Space Shuttle Launch Schedule 2011

NASA Space Shuttle Discovery is set to launch today, February 24 at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Space shuttle Discovery will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-4 (ELC-4), a Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) and critical spare components to the International Space Station on an 11 day mission.

Launch Time: 4:50 p.m. EST
Landing Date and Time: March 7, 12:44 p.m. EST

NASA’s Shuttle and Rocket Launch Schedule 2011 (Note: Schedules can change any moment. Visit NASA page for updates). The schedule below was updated — Feb. 23, 2011 – 6:10 p.m. EST.

Date: Feb. 25 *
Mission: Glory
Launch Vehicle: Orbital Sciences Taurus Rocket
Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base – Launch Pad SLC 576-E
Launch Time: 2:09:43 a.m. PST/5:09:43 a.m. EST
Description: The Glory Mission will help increase our understanding of the Earth’s energy balance by collecting data on the properties of aerosols and black carbon in the Earth’s atmosphere and how the Sun’s irradiance affects the Earth’s climate.

Date: April 19 +
Mission: STS-134
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Endeavour
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center – Launch Pad 39A
Launch Time: 7:48 p.m. EDT
STS-134 Description: Space shuttle Endeavour will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3 (ELC-3) and the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the International Space Station.

Date: June 9 *
Mission: Aquarius
Launch Vehicle: United Launch Alliance Delta II 7320
Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base – SLC 2
Description: The Aquarius mission will measure ocean surface salinity to understand the links between ocean circulation, global water cycle and climate.

Date: June 28 +
Mission: STS-135
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Atlantis
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center – Launch Pad 39A
Launch Time: 3:48 p.m. EDT +
Description: Space shuttle Atlantis will carry the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module to deliver supplies, logistics and spare parts to the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing spacecraft and return a failed ammonia pump module.

Date: Aug. 5
Mission: Juno
Launch Vehicle: United Launch Alliance Atlas V
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Window: 12:10 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. EDT
Description: The solar-powered Juno spacecraft is to orbit Jupiter’s poles 33 times to find out more about the gas giant’s origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.

Date: Sept. 8
Mission: GRAIL
Launch Vehicle: ULA Delta II Heavy
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Times: 8:35:52 a.m. and 9:14:35 a.m. EDT
Description: The Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission’s primary science objectives will be to determine the structure of the lunar interior from crust to core and to advance understanding of the thermal evolution of the moon.

Date: Oct. 25
Mission: NPP
Launch Vehicle: ULA Delta II
Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Launch Window: 2:47:35 a.m. – 2:57:35 a.m. PDT / 5:47:35 a.m. – 5:57:35 a.m. EDT
Description: The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) mission for NASA and NOAA is to measure Earth’s atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, humidity sounding, land and ocean biological activity and cloud and aerosol properties.

Date: Nov. 25 *
Mission: Mars Science Laboratory, Curiosity Rover
Launch Vehicle: United Launch Alliance Atlas V
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Time: 10:21 a.m. EST
Description: The Mars Science Laboratory is a rover that will assess whether Mars ever was, or is still today, an environment able to support microbial life and to determine the planet’s habitability.