Jacques van Oene
July 8th 05, 05:14 PM
Rani Chohan / Debbie Jensen
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. July
8, 2005
(Phone: 301/286-8955)
RELEASE: 05-33
NASA CENTER IN MARYLAND HAS VITAL ROLE IN SHUTTLE'S RETURN TO FLIGHT
When Discovery roars off the launch pad next week on the first Space Shuttle
mission in almost two and a half years, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
in Greenbelt, Md. will provide key communication and tracking support. In
addition, tools developed at Goddard that are based on experience gained in
four service calls to the Hubble Space Telescope, will be onboard and ready
for use by spacewalking astronauts should the Shuttle sustain damage and
require repairs.
From liftoff through landing, the astronauts aboard Discovery along with the
thousands of people supporting the flight at ground stations depend on
Goddard personnel to manage complex communications between the Space Shuttle
and Earth. The system, known as the Spaceflight Tracking Data Network,
allows NASA to monitor Shuttle systems, send flight commands and navigation
instructions, relay scientific data, support voice communications from
astronauts to mission control and send video and television feeds.
As the Shuttle orbits the Earth, the Goddard team monitors and continually
adjusts the communication pathways to ensure that command, tracking,
telemetry, video, and voice communications are clear and secure.
Communication antennas don't just automatically lock on the Shuttle and
follow the spacecraft where it goes. Goddard's Flight Dynamics Facility
updates the network regularly on the Shuttle location.
The Hubble Space Telescope Extravehicular Activities Team at Goddard built
tools that the crew could use to make in-flight repairs to the Shuttle if
necessary. The team also developed a prototype for an extravehicular
infrared camera that will check the Shuttle's wings for damages.
-end-
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. July
8, 2005
(Phone: 301/286-8955)
RELEASE: 05-33
NASA CENTER IN MARYLAND HAS VITAL ROLE IN SHUTTLE'S RETURN TO FLIGHT
When Discovery roars off the launch pad next week on the first Space Shuttle
mission in almost two and a half years, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
in Greenbelt, Md. will provide key communication and tracking support. In
addition, tools developed at Goddard that are based on experience gained in
four service calls to the Hubble Space Telescope, will be onboard and ready
for use by spacewalking astronauts should the Shuttle sustain damage and
require repairs.
From liftoff through landing, the astronauts aboard Discovery along with the
thousands of people supporting the flight at ground stations depend on
Goddard personnel to manage complex communications between the Space Shuttle
and Earth. The system, known as the Spaceflight Tracking Data Network,
allows NASA to monitor Shuttle systems, send flight commands and navigation
instructions, relay scientific data, support voice communications from
astronauts to mission control and send video and television feeds.
As the Shuttle orbits the Earth, the Goddard team monitors and continually
adjusts the communication pathways to ensure that command, tracking,
telemetry, video, and voice communications are clear and secure.
Communication antennas don't just automatically lock on the Shuttle and
follow the spacecraft where it goes. Goddard's Flight Dynamics Facility
updates the network regularly on the Shuttle location.
The Hubble Space Telescope Extravehicular Activities Team at Goddard built
tools that the crew could use to make in-flight repairs to the Shuttle if
necessary. The team also developed a prototype for an extravehicular
infrared camera that will check the Shuttle's wings for damages.
-end-
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info