Discovery is currently at Launch Pad 39A. Launch of STS-131 is targeted for April 5, 2010 at 6:27 a.m. This past week, the STS-131 astronaut crew went through a mock countdown/dress rehearsal to prepare themselves for their actual launch date operations.
The external tank that will be used for STS-132 (Shuttle Atlantis - targeted launch on May 14, 2010) arrived last week and was transferred to the Vehicle Assembly Building.
You may have heard some talk effecting Endeavour's planned July launch. An issue related to the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 payload testing is threatening a delay to STS-134’s slot in the manifest, to the point it may slip behind STS-133, or even as far as 2011 in a worst case scenario. However, no decision will be made on the schedule until after additional testing results and the launch of STS-131 in April. Read more..here.
The next step in ground testing SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket will be a hotfire of the first stage engines. The launch team will ignite the nine Merlin 1C engines for three-and-a-half seconds during the test. Hot fire is targeted for late morning or early afternoon, tomorrow.
Lift-off of the rocket could occur late this month, but more likely early April.
1 comment:
Hey Damaris,
My name is Renee and I live in Melbourne, Australia.
It has also been my dream since I was 10 to become an astronaught and I have been looking for so many ways to become one. I am currently a commercial pilot and am applying for the Royal Australian Air Force as a pilot and to do an engineering degree with them. I do not actually know how to become an astronaught, and you are the first and closest person I would have found so far that might be able to help me in my direction to becoming one and joining up. I would love more than anything, to get involved and will happily move to America.
I would love to hear from you when you have time. My email is teak3b@gmail.com, so if you know anything or anyone who might be able to help me out on how I actually sign up, or the way's and options available, I would be extremely appreciative.
Good luck on everything you're doing. :) I will be keeping an eye out and watching.
All the best
Renee Matters. :D
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