NASA to Set Official STS-119 Launch Date

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:53:30 AM CST

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA managers are engaged in the executive-level Flight Readiness Review, or FRR, to evaluate Discovery’s readiness for launch.

An announcement will be made at the conclusion of the meeting and broadcast no earlier than 6 p.m. EST on NASA TV to set the mission's official launch date.

At Kennedy's Launch Pad 39A, technicians conducted leak checks on space shuttle Discovery's gaseous hydrogen, or GH2, flow control valves and performed space shuttle main engine flow through tests.

Installation of the ordnance that will separate the shuttle from the mobile launcher platform at the time of liftoff is on hold while an exposed wire located in the forward compartment of the spacecraft is repaired.

Meanwhile, the STS-119 crew members are in launch-countdown mode, which includes shifting sleep patterns and frequent medical exams. Later in the week, the astronauts will be preflight quarantined in Johnson Space Center's Astronaut Quarantine Facility in Houston to keep them isolated from potential infections.

STS-119 Mission Preps Move Forward
Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:21:31 AM CST

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians installed space shuttle Discovery's gaseous hydrogen, or GH2, flow control valves Saturday. GH2 leak checks will be performed today. The GH2 valves are used to synchronize the gas pressure between the external fuel tank and the engines, creating an even flow.

Final installation of the ordnance that will separate the shuttle from the mobile launcher platform at the time of liftoff is scheduled to take place late tonight.

Communication checks were successfully conducted between Kennedy and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. After Discovery lifts off from Kennedy, responsibility of the shuttle is transferred to Johnson.

The STS-119 crew members are in launch-countdown mode, which includes shifting sleep patterns and frequent medical exams. Commander Lee Archambault and Pilot Tony Antonelli will fly to White Sands Space Harbor in Las Cruces, N.M., to practice landing techniques in NASA's shuttle training aircraft.

Later in the week, the astronauts will be preflight quarantined in Johnson's Astronaut Quarantine Facility to keep them isolated from potential infections.

Meanwhile, NASA managers are en route to Kennedy for tomorrow's executive-level Flight Readiness Review, or FRR, to evaluate Discovery’s readiness for launch.

An announcement will be made at the conclusion of the meeting and broadcast no earlier than 6 p.m. Tuesday on NASA TV to set the mission's official launch date.