Space Station's new solar panels operational

NASA has reported that the International Space Station's (ISS) new solar panels are functioning properly. They are the last set on solar panels to be installed on the ISS in an effort to boost the amount of scientific research that can be done. The ISS is now about 81 percent complete and weighs about 670,000 pounds. It is expected to be completed next year in correlation with the reitrement of the space shuttle's.

Space Station Solar Panel's

(Photo courtesy of NASA)

U OF S Named In NASA's Strategic Plan

When I was reading the NASA 2006-2016 Strategic Plan (I'm still not sure why, because it's 48 pages long), I came across a photo that I found interesting and thought fellow residents from Saskatchewan might like it too. In the Plan, NASA makes mention about a team from the University of Saskatchewan. So, congratulations to the U of S team for this accomplishment. Here is the quote from the Strategic Plan document with the photo below -

"A team demonstrates their concept for a robotic climber that could scale a 200-foot cable powered only by the beam from an industrial searchlight during the 2005 Beam Power Challenge. The challenge was part of NASA’s Centennial Challenges. Although none of the 11 teams won the challenge, the University of Saskatchewan Space Design Team had the farthest beam-powered climb, approximately 40 feet."

(Photo: NASA/K. Davidian)

Fuel valve concerns push back space shuttle launch

Updated Tue. Feb. 3 2009 8:39 PM ET

The Associated Press

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA on Tuesday delayed next week's launch of space shuttle Discovery while it runs tests to determine whether newly installed valves would cause damage if they broke during liftoff.

The launch will take place no sooner than Feb. 19, seven days after the shuttle was originally scheduled to take off on a space station construction mission. The delay is needed to make certain that Discovery can fly safely with the valves that control the flow of gaseous hydrogen into the external fuel tank, said NASA's space operations chief, Bill Gerstenmaier.

"We want to make sure we've got this right. This has important consequences to us," Gerstenmaier said. "So we think standing down for a little bit of time and letting the folks do a little more work is a good thing."

Three new gas pressure valves were installed in Discovery's engine compartment after a small part of one broke off during shuttle Endeavour's launch in November. Endeavour's fuel tank maintained good pressure and, in the end, no harm was done.

Engineers believe fatigue caused by acoustic vibrations caused the valve in Endeavour to break. Over the next week, experts will use lab tests to try to ascertain whether a broken chunk of valve could damage any of the downstream plumbing.

Top NASA managers decided on the delay Tuesday night after an entire day of closed-door meetings at the Kennedy Space Center to discuss launch preparations.

Discovery and its seven-man crew are set to deliver the last set of solar wings to the International Space Station.

International Space Station Visible over the next four days

The International Space Station will be visible tonight, tomorrow and Wednesday night. Below is the information provided by NASA as to when and where to look for it.



Click the link below to be taken to the NASA ISS site where you can get viewing data -

International Space Station fly-overs