United Space Alliance STS-131 Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103
Rocket Launch Video Stream
Meet the Astronaut Crew
Alan G. Poindexter
| Birthday | 11/05/1961 |
|---|---|
| Role | Commander |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 02/07/2008 |
| Last Flight | 04/05/2010 |
Alan Goodwin "Dex" Poindexter was an American naval officer and a NASA astronaut. Poindexter was selected in the 1998 NASA Group (G17) and went into...
James Dutton
| Birthday | 11/20/1968 |
|---|---|
| Role | Pilot |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 04/05/2010 |
| Last Flight | 04/05/2010 |
James Patrick "Mash" Dutton, Jr. is a NASA astronaut pilot of the Class of 2004 (NASA Group 19), and a former test pilot in the...
Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger
| Birthday | 05/15/1975 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 04/05/2010 |
| Last Flight | 04/05/2010 |
Dorothy Marie "Dottie" Metcalf-Lindenburger is a former American astronaut. She married Jason Metcalf-Lindenburger, a seventh grade teacher at the time, in 2000, and they have...
Naoko Yamazaki
| Birthday | 12/27/1970 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | Japan |
| First Flight | 04/05/2010 |
| Last Flight | 04/05/2010 |
Naoko Yamazaki is a former Japanese astronaut at JAXA, the second Japanese woman to qualify for the program. The first was Chiaki Mukai.
Clayton Anderson
| Birthday | 02/23/1959 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 06/08/2007 |
| Last Flight | 04/05/2010 |
Clayton Conrad Anderson is a retired NASA astronaut. Launched on STS-117, he replaced Sunita Williams on June 10, 2007 as a member of the ISS...
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...
Richard Mastracchio
| Birthday | 02/11/1960 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 09/08/2000 |
| Last Flight | 11/07/2013 |
Richard Alan "Rick" Mastracchio is an American engineer and former NASA astronaut. He has flown on three NASA Space Shuttle missions as a mission specialist...
About the STS-131 Mission
| Type | Human Exploration |
|---|---|
| Orbit | Low Earth Orbit |
| Launch Cost | $450,000,000 |
STS-131 was an ISS assembly flight with the primary payload being a loaded Multi-Purpose Logistics Module - Leonardo. The mission began on April 5th 2010 at 1021:22 UTC launching Commander Alan Poindexter, Pilot James Dutton, Mission Specialist 1 Richard Mastracchio, Mission Specialist 2 Dorothy M. Metcalf-Lindenburger, Mission Specialist 3 Stephanie Wilson, Mission Specialist 4 Naoko Yamazaki & Mission Specialist 5 Clayton Anderson to orbit. They docked with the ISS 2 days after launch. The mission was the final Space Shuttle launch with a seven person crew and was the longest flight for Discovery. STS-131 also marked the first time 4 women have been in space at once. During the mission 3 spacewalks were conducted to replace an ammonia tank and to retrieve a seed experiment from outside the Japanese laboratory. The mission concluded after 15 days & 2 hours on April 20th 2010 at 1308:35 UTC after 2 waved off landing opportunities on the 19th at the Kennedy Space Center.
Launch Pad & Location
Launch Complex 39A
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
| Launches | 224 |
|---|---|
| Orbital Launch Attempts | 223 |
| 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 | 4/20/2010 |
| 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-131 launch scheduled?
The United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-131 launch was scheduled for:
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Where can I watch the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-131 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-131 mission launch from?
The United Space Alliance Space Shuttle rocket launched from Launch Complex 39A 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-131 mission?
The STS-131 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-131 launch?
The United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-131 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-131 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-131 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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