Shuttle Discovery Astronauts Get Ready to Depart ISS; Japan Prepares to Launch First HTV

The space shuttle Discovery astronauts are getting ready to depart from the International Space Station (ISS). Farewells and hatch closure are scheduled for 10:30 pm EDT. Undocking is scheduled for tomorrow, with return to Earth two days later. Discovery delivered new equipment and scientific experiments, as well as a new ISS crew member, Nicole Stott. She is replacing Tim Kopra who will return with the Discovery crew.

Meanwhile, Japan is preparing for the first launch of its H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), which will bring more cargo up to the ISS. HTV will be launched on the maiden flight of a new version of Japan’s H-II launch vehicle, the H-IIB, on Friday, September 11, at 2:04 am Japan Standard Time (JST), or 1:04 pm Thursday, September 10, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will begin broadcasting launch activities over the Internet beginning about a half hour earlier. The launch window is open until September 30 JST should any contingencies arise. The HTV will join Russia’s Progress and Europe’s ATV as one-way cargo delivery spacecraft for the ISS. None of those is currently designed to survive reentry so cannot return anything to Earth.