Wednesday, December 24th, 2008
Image: The shape of the STS-119/15A patch comes from the shape of a solar array viewed at an angle. The International Space Station is placed in the center of the patch just below the gold astronaut symbol. The gold solar array highlights the main cargo and task of the STS-119 mission. Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata will serve as flight engineer representing the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency. The Japanese Kibo module is marked by a red circle. The rest of the STS-119 crew members are denoted on the outer band of the patch. The 17 white stars on the patch represent, in the crew’s words, “the enormous sacrifice the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia have given to our space program.” The U.S. flag flowing into the space shuttle signifies the support the people of the United States have given our space program over the years, along with pride the U.S. astronauts have in representing their country on this mission.
Discovery’s STS-119 astronauts are in final training mode before the holidays.
Commander Lee Archambault, Pilot Tony Antonelli, Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Koichi Wakata will head home to be with family and friends for about ten days. The crew will resume training in the new year.
Launch of Discovery to the International Space Station is targeted for Feb. 12, 2009.