Space Shuttle ‘Discovery’ Is Set to Launch on Its Final Flight Next Week !!!

October 29, 2010 by Nataly in Science

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Space shuttle Discovery, the oldest orbiter in service and the busiest in history with a record 38 trips into space, is set to launch on its final flight next week.

Discovery was slated to launch for November 1, 2010 from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. But two leaks in one of its twin aft-mounted engine pods forced the delay. NASA ordered a minimum one-day postponement. Discovery’s launch to the International Space Station is now scheduled for Tuesday afternoon — Election Day.

“The leaks must be fixed before launch and the decision was made to delay picking up the launch countdown by at least a day,” NASA officials said in a statement.

Discovery’s crew of six astronauts had been scheduled to launch Monday on its last mission to the International Space Station, but that has been reset for 4:17 pm (2017 GMT) Tuesday, assuming repairs are successful. They arrived at Kennedy Space Center on Thursday.

Discovery is loaded with a pressurized compartment full of supplies, and even a robot for the space station. The mission is expected to last 11 days. It’s the next-to-last shuttle flight scheduled, although an extra mission could be added.