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Dr. James F. Reilly was selected as a NASA astronaut in December 1994 Since that time he has flown twice STS-89 in 1998 and on STS-104 in 2001. Reilly has logged over 517 hours in space, including 3 spacewalks (STS-104) totaling 16 hours and 30 minutes. Reilly was assigned to the crew of STS-117, which was scheduled to fly in the fall of 2003. This flight has since been delayed.
STS-89 (12th flight of Space Shuttle "Endeavour", January 22-31, 1998) was the eighth Shuttle-Mir docking mission during which the crew transferred more than 9,000 pounds of scientific equipment, logistical hardware and water from Space Shuttle Endeavour to Mir. In the fifth and last exchange of a U.S. astronaut, STS-89 delivered Andy Thomas to Mir and returned with David Wolf. Mission duration was 8 days, 19 hours and 47 seconds, traveling 3.6 million miles in 138 orbits of the Earth.
STS-104 (24th flight of Space Shuttle "Atlantis", July 12-24, 2001) was the ninth assembly flight of the Shuttle to the International Space Station (ISS). Flight 7A delivered and installed the joint airlock module to complete the second phase of ISS assembly. Three EVAs were conducted during the mission with the third being the inaugural spacewalk from the joint airlock. Mission duration was 12 days, 18 hours and 35 minutes traveling 5.3 million miles in 200 orbits of the Earth.
STS-117: Flight delayed after the Columbia disaster. STS-117 was to have flown ISS Assembly mission ISS-13A. It would have delivered the second right-side truss segment (ITS S3/S4) and a solar array set and batteries. The crew would have attached the S3/S4 Truss to the first starboard truss, the S1, along with the third set of solar arrays. They then would have delivered four external attachment sites for truss-mounted exterior experiments and research; activated and checked out the S4 Truss Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ); deployed the channel 1A and 3A solar arrays; reconfigured the station power supply; and retracted the P6 Truss Channel 2B (starboard) solar arra
Mark: Did any meteorite damage happen during any of the the STS flights you were on?
James Reilly: No reported damage on either flight. There was, however, a hole in one of the solar panels on MIR that was thought to be meteor - sourced.
Mark: It is my understanding that micrometeorites form little craters when impacting the ship. Have you ever felt any of these impacts and did you see any damage on the craft after you landed?
James Reilly: During that same missions, STS-89, I did hear what sounded like an impact to the hull of Space Hab. But never heard any reports of strikes. Most meteorite material as you know, is quite small so they generally don't penetrate the insulation.
Mark: Is there any special tools NASA sends with astronauts, or special training you where given in the case a meteorite should strike and heavily damage a craft while in use?
James Reilly: As for tools, we are working now on materials & techniques for tile and leading edge repair that could repair damage due to meteor strikes. So far, so significant damage or need.
Jim Reilly STS-89, 104, 117
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Clear Skies, Mark Bostick www.meteoritearticles.com
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