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STS-92 Mission JournalNote: The links below will
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| 2 November 2000 - Shuttle Discovery is making its way back to Florida,
bolted to the top of a specially modified 747 jetliner. NASA explains:
Station Crew Settles In; NASA Preparations Continue on Earth
As the Expedition 1 crew gets settled in the International Space Station for
a four-month stay, Space Shuttle Discovery, recently returned from space, is on
its way back to the Kennedy Space Center, FL, from Edwards Air Force Base, CA,
where it landed. Flying mated to the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, Discovery and the
ferry crew will spend the night at Whiteman AFB, MO, and depart early Friday
morning enroute to Florida. Meanwhile, Space Shuttle Endeavour is on the launch
pad in preparation for its visit to the Station in December. Endeavour will
carry the crew of STS-97 on a mission to increase the Station’s
power-generating capability with the delivery of the largest solar arrays ever
deployed in space.
The trip could cost NASA a million bucks - and like most plane flights, it was
still
delayed!
|
| 24 October 2000 - Update 5:30PM EDT - A picture-perfect
landing! Great job, Discovery!!! NASA reports:
Welcome
Home Discovery!
After nearly 12 days in orbit, Space Shuttle Discovery made a picture
perfect landing at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, today. Bad weather Sunday
and Monday prevented landing earlier at the Kennedy Space Center, FL, as
originally planned. Discovery began its return to Earth when Mission
Commander Brian Duffy and Pilot Pam Melroy performed a 3-minute de-orbit
burn culminating with landing at 4:58 p.m. EDT. The completion of STS-92
marks the end of a successful International Space Station assembly
mission. While at the station, the seven
astronauts prepared the station for its first resident crew, performed
four
space walks and used Discovery's robotic arm to install the Z1
Truss and Pressurized
Mating Adapter 3 to open the door for future assembly missions.
Wednesday, the STS-92 astronauts will return to Houston, Texas. They
are scheduled to land at Ellington Field at 1:30 p.m. CDT (18:30 GMT).
|
| 24 October 2000 - Update 4PM EDT - Engines fired for
de-orbit burn! NASA states:
Discovery Begins Return to Earth
At 2:52 p.m. CDT (19:52 GMT), Space Shuttle Discovery began its return
to Earth when STS-92 Commander Brian Duffy and Pilot Pam Melroy performed
a 3-minute de-orbit burn. Discovery will land at Edwards Air Force Base in
California at 3:59 p.m. CDT (20:59 GMT).
|
| 24 October 2000 - Update 1:20PM EDT - Way Out West: KSC
is out, Edwards is in. NASA states:
Controllers Bypass KSC opportunity, Focus on Landing in
California
The flight control team bypassed STS-92's landing opportunity at Kennedy
Space Center, Fla. and now focuses on two opportunities at Edwards Air
Force Base, Calif., where weather conditions are expected to be
acceptable. The first opportunity at Edwards calls for a de-orbit burn at
2:52 p.m. CDT (19:52 GMT) and landing at 3:59 p.m. CDT (20:59 GMT). For
the second opportunity, the de-orbit burn would occur at 4:29 p.m. CDT
(21:29 GMT) and landing at 5:35 p.m. CDT (22:35 GMT).
|
| 24 October 2000 - Update 10:45AM EDT - STS-92 ends
today. NASA reports:
Three Opportunities Available for Discovery to Land Today
Today, STS-92 will have three available opportunities to return to Earth. This will be the third day in which
Discovery will try to land. On the two previous days, the landing opportunities were waved off due to unacceptable
weather conditions at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The first landing opportunity
of the day is at Kennedy at 2:28 p.m. CDT (19:28 GMT), but weather forecasts indicate that a Kennedy landing is
unlikely due to high winds, cloud cover and rain. The two opportunities at Edwards are much more favorable due to
improving weather conditions. The first opportunity at Edwards is at 3:59 p.m. CDT (20:59 GMT), and the second is
at 5:35 p.m. CDT (22:35 GMT).
|
| 24 October 2000 - Will Discovery
come home today? We're betting on a California landing - too bad about the
$750K it will cost to fly her back to Florida! NASA states:
Discovery's Crew Still
in Orbit; Will Come Home Today
Bad weather yesterday forced the crew of Space Shuttle mission
STS-92 to remain aboard Discovery for another day. Although the winds are
currently too high for the shuttle to land at the Kennedy Space Center,
FL, Discovery's crew will begin preparations that will keep that open as
an option, should conditions improve. Landing would occur at 3:28 p.m.,
EDT. Weather conditions at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, however, are good,
and flight controllers are likely to target that location for landing.
That decision would put Discovery's gear on the runway at Edwards at 4:59
p.m., EDT, or, if another go-around is required, at 6:36 p.m., EDT.
Discovery has three landing opportunities on Tuesday that managers are
considering. Watch streaming video on NASA TV
to see continuing coverage of STS-92. Tuesday, Space Shuttle Discovery is
targeted to land at 2:28 p.m. CDT (19:28 GMT). The NASA
TV schedule is available online.
Play-by-play at Spaceflight
Now and Florida
Today. Check back with us later today for more news!
|
| 23 October 2000 - Update 11PM EDT - No landing today! Mission Control reports:
Weather
Forces Another Delay; Discovery to Try Landing Tuesday
Due to rain showers in the vicinity of Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Space Shuttle Discovery's
fifth and final landing opportunity for Monday has been waved off, and the
focus turns to the three opportunities that managers are considering for
Tuesday. Earlier today, two opportunities to land at Kennedy Space Center,
Fla., were waved off due to high winds, and two opportunities at Edwards
were waved off due to rain showers in the area and low cloud ceilings.
The first landing opportunity that managers are considering for Tuesday is at 2:28
p.m. CDT (19:28 GMT) at Kennedy. Then, there are two landing opportunities
at Edwards. The first is at 3:59 p.m. CDT (20:59 GMT), and the second is
at 5:35 p.m. CDT (22:35 GMT). According to weather forecasts, conditions
are expected improve at Edwards and are not expected to be as favorable at
Kennedy. The flight control team and forecasters will continue to monitor
the situation overnight. When STS-92 lands, it will have completed a
successful mission to prepare the International Space Station for the
arrival of its first resident crew and for future assembly missions.
The ground tracks for
Tuesday's shuttle landing opportunities are now available.
Today's final
wave-off came at 5:25PM EDT. The crew then began their Orbiter back-out
procedure, undoing the landing preparations they had made once again.
Mission control complimented their work today, asking them to "do it again
tomorrow".
At 6:45PM EDT, the crew were removing their orange entry suits.
Tuesday
will bring two landing opportunities each at KSC and Edwards, on Orbits 200, 201, 202,
and 203. Here's the latest Shuttle
Status Report from KSC.
|
| 23 October 2000 - Update 5PM EDT - NASA reports:
Discovery May Still Land Tonight
Weather continued to vex flight controllers as they waived off another landing opportunity at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, this afternoon. A cluster of showers and low clouds in the area forced a decision to wait until the next pass by the Space Shuttle in the hope that conditions will improve. Bad weather at Kennedy Space Center had prevented landing there earlier today and yesterday. If landing at Edwards is a go, the deorbit burn would take place at 6:29 p.m. EDT with landing at 7:35 p.m. EDT. If the weather does not improve, landing will be attempted again tomorrow. For the latest information on Discovery's status, follow the link.
Rain Showers Culprit in Latest Delay
Space Shuttle Discovery's stay in space has been extended by at least one more orbit due to rain showers in the vicinity of Edwards Air Force Base in California. It is the third wave off today for the STS-92 crew due to weather. One more opportunity remains for landing today. Discovery is now targeting a 6:35 p.m. (23:35 GMT) landing at Edwards. If the crew gets the approval to land they will perform the de-orbit burn at 5:29 p.m. CDT (22:29 GMT). Forecasters are closely monitoring the progress of the rain showers.
Florida Today: NASA watching weather for Discovery landing
|
| 23 October 2000 - Update 4PM EDT - Mission Control reports:
Weather Causes Second Shuttle Landing Wave Off for Today
The first landing opportunity for Space Shuttle Discovery at Edwards Air Force, Calif., has been waved off due to
low cloud ceilings and the threat of rain in the vicinity of Edwards. The new target landing time at Edwards is at
4:58 p.m. CDT (21:58 GMT) with the de-orbit burn occurring at 3:51 p.m. CDT (20:51 GMT). Also, the second
opportunity for landing at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., has been waved off due to high winds. High winds also caused
the first landing opportunity at Kennedy to be waved off earlier today.
If STS-92 is unable to land on its next opportunity, there is one more scheduled for today at Edwards with
the de-orbit burn occurring at 5:29 p.m. CDT (22:59 GMT) and landing at 6:35 p.m. CDT (23:35 GMT). The flight
control team and forecasters continue to monitor the weather situation.
UPI: NASA
preparing to land Discovery in California
BBC: Wind delays Discovery landing
|
| 23 October 2000 - Update 3PM EDT - NASA reports:
Discovery May Land Later Today
Flight controllers and meteorologists continue to watch the weather at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, hoping that
conditions will allow Discovery to land today. The crew has closed the payload doors in preparation for a deorbit
burn, should the flight team decide that landing is possible on the next opportunity, at 5:58 p.m., EDT. The seven
astronauts of Space Shuttle mission STS-92 have been in orbit since October 11, preparing the International Space
Station for arrival of the first permanent residents, the crew of Expedition
1, in early November. The photo at left
shows the station taken from the Space Shuttle as it backed away upon departure. Follow the link for
up-to-the-minute information on Discovery.
New video clips at
Houston Chronicle and
NASA.
|
| 23 October 2000 - Update Noon EDT - Another wave-off
for KSC. Mission Control reports:
Weather Delays Shuttle Landing
Once again, high winds have forced a delay of Space Shuttle Discovery's return to Earth with the wave-off of
the first landing opportunity at Kennedy Space Center, or KSC, in Florida. Landing was slated for
1:51 p.m. CDT (18:51 GMT). Landing is now targeted 3:23 p.m. CDT (20:23 GMT) at Edwards Air Force Base in
California. The STS-92 crew has one more opportunity remaining today at KSC and two more at Edwards.
The remaining opportunity at KSC and the first one at Edwards are on the same orbit. The de-orbit burn
for the first Edwards opportunity would occur at 2:15 p.m. (19:15 GMT). For KSC, the de-orbit burn would occur
at 2:21 p.m. CDT (19:21 GMT) and touchdown at 3:28 p.m. CDT (20:28 GMT). For the second opportunity at Edwards,
Discovery's de-orbit burn would occur at 3:51 p.m. CDT (20:51 GMT) and landing at 4:58 p.m. CDT (21:58 GMT).
Weather forecasts indicate there is a chance that weather may be a problem at Edwards due to cloud cover
and rain. Forecasters and the flight control team continue to monitor weather conditions at Kennedy and Edwards.
The ground tracks are now available for today's scheduled shuttle landing.
The STS-92 crew and Mission Control have answered questions in the Ask the Expert section.
The STS-92 Press Kit is available online.
|
| 23 October 2000 - Update 10AM EDT - Let's try that
again... Mission Control reports:
Astronauts Prepare for Landing
After an additional day in space, Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to return to Earth later today,
weather conditions permitting. Landing opportunities exist at both Kennedy Space Center in Florida and
Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Weather conditions in Florida closely mimic those of Sunday when strong winds forced a landing
wave-off. There is an additional threat of low clouds and showers in the vicinity of the Shuttle Landing Facility
today with weather conditions expected to continue degrading over the next 24 hours. In California, the forecast
for Edwards Air Force Base calls for a possibility of cloud cover and rain showers in the area but generally
improving conditions Tuesday.
Discovery, which was supposed to land yesterday, can stay
aloft until Wednesday if necessary.
|
| 23 October 2000 - The crew of Shuttle Discovery prepares
for landing
today. NASA stated this morning:
Discovery to Land Today, Weather Permitting
Weather forecasters are looking closely at conditions at the Kennedy Space Center, FL, and
Edwards Air Force Base, CA, planning for landing of Space Shuttle Discovery later today.
The seven astronauts of Space Shuttle Mission STS-92 remained in space an extra day when strong
winds forced a landing wave-off. There is an additional threat of low clouds and showers in the
Kennedy Space Center area today and weather conditions are forecasted to get worse over the next
24 hours. Conditions are not optimal at Edwards either, but are expected to improve tomorrow.
The first landing opportunity in Florida today would occur at 2:51 p.m. EDT.
Landing track information
is available; you may be able to see the Discovery enroute to landing from your location today.
Wrap up last week's Shuttle stories at Florida Today.
|
| 22 October 2000 - Update 10PM EDT - The crew of Shuttle Discovery is getting ready to hit the sack. They will make another attempt
to return home tomorrow. NASA reports:
Astronauts
Prepare for Monday's Landing Opportunities
Discovery's astronauts prepared for a Monday landing after high crosswinds at Kennedy Space
Center caused a delay of at least one day in their return to Earth and the
end of their successful mission to expand the International Space Station
and ready it for its first crew.
Discovery has two landing opportunities Monday at Kennedy Space Center, where the
weather is expected to be questionable, and three at Edwards Air Force
Base in California. The first landing opportunity is 1:51 p.m. CDT (18:51
GMT) at Kennedy Space Center. The flight control teams and weather
forecasters will continue to closely monitor the situation.
The ground
tracks are now available for Monday's scheduled shuttle landing.
Play-by-play at Spaceflight
Now and Florida
Today. Here's the latest Shuttle
Status Report from KSC.
|
| 22 October 2000 - Update 2PM EDT - The Discovery astronauts are just about
done backing out of the
landing preparations they had made today. Tomorrow's
weather at KSC actually looks worse than today's, so a west-coast touchdown
is a possibility. NASA reports:
Controllers
Wave Off Landing; Discovery to Try Again Monday
High crosswinds cause flight controllers to wave off Space Shuttle Discovery's two
landing attempts for today. The first landing opportunity was scheduled for 1:14
p.m. CDT (18:14 GMT). The second opportunity was available at 2:50 p.m.
CDT (19:50 GMT) at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
Discovery will have five opportunities Monday -- two at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.,
and three at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The first landing opportunity is
1:51 p.m. CDT (18:51 GMT) at Kennedy Space Center. The flight control
teams and weather forecasters will continue to closely monitor the situation.
The ground tracks for Monday's opportunities will be available shortly. The STS-92 crew and
Mission Control have answered questions in
the Ask the Expert section.
|
| 22 October 2000 - Update 12:40PM EDT - Mission Control reports that crosswinds are out-of-limits, and they are
waving off both landing opportunities for today.
They are shooting for another KSC landing tomorrow, but the weather forecast
does not look any better. They may have to land at Edwards in California tomorrow or the next
day, to end this tremendously
successful mission. KSC landing opportunities tomorrow (Monday) will be at 2:51PM EDT
and 4:26PM EDT. Florida
Today reports on NASA's confirmation that Edwards AFB will be activated
as a landing site tomorrow. Three Edwards landing opportunities are
available at 4:22PM EDT, 6:00PM EDT, and 7:34PM EDT. It would be fitting to
land the 100th mission where the first one came home - although NASA would
prefer a Florida landing for quicker turnaround processing (and reduced cost).
|
| 22 October 2000 - Landing day!
There is a concern about high
winds at KSC.
Update 11:15AM EDT - The payload
bay doors are closed. NASA reports:
Landing
Day Arrives for STS-92
With the first landing opportunity for today scheduled at 1:14 p.m. CDT (18:14 GMT),
the STS-92 crew is preparing for their return home after a successful mission to the
International Space Station. However, the landing may be delayed due to
high cross winds at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Mission managers and
weather forecasters are monitoring the situation. If the "go" is
given for today's first landing opportunity, Space Shuttle Discovery's
de-orbit burn will occur at 12:07 p.m. CDT (17:07 GMT). If the second
landing opportunity is needed, the de-orbit burn will occur at 1:43 p.m.
CDT (18:43 GMT) and landing at 2:50 p.m. CDT (19:50 GMT) at Kennedy Space
Center.
Crosswinds at KSC are reported to be high, and it doesn't look like the
weather will improve soon. Will they have to land at Edwards? Discovery can
stay aloft until Wednesday. If the weather improves, the de-orbit
burn will happen at 1:07PM EDT.
Play-by-play at Spaceflight
Now and Florida
Today. Check back with us later today for more news!
|
| 21 October 2000 - Update 11PM EDT - Getting ready for Sunday's
touchdown. NASA reports:
STS-92
Crew Prepares for Landing
Discovery's seven astronauts tested reaction control system thrusters that will properly
orient the spacecraft as it begins its descent toward a landing scheduled
for Sunday. They also tested flight surface controls that will be used to
fly the orbiter like an airplane once it enters the atmosphere. Discovery
has two landing opportunities Sunday at Kennedy Space Center's 3-mile-long
runway. The first, on orbit 169, would see a deorbit burn at 12:07 p.m.
CDT for the 1:14 p.m. landing. The second opportunity, on orbit 170, would
see a deorbit burn at 1:43 p.m. with a landing at 2:50 p.m. Forecasters
are looking carefully at Sunday weather at the Cape. The main concern is
over the possibility of crosswinds gusting too fast over Runway 15.
UPI: Discovery astronauts prepare to come home
|
| 21 October 2000 - Discovery's crew is prepping for tomorrow's landing at
KSC. NASA reports:
STS-92
Crew to Prepare for Landing
Following their departure from the International Space Station Friday morning, Space
Shuttle Discovery’s seven astronauts will now spend a day stowing
equipment and checking the space shuttle systems that support re-entry and
landing in preparation for a return to Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on
Sunday afternoon. Today, there will be a test of the systems that will be
used during the return home to Kennedy Space Center to ensure that
equipment remains in good condition. Just after 9 a.m. CDT (14:00 GMT),
they will test the flight control systems that maneuver the shuttle once
it re-enters the atmosphere and begins to operate like an airplane. A
little over one hour later, a test fire of all 44 thruster jets on
Discovery will be performed to verify they are in good working order.
The ground
tracks are now available for Sunday's scheduled shuttle landing.
Watch streaming video on NASA
TV to see continuing coverage of STS-92. Today, the STS-92 Crew News
Conference will begin at 2:17 p.m. CDT (19:17 GMT).
The NASA
TV schedule is available online.
Here's the latest Shuttle
Status Report from KSC. New Flight
Day 7 and Flight
Day 8 imagery is now available from NASA.
Video at
Houston Chronicle and
NASA.
|
| 20 October 2000 - Update - Discovery undocks from ISS! NASA reports:
Discovery Ends Stay at Station
At 10:08 a.m. CDT (15:08 GMT), Space Shuttle Discovery undocked from
the International
Space Station while flying over the country of Brazil. STS-92 spent a
week docked to the station and continued the on-orbit construction of the
station and prepared it for the arrival of the first resident crew, which
is scheduled to arrive Nov. 2. The STS-92 crew performed four space walks
and used the robotic arm to install two new station components --
the Z1 Truss and
Pressurized
Mating Adapter 3 -- to set the stage for future assembly missions.
Now, STS-92 begins its trip home. Discovery is scheduled to land Sunday at
Kennedy Space Center, Fla. at 1:14 p.m. CDT (18:14 GMT). The astronauts
will have this afternoon off to rest.
Here are today's morning and
evening Mission Control Center
Status Reports.
ABC News: Shuttle Undocks From Space Station
UPI: Discovery leaves space station ready for first tenants
|
| 20 October 2000 - Discovery to separate from the ISS
today. NASA reports:
Discovery, Station to Undock
The crew of Space Shuttle mission STS-92 is in final preparations
for their undocking from the International Space Station at 11:09 EDT
today. Once Discovery has backed a
few hundred feet away from the station, a final separation burn will send
the spacecraft and and her crew on their way toward home.
And from early this morning...
Crew
Prepares for Undocking
The STS-92 crew will shortly move into final preparations for their undocking
from the International
Space Station at 10:09 CDT (15:09 GMT) this morning. Discovery's crew
delivered two critical components to the station - the Z1
Truss structure that will support large solar arrays arriving on the
next shuttle mission and a second docking port that will be used as a
docking location for that late November shuttle flight, designated mission
STS-97. Unlike some previous flights, the STS-92 crew will not perform a
fly around of the station after undocking.
Following undocking
and separation, the astronauts will get a half day off to rest.
Houston Chronicle: Astronauts prepare station for move-in
Florida Today: Shuttle wrapping work; return home set for Sunday
|
| 19 October 2000 - A brush with launch disaster. A broken
radar antenna. Four spectacular back-to-back spacewalks. Heavy construction at 17000MPH.
This has been some mission! STS-92 will undock from the ISS
tomorrow
(Friday) at 11:09AM EDT. Landing is scheduled for this Sunday (22 Oct 2000)
at 2:13PM EDT. NASA reports:
Crew
Ends Work at Space Station
The STS-92 crew has successfully completed its on-orbit construction work at
the International
Space Station. The astronauts wrapped up the job of preparing the
station for the arrival of its first resident crew and future assembly
missions. Thursday, the seven-member crew transferred supplies and
equipment from Discovery to the station's Zarya Control Module and Unity
Connecting Module. They also checked out the Control Motion Gyro's, the
station's motion control system located in the Z1
Truss, which is working fine. However, the test of the gyros and the
transfer of equipment took longer than expected and has caused Friday's
undocking to be pushed back by one orbit. The STS-92 crew will close the
final hatch to the station Friday at 8:17 a.m. CDT (13:17 GMT) before
Discovery undocks at 10:09 a.m. CDT (15:09 GMT).
STS-92
Completes 4 Space Walks
STS-92, the 100th
space shuttle flight, has opened the door for future International
Space Station assembly. In order to complete the mission objectives of
STS-92, four space walks were performed. The four space walks are the most
scheduled for a shuttle flight during the space station assembly sequence.
Also, the fourth space walk is the 54th space walk in space shuttle
history and the 10th outside of the International Space Station. STS-92's
four space walks totaled 27 hours and 19 minutes. The total time for the
54 shuttle space walks is now 338 hours and 10 minutes.
Watch streaming video on NASA
TV to see continuing coverage of STS-92. Friday at 10:09 a.m. CDT
(15:09 GMT), Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to undock from the
station. At 11:42 am. CDT (16:42 GMT), the crew will participate in
interviews with CNN, SPACEFLIGHTNOW.com and the CBS Radio Network. Then at
1:12 p.m. CDT (18:12 GMT), the crew will participate in interviews with
WHEC-TV, WROC-TV and WOKR-TV in Rochester, N.Y.
The NASA
TV schedule is available online.
Did You Know? Mission Specialist Bill McArthur is carrying a swatch
of fabric from the cloth-covered wings of the Wright Brothers' first
airplane, plus a little sand from the South Carolina dunes where they first
flew, nearly a century ago [thanks, Rick!]. We've come a long way, but we've
got a long way to go!
Here are today's morning and
evening Mission Control Center
Status Reports
from JSC, and the latest Shuttle
Status Report from KSC.
ABC: Astronauts Horrified as Toilet Backs Up
BBC: Astronauts Simulate Space Accident
Fox: Shuttle Crew Heads Back Inside ISS
UPI: Astronauts enter space station
|
| 18 October 2000 - Update 11PM - EVA
#4 is complete, and
the crew heads inside the station. NASA reports:
Space Walk Activity Ends for STS-92
Wednesday
at 4:56 p.m. CDT (21:56 GMT), Mission Specialists Michael Lopez-Alegria
and Jeff Wisoff completed STS-92's fourth and final space
walk that prepared the International Space Station for the arrival of
its first resident crew and future assembly missions. With the help of
Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata, who was operating Space Shuttle
Discovery's robot arm, the space walkers removed a grapple fixture from
the Z1 Truss;
verified the operation of a latch assembly on the Z1; deployed a tray that
will provide power to the U.S.
Laboratory Destiny; and tested the manual berthing mechanism latches
that will support Destiny. Then, Wisoff and Lopez-Alegria tested a small
jet pack that could be used if an astronaut's safety tether became
disconnected during a space walk at the station.
Also, Commander Brian Duffy and Pilot Pamela Melroy performed the third and
final maneuver to raise the station's orbit. They fired Space Shuttle
Discovery's reaction control jets 18 times in 30 minutes. The station's
orbit has been raised just over 8 kilometers (5 miles) during STS-92.
BBC: Shuttle astronauts make final spacewalk.
CNN: Discovery astronauts wrap final spacewalk
Florida Today: Spacewalkers test jetpack system
Houston Chronicle: Astronauts have a blast on jet packs
UPI: Astronauts perform final spacewalk, jet-pack test
Space.com: Shuttle Astronauts Rehearse Rescue Techniques
Spaceflight Now: Shuttle crew wraps up four grueling days of spacewalks
ABC News: Test Driving Jetpacks
CBS News: Spacewalk No. 4 Goes Smoothly
Fox News: All Work, No Play.
|
| 18 October - The last of four EVAs, "designed
to set the stage for the arrival of the first resident crew and the future
expansion of the International Space Station," is in
progress. NASA reports:
Fourth Space Walk Begins
Astronauts Jeff Wisoff and Mike Lopez-Alegria have begun the final of
four consecutive space walks of STS-92. The space walks began 10:00 a.m. CDT
(15:00 GMT). Along with robot arm operator, Koichi Wakata, they will remove a grapple fixture
from the Z1 Truss and verify the operation of the latch assembly that will
capture the solar array truss when it arrives in December. They will also deploy
a tray that will be used to provide power to the U.S. Laboratory "Destiny" when
it arrives early next year and test the performance of the manual berthing
mechanism latches that will support Destiny.
If time permits, the space
walkers will also evaluate two safety protocols - testing a small back pack that
could allow an astronaut to navigate back to the station or shuttle if his
tether became disconnected and demonstrating techniques for helping an
incapacitated space walker.
Watch streaming video on
NASA TV to see continuing coverage of STS-92.
The NASA TV schedule is available online.
The crew activity report from
Flight Day 7 is now available.
Flight Day 6 imagery
is now available.
Today's spacewalk should see the testing of emergency jetpacks and
mock-rescue
procedures. Also, NASA reports: Space Shuttle Inspection Team Rewarded For Its "Eagle Eyes"
|
| 17 October 2000 - Update 11PM - Today's EVA, the third
in as many days, is complete.
NASA reports:
Crew Wraps Up Third Space Walk
Three down, one to go. The third space
walk of STS-92 was completed at 4:18 p.m. CDT (21:18 GMT). Mission
Specialists Leroy Chiao and Bill McArthur continued work to prepare the
International Space Station's Z1
Truss and Pressurized
Mating Adapter 3, or PMA 3, for future assembly missions.
The
two space walkers connected two power converters on to the Z1 Truss in
preparation of the arrival of the U.S. solar arrays in December. Then,
they made final power cable connections on the Z1 and PMA 3, which is the
station's new docking port. Finally, Chiao and McArthur installed a second
toolbox on the side of the Z1.
After today's spacewalk, Discovery Commander Brian Duffy and Pilot Pam Melroy completed
the second of the three station reboosts scheduled for STS-92. They fired
reaction control system jets in a series of pulses of 1.4 seconds each,
over a 30-minute period, gently raising the station's orbit by about 1.7
statute miles.
On Wednesday astronauts Jeff Wisoff and Lopez-Alegria are scheduled to perform the
fourth and final space walk of STS-92 beginning at 9:47 a.m. CDT (14:47
GMT). Aside from deploying a Z1 utility tray and opening and closing
latches of the Z1 Manual Berthing Mechanism, they will test methods for
rescuing an incapacitated astronaut.
During today's
spacewalk, a
cap for a shuttle depressurization valve floated
away, becoming "the
latest addition to tiny bodies orbiting the Earth". No big deal,
says NASA. Here are today's morning and
evening Mission Control Center
Status Reports.
Lots of new videos
and pics
at Houston
Chronicle and NASA.
Waiting game: What's it like working behind
the scenes in the space program? Hear it from a couple of launch
engineers!
|
| 17 October 2000 - The third of four EVAs is scheduled for
today
at 10:27AM EDT.
Update from this
afternoon:
STS-92's Third Space Walk Begins
Mission Specialists Bill McArthur and Leroy Chiao began the third
space walk of STS-92. The space walking astronauts will continue the
outfitting of the Z1
Truss and Pressurized
Mating Adapter 3, or PMA 3, to set the stage for future International
Space Station assembly missions. Chiao and McArthur will be assisted by
Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata, who will be operating Space Shuttle Discovery's robot arm.
Today's tasks include
the installation of two power converters on the Z1 that will process power
generated by solar arrays that are scheduled to arrive in December. They
will also make final cable connections on the Z1 and PMA 3, which is the
station's new docking port. The ninth space walk of the station assembly
sequence began at 9:30 a.m. CDT (14:30 GMT).
The latest STS-92
Status Report. The STS-92 crew and Mission Control have answered questions in the
Ask the Expert section.
Here are yesterday's morning and
evening Mission Control Center
Status Reports
from JSC, and the latest Shuttle
Status Report from KSC.
|
| 16 October 2000 - Another day, another
EVA. The second
spacewalk outside the ISS is complete.
Today's work by astronauts Jeff Wisoff and
Michael
Lopez-Alegria involved
the installation of
PMA-3, the third Pressurized Mating Adapter (docking
port) for the station, as well as attaching cables to the Z1 Truss,
which was hooked up yesterday. Tight
bolts proved troublesome, but the "space construction workers"
worked through it. UPI reports that today's EVA lasted about seven hours - 30
minutes longer than scheduled. NASA states:
Second Space Walk Complete
Discovery
astronauts Jeff Wisoff and Mike Lopez-Alegria successfully completed the
second of four scheduled space
walks Monday at 4:22 p.m. CDT (21:22 GMT ). After preparing the Z1
Truss for the U.S. solar arrays that will arrive during STS-97, the
two space walkers then assisted robotic arm operator, Koichi Wakata, as he attached Pressurized
Mating Adapter 3 -- a docking port -- on to the station.
The 6.5-hour space walk began at 9:15 a.m. CDT (14:15 GMT). It is the
eighth space walk in space station assembly, the 52nd in space shuttle
history and the 91st in the history of the U.S. space program.
As the spacewalk was ending, Discovery Commander Brian Duffy and Pilot Pam Melroy
completed the first of three station reboosts scheduled for STS-92. They
fired reaction control system jets in 18 pulses of 1.4 seconds each, over
a 30-minute period, gently raising the station’s orbit by about 1.7
statute miles.
Yesterday's
EVA, by astronauts Leroy
Chiao and Bill
McArthur, saw the installation of the girder-like
Z1 Truss. The spacewalkers' excitement was evident in
radio
transmissions by the crew. Japanese astronaut Koichi
Wakata operated the Shuttle's Remote Manipulator Arm for both EVAs. From
this morning:
Astronauts Prepare for Second Space Walk
Space Shuttle Discovery's crew turns its attention to today's scheduled on-orbit
construction activities by Mission Specialists Jeff Wisoff and Mike Lopez-Alegria.
The
two astronauts are scheduled to begin a planned 6½-hour space
walk about 9:30 CDT (14:30 GMT) this morning to install an additional
docking port -- Pressurized
Mating Adapter 3 -- and ready the Z1
Truss for installation of the large solar arrays that will be
delivered by the next shuttle crew in late November. The first task for
Wisoff and Lopez-Alegria will be to release the latches that hold the new
docking port in place and to provide Koichi Wakata with visual cues as he
uses the robotic arm to gently raise the docking port from its support
platform in Discovery's payload bay.
Our resident Shuttle expert, Rick B, passes along this NASA fact:
During the next six years, astronauts and cosmonauts will have
to perform nearly 160 spacewalks to assemble the international space
station, an awesome challenge even by NASA standards. By comparison, only
51 spacewalks have been conducted in almost 20 years of space shuttle
flight -- including Sunday's.
Here are yesterday's morning and
evening Mission Control Center
Status Reports.
Lots of new videos
and pics
at Houston
Chronicle and NASA.
Wrap up last week's space news at Florida Today.
|
| 15 October 2000 - Update 7:45PM EDT - Astronauts McArthur
and Chiao
finished the first of
4 scheduled EVAs
today shortly before
5PM
EDT. NASA reports:
Astronauts Finish First Space Walk
At 3:55 p.m. CDT (20:55 GMT), Mission Specialists Bill McArthur and Leroy Chiao
successfully complete the first space
walk of STS-92. They continued work to outfit the Z1
Truss, which was attached to the International Space Station on
Saturday. The tasks completed today were the connection of power cables,
the repositioning of an antenna and installation of a toolbox. The two
space walking astronauts were assisted by Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata
who operated Space Shuttle Discovery's robotic arm.
The mission's second space walk is slated to begin Monday at 9:27 a.m. CDT
(14:27 GMT) and will be performed by STS-92 Mission Specialists Michael
Lopez-Alegria and Jeff Wisoff. They will connect cables between the
station's Unity Connecting Module and Pressurized
Mating Adapter 3, which will be installed to Unity using the
shuttle's robotic arm on Monday.
STS-92 to Perform 4 Space Walks
STS-92, the 100th
space shuttle flight, opens the door for future International Space
Station assembly. In order to complete the mission objectives of STS-92,
four space walks will be performed. The four space walks are the most
scheduled for a shuttle flight during the space station assembly
sequence. Also, the fourth space walk will be the 54th space walk in
space shuttle history and the 10th outside of the International Space
Station.
The astronauts ventured out of the Orbiter at around
10:45 EDT. Tough day at the office!
|
| 15 October - The first of 4 EVAs happens this
morning. NASA reports:
Crew to Perform First Space Walk
Today, Mission Specialists Bill McArthur and Leroy Chiao will perform the first of
four
space walks by the STS-92 crew.
McArthur and Chiao will connect two
sets of power cables to provide power to heaters and conduits on the Z1
Truss, which was attached to the International Space Station on
Saturday. The Z1 houses the station's motion control gyroscopes and
communications equipment. The two astronauts will also relocate two
communication antenna assemblies and install a toolbox on the outside of
the Z1. Chiao and McArthur will be assisted by Mission Specialist Koichi
Wakata, who will operate the Space Shuttle Discovery's robot arm to move
the two space walkers around the shuttle's payload bay and outside the
space station. The 6.5-hour space walk is scheduled to begin around 9:45
a.m. CDT (14:45 GMT).
Mission Control has answered questions in the
Ask the Expert section.
Watch streaming video on NASA
TV to see continuing coverage of STS-92. The NASA
TV schedule is available online.
Here are yesterday's morning and
evening Mission Control Center
Status Reports.
Lots of new videos
and pics
at Houston
Chronicle and NASA.
|
| 14 October - Update 9PM EDT - Despite the electrical
short which knocked out the CanadArm's
camera, Discovery's crew was able
to attach the Z1 Truss to the rest of the
ISS. NASA reports:
Crew Attaches Z1 Truss to Station
At 1:20 p.m. CDT (18:20 GMT),
STS-92 Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata of the Japanese Space Agency attached
the Z1 Truss
to the International Space Station's Unity Connecting Module. The installation
process was delayed due to a short in an electrical bus in cabin payload three,
which caused the loss of systems that give visual capability to the crew while
using the shuttle's robotic arm. The crew performed some maintenance to restore
visual capability.
Crew members have entered
the Z1 Truss to make preparations for Sunday's space walk, which is the first of
four space walks scheduled for this
mission. The crew will then exit the station around 5 p.m. CDT (22:00 GMT) in
order to begin lowering the pressure inside of Discovery, also in preparation
for tomorrow's space walk.
Also, flight controllers have decided to postpone the crew's entry
into the Zarya Control Module until Flight Day 9.
Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, operating the CanadArm, installed
the girder-like truss after a delay of 2 hours and 20 minutes. The truss
structure weighs x18,400
pounds (8,335 Kg)! Tomorrow,
there will be an EVA at 10:32AM EDT. Live video (some of it a series of
stills) on NASA TV.
Play-by-play at Florida Today.
From KSC: STS-92 was the 100th mission launched in the history of the Shuttle program. In recognition of that
milestone, a collection of one photo of each of the 100 launches has been created.
See the collection.....
|
| 14 October - Update 12:30PM EDT - More on the camera
failure. NASA explains:
Short Delays Z1 Truss Installation
Just before 8 a.m. CDT (13:00 GMT) today an electrical short occurred onboard Space
Shuttle Discovery, causing a delay in the installation of the
Z1 Truss on to the
International
Space Station. The short occurred in an electrical bus in cabin
payload three, and caused the loss of systems that give the visual
capability to the crew while using the shuttle's robotic arm during
installation. The STS-92 astronauts performed maintenance to restore
visual capability for the robot arm operator. Following the maintenance
tasks, installation of the Z1 will begin.
The MCC has answered questions in the
Ask the Expert section.
Latest Status Report.
Play-by-play at Florida
Today.
|
| 14 October 2000 - After yesterday's
docking, construction is set to begin. NASA states:
Astronauts to Install Z1 Truss
Today, the STS-92 crew will install the
Z1 Truss on to
the International Space Station.
The truss contains communications equipment and the
station's motion control gyroscopes. The truss will also serve as a
mounting platform for large solar arrays that will provide power to the
space station. Installation of the Z1 on to the station is slated for
10:02 a.m. CDT (15:02 GMT).
A series of space walks will
be conducted beginning tomorrow to make the final
connections between the Z1 and the station. Later today, the crew will
transfer supplies from Discovery to the Zarya Control Module.
Last
night, crewmembers entered the Station.
Pictured inside the Unity Module are
(clockwise from left) Mission Specialist Leroy Chiao, Commander Brian Duffy, and
Mission Specialist Michael Lopez-Alegria.
Latest reports from this morning indicate that an electrical
problem has shorted out a camera needed for operating the Remote
Manipulator Arm, (to attach the Z1 Truss). This will delay, but not prevent,
construction activities. More news at SpaceRef.com.
|
| 13 October 2000 - Update 4:30PM - Docking Complete! NASA states:
Discovery Docks with Station
Space Shuttle Discovery has reached its destination and docked with the
International Space Station.
The docking, which occurred at 12:45 p.m. CDT (17:45 GMT), begins a weeklong
stay in which the STS-92 astronauts will perform on-orbit assembly of the
station. The crew will use Discovery's robotic arm and conduct four space
walks to attach Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 and Z1 Truss, a piece of
exterior framework, to the station. At docking time, the shuttle and space
station were flying over southern Russia, east of the Ukrainian border at
50 degrees 70 minutes north latitude and 42 degrees 10 minutes east
longitude. The crew is scheduled to begin entering the station today at
3:47 p.m. CDT (20:47 GMT).
Meanwhile, Discovery
continues to operate in good shape except for the Ku-band
communications system, which is still not functioning. Engineers continue
to review data about the sudden loss of the system that occurred Thursday.
No impact to mission objectives is expected.
Watch streaming video on NASA TV to see
continuing coverage of STS-92. The NASA TV schedule
is available online.
The docking
occurred without the aid of the rendezvous
radar which the failed Ku-band antenna provides. Station entry starts at 4:47PM EDT.
|
| 13 October - Docking Day! NASA states:
Discovery Approaches Station
Docking day has arrived for Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space
Station. At 6:45 CDT this morning, (11:45 GMT), Discovery was located
about 1,046 kilometers (650 miles) behind the station and still closing.
Docking is scheduled to occur today at 12:46 p.m. CDT (17:46 GMT). Once
docked to the station, the STS-92 astronauts will use the shuttle's
robotic arm and conduct four space walks to connect a third mating adapter
and a piece of exterior framework to the station.
Meanwhile, Discovery's Ku-band communications system is still not functioning, and
engineers continue to review data about the sudden loss of the system
Thursday. No impact to mission objectives is expected.
STS-92 to Dock with Station Today
The International Space Station continues to orbit the Earth in good condition as it waits
for Space Shuttle Discovery, which will deliver the Z1 Truss and third
mating adapter. The Z1 Truss is a piece of the station's external
framework that will contain the station's motion control gyroscopes and
communications equipment. Discovery launched from Kennedy Space Center,
Fla., on Oct. 11 at 6:17 p.m. CDT (23:17 GMT). Discovery will dock with
the station at 12:46 p.m. CDT (17:46 GMT) today. While at the station, the
STS-92 astronauts will perform four space walks and use the shuttle's
robotic arm to attach the Z1 and mating adapter to the station.
Play-by-play for the 1:46PM EDT docking at Florida
Today. We hope there will be some TV
coverage, but the Ku-band
antenna failure may mean that we'll be seeing more Mission Control
scenes than shots from orbit!
Did a sharp-eyed launch engineer save the lives of Discovery's
crew? NASA is rewarding
KSC's Jorge Rivera for
his eagle eye. He spotted the loose lock pin that could have resulted in a
catastrophe had they launched on Tuesday.
You are The Man, Jorge! He received a plaque and has been promised
a medal by NASA head Dan Goldin.
|
| 12 October 2000 - Update 11PM EDT - The crew is now in
their sleep shift after completing Flight Day 2, their first full day in
orbit. The Ku-band antenna failed at around 10AM EDT today, which may
impair
some high-speed data transmissions and live TV, but will not impede the
mission. The antenna failure has been described as merely a
"nuisance" for which there are backup procedures, such as the star
tracker navigational devices. NASA states:
Crew Spends First Full Day in Space
The seven crew members aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery spent their first full day in
orbit today checking equipment in preparation for the major events to
come: docking with the International Space Station on Friday and, in
following days, attaching an exterior framework and additional Shuttle
docking port to the orbiting outpost.
The crew found everything in good shape aboard the Shuttle, although a failure in
one of Discovery's communications systems may prevent Mission Control
from visually following many of the crew's activities through live
television.
Discovery will dock with the station at 12:45 p.m. CDT (17:45 GMT) Oct. 13.
While at the station, the STS-92 astronauts will perform four space walks and
use the shuttle's robotic arm to attach the Z1 and mating adapter to the
station. The STS-92 Press Kit is now available online.
More on the antenna failure from NASA:
STS-92 Continues, TV Signal on the Blink
Television signals from space shuttle mission STS-92 abruptly stopped
this afternoon leaving interested viewers with sequential still images that
refresh every 10-15 seconds and computer generated images based on
telemetry. Mission managers called loss of the TV signal an irritant and
emphasized that it will not affect tomorrow's planned rendezvous and docking
with the International Space Station, nor the planned spacewalks. Occasional
loss of the Ku band signal that carries television images is not unusual.
Positioning of the space shuttle relative to the relay satellites affects
the availability of the signal for short periods on most flights. In this
case, technical experts are troubleshooting the cause of the problem and
cannot yet say when or if live downlink television capability will be
restored.
The crew spoke with Japanese dignitaries (since crew member Koichi Wakata
is the first Japanese
astronaut to visit the ISS), and made preparations for
tomorrow's rendezvous and Sunday's EVA.
Wake-up time tomorrow is 5:17AM EDT. Video clips of yesterday's launch
are available at NASA, CBS,
BBC,
Spaceflight
Now, and Houston
Chronicle. Play-by-play at Florida
Today, CBS,
Spaceflight
Now, and Space.com.
|
| 12 October - Shuttle Discovery is orbiting the
Earth, on
its way to a rendezvous
with the ISS. NASA states:
Discovery Chases Space Station
Space Shuttle Discovery and the STS-92 crew began their first full day in space
at 7:17 CDT (12:17 GMT) this morning and continued their chase of the
International Space Station. Discovery will dock with the station Friday
at 12:43 p.m. CDT (17:43 GMT). While at the station, the crew will use the
shuttle's robot arm and conduct four space walks to attach a piece of
exterior framework and third docking port to the station.
Today, Commander Brian Duffy and Pilot Pamela Melroy will continue a series of engine
firings in preparation for the rendezvous and docking with the space
station. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew will prepare for the four space
walks and power up the robotic arm.
Watch streaming video on NASA TV
to see continuing coverage of STS-92. Today at 4:57 p.m. CDT (21:57 GMT), the STS-92 crew will receive a
congratulatory call from Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and Tadamori Oshima, the minister
of the Science and Technology Agency.
The NASA TV schedule is available online.
More about Flight Day 2 from NASA...
Discovery Crew Begins First Full Day in Orbit
After waking up to the strains of "Incense and Peppermints" by the
Strawberry Alarm Clock, the crew of Space Shuttle Discovery began
preparations for their Friday rendezvous with the International Space
Station. Commander Brian Duffy and Pilot Pamela Melroy will maneuver the
Shuttle to refine its orbit, while other crew members check out space suits
and the Shuttle's robotic arm in preparation for upcoming spacewalks.
|
| 11 October 2000 - Update 9:10PM EDT - Discovery is
up!!! This marks the 100th flight of the
Shuttle program (the 28th
for Discovery). At this writing, Mission Control reports that the Ku-band antenna
is being deployed, which will allow high-speed
data and TV transmission from orbit. NASA reports:
Discovery Blasts Off to Begin STS-92
At 6:17 p.m. CDT (23:17 GMT), Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew
launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin STS-92, an assembly
mission to the International Space Station. STS-92 will open the door for
future station assembly missions by delivering a third docking port and a
piece of exterior framework that will house communications equipment and
the station's motion control system. Discovery is scheduled to dock with
the space station at 12:43 p.m. CDT (17:43 GMT) Friday.
At the time of launch, the space station was located at 12 degrees 18 minutes south
latitude and 84 degrees 49 minutes east longitude, which placed the
station over the Bay of Bengal, due east of Madras, India.
The STS-92 Press Kit is now available online.
Reports indicate that the launch
was visible well up the Eastern seaboard! NASA states:
Shuttle Launch Captured from Mid-Atlantic
The image to the left is a screen capture from a video of the Space
Shuttle Discovery shortly after its launch on October 11. The photographer,
a NASA contractor, was shooting from Mount Airy, Maryland, about 30 miles
north of Washington, DC, and approximately 900 miles from NASA's Kennedy
Space Center in Florida.
The night-time launch went off perfectly. Docking with the International Space Station is now scheduled for this
Friday, 13 Oct 2000 at 1:43PM EDT (1743 GMT). Latest KSC Shuttle Status
Report here.
UPI: Discovery launched on 100th space shuttle mission
Fox News: Discovery Launches Wednesday Night After Myriad Delays
Florida Today/AP: Discovery thunders into orbit
Houston Chronicle: Shuttle heads for space station
|
| 11 October 2000 - Another launch
attempt. Yesterday's scrub
was due to a large metal pin left resting on
a launchpad oxygen line. If they had
launched while that thing was still there, it could have been disastrous! NASA reports:
Discovery Back on Schedule after Delay
Following a 24-hour delay due to a loose metal pin, Space Shuttle Discovery is
scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., today at 7:17 p.m.
EDT. Discovery and its seven-member crew will deliver the Z1 Truss to the
International Space Station. The Z1 contains motion control and
communications equipment for the station. Forecasts indicate a 60-percent
chance of favorable weather for tonight's launch. The launch will be
carried live on NASA
TV. In addition, Space Team Online will provide
video programming
including webchats to answer questions about the mission
and the liftoff itself, beginning 90 minutes prior.
STS-92 Slated to Launch Today
Following a 24-hour delay due to a loose metal pin, Space Shuttle Discovery is
scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., today at 6:17 p.m.
CDT (23:17 GMT). Discovery and its seven-member crew will deliver the Z1
Truss to the International Space Station. The Z1 contains motion control
and communications equipment for the station. Forecasts indicate a
60-percent chance of favorable weather for tonight's launch. At the time
of Wednesday's launch, the space station will be located at 12 degrees
18 minutes south latitude and 84 degrees 49 minutes east longitude,
which places the station over the Bay of Bengal, due east of Madras,
India.
STS-92 Launch Web Chat
Live from the press site at Kennedy Space Center, NASA Quest brings you
the excitement of the launch of STS-92 with a Web Chat with Joe Delai, a
NASA mechanical engineer who will give an overview of the space station.
Programming will begin one hour before launch, beginning at 5:17 p.m.
CDT (22:17GMT).
As of 5:15PM
EDT, the crew
has been loaded onto Discovery and the hatches are closed. Follow the play-by-play at Florida
Today and Spaceflight
Now. NASA
TV coverage starts at 2PM
EDT. Check back with us tonight for more news!
|
| 10 October 2000 - Update 10PM EDT - SCRUB!!! A new
mechanical problem has arisen. NASA explains:
Managers Delay Launch of STS-92
NASA managers delayed
the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery due to a metal pin resting on an
oxygen feed line running between the external fuel tank and the aft
compartment of the orbiter. Tuesday night, the Rotating Service Structure
will be wrapped around Discovery to enable workers to remove the pin,
which is a piece of equipment used to raise platforms used by workers to
gain access to the aft part of the shuttle for maintenance. STS-92 will
deliver a piece of exterior framework and a third mating adapter to the
International Space Station. Liftoff is now scheduled for Oct. 11 at 6:17
p.m. CDT (23:17 GMT).
At the time of Wednesday's launch, the space station will be located at 12
degrees 18 minutes south latitude and 84 degrees 49 minutes east longitude, which
places the station over the Bay of Bengal, due east of Madras, India.
Watch streaming video on
NASA TV to see continuing coverage of STS-92. Launch coverage begins
Wednesday at 1 p.m. CDT (18:00 GMT). The NASA
TV schedule is available online.
CNN: Stray equipment left on pad forces delay
BBC: Loose pin thwarts Discovery launch
MSNBC: Stray piece forces delay of launch
Florida Today: Out of place 8-ounce pin delays 100th shuttle mission
UPI: Metal pin forces one more shuttle delay
Houston Chronicle: Mystery pin delays Discovery's launch
|
| 10 October - Update 4:30PM EDT - Discovery is
fueling up for tonight's 7:40PM EDT launch! The countdown
is underway. NASA reports:
STS-92 Slated to Launch Today
Following a 24-hour delay due to high winds, Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to
launch from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., today at 6:40 p.m. CDT (23:40 GMT).
Discovery and its seven-member crew will deliver the Z1 Truss to the
International Space Station. The Z1 contains motion control and
communications equipment for the station. The countdown for STS-92 resumed
this morning at 3:45 CDT (09:45 GMT) at T minus 11 hours. Forecasts
indicate a 30-percent chance of favorable weather for tonight's launch.
When STS-92
launches, the International Space Station will be located 39 degrees 10
minutes north latitude and 64 degrees 54 minutes west longitude, which is
north of Bermuda and due east of Baltimore, Md.
And later...
Discovery Go for Launch as Weather Threatens
Discovery's astronauts suited up for flight this afternoon for a
scheduled launch at 7:40 p.m. EDT tonight. Forecasts indicate a 50
percent chance of favorable weather for launch. The 11-day mission was
delayed by 24 hours yesterday due to high winds. The seven-member crew's
mission is the delivery of the Z1 Truss to the International Space
Station. The Z1 contains motion control and communications equipment for
the station. The launch will be carried live on NASA
TV. In addition, Space Team Online will provide video
programming including webchats to answer questions about the mission
and the liftoff itself, beginning 90 minutes prior.
Florida
Today reports that weather has improved to
a 50% chance of favorable
conditions (up from 30%). NASA
TV coverage available now.
KSC Webcast
tonight around 6:40PM EDT. More play-by-play at Space.com.
This will be the 28th
flight for Discovery, and the 100th
flight of the entire program. Check back with us tonight for more news!
|
| 10 October - Let's try that again - launch
tonight! NASA reports:
Discovery Headed toward Launch after Monday Scrub
The Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled for a 7:40 p.m. EDT launch
today following Monday's launch scrub. NASA managers decided to forego the
launch attempt because high winds prevented the ground crew from fuelling
the Shuttle's external tank. Weather continues to be a concern for getting
the 11-day mission to the International Space Station underway.
Winds still threaten tonight's flight
- but there will be two
more opportunities this week. Launch managers are deciding on whether to
commence tanking this morning. Follow the play-by-play at Florida
Today and Spaceflight
Now. NASA
TV coverage starts at 2PM
EDT. Check back with us tonight for more news!
|
| 9 October 2000 - Shuttle
launch scrubbed
again! NASA reports:
Discovery Launch Delayed Until Tuesday
Monday, NASA managers delayed the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery until
Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 6:40 p.m. CDT (23:40 GMT) due to high winds at the 39A
launch complex. The high winds prevented the extension of the Gaseous
Oxygen Vent Arm, or "beanie", preventing tanking operations.
Discovery and its seven-member crew will deliver a piece of external
framework and third mating adapter to the International Space Station.
Mechanical problems were to blame for last week's delays,
unlike today's weather-related
issues. You try keeping your beanie cap on in 50-MPH
winds!
Wrap up last week's space news at Florida Today.
|
| 8 October 2000 - Update 8PM EDT - Go for launch! NASA reports:
Discovery Go for a Monday Launch
STS-92 is scheduled to launch no earlier than Oct. 9 at 7:05 p.m. CDT
(Oct. 10 at 00:05 GMT). Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew
will deliver a piece of external framework and third mating adapter to the
International Space Station. Saturday, workers completed the replacement
of a suspect "pogo
suppression valve" on the Space Shuttle Discovery. In addition,
managers and engineers have reviewed the situation with the
separation
bolt and concluded that Space Shuttle Discovery was safe for flight.
Watch the webcast Monday
night - if the weather
cooperates...
|
| 8 October - Discovery's faulty "pogo
suppression valve" has been replaced,
and the explosive bolts declared fit
to fly.
Monday's launch is still in
question, though - weather
is only 30% favorable. Test your mission knowledge and become eligible to win a VIP Visitor's Packet from
NASA! Take the
STS-92 Mission Quiz!
|
| 7 October 2000 - Shuttle Discovery will visit the
ISS on
mission STS-92 next
week, but they will leave the station vacant until the end of this month. NASA reports:
Station's First Resident Crew to Hold News Conference Oct. 9
The International
Space Station's first resident crew, Expedition 1, will hold a prelaunch
news conference at 8 a.m. CDT (13:00 GMT) Monday, Oct. 9, in Star City,
Russia. The three-member crew is scheduled to launch from Baikonur
Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on Oct. 30 and dock with the station on Nov. 1.
The Oct. 9 news conference will be carried by NASA
TV via streaming video. The NASA
TV Schedule is available online.
Meanwhile, the space
station continues to orbit the Earth in good condition as it waits for
Space Shuttle Discovery, which will deliver the Z1 Truss. The Z1 Truss is
a piece of the station's external framework that will contain the
station's motion control gyroscopes and communications equipment.
Discovery is slated to lift off from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., no
earlier than Oct. 9.
Just what exactly is this "bolt problem" that is keeping the
Shuttle grounded until Monday? Here's a graphic
explaining it all.
|
| 6 October 2000 - 10PM EDT Update - More news on the correction of
two problems causing the launch delay. NASA reports:
Workers to Replace Suspect Valve
STS-92 is scheduled to launch no earlier than Oct. 9 at 7:05 p.m. CDT
(Oct. 10 at 00:05 GMT). Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew
will deliver a piece of external framework and third mating adapter to the
International Space Station. Friday, workers at Kennedy Space Center,
Fla., wrapped the Rotating Service Structure back around Space Shuttle
Discovery so a suspect "pogo
suppression valve" can be replaced. Replacement efforts are
slated to begin Friday afternoon. On the morning of Oct. 9, shuttle
managers will review the situation with the valve and a potential problem
with a separation
bolt when the orbiter and external tank separate during flight.
Forecasts indicate a 30-percent chance of favorable weather for an Oct. 9 launch.
The STS-92
Press Kit is now available online. Preflight
mission videos are now available illustrating the activities for the
upcoming STS-92 mission. Also, the
STS-92 training images are available in the Gallery.
Latest KSC Shuttle Status Report here.
|
| 6 October - More on the second launch
rescheduling. NASA reports:
Discovery Launch on Hold until at Least Oct. 9
Shuttle managers announced Thursday that Shuttle Discovery will launch no
earlier than Monday. Over the weekend, workers will enter Discovery's aft
compartment to troubleshoot and replace a problematic valve on the orbiter's
main propulsion system. Engineers also will continue to evaluate a problem with
a protruding bolt that caused an initial 24-hour delay from Thursday's planned
launch. NASA managers will hold a televised news conference
at 10 a.m. EDT Friday to discuss the situation.
Latest KSC Shuttle Status Report here.
|
| 5 October - Update 9:30PM EDT: Florida
Today reveals that the new launch date is now Monday, 9 Oct
2000, at
8:05PM EDT.
Shuttle managers will delay Discovery's launch ... to allow
engineers time to understand why a bolt did not fully retract as the
external tank separated from the orbiter on the last shuttle mission.
Managers will meet tomorrow morning to decide if the troubleshooting
operation overnight has allayed potential concerns.
The reason for the additional delay to Monday is the swap-out of the sluggish
"liquid oxygen pogo valve". Spaceflight
Now has updated status.
|
| 5 October - Update 6PM EDT: The launch is scrubbed for today!
There are two issues here - and neither one is the weather. NASA reports:
Managers Delay STS-92 Launch
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA managers decided to delay the launch
of STS-92 by 24 hours in order to evaluate a potential problem with a bolt
during the separation of the orbiter from the external tank. Space Shuttle
Discovery and its seven-member crew is now scheduled to lift off at 8:16
p.m. CDT Friday (01:16 GMT Saturday). If analysis of the technical issue
clears Discovery for launch, workers will begin fueling the external tank at
about 11 a.m. CDT Friday (16:00 GMT). STS-92 will deliver a piece of
external framework and a third pressurized mating adapter to the
International Space Station.
Besides the bolt
problem with the ET, this afternoon's Shuttle
Status Report discusses a sluggish valve that controls propellant rate.
If that needs to be replaced, the next launch attempt could be pushed back even
further. For
now, the next attempt is scheduled for 9:16PM EDT tomorrow. Follow the play-by-play at Florida
Today.
Washington Post: NASA
Postpones Space Shuttle Mission.
|
| 5 October 2000 - NASA doesn't seem to think the 100th
Shuttle mission is a big deal, but we are amazed that the system keeps
delivering, year after year. Here's the latest from NASA:
Launch Day Nears for STS-92
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., the countdown began at 11:01 p.m. CDT
Monday for the launch of STS-92, a mission to the International Space
Station. Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member flight crew will
deliver a third mating adapter and a piece of the station's exterior
framework that will contain motion control and communications equipment.
According to the weather forecast, there is a 60-percent chance of
favorable conditions for launch.
The International
Space Station will be 7,223 kilometers (3,900 nautical miles) ahead of
Discovery when it launches at 8:38 p.m. CDT Thursday (01:38 GMT Friday).
The station be located over the North Atlantic Ocean west of Cork,
Ireland, at 51.32 degrees north latitude and 16.53 degrees west longitude.
Watch streaming
video on NASA
TV to see the launch of STS-92. Launch coverage begins Thursday at 3
p.m. CDT (20:00 GMT). The NASA
TV schedule is available online.
Weather is improving, and tanking
should begin this afternoon.
|
| 4 October 2000 - Despite a soaking rain, launch
preparations continue. NASA reports on the countdown:
Launch Countdown Begins for STS-92
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., the launch countdown for STS-92, a mission
to the International Space Station, began at 11:01 p.m. CDT Monday at the T
minus 43-hour mark. Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member flight crew
will deliver a third mating adapter and a piece of the station's exterior
framework that will contain motion control and communications equipment. Sunday
night, the flight crew arrived at Kennedy Space Center. At Launch Pad 39A,
preparations for Thursday's scheduled liftoff continue on schedule.
According to the weather forecast, there is a 60-percent chance of favorable
conditions for launch on Thursday.
Mission Managers Studying Weather Forecast
Weather is the wildcard for Thursday night's planned launch of Space
Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-92. The goal of this mission, the Shuttle
Program's 100th flight, is to install hardware components on the
International Space Station in preparation for the arrival of the first
permanent crew next month. The probability of launch on October 5, at 9:39
p.m., is 60 percent. Mission managers will decide tomorrow whether
conditions preclude going for launch as planned.
The STS-92 Press Kit is now available online.
Did you know? Discovery pilot Pam Melroy is
only the third
woman to pilot a Space Shuttle. She is a Lieutenant Colonel in the USAF.
|
| 2 October 2000 - Lots of Shuttle stories at Florida Today.
Who's on the crew of STS-92 (hey, that rhymes!)?
Find out here.
This will be Discovery's
5th mission to the ISS.
Count
down to Thursday's launch - the 100th
flight of the Shuttle
program! NASA reports:
Discovery Crew to Install Pivotal Station Hardware
The seven crewmembers of STS-92
are scheduled to liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center, FL, on Thursday
night aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. The astronauts' principal task on this
assembly
flight is the installation of the Z-1
truss, hardware that will house the station's motion control gyroscopes
and communications equipment, and a third docking port. This is the final
Shuttle flight to the Station before the arrival of the first permanent crew,
Expedition 1, in November.
STS-92 Launch Countdown Set to Begin Monday Night at KSC
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., the launch countdown for STS-92, a
mission to the International Space Station, is scheduled to begin at 11:01
p.m. CDT Monday at the T minus 43-hour mark. Space Shuttle Discovery and
its seven-member flight crew will deliver a third mating adapter and a
piece of the station's exterior framework that will contain motion control
and communications equipment. Sunday night, the flight crew arrived at
Kennedy Space Center. At Launch Pad 39A, preparations for Thursday's
scheduled liftoff continue on schedule. According to the weather forecast,
there is a 60-percent chance of favorable conditions for launch.
NASA is entering their busiest
launch cycle ever, with Shuttle flights expected seven or eight times a
year for the next few years. UPI recounts the highs and lows of the
program here.
Monday's KSC Shuttle Status Report is here.
|
| 1 October 2000 - The Houston Chronicle has their
STS-92 section up, featuring
the arrival
of the crew at KSC. NASA describes the mission:
Discovery Set to Launch Next Week
NASA managers have set Oct. 5 as the launch date for Space Shuttle Discovery on
a mission that will initiate the heart of construction for the
International Space Station. Astronauts will connect a nine-ton exterior
framework and an additional docking port to the orbiting complex. Launch
of STS-92, the 100th Space Shuttle mission, is targeted for 9:38 p.m. EDT
from the Kennedy Space Center, FL. The launch window is just five minutes
long. The exterior framework that will be attached to the expanding
Station, called the Z1 truss, will house gyroscopes and communications
equipment that will provide a future sense of balance for the outpost as
well as enhanced voice and television capability.
Friday's KSC Shuttle Status Report is here.
|
| 29 September 2000 - Discovery's launch confirmed for Thursday, 5 Oct 2000.
This will mark the 100th
flight of the Space Shuttle! NASA reports:
NASA Managers Select Oct. 5 as Official Launch Date for STS-92
Following Thursday's Flight Readiness Review, NASA managers announced Oct. 5
as the official launch date for STS-92, which will begin the "build up" of the International
Space Station by setting the stage for future assembly missions. Space Shuttle Discovery and its
seven-member crew will deliver the Z1 Truss, which is a piece of exterior
framework that will house the station's motion control gyroscopes and
communications equipment, and a third docking port.
STS-92 Preparations Continue at KSC
As the Oct. 5 launch date of STS-92, an assembly mission to the International
Space Station, approaches, prelaunch processing of Space Shuttle
Discovery continues at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Another Helium
Signature Test [Tuesday] confirms that repairs of a leak on Discovery's main
propulsion system were successful.
Meanwhile at
Launch Pad 39A, workers completed installation of the shuttle's explosive bolts on
Wednesday. The orbiter aft compartment closeouts and the main engine flight
readiness test continue.
Remember, the ISS is big enough to be seen from the ground now. Track
it here.
Thursday's KSC Shuttle Status Report here.
|
| 28 September 2000 - Discovery leak re-test successful - NASA states:
Leak Repairs Successful
At Kennedy Space Center, prelaunch processing continues for Space
Shuttle Discovery, which is scheduled to launch Oct. 5. Discovery and its
seven-member crew will deliver a piece of the exterior framework and a third
mating adapter to the International Space Station. Tuesday at Launch Pad
39A, engineers conducted another Helium Signature Test, which confirmed that
the efforts to repair leaks on Discovery's orbiter propulsion system were
successful. Currently, workers are performing aft compartment closeouts on
the orbiter and preparations for Thursday's installation of the explosive
bolts are under way.
|
| 27 September 2000 - Next ISS mission:
STS-92. - NASA states:
Space Station in Good Shape; Controllers Prepare for STS-92
International Space
Station flight controllers have begun preparing for the arrival of STS-92.
The station continues to orbit the Earth in good condition as it waits for
Space Shuttle Discovery, which will deliver the Z1 Truss. The Z1 Truss is
a piece of the station's external framework that will contain the
station's motion control gyroscopes and will deliver communications
equipment. Also, managers gave the go-ahead for Discovery to deliver
additional electronics equipment for the station's batteries. Discovery
and its seven-member crew are scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space
Center, Fla., on Oct. 5 and dock with the station on Oct. 7.
Pre-flight images available at NASA.
|
| 18 September 2000 - Plenty of STS-92 news in last week's
Florida Today. |
| 17 September 2000 - Hurricane Gordon not tough enough to
send Discovery running! NASA reports:
Discovery Remains on Launch Pad
Shuttle Program managers elected to leave Discovery on the launch pad based on the expected
path of Tropical Storm Gordon.
|
| 16 September 2000 - Next mission: Discovery to the ISS. NASA reports:
Crew Completes Countdown Test
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., preparations continue for the launch of
STS-92, which will deliver the Z1 Truss, Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 and
four Control Moment Gyros to the International Space Station. Friday, the
STS-92 flight crew completed the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. Late
Friday, workers were scheduled to resume efforts to replace transducer seals
on Space Shuttle Discovery's orbiter maneuvering system, and completion of
the replacement of a fuel line on the orbiter's Auxiliary Power Unit No. 2
was slated to occur over the weekend.
|
| 12 September 2000 - Shuttle Discovery
arrived at Pad 39A on Monday, in preparation for next month's STS-92
flight - the 100th Shuttle mission! NASA reports:
At Kennedy Space
Center, Fla., preparations are under way for STS-92, a mission to deliver
the Z-1 Truss and Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 to the International Space
Station. Space Shuttle Discovery left the Vehicle Assembly Building and
rolled to Launch Pad 39A on Monday morning. The Z-1 Truss is scheduled to
arrive at the launch pad Wednesday for installation into Discovery’s
payload bay. The STS-92 flight crew will participate in the Terminal
Countdown Demonstration Test on Sept. 14-15.
Here's the latest Shuttle
Status Report from Kennedy Space Center.
|
| 11 September 2000 - While Shuttle Atlantis orbits the
Earth at 17000MPH, Shuttle Discovery is moving a little more slowly - it has begun its 1MPH trek to the
launch
pad,
and should arrive by sunrise. |
| 9 September 2000 - Discovery prepping for next month's launch. NASA reports:
STS-92 Crew Completes Countdown Test
Preparations are under way at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., for the launch of STS-92,
which will be the fifth shuttle assembly mission to the International
Space Station. The flight crew participated in the Terminal Countdown
Demonstration Test on Thursday and Friday.
|
| 8 September 2000 - NASA News:
STS-92 to Visit Station
STS-92 will begin the "heart" of station construction in orbit,
attaching two major components. Discovery will deliver an exterior
framework called the Z1 Truss and a third mating adapter. The new truss
houses four gyroscope devices that will become the station's primary
"sense of balance," and Ku-Band communications equipment. The
truss contains parts of both systems, but the full systems will not become
active until STS-102. The crew will attach the truss and mating adapter
using the robotic arm, and then the astronauts will perform four space
walks to hook up electrical lines, computer connections and other finish
work. STS-92 will be the 100th
shuttle flight.
Latest
Shuttle Status Report from KSC.
|
| 6 September 2000 - Wedneday's KSC Shuttle Status
report here. |
| 5 September 2000 - Tuesday's KSC Shuttle Status report here. |
| 4 September 2000 - Happy Labor Day! - Now that the ISS is ready for long-term habitation, NASA is is getting ready for a
series of Shuttle launches
to the Station. Three missions remain for this year, with more in quick succession
for years to come. |
| 2 September 2000 - Shuttle Discovery, set to launch next month, will remain in the gigantic Vehicle Assemble Building until after Atlantis' launch next week. This will
keep the spacecraft safe during
Florida's unpredictable hurricane season. |
| 1 September 2000 - Shuttle Status Report from KSC is here.
To go further back, see the August 2000 News Archive.
Orbiter processing has been going on for Discovery since way back in January. |
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