The Week in SpaceJuly 26 - August 1, 2010  Return to Flight Following the loss of the shuttle Columbia in February 2003, the space shuttle fleet was grounded for more than two-and-a-half years while new procedures and tools were developed to prevent a similar accident. When Discovery lifted off on the STS-114 mission five years ago this week, ground cameras and onboard cameras watched for any insulating foam that could have damaged the orbiter during ascent. Discovery executed a graceful backflip maneuver—now standard—when it reached the International Space Station, allowing further examination of its surfaces by the ISS crew. Finally, the new Orbiter Boom Sensor allowed remote inspection of Discovery’s thermal protection system. Spacewalking astronauts also tested new techniques for repairing damaged tiles in flight. Image credit: NASA
Weekly CalendarJuly 26 - August 1, 2010Holidays - Sky Events - Space History  Monday 26
1958: Explorer IV launched
1971: Apollo 15 launched, fourth lunar landing mission, first mission to use lunar rover
2005: STS-114 Discovery launched  Tuesday 27
Mercury 0.3° south of Regulus  Wednesday 28
Neptune 5° south of Moon
Moon at apogee
Delta Aquarid meteor shower 1851: First photo of total solar eclipse
1964: Ranger 7 lunar probe launched
1973: Skylab 3 crew launched on 59-day mission  Thursday 29
Delta Aquarid meteor shower 1985: STS-51F Challenger launched
2005: Discovery of Xena, possible tenth planet, announced
 Friday 30
Uranus 6° south of Moon 1965: SA-10 launched, last Saturn 1 vehicle
1971: Apollo 15 lands on Moon
 Saturday 31
Jupiter 7° south of Moon 1969: Mariner 6 flies by Mars
1971: First vehicle driven on Moon by Apollo 15 astronauts Scott & Irwin
1992: STS-46 Atlantis launched
1999: Lunar Prospector mission ends  Sunday 1
Mars 1.9° south of Saturn 1818: Maria Mitchell born
1967: Lunar Orbiter V launched
1968: Saturn V production ends
1973: First X-24B lifting body glide test |
