WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Science and Space, today congratulated NASA and the Shuttle Discovery crew on the completion of a successful return to flight mission.
“The entire NASA team has made our nation proud with the completion of a safe return to flight. The International Space Station is more stable in orbit and better equipped for critical biomedical research after this mission,” Sen. Hutchison said. “The crew was able to deliver over two and a half tons of supplies to the ISS, including a second human research facility. These additional resources could only be delivered using the shuttle vehicle. We are now one step closer to completion of this valuable research facility.
“The new repair techniques and data analysis capabilities practiced during this mission will reduce risks for the shuttle’s next flight,” Sen. Hutchison continued. “I look forward to learning exactly how the knowledge gained will contribute to the safety and technological advancement of future missions.”
