CAPE CANAVERAL, FL (WBBM Newsradio 780) -- The seven member crew of space shuttle Discovery arrived at the Kennedy Space Center on Friday, eager for next week’s launch of STS-120. The astronauts, including Lombard-native Dan Tani, flew to Cape Canaveral from Houston where they have been training and preparing for their 14-day mission. Discovery is scheduled for liftoff Tuesday morning.
NASA managers gave the “go” for launch earlier this week despite concerns about small defects on the heat shields along the orbiter's wings. NASA’s Engineering Safety Center recommended replacement of the problem panels but a flight readiness review panel decided to proceed with the mission. Mission managers described the problem as an “acceptable risk.” The independent Engineering Safety Center was formed after the 2003 Columbia disaster. The shuttle and its seven member crew were lost because of unnoticed damage to heat tiles.
At Friday’s KSC arrival, Discovery Commander Pam Melroy said she and her crew agree with the decision to launch.
“I'm proud to say that the STS-120 crew is totally confident that the RCC (reinforced carbon carbon) on Discovery is ready to protect us on our ride home," said Melroy. "We were allowed to review the data ourselves and have all our technical questions answered,” she said.
Engineers are concerned about degradation of the heat resistant coating on 3 of 44 panels on the leading edges of the Discovery’s wings. Those areas must withstand the heat of re-entry, when temperatures can reach 3,000 degrees. After an all-day flight review meeting Tuesday, NASA decided to proceed with launch while engineers continue studying the problem.
"The issues were discussed in tremendous detail and I think for me, the biggest thing that I got out of that is that with a 12-hour discussion I feel very confident that everybody's voice was heard," Melroy told reporters. "There's a time when you need to talk and the Flight Readiness Review was a time to talk. Then there's a time when you need to go do it. And I'm happy to say we're really here, and ready to go do it."
Melroy will lead six crew members on the STS-120 mission, including Tani. Discovery will carry a key component to the International Space Station. Crews will add the Harmony module to ISS, expanding living and working space on the station. The 14-day mission will include five spacewalks before Discovery returns to earth November 6-th. Tani will join the crew of ISS for an extended stay of several months.
“It’s been a long road to here so I am very proud to be here and happy,” Tani told reporters at the crew arrival news conference. He said the flight to Florida gave him plenty of time to ponder life and the mission. “I spent a lot of time thinking about how thankful I am. I started my Expedition training five and a half years ago as a potential crew member. I was a member of a backup crew for a Soyuz mission and I spent a lot of time in Russia training.”
This will be Tani’s second shuttle mission. The Glenbard East High School graduate flew into space for the first time aboard endeavor in 2001. Tani will replace Flight Engineer Clayton Anderson on the crew of Expedition 16.
“I wanted to (also) mention how grateful I am to my family for their sacrifice for all my travel past and future,” Tani said. “Without them I wouldn’t be able to do it.”
Tani, a life-long Cubs fan also offered some tongue-in-cheek thanks to the team for not dragging out the post season. “I was thinking about how thankful I am to my beloved cubs who allowed me to fully concentrate on my mission this October by giving me the time to not have to worry about staying up late watching baseball games.”
Discovery’s launch is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. CDT on Tuesday from Pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center. Forecasters said there was 40 percent chance bad weather could delay liftoff. NASA will begin the countdown clock on Saturday.
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