Spacecraft

New Launch Date for STS-134 Endeavour Set for May 16, 2011

STS-134

STS-134 Space Shuttle Endeavour Crew

A new launch date for STS-134, Space Shuttle Endeavour has been set for May 16, 2011.   Endeavour’s original launch was set for April 29, but was scrubbed due to an electrical problem in what is called the Load Control Assembly-2 (LCA-2).  This piece of equipment distributes power to various systems in the Shuttle and is believed to have caused fuel line heaters for Endeavour’s auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1) to fail.

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Successor to the Space Shuttle Program: The Orion Spacecraft

Orion Spacecraft

The Orion Spacecraft

The launch and return of NASA space shuttle Discovery mission STS-13, which launched on February 24th, 2011 and made its return landing on March 9th, 2011, marked the end of NASA’s space shuttle program.  But what does the end of the space shuttle program mean?  What will be its successor?

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How the Space Shuttle Lands: Landing as a Glider

Space Shuttle Landing

Most of us have seen a space shuttle blast off into space.  Using massive amounts of rocket fuel and rocket propulsion, it lifts off through Earth’s atmosphere and into outer space.  During lift-off, it loses some of its booster rockets as part of the process, reducing the amount of thrust it has at its disposal.  At the end of its mission, the spacecraft re-enters Earth’s atmosphere, with the goal being a safe landing and the safe return of the crew aboard.  Yet, without having the engines that a typical passenger jet would have or the fuel to power them once the shuttle enters the atmosphere, the space shuttle seems as though it would be difficult to control and steer during its landing.  How does a space shuttle land safely?

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Last Flight of Space Shuttle Discovery STS-133

Space Shuttle Discovery

Nasa announced on Friday that Space Shuttle Discovery was ready to launch on Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 4:50pm.  Sadly, this is the last flight of Discovery.

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How Far Away is the Voyager Spacecraft?

voyager spacecraft

The Voyager Spacecraft

The title was a trick question.  Did you know that there are actually two Voyager Spacecraft and that one of these two probes are farther away from Earth than any other man made object!

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