NASA officials will conduct a Flight Readiness Review on Aug.18 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to discuss the preparations for space shuttle Discovery's STS-128 mission to the International Space Station and set a firm date for launch.On Saturday, 18 plug pulls were completed and passed the bond adhesion test. Foam loss during the last two shuttle launches from one particular ice-frost ramp, or IFR, high up on the liquid oxygen tank led to a detailed examination.
Meanwhile, the STS-128 crew is heading into quarantine today at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to prepare for the upcoming mission reviewing flight documents.
Discovery Readies for Station Resupply Flight
Space shuttle Discovery will carry the Leonardo supply module to the International Space Station during STS-128, along with a new crew member for the station, Nicole Stott.
Commanded by veteran astronaut Rick "C.J." Sturckow, the STS-128 mission crew will deliver refrigerator-sized racks full of equipment, including the COLBERT treadmill, an exercise device named after comedian Stephen Colbert.
Stott will take the place of Tim Kopra, who moved into the station during STS-127. Pilot Kevin Ford and Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester, Jose Hernandez, John "Danny" Olivas and Sweden's Christer Fuglesang round out the crew.
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