News From Space!

“…and liftoff of Shuttle Discovery! Gambatte kudasai — best of luck to the International Space Station’s newest laboratory!”

“…Houston now controlling the flight of Discovery, a man-made rising sun on behalf of Japan…

…Four-and-half million pounds of hardware and humans taking aim on the International Space Station…”

NASA reports:

LIFTOFF!

Image above: STS-124 begins as space shuttle Discovery ignites its three main engines and two solid rocket boosters before leaping off the launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA TV

May 31 5:02 p.m. EDT
Space shuttle Discovery is on its way into space on the power of its two solid rocket boosters and three main engines! The launch traced a fiery arc across the sky of Florida’s East Coast as the shuttle races to catch up to the International Space Station.

It will take Discovery 8 1/2 minutes to reach its orbital speed of about 17,500 mph.

Preflight pics are up at the JSC Gallery. More preflight pics and video at KSC. Discussion here. Media Resources here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.

Discovery is fueling up for this afternoon’s liftoff. Weather is looking good. NASA reports:

Fueling Goes Smoothly for Discovery

 

May 31
Fuel loading of shuttle Discovery’s external fuel tank is continuing normally. As the tank fills, the engine cutoff sensors indicated a “wet” reading at 8:28 a.m. EDT. Fuel loading is now in the fast fill stage.

There are four engine cutoff, or ECO, sensors inside the liquid hydrogen section of the tank. The sensors are part of several systems that protect the shuttle’s main engines by triggering them to shut down if fuel runs unexpectedly low. The tank will be completely filled at about 10:38 a.m. The countdown will then enter a T-3 hour hold for 2.5 hours.

The weather is looking promising for launch day, according to Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters. Isolated coastal showers may be in the area during the morning hours, but a sea breeze will develop in the afternoon, clearing the coast and causing any showers to move inland. There is an 80 percent chance of favorable weather at launch time.

This mission will carry the largest payload so far to the station and includes three spacewalks. It is the second of three missions that will launch components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory. The crew will install Kibo’s large Japanese Pressurized Module and Kibo’s robotic arm system. Discovery also will deliver new station crew member Greg Chamitoff and bring back Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who will end a three-month stay aboard the outpost.

STS-124 Mission Information
› STS-124 Mission Summary (539 Kb PDF)
› STS-124 Press Kit (7 Mb PDF)
› Meet the Crew

Preflight pics are up at the JSC Gallery and FlaToday. More preflight pics and video at KSC. Discussion here. Media Resources here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.