So here we sit, in Florida at Cape Canaveral, waiting for Wednesday afternoon and the launch of Space Shuttle 133 which will be Nicole Stott’s second space launch. As the launch has been delayed by two days, the NAMA Secretary and 2nd V.P. are sitting it out on fishing pier bars and at seafood joints.
In case anyone out their lives under a rock or worse, doesn’t read this blog, Nicole is Manx by marriage. Her husband, Christopher Stott is the head of ManSat, a key space company and he’s also the IoM’s Honorary Representative for Space Affairs (and super nice guy). Yesterday — in true Manx fashion — we bumped into Brian and Liz Stott, Chris’ parents, in a restaurant.
They say the Manx can’t go anywhere without meeting a countryman. It’s certainly true for me.
Photos to follow if the NAMA press corps can stay focused long enough.
The STS-133 crew members are Commander Steven Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Michael Barratt, Tim Kopra and Nicole Stott.
Discovery will deliver and install the Permanent Multipurpose Module, the Express Logistics Carrier 4 and provide critical spare components to the International Space Station. This will be the 35th shuttle mission to the station.
Launch Target:
3:52 p.m. EDT – Nov. 3, 2010
Orbiter:
Discovery
Mission Number:
STS-133
(133rd space shuttle flight)
Launch Window:
10 minutes
Launch Pad:
39A
Mission Duration:
11 days
Landing Site:
KSC
Inclination/Altitude:
51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Primary Payload:
35th station flight (ULF5), EXPRESS Logistics Carrier 4 (ELC4), Permanent Multi-Purpose Module (PMM)
