Today in History: Space Shuttle Discovery

[mabfan]

If all goes well today (and please, God, let it all go well today), at 3:51 PM EDT the space shuttle Discovery will launch, returning Americans to space after over two years of being grounded since the Columbia tragedy. I remember watching in 1989 when Discovery returned us to space after the Challenger tragedy. I was in college at the time, and I saw the launch on a television set in the Science Center, if I recall correctly. If I can, I'll be watching again today.

Good luck and Godspeed to
Commander Eileen Collins
Pilot James Kelly
Mission Specialist Charles Camarda
Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence
Mission Specialist Soichi Noguchi
Mission Specialist Steve Robinson
Mission Specialist Andy Thomas

Take us back to where we belong...and then please return safely home.

(Link: NASA's Return to Flight Page)

Comments

[zachkessin.livejournal.com]

There were 3 missions into Space launched from the USA in the last 3 years, care of Scaled Composites and Space Ship One.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

True. And I knew that...

Still, I'll leave my post the way it is.

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

Three manned missions. Many unmanned missions.

[batwrangler.livejournal.com]

From your lips to His ear.

[arib.livejournal.com]

I've been streaming NASA-TV on my computer at work.

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

A quibble:

NASA has been grounded for two years. But there have been Americans in space in that time, courtest of SpaceShip One.

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

Only NASA manned missions. NASA has launched several unmanned missions.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Right; I noted that I had made that slight error in reponse to zachkessin.

[sorek.livejournal.com]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned this.

Discovery damaged on launch pad; NASA says it should not delay

[sorek.livejournal.com]

and they've apparently just scrubbed the launch. Or at least bostonherald.com is just reporting it:

"Discovery launch scrubbed: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER - Today's launch of the space shuttle ``Discovery'' has been scrubbed. The launch was called off because of a faulty fuel-tank sensor. Discovery was supposed to take off for the first shuttle flight since the ``Columbia'' disaster of two and a-half years ago."

Note this is not for the same reason as the story I linked to above. But much better to be safe than sorry.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Better safe than sorry.