United Space Alliance Plays Key Role in Challenging Flight Schedule

The second successful launch of a Space Shuttle in 33 days set the pace for a challenging remainder of the year for the Shuttle team. NASA and United Space Alliance ground controllers oversaw a smooth launch to orbit with Endeavour lifting off just moments before 2:30 this morning on its way to the International Space Station. It is the first night launch since 2002. It is also the second of six planned missions this year, which is the most since 2001.

“This is the second shuttle mission in what promises to be a very busy year, and it’s off to another great start,” said United Space Alliance CEO Dick Covey, adding, “I am really proud of the outstanding effort by our team in preparing Endeavour for an on-time liftoff.”

“Now that Endeavour is on orbit, our flight controllers in Houston and Moscow are faced with a rigorous 16-day mission including the installation of two major international hardware elements and five spacewalks,” Covey added. “However, the Shuttle team has been operating at peak proficiency and is well prepared for the challenge.”

Endeavour was moved to its launch pad last month on February 17th. Just three days later, Atlantis landed five miles away at the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, ending the STS-122 mission. The USA orbiter transfer team moved it back to its processing facility and now the teams are well on their way to turning Atlantis around for its scheduled mission to repair the Hubble space telescope in five months. Meanwhile Space Shuttle Discovery is currently undergoing processing and preparations for its upcoming launch set for May 25.

United Space Alliance is a world leader in space operations with extensive experience in virtually all aspects of the field. Headquartered in Houston with 10,000 employees working in Texas, Florida and Alabama, USA is applying its broad range of capabilities to NASA’s Space Shuttle, International Space Station and Constellation programs as well as to space operations customers in the commercial and international space industry sectors.

For more information on United Space Alliance, go to http://www.unitedspacealliance.com/