By Matt Phillips
Review Special Writer
Since the incredible ascent of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, the crew has been enjoying their time in the weightless environment of space, in addition to aggressively proceeding through their robust and difficult mission objectives.
1983 Lake Orion High School graduate Drew Feustel has been in space since last Monday, May 11, 2009 and so far the journey is progressing as good if not better than NASA had hoped.
The success of this mission hinged on the crews? ability to perform some extremely delicate tasks involving crucial repairs to the Hubble Telescope during their five scheduled EVA’s (spacewalks). At 3:22 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 18, the fifth and final EVA concluded and the overall feeling from NASA was that they ‘exceeded their own expectations?
While there were some problems along the way, including several stuck bolts, and the EVA’s going over the scheduled 6 and a half hour scheduled timelines, the overall feeling around NASA was jubilant.
As Hubble Project Manager, Preston Birch, declared, ‘This is what I imagine it would feel like to win the Superbowl,? when asked if NASA officials were pleased with the outcome of the spacewalks.
According to Mission Management Team Chairman, Mike Moses, ‘While each EVS is scheduled to last roughly 6 and a half hours, the spacewalkers do have the capability to stay outside the Shuttle longer if necessary to complete the scheduled repairs the The Hubble Telescope.? Mr Moses adds, ‘Depending in the use of the consumables such as battery packs, CO2 scrubbers, etc, they can extend the EVA’s if absolutely necessary. As it turned out, the astronauts needed that extra time to complete their objectives.?
Two-person teams consisting of Feustel and John Grunsfield and Mike Massimino and Good have been alternating EVA’s and have been up to their tasks, completing the five scheduled spacewalks with tremendous success. In total, the teams spent 36 hours and 56 minutes with Feustel and EVA teammate John Grunsfield accounting for 20 hours and 58 minutes of that total. Therefore, the average EVA lasted over 7 hours and 11 minutes.
With their remaining time in space, the crew will still have a busy schedule of projects on their docket before their decent back to The Kennedy Space Center, including relaunching the Hubble Telescope back into orbit, reexamining the Shuttle for thermal tile damage and carefully navigating the Shuttle back to earth.
The landing is scheduled for Friday, May 22, 2009 at approximately 12:17 p.m. EDT at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
With the tremendous progress in technology, the entire town of Lake Orion has been buzzing with excitement over local hero, Drew Feustel. Through TVs, satellite dishes, radios and computers the real time live access to this Mission has been unparalleled.
It is almost addictive to watch your computer or TV screen as Feustel and his fellow crew members performed the delicate tasks in a weightless environment with futuristic tools.
As one local resident was overheard commenting. ‘This is the best reality TV show that I have ever seen.? Those sentiments are being echoed all over town and the excitement is building for Drew’s safe return the Earth.
Please be sure to check back with The Review in the coming weeks for updates on Dr. Drew Feustel and the status of Space Shuttle Mission STS-125.