More than two years after the Columbia accident, NASA plans to return the Space Shuttle to flight this month. With implementation of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board recommendations completed, a crew of seven astronauts will fly aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-114 to test new safety techniques and deliver needed supplies to the International Space Station. The mission will debut and test new External Tank designs and processes that will minimize potentially damaging debris during launch. New ground and flight camera systems will observe the Shuttle environment during launch and on orbit. Also, new techniques for in-flight inspections and repair of the Shuttle Thermal Protection System will be tested. Several elements will be carried in Discovery's payload bay for delivery to the Station. These include the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, containing racks of supplies, food and water, and the Human Research Facility-2 rack. Also, the External Stowage Platform and a replacement Control Moment Gyroscope will be carried in Discovery's payload bay. During Mission STS-114, mission specialists will perform spacewalks to install the External Stowage Platform and the Control Moment Gyroscope onto the Station. They will unberth the logistics module and attach it to the Station to transfer several tons of supplies and equipment, including food and water, for use by the Expedition 11 crew. Mission STS-114 signifies the beginning of a new era in human exploration. Safely returning Space Shuttles to flight to complete the International Space Station are the first steps in the Vision for Space Exploration.
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NASA ID
ksc_062805_114_briefing
Date Created
July 1, 2005
Center
KSC
Media Type
video
Photographer
NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Subtitles
The crew of Space Shuttle mission STS-114 gathered for a press brief following landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, 5:11 am, August 9, 2005
Aug 9, 2005
KSC-05PD-1847
Aug 9, 2005
KSC-05PD-1848
Aug 9, 2005
Pilot James Kelly answered a question at a briefing following the successful landing of the Space Shuttle Discovery at NASA DFRC on August 9, 2005
Aug 9, 2005