we've grown used to wonders in this
century it's hard to dazzle us but for
25 years the United States space program
has been doing just that
the Challenger crew was pulling us into
the future and will continue to follow
it's a simulation six selected to help
this country their shuttle is called
discovery like other orbiters it's named
after scientific exploring ships of
history
hundreds of improvements have been made
in the entire space shuttle system
here's a look at some of those changes
modifications have been made in the
design of the segments meted together
prior to launch connections between the
segments are called joints redesigned to
prevent hot gases from burning through
the new joints have undergone numerous
tests at NASA's Marshall Space Flight
Center in Alabama and in Utah
test preparations were extensive
inspections
some of the firings defects were created
both in the Rockets insulation and
critical wings to ensure that backup
systems work properly the o-rings are
one of the keys
as shown in this cross-section the new
feel joint has an additional oring
improved insulation and a metal lip
called the capture feature are also
included to better combat liftoff
pressures
NASA engineers
the new rocket joints right for the job
commander and his crew
a team of two others
through training regimens at the Johnson
Space Center are demanding mission
specialists pinky Nelson and Mike lounge
practice space walking procedures in
opportunity
de Villiers a third mission specialist
works with the shuttles robot on
in between numerous exercises with their
crewmates commander Rick Hulk pilot
the crews main tasks will be to put in a
space a large tracking and data relay
satellite called Tetris seen by the STS
six astronauts reduce vacation blackouts
between shuttles in the ground once
titre sea is in place earth to space
contact will be almost continuous they
will also manage eleven in-cabin
experiments some commercial and -
designed by students before landing and
trifling with five days later the
prestige and leadership under
administrative forms so hard over these
30 years or two gainst lines of
communication just reference to our
space sensibilities clearly agency
flight another astronaut Brian O'Connor
was chairman of a Space Flight Safety
panel
I believe that's the way things should
be run you should have somebody in
charge and delegated as a point of
responsibility new safety hardware
introduced with Discovery's flight will
allow astronauts to parachute from the
shuttle in some emergencies the
equipment consists of a pole that can be
extended out the orbiters main hatch
astronauts attach themselves to the pole
and slide down once clear
they use their parachutes
along with the quick escape system are
the crews new pressure seats containing
the parachute life support hardware and
a life raft hear they practice drills
with additional safety equipment an
inflatable slide similar to the type
carried aboard commercial jet life if an
emergency develops on landing the slide
allows the crew to get out quickly there
are more fire detectors and protective
barriers at the launch pads plus
improved
corporations astronauts and pad
personnel and tougher to achieve and
ride to the ground with an option to use
a new safety bunker once there as a
result of tire wear problems during
shuttle landings at Kennedy Space Center
researchers at NASA Langley studied tire
and runway characteristics once the tire
is mounted in this carriage 10,000
Johnna track it speeds up to 250 miles
slow motion photography an
instrumentation used to evaluate and
Kennedy is one of three Leonard's a
country's strategic to any shuttle
flight after extensive testing engineers
recommended that the surface be notified
the final quarter or texture is etched
lengthwise into sections at each end of
the runway modifications and the
shuttles brakes landing burek animals
wheels squealing - whoo landing god
while technicians work on Discovery's
payload Bay thousands of heat-resistant
tiles are inspected on the other side of
the orbiter
the solid rocket boosters and large
external fuel tank then takes place
while space shuttle Discovery is readied
for launch a new orbiter moves through
various stages of construction at
Rockwell International in California
having a four shuttle fleet is necessary
because it takes two to four months
after a mission to prepare an orbiter to
flying in
for maintaining the efficiency of this
turnaround process NASA is adding a
second space shuttle
in the future the mixed fleet of launch
vehicles will be used rather than
relying on a single transportation
system unmanned
t-minus 15 14 successful men enjoy our
whole system assembled we have a goal to
make Marshall are safely reliable as
possible they were his mere inspiration
of space
we are confident we will launch and come
back safely but they're no guarantees
associated with that and there can't be
only way you can guarantee that much
safety is to never launch
the shuttle is an agency in Space
Station efforts in materials processing
in microgravity research and led to the
creation of metal alloys and refinement
of new drugs the upcoming mission renews
the commitment to these achievements and
as a reminder of what makes them
possible it is people it is everybody
from the secretary the person that
sweeps the floor to the engineer the
technician to the management to the
administrator it is people and it is
important that everybody out there
understand that if the hardware is
important but it is people that make
this program happen when discovery
climbs into this
you