Links and information concerning NASA's plans to return the grounded space shuttle fleet to flight status. The entire fleet was grounded early in 2003 after the space shuttle Columbia broke up during reentry.
Engineers are moving closer to resolving the problem of large foam insulation falling off space shuttle external fuel tanks during launch. A "tiger team" is making recommendations addressing the factors that may have contributed to foam loss when the space shuttle Discovery (STS-114) was launched in July.
NASA is now targeting March 2006 for the next Space Shuttle mission, STS-121. This will be the second test flight to the International Space Station in the Shuttle Return to Flight series. A pair of "Tiger Teams" continues to investigate the External Tank foam loss during Discovery's launch on July 26. William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for Space Operations, says the teams have identified the major areas of concern and are making good progress on dealing with the problems.
Five of the seven Return to Flight crew members spoke to reporters during a press conference from Edwards Air Force Base in California. The two missing astronauts - Andy Thomas and Wendy Lawrence - were delayed due to late-running, post-flight medical tests. Commander Eileen Collins opened the briefing speaking of the team's excitement over coming home. "It's absolutely fantastic being back here on planet Earth," said Collins.
During the return to flight mission, STS-114, crewmembers of the Space shuttle Discovery have resupplied the international Space Station, held a memorial for their fallen fellow astronauts from the Space Shuttle Columbia STS-107 Mission, and performed historic spacewalks to repair the ISS and Discovery. Now, they have returned the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module to Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay and are ready to come home.
STS-114’s third spacewalk featured the first-ever on-orbit repair of a Space Shuttle’s heat shield and attachment of a stowage platform onto the Station. The heat shield repair efforts occurred quickly and just as planned on Space Shuttle Discovery’s underbelly. STS-114 Mission Specialist Steve Robinson removed gap fillers that were protruding from two areas between heat-shielding tiles on Discovery. Robinson gently tugged the gap fillers until they came out.
Adminstrator Griffin's Statement concerning foam loss on space shuttle Discovery: NASA engineers are evaluating the loss of a large piece of insulation foam from the Space Shuttle Discovery’s external fuel tank during Tuesday's launch. Based on initial assessments, the foam -- which appears to measure approximately 24 to 33 inches long, 10 to 13 inches wide and 2-1/2 to 8 inches thick - was seen by high-resolution camera equipment added to the Shuttle system after the loss of Columbia in 2003.
It is a busy day for the STS114 crewmembers as Space Shuttle Discovery continues to close in on the International Space Station.
Inspections of Discovery's heat shield began this morning about 5:40 a.m. EDT. Crewmembers are using cameras and a special boom on the robot arm to inspect Discovery's wings, nose cap, and crew cabin. Also, crewmembers are slated to use handheld cameras to inspect tiles on the Orbital Maneuvering
At the end of Flight Day 1, STS-114 Commander Eileen Collins delivered a message before signing off for the night. "On the evening of our first day in space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery," Collins said, "the STS-114 crew would like to send our thanks to the teams who've worked so hard over the past two and a half years to return the fleet to orbit. Our thanks go out to all the managers, the engineers, the technicians and everyone. Give yourselves a pat on the back. This is work well done."
After a delay of several days due to recent problems related to a liquid hydrogen low-level fuel sensor inside the external fuel tank, Space Shuttle Discovery launched this morning at 10:39 AM EST. Since then, engineers have been working around-the-clock on troubleshooting the sensor system issue.
NASA gave the green light for a launch attempt Tuesday for Space
Shuttle Discovery on its Return to Flight mission (STS-114). Launch is scheduled for 10:39 a.m. EDT, and it will be carried live on NASA TV. Senior NASA managers met Sunday at Kennedy Space Center for a launch readiness meeting. Discussions focused on recent problems related to a liquid hydrogen low-level fuel sensor inside the external fuel tank, which prompted postponement of the Shuttle's launch on July 13.
NASA released the names of the Stafford-Covey Return to Flight Task Group (RTFTG). The Task Group, initially announced by the agency on June 13, will perform an independent assessment of NASA's actions to implement the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB).
The STS-114 crew, augmented by three new members, is in place for the Space Shuttle's Return to Flight mission. Three Mission Specialists have been added to the four astronauts already in training for the STS-114 mission planned for launch no earlier than September 2004.
