The US space shuttle Endeavour launched on its final mission. Its rise into a bright
morning sky over the Kennedy Space Center in Florida was watched by hundreds of
thousands of spectators. Endeavour will deliver a $2bn particle physics experiment,
known as the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and a tray of critical spare parts to
the orbiting platform.
First Delta IV launch
Boeing’s new Delta-4 was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Following a number of delays, the Delta-4’s maiden launch (a Delta Medium 4.2 model) placed Eutelsat’s $100-million W-5 communications satellite in a precise geosynchronous transfer orbit. The Delta-4 employs the first new large rocket engine developed in the U.S. in 28 years, the Boeing Rocketdyne RS-68, which at 2.9 MN thrust is also the largest hydrogen-fueled engine ever built, exceeding the Space Shuttle Main Engine’s thrust by 700 kN. A second successful launch of the Delta-4 lofted the U.S. Air Force’s final 1160-kg Defense Satellite Communication System’s (DSCS-III’s) B-6 spacecraft on 29 August.Delta IV is an active expendable launch system in the Delta rocket family. Delta IV uses rockets designed by Boeing’s Integrated Defense Systems division and built in the United Launch Alliance (ULA) facility in Decatur, Alabama. Final assembly is completed at the launch site by ULA.[1] The rockets were designed to launch payloads into orbit for the United States Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program and commercial satellite business. Delta IV rockets are available in five versions: Medium, Medium+ (4,2), Medium+ (5,2), Medium+ (5,4), and Heavy, which are tailored to suit specific payload size and weight ranges. Delta IV was primarily designed to satisfy the needs of the U.S. military.
Challenger disaster
On 28 January 1986, space shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into flight, killing all seven crewmembers on board. It was the first time NASA had lost astronauts during a spaceflight.NASA’S Shuttle Discovery Heads To Space Station On Its Final Mission
The final flight of space shuttle Discovery lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The STS-133 mission delivered the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM), a facility created from the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module named Leonardo. The module can support microgravity experiments in areas such as fluid physics, materials science, biology and biotechnology. Inside the PMM was Robonaut 2, a dextrous robot that will become a permanent resident of the station. Discovery was also carrying critical spare components to the space station and the Express Logistics Carrier 4, an external platform that holds large equipment.
Richard Nixon approves the Space Shuttle (STS) programme
On 5 January 1972, US President Richard Nixon approved the Space Shuttle (STS) programme. First lauched in the early 1980s, it is a spacecraft operated by NASA for orbital human spaceflight missions. Major missions have included launching numerous satellites and interplanetary probes, conducting space science experiments, and servicing and construction of space stations.NASA’s Proud Space Shuttle Program Ends With Atlantis Landing
Wrapping up 30 years of unmatched achievements and blazing a trail for the next era of U.S. human spaceflight, NASA’s storied Space Shuttle Program came to a "wheels stop" on Thursday at the conclusion of its 135th mission.House approves bill setting NASA’s new course
The United States Congress approved a blueprint for NASA’s future that extended the life of the space shuttle programme while backing President Barack Obama’s intent to use commercial carriers to lift humans into near-Earth space.