Repairing the Shuttle Discovery for its next flight to orbit

Space · Published 18 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Space travel requires constant maintenance of the hardware that carries us there. NASA is currently preparing the space shuttle Discovery for mission STS-133, which involves critical repairs to the vehicle's external tank before it can safely transport cargo and crew to the International Space Station.

The upcoming flight of the space shuttle Discovery, designated as STS-133, is currently targeted for February 24. A primary focus of this mission cycle involves addressing structural integrity issues on the orbiter. Specifically, NASA engineers are working to repair cracks identified in a portion of Discovery's external tank. These repairs are essential prerequisites for the shuttle to successfully lift off and maintain its role as a heavy-lift vehicle for orbital logistics.

While STS-133 takes center stage this week, the agency is also managing complex scheduling for subsequent missions. This includes establishing a new launch date and identifying a backup commander for mission STS-134. These logistical maneuvers are part of a broader operational rhythm that balances immediate hardware maintenance with long-term planning for the International Space Station's ongoing residency and supply chain.

The shuttle program operates alongside diverse scientific endeavors, ranging from robotic exploration to atmospheric research. For instance, NASA is currently managing the departure of the Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL spacecraft, which delivered over 11,000 pounds of supplies and experiments. Simultaneously, missions like SunRISE are being planned for as early as mid-2027, illustrating how shuttle maintenance fits into a multi-decade timeline of human achievement in space.

This period of activity highlights the dual nature of modern space exploration: the necessity of maintaining aging but reliable infrastructure like Discovery, and the simultaneous push toward new frontiers. Whether it is repairing cracks on an external tank or preparing for high-resolution imagery from the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA's current workload demonstrates the immense coordination required to keep humanity moving outward.

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