STS-131 launch & landing (4-5-10)

STS-131 crew

Seated (L-R): James Dutton, Alan Poindexter

Standing (L-R): Richard Mastracchio, Stephanie Wilson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Naoko Yamazaki, Clayton Anderson

STS-131 mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-131), launched April 5, 2010, was the longest mission for Discovery and the last 7-man crew flight.  Its crew consisted of Commander Alan Poindexter, Pilot James Dutton, Richard Mastracchio, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson, Naoko Yamazaki (JAXA), and Clayton Anderson.

The primary payload was the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo.  Discovery carried food and science supplies to the International Space Station, as well as the Muscle Atrophy Resistive Exercise (MARES) rack.

The crew returned to Earth April 20, after over 15 days in space. 

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Clayton Anderson!

Clayton Anderson, born February 23, 1959 in Ashland, Nebraska, has been in space twice.  

His first trip into space was aboard Atlantis (STS-117) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in June 2007.  He remained aboard the ISS as part of Expeditions 15 and 16, returning to Earth on Discovery (STS-120) in November 2007.

His second and final flight was aboard Discovery (STS-131) as mission specialist to the ISS in April 2010.  During the mission, he performed three EVAs with fellow astronaut Rick Mastracchio for about 20 and a half hours.

Atlantis (STS-117) launched 2007

STS-117 crew (L-R): Clayton Anderson, James Reilly, Steven Swanson, Frederick Sturckow, Lee Archambault, Patrick Forrester, John Olivas

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-117), launched June 8, 2007, carried a truss segment and a set of solar arrays to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Frederick Sturckow, Pilot Lee Archambault, Patrick Forrester, Steven Swanson, John Olivas, James Reilly and Clayton Anderson. 

Reilly, Olivas, Forrester, and Swanson performed four EVAs for a combined total of 28 hours.  They returned to Earth June 22.