STS-128 Discovery

NASA has finally given go ahead for the launch of Discovery shuttle on 25th Aug 2009. After looking at the weather conditions specially the hurricane threats, NASA has decided to launch on that day. The Flight Readiness Review for space shuttle Discovery’s STS-128 mission has concluded, setting the launch date for Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 1:36 a.m. EDT.

Discovery’s flight will deliver supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. Inside the shuttle’s cargo bay is the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), a pressurized “moving van” that will be temporarily installed to the station. The module will deliver science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. The 13-day mission will include three spacewalks each space walk will last approximately 6.5 hours to replace experiments outside the European Space Agency’s Columbus laboratory, and install a new ammonia storage tank and return the used one. Ammonia is used to move excess heat from inside the station to the radiators located outside. Discovery also will deliver a new crew member and bring back another after almost two months aboard the space station.

Commanded by veteran astronaut Rick “C.J.” Sturckow, the STS-128 mission crew will deliver refrigerator-sized racks full of equipment, including the COLBERT treadmill, an exercise device named after comedian Stephen Colbert.

Stott will take the place of Tim Kopra, who moved into the station during STS-127. Pilot Kevin Ford and Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester, Jose Hernandez, John “Danny” Olivas and Sweden’s Christer Fuglesang round out the crew.

Seated are NASA astronauts Rick Sturckow (right), commander; and Kevin Ford, pilot. From the left (standing) are astronauts Jose Hernandez, John "Danny" Olivas, Nicole Stott, European Space Agency's Christer Fuglesang and Patrick Forrester, all mission specialists.

The patch represents the hardware, people and partner nations that con- tribute to the flight. Discovery is shown in the orbit configuration with the MPLM Leonardo in the payload bay. Earth and the space station wrap around the Astronaut Office symbol reminding us of the continuous human presence in space. The names of the crew border in an unfurled manner. The banner also contains the U.S. and Swedish flags representing the countries of the STS-128 crew.

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Credits: NASA

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