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NASA's Space Shuttle Moves to Launch Pad

22 May 2006

Shuttle Discovery scheduled for a July launch

By Cheryl Pellerin
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The space shuttle Discovery stands at its launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, having arrived May 12 atop a giant vehicle known as the crawler transporter.

The transporter began carrying Discovery out of Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building at a maximum speed of less than 1.6 kilometers per hour during the 6.7-kilometer journey.

"Rollout of space shuttle Discovery signifies the last major processing milestone in preparation for our next mission, STS-121," said Space Shuttle Program Manager Wayne Hale at a May 19 press briefing in Florida.

"The entire team has worked tremendously hard to ensure we were prepared to move to the pad,” he added, “and we are excited to continue moving toward a July launch."

While at the pad, the shuttle will undergo final testing and hardware integration before launch, and a "hot fire" test of the auxiliary power units to ensure they are working properly.  The rotating service structure then will be moved back around the vehicle to protect it from potential damage and the elements. 

Discovery's launch to the International Space Station is targeted for July 1, with a launch window that extends until July 19.

During the 12-day mission, Discovery's crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the station.

"We are home free when the wheels stop rolling on the runway [at the end of the mission], okay?” Hale said.

“It's an uphill job to fly a vehicle in space every minute of every day between now and that wheel stop date,” he added. “It is a difficult business and it requires attention every day, and we've got a lot of work to do."

Another upcoming milestone, the terminal countdown demonstration test, is set for June 12-15.  The countdown dress rehearsal gives each shuttle crew a chance to participate in simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency evacuation training.

"The mood of the workers here is ecstatic. I mean this is a great, great day to see the orbiter roll to the launch pad,” Hale said.

“Everybody has been working very hard for the last several months to come to this day,” he added, “and we're just, everybody that I've talked to has just been really pleased that this has gone forward today."

Information about the STS-121 mission and its crew is available at the NASA Web site.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)