STS-119 Mission Updates: Part 3

Shuttle Flight a Success, Commander Says
28 March 2009 5:26 p.m. EDT

Space shuttle Discovery?s commander Lee Archambault said his crew is happy to be back Earth at their spacecraft?s homeport at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and proud to have boosted the International Space Station to full power.

Click here for NASA's initial landing view.

?We want to certainly thank all the people at the Kennedy Space Center for, number one, getting us ready to launch, fighting through some exciting glitches before we launched even. But they got us ready, they got us launched safely,? Archambault said from the shuttle landing strip in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

?We had a very successful mission,? he added. ?We?re very proud that we were able to bring up the S6 truss, the final power segment of the International Space Station. We?re very happy we were able to fly Discovery right back here to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.?

Their mission a success, Archambault and his crew will head back to the spaceport?s crew quarters.

NASA will hold a post-landing news conference no earlier than 5:30 p.m. EDT live on NASA TV. The astronauts are expected to talk to reporters no earlier than about 7 or 8 pm.

Click here for SPACE.com?s archived overage of Discovery?s STS-119 flight.

This concludes SPACE.com?s mission coverage for the STS-119 mission. Check back for updates on the next shuttle flight, the STS-125 flight to overhaul the Hubble Space Telescope one last time.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

- Tariq Malik

Discovery Astronauts Inspect Shuttle
28 March 2009 5:00 p.m. EDT

After resting up from landing, shuttle Discovery skipper Lee Archambault and his crew have stepped off the Crew Transport Vehicle and are taking their first look at the outside of their spacecraft after today?s successful landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Archambault, pilot Dominic ?Tony? Phillips and mission specialists Joseph Acaba, Steven Swanson, Richard Arnold II and John Phillips are all on the tarmac examining Discovery and speaking with NASA officials. Astronaut Sandra Magnus, who completed a 4 1/2-month flight with Discovery?s landing, remained aboard the Crew Transport Vehicle and will head back to NASA?s astronaut crew quarters at the spaceport.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

- Tariq Malik

Astronauts Disembark Space Shuttle
28 March 2009 4:30 p.m. EDT

Their mission complete and successful, the seven-astronaut crew of space shuttle Discovery has disembarked the spacecraft and doffed their spacesuits inside a nearby Crew Transport Vehicle, which is a modified airport People Mover.

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing story by Robert Z. Pearlman from NASA?s Mission Control Center in Houston.

Shuttle commander Lee Archambault and his crew and expected to perform a walk-around Discovery to inspect their ship after its successful landing today in Florida.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

- Tariq Malik

Touchdown! Discovery Lands Safely in Florida
28 March 2009 3:20 p.m. EDT

Shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven astronauts have safely landed at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, following a 13-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and the successful installation of the Starboard 6 (S6) truss and solar arrays. After a journey of 5.3 million miles, Discovery touched down on Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at 3:14 p.m. EDT (1914 GMT) to complete its 36th space voyage and the 125th space shuttle mission.

Click here for the full landing story.

Veteran commander Lee Archambault and rookie pilot Tony Antonelli guided the Orbiter on its fiery plunge through the atmosphere and hour-long free-fall descent back to Earth, then precisely executed a series of turns and banking maneuvers that bled-off excess speed and slowed the 200,986-pound spaceplane for its powerless landing on the 3-mile long paved runway. All spacecraft systems performed as expected.

A convoy of landing support vehicles is now approaching Discovery and technicians will soon begin to 'safe' the vehicle ? purging the spacecraft of its toxic propellants ? to be followed by the astronauts' egress and traditional 'walkaround' of the spacecraft.

The STS-119 mission delivered the final pair of power-generating solar array wings and truss element to the space station. The installation of this final major U.S. truss segment signals the station?s readiness to house a six-member crew for conducting increased science. The ISS now measures 335 feet ? more than the length of an American football field.

In addition to Archambault and Antonelli, the STS-119 crew included flight engineer Steve Swanson, John Phillips, Joseph Acaba and Richard Arnold. Discovery also delivered a new flight engineer, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, to join the ISS Expedition 18/19 crew and returned ISS flight engineer Sandra Magnus to Earth after 134 days in orbit. During re-entry and descent, Magnus was strapped into a special recumbent seat in the orbiter?s middeck, keeping her in a reclined position during the ride home to ease her body?s re-acclimation to gravity.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

-- Roger Guillemette

Shuttle Discovery Flying Over Gulf of Mexico
28 March 2009 3:01 p.m. EDT

Shuttle Discovery is crossing over the Gulf of Mexico, northwest of Cuba, as it continues its long, gliding approach to Florida's Kennedy Space Center. Touchdown at the Shuttle Landing Facility is scheduled for 3:14 p.m. EDT (1814 GMT).

Mission Control confirms all spacecraft systems are performing as expected.

The Orbiter will soon enter U.S. airspace over the Florida's Gulf Coast, south of Tampa Bay, on its cross-peninsula landing approach. Commander Lee Archambault and pilot Tony Antonelli are piloting the 200,986-pound spaceplane through a series of turns and banking maneuvers to slow the vehicle and expend excess energy in preparation for its powerless landing, culminating with left overhead turn of 260 degrees to precisely align with Runway 15 ? the northwest-to-southeast landing strip.

Weather conditions are marginal for the Orbiter's return to Florida with scattered clouds and a strong headwind blowing straight down Runway 15 ? the northwest to southeast landing strip. Southeast winds of 17 to 24 knots are forecast, which translates into a headwind component of 16 to 23 knots, just within limits. Archambault and Antonelli were advised that Discovery may "nudge a cloud" on its final approach for landing.

Veteran astronaut Brent Jett is flying the Shuttle Training Aircraft on practice approaches to Runway 15 and relaying his observations to flight controllers.

In addition to Archambault and Antonelli, the STS-119 crew includes flight engineer Steve Swanson, John Phillips, Joseph Acaba and Richard Arnold. Discovery also delivered a new flight engineer, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, to join the ISS Expedition 18/19 crew and is returning ISS flight engineer Sandra Magnus to Earth after 134 days in orbit. During re-entry and descent, Magnus is strapped into a special recumbent seat in the orbiter?s middeck, keeping her in a reclined position during the ride home to ease her body?s re-acclimation to gravity.

Discovery's touchdown will mark the end of its 36th mission, the 125th space shuttle flight and the 28th mission to the International Space Station.

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing update.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

-- Roger Guillemette

Discovery Re-entering Earth's Atmosphere
28 March 2009 2:42 p.m. EDT

Shuttle Discovery is now transitioning from spacecraft to aircraft, encountering the upper fringes of Earth's atmosphere - known as 'Entry Interface' - at about 400,000 feet above the southern Pacific Ocean as it begins its fiery descent and a long, gliding approach to the 3-mile long landing strip at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.

Touchdown on Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility is scheduled for 3:14 p.m. EDT (1914 GMT). All spacecraft systems are performing as expected.

With the heat on its Thermal Protection System tiles building to 2,500 degrees F, Discovery will be flying south to north, across Central America, up the Yucatan Peninsula, crossing over the Gulf of Mexico northwest of Cuba and then descending over Florida's Gulf Coast south of Tampa Bay on its final cross-peninsula approach for landing.

Commander Lee Archambault and pilot Tony Antonelli completed a 2-minute, 59-second firing of Discovery's twin Orbital Maneuvering System engines that began at 2:08 p.m. EDT (1808 GMT) to reduce the shuttle's velocity sufficiently to drop it out of orbit and begin the hour-long free-fall descent back to Earth.

Archambault and Antonelli will pilot the 200,986-pound spaceplane through a series of turns and banking maneuvers, known as 'roll reversals', to slow the vehicle for its powerless touchdown at the Kennedy Space Center.

Weather conditions are marginal for the Orbiter's return to Florida with scattered clouds and a strong headwind blowing straight down Runway 15 ? the northwest to southeast landing strip. Southeast winds of 17 to 24 knots are forecast, which translates into a headwind component of 16 to 23 knots, just within limits. Archambault and Antonelli were advised that Discovery may "nudge a cloud" on its final approach for landing.

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing update.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

-- Roger Guillemette

Shuttle Discovery Heading Home to Florida  
28 March 2009 2:11 p.m. EDT

Shuttle Discovery has ignited its braking rockets to start a fiery plunge through Earth's atmosphere and a long, gliding descent to the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. Touchdown is scheduled for 3:14 p.m. EDT (1914 GMT).

Commander Lee Archambault and pilot Tony Antonelli just completed a 2-minute, 59-second firing of Discovery's twin Orbital Maneuvering System engines that began at 2:08 p.m. EDT (1808 GMT) to reduce the shuttle's velocity sufficiently to drop it out of orbit and begin the hour-long free-fall descent back to Earth. The de-orbit burn slowed Discovery's velocity by about 338 feet/second (approx. 231 miles/hour).

Weather conditions are marginal for the spaceplane's return to Florida with scattered clouds and a strong headwind blowing straight down Runway 15 ? the northwest to southeast landing strip. Southeast winds of 17 to 24 knots are forecast, which translates into a headwind component of 16 to 23 knots ? crosswinds will be negligible. Archambault and Antonelli were advised that Discovery may "nudge a cloud" on its final approach for landing.

Discovery and its crew of seven astronauts will first encounter the upper fringes of the atmosphere at about 400,000 feet above the southern Pacific Ocean, flying south to north across Central America, up the center of the Yucatan Peninsula, crossing over the Gulf of Mexico northwest of Cuba and then descending over Florida's Gulf Coast south of Tampa Bay on its final cross-peninsula approach for landing.

Veteran astronaut and NASA Director of Flight Crew Operations Brent Jett has been flying landing approaches in the Shuttle Training Aircraft ? a specially modified Gulfstream jet that simulates the shuttle's handling characteristics ? closely monitoring the winds and cloud thickness, evaluating the weather conditions that Discovery will encounter on its approach and landing.

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing update.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

-- Roger Guillemette

Weather Improves, Discovery 'GO' for Deorbit Burn 
28 March 2009 2:03 p.m. EDT

Shuttle Discovery has been cleared for a 3:14 p.m. EDT (1914 GMT) landing at Florida's Kennedy Space Center where weather conditions have improved sufficiently for the space plane's return to Earth this afternoon.

Discovery will touch down on the second of today's two landing opportunities. The afternoon sea breeze has kicked-in along Florida's Space Coast, clearing away some of the low clouds and shifting the stiff winds into a more acceptable direction for landing. Entry Flight Director Richard Jones was forced to wave-off the first landing opportunity after meteorologists forecast low clouds and strong crosswinds at the Shuttle Landing Facility.

Commander Lee Archambault and pilot Tony Antonelli have been given the 'Go' to initiate the deorbit burn at 2:08 p.m. EDT (1808 GMT).

Discovery's twin Orbital Maneuvering System engines will be fired for 2 minutes and 59 seconds, high above the Indian Ocean, to slow the Orbiter's velocity by about 231 mph (338 feet/sec), sufficient to begin its fiery descent through Earth's atmosphere and a long, gliding approach to Runway 15, the 3-mile long northwest-to-southeast landing strip at the Kennedy Space Center.

Discovery will first encounter the upper fringes of the atmosphere at about 400,000 feet above the southern Pacific Ocean, flying south to north, up the center of the Yucatan Peninsula, crossing over the Gulf of Mexico northwest of Cuba and then descending over Florida's Gulf Coast on its final cross-peninsula approach for landing.

Veteran astronaut and NASA Director of Flight Crew Operations Brent Jett has been flying landing approaches in the Shuttle Training Aircraft ? a specially modified Gulfstream jet that simulates the shuttle's handling characteristics ? closely monitoring the winds and cloud thickness, evaluating the weather conditions that Discovery will encounter on its approach and landing.

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing preview.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

-- Roger Guillemette

Discovery 'Go' for Florida Landing
28 March 2009 1:32 p.m. EDT

Astronauts aboard shuttle Discovery have been given a 'Go' to press forward with plans for a 3:14 p.m. EDT (1914 GMT) landing at Florida's Kennedy Space Center ? the second of two landing opportunities today.

The afternoon sea breeze has kicked-in along Florida's Space Coast, clearing away some of the low clouds and shifting the stiff winds into a more acceptable direction for landing. Flight Director Richard Jones was forced to wave-off the first landing opportunity after meteorologists forecast stiff headwinds at the Shuttle Landing Facility, combined with a thickening deck of low clouds in the area.

Discovery?s crew, commanded by veteran astronaut Lee Archambault, has been given the go-ahead to resume fluid loading, a process that calls for the astronauts to drink rehydrate themselves with fluids as a preparation measure for their return to Earth gravity.

While flying in weightlessness, their bodies lost some fluids, NASA officials said. By fluid loading, the astronauts will be better equipped for the onset of gravity as they make their decent and landing, they added.

The next milestone will be Discovery?s de-orbit burn, slated to occur at about 2:08:44 p.m. EDT (1808:44 GMT) when Archambault and pilot Tony Antonelli will fire the shuttle?s Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engines for about two minutes 59 seconds to send it on a homeward course.

Veteran astronaut and NASA Director of Flight Crew Operations Brent Jett has been flying landing approaches in the Shuttle Training Aircraft ? a specially modified Gulfstream jet that simulates the shuttle's handling characteristics ? closely monitoring the winds and thickening cloud deck, evaluating the weather conditions that Discovery will encounter on its approach and landing.

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing preview.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

-- Roger Guillemette

WAVEOFF! Weather Prevents First Shuttle Landing Opportunity
28 March 2009 12:20 p.m. EDT

Space shuttle Discovery will not land at Florida's Kennedy Space Center on the first of its two possible landing opportunities today due to unacceptable weather conditions. Conditions are unlikely to improve for Discovery's second landing opportunity at 3:13:59 p.m. EDT (1913:59 GMT), meaning that Discovery will probably remain in orbit for an additional day.

Click here for SPACE.com's updated landing preview.

Flight Director Richard Jones made the determination after meteorologists forecast 'No-Go' conditions for the first of two Florida landing opportunities today. Stiff headwinds at the Shuttle Landing Facility, combined with a thickening deck of low clouds in the area forced NASA to wave-off the first landing attempt.

Flight controllers and the Spaceflight Meteorology Group will continue to monitor the dynamic Florida weather conditions in the slim hope that they will improve for a landing on today's second opportunity on orbit 202. The de-orbit burn for landing on the second opportunity would be at 02:08:44 p.m. EDT (1806:44 GMT)

NASA veteran astronaut and Director of Flight Crew Operations Brent Jett has been flying landing approaches in the Shuttle Training Aircraft ? a specially modified Gulfstream jet that simulates the shuttle's handling characteristics ? closely monitoring the winds and thickening cloud deck, evaluating the weather conditions that Discovery will encounter on its approach and landing.

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing preview.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

-- Roger Guillemette

A NASA Weighs Shuttle Landing Weather
28 March 2009 12:14 p.m. EDT

NASA entry flight director Richard Jones has received a weather update from the Spaceflight Meteorology Group for today?s planned landing of the shuttle Discovery at 1:39 p.m. EDT (1739 GMT).

A cloud layer and higher than expected winds are the current concerns, with Jones set to decide whether to go ahead with today?s first landing attempt, which would call for a 12:33 p.m. EDT (1633 GMT) engine burn to leave orbit.

Discovery has a second window to land at 3:14 p.m. EDT (1914 GMT).

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing preview.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

- Tariq Malik

Astronauts Don Flight Suits for Landing
28 March 2009 11:45 a.m. EDT

As they prepare for landing, Discovery pilot Lee Archambault and pilot ?Dominic ?Tony? Antonelli are climbing into their bright orange entry flight suits as their crewmates drink large amounts of fluids to better prepare their bodies for the return to gravity.

The fluid drinking is known as ?fluid loading? with the astronauts drinking salt tablets with a selection orange, lemon-lime or chicken consomm? to choose from.

Discovery is due to fire its engines at 12:33 p.m. EDT (1633 GMT) to begin the descent to Earth. Flight director Richard Jones will have to decide by then whether to target today?s 1:39 p.m. EDT (1739 GMT) landing opportunity or wait for the next window in just under 2 hours.

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing preview.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

- Tariq Malik

Discovery Astronauts Prepare Ship for Landing
28 March 2009 11:04 a.m. EDT

As astronaut Brent Jett takes off in a NASA?s shuttle landing training aircraft to evaluate weather conditions over the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for Discovery?s planned touchdown at 1:39 p.m. EDT (1739 GMT), the shuttle crew is preparing their ship for re-entry.

Discovery astronauts are working to outfit Discovery?s middeck with a communications speaker and other gear that was stowed after their March 15 launch.

Jett will be evaluating wind and cloud layer conditions for today?s landing attempt. Discovery has two opportunities to land today, once at 1:39 p.m. and again at about 3:14 p.m. EDT (1914 GMT).

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing preview.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

- Tariq Malik

NASA Watches Weather for Shuttle Landing
28 March 2009 10:35 a.m. EDT

NASA is watching the weather for today?s planned landing of shuttle Discovery, with veteran shuttle commander Brent Jett preparing to fly NASA?s shuttle landing training aircraft above the landing strip at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to get a firsthand look at conditions. Discovery is on track to land at 1:39 p.m. EDT (1739 GMT).

In space, all is going well with Discovery?s crew as they prepare the ship for re-entry. NASA is keeping a close eye on winds and the cloud layer around the Shuttle Landing Center at spaceport in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Today is Flight Day 14 of Discovery?s mission to deliver new solar arrays and a new crewmember to the International Space Station.

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing preview.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

- Tariq Malik

Shuttle Astronauts Close Payload Bay Doors
28 March 2009 10:09 a.m. EDT

Mission Control has given the space shuttle Discovery crew the go ahead to close their payload bay doors, a sign that flight director Richard Jones is confident in today?s chances of a 1:39 p.m. EDT (1739 GMT) landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The two clamshell-like doors have been open since Discovery reached orbit on March 15 to help radiate heat away from the vehicle.

While the astronauts close the payload bay, NASA and Russian space officials have lauded the successful docking of a Soyuz spacecraft carrying a new crew to the International Space Station. The Soyuz docked at 9:06 a.m. EDT (1306 GMT) to ferry Expedition 19 commander Gennady Padalka, flight engineer Michael Barratt and space tourist Charles Simonyi to the station.

Click here for SPACE.com?s landing preview.

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

- Tariq Malik

Shuttle Crew Starts Landing Day with Abba
28 March 2009 6:34 a.m. EDT

The seven-astronaut crew of the space shuttle Discovery awoke to the sounds of Abba as they prepare for a planned landing 1:39 pm. EDT (1739 GMT) at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. today.

Mission Control roused the astronauts at 5:13 a.m. EDT (0913 GMT) with the song ?I Have a Dream? by Abba, a tune selected for astronaut Sandra Magnus who is returning home after what will be 134 days in space.

"I'm looking forward to being home and seeing everyone today, hopefully,? Magnus radioed Mission Control.

Discovery will land just a few hours after the arrival of a Soyuz spacecraft at the International Space Station with a new crew and repeat space tourist Charles Simonyi, which is due to dock at 9:14 a.m. EDT (1414 GMT). Click here for full docking coverage.

Here?s a look at today?s landing activities for Discovery?s crew (all times EDT):

?         8:33 am.: Deorbit preparations begin

?         9:53 am.: Payload bay door closing

?         12:33 pm: Deorbit burn

?         1:30 pm: Mila C-band radar acquisition of Discovery

?         1:39 pm: Kennedy Space Center Landing

NASA is broadcasting Discovery?s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

- Tariq Malik

Weather Looks Good for Shuttle Landing
27 March 2009 12:55 p.m. EDT

Discovery shuttle commander Lee Archambault just got a weather update from Mission Control, with favorable conditions expected for Saturday?s planned landing in Florida.

The shuttle astronauts are preparing to speak with students at Punahou School in Hawaii, President Barack Obama?s high school alma mater, at about 1:03