The last, last rollout of Discovery - SpacePod 2011.02.07

CAPE CANAVERAL -- Space shuttle Discovery was wheeled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on one of the massive crawler-transporters toward launch complex 39A -- and its final mission -- STS-133. This marks the second trip out to the launch pad for Discovery; the orbiter had to be taken back to the VAB for scans and repairs.

Discovery was first wheeled out to LC 39A on Sept. 20, 2010. The Nov. 5 launch attempt was aborted due to a leaky Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP). When engineers were checking out this problem, they discovered another, a section of popped up foam on the shuttle's external tank. Foam has been a concern ever since a briefcase-sized piece of foam led to the loss of the shuttle Columbia in 2003.

Further inspection showed that the cracks extended all the way down to the aluminum skin of the external tank. As engineers looked further more and more of these cracks were discovered around what is known as the "intertank" region. Engineers did what repairs that they could out at the launch pad. Then the large, orange tank was filled with the super-cooled fuel that powers the shuttle into orbit. When tanking occurs, the tank can shrink by as much as half-an-inch.

With the realization that this shrinkage could severely impact the cracks, 89 sensors were placed around this area to monitor the effect of fueling the external tank. To properly check any potential impact the tanking had, scans would need to be conducted and that meant a trip back to the VAB. So Discovery was rolled back to the VAB for X-Rays and other scans.

Once the area was given a thorough inspection, more cracks were found and further repairs were required. But during this time NASA had discovered what was causing these small cracks to occur and Discovery was set to head back out to the launch pad for her date with history.

"We fully expect that this will be the last time that Discovery will make this trip horizontally," said Allard Beutel, NASA's news chief at Kennedy Space Center. "The next time she travels -- it will be vertically -- to the International Space Station."

Discovery began its slow, methodical trek out to the launch pad at 8 p.m. EDT. The trip lasted some six hours, as the pondering crawler-transporter that hauls the spacecraft out to the launch pad moves at a blistering one mile an hour.

Discovery's final mission is a resupply flight to the International Space Station. The orbiter will ferry a modified cargo carrier, the Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module along with much-needed supplies and the first human-like robot to fly into space -- Robonaut-2. The crew consists of commander Steve Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Michael Barratt, Alvin Drew, Nicole Stott and Steve Bowen.

Bowen is a last-minute replacement for Tim Kopra, who broke his hip in a bicycle accident earlier this month.

[NIKEVA]

Just WoW. Great video. Wish I were this close to one of those babies.

[spacevidcast]

@GNeuman That's a good question. For the next 5 years or so, the US will be bumming rides from Russia on Soyuz. Needless to say, we at Spacevidcast aren't terribly pleased about that

[spacevidcast]

@ti994apc Besides, the SSP was designed by both NASA and the USAF, and it was designed to haul cargo (25 tons) and people at the same time. It was a much more capable rocket, so of course Falcon would be cheaper.

[spacevidcast]

@nilbud That's not 100% true. STS-133 and STS-134 have been on the books for a while. STS-134 slipped due to a payload problem, so it isn't like NASA added another mission, it just got pushed back. Originally STS-133 would fly after STS-134 but that simply wasn't in the cards so instead they launched in order making Endeavour the new last flight. STS-135 on the other hand is a new mission, but not yet funded.

[tiapc]

Answer: SpaceX Falcon9 (the safest rocket ever created for people.) It launches 7 people like Shuttle (the most dangerous rocket ever made to carry people). Rather than costing 1.6 BILLION like shuttle, its only 50 Million. Thats 220+ people Falcon9 can lauch for only 7 with Shuttle.

[spacevidcast]

@ti994apc How many flights have they had? and of those flights, how many of them ended up not being successful? So far, shuttle and Soyuz both have a much better safety record.

[GNeuman]

@spacevidcast Hi Spacevidcast! Thanks for your speedy reply!

I have to say I am very saddened to see the retirement of the Space Shuttle program; it feels like losing an old friend. I've been lucky enough to go to Kennedy Space Center twice and each time I have been overawed.

What I don't understand is that this has been on the cards for many years now, so what has happened to NASA's planning for the future with a replacement program?

This is a sad year for American space travel.

[Sabiancym]

If I could go back in time I would put every bit of effort into at least working at NASA and hopefully even getting a chance to go up....Mid twenties now, so my only hope is commercial space flight during my life.

@PSNRogueZombie There's talk of another launch and this one was supposed to be the last one ever, ever last year. It's got to be a bit embarrassing for NASA to have to say they're duking it out with India to see who can get a man into space.

[GNeuman]

Great video, sorry, daft question, but what's going to happen to NASA's manned flight space program after the the shuttles are reitred?

They'll keep on rolling them in and out until a replacement comes along. Having to bow down to the Russkies is too much for the politician's egos. It's a pity they didn't think about that when they chopped funding.

[glennirish]

Russia should tell them to BUGGER OFF!!!!