Thunderstorms are expected to create "very challenging" conditions for shuttle Discovery's planned 7:05 p.m. Thursday landing at Kennedy Space Center, NASA officials said today. Landing opportunities are scheduled at 7:05 p.m., about 30 minutes before sunset, and again at 8:42 p.m., in darkness.
A landing would be waved off if thunderstorms formed within 30 nautical miles of the spaceport's three-mile landing strip.
"It's going look somewhat nasty," said Richard Jones, the entry flight director. "It's not going to look 'go' in the early portions of the de-orbit (preparations). We're going to be looking for maybe a trend where it's dissipating as we get closer to the de-orbit burn."
He said today's weather patterns at KSC showed corridors of dryness that suggested a path might open for Discovery even if storms are active in the region. A final "go/no-go" call from flight directors for the first landing opportunity would come around 5:40 p.m.
Then, just before 6 p.m., commander Rick "C.J." Sturckow and pilot Kevin Ford would fire Orbital Maneuvering System engines for nearly three minutes, slowing the shuttle's speed by 296 feet per second to begin an hour-long drop from orbit.
Meteorologists expect similar stormy conditions through Saturday, the last day Discovery would likely stay in orbit, with Friday possibly the worst day.
But the outlook at the shuttle's back-up landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in California looks excellent all weekend.
As a result, managers will try to wait out opportunities at the shuttle homeport as long as possible, Jones said, possibly deferring a decision to activate Edwards until Saturday.
Mission managers today cleared Discovery's heat shields for re-entry following the crew's inspection on Tuesday.
During today's test of flight control systems, mission specialist Christer Fuglesang saw a small, ribbon-like object fly from the rear left, area of the orbiter.
Analysts couldn't identify it from photos - a rudder speed break ground strap was one possibility - but determined that it was not part of the heat protection system and posed no danger for landing.
"The vehicle is ready to come home," said Jones.
The crew didn't seem concerned by the prospect of a slightly longer mission. "The weather in Florida this time of year is always a little iffy," said Sturckow. "If things aren't good, the worst that can come out of it is that we have another day in space, which is a great deal."
Discovery launched Aug. 28 on what was to be a 13-day voyage to resupply the International Space Station. The shuttle departed the station Tuesday.
Here's a look at the day ahead:
++ 10:59 a.m. Shuttle crew awakes.
++ 2:04 p.m. De-orbit preparations begin.
++ 3:19 p.m. Payload bay doors closed.
++ 4:30 p.m. Suit up in launch-and-entry suits
++ 5 p.m. Strap into seats.
++ 5:59 p.m. De-obit burn.
++ 6:52 p.m. Merritt Island tracking station radar acquisition of Discovery.
++ 7:05 p.m. Landing at Kennedy Space Center.
IMAGE NOTE: The top picture shows the ground track for Discovery's planned 7:05 p.m. landing at Kennedy Space Center. Below, managers were briefed on Florida weather conditions in NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston.
2 comments:
May God, Who controls the weather, smile on you!
Part of NASA's problem is "PUBLIC RELATIONS"!!! If you don't get the public excited by letting them see aa flash of light across the skyline of the United States,on it's way to the landing at the Cape the public won't be calling thier senators and congressmen to give more money to the space program to do what they need for the future.
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