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United Space AllianceSpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
STS-121
Launched
July 4, 2006
Summary
STS-121 launched on an United Space Alliance Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on July 4, 2006. It was United Space Alliance's 31st launch, 1st this year and humanity's 4,780th orbital launch attempt. It was the 115th Space Shuttle flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Discovery (STS-121), one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 163 × 238 km orbit inclined 51.6°. 7 crew members flew: Thomas Reiter, Steven Lindsey, Mark Kelly, Lisa Nowak, Piers Sellers, Stephanie Wilson and Michael E. Fossum. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103). 2 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- STS-121 launch & landing (7-4-06)3210andLiftoff
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle · United Space AllianceInternational Space Station, Space Shuttle
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Human Exploration · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 115th Space Shuttle flight · 1st this yearUnited Space Alliance's 31st launch1st this yearhumanity's 4,780th orbital launch attempt30th orbital launch attempt this year
Launch crew
Thomas ReiterMission Specialist · ESA · age 48 · 2nd flight
Steven LindseyCommander · NASA · age 45 · 4th flight
Mark KellyPilot · NASA · age 42 · 2nd flight
Lisa NowakMission Specialist · NASA · age 43 · first flight
Piers SellersMission Specialist · NASA · age 51 · 2nd flight
Stephanie WilsonMission Specialist · NASA · age 39 · first flight
Michael E. FossumMission Specialist · NASA · age 48 · first flight
Landing crew
- Steven LindseyCommander · NASA
- Mark KellyPilot · NASA
- Lisa NowakMission Specialist · NASA
- Piers SellersMission Specialist · NASA
- Stephanie WilsonMission Specialist · NASA
- Michael E. FossumMission Specialist · NASA
Spacecraft
Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103)
Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is one of the orbiters from NASA's Space Shuttle program and the third of five fully operational orbiters to be built. Its first mission, STS-41-D, flew from August 30 to September 5, 1984. Over 27 years of service it launched and landed 39 times, gathering more spaceflights than any other spacecraft to date. Discovery became the third operational orbiter to enter service, preceded by Columbia and Challenger. It embarked on its last mission, STS-133, on February 24, 2011 and touched down for the final time at Kennedy Space Center on March 9, having spent a cumulative total of almost a full year in space. Discovery performed both research and International Space Station (ISS) assembly missions. It also carried the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit. Discovery was the first operational shuttle to be retired, followed by Endeavour and then Atlantis.
- Destination: International Space Station
- Mission length: 12 days
- Docked July 6, 2006 at Destiny forward
Space Shuttle Discovery successfully landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility after this mission.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Discovery (STS-121) · NORAD 29251 · 2006-028 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 2 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2006-028A
- Epoch
- 2006-07-04 19:17:01 UTC
- Mean motion
- 16.29698905 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.005778
- Inclination
- 51.6297°
- Ascending node
- 97.2629°
- Arg. of perigee
- 342.0046°
- Mean anomaly
- 193.354°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0.0000074006
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
2 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 component
- Discovery (STS-121) · NORAD 29251 · docked July 6, 2006
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
STS-121 was a 2006 NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) flown by Space Shuttle Discovery. The main purposes of the mission were to test new safety and repair techniques introduced following the Columbia disaster of February 2003 as well as to deliver supplies, equipment and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter from Germany to the ISS.
Pad
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
54th launch from Launch Complex 39B, 1st this year · 132nd from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
59 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
343 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did STS-121 launch?
STS-121 launched on July 4, 2006. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch STS-121?
Coverage: STS-121 launch & landing (7-4-06). Watch the replay
What rocket launched STS-121?
Space Shuttle, flown by United Space Alliance. Space Shuttle spec sheet
Where did STS-121 launch from?
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did STS-121 reach?
Discovery (STS-121), one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 163 × 238 km orbit inclined 51.6°.
Which program is STS-121 part of?
International Space Station and Space Shuttle. About International Space Station