STS-122 launch set for February 7

NASA - 1/11/08

NASA Friday announced Feb. 7 as the target launch date for shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission to the International Space Station and mid-March for the launch of Endeavour on STS-123. Liftoff of Atlantis from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., will be at 2:47 p.m. EST.

STS-120 Launch - Discovery in orbit

NASA has successfully launched STS-120, and Discovery is now in orbit.

Countdown Under Way for STS-120

"As the countdown clock continues ticking down toward space shuttle Discovery's 11:38 a.m. lift off on Tuesday, NASA managers overseeing the launch preparations at Kennedy Space Center in Florida said this morning that space shuttle Discovery and its payload are ready. The only problem on the horizon could be the launch-day weather, which still remains at 60 percent "go" for launch time Tuesday.

Discovery is scheduled to return to Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility at 4:47 a.m. Nov. 6."

More at NASA.

STS-118 Crew lands in Florida

Shuttle Endeavour and her crew glided to a safe landing at KSC this morning after a successful mission to the International Space Station.

More info on the STS-118 mission...

Atlantis' Launch Set For June 8th

"We're good to go," says Wayne Hale, Space Shuttle Program manager.

Launch Target: June 8

Launch Time: 7:38 p.m. EDT

The Moon, Mars, and Beyond

This video from NASA explains the exploration architecture of the many parts of the Constellation Program and shows the direction our country has chosen for the foreseeable future exploration of space.
Enjoy!


The Moon, Mars, and Beyond

NASA

Return to the Moon

This new movie style trailer is as well done as any Hollywood trailer. The promotional piece for NASA and probably more to follow should help excite and interest the younger generation who will actually be financially supporting and contributing to the the exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Originally released only to NASA employees and contractors in 2006, as a cheerleading tool, it apparently has been released (or leaked) to the public just recently. This version seems a bit shorter than the original employee/contractor release.
Enjoy!



Movie trailer - Return to the Moon

ISS Expedition 15 Launch

Balkonur Cosmodrome.
Less than 5 minutes to launch.
12:31 CDT: Liftoff. All launch systems operated perfectly, and about 10 minutes later, the Soyuz TMA 10 had safely reached preliminary orbit. More Expedition 15 info.

ISS Chemical Leak Stabilized, Cleaned Up

NASA
9/18/06
Crew Detects Odor; Atmosphere Recovery Efforts Under Way
"Shortly before 7:30 a.m. EDT, the International Space Station Expedition 13 crew reported an odor in the Zvezda Service Module and manually activated an alarm to begin emergency procedures. The source of the odor was quickly determined to be an apparent leak of potassium hydroxide in the station's Elektron oxygen generation system. Potassium hydroxide, or caustic potash, can be an irritant to crew members, but is not classified as a life-threatening toxin.
The crew donned surgical masks, goggles and gloves for protection from the apparently small leak. Continual measurements of the station atmosphere have indicated levels of any contaminants are very low. The crew also has begun a standard procedure to scrub the air onboard to ensure no potassium hydroxide vapors remain.
Expedition 13 Commander Pavel Vinogradov reported to Russian flight controllers at about 7:45 a.m. that the situation had stabilized and that he cleaned up a chemical near the Elektron oxygen generation system."
For updates on the ISS...

STS-115 Launches Wednesday at 11:29 CDT

"Atlantis (OV-104) was delivered to Kennedy Space Center in April 1985.
It lifted off on its maiden voyage on Oct. 3, 1985, on mission 51-J, the second dedicated Department of Defense flight. Later missions included the launch of the Galileo interplanetary probe to Jupiter on STS-34 in October 1989, and STS-37, with the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) as its primary payload, in April 1991."

Atlantis STS-115 mission
"Atlantis STS-115 mission resumes assembly of the International Space Station (ISS) with delivery of the Boeing [NYSE: BA] Port 3/Port 4 (P3/P4) truss segment and two power-producing solar arrays.
The 34,885-pound truss is the next major addition to the 11-segment integrated truss structure that eventually will span more than 300 feet and carry power, data and temperature control for the orbital outpost's electronics.
One of the unique elements of P3/P4 is the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, located between P3 and P4, which rotates 360 degrees every 90 minutes to keep the solar array wings oriented toward the Sun as the station orbits the Earth."

First Space Shuttle test flight 25 years ago was an American Engineering Triumph
overview, with 11 minute documentary video

First Female Private Space Ambassador?

First Female Private Space Explorer & Space Ambassador?
Anousheh Ansari, chairman and co.
-founder of Prodea Systems, Inc
client:SpaceAdventures.com

Anousheh Ansari, has been officially named to the Soyuz TMA-9 primary crew. The first female spaceflight participant will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on September 14, 2006 en route to the International Space Station (ISS) along with the Expedition 14 crew members: NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin.

In her down time, Mrs. Ansari will chat with ham radio operators and maybe even hold a news conference while she's in orbit 220 miles above Earth.
If I were in the State Department, I probably couldn't be sure what her political leanings were, and I might have some concern and maybe even be nervous about what messages she will be sending. Notice that her personal mission patch for the ISS has an Iranian Flag next to the American Flag.

Earlier today, the Iranian born, Plano, Texas citizen's webpage stated that one of her goals as the "first space ambassador" was, "...To promote peace and understanding as a representative for millions of Iranians that, given the right opportunities, can achieve their dreams."
This goal was excised from the website sometime this afternoon. Curious...
Could this be part of why there was concern about a "traffic jam" if the Shuttle was still docked when she arrived?
Is the title of "Space Ambassador" a self proclaimed annointment or is this quasi-official? Who does she represent? And who is she representing to?

From what I've read about her in the Texas press, she will probably have the grace and demeanor to not insert any sensitive political commentary into the program that might seem to undermine the cooperation of nations in space or on the earth.

Mission Accomplished

8:14 AM, CDT:
Discovery has just made a smooth landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, after a very successful mission to the International Space Station.

Congratulations to everyone involved with NASA and the space program!

ISS construction will resume after the August 28 launch of Atlantis, which will carry an 18 ton addition to the solar power generation system.

Discovery will return to space again on December 14, 2006

STS-121 Discovery / ISS undocking Saturday

Update Saturday, July 15, 2006
Undocking from the ISS was successfully completed on schedule, final inspections have been made, and some systems testing planned for Sunday, prior to Monday's planned landing.
NASA TV







STS-121 Discovery Schedule - Friday, July 14, 2006

Discovery is set to undock from the International Space Station at 6:08 a.m. EDT Saturday to begin the two-day trip back to Earth. Landing is set for 9:07 a.m. EDT Monday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.