Aug 30 2009
From The Space Library
Commander Frederick W. “Rick” Sturckow docked Discovery with the ISS, relying solely on the Shuttle’s powerful primary jet thrusters, marking the first occurrence of this type of docking. All six of the Shuttle’s small nose-and-tail steering thrusters were incapacited when a single forward jet failed, prompting NASA to shut down both of Discovery’s small forward jets, as well as the four small thrusters in the orbiter’s tail. NASA had taken these measures because of concern that toxic rocket propellant could spray onto the ISS solar wings, reducing the wings’ ability to produce power. LeRoy E. Cain, Chair of NASA’s Mission Management Team, explained that, although flying the Shuttle with only the primary jets presented a challenge, NASA had fully certified the alternative docking mode and had trained all crews headed for the ISS for that possibility. NASA commentator Rob Navias described Sturckow’s approach and docking as “textbook,” saying that the “entire rendezvous and docking was smooth as silk.”12
Todd Halvorson, “Skipper Nails Tricky Move,” Florida Today (Brevard, FL), 31 August 2009.
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