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STS-120 || Space Shuttle Discovery |
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Written by Administrator on
Monday, 01 October 2007
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 Discovery lands in Florida
07 November 2007 - After a construction mission to the International Space Station that turned into a mad rush to repair broken components, the Space Shuttle Discovery landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. What could easily be classified as the most difficult shuttle mission to date, the crews of both Discovery and the ISS had to repair a torn solar array on the station in addition to coping with a broken critical joint and adding a new module to the orbital laboratory.
|  ISS repaired, Discovery begins trip back to Earth
06 November 2007 - It took over seven hours, but Scott Parazynski successfully repaired one of the torn solar arrays of the International Space Station. Assisted by Doug Wheelcock and guided on more than 100 feet of robotic arm, Parazynksi attached five 'cufflinks' to stabilize the solar wing. The rings were hand crafted aboard the shuttle as part of the quick effort to repair the station before Discovery departed.
|  Astronauts to attempt repair of broken ISS solar array
31 October 2007 - NASA has decided to yet again rearrange the Discovery's spacewalk schedule. This time they are scrapping the planned inspection of the damaged rotary joint on another of the International Space Station's solar array to repair the solar array that suffered a two foot tear during deployment yesterday. Even though the wing is generating plenty of power in spite the damage, engineers are concerned about the structural integrity of the array, which is exposed to extreme temperature shifts as it orbits the Earth.
|  ISS solar array ripped
30 October 2007 - Things just aren't going well for the STS-120 crew. First they discover that the starboard side rotator joint for the International Space Station's massive solar arrays is possibly grinding against itself, and now today after successfully moving another of the station's solar arrays, one of the power generating arrays was ripped as it was unfurled. The 115 foot long solar array was discovered to be ripped along its edge, and neither the astronauts in space nor the engineers on the ground are cetain as to if the damage will prevent the array from generating neccesary power for future ISS modules.
| NASA extends Discovery mission to deal with worrisome ISS joint
29 October 2007 - Two days after spacewalking astronauts helping with the construction of the International Space Station discovered metal shavings - evidence of grinding - inside a large solar wing joint, NASA has decided to extend the shuttle's stay at the orbital laboratory for one day. The joint is used to rotate the station's massive solar panel wings for optimal exposure, and the astronauts aboard the ISS had reported power spikes and vibrations during movements. Certain that the joint has sustained some degree of damage, ground controllers immediately halted the joint in place.
| Harmony Node hooked up to ISS
27 October 2007 - The Italian-built connecting module 'Harmony' was today attached to the International Space Station by astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, which is currently docked at the orbital station. Discovery docked with the station yesterday and began a long series of complicated ISS contruction missions, beginning with the movement of the Harmony Node from the shuttle's payload bay to a temporary berthing on the ISS.
| Discovery docks with ISS
25 October 2007 - At 10:39 AM EDT today the hatches between the Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station were opened, completing docking between the two spacecraft. After spending two days chasing the ISS while in orbit, Discovery commenced docking procedures at 8:40 this morning while cruising over the Pacific Ocean. Commanded by Pam Melroy, Discovery launched from the Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday morning for a 14 day mission to continue construction of the ISS. Onboard is the Italian-built Harmony Node, a critical component for expanding the station.
|  Astronauts inspect Discovery's heat shield, see nothing of note
24 October 2007 - In what is a happy contrast to the previous shuttle mission, the astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery did not notice any potentially dangerous damage to the shuttle's sensitive heat shield. Soon after acheiving orbit the opened the cargo bay doors and extended the shuttle's robotic arm. It carried a laser-sensor laden tip that was used to systematically scan the thermal tiles on the shuttle's underside. Engineers were worried that ice and foam falling off the external fuel tank could damage the shuttle, as happened to Columbia in 2003.
|  Discovery launches towards ISS
24 October 2007 - The Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, today at 11:38 AM EDT. The seven person crew, led by veteran commander Pam Melroy, blasted through weather that threatened to delay today's launch. On board was the Harmony Node, an Italian-built connecting module that will enable future expansion of the International Space Station.
|  Discovery to launch despite safety concerns
12 October 2007 - In spite of small cracks that have appeared in the leading edge of the Space Shuttle Discovery's wings, NASA still intends to launch the shuttle on October 23 without repair. According to shuttle program manager Wayne Hale, the defects are too small to allow passage to the super-heated plasma created by air friction on reentry, and that studies of the wing after each flight indicate that no significant growth in the cracks has occured since 2003.
|  Discovery launch could face delay for repairs
11 October 2007 - NASA engineers are considering pulling the Space Shuttle Discovery off of the launch pad to repair the thermal shielding on the leading edge of the shuttle's wings. The outer carbon coating on three of the forty four panels is degrading over the past several months for reasons that engineers have yet to determine. NASA stressed that the degredation has not affected the underlying strength of the panels, but with the area being exposed to temperatures in excess of 3000° F they are debating whether to play it safe.
|  Discovery arrives at launch pad
01 October 2007 - The Space Shuttle Discovery has reached Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The shuttle is planned for a launch on October 23rd on a mission to deliver the Italian-built Harmony Node to the International Space Station. Harmony is a critical connector for several future modules planned to be added to the ISS, including parts from Russia and Japan.
|  Discovery repaired and on track for October launch
24 September 2007 - After a busy week of repair work on a leaking hydraulic seal, the Space Shuttle Discovery has been moved from the processing hangar to the massive Vehicle Assembly Building, where it will be mated with its large external fuel tank and solid fuel rocket boosters. Technicians discovered the leaking seal last week on one of the shuttle's landing gears and determined that it had to be replaced before any further prep work could be done.
|  Luke Skywalker's lightsaber to make the trek into orbit
30 August 2007 - While we are a site dedicated to the future of Star Trek, this one was just too good to pass up. The original prop lightsaber used by Mark Hamil as the Jedi hero Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy from 1977 will be flown to the International Space Station in October. When the Space Shutle Discovery launches (currently scheduled for October 23rd), the lightsaber will ride along into orbit, visit the ISS - where it will not be used during construction of the station - and return to Earth a few days later.
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"At ease, Ensign, before you sprain something."
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