Sep 16 2010
From The Space Library
MEDIA ADVISORY: M10-175
NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY ROLLS OFF LAUNCH PAD TUESDAY
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to roll back from Launch Pad 39A to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for additional work related to its final scheduled mission. The first motion of the shuttle is targeted for 12:30 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Dec. 21. In the VAB, technicians will scan below the foam insulation surrounding the intertank section of Discovery's external tank to look for any issues, such as cracks. They also will reapply foam after removing 89 sensors from the tank's aluminum skin following an instrumented tanking test on Dec. 17. The sensors were used to measure changes in the tank as super-cold propellants were pumped in and drained out during the test. Data and analysis from the test will be used to determine what caused the tops of two, 21-foot-long support beams, called stringers, on the outside of the intertank to crack during fueling on Nov. 5. Discovery's next launch attempt is no earlier than 1:37 a.m. on Feb. 3 The fully assembled space shuttle, consisting of orbiter Discovery, the external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters, is mounted on a mobile launcher platform and will be returned to the VAB atop a crawler transporter. The crawler will travel slower than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey, which is expected to take about six hours. Video highlights of the rollback will air on the NASA Television Video File segment Tuesday. Media are invited to a photo opportunity of the shuttle's move back into the VAB. Reporters must arrive at Kennedy's News Center by 6 a.m. for transportation to the viewing area. As dates and times of this event are subject to change, updates are available at 321-867-2525. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
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MEDIA ADVISORY: M10-016
NASA SETS SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR PRELAUNCH EVENTS AND COUNTDOWN DETAILS
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- News conferences, events and operating hours for the news center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are set for the upcoming launch of space shuttle Endeavour. The shuttle's STS-130 mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to lift off at 4:39 a.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 7. STS-130 is the final scheduled shuttle night launch. Detailed countdown milestones, news briefing times and participants, and hours of operation for Kennedy's news center and media credentialing office are available at: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news A NASA blog will provide countdown updates beginning at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6. Originating from Kennedy, the blog is the definitive Internet source for information leading up to launch. During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle Web site can read about the crew's progress and watch the mission's three spacewalks live. As Endeavour's flight concludes, the NASA blog will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog and continuous mission updates, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated during the launch countdown, mission and landing. To follow, visit: http://www.twitter.com/NASA STS-130 astronaut Nicholas Patrick will be tweeting about his pre-launch preparations and providing updates to his Twitter account during the shuttle mission. Follow Patrick at: http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Nicholas For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv Endeavour's flight begins the final year of shuttle operations. Five missions are planned in 2010, with the final flight targeted for launch in September.
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