About Photo: A nearly full Moon sets as the space shuttle Discovery sits atop Launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.
Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
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Tank Topped Off, No Leak Found
Sunday, March 15, 2009
11:28 AM CDT
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Launch controllers found no signs of a leak when they opened the valve that releases evaporating hydrogen from Discovery's external fuel tank into a system that carries it safely away from the shuttle. With the fueling of the tank going well, the countdown is proceeding toward an on-time liftoff of Discovery on STS-119 this evening at 7:43pm.
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The vent line that controllers are watching was repaired following a leak that developed during Wednesday's fueling. That countdown was called off so technicians could inspect and repair a valve on the vent line. The vent line connects to the external tank during the countdown and falls away when the shuttle lifts off.
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The weather forecast remains at an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time.
Info from the NASA.gov website
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* Here’s a fun article I found today on the Space.com website. It starts off like this… A small bat appears to be trying to hitch a ride aboard the space shuttle Discovery from its perch on the spacecraft's attached external tank as NASA counts down to a planned Sunday evening launch… Mission managers said the tank-clinging fruit bat is unlikely to pose a risk for the shuttle, and will probably fly away when Discovery blasts off this evening at 7:43 p.m. EDT (2334 GMT) from Pad 39A here at Kennedy Space Center… "It's not expected to be a debris problem," NASA spokesman Mike Curie told SPACE.com. The bat is between one quarter and one third of the way up on the north side of the shuttle's huge orange external fuel tank, which is the side that faces away from the orbiter…
Read the full article at link below…
Bat Attempts to Stowaway on Space Shuttle
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From Saturday, March 14, 2009
2:07 PM CDT
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NASA managers said Saturday that space shuttle Discovery is ready for Sunday’s launch opportunity as repairs on a leaking gaseous hydrogen vent line are moving along smoothly.
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“I think we’re in really good shape,” said Mike Moses, chairman of the Mission Management Team that reviewed the shuttle’s readiness.
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Mike Leinbach, shuttle launch director, said the work to replace a suspect quick disconnect assembly on the launch pad is about three hours behind schedule, but that will not delay the countdown. Leak checks will be performed later tonight.
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“We feel really good and we’re really excited about launching tomorrow,” Leinbach said.
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The weather forecast continues to call for an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions, said Kathy Winters, shuttle weather officer.
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Launch controllers will begin preparing to pump fuel and oxygen into the external tank Sunday at 10:18 a.m. EDT. Launch time is 7:43 p.m.
Info from the NASA.gov website
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Here’s a little about the Discovery STS-119 Mission:
Commander Lee Archambault will lead Discovery's crew of seven, along with Pilot Tony Antonelli, and Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata on mission STS-119 to the International Space Station.
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Info from the NASA.gov website
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Watch Launch and Mission LIVE
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Photo credit: NASA TV
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POST UPDATE: 7:30pm CDT
WE HAVE LIFTOFF!!!
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Congratulations go out to those at NASA… responsible for this evenings beautiful… successful launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery STS-119
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With the Space Shuttle Discovery now well cleared of the Launch Tower… and finally in orbit, it will take Discovery about two days to catch up to the International Space Station.
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POST UPDATE:
Monday, March 16, 2009
09:16am CDT
STS-119 Crew Begins First Full Day in Space
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Following a picture perfect launch from the Kennedy Space Center Sunday evening, space shuttle Discovery is racing toward the International Space Station for its planned rendezvous and docking at 5:13 p.m. EDT on Tuesday.
A few hours after liftoff, Mission Control in Houston told Discovery's astronauts that the first look at ascent imagery showed no debris items of concern. The imagery review process will continue over the next several days and will be assessed by the Mission Management Team.
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The astronauts awoke at 10:13 a.m. beginning their first full day in space, officially known as Flight Day 2.
Info from the NASA.gov website
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Just in case you missed the Launch Sunday evening, are just wish to see it again, here’s your chance…
NASA'S SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAUNCHES TO FULLY POWER SPACE STATION
The following video is just under 10 minutes long
More info on Launch and Mission: Space shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 7:43 p.m. EDT Sunday to deliver the final set of power-generating solar array wings and a new crew member to the International Space Station.
Discovery's STS-119 flight is carrying the space station's fourth and final set of solar array wings, completing the station's truss, or backbone. The arrays will provide the electricity to fully power science experiments and support the station's expanded crew of six in May. The 13-day mission will feature three spacewalks to help install the S6 truss segment to the starboard, or right, side of the station and deploy its solar arrays. The flight also will replace a failed unit for a system that converts urine to potable water.
Shortly before launch, Commander Lee Archambault thanked the teams that helped make the launch possible. ."It's truly an honor to be part of this team representing NASA, the nation and the international partners," Archambault said. "See you in a couple of weeks."
Archambault is joined on STS-119 by Pilot Tony Antonelli and Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold, John Phillips and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata. Wakata will replace space station crew member Sandra Magnus, who has been aboard the station for more than four months. He will return to Earth during the next station shuttle mission, STS-127, targeted to launch in June 2009.
Former science teachers Acaba and Arnold are now fully-trained NASA astronauts. They are making their first journey to orbit on the mission and will to step outside the station to conduct critical spacewalking tasks.
Discovery's launch was postponed Wednesday, March 11, after a leak associated with the gaseous hydrogen venting system was detected during fueling. Technicians rebuilt and replaced seals and other components associated with the system. No leaks were detected during the Sunday's fueling.
Info/Video courtesy of NASA
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MISSION UPDATE:
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
9:35pm CDT
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Shuttle/Station Crews Begin Joint Operations
Swap Crew Members
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The Space Shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station at 5:20 p.m. EDT Tuesday, delivering the final truss segment and pair of U.S. solar arrays and a new crew member to take up residence aboard the growing orbital scientific complex.
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The shuttle and station crews opened hatches and greeted one another at 6:09 p.m., beginning more than a week of joint operations between the two crews. One of the first major tasks of the crews was to swap station crew member Sandra Magnus for Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata. The official swap occurred when a specially fitted seat liner was installed in the Soyuz crew vehicle. That swap at 9 p.m. signified the official designation change making Wakata an Expedition 18 flight engineer and Magnus a shuttle mission specialist.
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Prime business for the crews Wednesday will be to lift the truss segment out of Discovery’s payload bay with the shuttle robot arm and hand it off to the station’s mechanical arm for an overnight stay before Thursday’s permanent installation on the station.
Info from the NASA.gov website
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Note: I’ll be posting on the mission and all the spacewalks over the next few days so check back!!!
GOD SPEED to the Crew of STS-119 Discovery...
AubreyJ.........
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