Discovery set for final voyage

Rico · February 19, 2011, 05:43:25 AM

Finally, Discovery has been cleared for launch on Feb. 24th. :metallica:

After an hours-long meeting at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA's top officials unanimously cleared the space shuttle Discovery for its final launch next Thursday (Feb. 24).

NASA shuttle managers made the decision today (Feb. 18) during the mission's Flight Readiness Review, where they discussed the current state of Discovery, the International Space Station, and the astronauts who will fly the orbiter on its 39th and final flight.

Following the meeting, NASA officially set the shuttle's launch date and time for Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST (2150 GMT).

"I can't say enough about the work the teams have done, they did a tremendous job," Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for space operations, said in a news briefing today.

Discovery is targeted to liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on the same day that the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle-2 (ATV-2) cargo ship is scheduled to arrive and dock at the space station.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/18/nasa-discusses-launch-options-shuttle-discoverys-final-flight/#ixzz1EPc6jTpO

Rico · February 24, 2011, 07:23:46 AM

Discovery set to lift off today (2/24) at 4:50pm EST.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/international/final-countdown-space-shuttle-discovery-blasts-off-for-the-last-time-today/

Geekyfanboy · February 24, 2011, 07:47:07 AM

Is this the last shuttle mission or just Discovery's last mission?

Rico · February 24, 2011, 07:52:10 AM

Quote from: Geekyfanboy on February 24, 2011, 07:47:07 AM
Is this the last shuttle mission or just Discovery's last mission?

Last mission for Discovery. I believe there is one more for Endeavor still.

QuadShot · February 24, 2011, 01:48:52 PM

Anyone interested, nasa.gov is airing live coverage of the historic launch!!

moyer777 · February 24, 2011, 02:17:54 PM

that was pretty cool.

Rico · February 24, 2011, 02:55:42 PM

Great launch! Good luck guys and enjoy!

Rico · February 26, 2011, 02:02:24 PM

Perhaps one of the coolest videos ever! Shuttle launch as seen from an airplane.

Space Shuttle Launch: Viewed From an Airplane

moyer777 · February 26, 2011, 02:03:51 PM

That is awesome! I'm posting this on facebook. WAY COOL!

Rico · February 26, 2011, 02:06:37 PM

Quote from: moyer777 on February 26, 2011, 02:03:51 PM
That is awesome! I'm posting this on facebook. WAY COOL!

Yeah - I know! So much power! I just put it up on my Facebook too!

Geekyfanboy · February 26, 2011, 04:33:06 PM

Wow.. that is simply AWESOME

Rico · February 27, 2011, 05:06:59 AM

In this frame grab from video taken from NASA television, space shuttle Discovery performs a maneuver as it zooms toward an afternoon check-in at the International Space Station, its final visit before being parked at a museum, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011. (AP Photo/NASA)

WillEagle · February 27, 2011, 06:39:07 AM

My wife found this video on here facebook page and showed it to me. That was really cool. I loved it when somebody said "I don't want anybody to complain because we are late." That was probably the pilot.

turtlesrock · February 27, 2011, 02:05:52 PM

Quote from: Rico on February 26, 2011, 02:02:24 PM
Perhaps one of the coolest videos ever! Shuttle launch as seen from an airplane.

Space Shuttle Launch: Viewed From an Airplane

wow!!! it just goes up and up and up! sweet!

Meds · February 27, 2011, 03:00:48 PM

Oh man that video gave me goosebumps. Just awesome :D

Discovery set for final voyage

QuadShot