[Waspie_Dwarf]

Short Trip, Big Milestone


Photo credit: NASA
+ View High Resolution Photo

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Discovery -- sitting atop an orbiter transporter -- nears the Vehicle Assembly Building. The orbiter's "rollover" from its processing facility is a milestone in prelaunch preparation. Once inside, Discovery will be raised to vertical and lifted up and over into high bay 3 for stacking with its redesigned external tank and twin solid rocket boosters. In about a week, Discovery is expected to roll out to Launch Pad 39B, with the launch of mission STS-121 scheduled to take place during a window extending July 1 to 19.

Kennedy Space Center workers display a banner as Discovery rolls from the Orbiter Processing Facility toward the Vehicle Assembly Building.

Photo credit: NASA
+ View High Resolution Photo

Source: NASA - Space Shuttle

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Discovery Mated to Tank and Boosters

Image above: The orbiter Discovery is lowered via a crane and
sling into high bay 3 of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building.
Discovery will be mated with its external tank and twin solid
rocket boosters waiting below on the mobile launcher platform.
Image credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser
+ View High-Res Version

A wave of excitement rippled across NASA's Kennedy Space Center on May 12 as the orbiter Discovery rolled out of its processing facility and into the nearby Vehicle Assembly Building. Inside, the orbiter was mated to the external tank and twin solid rocket boosters over the weekend. Space Shuttle Discovery is set to launch on the STS-121 mission, currently targeted for launch no earlier than July 1.

The flight will continue the evaluation of flight safety procedures, including shuttle inspection and repair techniques. It also will deliver more supplies and cargo for future station expansion.

Steve Lindsey will command the mission, flying with pilot Mark Kelly, spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Piers Sellers and mission specialists Stephanie Wilson and Lisa Nowak. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter is also part of the crew and will remain on the station for several months. Reiter's arrival will give the station its first three-person crew since May 4, 2003.

Source: NASA - Space Shuttle

[Master Sage]

Sigh, NASA, the 80's are OVER

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Quote

Sigh, NASA, the 80's are OVER

So what do you suggest Master Sage? Do you really think NASA should stop manned space flight for 6 years (the earliest date at which the replacement CEV will fly is 2012)? In the meantime Russia will continue to fly with it's Soyuz vehicle first flown in the 60's on a rocket first flown in the '50's.

NASA has finally been given the go ahead to replace the Shuttles but this is not something that can be achieved overnight.

The Space Shuttle has its faults (as was all too evident with Columbia) but as a rocket it is the most reliable launch vehicle ever built, with only one launch failure. It has placed more people into space than Vostok, Mercury, Voskhod, Gemini, Apollo and Soyuz vehicles combined and has failed only twice in 25 years in service.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

STS-121 Payloads Arrive at the Launch Pad

Image above: The payload canister approaches the rotating service
structure on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The
canister holds the payloads for mission STS-121.
Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
+ View High-Res Version

Carried in a special canister mounted on a transporter, the payloads for mission STS-121 trekked across NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 17, arriving at Launch Pad 39B in early afternoon. The payloads will be loaded into Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay after the vehicle reaches the launch pad. Discovery is set to roll out to the pad May 19 from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The STS-121 mission is targeted for launch no earlier than July 1.

The flight will continue the evaluation of flight safety procedures, including shuttle inspection and repair techniques. It also will deliver more supplies and cargo for future station expansion.

Steve Lindsey will command the mission, flying with pilot Mark Kelly, spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Piers Sellers and mission specialists Stephanie Wilson and Lisa Nowak. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter is also part of the crew and will remain on the station for several months. Reiter's arrival will give the station its first three-person crew since May 4, 2003.

Source: NASA - Space Shuttle

[Waspie_Dwarf]

NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery Cargo Ready for Flight

The press release is reproduced below:

May 17, 2006

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
(202) 358-3749

Tracy Young
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(321) 867-2468

RELEASE: 06-223

NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery Cargo Ready for Flight

The payloads that will launch aboard the next space shuttle mission, STS-121, arrived Wednesday at Launch Pad 39-B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

Space Shuttle Discovery's cargo includes the Italian-built logistics module Leonardo, which will carry 11 large racks filled with food, clothing, spare parts and research equipment to the International Space Station. Also included in the cargo is the Oxygen Generation System, which can provide enough oxygen each day to support a six-member crew. The system will be operational before the first six-person crew arrives aboard the station in 2009.

An integrated cargo carrier will deliver a spare pump module and replacement mobile transporter reel assembly to the station. Another carrier containing pieces of the shuttle's heat-shielding material is also installed in Discovery's payload bay. The material will be used to test heat shield repair methods in orbit during a potential third spacewalk.

Discovery's launch to the International Space Station is targeted for July 1 in a launch window that extends to July 19. During the 12-day mission, crew members will test new hardware and techniques to improve shuttle safety.

Imagery from the transfer and the latest information on the STS-121 mission and crew is available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Video highlights of the transfer to the launch pad will air on Thursday's NASA TV's Video File segments. NASA TV's Video File news feed is on the Media Channel (Program 103) at 6 - 8 and 9 - 11 a.m.; 12 - 2 and 4 - 7 p.m.; and 10 p.m. - midnight. All times are Eastern.

The Media Channel is available on an MPEG-2 digital C-band signal via satellite AMC-6; 72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, 4040 MHz, vertical polarization. In Alaska and Hawaii, it's on AMC-7; 137 degrees west longitude, transponder 18C, at 4060 MHz, horizontal polarization. A digital video broadcast compliant integrated receiver decoder is required for reception. For media unable to receive the Media Channel, a modified version of Video-File airs on the Public Channel at 9 a.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. (Eastern). For downlink, Media and Public Channel information and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For information about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

- end -

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: NASA Press Release 06-223

[Waspie_Dwarf]

NASA Finalizes Crews for Upcoming Shuttle Missions

The press release is reproduced below:

May 17, 2006

Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington
(202) 358-4769

Doug Peterson
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(281) 483-5111

RELEASE: 06-221 (CORRECTED)

NASA Finalizes Crews for Upcoming Shuttle Missions

NASA has finalized crew assignments for two space shuttle missions targeted for launch in 2007 to continue assembly of the International Space Station.

Astronaut John D. Olivas will join the crew of shuttle mission STS-117. Astronaut Tracy Caldwell will join the crew of shuttle mission STS-118. Olivas and Caldwell will be making their first space flights.

Astronaut Richard A. Mastracchio, previously assigned to STS-117, has been reassigned to STS-118. Veteran shuttle flier and spacewalker Scott Parazynski, previously assigned to STS-118, has left that crew to prepare for assignment to another mission.

With the changes, the STS-117 crew is commanded by Marine Lt. Col. Frederick W. Sturckow. The mission's pilot is Air Force Col. Lee J. Archambault and the mission specialists are James F. Reilly II, retired Army Col. Patrick G. Forrester, Steven R. Swanson and Olivas. STS-117 will deliver the second starboard truss segment to the space station with the third set of U.S. solar arrays, batteries and associated equipment.

STS-118 will be commanded by Navy Cmdr. Scott J. Kelly. The pilot will be Marine Lt. Col. Charles O. Hobaugh. The mission specialists are Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dr. Dafydd R. Williams, educator astronaut Barbara R. Morgan, Mastracchio and Caldwell. STS-118 will deliver to the station the third starboard truss segment; an external stowage platform; and logistics and supplies in a SPACEHAB single cargo module.

Olivas was born in North Hollywood, Calif., and raised in El Paso, Texas. He received a bachelor's from the University of Texas-El Paso, a master's from the University of Houston and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Rice University, Houston. Upon completing his doctorate, Olivas worked as a senior research engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. He was selected as an astronaut in 1998.

Caldwell was born in Arcadia, Calif. She received a bachelor's from California State University in Fullerton and a doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of California at Davis. She was selected as an astronaut in 1998. Her assignments have included spacecraft communicator in mission control, shuttle flight software verification and support of shuttle launch and landing operations.

For complete astronaut biographical information, visit:

http://www######c.nasa.gov/Bios

For more information on space shuttle missions and crews, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

- end -

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: NASA Press Release 06-221

This post has been edited by Waspie_Dwarf: 20 May 2006 - 01:33 AM

[TooFarGone]

I really don't know if I'd fly in the Shuttle anymore. I mean, she's an incredible bird, but after 25 years, so much wear, and with the accidents...I dunno.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Quote

I really don't know if I'd fly in the Shuttle anymore. I mean, she's an incredible bird, but after 25 years, so much wear, and with the accidents...I dunno.

I'm not sure wear and tear is such a huge issue. The shuttles were designed for 100 missions each. In fact the 5 orbiters combined have only just exceeded this figure.

Both accidents were the result of design flaws (Challenger was only on it's 10th mission when it was destroyed). In the case of Challenger this design flaw has been repaired. In the case of Columbia the same problem should be discovered before the orbiter attempts reentry

In the cases of Discovery and Endeavour they have both recently completed a full mid-life overhaul. Atlantis is due for this in a couple of years but will be retired early instead. The shuttles are probably safer to fly now than when they were built.

The problem with the shuttles is that they were sold to the public as operational vehicles. Instead they should always have been considered experimental vehicles. If you compare them with the research programmes that came before, especially the X15 programme, their safety record compares favourably.

This post has been edited by Waspie_Dwarf: 18 May 2006 - 01:27 AM

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Discovery Ready to Move to the Launch Pad

Image above: The payload canister approaches the rotating service
structure on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The
canister holds the payloads for mission STS-121.
Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
+ View High-Res Version

Space Shuttle Discovery will make the long, slow crawl out to its seaside launch pad today, a major step toward the STS-121 mission. Mounted on the Mobile Launcher Platform and carried by the mammoth Crawler-Transporter, Discovery is expected to roll out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at 12 p.m. EDT and begin the four-mile journey to Launch Pad 39B. Moving along at less than one mile an hour, it could take seven or more hours for the "stack" to reach the pad. The STS-121 mission is targeted for launch no earlier than July 1.

The flight will continue the evaluation of flight safety procedures, including shuttle inspection and repair techniques. It also will deliver more supplies and cargo for future station expansion.

Steve Lindsey will command the mission, flying with pilot Mark Kelly, spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Piers Sellers and mission specialists Stephanie Wilson and Lisa Nowak. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter is also part of the crew and will remain on the station for several months. Reiter's arrival will give the station its first three-person crew since May 4, 2003.

Source: NASA - Space Shuttle

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Discovery On The Move

Image above: From high bay 3 of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building,
Space Shuttle Discovery begins its slow 4.2-mile journey via the
crawlerway to Launch Pad 39B. The shuttle rests on a mobile launcher
platform that sits atop a crawler-transporter. The rollout is an important
step before launch of Discovery on mission STS-121 to the International
Space Station.

Space Shuttle Discovery's four-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B is underway! The move brings NASA one step closer to the STS-121 mission, targeted for launch no earlier than July 1. Mounted on the Mobile Launcher Platform and carried by the mammoth Crawler-Transporter, Discovery emerged from the assembly building at 12:45 p.m. EDT. The "stack" rolls along at less than one mile an hour, and is expected to arrive at the launch pad sometime this evening. The STS-121 mission is targeted for launch no earlier than July 1.

The flight will continue the evaluation of flight safety procedures, including shuttle inspection and repair techniques. It also will deliver more supplies and cargo for future station expansion.

Steve Lindsey will command the mission, flying with pilot Mark Kelly, spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Piers Sellers and mission specialists Stephanie Wilson and Lisa Nowak. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter is also part of the crew and will remain on the station for several months. Reiter's arrival will give the station its first three-person crew since May 4, 2003.

Source: NASA - Space Shuttle

This post has been edited by Waspie_Dwarf: 19 May 2006 - 05:36 PM

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Discovery On The Move

Image above: Space Shuttle Discovery is on its slow 4.2-mile journey
via the crawlerway to Launch Pad 39B. The shuttle rests on a mobile
launcher platform that sits atop a crawler-transporter. The rollout is an
important step before launch of Discovery on mission STS-121 to the
International Space Station.

Space Shuttle Discovery's four-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B is underway! The move brings NASA one step closer to the STS-121 mission, targeted for launch no earlier than July 1. Mounted on the Mobile Launcher Platform and carried by the mammoth Crawler-Transporter, Discovery emerged from the assembly building at 12:45 p.m. EDT. The "stack" rolls along at less than one mile an hour, and is expected to arrive at the launch pad sometime this evening. The STS-121 mission is targeted for launch no earlier than July 1.

The flight will continue the evaluation of flight safety procedures, including shuttle inspection and repair techniques. It also will deliver more supplies and cargo for future station expansion.

Steve Lindsey will command the mission, flying with pilot Mark Kelly, spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Piers Sellers and mission specialists Stephanie Wilson and Lisa Nowak. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter is also part of the crew and will remain on the station for several months. Reiter's arrival will give the station its first three-person crew since May 4, 2003.

Source: NASA - Space Shuttle

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Discovery's Crawl Continues

Image above: Space Shuttle Discovery leaves the confines of NASA's
Vehicle Assembly Building as it begins its slow 4.2-mile journey via the
crawlerway to Launch Pad 39B. The shuttle rests on a mobile launcher
platform that sits atop a crawler-transporter.
Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
+ View High-Res Version

Space Shuttle Discovery's 4.2-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B is underway! The move brings NASA one step closer to the STS-121 mission, targeted for launch no earlier than July 1.

Mounted on the Mobile Launcher Platform and carried by the mammoth crawler-transporter, Discovery emerged from the assembly building at 12:45 p.m. EDT. The "stack" rolls along at less than one mile an hour, and is expected to arrive at the launch pad sometime this evening. The STS-121 mission is targeted for launch no earlier than July 1.

The flight will continue the evaluation of flight safety procedures, including shuttle inspection and repair techniques. It also will deliver more supplies and cargo for future station expansion.

Steve Lindsey will command the mission, flying with pilot Mark Kelly, spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Piers Sellers and mission specialists Stephanie Wilson and Lisa Nowak. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter is also part of the crew and will remain on the station for several months. Reiter's arrival will give the station its first three-person crew since May 4, 2003.

Source: NASA - Space Shuttle

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Next Space Shuttle Mission:

STS-121 Discovery/ International Space Station Flight ULF1.1
Launch Pad: 39B
Launch Window: No earlier than July 1, 2006
Landing: To Be Determined
Duration: 11 days
Orbital Insertion Altitude: 122 nautical miles
Orbit Inclination: 51.60°
Countdown begins: T-43 hours


Image above: Space Shuttle Discovery rolls down the crawlerway from
the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B.
Credit: NASA/Debbie Kiger
+ View High-Res Version

Space Shuttle Discovery is making big strides toward launch. Carried by the crawler-transporter and perched on the Mobile Launcher Platform, the shuttle assembly rolled out of Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building at 12:45 p.m. EDT May 19, embarking on a 4.2-mile trek to Launch Pad 39B. "Rollout" is a major milestone as NASA prepares to launch Discovery on the STS-121 mission to the International Space Station.

The payloads that will launch aboard Discovery were loaded into the payload transportation canister May 8-10 and rolled out to the launch pad May 17. Discovery's payloads include the Italian-built logistics module, known as Leonardo, which will carry food, clothing, spare parts and research equipment to the station. Other payloads include two cargo carriers which contain heat shield tile samples, a spare pump module and a replacement mobile transporter reel assembly.

Source: NASA - Shuttle - Launch and Landing

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Discovery's Crawl Continues

Daylight streams through the open doors of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building as Space Shuttle Discovery begins its slow 4.2-mile journey via the crawlerway to Launch Pad 39B. The shuttle rests on a mobile launcher platform that sits atop a crawler-transporter. First motion was at 12:45 p.m. EDT. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett


Space Shuttle Discovery moves away from high bay 3 of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building as begins its slow 4.2-mile journey via the crawlerway to Launch Pad 39B. Photo credit: NASA/Debbie Kiger


Viewed from across the turn basin, Space Shuttle Discovery, on top of the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, makes its way to Launch Pad 39B. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley


Space Shuttle Discovery begins its slow 4.2-mile journey via the crawlerway (seen in the background) to Launch Pad 39B. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton


Space Shuttle Discovery rolls toward Launch Pad 39B. Launch Pad 39A is in the background. The rollout is an important step before launch of Discovery on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Source: NASA - Space Shuttle- Roll Out