Discovery Fit to Fly on April 5

[Henk Voortwijs]

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:41:27 -0500

NASA managers gave space shuttle Discovery the "go" for an April 5 launch date for the STS-131 mission to the International Space Station. After an all-day Flight Readiness Review meeting, there were no unresolved issues that would prevent Discovery and crew from flying a safe and successful mission.

In discussing the earlier problem regarding a troublesome helium isolation valve, it was decided that the built-in redundancy in regulator valves provides protection for the reaction control system. All other shuttle systems, as well as the payload and crew, were deemed ready for flight as well.

At a news conference following the meeting, Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations, described a thorough review and concluded, "We are ready to fly."

Discovery is set to liftoff into the predawn darkness from Kennedy's Launch Pad 39A at 6:21 a.m. EDT.

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[Henk Voortwijs]

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:00:00 -0500

Space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to begin a 13-day flight to the International Space Station with a launch at 6:21 a.m. EDT on April 5 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

[Henk Voortwijs]

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 06:16:28 -0500

Shuttle Discovery's seven astronauts arrived at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility at 6:53 a.m. EDT for their STS-131 mission in a modified Gulfstream II jet. Crew members made comments to awaiting media following their arrival.

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