Discovery ship connects the perfect ISS Station

After three delays and two days of flying, Discovery has successfully connected to the ISS Space Station. A rich and complex experimental program is underway.

After three delays, noon on August 29, the US space shuttle Discovery was launched into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. And after nearly two days of flying, the Space Shuttle Discovery " landed " perfectly at the International Space Station (ISS) in the Atlantic sky on August 30 (23 54 minutes, GMT).

Astronaut Nicole Stott and Discovery ship.(Photo: Today.ucf.edu)

The US Aeronautics Agency (NASA) said Discovery had connected to ISS eight minutes earlier than planned and the connection was likened to " velvety ".

This is the 128th space expedition of the American space shuttle and the 30th trip to the International Space Station (ISS).

This is also the second time in more than 10 years of history, ISS " residents " increased to 13 people. The first time took place just last July when the shuttle Endeavor with seven astronauts on ISS made a mission to continue to improve the construction of this space station.

Discovery ship was launched with the crew of 7 astronauts, transporting equipment such as a bedroom, jogging machine, chiller, food and other equipment. In addition, Discovery has also added a new member to ISS - the only American astronaut Nicole Stott, who will replace engineer Tim Kopra and will stay on ISS until November.

Chairman of NASA's space flight management team, LeRoy Cain, said a preliminary analysis of Discovery's take-off photos this time showed that the ship had not suffered any significant damage. , even insignificant porous plaques from the vessel's external fuel tank during takeoff are also insignificant.

In this 13-day mission, the astronauts on Discovery will make three out-of-space walks to replace a liquid ammonia container, dismantling an external testing device. ISS and brought to Earth.

Rounding 10 years to November 20, 2008, ISS is the largest international space project of the twentieth century and the twenty-first century, worth 100 billion USD with 16 participating countries. The current weight of the ISS is over 300 tons and will reach 377 tons after being completed. At first scientists expected the operating time of ISS on orbit to be 15 years.

Currently the participating countries are planning to extend the " life expectancy " of ISS to 2020 and turn it into a " space port " to prepare for the planet's voyages.