Shuttle Discovery’s astronauts are in the midst of a two-day project to unload and unpack the last truss segment and last set of solar arrays at the International Space Station.
I didn’t know until now that these solar arrays were actually the first constructed for the station. They’ve been tested repeatedly on Earth prior to their packing and launch for this flight. Hopefully their installation and deployment are done without incident.
NASA’s space shuttle Discovery successfully launched yesterday and is on its way to the International Space Station. Crew members will install another set of solar panels, deliver a replacement for a urine recycling station and perform other tasks. This is officially shuttle flight STS-119.
NASA’s space shuttle Discovery was moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building yesterday. Discovery’s mission, STS-119, is to install the final truss segement and the International Space Station’s final pair of solar panels. Launch is scheduled for Feb. 12 and is expected to last 14 days.
SpaceX has begun assembly of its first rocket at Cape Canaveral, FL. The company wants to launch 5 rockets this year: a maiden flight sponsored by a U.S. government customer that the company will not name and two demonstration flights under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. The demo flights are intended to prove that SpaceX is ready to begin making regular cargo runs to the International Space Station under a $1.6 billion contract NASA awarded a few weeks ago.
