RETURN TO FLIGHT

Discovery liftoff

With the successful return of Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-114) at the Kennedy Space Center,
one of the most successful and spectacular shuttle missions ever comes to a close.

Discovery crew
Wearing the traditional Hawaiian shirts, the STS-114 crew gathers after breakfast for the traditional cake before suiting up for launch. Seated left to right are Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence, Pilot James Kelly, Mission Specialist Soichi Noguchi, Mission Commander Eileen Collins and Mission Specialists Andrew Thomas, Stephen Robinson and Charles Camarda. Noguchi represents the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

From their launch on July 26, 2005 to their landing on August 8, 2005, we saw images never before seen from the space program. When the orbiter reached the point where it jetisoned the external tank after liftoff, a camera mounted on the external tank showed Discovery as it initiated a port turn to veer away from the tank. It was an image never before seen and was truely amazing. At this point, a piece of foam separated from the tank and went in the opposite direction of the orbiter, unlike the Columbia tragedy in February 2003 in which a piece of foam punctured Columbia's left wing and doomed the orbiter and all seven astronauts.

Deceased Columbia crew

Handheld still images taken by Discovery's crew of the external fuel tank as it was jettisoned after launch on July 26 were transmitted to the ground early July 27. Engineers are analyzing these photos as part of the extensive imagery data being gathered to understand debris during the Shuttle's ascent during STS-114. These images of the external tank were taken with the tank closer to the Shuttle than on any past missions due to an earlier maneuver performed by the spacecraft shortly after main engine cutoff.

After this new foam incident which was supposed to have been fixed while the shuttle program was grounded
for the last two and a half years, the shuttles will be grounded again until this problem is fixed.
NASA is hopeful the shuttles will fly by the end of the year.

On Discovery's flight deck, STS-114 Commander Eileen Collins, center, is flanked by
Mission Specialist Steve Robinson on the left and Pilot Jim Kelly.

We also saw the first-ever rendevous pitch maneuver in which Discovery performed a nose up complete 360 degree backflip which lasted five minutes. It was breathtaking! This gave the international space station (ISS) crew a 90 second photo opportunity to take picutes of the orbiter's heat tiles to check for possible damage on liftoff. Discovery was traveling 600 feet below the ISS during this maneuver.

Next up was a perfect docking of Discovery with the ISS, performed by Commander Collins.

Astronauts Robinson and Noguchi performed three exceptional spacewalks testing shuttle repair techniques, installing modules, replacing defective gyros on the ISS and even an unprecedented task by Steve Robinson to remove two protruding gap fillers between the heat tiles on the underside of Discovery that could have caused a problem during re-entry.

Steve Robinson on foot harness as he is maneuvered to the underside of Discovery to remove gap fillers.

Steve Robinson's shadow appearing on Discovery's heat tiles just before he removed the gap fillers.

Soichi Noguchi working on the Destiny laboratory.

The Discovery crew also delivered some 15 tons of supplies to the ISS and brought home 10 tons of trash from the station. The two man station crew will spend another two months on the station before returning home from their six month stay.

International Space Station (ISS)

Discovery crew

Congratulations Discovery on a fantastic mission!