63 DAY IN THE LIFE: THE MAKING OF A MISSION CHAPTER 4 their increment or, in some cases, already on board the ISS during these flight-specific simulations. Generic increment crews, often composed of astronauts who had already been crew members on the ISS, played the parts of the actual crews in these simulations. Space Shuttle missions often changed launch dates and sometimes even order (see Introduction). Therefore, multiple increment crews might have needed to prepare for the same shuttle mission, thus making training even more challenging. Both teams conducted several simulations, called “joint sims,” to rehearse integrated tasks such as rendezvous or handing off the module between the robotic arm of the orbiter and the arm of the space station. Once a mission was under way, the ISS increment team ceded responsibility to the prime station team and therefore did not participate in the joint training. The members of the training team were very much part of the team, and they would review the timeline and look for issues to help the flight controllers succeed during the flight. Execution of the mission followed all the training and preparation. The execution phase—also called “Fly”—included some of the most intense and longest days faced by the flight control teams. Tension built prior to launch since a critical number of operations were about to occur. However, if everyone had done their job, the teams were well prepared to handle any situation. The flight control teams tried to take a couple of days off before launch to rest and close out the last few details. The 130th shuttle mission/32nd ISS assembly mission—Space Transportation System (STS)-130/ ISS-20A—took place over a 13-day timespan in February 2010. The core objective of the mission was to attach the new Node 3 and Cupola modules. The success of this and many other tasks rested on the shoulders of a highly competent and passionate team that spent years working to make it all happen. Most of the challenges encountered along the way actually occurred on the surface of the Earth. Each challenge was resolved, often in parallel, as the team prepared for the actual mission. With the impending retirement of the Space Shuttle, it was a mission that might never have happened. Planning The assembly sequence of the ISS, as discussed in the Introduction, underwent many changes over the years. Once the plan laid out the order of module assembly, the Space Shuttle Program personnel managed the complicated logistics years in advance to ensure that an orbiter with the right capability (e.g., light enough for a heavy payload) was available for the right mission. More detailed preparation began a few years out from a planned mission. In the case of 20A, NASA assigned the core of the ISS flight control team in the fall of 2007 to a mission that, at the time, was possibly going to be the final shuttle flight. The crew would be assigned about 1 year prior to launch. The STS-130/ISS-20A mission was tasked to accomplish four primary objectives during an estimated 11-day mission, as defined by the Space Shuttle Program and ISS Program. These objectives included: n Launch the orbiter with Node 3 module and Cupola n Install Node 3 module on the ISS (but do not activate or connect anything) n Transfer critical items n Land the orbiter During one or more space station increments after the mission, the following would be accomplished: n Attach the power and cooling lines from Node 3 to the main systems of the ISS n De-mate the Cupola from its launch configuration, at the end of Node 3 module (required for it to fit into the orbiter’s cargo bay, see Figure 2 in Chapter 3), and attach it the nadir side of the module n Relocate all the regenerative life support systems and exercise equipment to Node 3, which was located throughout the US On-orbit Segment About 12 to 18 months in advance of an assembly mission, NASA assigned a lead from each Space Shuttle and ISS discipline. The lead’s job was to oversee every aspect of his or her system throughout the process of developing, training for, and executing a mission. This included training the astronauts—both the ISS expedition and the Space Shuttle crews. A designated flight director led and directed each team during the mission development as program requirements and objectives were translated into a timeline, flight rules, procedures, and crew training. Besides being the point of contact for developing the plan, the discipline lead typically worked the primary console shift for the mission. Usually, the lead was a senior flight controller who had supported multiple previous missions as an off-shift controller, a backup to a mission lead, or a backroom controller (see Introduction) before being assigned a mission of his or her own. Some flight controllers had the privilege of working multiple missions as a lead over the course of their careers. Typically 6 to 12 months in advance