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Preparation underway for next space shuttle launch

Space shuttle Discovery (Photo credit: NASA)

Cape Canaveral, USA – Discovery will take off for mission STS-128 on August 25

(WAPA) – Preparation for next space shuttle Discovery’s mission STS-128 to the International Space Station (ISS) are underway at the Kennedy Space Center of Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spaceship has been moved this morning from its Vehicle Assembly Building and technicians are slowly carrying it to launch pad 39A, from where it will be launched on August 25.

Discovery will carry the “Leonardo” Multi-Purpose Logistics Module containing life support racks and science racks. The Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier will also be launched in Discovery’s payload bay.

Commander Rick Sturckow will lead the STS-128 mission with Kevin Ford serving as pilot. Also serving aboard Discovery are mission specialists Patrick Forrester, José Hernández, John “Danny” Olivas, European Space Agency’s Christer Fuglesang and Nicole Stott, who will remain on the station as an Expedition 20 flight engineer replacing Timothy Kopra. (Avionews)

(World Aeronautical Press Agency – 2009-08-04 12:16 pm)

Technical Card – Space Shuttle

It’s the spaceship currently used by the United States. It will be retired in 2010

Dimensions
Height:	58.58 ft (17.86 m)
Length:	122.17 ft (37.24 m)
Wing span:	78.06 ft (23.79 m)

Weights
Empty:	172,000 lb (78,000 kg)
Max T/O:	240,000 lb (110,000 kg)
Payload:	55,250 lb (25,060 kg)

Performance
Max speed:	7,743 m/s (27,870 km/h; 17,320 mph)