NASA contractor technicians will begin a critical job today, installing pyrotechnic devices that will enable Discovery to break free from its launcher platform, solid rocket boosters and external tank in flight.
The work, which will continue through Monday, is vital to NASA's plans to launch Discovery and seven astronauts July 1 on a mission primarily aimed at testing safety modifications made in the wake of the 2003 Columbia accident.
It involves installing small explosives that ignite on computer command, allowing the shuttle to lift off from its launch platform and then jettison its twin boosters and external tank in flight. The work must be done correctly to avoid a catastrophic failure in flight.
Image note: Refresh this page to see the latest image capture from a live video feed at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39B, where shuttle Discovery is being readied for a July 1 launch on NASA's second post-Columbia test flight.
No comments:
Post a Comment