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NASA News Briefs and Releases BBSNews 2006 Compiled by Kandy Ringer |
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NASA via BBSNews - 2006-11-04 -- During a scheduled Space Shuttle Program meeting today, managers ratified the target launch dates for the first three missions in 2007. New dates are as follows:
- STS-117 aboard Atlantis March 16
- STS-118 aboard Endeavour June 28
- STS-120 aboard Atlantis Sept. 7
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Discovery is towed into the Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3.
Image Credit: NASA/KSC |
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For the image shown above in a larger size, see Discovery Bay 3.
More NASA images are available in BBSNews NASA Photos. |
- Mission: STS-116 - 20th International Space Station Flight (12A.1) - P5 Truss Segment
- Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103)
- Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3
- Launch Date: No earlier than Dec. 7, 2006
- Launch Pad: 39B
- Crew: Polansky, Oefelein, Curbeam, Higginbotham, Patrick, Fuglesang and Williams
- Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
On Tuesday, drivers moved Space Shuttle Discovery atop the 76-wheeled orbiter transporter system from the Orbiter Processing Facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Discovery's first motion out of the processing facility took place at 9:23 p.m.
Once in the assembly building, technicians began attaching Discovery to its propulsion elements: an external fuel tank, designated ET-123, and twin solid rocket boosters. The hard mate, the permanent connect of the vehicle to the tank, was completed this morning. Following those operations, technicians began final integration, preparations and closeouts for flight.
Discovery's next milestone is the 4.2-mile trip to Launch Pad 39B. The rollout of the shuttle to the launch pad is scheduled for Nov. 7, with first motion of the vehicle out of the assembly building targeted for 7 a.m.