KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - The STS-128 crew arrived Wednesday evening at Kennedy Space Center for their final prelaunch preparation. Pausing for a brief moment to talk with media, Commander Sturckow said, “It’s great to be here for the launch. We’ve been studying and training hard, and we’re ready to go accomplish this mission.”
STS-128 FACT SHEET STS-128 PRESS KIT FREE VIDEO: STS-128 CREW ARRIVAL AT KSC FOR LAUNCH FREE VIDEO: POST FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW BRIEFING FREE VIDEO: AIRCRAFT TRAINING FREE VIDEO: ORBITER EMERGENCY EXIT TRAINING FREE VIDEO: CREW TAKES PART IN LAUNCH DRESS REHEARSAL FREE VIDEO: ASTRONAUT M-113 TANK TRAINING FREE VIDEO: EXTERNAL TANK TERAHERTZ SCAN TESTING FREE VIDEO: STS-128 MISSION OVERVIEW Earlier in the day, the Flight Readiness Review for space shuttle Discovery's STS-128 mission concluded, setting the launch date for Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 1:36 a.m. EDT. "I can't say enough about the quality of the review we had over the past day and a half," said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations, during a post-FRR news conference Wednesday morning. "It was a very effective review; I think we're ready to go fly. It's a real tribute to be here with the team that's done a great job with engineering, the (Kennedy) team that's gotten us this far in processing." "I think the largest hurdles are behind us," said STS-128 Launch Director Pete Nickolenko. "The teams are in great shape to make this launch attempt on the 25th." The STS-128 crew is led by three-time shuttle astronaut Rick "C.J." Sturckow, a 49-year-old Marine Corps colonel. He will be joined by rookie pilot Kevin Ford, also a 49-year-old Air Force colonel. Rounding out the crew are mission specialists Patrick Forrester, Jose Hernandez, Danny Olivas, Christer Fuglesang and Nicole Stott, a former KSC engineer making her first spaceflight. Stott will replace Tim Kopra as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station. Completing a relatively short stint on the station that began last month, Kopra will return home on Discovery. Discovery will deliver more than 15,000 pounds of supplies to the station, including the C.O.L.B.E.R.T. treadmiill during its 13-day mission.
RETURN TO THE SPACEARIUM HOMEPAGE |
| Copyright © 2008, Space Media Corporation and The Spacearium, All Rights Reserved. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Space Media Corporation is a wholly owned company of the Aerospace Research & Engineering Systems Institute, Inc. |
