Category: Space Shuttle

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NASA’s space shuttle discovery launched successfully from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base at 7:43 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday, under flawless skies and without a single significant complication, despite past issues that had postponed the launch no less than five times.

Less than a minute after leaving the launch pad, Discovery was traveling 365 miles (578 kilometers) per hour. Less than two minutes after that, the craft was speeding away at 1,100 miles (17,000 kilometers) per hour and climbing, toward the International Space Station.

All three main engines performed perfectly throughout Discovery’s flight. Eight minutes after launch,  the twin solid rocket boosters burned out and fell away as the craft was traveling 17,500 miles (28,000 kilometers) an hour. 

Now that it’s orbiting Earth, it will take Discovery about two days to catch up to the International Space Station. 

Early Sunday afternoon, Launch Director Mike Leinbach sent a “red team” to launch pad 39A to manually correct a valve issue that caused a drop in helium pressure. But following that minor adjustment, NASA encountered no issues to delay the launch. 

In fact, the weather improved as the day went on. Original weather predictions had been 80 percent favorable for launch, but by 6 p.m. that prediction had been upgraded to 100 percent. 

Discovery’s payload includes technology to boost the station’s power capacity in line with doubling the size of the ISS crew from three to six in May.

The set of solar arrays that the STS-119 crew will be bringing up includes two solar array wings, each of which has two 115-foot-long arrays, for a total wing span of 240 feet, including the equipment that connects the two halves and allows them to twist as they track the sun. Altogether, the four sets of arrays can generate 84 to 120 kilowatts of electricity – enough to provide power for more than 40 average homes. Since the three existing arrays can handle the majority of the station’s day-to-day operational and life support needs, the newest solar array will double the amount of power available for scientific research. 

The Discovery crew has been bouncing between NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, in Florida, and the Johnson Space Center in Houston since late January; the first launch attempt was scheduled for early February. But four times, managers rescheduled the launch based on their concern following a hydrogen control valve malfunction on the shuttle Endeavour last fall. They wanted to rule out any similar glitches on Discovery.

Things were looking good for the fifth attempt on Wednesday — when skies would have been clear across much of the east coast — but a leak during refueling led to another cancellation.

Fueling of Discovery’s tank — with nearly 500,000 gallons of chilled liquid oxygen and hydrogen propellants  — went off Sunday morning without a hitch. 

Discovery’s flight is STS-119, but NASA has actually flown 131 missions with shuttles. Under the Obama administration, the shuttle program is expected to retire next year.

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With just over four hours to go before launch, NASA is 80 percent optimistic that tonight’s Discovery launch will be a go — with the weather holding the only foreseeable wild card. Launch time is 7:43 p.m. local time (EDT) from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. 

Unfortunately for east coast skywatchers, a storm system that’s been dumping rain all weekend will obstruct a view of the launch that would otherwise be a beauty, as the shuttle will cruise northeast over the ocean nearly parallel to the shore. Without the clouds, the launch would have been visible as far west as the Appalachian Mountains, and as far north as the southern tip of Nova Scotia. 

But Florida’s weather is looking promising, partly cloudy (and 80 degrees at the time of this post) with an 80 percent chance of cooperating with the launch.

7:20 p.m. (EDT) update: With less than a half hour to go, daylight is fading under clear skies in Florida. Earlier, the weather forecast improved from 80 percent to 100 percent favorable for launch. NASA is reporting no problems.

The Discovery crew members are set to fly a new truss segment to the International Space Station and install the final set of power-generating solar arrays, boosting the station’s power capacity and paving the way for doubling the size of the ISS crew from three to six.

The Discovery crew has been bouncing between NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, in Florida, and the Johnson Space Center in Houston since late January; the first launch attempt was scheduled for early February. But four times, managers rescheduled the launch based on their concern following a hydrogen control valve malfunction on the shuttle Endeavour last fall. They wanted to rule out any similar glitches on Discovery.

Things were looking good for the fifth attempt on Wednesday — when skies would have been clear across much of the east coast — but a leak during refueling sent up another red flag. 

Understandably, this morning’s fueling was a bit tense. But for three hours beginning at 10:20 EDT, nearly 500,000 gallons of chilled liquid oxygen and hydrogen propellants flowed into Discovery’s external tank without incident. 

Two irregularities have been reported so far this afternoon: a bat was found clinging to Discovery’s external tank, and Launch Director Mike Leinbach sent a “red team” to launch pad 39A to manually correct a valve issue that caused a drop in helium pressure. 

Neither issue is expected to interfere with launch.

Stay tuned for updates, either to this post or a new one.

LEAD IMAGE CAPTION: NASA’s Discovery shuttle pictured under a full moon on Wednesday, when its fifth launch attempt was scrapped. Tonight marks the sixth. NASA/Bill Ingalls

Source: NASA

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After four delays in a month’s time, NASA’s Discovery shuttle will finally depart the Kennedy Space Center at 9:20 p.m. local time on Wednesday, March 11. 

Discovery’s STS-119 mission will carry two new solar array wings, which will increase the station’s solar power capacity so it might support a larger crew. Launch was initially set for early February, but managers were worried following a malfunction of hydrogen control valves on the shuttle Endeavour last fall. They wanted to rule out any similar glitches on Discovery.

Discovery’s launch date was announced following a flight readiness review earlier today. During the meeting, top NASA and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and determined the shuttle’s equipment, support systems and procedures are ready.

On the resolution of the shuttle’s flow control valve issue, John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program manager said, “This is one of those problems requiring a lot of work. It was a little premature before today. The signs were there that we were safe, but the teams went off and came up with definitive data to prove it.”

Mike Leinbach, Space Shuttle launch director, added that from a processing standpoint, the shuttle is in good shape. “It feels good to be here with a firm launch date. I saw a lot of people after the meeting and the mood is really upbeat,” he said.

The launch countdown clock will begin at the T-43 hour mark at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Also on Sunday, Discovery’s astronauts are scheduled fly from their home base in Houston, arriving in arriving in Florida by mid-afternoon.

Source: NASA