Nasa's space shuttle discovery is all set to launch from Kennedy Space Center,FL on a 14 day mission. Discovery and Crew Prepare for STS-131 Mission
Commander Alan Poindexter is set to lead the STS-131 mission to the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Discovery. Joining Poindexter will be Pilot Jim Dutton and Mission Specialists Rick Mastracchio, Clay Anderson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson and Naoko Yamazaki of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
Discovery will carry a multi-purpose logistics module filled with science racks for the laboratories aboard the station. The mission has three planned spacewalks, with work to include replacing an ammonia tank assembly, retrieving a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior, and switching out a rate gyro assembly on the S0 segment of the station’s truss structure.
STS-131 will be the 33rd shuttle mission to the station.
PRESENT REPORT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
Discovery's Fully Fueled as Hold Continues
Mon, 05 Apr 2010 10:03:38 AM UTC+0530
At Launch Pad 39A, the filling of Discovery's external fuel tank with about 500,000 gallons of chilled liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen is now complete. These propellants will fuel the shuttle's three main engines during the ascent to space. The fueling process, known as "tanking," began at 9:28 p.m. EDT and finished at 12:21 a.m. The propellants will remain in "stable replenish" mode, keeping them filled at 100 percent throughout the remainder of the countdown.
The countdown remains in a planned hold at T-3 hours, and the clock will resume at 2:26 a.m. Both the Closeout Crew and Final Inspection Team are now on their way to Launch Pad 39A. The inspection team will conduct their top-to-bottom "walkdown" of the shuttle and pad, looking for any debris that could damage the vehicle during launch. The Closeout Crew will prepare for the astronauts' arrival at approximately 3 a.m.
