Related News
NASA clears shuttle for launch, weather improving
Source: Agencies |
August 24, 2009, Monday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
NASA has cleared space shuttle Discovery for liftoff tomorrow, and the weather looks promising as long as thunderstorms stay away during fueling.
After meeting yesterday afternoon, managers decided Discovery is in good shape to fly to the international space station. A power controller issue - one had to be replaced a week ago in the shuttle - did not stand in the way of the launch.
The chairman of the mission management team, Mike Moses, said there is no way of knowing with certainty whether the new power controller in Discovery might break like the old one did. To minimize the risk of a power failure, some equipment will be left on longer than usual - rather than shutting it down and then turning it back on, he said.
Two other power controllers failed in the lab at Johnson Space Center earlier this summer, adding to NASA's concern. Engineers are comfortable with the workaround for Discovery, Moses said.
Forecasters, meanwhile, said there is an 80 percent chance the weather will cooperate for Discovery's 1:36 am liftoff (0536 GMT). That's better than previous forecasts.
But there is a 40 percent chance that thunderstorms could interfere with this afternoon's fueling. A fueling delay of more than three hours would bump the flight into the next day.
"Obviously, the weather is going to be one of our challenges," Moses told reporters.
Discovery and seven astronauts will deliver about 17,000 pounds of space station supplies and equipment. Three spacewalks are planned during the 13-day flight.
After meeting yesterday afternoon, managers decided Discovery is in good shape to fly to the international space station. A power controller issue - one had to be replaced a week ago in the shuttle - did not stand in the way of the launch.
The chairman of the mission management team, Mike Moses, said there is no way of knowing with certainty whether the new power controller in Discovery might break like the old one did. To minimize the risk of a power failure, some equipment will be left on longer than usual - rather than shutting it down and then turning it back on, he said.
Two other power controllers failed in the lab at Johnson Space Center earlier this summer, adding to NASA's concern. Engineers are comfortable with the workaround for Discovery, Moses said.
Forecasters, meanwhile, said there is an 80 percent chance the weather will cooperate for Discovery's 1:36 am liftoff (0536 GMT). That's better than previous forecasts.
But there is a 40 percent chance that thunderstorms could interfere with this afternoon's fueling. A fueling delay of more than three hours would bump the flight into the next day.
"Obviously, the weather is going to be one of our challenges," Moses told reporters.
Discovery and seven astronauts will deliver about 17,000 pounds of space station supplies and equipment. Three spacewalks are planned during the 13-day flight.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
