<p>TodaY at 1549 hours, Space Shuttle DISCOVERY will blast off from Cape Kennedy. The pilot of that STS-121 space vehicle will be CDR Mark Kelly, USN, Class of 1986. A Dual Major at the Academy, Mark has had a brilliant career as a fighter pilot, test pilot and now astronaut. He was pilot of STS-108, the ENDEAVOR, that spent 14 days in orbit. The DISCOVERY mission is to delivery supplies and a third crew member to the International Space Station and perform two space walks for maintenance on the station. Mark has two ingots of gold from Balfour and Jostens to be included in future class rings.</p>
<p>Thanks LFWB for the above.</p>
<p>To see NASA Pics and video click the below:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.usmmaparents.com/usmmaparents/%5B/url%5D">http://www.usmmaparents.com/usmmaparents/</a></p>
<p>If you would like to watch the web cast of the space shuttle launch, here is the address:</p>
<p>Delayed due to weather today, they are hoping for shuttle launch at 3:26pm EDT tomorrow Sunday, July 2. Unfortunately, weather predictions for Sunday and Monday are not promising.</p>
<p>Scrubbed because of Sunday weather, the next opportunity to launch Discovery to the international space station is scheduled for 2:38 p.m. ET Tuesday, July 4.</p>
<p>Weather forecasters predict only a 40 percent chance of favorable conditions for launch on Tuesday. However, if the weather cooperates, Discovery would mark the first manned U.S. spaceflight to be launched on Independence Day.</p>
<p>Can you imagine how raw those guys' nerves are? WOW. It would be pretty neat if they could go tomorrow. Fingers crossed for them!</p>
<p>Just in case you missed today's launch, you can view awesome videos by clicking on this link:</p>
<p>Congratulations to Discovery's pilot, CDR Mark Kelly, USN, USMMA Class of 1986 and the rest of the Discovery crew for the first ever Independence Day shuttle launch! Great fireworks!</p>
<p>Hey! CDR Kelly has a twin! Saw a great interview with his brother today. It was an awesome launch. Godspeed to the shuttle & to all the new USMMA Candidates!</p>
<p>Shuttle Pilot Mark Kelly, USMMA class of 1986, fired up steering jets and backed Discovery away from the international space station today to begin the space shuttle crew's return trip to Earth. There will be one more safety inspection, then hopefully the shuttle will head back for a Monday landing.
Check out the inflight crew portrait aboard the international space station
<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/highlights/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/highlights/index.html</a>
Godspeed CDR Kelly and Discovery crew!</p>
<p>With safety inspections successfully completed, Discoverys landing is set for 9:14 a.m. EDT this Monday, July 17 at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, weather permitting. The crew is scheduled to fire the shuttles engines at 8:07 a.m. to begin Discoverys descent to Florida. </p>
<p>Weather forecasts call for a chance of showers at the landing site most of this week. If needed, a second landing opportunity in Florida is available for Monday. The crew would fire the engines at 9:43 a.m. for a landing at 10:50 a.m. </p>
<p>Although Edwards AFB, California is the alternate landing site, shuttle flight controllers do not plan to consider any landing site other than Florida on Monday. Discovery will land between Monday and Wednesday.</p>
<p>We are praying for a safe return for CDR Kelly and crew.</p>
<p>Commander Mark Kelly, USMMA class of 1986, landed the Space Shuttle Discovery on Monday, July 17 at Kennedy Space Center at 9:14 a.m. EDT after a 13-day, five million-mile mission. The Discovery crew succeeded in testing shuttle safety improvements, repairing a rail car on the International Space Station and producing never-before-seen, high-resolution images of the shuttle.</p>
<p>President George W. Bush congratulated the astronauts on a successful mission and thanked them for their work to further America's Vision for Space Exploration. The vision calls for NASA to return humans to the moon, and then venture to Mars and beyond.</p>
<p>With Discovery and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the resumption of International Space Station assembly, with the next launch planned for Space Shuttle Atlantis in late August or early September.</p>
<p>For a great video of the landing and touchdown go here:</p>
<p>For great landing and crew photos and President Bushs complete remarks click here:</p>
<p>Prayers answered.</p>
<p>USMMA today named Commander Mark Kelly as the 2006 Alumnus of the Year.</p>
<p>See the complete news release:</p>
<p>A member of the Class of 1986, Commander Kelly recalled attending Mets games as a Kings Point midshipman: They let us in for free in our uniforms. He threw the first pitch at Shea Stadium September 25.</p>
<p>A veteran of two space shuttle missions, he said, For me personally, I hope to fly the space shuttle again. If Im really lucky, two more times.</p>
<p>Congratulations Commander Kelly!</p>