United Space Alliance STS-121 Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103
Rocket Launch Video Stream
Meet the Astronaut Crew
Steven Lindsey
| Birthday | 08/24/1960 |
|---|---|
| Role | Commander |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 11/19/1997 |
| Last Flight | 02/24/2011 |
Steven Wayne Lindsey is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and NASA astronaut. Lindsey served as Chief of the NASA Astronaut Office from September 2006...
Mark Kelly
| Birthday | 02/21/1964 |
|---|---|
| Role | Pilot |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 12/05/2001 |
| Last Flight | 05/16/2011 |
Mark Edward Kelly is a retired American astronaut, engineer, and retired U.S. Navy Captain. He is the husband of former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and is...
Lisa Nowak
| Birthday | 05/10/1963 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 07/04/2006 |
| Last Flight | 07/04/2006 |
Lisa Marie Nowak is an American former naval flight officer and NASA astronaut. Born in Washington, D.C., she was selected by NASA in 1996 and...
Thomas Reiter
| Birthday | 05/23/1958 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | Germany |
| First Flight | 09/03/1995 |
| Last Flight | 07/04/2006 |
Thomas Arthur Reiter (born 23 May 1958 in Frankfurt, West Germany) is a retired European astronaut and is a Brigadier General in the German Air...
Michael E. Fossum
| Birthday | 12/19/1957 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 07/04/2006 |
| Last Flight | 06/07/2011 |
Michael Edward Fossum is a former American astronaut and the Chief Operating Officer of Texas A&M University at Galveston. He flew into space on board...
Piers Sellers
| Birthday | 04/11/1955 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 10/07/2002 |
| Last Flight | 05/14/2010 |
Piers John Sellers OBE was a British-American meteorologist, NASA astronaut[1] and Director of the Earth Science Division at NASA/GSFC. He was a veteran of three...
Stephanie Wilson
| Birthday | 09/27/1966 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 07/04/2006 |
| Last Flight | 04/05/2010 |
Stephanie Diana Wilson is an American engineer and a NASA astronaut. She flew to space onboard three Space Shuttle missions, and is the second African...
About the STS-121 Mission
| Type | Human Exploration |
|---|---|
| Orbit | Low Earth Orbit |
| Launch Cost | $450,000,000 |
STS-121 was a 2006 NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) flown by Space Shuttle Discovery. The main purposes of the mission were to test new safety and repair techniques introduced following the Columbia disaster of February 2003 as well as to deliver supplies, equipment and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter from Germany to the ISS.
Launch Pad & Location
Launch Complex 39B
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
| Launches | 59 |
|---|---|
| Orbital Launch Attempts | 58 |
| Total Launches | 283 |
The John F. Kennedy Space Center, located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of NASA's ten field centers. Since 1968, KSC has been NASA's primary launch center of American spaceflight, research, and technology. Launch operations for the Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs were carried out from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 and managed by KSC. Located on the east coast of Florida, KSC is adjacent to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).
NASA Space Shuttle Rocket
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was Space Transportation System (STS). Five complete Space Shuttle orbiter vehicles were built and flown on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011.
| Length | 56.1 m |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 8.0 m |
| Stages | 2 |
| Launch Mass | 2,030.0 T |
| Takeoff Thrust | 28,200.0 kN |
| LEO Capacity | 27,500 kg |
| Launch Cost | $450,000,000 |
| Maiden Flight | 4/12/1981 |
Mission Spacecraft
Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) was the spacecraft used for this mission. It is a NASA Spaceplane designed for Carrying a crew of 7 astronauts along with cargo to Low Earth Orbit. and traveled to International Space Station.
Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is one of the orbiters from NASA's Space Shuttle program and the third of five fully operational orbiters to be built. Its first mission, STS-41-D, flew from August 30 to September 5, 1984. Over 27 years of service it launched and landed 39 times, gathering more spaceflights than any other spacecraft to date. Discovery became the third operational orbiter to enter service, preceded by Columbia and Challenger. It embarked on its last mission, STS-133, on February 24, 2011 and touched down for the final time at Kennedy Space Center on March 9, having spent a cumulative total of almost a full year in space. Discovery performed both research and International Space Station (ISS) assembly missions. It also carried the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit. Discovery was the first operational shuttle to be retired, followed by Endeavour and then Atlantis. The Space Shuttle was a partially reusable LEO spacecraft system operated by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was Space Transportation System (STS), taken from a 1969 plan for a system of reusable spacecraft of which it was the only item funded for development. The first of four orbital test flights occurred in 1981, leading to operational flights in 1982. In addition to the prototype whose completion was cancelled, five complete Shuttle systems were built and used on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011, launched from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Operational missions launched numerous satellites, interplanetary probes, and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST); conducted science experiments in orbit; and participated in construction and servicing of the International Space Station. The Shuttle fleet's total mission time was 1322 days, 19 hours, 21 minutes and 23 seconds. 14 days
| Type | Spaceplane |
|---|---|
| Agency | NASA |
| Serial Number | OV-103 |
| Status | Retired |
| Destination | International Space Station |
| Maiden Flight | 4/12/1981 |
| Mission End | 7/17/2006 |
| Flights | 39 |
| Crew Capacity | 7 |
| Human Rated | Yes |
| Height | 56.1 m |
| Diameter | 8.7 m |
| Payload Capacity | 27,500 kg |
About United Space Alliance
United Space Alliance (USA) is a spaceflight operations company. USA is a joint venture which was established in August 1995 as a Limited Liability Company (LLC), equally owned by Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
| Total Launches | 51 |
|---|---|
| Successful | 50 |
| Failed | 1 |
| Consecutive Success | 22 |
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-121 launch scheduled?
The United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-121 launch was scheduled for:
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Where can I watch the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-121 launch video?
You can watch the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle launch video on this page. The official video includes full mission coverage with multiple camera angles, onboard views, and expert commentary covering pre-launch procedures, liftoff, stage separation, and payload deployment.
Where did the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-121 mission launch from?
The United Space Alliance Space Shuttle rocket launched from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA. The John F. Kennedy Space Center, located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of NASA's ten field centers. Since 1968, KSC has been NASA's primary launch center of American spaceflight, research, and technology. Launch operations for the Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs were carried out from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 and managed by KSC. Located on the east coast of Florida, KSC is adjacent to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).
What rocket was used for the STS-121 mission?
The STS-121 mission launched aboard a United Space Alliance Space Shuttle rocket. The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was Space Transportation System (STS). Five complete Space Shuttle orbiter vehicles were built and flown on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. Detailed rocket specifications and performance data are available in the rocket details above.
What weather conditions could have delayed the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-121 launch?
The United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-121 launch could have been delayed by various weather conditions including lightning within 10 nautical miles, high winds (especially upper-level winds), thick cloud layers, precipitation, and poor visibility. Weather must be favorable at the launch site, downrange landing zones, and abort landing sites.
How can I get updates if the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-121 launch was delayed?
This page was updated in real-time with the latest United Space Alliance Space Shuttle launch status, including any delays or scrubs for the STS-121 mission. You can also check our space launch schedule for historical launch information. Our mobile app provides push notifications for instant alerts about launch status changes. Official United Space Alliance live streams provided the most immediate range updates during the launch window.
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