NASA decided to delay a few more hours, until 23.23 GMT today, the return to Earth of space shuttle Discovery, after two aborted attempts due to bad weather yesterday.
The U.S. space agency determined that since the bad weather conditions persist, will miss the first attempt to return, which would occur at 21.54 GMT at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Therefore, the aim is to use the second attempt, which shall take place at 23.23 hours GMT, according to NASA on their website.
In the event that the weather improves, NASA could choose to divert Discovery to Edwards based U.S. Air Force in California.
However, NASA prefers landing in Florida is made because the costs of transporting Discovery coast to coast may reach $ 1.7 million.
The delay in return another day added to the 13 planned for the STS-128 mission, which first involved two astronauts Hispanics: Johnny "Danny" Olivas and Jose Hernandez.
The main objective of the mission, which included three extravehicular activities, was to replace a huge tank of ammonia that is part of the cooling system of the International Space Station (ISS), which is inhabited by six astronauts.
The seven members of Discovery's mission to the ISS also carried food supplies and new equipment, including a refrigerator to preserve biological specimens and a second belt for physical exercise for astronauts.
Showing posts with label discovery in the space. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discovery in the space. Show all posts
Space debris passes just over a mile from the Discovery
The remains of a European Ariane rocket rose to 1.3 miles of the shuttle Discovery docked at the International Space Station, without its being a threat to the ships or the 13 astronauts who live there, according to NASA.
The U.S. space agency said the piece of rocket went from left to right above the ISS.
"The mission control team continues to observe the remains (Ariane), but these went as expected and are no longer of concern to the orbiting complex," said spokeswoman Nicole Cloutier Lemasters NASA.
Discovery and the ISS coupled orbit the Earth every 90 minutes at about 27,000 kilometers per hour at an altitude of about 385 miles.
The remains of the rocket, the Ariane 5 precisely, sent into space in 2006 for placement into orbit two communications satellites, passed by the orbiting complex at about 1407 GMT, the U.S. space agency said.
NASA watched for days the approximation of space debris to make sure not collide with the ISS and Discovery. A more dangerous form of litter would have required a move to escape through the engine on Discovery.
The U.S. space agency said the piece of rocket went from left to right above the ISS.
"The mission control team continues to observe the remains (Ariane), but these went as expected and are no longer of concern to the orbiting complex," said spokeswoman Nicole Cloutier Lemasters NASA.
Discovery and the ISS coupled orbit the Earth every 90 minutes at about 27,000 kilometers per hour at an altitude of about 385 miles.
The remains of the rocket, the Ariane 5 precisely, sent into space in 2006 for placement into orbit two communications satellites, passed by the orbiting complex at about 1407 GMT, the U.S. space agency said.
NASA watched for days the approximation of space debris to make sure not collide with the ISS and Discovery. A more dangerous form of litter would have required a move to escape through the engine on Discovery.
Shuttle approaches for docking space station
Astronauts aboard space shuttle Discovery approached the international space base which they hope to mate on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in a comprehensive review that was done to the shuttle were not detected signs of damage during liftoff.
Routine screening began on Saturday afternoon and lasted into the early hours of Sunday.
NASA officials said they were not detected objects emerging from the fuel tank and would have beaten the shuttle during launch of the spacecraft on Friday night.
However, the most vulnerable areas of the ship's wings and nose still must be inspected with lasers and cameras mounted on a rod attached to the robotic arm. The images were obtained were sent for analysis to the Control Center.
Some of the images were retained due to a problem in the feeding of digital television images, but early indications showed that the results of the first images appeared to be positive.
"Nothing stood out from what I saw," said flight director Tony Ceccacci.
In addition, the bottom of the shuttle will be photographed in detail by the inhabitants of the international space base on Sunday night, just before the two ships were assemble.
A hole in a wing caused the destruction of Columbia six years ago. Since then, NASA has maintained surveillance and revised their ships for damage suffered serious at takeoff.
The shuttle mission in two astronauts traveling Hispanic. carrying several tons of equipment and supplies to the international base, which now houses six astronauts and with the arrival of the seven who ride the shuttle, added 13, a record.
Meanwhile, in a comprehensive review that was done to the shuttle were not detected signs of damage during liftoff.
Routine screening began on Saturday afternoon and lasted into the early hours of Sunday.
NASA officials said they were not detected objects emerging from the fuel tank and would have beaten the shuttle during launch of the spacecraft on Friday night.
However, the most vulnerable areas of the ship's wings and nose still must be inspected with lasers and cameras mounted on a rod attached to the robotic arm. The images were obtained were sent for analysis to the Control Center.
Some of the images were retained due to a problem in the feeding of digital television images, but early indications showed that the results of the first images appeared to be positive.
"Nothing stood out from what I saw," said flight director Tony Ceccacci.
In addition, the bottom of the shuttle will be photographed in detail by the inhabitants of the international space base on Sunday night, just before the two ships were assemble.
A hole in a wing caused the destruction of Columbia six years ago. Since then, NASA has maintained surveillance and revised their ships for damage suffered serious at takeoff.
The shuttle mission in two astronauts traveling Hispanic. carrying several tons of equipment and supplies to the international base, which now houses six astronauts and with the arrival of the seven who ride the shuttle, added 13, a record.
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