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SS Discovery - COMING HOME!

guyver01

guyver01

Lifer
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/space-shuttle-launch-update-100402.html

After Discovery's flight, three shuttle missions remain to finish outfitting the orbital outpost.

All times are EST.

April 5, Monday
1:15 a.m. – STS-131 Launch Coverage Begins (Launch is scheduled for 6:21 a.m.) – KSC/JSC (Public and Media Channels)

7:30 a.m. – STS-131 Post-Launch News Conference – KSC (Public and Media Channels)

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when the space shuttles get decommisioned, what does NASA have to replace them?

or are we then relying on the Russians to get us to the space station?
 
JEDI said:
when the space shuttles get decommisioned, what does NASA have to replace them?

or are we then relying on the Russians to get us to the space station?
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NASA had planned on Project: Constellation to replace the shuttle fleet, but that was killed when funding was left out of the 2011 US Government budget.

There's supposed to be a Space Conference on April 15th to discuss alternatives.. but not very hopeful.

Until then, we need to hitch a ride with Russia.
 
Here are some Mission "facts"

162nd American manned space flight
131st shuttle mission since STS-1
136th shuttle mission overall
38th flight of Discovery
33rd shuttle mission to the ISS
106th post-Challenger mission
18th post-Columbia mission
35th night launch of a shuttle, 22nd night launch from launch pad 39A

This will be the final Space Shuttle mission that contains one or more "rookie" astronauts; the missions after this will have all-veteran crews.

STS-131 will be only the third mission in the Space Shuttle program to carry three female astronauts.

this mission has the most payloads since STS-107
 
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It rattled my house pretty bad. Left a beautiful exhaust trail in the sky for almost an hour after launch.
 
I'd love to see a shuttle launch.
That will never be possible, especially since the next three will certainly not occur in a timeframe where I'll be able to go to Florida.
 
So this is it for the program after almost 30 years. :\

Space Shuttle Launch Schedule

Date: May 14 +
Mission: STS-132
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Atlantis
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center - Launch Pad 39A
Launch Time: 2:28 p.m. EDT
Description: Space shuttle Atlantis mission will carry an integrated cargo carrier to deliver maintenance and assembly hardware, including spare parts for space station systems. In addition, the second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia, a Mini Research Module, will be permanently attached to the bottom port of the Zarya module.

Date: July 29 +
Mission: STS-134
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Endeavour
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center - Launch Pad 39A
Launch Time: 7:51 a.m. EDT
STS-134 Description: Space shuttle Endeavour will deliver an EXPRESS Logistics Carrier-3 (ELC-3) and an Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the International Space Station.

Date: Sept. 16 +
Mission: STS-133
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Discovery
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center - Launch Pad 39A
Launch Time: 11:57 a.m. EDT
STS-133 Description: Space shuttle Discovery will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier 4 (ELC4), a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MLPM) and critical spare components to the International Space Station.
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Tickets

Launch Viewing from Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
$38 adult/$28 child (ages 3-11) plus tax

NASA Causeway Launch Viewing Transportation Admission Package
$56 adult/$46 child (ages 3-11)plus tax

Space shuttle launch viewing tickets are currently not available for purchase. For more information, call the Reservation Center at 1-866-737-5235.
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I managed to make it to KSC for the launch of STS-124 on May 31st 2008. It was a dream come true & certainly worth the waking up early & all the waiting in lines!
 
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The first landing opportunity into Kennedy Space Center would have Discovery cutting straight through the U.S. heartland: crossing over Vancouver Island and southern Alberta, then down over the northern border of Montana and North Dakota, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., Chicago, Indianapolis, eastern Kentucky and eastern Tennessee, the western portion of the Carolinas, eastern Georgia and out over the Atlantic east of Jacksonville and down toward Cape Canaveral.

It would be the first time since 2007 that a space shuttle has descended over so much of the United States.

NASA typically prefers bringing a shuttle home from the southwest, up over the South Pacific, Central America and the Gulf of Mexico. That way, there's minimal flying over heavily populated areas.

NASA: http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/
 
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Sad to think that in a couple of years I'll be looking back and thinking "I remember when we had a manned spaceflight program" 🙁
 
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