STS-135 - the last STS mission

[ragle_bagle]

This was my view of launch from the causeway at KSC!!! Awesome day!!

Sorry for the small picture, I will upload better and bigger photos later.

[Admin]

...

This was my view of launch from the causeway at KSC!!! Awesome day!!

Sorry for the small picture, I will upload better and bigger photos later.

Please do

/Admin

[Moonwalker]

I also would like to see a bigger picture of it

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Anyway, we are just about 50 minutes away from docking right now. The pitch maneuver was nice. I've got everything recorded. But at the moment I'm still editing my recordings from the launch day to make a ~30 min video for launch impressions of the final Shuttle launch. I will load it up on youtube (2 parts probably) and post it here of course.

[Moonwalker]

Docking complete. That's it. The Shuttle has arrived on the ISS for the very last time in our lifes.

But the docking actually wasn't worth to be recorded. One could see only those boring video still images of the docking mechanism. But at least the audio was nice.

Does anybody here watch the mission at all? It's so silent...

[Admin]

Contact, capture, dampening and rigidizing underway.

The last ever Shuttle docking to the ISS.

Atlantis, the first shuttle to dock with MIR, is also the last to dock with the ISS.

Three years ago I got a Shuttle model gift from NASA. It happens to be the Atlantis. How funny life is, considering that the last ever STS mission was supposed to be Endeavour's STS-134

Now, my Atlantis model has an even more special meaning to me.

/Admin

[Admin]

Has any of you done a synch docking now? I managed to match NASA's timing with an error of +2s - I assume a 5s streaming delay.

/Admin

[Moonwalker]

Has any of you done a synch docking now?

No, sadly not. I'm busy with recording NASA TV

[Admin]

Hatch open! Last STS/ISS crews meet and greet. As things look now, this is also the last time a NASA-owned and operated spacecraft docks with the ISS. From now on, the next meets and greets will only happen with crews coming up with Soyuz spacecraft, and then with the first commercial, non-gov LEO platforms, certified for routine manned missions to the ISS. The estimated gap for that event is 2-3 years.

/Admin

[Moonwalker]

The live coverage was awesome. It's amazing how good the quality of the pictures is one can get live from space these days. I'd say thanks to the TDRSS (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System). The interior sound we could hear also was great. As you might know, I like interior sounds for certain purposes...

From now on, the next meets and greets will only happen with crews coming up with Soyuz spacecraft, and then with the first commercial, non-gov LEO platforms, certified for routine manned missions to the ISS. The estimated gap for that event is 2-3 years.

This is at least a little consolation whilst we will miss STS. The moment of first commercial crew meet and greet certainly will be interesting to watch and historic anyway. It will fill the painful gap until we see NASA lifting something manned up again.

[Admin]

...<SNIP>... It will fill the painful gap until we see NASA lifting something manned up again.

You mean "until we see NASA lifting something MANLY up again." LOL.

That of course depends mainly on what Prez will steer the US after the coming elections.

/Admin

[Moonwalker]

...<SNIP>... It will fill the painful gap until we see NASA lifting something manned up again.

You mean "until we see NASA lifting something MANLY up again." LOL.

That of course depends mainly on what Prez will steer the US after the coming elections.

If he remains in the office at all (which, honestly, I hope not).

[Admin]

MPLM OPS started.

Today, the SSRMS will grapple the Rafaello MPLM and connect it to the ISS. Following the attachment and pressurization of Rafaello, the crew will start moving close to 5t of equipment and life-support items to the ISS, and unneeded/faulty equipment and garbage back to Rafaello, to be brought home and studied/disposed of. This will be the last MPLM ops ever.

/Admin

[Admin]

1970s Russian space junk will come close to the ISS/Atlantis assembly:

Space Junk Could Buzz Atlantis and Space Station : Discovery News
http://news.discovery.com/space/space-junk-could-buzz-atlantis-and-space-station-110711.html

/Admin

[Admin]

STS-135 extended by one day. Astros get one more day to move garbage, but I'd absolutely commit to dust the entire station, from the inside and out, just to BE there.

If I sound envious, it's because I am!

/Admin

[Moonwalker]

STS-135 extended by one day.

That's a great bonus, and I think certainly for the entire team in orbit and on ground as well.

If I sound envious, it's because I am!

Honestly, I would even cut a finger or a toe away just for being up there right now. It's certainly one of the most beautiful and peaceful places humans have ever created (all cost and science criticism aside, we are no economists anyway . No religiously driven irrationality or greed for money or another evil/s****d human thinking and behaviour going on. Just rationality and progress, and a view down to earth which I think is incomparable to any other view on earth. I would love to even sleep and live only inside cupola for a while

Now I can say that the ISS actually is a big consolation once Atlantis has landed and STS is history. There are still exciting years to come aboard ISS. It might be serviced into late next decade I think...

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By the way, finally I got some time to edit and upload a video of the NASA TV STS-135 prelaunch and ascent. For those who missed the launch on NASA TV or just want to watch it once again:

Part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjkH6VPcy1U&feature=channel_video_title

Part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlZ19y0uSuo&feature=channel_video_title