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Spaceport News John F Jan. 14, 2011 Vol. 51, No. 1 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/snews/spnews_toc.html New year Discovery brings new closes in exploration on mission By Steven Siceloff goals, ideas Spaceport News pace shuttle Discovery By Allard Beutel remains in the Vehicle As- Spaceport News Ssembly Building (VAB) as n 2010, Kennedy Space Center modifications and repairs are made helped begin a new volume to to the external fuel tank’s support the agency’s space exploration beams known as “stringers.” Ad- I ditional support structures called book as the storied Space Shuttle Program entered into its final chap- radius blocks are being added to ters. 94 stringers, meaning the entire Kennedy teams were involved circumference of the external tank in launching five missions last year; will be strengthened by the time all two on expendable launch vehicles the repairs and modifications are finished. and three on space shuttles. And “The teams have done a tremen- on Dec. 8, SpaceX successfully dous job of staying focused and launched its Falcon 9 rocket and NASA file photos working this problem,” said Bill Dragon capsule from Cape Canav- From top left: President Barack Obama speaks in the Operations and Checkout Building on April 15. A Gerstenmaier, NASA’s associate eral Air Force Station (CCAFS). United Launch Alliance Atlas V launches with NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Feb. 11. On May 14, an exhaust plume surrounds administrator for Space Opera- The flight was the first for NASA’s the mobile launcher platform on Launch Pad 39A as space shuttle Atlantis lifts off on the STS-132 mis- tions. “There’s been lots of ups and Commercial Orbital Transportation sion. The Dragon capsule that launched from Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station downs but the team has really stayed Services (COTS) program, which aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is recovered in the Pacific Ocean about 500 miles west of the coast of Mexico on Dec. 8. focused.” is developing commercial supply Meeting Monday, space shuttle dent committed NASA to a series of services to the International Space new direction for NASA announced management approved the modi- Station. It also was the first time a in February by the White House. developmental goals leading to new fications using the radius blocks. commercial company launched and That was followed up by a visit by spacecraft for reaching low Earth or- The repairs to the cracked stringers returned a spacecraft to Earth. President Obama to Kennedy on bit and new technology for potential themselves have been finished. Commercial companies going April 15 to outline details of his missions beyond the moon. “It’s been a long road,” said John to low Earth orbit for both cargo and plans for the future of U.S. leader- crewed missions were the focus of a ship in human spaceflight. The presi- See EXPLORATION, Page 2 See DISCOVERY, Page 3 Inside this issue . Engine install Heritage:Voyagers keep on giving Director’s Note Safe driving Page 2 Page 3 Page 6 Page 7 Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS Jan. 14, 2011 2010 great for Kennedy, but 2011 promises to be better he future holds great things hard work and innovation required of KSC and pursue efforts to align for Kennedy Space Center, to transition from the Constellation our assets to best accomplish our Tand along the way, there will Director’s Program to our new space explora- mission and goals. be some tough challenges and excit- tion efforts. This transition is made More information will be released ing opportunities. The KSC team Note even more challenging with the as the timeframe of these changes is will be key to making 2011 one of ongoing budget uncertainty, but that solidified. Bob Cabana the most notable years in the space just means we’ll have to get even This is going to be a great year, exploration history books. more creative to make it work. I and it’s a privilege to be a part of This year, we have three main pri- know we have the right people at this outstanding KSC team that will orities. First, we must safely launch KSC to make it happen, and we’ll continue to do what is necessary to and land the final space shuttle mis- Next, we need to provide the ensure they are in the right place to ensure the success of our Nation’s sions. The Space Shuttle program Launch Services Program with the make these new ventures successful. human spaceflight and exploration closes out its historic three decades same diligence we have in the past Change brings with it the op- programs. this year, and it’s our responsibility to ensure the success of NASA’s portunity to do our jobs even better. and privilege to successfully see it science missions. Through this year, we will continue Keep Charging! through to the final “wheels stop.” And, finally, we will continue the to look at the organization structure Bob Cabana program was established to help modernize Ken- From EXPLORATION, Page 1 resolution of funding considerations. The STS-133 mission will add the final pres- nedy’s infrastructure and facilities and transform NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) surized module to the U.S. portion of the ISS is them from a space shuttle launch port into a based at Kennedy started its year on Feb. 11 by set to be the first flight of 2011. A hydrogen gas multipurpose launch complex. Kennedy also is sending the agency’s Solar Dynamics Observatory leak on Discovery’s external fuel tank scrubbed a working on technology demonstration spaceflight (SDO) into space aboard an Atlas V rocket from Nov. 5 launch attempt. On Dec. 22, Discovery plans that will support NASA’s new long-term Launch Complex-41 at CCAFS. SDO is a first-of- was rolled off Launch Pad 39A and back into the exploration goals. its-kind mission to reveal the sun’s inner workings Vehicle Assembly Building for more tank analysis To help with the shuttle program retirement, in unprecedented detail. and modifications. Kennedy held two large-scale jobs fairs last year, Less than a month later, NASA’s latest Geo- Kennedy management also focused on bring- one in May and the other in September, along stationary Operational Environmental Satellite, or ing new commercial companies to the space cen- with months of career-building courses and other GOES-P, lifted off aboard a Delta IV rocket from ter. In June, the official groundbreaking ceremony work force support efforts. The Federal Aviation Space Launch Complex-37 at CCAFS. The latest for NASA and Space Florida’s new technology Administration also began establishing an office at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- and commerce park, known as Exploration Park tion (NOAA) satellite joined four other similar at Kennedy, was held outside the Space Life Sci- Kennedy this year to help support the commercial spacecraft to improve weather forecasting and ences Laboratory. Exploration Park is designed to human launch services endeavor. monitoring of environmental events. bring new aerospace work to the area and support Kennedy also expanded its “green space” Just three days before the LSP’s first flight space-related activities of NASA, other govern- efforts in 2010. On April 8, NASA, Florida Power of 2010, the Space Shuttle Program launched its ment agencies and the U.S. commercial space & Light (FPL) and political leaders commissioned first of three missions aboard shuttle Endeavour industry. They also set up a new Center Planning FPL’s Space Coast Next Generation Solar Energy on Feb. 8. STS-130’s six astronauts delivered the and Development Office to enhance the economic Center. In December, Kennedy’s new Propellants Tranquility node and cupola to the International vitality of Kennedy. North Administration and Maintenance Facil- Space Station (ISS) during the two-week flight. After supporting its last space shuttle in ity was reopened for business. It will be one of On April 5, space shuttle Discovery launched 2009, Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39B began be- NASA’s “greenest” facility, expected to achieve on its STS-131 mission to deliver science experi- ing deconstructed this year to convert it from a the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in ments, equipment and supplies to the space sta- shuttle launch pad to a commercial launch site that Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) Plati- tion. Discovery and its seven-member astronaut could host multiple launch vehicles. Phase one num status, the highest rating. And this summer, crew landed at Kennedy 15 days later. of NASA’s new mobile launcher was completed Kennedy helped with the unprecedented effort to What turned out to be the final shuttle mis- this year, too. The 355-foot-tall tower could be save wildlife from the effects of the BP Deepwater sion of the year, STS-132, lifted off on May 14. converted to support commercial launch vehicles Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Hundreds Shuttle Atlantis and its six astronauts delivered the or possibly even large heavy-lift rockets. of endangered sea turtle eggs were brought to a Russian-built Mini Research Module, cargo and Four years worth of upgrades to Kennedy’s hatchery at Kennedy and then the baby turtles critical spare parts to the station. Atlantis touched Launch Equipment Test Facility also were com- were released into the Atlantic Ocean. down at Kennedy after the 12-day mission. pleted this summer. The LETF, which has fixtures On the education front, NASA’s first Luna- STS-132 was the last scheduled spaceflight that can simulate launch conditions, can support botics Mining Competition, hosted by Kennedy’s for Atlantis.
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