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Discovery Ready To Carry Module To Space Station

MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER / The Tampa Tribune

If all goes well today, seven astronauts aboard Discovery will blast off at 11:38 a.m.

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By KURT LOFT, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 23, 2007

More Coverage: Blog From Cape Canaveral | Associated Press Stories

CAPE CANAVERAL - Ferrying hardware into orbit may not be the sexiest way to run a space program, but it's a critical part of the world's most ambitious construction job.

If all goes well today, seven astronauts aboard Discovery will blast off at 11:38 a.m. on the 23rd shuttle mission to the International Space Station and add another piece to it.

The countdown so far has been smooth, and weather around Kennedy Space Center appears to be the only snag, with a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms during the five-minute launch window. Clear skies should offer a view of the shuttle's contrail from Tampa.

This month, technicians cleared Discovery to fly despite concerns about tiny cracks in three panels along the leading edge of the wings. Some NASA officials wanted the panels replaced, but shuttle launch manager LeRoy Cain said he feels confident the small imperfections will pose no problem to the orbiter when it re-enters the atmosphere.

'We have not cut any corners here,' Cain said at a news conference Sunday. 'We've reviewed the data in detail.'

Discovery flew twice with the hairline cracks without incident, NASA said. The issue is in no way similar to the hole in the wing that caused Columbia to break apart on its way home in early 2003.

Once in orbit, the crew will take extensive pictures of the wings' reinforced leading edges. If they discover a problem, the astronauts could take safe harbor in the space station until a Russian or U.S. mission can bring them home.

The mission goal is to deliver a major component to the orbiting platform, a pressurized module called Harmony. The 15-ton connector will act like a giant joint on the station, mating other parts of the main truss. It also is a vital link to another crucial piece, the European Columbus module, going up in two months.

'This mission is very important to the space station, and it paves the way for the big show in December,' said Lon Rains, editor in chief for Space News, an industry publication and Web site. 'It's a big deal, because the Europeans have spent billions and devoted an awful lot to that Columbus facility. If you pay attention, this is very exciting, cutting-edge stuff.'

Paying attention will be Cmdr. Pamela Melroy and her crew, which consists of pilot George D. Zamka and mission specialists Scott E. Parazynski, Douglas H. Wheelock, Stephanie D. Wilson and Paolo A. Nespoli, a European Space Agency astronaut from Italy.

The mission also will take flight engineer Daniel Tani to the station and bring home astronaut Clayton Anderson. Discovery is scheduled to spend two weeks in orbit, returning Nov. 6.

Reporter Kurt Loft can be reached at kloft@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7570.

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