NASA greenlights launch of shuttle Discovery

CAPE CANAVERAL : NASA gave the go-ahead for the launch of the Discovery space shuttle mission to the orbiting International Space Station, after a close study of the latest electrical glitch.

The decision Wednesday to go ahead with the launch attempt came despite concerns about poor weather around the time of launch window, with only 20 percent chance of favorable conditions, so mission managers set another meeting to evaluate the weather early Thursday.

The flight to the orbiting ISS is the fourth and final shuttle flight of the year, and the last scheduled for Discovery, the oldest in the three-shuttle fleet that is being retired in 2011.

“Managers will proceed with Discovery’s launch attempt tomorrow and will meet again at 5:30 am (0930 GMT) to evaluate the weather” at launch time, which is set for 1929 GMT on Thursday (3:29 pm).

If the weather

Discovery to start space mission on Nov 1

NASA made it official that Shuttle Discovery will launch on an 11-day mission to the International Space Station next Monday. If all goes according to plan, it will be Discoverys last scheduled flight before becoming a museum piece.
Discoverys launch date was announced at the end of a flight readiness review at Kennedy Space Center. During the meeting, senior NASA and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and determined the shuttle and the necessary equipment, support systems and personnel were ready. Over the weekend, engineers successfully replaced suspect seals in the orbital maneuvering system the twin engines in the shuttles tail that are used to steer the ship on orbit. Workers noticed an on-again, off-again fuel leak in the engines last week but believe they have fixed it. Discoverys flight will include two spacewalks and delivery of a cylindrical module that will help create more storage on the station.

Endeavour Headed For Space Station

TrendPK.com Endeavour Headed For Space Station:Space shuttle Endeavour is rocketing toward the space station on one of the shuttle programme’s last scheduled missions.
Endeavour and its crew of six blasted off early on Monday.
The pre-dawn launch was the last one in darkness if the rest of the shuttle schedule [...]