Launch Pad Suffers 'Severe Damage' During Liftoff Of Shuttle Discovery
POSTED: Monday, June 2, 2008
UPDATED: 6:06 pm EDT June 2,
2008
 |
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center suffered "severe damage" on Saturday during shuttle Discovery's liftoff, NASA officials said.
IMAGES: Launch Pad Damage
A 100-foot-by-20-foot section of the flame trench -- a concrete and brick structure that deflects the flames from the shuttle's main engines and from the solid rocket boosters -- had been broken up and scattered.Information about how the damage occurred or if it had any effect on shuttle Discovery was not immediately available.NASA officials said they would be forming an investigation board to find out how the damage occurred."We're combing the ground as we speak," NASA spokesman Bill Johnson said on Monday. "We'll just have to wait until the report comes in."The next launch from launch pad 39A is scheduled for Oct. 8.
IMAGES: Launch Pad Damage A 100-foot-by-20-foot section of the flame trench -- a concrete and brick structure that deflects the flames from the shuttle's main engines and from the solid rocket boosters -- had been broken up and scattered.Information about how the damage occurred or if it had any effect on shuttle Discovery was not immediately available.NASA officials said they would be forming an investigation board to find out how the damage occurred."We're combing the ground as we speak," NASA spokesman Bill Johnson said on Monday. "We'll just have to wait until the report comes in."The next launch from launch pad 39A is scheduled for Oct. 8.
Discovery Docks With Space Station
Meanwhile, Discovery docked with the international space station on Monday after performing a slow back flip.The crew is delivering a bus-sized science lab that will be added to the facility. The crew also brought a spare pump to repair the only on-board toilet, which broke nearly two weeks ago.Astronaut Gregory Chamitoff now begins a six-month stay aboard the space station, replacing Garrett Reisman, who has been on board since March.Also moving in for a half-year is a 12-inch Disney action figure -- Buzz Lightyear, the character who always yearned to blast off "to infinity and beyond." He finally got his wish.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Previous Stories:
- June 2, 2008: Shuttle Closes On Space Station
- June 1, 2008: Space Shuttle Discovery Astronauts Perform Cursory Wing Inspection
- June 1, 2008: Astronaut Clears Buzz Lightyear For Space In 'Training' Video
- June 1, 2008: NASA Launches Disney's Buzz Lightyear On Space Shuttle
- May 31, 2008: Foam Piece Falls Off Tank, Strikes Shuttle Discovery Late In Flight
- May 31, 2008: Discovery Begins Mission To ISS
- May 30, 2008: All Systems Go For Saturday Shuttle Launch
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