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Science NASA launches Discovery shuttle; stops Ares 1 countdown
Science NASA launches Discovery shuttle; stops Ares 1 countdown | NASA launches Discovery shuttle; stops Ares 1 countdown |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Sunday, 30 August 2009 | |
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Science DiscussionsThe STS-128 crew of the space shuttle Discovery is headed to the International Space Station (ISS) to deliver a new member to the ISS Expedition crew, along with supplies and equipment. The Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) is stored inside the cargo bay of Discovery. Upon reaching the space station, it will be temporarily installed on the station so that storage racks, science racks, a freezer, new sleeping compartments, an air purification system, and a treadmill called COLBERT can be transferred to the station. The COLBERT treadmill is named for comedian Stephen Colbert, after the name received the most votes in a NASA contest to name the station’s newest node (Node 3). However, NASA decided to name the node Tranquility instead, deciding however to name the new treadmill COLBERT. Three spacewalks, or extravehicular activities (EVAs) are planned for the thirteen-day mission. The EVAs will involve installing a new ammonia storage tank (and placing the old into the shuttle’s cargo bay) and replacing experiments outside of the Columbus laboratory (which is provided by the European Space Agency). The crew of STS-128 consists of commander Fred Sturckow, pilot Kevin Ford, and mission specialists Pat Forrester, Jose Hernandez, Danny Olivas and European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang. NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, also a member of the STS-128 crew, will replace Tim Kopra as a member of the ISS Expedition 20 crew. Kopra will return home onboard Discovery. Page two talks about the cancelation of the first complete firing test for the new Ares 1 rocket. |
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