NASA has begun counting down to the launch of space shuttle Discovery's final mission to the International Space Station. The 39th flight of NASA's most flown shuttle is scheduled to last 11 days, beginning at 4:50 pm EST on Feb. 24 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA's weather forecasts expect 80 percent chance of acceptable or favorable conditions at the launch time. The 11-day final flight will involve six-member crew delivering a storage module, a science rig and spare parts to the international space station.
The crew astronauts includes Commander Steve Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Steve Bowen, Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott. They will be accompanied by Robonaut 2 (R2), the first human-like android.
Bowen and Drew will conduct two spacewalks to install new components and perform maintenance. For both spacewalks, Bowen will be designated extravehicular crew member 1 (EV1), and will wear the suit bearing red stripes. Drew, who will be making his first two spacewalks on STS-133, will be extravehicular crew member 2 (EV2) and will wear the unmarked suit.
Discovery has flown more than any other shuttle with 38 flights, completed 5,247 orbits and has spent 322 days in orbit. Discovery's current flight will be its 39th and final voyage into space before NASA retires its orbiter fleet later this year.
After the orbiter has retired, NASA will offer Discovery to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum for public display and preservation as part of the national collection.
Discovery is scheduled to land on March 7 at 11:50 am EST at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At the time of its landing, Discovery would have traveled more than 143 million miles over the course of 26 years.
This image of space shuttle Discovery's orbiter tribute, or OV-103, hangs in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Discovery's accomplishments include the first female shuttle pilot, Eileen Collins, on STS-63, John Glenn's legendary return to space on STS-95, and the celebration of the 100th shuttle mission with STS-92. In addition, Discovery supported a number of Department of Defense programs, satellite deploy and repair missions and 13 International Space Station construction and operation flights.The tribute features Discovery demonstrating the rendezvous pitch maneuver on approach to the International Space Station during STS-114. Having accumulated the most space shuttle flights, Discovery's 39 mission patches are shown circling the spacecraft.The background image was taken from the Hubble Space Telescope, which launched aboard Discovery on STS-31 and serviced by Discovery on STS-82 and STS-103. The American flag and bald eagle represent Discovery's two Return to Flight missions -- STS-26 and STS-114 -- and symbolize Discovery's role in returning American astronauts to space. Five orbiter tributes are on display in the firing room, representing Atlantis, Challenger, Columbia, Endeavour and Discovery.NASAAs dawn breaks over the Atlantic Ocean near Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a banner proclaims the sentiments of the work force at Kennedy Space Center following the rollout of space shuttle Discovery to the pad. Discovery is set to launch Feb. 24, 2011 on the STS-133 mission.Discovery's launch will occur 6 hours after the planned docking of the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle-2 "Johannes Kepler" to the space station.NASA is predicting good weather and the current weather forcast calling for an 80 percent chance of favorable and acceptable conditions on the launch date.NASAAt NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 pose for a photo on the Shuttle Landing Facility runway after arriving in T-38 jets.From left, are Mission Specialists Nicole Stott, Michael Barratt, Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew, Pilot Eric Boe, and Commander Steve Lindsey.The STS-133 crew members arrived Sunday by about 3:45 pm EST at the Shuttle Landing Facility runway at Kennedy Space Center. The crew made brief statements to media and then headed off to begin their prelaunch activities.NASAAt NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey talks with NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden and Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana on the Shuttle Landing Facility runway after arriving aboard a T-38 jet. NASASpace shuttle Discovery's STS-133 crew arrived on the Shuttle Landing Facility runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard four T-38 jets.The 11-day final flight will involve six-member crew delivering the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) to the station. The PMM was converted from the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo and will provide additional storage for the station crew. Experiments in such fields as fluid physics, materials science, biology and biotechnology may be conducted inside the module.The PMM will also carry Robonaut 2, the first human-like robot in space which will become a permanent resident of the station. Cocooned inside an aluminum frame and foam blocks cut out to its shape, R2 is heading to the station inside the Permanent Multipurpose Module in space shuttle Discovery's payload bay.In addition, the flight will deliver critical spare parts and the Express Logistics Carrier 4, an external platform that holds large equipment.NASARobonaut2 – or R2 for short – is the next generation dexterous robot, developed through a Space Act Agreement by NASA and General Motors. It is faster, more dexterous and more technologically advanced than its predecessors and able to use its hands to do work beyond the scope of previously introduced humanoid robots.It will be the first humanoid robot in space, and although its primary job for now is teaching engineers how dexterous robots behave in space, the hope is that through upgrades and advancements, it could one day venture outside the station to help spacewalkers make repairs or additions to the station or perform scientific work.NASARobonaut2 surpasses previous dexterous humanoid robots in strength, yet it is safe enough to work side-by-side with humans. It is able to lift, not just hold, this 20-pound weight (about four times heavier than what other dexterous robots can handle) both near and away from its body.R2, as the robot is called, will launch inside the Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module, which will be packed with supplies and equipment for the station and then installed permanently on the Unity node.Once R2 is unpacked – likely several months after it arrives – it will initially be operated inside the Destiny laboratory for operational testing, but over time, both its territory and its applications could expand.NASAChris Ihrke, senior project engineer for General Motors, works with the new dexterous humanoid robot developed by NASA and General Motors at Johnson Space Center.In February 2010, R2 was unveiled – a faster, more dexterous, more technologically advanced dexterous humanoid robot than had ever been seen before. Its potential was quickly recognized and space was made on one of the few remaining shuttle missions to provide it a ride to the space station. There, it will make both history as the first humanoid robot in space, and progress as engineers get their first look at how a humanoid robot actually performs in the absence of gravity.NASASpace shuttle Discovery slowly rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building and heads toward Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.The slow trek, known as "rollout," takes the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform atop a crawler-transporter, about seven hours to complete. This is the second time Discovery has rolled out to the pad for the STS-133 mission, and comes after a thorough check and modifications to the shuttle's external tank. NASAXenon lights illuminate space shuttle Discovery as it makes its nighttime trek, known as "rollout," from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.It takes the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform, about seven hours to complete the move atop a crawler-transporter. This is the second time Discovery has rolled out to the pad for the STS-133 mission, and comes after a thorough check and modifications to the shuttle's external tank.When first flown in 1984, Discovery became the third operational orbiter, and is now the oldest orbiter in service. Discovery has flown 38 flights, completed 5,247 orbits, and has spent 322 days in orbit.NASAXenon lights illuminate space shuttle Discovery as it makes its nighttime trek, known as "rollout," from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.It takes the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform, about seven hours to complete the move atop a crawler-transporter. This is the second time Discovery has rolled out to the pad for the STS-133 mission, and comes after a thorough check and modifications to the shuttle's external tank. NASAXenon lights illuminate space shuttle Discovery and create a mirror image in the Turn Basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as the space vehicle rolls out to Launch Pad 39A from the Vehicle Assembly Building.It takes the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform, about seven hours to complete the move atop a crawler-transporter. This is the second time Discovery has rolled out to the pad for the STS-133 mission, and comes after a thorough check and modifications to the shuttle's external tank.Discovery is the orbiter fleet leader, having flown more flights than any other orbiter in the fleet, including four in 1985 alone. Discovery flew all three 'return to flight' missions after the Challenger and Columbia disasters: STS-26 in 1988, STS-114 in 2005, and STS-121 in 2006.NASASpace shuttle Discovery arrives at Launch Pad 39A from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.It took the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform, about seven hours to complete the move atop a crawler-transporter. This is the second time Discovery has rolled out to the pad for the STS-133 mission, and comes after a thorough check and modifications to the shuttle's external tank.NASAThe rotating service structure, which provides weather protection and access to the shuttle, moves into place around space shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.This comes after Discovery, attached to its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform, rolled out to the pad from the Vehicle Assembly Building during the overnight hours. Rollout to the pad is a significant shuttle processing milestone for the upcoming STS-133 mission, and comes after a thorough check and modifications to the shuttle's external fuel tank.NASADawn breaks over the Atlantic Ocean near Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to reveal space shuttle Discovery newly arrived for its upcoming launch.Discovery began its 3.4-mile trip from the Vehicle Assembly Building at 7:58 p.m. EST Jan. 31, and was secured on the pad a little before 3 a.m. Feb. 1. Discovery's set to launch to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission.Discovery is scheduled to land on March 7 at 11:50 am EST at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At the time of its landing, Discovery would have traveled more than 143 million miles over the course of 26 years.After the orbiter has retired, Discovery will be offered by NASA to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum for public display and preservation as part of the national collection. Discovery will replace Space Shuttle Enterprise in the Smithsonian's display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.NASA
