Originally published Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Shuttle Discovery docks at space station
Space shuttle Discovery performed a slow back flip and then docked at the international space station Monday, delivering a mammoth lab and...
The Associated Press
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space shuttle Discovery performed a slow back flip and then docked at the international space station Monday, delivering a mammoth lab and two new occupants: a NASA astronaut and Buzz Lightyear.
Back at the launch site, meanwhile, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration hurriedly set up an investigation to figure out why the launchpad suffered its worst damage in 27 years of space-shuttle flight. Bricks and mortar flew off the pad during Discovery's liftoff Saturday.
Discovery was not struck by any of the debris — engineers pored over the launch pictures to be sure of that, said LeRoy Cain, chairman of the mission-management team. When asked by a reporter if NASA got lucky in that regard, he said: "I don't like to think in terms of luck."
Commander Mark Kelly pulled up to the space station and parked as the two spacecraft soared 210 miles above the South Pacific.
Discovery carried Japan's prized Kibo lab, a 37-foot-long, 16-ton scientific workshop. The seven shuttle astronauts and three station residents will combine forces to install the bus-size lab today.
The shuttle crew also brought a spare toilet pump for the orbiting outpost. The space station's Russian-built toilet broke nearly two weeks ago — forcing the crew to perform manual flushes with extra water several times a day — and engineers hope the new pump will take care of the problem.
Astronaut Gregory Chamitoff got his first look at what will be his home for the next six months. He is replacing Garrett Reisman, who has been living at the station since March.
"Garrett, you have a beautiful house," Chamitoff said. "Oh my God, it's so beautiful."
The two men hugged once the hatches between them swung open. It was a group embrace, actually, with the space station's two Russian residents joining in as well.
Also moving in for a half-year is a 12-inch action figure familiar to children almost everywhere: Buzz Lightyear, the character from the 1995 film "Toy Story" that's always yearning to blast off "to infinity and beyond." Disney sent up the toy as part of NASA's toys-in-space educational program.
Right before linking up with the space station, Kelly guided Discovery through a 360-degree somersault from 600 feet out, allowing Reisman and one of the space station's Russian residents to take zoom-in photos of the shuttle's belly. The back flip became standard procedure for shuttle flights after the 2003 Columbia tragedy; Columbia was brought down by a hole in the wing, left there by flyaway fuel-tank foam.
Imagery experts will pore over these 302 digital pictures — as well as the multitude of launch images — to see whether Discovery is in good enough shape to re-enter safely on June 14.
![]()
As for the launchpad damage, the worst of it, by far, was in the brick-lined trench that is designed to deflect the flames at booster-rocket ignition.
A large section of the flame trench — 20 feet by 75 feet — broke apart, and chunks of the large heat-resistant fire bricks and concrete mortar were scattered all the way past the chain-link fence 1,800 feet away. The fence was damaged in places.
The pieces of debris ranged in size from a pebble to entire bricks.
The flame trench — dating back to the 60s Apollo era — is inspected regularly and undergoes periodic repair, Cain said. "Something happened specific to this mission," he said.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Hundreds of bodies dug up in Chicago grave reselling scheme
Close-up: Protesters, security clash again in Iran
Repression has a familiar face
Close-up: Bombings in Iraq raise fears of resurging ethnic violence
Nations pledge to curb climate change at G-8 summit

Gen. David Petraeus: Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
Watch highlights of General David Petraeus discussing the Iraq and Afghanistan War at the Global Leadership Series sponsored by the World Affairs Council.
Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
shopping

events for Friday, Jul. 10th
- IKEA Summer Sale
- Tottini Argington Sale
- Click! Design That Fits West Seattle...
- Show Pony Summer Sale
editors' picks
More shopping guides- Seattle-area homebuilder losing projects to foreclosure
- Health-plan costs soar for individuals
- Trees vs. houses: Narrow, leafy street is last chance for two Madrona homes waiting to be moved
- World's largest solar plant may be built in Cle Elum
- Driver killed, deputy and prisoner injured in head-on crash near Monroe
- House Democrats likely to alter intel bill
- Drunken man shocks Spain with his generosity
- Movie review | "Brüno" struts his stuff to hilariously expose intolerance
- Chase will no longer sponsor Lake Union fireworks
- 4 Ill. cemetery workers accused in grisly plot
- Mass. files lawsuit against federal marriage law
913 - Health-plan costs soar for individuals
523 - Texas Rangers at Seattle Mariners: 07/09 game thread
243 - Seattle Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik again declines to quell Yuniesky Betancourt trade rumors
145 - World's largest solar plant may be built in Cle Elum
126 - Trees vs. houses: Narrow, leafy street is last chance for two Madrona homes waiting to be moved
91 - Wednesday night notes
86 - Pay parking in West Seattle?
76 - Franklin Gutierrez bails Mariners out in a 3-1 win
75 - House Dems want to expand secret briefings
63
- Seattle-area homebuilder losing projects to foreclosure
- Health-plan costs soar for individuals
- World's largest solar plant may be built in Cle Elum
- Trees vs. houses: Narrow, leafy street is last chance for two Madrona homes waiting to be moved
- Grab the kids and hop on Amtrak for a stress-free getaway to Portland
- During financial crisis, the business of college sports is complicated by Title IX
- Local Smith & Hawken garden stores to close
- Green River Valley plans ahead for possible flooding
- Pay parking in West Seattle?
- Jerry Large | Issues of aging affect all



