 Nov.
2008) --- Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper,
mission specialist, floats into the equipment area
of the Quest Airlock of the International Space
Station on Thanksgiving Day. One more day remains
for the Space Shuttle Endeavour to be docked with
the station. Image
credit: NASA |
S126-E-012247 (27 Nov.
2008) --- Getting all ten members of an aggregation
consisting of seven Endeavour astronauts and three
Expedition 18 crewmembers into a single photo wasn't
easy as the two crews shared a Thanksgiving meal on
the middeck of the orbiter. Astronaut Sandra Magnus,
Expedition 18 flight engineer, appears at top
center. Clockwise from her position are astronauts
Shane Kimbrough and Eric Boe, along with cosmonaut
Yury Lonchakov, and astronauts Steve Bowen
(partially visible behind Lonchakov), Donald Pettit,
Michael Fincke, Gregory Chamitoff, Heidemarie
Stefanyshyn-Piper and Chris Ferguson (partially
visible at top right). Ferguson is STS-126
commander, and Fincke is commander for the station
crew. Image credit:
NASA |
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Shuttle Undock from ISS
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Nov 28, 2008
8:47 am CST
(actual date/time) |
Bowen, Chamitoff, and
Stefanyshyn-Piper
departed the ISS via Space Shuttle Endeavour. Fincke
remains on the ISS.
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Image above: The
STS-126 and Expedition 18 crew members bid each
other farewell before closing the hatches between
space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space
Station. Credit: NASA TV |
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Shuttle Landing |
Nov 30, 2008
3:25pm CST |
Bowen, Chamitoff, and
Stefanyshyn-Piper
Returned To Earth via Space Shuttle Endeavour
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Image above: Space
shuttle Endeavour and the STS-126 crew land at
Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. after completing a
mission to the International Space Station. Photo
credit: NASA/Tony Landis |
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Greg Chamitoff
PhD Course 16,
‘92 |
E. Mike Fincke (Colonel USAF)
SB Course 16, ‘89
SB Course 12, ‘89
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Stephen Bowen (Lt Commander USN)
OCE Course 13W,
‘93 |
Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (Captain USN)
SB Course 2, ‘84
SM Course 2, ‘85
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Mission
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ISS Expedition 17
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ISS Expedition 18
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STS-126 |
STS-126 |
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Current Status |
Greg Chamitoff
Returned To Earth
via Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-126 |
Mike Fincke launched
on Oct 12, 2008 via a Soyuz spacecraft
and docked with the ISS on Oct 14, 2008, 3:26am CDT
Fincke, the only American to
launch twice on a Soyuz, will serve as commander of
the six-month Expedition 18 mission. The mission’s
main focus will be preparing the station to house
six crew members on long-duration missions.
Click Here for the Latest ISS Mission Status |
Stephen Bowen and
Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper
Returned
To Earth via Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-126
STS-126 Mission Elapsed
Time:
15 days, 20 hours, 29 minutes, 37 secs
Click Here For STS-126 Mission Picture Gallery |
Launch
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STS-124
May 31, 2008 |
Oct 12,
2008 |
STS-126
Nov 14, 2008 |
STS-126
Nov 14, 2008 |
Landing
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STS-126
Nov 30, 2008 |
April 8,
2009 |
STS-126
Nov 30, 2008 |
STS-126
Nov 30, 2008 |
From
May 2008 to May 2009,
a MIT Astronaut will be a member of every Shuttle and ISS
Expedition mission
A total of nine MIT Astronauts
will be in space from May 2008 to May 2009, and four of the
nine will be going to space for the first time:
Greg Chamitoff,
Stephen Bowen,
Dominic Antonelli, and
Christopher Cassidy
Click here
for a graphical timeline of the May 2008 - May 2009
timeframe....
Learn more... |
all photos
on this page courtesy of
NASA
NOTE: All MIT Astronaut information is obtained from
the following NASA websites:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/PS/
people have visited this website since
March 8, 2009
Last modified
10/14/09 12:21 AM
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