Watched the landing on NASA TV (when it wasn't stalled)
Land now, no tomorrow, well skip KSC and land at Edwards.
- LRK -
------------------------------
Space Shuttle Discovery Returns to Earth After Successful Mission
http://www.nasa.gov/home/
EDWARDS, Calif. -- Space shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven astronauts ended a 14-day journey of more than 5.7 million miles with an 5:53 p.m. PDT landing Friday at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The mission, designated STS-128, delivered two refrigerator-sized science racks to the International Space Station. One rack will be used to conduct experiments on materials such as metals, glasses and ceramics. The results from these experiments could lead to the development of better materials on Earth. The other rack will be used for fluid physics research. Understanding how fluids react in microgravity could lead to improved designs for fuel tanks, water systems and other fluid-based systems.
STS-128 Commander Rick Sturckow was joined on the mission by Pilot Kevin Ford, Mission Specialists Pat Forrester, Jose Hernandez, Danny Olivas and European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang. NASA astronaut Nicole Stott flew to the complex aboard Discovery to begin a nearly three-month mission as a station resident, replacing Tim Kopra, who returned home on Discovery.
snip
------------------------------
How interesting, I am asked what kinds of science has been accomplished on the ISS and some reports over the years have talked about what hasn't and what has.
Two racks delivered to the ISS, here in 2009 when similar ones were desired long ago but were delayed with all of the adjustments to whatwould become the ISS.
One rack will be used to conduct experiments on materials such as metals, glasses and ceramics.
The other rack will be used for fluid physics research.
When I was at NASA Ames I remember the centrifuge that was going to be attached to the ISS and never happened. There was going to be a facility to load modules for experiments that never materialized either.
- LRK -
------------------------------
Factors Affecting the Utilization of the International Space Station for Research in the Biological and Physical Sciences (2003)
Space Studies Board (SSB)
http://books.nap.edu/openbook.
1
Introduction
TASK DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY
This report represents phase II of a study requested by Congress and conducted by the Task Group on Research on the International Space Station to examine factors affecting the utilization of the International Space Station (ISS) for research. The phase I report, released in September of 2001, looked at the readiness of the scientific community to utilize the ISS1 and the benefits and costs of flying additional shuttle missions dedicated to science during the station build-up2 (NRC, 2001). During the course of that study, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that it would make major changes in the final ISS configuration in order to address construction cost overruns. These design changes (discussed
below) would reduce considerably the research capabilities of the ISS and therefore had to be taken into account when the task group made its phase I recommendations. While the task group concluded in that report that the research community was in fact ready to utilize the
ISS, it also pointed out that the uncertainty resulting from years of schedule delays, funding fluctuations, and lack of flight opportunities seriously threatened the continued viability of the ISS research community in many disciplines. The task group also noted that the planned reductions in ISS capabilities would exacerbate this problem considerably.
snip
------------------------------
[The above report can be read on-line and even down loaded if you care to register with The National Academies Press.]
For what is reported that has been accomplished on present ISS in its limited 3 person, no life boat version, see the recent report.
- LRK -
------------------------------
http://www.nasa.gov/home/
NASA Publishes Report about International Space Station Science
RELEASE : 09-203
snip
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/
(5.8 MB, 262 pages, yrs 2000 - 2008)
International Space Station - Science Research Accomplishments During the Assembly Years: An Analysis of Results from 2000-2008
snip
------------------------------
So what happens now? Do we continue to take things up to the ISS and let some more science be done or does the ISS get dumped in 2016?
The Augustine Report is being presented and debated and decisions on what gets funded will appear and missions may disappear.
Did you read the LEAKED email that Mike Griffin has supposedly sent to unknown persons?
- LRK -
------------------------------
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.
Ex-NASA chief Griffin calls Augustine panel "irresponsible"
posted by Robert Block on Sep 10, 2009 3:07:37 PM
CAPE CANAVERAL - Former NASA Administrator Michael Griffin apparently has sent a scathing memo to friends and supporters in Washington, lashing out at the work of the presidential committee reviewing NASA’s human space flight plans and calling some of its recommendations “irresponsible.”
snip
Clearly the battle lines in the looming fight over the future of human space flight at NASA are being drawn.
READ THE EMAIL HERE: Download Griffin's Augustine Email
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.
snip
------------------------------
Well at least I don't need to worry about my job, I don't have one. :-)
You may not feel the same and would really like to see us doing exciting things with space that you and your kids could take part in, and maybe even get paid for.
Do you know someone, who just might know someone, who knows someone, that could poke someone and say, hey we would like to continue looking up. :-)
Thanks for looking up with me.
Larry Kellogg
Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/lrkellogg
==============================
Space Shuttle Discovery Returns to Earth After Successful Mission
http://www.nasa.gov/home/
Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov
Allard Beutel
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
allard.beutel@nasa.gov
Sept. 11, 2009
RELEASE : 09-212
Space Shuttle Discovery Returns to Earth After Successful Mission
EDWARDS, Calif. -- Space shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven
astronauts ended a 14-day journey of more than 5.7 million miles with
an 5:53 p.m. PDT landing Friday at Edwards Air Force Base in
California.
The mission, designated STS-128, delivered two refrigerator-sized
science racks to the International Space Station. One rack will be
used to conduct experiments on materials such as metals, glasses and
ceramics. The results from these experiments could lead to the
development of better materials on Earth. The other rack will be used
for fluid physics research. Understanding how fluids react in
microgravity could lead to improved designs for fuel tanks, water
systems and other fluid-based systems.
STS-128 Commander Rick Sturckow was joined on the mission by Pilot
Kevin Ford, Mission Specialists Pat Forrester, Jose Hernandez, Danny
Olivas and European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang. NASA
astronaut Nicole Stott flew to the complex aboard Discovery to begin a
nearly three-month mission as a station resident, replacing Tim Kopra,
who returned home on Discovery.
Weather concerns prevented the crew from returning to NASA's Kennedy
Space Center in Florida, the primary end-of-mission landing site. In
7-10 days, Discovery will be transported approximately 2,500 miles
from California to Florida on the back of a modified 747 jumbo jet.
Once at Kennedy, Discovery will be separated from the aircraft to
begin processing for its next flight, targeted for March 2010.
A welcome ceremony for the crew's return to Houston will be held at
Ellington Field's NASA Hangar 990 at 4 p.m. CDT on Saturday, Sept. 12.
The public is invited to attend.
In addition to carrying a new station crew member, Discovery and the
crew also delivered a new sleeping compartment, an air purification
system and a treadmill named after comedian Stephen Colbert. The
mission included three spacewalks that replaced experiments outside
the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory and an empty ammonia
storage tank. Ammonia is needed to move excess heat from inside the
station to the radiators located outside.
Disney's toy astronaut Buzz Lightyear also returned from the space
station aboard Discovery. He flew to the station in May 2008 on
shuttle Discovery's STS-124 mission and served as the longest tenured
"crew member" in space. While on the station, Buzz supported NASA's
education outreach by creating a series of online educational outreach
programs.
The crew's return will be broadcast on NASA Television's video file.
For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
With Discovery and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the
launch of shuttle Atlantis on its STS-129 mission. Atlantis' liftoff
currently is targeted for Nov.12, although shuttle and station teams
are assessing Nov. 9 as a potential launch date. The flight will focus
on storing important spare hardware on the station's exterior. The
11-day flight will include three spacewalks and the installation of
two platforms to the station's truss, or backbone. Atlantis also will
bring Stott back to Earth.
Stott and STS-128 astronaut Hernandez are providing updates on
Twitter. To connect to their Twitter feeds and other NASA social
media, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/
For more about the STS-128 mission and the upcoming STS-129 flight, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov
- end -
==============================
Wonder where the trash will go now that Discovery has landed at Edwards? - LRK -
------------------------------
http://spaceflightnow.com/
Leonardo stowed as space crews say their farewells
BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: September 7, 2009
Closing out a successful resupply mission, two Discovery astronauts,
operating the International Space Station's robot arm, detached a
cargo module from the lab complex late Monday and returned it to the
shuttle's cargo bay for the trip back to Earth Thursday.
snip
Loaded with 2,412 pounds of no-longer-needed hardware and trash, the
Leonardo multi-purpose logistics module was disconnected from the
station's forward Harmony module around 8 p.m. Shuttle pilot Kevin
Ford and Jose Hernandez, operating the space station's robot arm,
carefully moved the module to Discovery's payload bay where it was
locked down shortly after 9 p.m.
snip
==============================
Factors Affecting the Utilization of the International Space Station
for Research in the Biological and Physical Sciences (2003)
Space Studies Board (SSB)
http://books.nap.edu/openbook.
Executive Summary
Construction of the International Space Station (ISS), under
development since the late 1980s, began with the launch of its first
element in November 1998 and is ongoing. In the spring of 2001, the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that it
would make major changes in the final configuration of the ISS in
order to address serious construction cost overruns. The new ISS
configuration is referred to by NASA as “Core Complete”; the earlier
configuration was based on NASA’s Rev. F design documentation. Some
decisions regarding the new configuration are yet to be finalized, but
the changes from Rev. F currently include the deletion of a crew
return vehicle, which will force a reduction in the number of ISS crew
from six or seven to three; the deletion of a number of the major
science facilities planned for the ISS; and a reduction in the number
of annual shuttle flights to the ISS. Serious concerns have arisen
within the science community and elsewhere that these changes would
jeopardize the ability of the ISS to support the world-class science
that has often been cited as its primary purpose. This report examines
the factors, including ISS design changes, that limit the ability of
the science community to utilize the ISS for research and makes
recommendations for maximizing the ISS’s research potential.
IMPACT OF CORE COMPLETE DESIGN ON RESEARCH
The task group reviewed individually most of the principal areas of
science that were intended to be supported on the ISS and considered
the impact that the design changes would have on each. The level and
type of impact resulting from the design changes in the ISS vary
considerably from discipline to discipline. The physical sciences
received the majority of the cuts made in facilities and equipment for
experiments. Two of the three materials science research racks planned
for the ISS were canceled, along with all but two of the experiment
modules for the remaining materials facility. More than half of the
planned materials investigations on the ISS were deselected, and the
scope of work for those that remain has been reduced dramatically. One
of the two facilities supporting fluids research (it was also intended
to support combustion research) was canceled, along with a number of
experiment modules. About 28 percent of the planned fluid physics
experiments have been canceled so far, with the remaining experiments
now expected to fly in 2005-2008 if funds become available for the
development of the experiment modules. The only remaining facility for
combustion research was canceled and then reinstated, but its future
remains uncertain. The stowage space for combustion research was
reduced by half and its allocation of crew time by 70 percent. The
result is that each set of combustion experiments has been replanned
and will be constrained to fewer tests over a smaller range of
conditions, thus reducing their scientific value.
snip
http://books.nap.edu/openbook.
==============================
WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK
==============================
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