RichO from Elk Grove, IL
What modifications were done to the external tank for STS-121 compared to the last shuttle launch? |
RichO from Elk Grove, IL
If is were necessary to stay at the ISS, how long could the shuttle crew stay there? When could a rescue shuttle be ready and launch? I hope this never happens. |
RichO from Elk Grove, IL
There are 2 EVAs scheduled and a 3rd EVA is possible. What are the chances for the 3rd EVA, and what will be done during the 3rd EVA? |
RichO from Elk Grove, IL
What are the major factors in the weather (high winds, on the ground and higher, rain and storms) that can scrub a launch? |
Sushant Sudame from Birmingham, AL
What payloads are flying?
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Alyssa from Gilbert,AZ
What tasks do each of the crew members perform? |
Arun from Cupertino,Ca
What procedures do the astronauts have to go through in order to be chosen for a mission? |
Arun from Cupertino,Ca
What safety precautions have you changed for landing and taking off since the past few missons? |
john from ronkonkoma
What is the possibility of large chunks of insulated foam breaking off and hitting Discovery at launch? |
Junichi MAKI from Niihama-City
What is the major mission of STS-121? |
François from Namur (Belgium)
How is the exact shuttle launch time determined and why is the launch window very short for the mission to the ISS ? |
John from ronkonkoma
Is it possible that the external tank may start to leak during launch and explode just like Challenger? |
John from ronkonkoma
What ever happened to Space Shuttles Atlantis and Endeavour and will they be flying in any future shuttle missions after STS-121? |
Tucker from White
What landing site would NASA use if Kennedy and Edwards weather was unacceptable? |
JOHHNY ( 8 ) from BEECHER,IL
How soon after liftoff does the commander or the pilot have control of the orbiter? |
MARK from CHICAGO,IL
After solid rocket booster separation, where will the boosters splashdown in the ocean? |
Farol from Dallas
How do you weigh the payloads and the shuttle? |
Derek from Vincent
What is the maximum and minimum wind speed that the space shuttle can launch and land in and is this speed well within the safe limit? |
Junichi MAKI from Niihama-city
What is the mass weight of the payload alone and then the combined weight with Discovery? |
Junichi MAKI from Niihama-City
Will the ISS crew be taking pictures of Discovery while docking and how long will it take to dock? |
Pawan from Sharjah
Have the astronauts undergone training to repair the space shuttle tiles? |
Kjeld (15) from The Netherlands
After the space shuttle is locked on the ISS, what will be the speed of the shuttle and the ISS while orbiting the Earth? |
Junichi MAKI from Niihama-City
How many cameras are watching debris come off the external tank both from the ground and from the orbiter? |
David from Forest Hills
Does the STS-121 crew have to successfully repair the ISS Mobile Transporter for STS-115 to be launched? |
Ausitin from Johnston City
If a disasterous event happens to the shuttle right before launch what is the scenario that follows? |
Mike Vestergaar from Fredericia, DK.
How much time in advance do you normally put a shuttle stack out on the pad and is the TCDT always performed 2 weeks ahead of launch day? |
François from Namur (Belgium)
How and when will Thomas Reiter come back to Earth and is he going to come back with a space shuttle or in a Soyouz capsule?
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David from Oviedo, Spain
Will the external tank re-entry be recorded in any way through on-board cameras or directly by the astronauts? |
David from Oviedo, Spain
How long will it take before Discovery flies again after STS-121? |
Brandon from Orlando
How long does it take to get the shuttle into space? |
François from Namur (Belgium)
What happens to the external tank after being jettisoned - is it totally destroyed by atmospheric reentry or is there a chance that big pieces might fall to Earth? |
Pawan from Sharjah
Why is it necessary to launch the space shuttle within a specific period of time in order to dock with the ISS? Can't we just increase the speed of the shuttle after launch so that it can catch up with the ISS later on? |
skyler from orlinda
How high do winds have to be to delay the shuttle launch? |
John from ronkonkoma
How long will it take for the Discovery crew to make their first orbit around the Earth? |
Tom from Avon
How far away do ground personnel have to be from the launch platform - and how many are there close by? |
MIKE RUBENICK from THUNDER BAY
Is there any possible use for the external tank or parts of it that can be saved instead of it being destroyed? |
Lynn from Cape Canaveral
What will be returned from the ISS aboard the Leonardo module? |
Shyla from Sioux City
If the 121 mission is successful and the shuttle keeps to the projected schedule, will the crew members for the ISS ride the shuttle or continue to launch from Russia? |
lonnie from lalaine
With the limited number of flights scheduled to finish out the shuttle program, is there a possibility that some current astronauts will never get a chance to fly? |
Abigail from Pembroke Pines,
I've heard that during a launch countdown the "T" in T minus does not stand for "Time". Is this true? If so, what does the "T" really mean? |
Abigail from PembrokePinesFL
Are astronauts allowed to take any personal items with them into space? |
Abigail from PembrokePinesFL
Do astronauts ever have any "free time" while in space? If so, what do they like to do for fun while in space? |
Abigail from PembrokePinesFL
How fast do the space shuttle and ISS move in orbit? Does it feel like they are going that fast? |
Abigail from PembrokePinesFL
Can anything in our solar system besides Earth and the Sun be seen from the space shuttle or ISS? |
Matthew from Big Lake, MN
Will STS-121 bring back the rest of the cargo that needs to be brought back? |
Matthew from Big Lake, MN
What would happen if a shuttle crewmember were to get gravely ill while at the ISS and what are the protocols for dealing with a very ill crew member? |
Matthew from Big Lake, MN
What is the protocol in the event of a hurricane striking KSC when the shuttle is on the pad? |
Matthew from Big Lake, MN
When Endeavour was in its OMM period, were gapfillers installed, how much do gapfillers cost and what are gapfillers made of? |
joe from jacksboro
Can you explain why the shuttle breaks the sound barrier on the return to earth when it is already traveling faster than the speed of sound? |
Junichi MAKI from NIIHAMA-CITY
What is the tile gap-filler made of? What is the function of gap-filler? |
Junichi MAKI from Niihama-City
When the astronauts repair damaged tiles, what is the "bond" paste made of? Why does it become solid, and how soon? |
Junichi MAKI from Niihama/Jpapan
Could you comment on the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module? What is it for? Is that for the STS-121's crew of seven in case of emergency? |
Matthew from Big Lake, MN
How does the Orbiter Docking System (ODS) work? |
Megan from Beecher, IL
Is the view of space awesome when you guys are in space? I always wanted to go up in space. |
Michael from Muskogee,OK
Regarding Mark E. Kelly, pilot for STS-121: I was born in 1964 and, like Cmndr Kelly, I passed the naval aviator's test in 1986 but then opted for medical school. Now a physician, I am curious how my alter ego, Kelly, went from the Merchant Marines to Naval Aviator. |
PHILIP from SWANSEA, WALES
How ready is Atlantis (STS-300) should anything happen to Discovery during the critical launch phase (e.g. foam falling off the tank and damaging the tiles)? |
PHILIP from SWANSEA, WALES
Has Discovery undergone any further modifications to its framework since her last Orbiter Maintenance Down Period? |
Junichi MAKI from Niihama-City
What are the differences between the Elektron Russian oxygen generator on the ISS and the new American oxygen generator, which STS-121 going to take to the ISS? |
parag from jaipur
What materials are space shuttles made of and what are the functions of different components? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
Will the shuttle do the same flip maneuver as it approaches the International Space Station to see if the orbiter was damaged during liftoff? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
Are the WB-57 aircraft going to be taking images of the shuttle's ascent like in the first return-to-flight mission? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
Has the crew had any special training in addition to what a normal crew would get while preparing for the mission? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
What improvements and modifications have been made to the shuttle? Will these changes be made to all the other shuttles? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
The shuttle is bringing up a third person to stay on board the ISS. What is their role on the ISS and why was it decided to have a third person aboard the ISS instead of two? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
What modifications or upgrades have been done to the tiles to make them safer for launch and re-entry? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
What kind of food does the crew eat while in space? Is it normal food or is it made differently? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
How does the crew stay in shape while in space? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, Wi
I heard that being in space does weird things to your body.. What kind of effects does a normal astronaut feel while in space? Do those effects affect them after they have landed? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, Wi
How big is the living quarters on board discovery? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
Has there been a time where a shuttle has almost lost its oxygen to breathe? If that were to happen, are there resources in space or on board the ISS to help prevent this from happening? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
Is there new equipment on board that the astronauts will be testing? If so, what is it? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
Are any plants or animals or anything living going up for research or testing on this mission? |
Kris from Jacksonville
Will tropical storm Alberto pose any threat to the shuttle while on the pad? |
Junichi MAKI from Niihama-City
How long is shuttle's robotic arm and what is the length of the CanadaArm on the ISS? |
Lisa from Clinton Twp
What type of fuel is used and how much is used for the space shuttle? |
Jennifer from Green Bay, WI
Will we get to see what is going on inside the shuttle when the crew is getting ready for liftoff and also when in space? |
François from Namur (Belgium)
Why does the shuttle flip on it's back shortly after liftoff ? |
Grade1 Class from England
How long will you be in space? (Amy - 6 years old).
How do you put your helmet on? (Coley - 6 years old)
Have you seen a shooting star? (Abby - 5 years old)
Can you see our planet from Space?
(Courtney - 5 years old) |
