The US returns to space
The two and a half year grounding of US space shuttles ended on 26 July with the successful launch of Discovery at 16.39 central European time. NASA and the seven astronauts on board have declared the launch a success, although there has also been concern about some debris seen coming away from the shuttle during take-off. 'Take note of what you saw here today, not only the power and majesty of launch, but the sheer gall, grit and pluck of the team who pulled this programme out of the depths of despair two and a half years ago and made it fly,' said NASA administrator Mike Griffin. During the 12-day mission, the crew will test safety improvements and deliver essential equipment and supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). Discovery's climb to orbit was extensively documented with a system of new and upgraded ground-based cameras, radar systems and cameras aboard the craft. This unprecedented imagery enabled NASA engineers to see what the agency is calling 'two debris events'. A camera mounted on the external tank caught what appeared to be a small fragment of tile coming from Discovery's underside on or near the nose gear doors, while a later image, taken around the time that the Solid Rocket Booster separated from the shuttle, showed an unidentified piece falling from the tank without striking the orbiter. Imaging experts will be analysing the pictures. As foreseen, the two astronauts aboard the ISS - Commander Sergei Krikalev and Flight Engineer John Phillips - will use digital cameras to photograph Discovery's thermal protective tiles and key areas when it approaches the ISS on 28 July. A robot arm will also be used to inspect the leading edges of Discovery's wings in order to ascertain that they did not incur any damage during the launch. Flight Commander Eileen Collins sent a message back to Earth at the end of her first day in orbit: 'As our crew looks back at our beautiful planet and then outwards toward the unknown of space, we feel the importance, today more than any time, of space exploration to all those who are living on Earth. Our flight is the next flight of many in the human exploration of the universe.' Director of the European Space Agency (ESA), Jean-Jacques Dordain, sent his congratulations to NASA, saying: 'The shuttle will extend the research capacities of the International Space Station in the near future. We can now discuss the continuation of its assembly and exploitation on solid grounds. The next shuttle to the ISS will have onboard ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter, who will be transported to the space station for a long-duration mission.