Spaceflight Now



Video Coverage




The most complete source of video from the countdown, launch and mission of space shuttle Discovery is available here!

Video Collection



The Mission




Orbiter: Discovery
Mission: STS-121
Launch: July 4, 2006
Time: 2:38 p.m. EDT (1838 GMT)
Site: Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Landing: July 17 @ 9:14 a.m. EDT
Site: Shuttle Landing Facility, KSC
Video collection

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STS-121 Quick-Look

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The Crew




Veteran shuttle commander Steven Lindsey leads a seven-person crew launching aboard Discovery for the STS-121 mission.

Crew Quick-Look

CDR: Steven Lindsey

PLT: Mark Kelly

MS 1: Michael Fossum

MS 2: Lisa M. Nowak

MS 3: Stephanie Wilson

MS 4: Piers Sellers

MS 5: Thomas Reiter

Manned Spaceflights

Current Demographics

Spacewalk Statistics



The Vehicle




As America's third reusable space shuttle to fly, Discovery has successfully completed 31 missions since 1984.

STS-121 Hardware

Launch/Landing Chart

Shuttle Flight History




Pump module lifted from payload bay during spacewalk
BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: July 10, 2006 at 9:30 a.m.

Astronauts Piers Sellers and Mike Fossum attached a grapple bar to the new space station pump module mounted in Discovery's cargo bay. Lisa Nowak and Stephanie Wilson, operating the space station's robot arm, plucked it out of the astronauts' gloved hands one hour into the spacewalk and slowly lifted the 1,400-pound freezer-sized module out of the bay.

"Piers and Mike, we have captured the pump module," Wilson radioed from Discovery's flight deck.

"Copy, Stephanie," confirmed pilot Mark Kelly. "And Piers and Mike, you can let go of the pump module."

"Copy, letting go," Sellers said.

"Letting go. Clear," Fossum said. "Cool! And Mark, you can tell our commander he can breathe now."

It will take about a half hour to manuever the pump module to an external stowage platform on the station where it will be locked down by Sellers and Fossum.

Before exiting the Quest airlock module earlier today, the spacewalkers joked about working in orbital darkness, marveled at the view and frequently broke out in laughter.

I think we'll be coming out in the dark, mate," Sellers said.

"I think so," said Fossum. "I've done that before."

"Nothing to be afraid of in the dark there," Kelly joked.

"No..." Fossum said.

"Everyone can hear you scream," one of the astronauts said.

"Yeah, Mike, we'll all hear you scream," Kelly said.

"I've got time to get outside, put on my alien costume and wait for Mike to come out," Sellers joked.

After handing off the pump module, Sellers and Fossum took a moment to enjoy the view as the space station sailed 210 miles above South America.

"Mark, what river are we flying over?" Sellers asked.

"Amazon."

"You're kidding," Fossum said.

"That's a BIG river," Kelly said.

"It is huge," Sellers agreed.

Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 2 PLAY
VIDEO: SRB CAMERA LIFTOFF TO SPLASHDOWN PLAY
VIDEO: JOINT CREW NEWS CONFERENCE DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: DAY 6 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND

VIDEO: DAY 5 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: SPACEWALK NO. 1 CONCLUDES PLAY
VIDEO: FOSSUM PRACTICES REPAIR ACTIONS PLAY
VIDEO: BOTH SPACEWALKERS GET ON THE BOOM PLAY
VIDEO: SELLERS CONDUCTS STABILITY TESTS PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS GATHER TOOLS FOR TESTS PLAY
VIDEO: SELLERS AND FOSSUM BEGIN EVA 1 PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 1 PLAY

VIDEO: ROBOT ARM MOUNTS CARGO MODULE TO THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: LEONARDO CARGO MODULE LIFTED OUT OF PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DIRECTOR EXPLAINS MODULE INSTALLATION PLAY
VIDEO: OVERVIEW OF CARGO CARRIED IN LEONARDO PLAY
VIDEO: LIVE RADIO INTERVIEWS WITH CREW CBS | FOX | ABC | NPR

VIDEO: DAY 3 MANAGEMENT TEAM BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: POST-DOCKING MISSION STATUS DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: SHUTTLE CREW FLOATS INTO THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY DOCKS TO THE SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: WATCH THE ENTIRE PIROUETTE BACKFLIP MANEUVER PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DIRECTOR EXPLAINS RENDEZVOUS AND DOCKING PLAY

VIDEO: INITIAL TANK ASSESSMENT DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: DAY 2 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: FLIGHT DIRECTOR EXPLAINS INSPECTIONS WITH BOOM PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DIRECTOR EXPLAINS ROBOT ARM INSPECTIONS PLAY

VIDEO: THE FULL LAUNCH EXPERIENCE PLAY
VIDEO: RIDE ALONG DURING LAUNCH VIA CREW MODULE CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO: AMAZING FOOTAGE FROM WB-57 HIGH-ALTITUDE AIRCRAFT PLAY

VIDEO: SHUTTLE LANDING FACILITY TOWER PLAY
VIDEO: PLAYALINDA BEACH TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: BEACH MOUND TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: PATRICK AFB TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: UCS 23 TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: UCS 11 TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: CS 6 TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: CS 2 TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: CS 1 TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING ROOF PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD FRONT CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO: COMPLEX 39 PRESS SITE PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD SIDE VIEW PLAY
MORE: STS-121 VIDEO COVERAGE
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