HOUSTON — Veteran space shuttle astronaut Barbara R. Morgan will leave NASA in August to become an educator at Idaho’s Boise State University.

NASA’s first educator astronaut, Morgan logged more than 305 hours in space aboard shuttle Endeavour’s STS-118 assembly mission to the International Space Station in August 2007. She operated the shuttle and station robotic arms to install hardware, inspect the orbiter and support spacewalks. Morgan also served as loadmaster for the transfer of supplies between the shuttle and station, taught lessons from space to schoolchildren on Earth and served on the flight deck during re-entry and landing.

"Barbara has served NASA and the Astronaut Office with distinction over the course of her career," Astronaut Office chief Steve Lindsey said. "From the Teacher in Space Program to her current position as a fully qualified astronaut, she has set a superb example and been a consistent role model for both teachers and students. She will be missed."

Morgan previously served as the backup to payload specialist Christa McAuliffe in the Teacher in Space Program. McAuliffe and six fellow astronauts lost their lives in the Challenger accident on Jan. 28, 1986. Morgan, who was an elementary schoolteacher in McCall, Idaho, before being selected as McAuliffe’s backup, returned to teaching after the accident. She was selected to train as a mission specialist in 1998 and named to the STS-118 crew in 2002.

"It is really tough to leave NASA," Morgan said. "It is a great organization with great people doing great things. We’re going back to the moon and on to Mars. I’m especially proud that we have three other teachers who are astronauts, and there will be others in the future. I’m very excited to go to work for Boise State University. I like everything about it, and it’s going to be wonderful helping exploration by working full time for education."

Three other educator mission specialists, Richard Arnold, Joseph Acaba and Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger, are training for future spaceflights. Arnold and Acaba are assigned to fly on the STS-119 space shuttle mission to the station in 2009.

Morgan will serve as Distinguished Educator in Residence at Boise State, providing vision and leadership to the state of Idaho on science, technology, engineering and math education.

The Ocean Surface Topography Mission has begun for the Jason-2 spacecraft after it reached orbit this morning aboard the thundering power of a Delta II rocket.

NASA Launch Director Omar Baez said the spacecraft is in its proper orbit and in good shape. The satellite will spend at least three years measuring the ocean’s height and conducting other experiments from more than 800 miles above the planet.

The two-stage Delta blasted off from the launch complex at California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base at 12:46 a.m., PDT (3:46 a.m., EDT) for its 10 minute ride to orbit.

The spacecraft is to use sophisticated radar to measure the height of the world’s oceans as it circles more than 830 miles overhead.

The craft’s altimeter, which looks like a large satellite dish, is so precise it can measure wave heights within about 1 1/2 inches.

The mission is the follow-up to two previous satellites that started measuring the oceans in 1992, with the launch of Topex/Poseidon. That was followed by Jason-1 in 2001.

With those two instruments, scientists have had a precise measurement of the height of the global ocean every 10 days. Records of global sea level in the past come from averaging tide gauge readings from many locations. But since t

Researchers say the extensive data collected by the three satellites will show how Earth’s climate has changed over the years.

OSTM/Jason-2 is an international mission sponsored by several agencies including NASA. The spacecraft was built in France and Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., was in charge of the final processing and preparations for launch.

For more information on OSTM/Jason 2, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ostm.

SOAR Magazine’s Marc S. Posner contributed to this report.

Preparations continue at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., for a Friday morning launch of NASA’s Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2. The mission will measure the rising global sea level.

The 9-minute launch window opens at 3:46 a.m., EDT.

The Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2 is a satellite that will help scientists better monitor and understand rises in global sea level, study the world’s ocean circulation and its links to Earth’s climate.

By Marc S. Posner
SOAR Magazine

Commander Mark Kelly guided space shuttle Discovery to a smooth landing this morning at the Kennedy Space Center, concluding STS-124, a 14 day mission highlighted by the installation of the Kibo laboratory on the International Space Station.

Landing came at 11:15 a.m., EDT, on runway 15 at the shuttle landing facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida following 217 orbits over 14 days.

It also marked the homecoming of Garrett Reisman, the Expedition 17 flight engineer, who spent 95 days aboard the International Space Station. Reisman joined the ISS crew following his own launch aboard Endeavour in March on STS-123.

Also aboard Discovery were pilot Ken Ham four mission specialists: Karen Nyberg, Ron Garan, Mike Fossum and Akihiko Hoshide. The fifth mission specialist, Greg Chamitoff, remained aboard the space station. he is scheduled to return during STS-126, targeted for November, 2008.

Discovery launched on May 31, 2008 on the 26th mission by a space shuttle to the International Space Station, and the 123rd of the shuttle program.

The primary purpose was the installation of Kibo, officially known as the Japanese Pressurized Module and the lab’s robitic arm system. At 36.7 feet long and and 14.4 feet in diameter, it was the largest payload ever delivered to the space station.

During three spacewalks, the crew also relocated the Japanese Logistics Module. The JLM had been installed by the STS-123 crew in a temporary location on the space station.

Discovery’s mission marked the 35th flight for what is now NASA’s oldest orbiter and the third mission of 2008.

Kibo — which means “hope” in Japanese —is the country’s major contribution to the station and will enjance the research capabilities of the International Space Station. The lab is one of three segments of Kibo.

The next space shuttle mission, STS-125, is scheduled for October and is the only remaining flight not headed to the International Space Station. Atlantis’ crew will conduct the final repair of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Discovery announces arrival in Florida…

Commander Mark Kelly performed the deorbit burn at 10:10 a.m. EDT to begin space shuttle Discovery’s descent to Kennedy Space Center for landing. Discovery is expected to land at 11:15 a.m. on runway 15 at the shuttle landing facility following 217 orbits over 14 days.

Forecasters predict good weather at the landing site.

Discovery is concluding the 26th mission by a space shuttle to the International Space Station and the 123rd of the shuttle program.

The highlight of Discovery’s STS-124 mission was the installation of the Kibo lab, a module provided by Japan, on the ISS.

HOUSTON — Discovery has been cleared for Saturday’s entry and landing at Kennedy Space Center on one of two opportunities at 11:15 a.m. or 12:50 p.m., EDT.

Imagery experts declared the shuttle’s heat shield healthy and safe for entry and landing during Friday’s Mission Management Team meeting. The report followed extensive review of imagery obtained by using the Orbiter Boom Sensor System Wednesday after Discovery undocked from the International Space Station.

The team also reviewed new imagery provided by Discovery’s crew of an object that was seen floating away from the vehicle Friday morning during the routine day-before-landing systems checkout to verify entry and landing system health.

Engineers concluded the object was a heat shield clip from the rudder/speed brake on the orbiter’s tail used as a heat barrier during launch only and not a concern for entry.

The crew also sent photographs of a perceived protrusion on the rudder/speed brake, but engineers quickly determined it is a normal feature of the tail’s heat shield and also not a concern for entry.

To prepare for landing, Discovery’s crew members spent a large part of the day stowing items in the crew cabin as the tests of Discovery’s flight control surfaces and reaction control system thrusters was ongoing. Both systems functioned well and are ready to support entry activities.

With a large high pressure system in place off the North Carolina coast, forecasters are calling for only scattered clouds and light winds in Florida for landing attempts Saturday and, if needed, Sunday at the Kennedy Space Center.

The crew was scheduled to go to sleep about 6:30 p.m. Friday and awaken at 2:32 a.m. Saturday to begin landing day preparations.

Space shuttle Discovery’s astronauts are completing their last full day in space and making preparations for landing Saturday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The astronauts are scheduled to go to sleep at 6:32 p.m. EDT.

On Saturday, they awake at 2:32 a.m., close Discovery’s payload bay doors at 7:30 a.m. and perform the deorbit burn at 10:10 a.m. Landing is planned for 11:15 a.m. Should it be required, there is a second landing opportunity at Kennedy on Saturday. The deorbit burn would occur at 11:46 a.m. and landing at 12:50 p.m.

At 3:02 p.m. EDT, space shuttle Discovery Commander Mark Kelly was informed that the Mission Management Team has cleared the shuttle for entry.

By Marc S. Posner
SOAR Magazine

The problem aboard Discovery may not be a problem after all.

NASA has told the STS-124 crew that the agency has “no issues” with the status of Discovery’s rudder as preparations continue for a planned landing tomorrow.

Imagery experts have “concluded that we have no issues” for landing tomorrow, the space agency said.

What astronauts aboard Discovery reported this morning as a “bump” and “an unusual feature” in the spacecraft’s rudder is believed to be a normal feature of the tail, accentuated by an artifact of how it was lit as sunlight passed through a gap where it splits into an air brake utilized during landing.

An object observed floating away was identified as a clip that is used during the climb to orbit to help prevent overheating of the rudder, the agency said.

“It is not an issue for landing at all,” mission controllers said.

However, the data will be reviewed again by the Mission Management Team when they meet later today, the agency said.

By Marc S. Posner
SOAR Magazine

STS-124 Astronauts this morning reported seeing something float away from the orbiter and finding a “bump” on the spacecraft’s rudder.

It’s not immediately clear how this impacts tomorrow’s planned landing.

Imagery experts at Mission Control in Houston are examining the video and digital still photographs that were sent by the crew, who reported the problem at about 7:38 a.m., EDT.

After completing a standard day-before-landing test of the shuttle steering jets, the crew indicated they had seen a one-foot- to 1.5-foot-long rectangular object floating away from the shuttle from behind the rear portion of the right wing.

Shortly afterwards, the crew described what they called a “bump” on the left side trailing edge of Discovery’s rudder. Experts on the ground are examining images and video of the object and the “bump” while the crew continues to stow items in the cabin for Saturday’s planned landing.

Discovery is scheduled to land tomorrow at the Kennedy Space Center, though mission controllers yesterday adjusted the shuttle’s orbit to add an additional landing opportunity on Sunday.

Saturday opportunities at Kennedy are at 11:15 a.m. and 12:50 p.m., on orbits 217 and 218, respectively.