Shuttle Atlantis Heads Toward Launch Pad
4 September 2008 10:10 a.m. EDT
NASA’s
space shuttle Atlantis is on its way to the launch pad at NASA’s Florida
spaceport after starting its slow move nearly an hour early.
The
shuttle began moving toward Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape
Canaveral, Fla., at 9:19 a.m. EDT (1319 GMT) and can
be seen moving away from the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building. The move
was initially slated to begin at 10:00 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT), but shuttle workers
were ready to go earlier than planned, NASA officials told SPACE.com.
It should
take Atlantis several hours to cross the 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of road out
to the launch pad, where it will be shrouded in a Rotating Service
Structure to protect against weather.
Atlantis
is slated to launch on Oct. 8 on the final servicing mission to the Hubble Space
Telescope. NASA is broadcasting the move live 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 Atlantis to Move to Launch
Pad Today
4 September 2008 8:33 a.m. EDT
The space
shuttle Atlantis is set to move out to its Pad 39A launch site at NASA’s
Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., today at 10:00 a.m. EDT (1400
GMT).
“NASA
mission managers met at 5:30 a.m. EDT (0930 GMT) this morning and determined
that the effects
of Tropical Storm Hanna will be offshore and not close enough to prevent
Atlantis from being moved to its launch pad or from remaining out there as the
storm passes on Friday,” NASA spokesperson Allard Beutel said
in a morning update.
Weather
associated with Hanna prompted mission managers to hold
Atlantis’ launch pad move earlier this week until they
could better predict the storm’s path.
Atlantis
will make the 3.5-mile (5.6-km) trek to Pad 39A atop NASA’s Apollo-era crawler
carrier vehicle, a massive machine that moves at a top speed of 1 mph (1.6 kph).
NASA will
broadcast the move live 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 Atlantis Could Head to Launch
Pad Thursday
3 September 2008 2:28 p.m. EDT
The
forecast for the space shuttle Atlantis’ launch pad trek is improving, with the
orbiter now set to make the 3-mile (4.8-km) Thursday morning, weather
permitting, NASA officials said today.
With Tropical
Storm Hanna weakening in the Atlantic Ocean and expected to pass further off
shore from NASA’s Florida-based spaceport than previously thought, mission
managers are targeting a 10:00 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) move for Atlantis, said
Kennedy Space Center spokesperson Candrea Thomas at NASA’s Cape
Canaveral, Fla.-based launch site.
NASA
officials were skeptical of a Thursday move for Atlantis yesterday, but Hanna’s
decrease in strength and its evolving path gave mission managers more
confidence. A final decision will be made tomorrow during a 5:30 a.m. EDT (0930
GMT) weather briefing, Thomas said.
-- Tariq Malik
NASA Weighs Storm Concerns for
Shuttle Rollout
2 September 2008 1:01 p.m. EDT
NASA’s
space shuttle Atlantis will not head
out to its Florida launch pad until Thursday at the earliest, with
additional delays possible, as the agency weighs the potential impact from
Tropical Storm Hanna.
The
agency’s Kennedy Space Center spaceport in Cape Canaveral, Fla., is now under a
Hurricane Condition 4 - the lowest hurricane alert status - to prepare for
Hanna-related weather, NASA spokesperson Allard Beutel told
SPACE.com this morning.
NASA
initially targeted a Monday launch pad rollout for Atlantis, but postponed a
day to track Hanna. Beutel said mission managers
were weighing plans to wait out the storm, which could push rollout to later in
the week.
As of
11:00 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), Hanna’s center was located about 20 miles (35 km)
west-southeast from Great Inagua Island in the Atlantic
Ocean and moving at about 6 mph (9 kph). The storm was reported to
have maximum wind speeds of about 70 mph (110 kph) with
higher gusts, according to a National Hurricane Center update.
NASA and
U.S. Air Force weather trackers are also watching the development of Tropical
Storm Ike behind Hanna and what is now Tropical Storm Josephine behind Ike, Beutel
said.
-- Tariq Malik
NASA Delays Space Shuttle’s Launch
Pad Move
2 September 2008 8:42 a.m. EDT
NASA’s
space shuttle Atlantis is now slated to move out to its Pad 39A launch pad no
earlier than Wednesday 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT), a day later
than planned, as mission managers track what is now Tropical Storm Hanna.
Mission
managers decided Monday afternoon to postpone
Atlantis’ 3-mile trek to the launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in
Cape Canaveral, Fla., in order to be sure Hanna would pose no threat to the
shuttle.
As of
Tuesday morning, Hanna was headed toward the southeastern Bahamas with maximum sustained
winds of about 70 mph (110 kph). The storm had weaked
to a tropical storm after reaching hurricane strength earlier, and could regain
its hurricane status later today or tomorrow, according to the National
Hurricane Center.
-- Tariq Malik
NASA Watches Weather for Shuttle
Move
22 August 2008 12:42 p.m. EDT
Stormy fallout
from Tropical Storm Fay continues to hinder efforts to move Atlantis from
its hangar to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), where it can be attached to
an external tank and twin solid rocket boosters.
“We’ve been having bands of
torrential rain coming through,” NASA spokesperson Allard Beutel told SPACE.com
from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Engineers need at least
two full hours of clear weather to move Atlantis, and will wait until 9:00 p.m.
EDT (0100 Aug. 23 GMT) before standing down for the day.
Work crews are busy clearing the
short drive between the two buildings and securing loose panels on the VAB to
ensure they don’t blow free and hit the shuttle during the move. Atlantis’ move
has been delayed due to Fay since Monday. The shuttle is slated to launch at
1:34 a.m. EDT (0534 GMT) on Oct. 8 to visit the Hubble Space Telescope for one
final service call.
-- Tariq Malik
Shuttle Crew Disembarks Discovery
14 June 2008 12:42 p.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The
seven-astronaut crew of NASA’s shuttle Discovery have exited their spacecraft
and are now in a mobile welcome room on the tarmac of the Shuttle Landing
Facility here at the Kennedy Space Center.
They’re expected to inspect Discovery
to see how it fared during its successful
landing today in a short while.
NASA will hold a post-landing press
conference in about an hour, with the astronauts themselves slated to speak
about their mission later this afternoon.
Click
here to see SPACE.com’s landing wrap story.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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
14 June 2008 11:15 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Shuttle
Discovery and its crew of seven astronauts has safely landed at Florida's
Kennedy Space Center, following a two-week mission to the International Space
Station (ISS) and the successful installation of Japan's Kibo science
laboratory module. After a journey of 5.7 million miles, Discovery touched down
on Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT) to
complete its 35th space voyage.
Veteran commander Mark Kelly and
rookie pilot Ken Ham 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 203,320-pound spaceplane for its powerless
landing on the 3-mile long paved runway. All spacecraft systems performed as
expected.
Discovery's STS-124 crew included
flight engineer Ronald Garan, mission specialists Karen
Nyberg and Michael Fossum, Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and
returning ISS Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman who returns to earth
after a 95-day tour of duty on the orbiting outpost. During re-entry and
descent, Reisman
was strapped into a special recumbent seat in the orbiter’s middeck,
which kept him in a reclined position during the ride home to ease his body’s
re-acclimation to gravity.
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.
Discovery's return marks the 69th
space shuttle landing at the Kennedy Space Center and the 5th
consecutive mission to land in Florida.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery's
STS-124 mission live on NASA TV. You are invited to follow the mission using SPACE.com’s
NASA
TV, feed, which is available by clicking
here or using the button at the left.
--
Roger Guillemette
Shuttle Discovery Flying Over Gulf
of Mexico
14 June 2008 11:02 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Shuttle
Discovery is crossing over the Gulf of Mexico, just west of Cuba, as it
continues its long, gliding approach to Florida's Kennedy Space Center.
Touchdown at the Shuttle Landing Facility is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515
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, near Naples and Marco Island, on its
cross-peninsula landing approach. Commander Mark Kelly and pilot Ken Ham are
piloting the 203,320-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
245 degrees to precisely align with Runway 15 – the northwest-to-southeast
landing strip.
Weather conditions at the landing
site are near-perfect for Discovery's homecoming, with scattered clouds at
3,000 feet and light sea breezes. NASA chief astronaut Steve Lindsey is flying
the Shuttle Training Aircraft on practice approaches to Runway 15 and relaying
his observations to flight controllers.
Discovery's crew includes flight
engineer Ronald Garan, mission specialists Karen Nyberg and Michael
Fossum,
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and
returning ISS Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman who is returning to
earth after a 95-day tour of duty on the orbiting outpost. During re-entry and
descent, Reisman
is strapped into a special recumbent seat in the orbiter’s middeck,
keeping him in a reclined position during the ride home to ease his body’s
re-acclimation to gravity.
Discovery's touchdown will mark the
69th space shuttle landing at the Kennedy Space Center and the 5th
consecutive mission to land in Florida.
Click here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the
shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery's
STS-124 mission live on NASA TV. You are invited to follow the mission using SPACE.com’s
NASA
TV, feed, which is available by clicking
here or using the button at the left.
--
Roger Guillemette
Discovery Re-entering Earth's Atmosphere
14 June 2008 10:43 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – 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.
Landing on Runway 15 - the
northwest-to-southeast runway - at the Shuttle Landing Facility is scheduled
for 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 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 Mexico, Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula,
crossing over the Gulf of Mexico west of Cuba and then descending over
Florida's Gulf Coast near Naples and Marco Island on its final cross-peninsula
approach for landing.
Commander Mark Kelly and pilot Ken
Ham completed a 2-minute, 35-second firing of Discovery's twin Orbital
Maneuvering System engines that began at 10:10 a.m. EDT (1410 GMT), reducing
the Orbiter's velocity sufficiently to drop it out of orbit and begin its
hour-long free-fall descent back to Earth. Kelly and Ham will pilot the
203,320-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 at the landing
site are described as "very stable" and well within acceptable limits
for landing, with just scattered clouds at 3,000 feet and negligible sea
breezes. NASA chief astronaut Steve Lindsey continues to fly the Shuttle
Training Aircraft on practice landing approaches to Runway 15 and relaying his
observations to flight controllers.
Click here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the
shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery's
STS-124 mission live on NASA TV. You are invited to follow the mission using SPACE.com’s
NASA
TV, feed, which is available by clicking
here or using the button at the left.
--
Roger Guillemette
Discovery Heading Home to
Florida
14 June 2008 10:13 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – 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. Weather conditions are near-perfect for the spaceplane's
return with just scattered clouds at 3,000 feet and negligible sea breezes.
Touchdown on Runway 15 – the
northwest to southeast landing strip - is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515
GMT).
Commander Mark Kelly and pilot Ken
Ham just completed a 2-minute, 35-second firing of Discovery's twin Orbital
Maneuvering System engines that began at 10:10 a.m. EDT (1410 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 289 feet/second (approx. 197 miles/hour).
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 north across Mexico,
Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula, crossing over the Gulf of Mexico to
the west of Cuba and then descending over Florida's Gulf Coast near Naples and
Marco Island on its final approach for landing.
NASA chief astronaut Steve Lindsey
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 scattered
clouds and evaluating the weather conditions that Discovery will encounter on
its approach and landing.
Click here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the
shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery's
STS-124 mission live on NASA TV. You are invited to follow the mission using SPACE.com’s
NASA
TV, feed, which is available by clicking
here or using the button at the left.
--
Roger Guillemette
Discovery 'Go' for Florida
Landing
14 June 2008 9:50 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mission managers have cleared
shuttle Discovery for an 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT) landing at the
Kennedy Space Center where weather conditions are near-ideal for the spaceplane's
return to Earth. Discovery will touch down on the first of today's two Florida
landing opportunities – a thickening deck of scattered clouds over the Space
Coast was of little concern to flight controllers as they are not producing any
precipitation.
Visibility is excellent and the
oft-troubling sea breeze is negligible this morning – alleviating any crosswind
issues as the Orbiter makes its landing approach.
Commander Mark Kelly and pilot Ken
Ham have been given the 'Go' to initiate the de-orbit burn at 10:10:12 a.m. EDT
(1410:12 GMT), culminating in a landing on Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing
Facility.
Discovery's twin Orbital Maneuvering
System engines will be fired for 2 minutes and 35 seconds, high above the
Indian Ocean, to slow the Orbiter's velocity sufficiently to begin its fiery
descent through Earth's atmosphere and a long, gliding approach to the 3-mile
long 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 across Mexico, Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula,
crossing over the Gulf of Mexico to the west of Cuba and then descending over
Florida's Gulf Coast near Naples and Marco Island on its final approach for
landing.
NASA chief astronaut Steve Lindsey
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 scattered
clouds for any signs of precipitation and evaluating the weather conditions
that Discovery will encounter on its approach and landing.
Click here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the
shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery's
STS-124 mission live on NASA TV. You are invited to follow the mission using SPACE.com’s
NASA
TV, feed, which is available by clicking
here or using the button at the left.
--
Roger Guillemette
Shuttle Crew Checks Systems for
Landing
14 June 2008 9:41.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Discovery shuttle commander Mark Kelly and his crew are
preparing their orbiter for its planned descent through the Earth’s atmosphere
for today’s
landing at 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT) at the Kennedy Space Center here.
They were slated to check the
gimbals for Discovery’s aft-mounted Orbital Maneuvering System engines and
start the Auxiliary Power Unit that will power the spacecraft’s flight control
surfaces for the hour-long glide to landing.
Some scattered clouds have broken
out above Discovery’s Shuttle Landing Facility here at the Kennedy Space
Center, but pose no threat to today’s landing, NASA said.
Entry flight director Richard Jones
is polling his team for a ‘go’ or ‘no go’ for the 10:10 a.m. EDT (1410 GMT) deorbit
engine burn that will propel Discovery back down to Earth.
Click
here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Suit up for
Landing
14 June 2008 9:00 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The seven astronauts aboard NASA’s space shuttle
Discovery are donning their bright orange pressure suits for today’s
11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT) landing here at the Kennedy Space Center.
At about 9:10 a.m. EDT (1310 GMT),
they are slated to strap themselves into the seats for today’s descent through
the Earth’s atmosphere. The 2-minute, 36-second engine burn to leave orbit is
set for 10:10 a.m. EDT (1410 GMT).
The weather continues to look good for
today’s landing, with NASA’s chief astronaut Steve Lindsey flying recon
approaches on Discovery’s Runway 15 strip.
Click
here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Near Perfect
for Shuttle Landing
14 June 2008 8:26 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The weather continues to be pristine on this clear
Saturday morning for today’s
shuttle landing here at the Kennedy Space Center.
With just a few clouds, light winds
and virtually non-existent crosswinds, the stage is set for the shuttle
Discovery’s 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT) landing on Runway 15 – commander Mark
Kelly’s preferred approach.
Visibility on the runway is now 10
miles, though rain showers are still expected later today during a second
landing opportunity at 12:50 p.m. EDT (1650 GMT).
Kelly and his six-astronaut crew are
set to don their bright orange launch/entry pressure suits at about 8:45 a.m.
EDT (1245 GMT) for today’s landing.
Click
here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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
Runway Set for Shuttle Landing
14 June 2008 8:07 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – After a detailed discussion, entry flight director
Richard Jones has settled on Runway 15 here at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for today’s
planned landing of the space shuttle Discovery.
The runway, a northwest to southeast
approach on NASA’s 3-mile Shuttle Landing Facility here, is the preferred site
for shuttle commander Mark Kelly.
Flight controllers were debating
whether to switch to Runway 33, a southeast to northwest approach on the same
strip, due to sun glare concerns, but chief astronaut Steve Lindsey found the
original approach acceptable during practice runs.
Click
here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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
14 June 2008 7:30 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Astronauts aboard the shuttle Discovery have closed the
shell-like payload bay doors of their spacecraft, a major milestone for today’s
planned landing at 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT) here at the Kennedy Space Center.
Meanwhile, NASA’s chief astronaut
Steve Lindsey has reported good weather conditions at Discovery’s runway here
at the space center. He is flying a NASA T-38 jet on landing approaches and
will later switch to a Shuttle Training Aircraft designed to mimic a landing
orbiter.
Click
here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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
Space Shuttle on Track for Landing
Today
14 June 2008 7:00 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The space shuttle Discovery is on track for its planned
landing here at the Kennedy Space Center today, with touchdown set for
11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT).
With an encouraging forecast ahead,
shuttle commander Mark Kelly and his crew are due to fire their spacecraft’s
engines at 10:10 a.m. EDT (1410 GMT) to begin the long descent back to Earth.
The next major milestone is payload
bay door closing, where the Kelly and his crew will shut the shell-like doors
of Discovery’s cargo bay, at about 7:30 a.m. EDT (1130 GMT).
Returning to Earth with Kelly are
shuttle pilot Kenneth Ham and mission specialists Karen Nyberg, Ronald Garan,
Michael Fossum,
Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and returning space
station crewmember Garrett Reisman. They are wrapping up a
14-day mission deliver a new crewmember and Japan’s $1 billion Kibo
lab to the International Space Station.
Click
here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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
14 June 2008 6:00 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The weather looks good for the first
landing opportunity today for NASA’s space shuttle Discovery.
Aside from light winds and a few
clouds, the runways at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center are pristine for today’s
planned landing at 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT). There is the slight possibility
of glare on Runway 15 at the center, though the Runway 33 approach appears to
be fine.
NASA’s chief astronaut Steve Lindsey
will be flying landing approaches on both runways to check the sun glare
conditions later today.
Discovery commander Mark Kelly just
said he prefers a landing on Runway 15 if the glare is minor, but will opt for
Runway 33 if required.
A second landing opportunity at
12:50 p.m. EDT (1650 GMT) does have a slight chance of nearby rain showers.
Click
here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Set up Seats for
Landing
14 June 2008 5:30 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The seven-astronaut crew of NASA’s shuttle Discovery
have set up the seats they will use for today’s planned
11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT) landing.
Returning to Earth aboard the
shuttle are shuttle commander Mark Kelly, pilot Kenneth Ham and mission
specialists Karen Nyberg, Ronald Garan, Michael Fossum,
Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and returning space
station crewmember Garrett Reisman.
The astronauts are ahead of schedule
and the weather is looking good for their initial landing attempt, which calls
on them to fire their spacecraft’s engines at 10:10 a.m. EDT (1410 GMT) over
the southern Indian Ocean, then fly over Central America on approach to its
Florida landing site here at the Kennedy Space Center.
Click
here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Awakes for Landing Day
14 June 2008 3:00 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The seven astronauts of NASA’s space shuttle Discovery
are awake for what is expected to be their
last day in orbit as they prepare for a planned 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT)
landing today.
NASA’s Mission Control in Houston
roused the shuttle’s STS-124 crew at about 2:32 a.m. EDT (0732 GMT) with the
song “Life on an Ocean Wave” by the Merchant Marine Academy band, a tune
selected for shuttle commander Mark Kelly and the entire crew.
“Good morning Houston, I want to
thank the staff, midshipmen and alumni Merchant Marine Academy for that song,”
Kelly said. “The mission’s coming to an end but it’s going to be good to get
home today.”
Today is Flight Day 15 of Discovery’s
planned 14-day mission deliver a new crewmember and
Japan’s $1 billion Kibo lab to the International
Space Station.
Click
here for a look at today’s landing day plan for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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’s Lost Metal Clip no Risk
for Landing
13 June 2008 11:36 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A lost metal clip drifting away from the space shuttle
Discovery poses no risk to the orbiter’s planned
landing tomorrow, Mission Control told the seven astronauts aboard the
spacecraft.
“We’re confident that this is going
to be no impact for entry,” NASA astronaut Terry Virts radioed
the crew, adding that similar clips have been lost on previous shuttle missions
all the way back to the first flight, STS-1, in 1981.
The clip is one of three used to
protect Discovery’s tail-mounted rudder speed brake against heat during launch,
and not required for landing, he said.
A small bump thought to be loose
insulation on the shuttle’s tail is actually just an artifact of lighting, Virts
added.
Neither problem poses any concern
for tomorrow’s planned Saturday landing at 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT) here at
the Kennedy Space Center.
Click
here for a look at today’s day in space for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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
Debris Appears to Pose No Problem
13 June 2008 10:55 a.m. EDT
Based on preliminary examination of photos taken this morning showing a piece
of debris floating away from the space shuttle Discovery, NASA mission managers
think it will pose no threat to the shuttle.
The debris appears to be one of
three small metallic thermal clips that reside in the shuttle's tail-mounted
rudder speed break. The roughly 1 to 1.5 foot piece of debris was spotted
floating away early this morning after the
shuttle test fired its thrusters.
"[It's not] considered to be a
critical item… So far it doesn’t appear to pose any concern for the safe return
of the astronauts to the Kennedy Space Center tomorrow," said NASA
commentator Rob Navias.
Mission managers also think the
small protuberance that was seen on the rudder this morning is a small piece of
thermal insulation associated with that clip. They also think this is unlikely
to cause problems for the shuttle.
Click
here for a look at today’s day in space for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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.
-- Clara Moskowitz
Astronauts Spot Debris Leaving
Shuttle
13 June 2008 8:00 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Discovery astronauts have completed their flight control
systems checks, but spotted bit of debris departing the departing the shuttle
after test
firing its thrusters.
The small, rectangular object was
seen floating away from the aft starboard wing of Discovery and appeared to be
about 1-1.5 feet long and shiny in nature.
“It is not yet known what that
object might be,” said NASA commentator Rob Navias, adding that it’s not
uncommon for objects to drift out of shuttle payload bay during flight control
systems checks.
Shuttle commander Mark Kelly later
reported the debris appeared to be leaving the orbiter at a rate of about 1
foot per second.
Astronauts noted a protrusion of
what appeared to be thermal insulation on Discovery’s tail-mounted speed brake.
They have sent images to Mission Control of the protrusion to Earth, though
flight controllers do not believe it represents a concern.
Click
here for a look at today’s day in space for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Wake for Last
Full Space Day
13 June 2008 4:00 a.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronauts aboard NASA’s shuttle Discovery are up and working
through what they plan to be their last full day in space as they gear
up for a planned Saturday landing.
NASA’s Mission Control in Houston
roused the crew at about 3:02 a.m. EDT (0702 GMT) with the song “Baby Won’t You
Please Come Home” by Louis Prima and Keely Smith, a tune selected for
returning space station astronaut Garrett Reisman by
his wife Simone. Reisman is returning to Earth aboard Discovery
after three months aboard the International Space Station.
"Good morning to you Houston
and a special good morning to Simone, my favorite Earthling," Reisman
said. "Get ready doll face, Discovery's
Discovery astronauts will test
shuttle systems for landing, stow final bits of cargo and set up a special seat
to help Reisman
endure the return to Earth’s gravity today. They’ll also discuss their mission
with reporters at about 11:52 a.m. EDT (1552 GMT).
Today is Flight Day 14 of
Discovery’s planned 14-day mission to deliver a new crewmember and Japan’s Kibo
lab to the space station.
Click
here for a look at today’s day in space for the shuttle crew.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Stow Shuttle’s Robotic
Arm
12 June 2008 2:23 p.m. EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — After taking
the morning off, astronauts aboard NASA’s space shuttle Discovery are
working to stow the orbiter’s 50-foot (15-meter) robotic arm as well as its
inspection pole as they prepare for a Saturday landing.
Mission specialists Karen Nyberg and
Ronald Garan
will place the arm in its sill-mounted cradle, where it will stay for the
remainder of NASA’s STS-124 mission. First, though, they are stowing the
orbiter’s sensor-tipped heat shield inspection boom on the other side of the
payload bay.
Earlier, all seven astronauts spoke
with reporters on Earth during a series of televised interviews.
“The whole experience turned out to
be more emotional than I’d expect,” shuttle pilot Ken Ham. “Seeing space
station out the window and realizing that it’s all very real and we’re part of
it, it’s a great time to be part of this country. It’s a pretty incredible
feeling.”
Click
here for a look Discovery’s day off in space.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Set for Orbital Day Off
12 June 2008 4:00 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON — The
seven astronauts aboard the shuttle
Discovery are up and eager a few hours to themselves today as they prepare
for a Saturday landing.
NASA’s Mission Control here at the
Johnson Space Center roused the astronauts at 3:32 a.m. EDT (0732 GMT) with the
song “Crystal Frontier” by the band Calexico, a tune chosen for shuttle
commander Mark Kelly by his wife Gabrielle Giffords, a
U.S. Congresswoman from Arizona, and his two daughters.
“Good morning, and
it’s a very good morning in space,” Kelly radioed Mission Control. “I’d like to
thank my wonderful wife Gabriele and kids Bonnie and Claire.”
Today is Flight Day 13 of
Discovery’s planned 14-day mission to deliver Japan’s Kibo lab and
a new astronaut to the International Space Station.
Click
here for a look Discovery’s day off in space today.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Begins to Inspect Heat
Shield
11 June 2008 11:12 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON — The seven astronauts aboard the shuttle
Discovery are beginning to use their laser-tipped inspection boom to scan
the vital heat-resistant panels along the orbiter’s wing edges and nose cap.
The heat shield survey is identical
to scans typically conducted on the second day of every shuttle mission, but
Discovery’s tour bus-sized cargo – Japan’s $1 billion Kibo lab – was
so massive the orbiter had to leave its inspection boom at home. A previous
shuttle crew left a storage boom aboard the station for Discovery’s crew.
Today’s survey is begin at about
11:12 a.m. EDT (1512 GMT) and last about five hours.
Discovery
undocked from the International Space Station at about 7:42 a.m. EDT (1142
GMT).
Click
here for a look Discovery’s undocking earlier today.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 to Pull Away from Space
Station
11 June 2008 9:04 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON — The shuttle Discovery is set to fire its engines to make the final
separation away from the International Space Station after today’s successful
undocking earlier today.
The maneuver is set for about 9:25
a.m. EDT (1325 GMT). Discovery undocked at 7:42 a.m. EDT (1142 GMT).
Shuttle pilot Ken Ham is still at
the helm.
“Discovery departing after a
successful mission to the International Space Station, leaving behind great
memories and a new hope with Kibo,” said station astronaut
Gregory Chamitoff,
as he rang the station’s bell in a naval tradition. “We’re sad to see you guys
go, but we look forward to seeing you guys on the ground.”
Click
here for a look the Tuesday farewell between the two crews.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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’s Space Station Lab Passes
Halfway Mark
11 June 2008 8:32 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON — The shuttle Discovery has passed the halfway mark of today’s lap
around the International Space Station, moving behind and now under the
orbiting lab.
Shuttle pilot Ken Ham will return to
his starting point, a waypoint ahead of the station’s bow, before pulling
Discovery above and away from the space station for a final departure.
Cameras aboard both spacecraft are
returning stunning views of the other.
Ham is reportedly using less
propellant than predicted with his deft handling of the shuttle, NASA
commentator Rob Navias reports.
Click
here for a look the Tuesday farewell between the two crews.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Begins Lap Around
Space Station
11 June 2008 8:12 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON —NASA astronaut Ken Ham has begun flying shuttle Discovery on a lap
around the station.
The shuttle pilot backed Discovery to
a point 400 feet away from the station before beginning the so-called flyaround,
and will guide the orbiter to a point 600 feet above the station before flying
behind, under and then back in front of the orbiting lab while his crewmates
snap photos.
“This is a great tradition that
started somewhere back in the early days of rendezvous-type missions with the
space shuttle,” Ham told reporters of the flyaround
before flight. “And whoever thought of it was brilliant.”
Click
here for a look the Tuesday farewell between the two crews.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Discovery Backs Away from
Space Station
11 June 2008 8:02 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON — With shuttle pilot Ken Ham at the helm, the shuttle Discovery is backing
away from the International Space Station to a point about 400 feet in front of
the orbiting lab.
The shuttle more than 243 feet away
from the station’s bow and pulling away after its on time 7:42 a.m. EDT (1142
GMT) undocking from the station.
Discovery launched May 31 and docked
June 2 to deliver Japan’s massive Kibo laboratory, attach its
attic-like storage module and swap out one member of the station’s crew.
Click
here for a look the Tuesday farewell between the two crews.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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
UNDOCKING! Shuttle Discovery Departs
Space Station
11 June 2008 7:42 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON — After
nine days of construction work, the seven-astronaut crew of NASA’s shuttle
Discovery has undocked from the International Space Station.
“Houston and station from Discovery, physical separation,” shuttle commander
Mark Kelly said as the shuttle undocked on time at 7:42 a.m. EDT (1142 GMT).
Shuttle pilot Ken Ham is in control
of the shuttle and it and the station fly 213 miles above the southern Pacific Ocean,
east of Australia.
Discovery’s crew delivered Japan’s Kibo
lab during three spacewalks and swapped out one member of the station’s
three-man crew.
“Okay, bye Mark, see you,”
station commander Sergei Volkov told Kelly.
“Sayonara,” Kelly said.
Discovery is set to land on Saturday
at 11:14 a.m. EDT (1614 GMT).
Click
here for a look the Tuesday farewell between the two crews.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Poised to Depart Space
Station
11 June 2008 7:32 a.m. EDT
HOUSTON — Just
minutes remain before today’s planned undocking of the shuttle Discovery from
the International Space Station.
Shuttle pilot Ken Ham is at the helm
and will guide the shuttle away from the station at 7:42 a.m. EDT (1142 GMT),
backing off to a distance of about 400 feet before beginning a victory lap of
sorts around the orbiting lab to allow his crewmates to photograph its
exterior.
Click
here for a look the farewell between the two crews.
NASA is broadcasting Discovery’s mission live 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 Commander: ‘Sayonara, S
