Endeavour astronauts, pictured left to right, Greg Chamitoff, Mike Fincke, Drew Feustel, Greg H. Johnson, Roberto Vittori and Mark Kelly pose before the shuttle program tribute wall in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Photo Credit/NASA photo
NASA shuttle program manager provided initial clearance on Thursday for an April 19 launching of the shuttle Endeavour on her final mission with a crew of six astronauts and the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, an international observatory for studies of the cosmic fabric.
The space agency plans an executive level Flight Readiness Review to assess plans for the 14-day flight on April 8. At the conclusion of the FRR, NASA will set a formal launch date.
Endeavour’s launching from the Kennedy Space Center is targeted for April 19 at 7:48 p.m., EDT.
Meanwhile, high winds, hail, lightning and tornado sightings near the Florida shuttle port this week slowed preparations for a countdown rehearsal on Friday. Astronauts Mark Kelly, Greg H. Johnson, Roberto Vittori, Mike Fincke, Drew Feustel and Greg Chamitoff are to climb aboard Endeavour to run through the final hours of the count with their Launch Control and Mission Control teams, ending a week long training session in Florida.
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Endeavour commander Mark Kelly, laying down, and Nobel Laureate Sam Ting examine the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer in Endeavour's payload bay. Photo Credit/NASA photo
The $2 billion AMS, which the Endeavour crew will fasten to the long solar power truss of the space station, represents the efforts of more than 600 scientists and engineers from 16 countries. Nobel laureate Sam Ting, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology particle physicist, led the 17-year effort to develop the detector under the sponsorship of the U. S. Department of Energy.
The 15,000 pound observatory is equipped with a powerful magnet and a series of detectors designed to attract and characterize anti-matter and dark matter. The particle composition of each could furnish new insight into the birth and evolution of the universe.
Endeavour’s crew also plans to install a large external spare parts rack on the outside of the space station. The platform holds replacement parts for the station’s thermal control, electrical and communications systems.
The youngest of NASA’s shuttles, Endeavour will retire after 25 missions. The winged spacecraft entered service in 1992, replacing Challenger, which exploded in 1986, claiming the lives of seven astronauts.
During the mission, Fincke, Feustel and Chamitoff will carry out four spacewalks.
Upon Endeavour’s return to Earth, NASA plans one final shuttle flight. Atlantis is tentatively set to launch on June 28 with four astronauts and a cargo of space station supplies. The flight is planned for 12 days.