THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2007
NEWS
7A
NASA
Discovery shuttles new space module
BY MARCIA DUNN ASSOCIATED PRESS
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space shuttle Discovery and a crew of seven rocketed into orbit Tuesday in pursuit of the international space station, where a formidable construction job awaits them.
Discovery blasted off at 11:38 a.m., ducking through clouds. It carried a giant Tinkertoy-type link that must be installed at the space station before European and Japanese laboratories can arrive.
Despite a forecast calling for rain right at launch time, the weather ended up cooperating. And a chunk of ice on plumbing between the external fuel tank and Discovery
— 4 inches by $1\frac{1}{2}$ inches — was deemed too small by NASA to pose a serious launch hazard. It appeared to be melting as the countdown entered its final minutes.
Launch director Mike Leinbach wished the crew good luck and Godspeed just before liftoff.
"We're ready to take Harmony to her new home," replied commander Pamela Melroy, referring to the new space station compartment aboard Discovery.
Discovery's fuel tank was modified following the last mission to prevent dangerous ice buildup from the super-cold liquid hydrogen and oxygen, and reduce the potential for launch debris. The patch of ice that had NASA scrambling less than two hours before launch cropped up on a pipe that carries the hydrogen from the tank into the shuttle, and was stuck mostly to a baggy material. It appeared to harmlessly break loose at the moment of liftoff, as NASA suspected it would.
At least six pieces of foam insulation fell off the fuel tank during liftoff, but it was well past the crucial first two minutes and therefore posed no risk to Discovery, said Bill Gerstenmaier. NASA's space operations chief.
The shuttle wings, however, were not altered in any way, even though a safety engineering group pressed for a delay because of concern over three panels with possible flaws.
Melroy, only the second woman to lead a shuttle mission, expressed her confidence late last week about flying Discovery, as have many of the senior managers who decided to skip wing repairs. A possible cracking problem with the protective coating on three of the wing panels was deemed an acceptably low risk.
A hole in the wing brought down Columbia in 2003, the result of a strike by a slab of fuel-tank foam insulation at liftoff.
Discovery and its crew are embarking on a two-week mission that is considered the most challenging and complex in the nine years of orbital assembly of the international space station.
The shuttle is carrying up an Italian-built live-in compartment, about the size of a small bus, that the astronauts will attach to the space station. The name Harmony was the choice of schoolchildren who took part in a national competition. About 130 of those youngsters traveled to Cape Canaveral to witness the launch.
Also on hand for the launch was "Star Wars" director and writer George Lucas. Packed aboard Discovery is the Lightsaber used by the character Luke Skywalker in 1983's "Return of the Jedi" to mark the 30th anniversary of the first "Star Wars" film.
the next few months. The European lab, named Columbus, is targeted for a Dec. 6 launch. Discovery's ontime departure Tuesday kept the Columbus mission on track.
"Congratulations everybody. The beans are on," an animated Leinbach told his team once Discovery safely reached orbit. NASA has a post-launch tradition of celebrating with beans and cornbread.
"Let's get on to the next launch in December," said Christopher Scolese, NASA's No. 2 man.
After they arrive at the space station on Thursday, Discovery's astronauts also will move a massive girder and set of solar wings from one part of the orbiting complex to another. That work will involve extending radiators as well as the folded solar wings — 240 feet from tip to tip when outstretched.
In all, five spacewalks are planned, four to complete this construction job and one to test a method for fixing damaged shuttle thermal tiles using a cauling gun and high-tech goo. The demonstration with sample tiles was added after Endeavour suffered a gouge to its belly during the last launch in August from a piece of flyaway fuel-tank foam.
Seven astronauts boarded the space shuttle Discovery Tuesday to fly to the international space station. The crew is ferrying a space station compartment called Harmony.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WORLD
Missile defense action put on hold
BY ROBERT BURNS ASSOCIATED PRESS
PRAGUE, Czech Republic — The Bush administration has told Moscow it may delay activation of a proposed U.S. missile defense system in Europe until it has "definitive proof" that Iran poses a missile threat, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday.
A senior Russian official repeated the Kremlin view that the U.S. misreads Iran's missile potential. And in Washington, President Bush asserted that a U.S.-linked missile defense system is urgently needed in Europe, illustrating the depth of the divide between former Cold War adversaries.
Bush said intelligence estimates show Iran could have the abil-
tory to strike the United States and many European allies by 2015. The Americans say the Russian estimate is 2015 to 2020.
Russia has long opposed U.S. missile defenses, which currently are limited to a fledgling system based mainly in Alaska, California and Colorado, on grounds that it might undermine the deterrent value of its nuclear arsenal. More broadly, Moscow worries at steps toward closer U.S.-European security ties.
As for the proposal Gates described Tuesday, the Russians have expressed interest but not agreement.
At a news conference after meeting with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, Gates said the U.S. would proceed with current plans to build a missile interceptor base in Poland and an associated radar in the Czech Republic, but it might be willing to wait before putting them in working order.
The University of Kansas CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WEEK
October 21-27, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Dole Leadership Prize Lecture
Congressman John Lewis | Led Center | 7:30 p.m.
Honor our MU veterans by helping time to visit the Blessing memorials for our fallen heroes. Visit Memorial Hall, Memorial Museum, Memorial Church, Memorial Chapel and Memorial Cemetery.
Visit the Declare Institute of Politics (on West Campus) and see the World War I Veterans Memorial Wall
Monday October 22 2007
Chic Leadership Breakfast at the Dale Institute of Politics
Chic Leadership for campaign leaders and potential leaders. Will focus on the importance of chic engagement. Sponsored by the Student
Advisory Board (SAB), the National Advisory Board
(NAB), and the University of Chicago Advisor
Board (UAB). SBOOBS - 11:00 AM.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Register to vote on Welcome Beach
Sponsored by SLAB, Dab SAB 1:15 o.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Jubilee Care
Serve broadly to in-need and homeless population of Lawrence
First United Church, 948 Broad Street
Sponsored by Community for Outreach (CADD) 6:00 - 9:00 am
Register to vote on Wescoe Beach
Sponsored by SLAB, Dole SAB | 11:00 A.M. - 1:00 p.m.
Sandy group in the Dana Institute - Jerry Austin
"Presidential Politics from the Inside!" 1:40 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Sustainability Awareness Day
Learn about efforts to make KU environmentally, economically and socially responsible. Morning sessions will feature presentations on current operations and research at KU. Atrium events include a sustainability recognition event sponsored by the Center for Sustainability Burgee Union | 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Register to vote on Wescroach Beach
Sponsored by SLAB, Dole SAB 1 | 11.00 a.m. - 1.00 p.m.
Study group of the Dole Institute – Jennifer Schmidt
"Women in Politics: Dalian Storer" | 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Register to vote on Vanesse Beach
Sponsored by S.A.B, Dole SAB
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Test Time
Empty free鞋，treats，and engage at convention
Reoriented by Student Union activities (SUA)
Kansas Union 1:00 a.m.
Tite Time Movie Screening
*Mir Smith拔钩 to Washington Sponsored by SLAE, SLAAR Kennesaw Lakes * 3:00 a.m.
Bill Kurtz, Former Anchor of CBS Morning News
will moderate a forum on political news.
Dole Institute 1: 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Jubilee Cafe
Serve breakfast to in-need and homeless population of Lawrence
First United Methodist Church, 849 Vermont Street
Sponsored by COCO (8:30 - 9:00 a.m.)
Register to vote on Welcome Beach
Sponsored by SLAB, Dale SAG 11.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.
Saturday October 27, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Make a Difference Day
Organization, business organization, and individuals are invited to make a difference by volunteering by participating in volunteer work on their own service project or contact Roger H. Hill Volunteer Center to match your entree with a product of your choice.
Sponsored by CCO, SLAAR, and the Roger H. Volunteer Center, is served of the Way of Daugaard County
Dvc Engagement Work at the University of Kansas is brought to you by the Student Legislative Awareness Board and the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics.
Robert J. Dole
Institute of Politics
UNIVERSITY OF RANCHIE