Photo for the Day - May 10, 2011

* Photo for the Day *

- Atlantis Tribute -

This is a printable version [view link below] of Space Shuttle Atlantis' orbiter tribute, or OV-104, which hangs in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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In the lower-left corner, it features Atlantis soaring above Earth and threaded through the design are the mission patches for each of Atlantis' flights.

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Atlantis' accomplishments include seven missions to the Russian space station Mir and several assembly, construction and resupply missions to the International Space Station. Atlantis also flew the last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission on STS-125.

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In the tribute, the planet Venus represents the Magellan probe being deployed during STS-30, and Jupiter represents the Galileo probe being deployed during STS-34. The inset photos illustrate various aspects of shuttle processing as well as significant achievements, such as the glass cockpit and the first shuttle docking with Mir during STS-71.

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The inset photo in the upper-left corner shows a rainbow over Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A and shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy.

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Endeavour was the assigned vehicle had Atlantis' STS-125 mission needed rescue, and this was the last time both launch pads were occupied at the same time.

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The stars in the background represent the many people who have worked with Atlantis and their contributions to the vehicle's success.

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Five orbiter tributes are on display in the firing room, representing Atlantis, Challenger, Columbia, Endeavour and Discovery.

Graphic design credit: NASA/Amy Lombardo - NASA publication number: SP-2010-08-161-KSC

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AubreyJ.........

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Watch Discovery STS-133 Landing Live on NASA TV

Watch Space Shuttle Discovery STS-133

Landing Live on NASA TV

Discovery Crew Prepares for a Late

Wednesday Morning Landing

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As of Tuesday, March 08, 2011

08:25pm CST

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Space Shuttle Discovery’s crew is wrapping up final preparations for its planned Wednesday morning landing (weather permitting) at 10:57am CST at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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Landing Day Highlights

(All times CST)

5:53am	Deorbit Prep begins
7:12am	Payload Bay Doors Closing
7:22am	Mission Control: “Go” for Ops 3 Transition
8:29am	Clothing Configuration
8:52am	Seat Ingress
9:19am	OMS Gimbal Check
9:30am	Auxiliary Power Unit Prestart
9:42am	MCC “Go-No Go” Decision for the Deorbit Burn
9:47am	Maneuver to the Deorbit Burn Attitude
9:52am	Deorbit Burn
10:44am	Merritt Island, Fla., tracking station Acquisition of Signal from Discovery
10:57am	Landing at Kennedy Space Center

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Landing Ground Tracks

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* Join NASA Blogger Anna Heiney for updates from the Air Traffic Control Tower at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility. Live landing coverage will begin Wednesday morning early, (March 9^th) at 7:30am CST. Follow the latest info from orbit, Mission Control in Houston and the Shuttle Landing Facility right here at Kennedy.

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Discovery Crew Gets Ready for Landing

Wednesday March 09, 2011

Last updated: 02:43am CST

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Space Shuttle Discovery’s wakeup song for landing day was “Coming Home” by Gwyneth Paltrow, played for the entire crew and selected by the space station flight controllers in Mission Control. Commander Steve Lindsey and his five crew members will begin deorbit preparations a little before 6:00am CST for their planned landing at 10:57am CST at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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Discovery's Payload Bay Doors are Closed

07:22am CST

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Space Shuttle Discovery’s payload bay doors are closed and everything continues to proceed on schedule for this morning’s landing attempt.

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Weather currently is both forecast and observed “go.” Astronaut Rick Sturckow is flying weather reconnaissance at Kennedy Space Center, where winds are forecast to be high, but within limits for runway 15. Sturckow will fly runway approaches to assess conditions for Discovery’s landing. The winds from the southeast (130 degrees) are forecast to be 15 knots, peaking to 23 knots, providing a 10 knot crosswind and 21 knot headwind.

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At this time, winds are only six knots, peaking to 12 knots. End of mission weather flight rules state that daylight crosswinds may not exceed 15 knots, headwinds may not exceed 25 knots and tailwinds may not exceed 15 knots. Also, peak winds may not be greater than 10 knots over the average wind.

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At 8:22am, Mission Control is expected to give a “go” for Discovery’s computers to begin running the Ops 3 entry software. At 07:52am, a “go” is expected for crew suit up. The “go” for deorbit burn is expected by 09:32am.

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Deorbit burn is scheduled for 09:52am and will lead to a landing at 10:57am CST.

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* Deorbit Burn Complete *

- 09:53am CST -

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Discovery's Orbital Maneuvering System engines have fired as expected and Deorbit Burn is now complete.  This was a 2-minute, 31-second burn. Mission Control confirmed the success of burn right after the engines cut off.

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They’re Coming HOME!!!

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WELCOME HOME DISCOVERY!

11:00am CST

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Space Shuttle Discovery STS-133 has landed

and what a Beautiful Landing it was!!!

JOB WELL DONE...

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Discovery Lands for Final Time at 10:57 a.m. CST

11:08am CST

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About above image: Space Shuttle Discovery lands at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Image credit: NASA TV

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At 10:57am CST, Space Shuttle Discovery landed for the final time at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center after 202 orbits around Earth and a journey of 5,304,140 miles on STS-133.

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Discovery’s main gear touched down at 10:57:17 followed by the nose gear at 10:57:28am and wheels stop at 10:58am CST.  At wheels stop, the mission elapsed time was 12 days, 19 hours, four minutes and 50 seconds.

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A post-landing news conference with managers at Kennedy is expected no earlier than 1:00pm CST on NASA TV.

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 The participants will be Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations, Mike Moses, space shuttle launch integration manager, and Mike Leinbach, space shuttle launch director.

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STS-133 was the 39th and final flight for Discovery, which spent 365 days in space, orbited Earth 5,830 times and traveled 148,221,675 miles..

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Keep up with latest wrap-up of mission at links below...

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Watch Landing/Mission End LIVE
At NASA TV

Click HERE to view

ENJOY!!!

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Read latest up-to-date News about

Landing/Mission End

HERE

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Welcome Home again!

AubreyJ.........

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Above info/video/images taken from the NASA.gov website

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Photo for the Day - March 07, 2011

- Photo for the Day -

About above image: Space Shuttle Discovery performs its flyaround of the International Space Station as both spacecraft orbit over the Sahara Desert.

Image credit: NASA TV

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Discovery Separates from International Space Station

Monday, March 07, 2011

07:41am CST

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At 8:37am EST, Space Shuttle Discovery fired its jets to separate from the International Space Station for the final time, setting it on a course for its return to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:58am Wednesday.

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Ground tracks have been posted for Discovery's landing opportunities HERE.

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The Spaceflight Meteorology Group forecasts "go" conditions at Kennedy for Discovery's planned landing.

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At 9:58am NASA Television will air a video playback of undocking. The "late inspection" of Discovery's heat shield will commence at 11:13am and today's Mission Status Briefing will air at 1:30pm.

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Read latest up-to-date News about

Landing/General Mission Info

HERE

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STS-133 Flyaround

About this video: Space Shuttle Discovery performs a flyaround of the International Space Station after undocking at 7:00am EST today, Monday, March 7, 2011.

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Safe Landing!

AubreyJ.........

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Above Info/Images/Video taken from the NASA.gov website

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Photo for the Day - March 06, 2011

- Photo for the Day -

Saying Good-Bye - Final Farewells

About above image: The STS-133 and Expedition 26 crew members participate in a farewell ceremony...

Image credit: NASA TV

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* Latest up-to-date STS-133 Mission News *

- Hatches Closed Between Discovery and Station -

Sunday, March 06, 2011

3:25pm CST

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At 4:11pm EST, hatches were closed between Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station. The hatches between the two spacecraft were opened at 4:16 p.m. on February 26 and remained open for joint crew operations for a total of 7 days, 23 hours, and 55 minutes.

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Prior to hatch closure, the shuttle and station crews exchanged farewells. Discovery Commander Steve Lindsey thanked station Commander Scott Kelly for the hospitality. Kelly responded, “It was a very successful time onboard. We enjoyed having you as guests, we’re going to miss you, and we’re going to miss space shuttle Discovery. Discovery been a great ship and has really supported ISS more than any other shuttle and we wish her fair winds and following seas. Thank you.”

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Discovery’s six crew members will awaken to a special song with a surprise twist at 3:23am Monday, “Theme from Star Trek” by Alexander Courage. It was the runner-up in the wakeup song contest - https://songcontest.nasa.gov/.

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Discovery will undock from the station on Monday, March 7th at 7:03am EST and begin the ISS fly around at 7:33am EST.

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If all goes to plan...

Deorbit burn will occur Wednesday, March 9th at 10:55am EST.

Landing at Kennedy Space Center will follow at 11:58am EST.

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Safe Landing!

AubreyJ.........

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Photo for the Day - March 03, 2011

* Photo for the Day *

From Flight Day 7 - March 02, 2011

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Anchored to a Canadarm2 mobile foot restraint, STS-133 Mission Specialist Steve Bowen participates in the mission's second spacewalk as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. .Over the course of six hours and 14 minutes, Bowen and Mission Specialist Alvin Drew tackled a variety of tasks, including venting into space some remaining ammonia from a failed pump module they moved during the mission's first spacewalk.

.- More Flight Day 7 Images HERE -

Image credit: NASA

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* Latest up-to-date STS-133 Mission News *

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- Mission Extended an Additional Day -

Thursday, March 03, 2011

3:45pm EST

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Space Shuttle and International Space Station managers decided today to extend the STS-133 mission by an additional day, providing more time to unpack and outfit the Permanent Multipurpose Module and fill the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-2) with trash before its planned late-March undocking.

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At 3:3pm EST, shuttle Capcom Megan McArthur told Discovery Commander Steve Lindsey and station Commander Scott Kelly about the extension.

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With the added day, Discovery will undock from the station on Monday, March 7th at 7:03am EST and begin the ISS fly around at 7:33am EST.

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If all goes to plan...

Deorbit burn will occur Wednesday, March 9th at 10:55am EST.

Landing at Kennedy Space Center will follow at 11:58am EST.

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Above info/image taken from the NASA.gov website

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AubreyJ..........

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