July 7, 2006 Vol. 45, No. 13 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/snews/spnews_toc.html A star-spangled start to STS-121 Commander Lindsey delivers on promise for “an up- close-and-personal look at the rocket’s red glare” he Space Shuttle Discovery dures that were introduced on is now docked at the the first Return to Flight TInternational Space Station mission, STS-114, last summer. after lifting off at 2:38 p.m. on July The STS-121 mission also 4 from Kennedy Space Center, Fla. will bring a third crew member, This was the first-ever space European Space Agency shuttle launch on Independence astronaut Thomas Reiter, to the Day. orbiting laboratory. The station “We’re absolutely thrilled to has had two-person crews since be safely back in space again and May 2003. are looking forward to evaluating They also will deliver shuttle system ascent performance equipment, supplies, experi- as soon as possible,” said NASA ments and spare parts to the Administrator Michael Griffin station. shortly after launch. Two spacewalks are planned Discovery’s mission, STS-121, during Discovery’s 12-day is the second in NASA’s Return to mission. If there is enough Flight sequence. Discovery’s crew electrical power, the mission members - Commander Steve will be extended by one day and Lindsey, Pilot Mark Kelly, and a third spacewalk will be added. Mission Specialists Mike Fossum, Shuttle managers hope to make Lisa Nowak, Stephanie Wilson and that decision by flight day six. Piers Sellers - will continue testing Discovery is flying with new new safety equipment and proce- safety features for STS-121. (See STS-121, Page 2) SPACE SHUTTLE Discovery lifts off at 2:38 p.m. on July 4 from Launch Pad 39B on mission STS-121. The 12-day mission may be extended. Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS July 7, 2006 processing STEREO, short for some workers handle their disabili- Solar TErrestrial RElations ties, including Randall Crosby, Observatory, for its upcoming who operates the snack bar on the launch aboard a Delta II rocket third floor of the Headquarters The from Launch Complex 17 on the building. “When you see a Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. disabled person, look at the person The science learned from this first and not just the disability,” Awards Kennedy mission, set for July 30, will yield Randall so eloquently said. a better understanding of space At the BEST Barbecue, David weather that will ultimately help Banks and his dedicated group Update us all back here on Earth. served up good times and great Jim Kennedy Along with watching these food, all while employees and the Center Director NASA missions progress, I was summer students and faculty had a privileged to take “I have never been more proud of the ost-STS-121 launch and It was also exciting to learn the part in two distin- prelanding greetings, new names of the next generation guished events as the way our employees have worked so hard Peveryone. From the moment I of launch vehicles NASA will use Disability Awareness to ensure mission success.” greeted Commander Steve Lindsey to return to the moon and later and Action Working Group chance to get acquainted and build and his crew at the Shuttle travel to Mars. By naming the crew (DAAWG) and the Black Em- enduring friendships. Landing Facility before launch, launch vehicle Ares I and the cargo ployee Strategy Team (BEST) You should be proud of all through Discovery’s beautiful launch vehicle Ares V, we honor hosted gatherings to recognize the your contributions as we continue afternoon liftoff on July 4, I have the Apollo program’s Saturn I and valuable contributions our diverse to explore space, and thanks for all never been more proud of the way V rockets in a fitting way. workforce adds to NASA. you do as we continue to build the our government and contractor Later this year, the agency will The DAAWG’s luncheon gave NASA legacy. employees have worked so hard to unveil the name of the crew employees a new outlook of how Godspeed, Discovery. ensure mission success. exploration vehicle, and I’m sure As the crew members wind the name will truly reflect NASA’s down on their busy schedule, exploration mission. including two exciting As we focus on Discovery’s spacewalks, and prepare for landing, we can look ahead to the landing at KSC next week, I want late August launch of Atlantis for to pass on the numerous congratu- STS-115. The crew has been lations I received from everybody, training at Kennedy and also including NASA Administrator supported the STS-121 launch. Mike Griffin and Vice President Be sure to take time out for Dick Cheney, who flew in for the yourself before the next shuttle first launch attempt. launch and enjoy your family and This launch marked the first friends. America is counting on us use of Firing Room 4 in the to continue the Vision for Space Launch Control Center, a state-of- Exploration and I know we will be the-art facility that will be used for ready for the challenge. all future shuttle launches. Seeing While the center was busy our NASA team in action makes preparing for the STS-121 mission, me, again, “KSC and Proud to Be!” the Launch Services team was STS-121 . (continued from page 1) NASA developed new procedures to ensure gap fillers between the heat- shielding tiles stay in place and pose no hazard on re-entry. Technicians removed and replaced approximately 5,000 of the shuttle’s 16,000 gap fillers prior to launch. Technicians have also installed hardened tiles on Discovery’s nose landing gear doors. The orbiter’s main landing gear now has four larger, smoother tires that can withstand higher loads at landing than the previous tires. Discovery’s external tank, known as ET-119, was the first to fly without the protuberance air load (PAL) ramps. After detailed inspec- tions, engineering analysis and testing, the Space Shuttle Program determined the PAL ramps were not necessary and it would be a safety improvement to remove the ramps. This is the biggest aerodynamic change to the tank in the shuttle’s history. THE STS-121 crew members display the spirit of the Fourth of July Small foam ramps, known as extensions, were added to the ice/frost holiday with their flags as they stride out of the Operations and Checkout ramp locations where the PAL ramps used to be. For the latest informa- Building. Leading the way are Pilot Mark Kelly (left) and Commander tion on the STS-121 mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle. Steven Lindsey (right). Behind them are Mission Specialists (second row) Lisa Nowak and Michael Fossum; (third row) Stephanie Wilson and Piers See pages 4-5 for more STS-121 photographs Sellers; and (at the rear) Thomas Reiter. July 7, 2006 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Firing Room 4 debuts for STS-121 By Charlie Plain sure everything is ready for launch. Staff Writer It’s within the room’s walls that the test director polls the team for hen Space Shuttle the famous “go/no go” for launch. Discovery lifted off on When not being used for launch, Wits STS-121 mission firing rooms also monitor the from Kennedy Space Center, the health of orbiters Discovery, best view of the flight may have Endeavour and Atlantis while been from the new Firing Room 4. they’re inside their hangars being Through its huge two-story prepared for upcoming missions. windows, engineers watched the The opening of Firing Room 4 vehicle thunder into space while concludes two years of renovation debuting NASA’s most advanced that dramatically reinvented the control room ever. A firing room is space. “Originally, this area was a what most people think of as little bit of office space, a confer- “mission control” for launch. ence room and a small firing “The firing rooms serve as the room,” said Mosteller. FIRING ROOM 4 in the Launch Control Center is prepared for the nerve center for the launch and The renovation of Firing Room STS-121 mission. The room underwent two years of renovations. orbiter processing,” said NASA 4 gave designers an opportunity to features, NASA tested how well Calgary and set up a couple of the Test Director Ted Mosteller. blast away from the past and build they would work. Rick Dawson, consoles and checked them out,” The Launch Control Center the ideal space shuttle launch systems integration manager for said Dawson. “It saved us months houses each of the four rooms. On control room. The first thing NASA the project, worked with a team of work.” The end result of NASA’s launch day, a firing room is packed did to develop the room was get that tried models of the room’s new careful planning is a comfortably with upwards of 216 engineers at the input of the engineers who will computer consoles on for size cool, quiet and well-organized computer consoles, checking a use it. before moving ahead with manu- room specifically suited for space space shuttle’s systems to make After compiling a wish list of facturing them. “We flew up to shuttle launches. NASA names new rockets Ares I, Ares V ASA announced on June This vehicle will be carried 30 the names of the next into space by Ares I, which uses a THE CARGO launch Ngeneration of launch single five-segment solid rocket vehicle (left) will be vehicles that will return humans to booster, a derivative of the space called Ares V and the the moon and later take them to shuttle’s solid rocket booster, for crew launch vehicle Mars and other destinations.