Community
On Orbit => Real NASA Space Shuttle Missions => Topic started by: JLM on December 13, 2009, 10:10:26 PM
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I might as well start the thread for Endeavour's next mission: STS-130
Crew:
Position[8] Astronaut
Commander George D. Zamka
Second spaceflight
Pilot Terry Virts
First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1 Kathryn P. Hire
Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2 Stephen Robinson
Fourth spaceflight
Flight Engineer
Mission Specialist 3 Nicholas Patrick
Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 4 Robert L. Behnken
Second spaceflight
Endeavour is set to carry the new node/module Tranquility and the attaching Cupola module to the space station.
About three spacewalks are planned for this mission.
Endeavour was rolled from her hangar to Shuttle Processing facility (OPF) #2 on December 11.
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Specifications for the Cupola Module:
Cupola Module:
* Overall Height: 1.5 m
* Maximum Diameter: 2.95 m
* Launch Mass: 1,805 kg
* On Orbit Mass: 1880 kg
* Dome: Forged Al 2219-T851
* Skirt: Al 2219-T851
* Windows: Fused Silica and Borosilicate Glass
* MDPS Shutters: Kevlar/Nextel sheets
* Electrical Power: Node 120 V Interface
* Top Window: 80cm Diameter
* Thermal Control: Goldised Kapton Multi-Layer Insulation Blanket
Source is from Wikipedia:
View from outside:
(http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/6973/cupolaoutsideview.jpg)
View from inside, can't wait to see through those windows from space!:
(http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/6782/cupolainsideview.jpg)
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Oh yea! That is the module I would love to sleep in!!! Wonder why they waited until now to put it up.
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Well Endeavor is hard down on the pad. This is scheduled to be the final night launch of the STS program. One last glorious chance to see night become day as the shuttle climbs to orbit.
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Well Endeavor is hard down on the pad. This is scheduled to be the final night launch of the STS program. One last glorious chance to see night become day as the shuttle climbs to orbit.
And BTW - LAUNCH TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ALREADY AT THE KSC! GO GRAB THEM!
/Admin
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SOLD OUT!
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SOLD OUT!
Sorry to hear... any free rooftops around Titusville?
/Admin
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Breaking news!!!
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/01/sts-130-may-postponed-node-3-threatens-swap/
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That is a slightly embarrassing problem...
Due to the history options could be a full redesign, a tweak, a new vendor – which would mean a slip to the nominal mission timeline.
Err yea, a slip...right into 2014!!!!
None of that will happen, and if the problem cant be fixed, then STS-130 may be scrubbed altogether. Now we cant even build a pressurized can with windows... I guess no one "showed them the money!"
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That is a slightly embarrassing problem...
Due to the history options could be a full redesign, a tweak, a new vendor – which would mean a slip to the nominal mission timeline.
Err yea, a slip...right into 2014!!!!
None of that will happen, and if the problem cant be fixed, then STS-130 may be scrubbed altogether. Now we cant even build a pressurized can with windows... I guess no one "showed them the money!"
STS-130 would not slip into 2014. The problems are in the thermal control system, so this is probably the only system that needs redesigning. I believe this is something that can be achieved in a matter of months.
Just like STS-125, which launched only a few months after the original schedule, because of some trouble with Hubble.
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trouble with Hubble...that made me laugh! Thanks I needed it!
I hope it wont take a long time. I think that cupola is the most anticipated ISS component from the crews standpoint, I know I would love to just float in it looking at the Earth for hours...
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Now the cold weather could impact the launch.
Keep your fingers crossed!
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Now the cold weather could impact the launch.
Keep your fingers crossed!
Still a month out from the current launch date. It'll warm up by then, shouldn't be an issue (but then again, I'm used to eating my own words at times...).
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Well, while everything is going on well for the launch of STS-130, we are going to face a great show starting this Sunday with a chance of 70% for launch regarding weather limitations.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
For me this mission is one of the most exciting ISS assembly missions, since already posted above in this thread, it includes the installation of the 7-windowed cupola as part of the Tranquility module. What an amazing image this has to be, floating inside the cupola with an available view of 360° horizontally and about 180° headlong (and how amazing it must be to have this feature available inside a 3D ISS within SSM sometime in future ;D). I just can't wait to get the first HD video downlink from inside the cupola with all shutters fully open, once the tranquility node is installed and ready for use. I will follow every minute of this mission live on NASA TV as far as possible.
STS-130 Preflight Briefing (The Mission):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEXArdW4CUo
STS-130 Behind The Scenes Volume 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmzJeIUIvv4&feature=channel
STS-130 Gallery:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-130/ndxpage1.html
T-02:12:57:00 and counting!
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ESApod about the Cupola:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeZDkZlnNAk
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Launch Preparations Remain on Schedule:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
T-00:17:14:00 and counting!
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RSS has been retracted.
Still in T-11:00:00 hold
Are we going to have a simulated launch for this? I haven't done one yet but this one I probably could
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Good Morning everyone :)
Huh, nobody got up yet? Come on, it's the last Space Shuttle night launch we're going to witness within the STS program and within our life time!
So, everything is looking fine. The crew is aboard. Can't wait to see the launch...
(http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/153212main_130-strapin-425.jpg)
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
And here we go for live coverage: the NASA TV High Bitrate Stream:
http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1368163
(copy and paste into your "open URL" menu of your media player)
T- 2 hours, 8 minutes and counting.
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Low clouds approaching the KSC launch site. Not an issue yet, but potentially an issue for the launch at 10:39 a.m. Let's hope it won't.
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By the way, the CBS News STS-130 Flight Plan, very useful:
http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/130/130flightplan.html
The Flight Data File Flight Plan (pdf) the crew carries aboard:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/pdf/420433main_FLT_PLN_130_B.pdf
The STS-130 checklists in case someone is interested:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/news/flightdatafiles/index.html
And some more info about the crew...
(http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-130/lores/sts130-s-002.jpg)
High Res: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-130/hires/sts130-s-002.jpg
mage above: (From left) Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick, Pilot Terry Virts, Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Kathryn Hire, Commander George Zamka and Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson. Image credit: NASA
Commander George Zamka will lead the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Endeavour. Terry Virts Jr. will serve as the pilot. Mission specialists are Nicholas Patrick, Robert Behnken, Stephen Robinson and Kathryn Hire. Virts will be making his first trip to space.
Endeavour will deliver a third connecting module - the Tranquility node - to the station and a seven-windowed cupola to be used as a control room for robotics. The mission will feature three spacewalks.
STS-130 is the 32nd shuttle mission to the station.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts130/index.html
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And the hatch is closed.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563005/1e3.jpg)
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The AMC 3 Satellite NASA TV changed to does not seem to be the best choice. Damn! I never had that much laggs on NASA TV since then...
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80% weather chance has dropped to 30% weather chance due to low clouds. Let's hope there'll be a window at the time of launch...
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Weather reconnaissance flights continue to monitor the cloud banks and a possible break in the cloud ceiling is possible at launch time.
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And the close out crew is taking pictures before they leave the pad...
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563006/6be.jpg)
Historic launch indeed.
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Last build-in hold.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563007/aeb.jpg)
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Good news at that moment:
We currently are "go" for weather. Launch managers are cautiously optimistic and they will look closely at expected weather conditions at launch time before deciding whether to go ahead with the countdown.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563008/220.jpg)
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The only constraints is weather. No technical issues.
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Scrub. Weather is too dynamic.
Next try tomorrow night...
[RANT]
Time to change back to capsule design and usual rockets and so to less sensitive weather constraints and less annoying launch scrubs and mission delays.[/RANT]
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yea i stood up all night...whats the big deal with an overcast at 5000ft dont you have instruments in case of a RTLS Abort idk just frustrated thats all im done ranting now
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yea i stood up all night...whats the big deal with an overcast at 5000ft dont you have instruments in case of a RTLS Abort idk just frustrated thats all im done ranting now
Well, they want to make sure that everything is as safe as possible. Better as safe as possible than to disregard something. But, on the other hand, I think that all those tiny margins and constraints are bean counting also. "Experts look at the weather and calculate it". The forecast was 80% chance. Actually, it was just 30% and then dropped to 0% at the end. And again: most predictions are almost useless. Especially weather is not really predictable in detail (and so climate isn't, but that's another story...).
With Falcon 9 on the pad in future, or a different capsule-system, we won't see such annoying constraints. It will be less, let alone due to the redundant RTLS for capsules :)
Anyway, let's hope for a tomorrow launch! ;)
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yea i stood up all night...whats the big deal with an overcast at 5000ft dont you have instruments in case of a RTLS Abort idk just frustrated thats all im done ranting now
These are serious issues. After all, these launches are not really TV "shows" intended to entertain us - we all must be thankful for NASA providing us with these online, real-time peeks into the Shuttle missions. The more we watch and listen, th educated we are and the more we'll be able to appreciate the terrible momentary risks and unmeasurable long-term payoffs involved in Space Exploration.
Patience and safety are virtues in this case. Let's all hope that the Tuesday launch will be a safe and successful one, and that the STS-130 return will be also a by-the-book event.
/Admin
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Endeavour Launch Rescheduled
Managers officially have scheduled space shuttle Endeavour's next launch attempt for Monday, Feb. 8 at 4:14 a.m. EST.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
So we'll have to get up a little earlier :)
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Endeavour Launch Rescheduled
Managers officially have scheduled space shuttle Endeavour's next launch attempt for Monday, Feb. 8 at 4:14 a.m. EST.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
So we'll have to get up a little earlier :)
Unless you sleep east of the Atlantic Ocean. Most of us will be at work or studying around 10:14 monday moring, and won't have time to watch. :-\
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Us in Florida will be sleeping!
But I have to stay up for it!
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Most of us will be at work or studying
Which is the case for me. But luckily tomorrow morning we have human resource management, which I can omit ;D But we'll have business economics beginning at 12:15 p.m. CET (06:15 a.m. EST). So I'll be able to follow the prelaunch and ascent until the post insertion timeline begins (at around 05:00 a.m. EST)
For those who are not able to watch and follow NASA TV, but still have the chance to visit the forums during break or whatsoever, I'll report the prelaunch and ascent here. I'm faster than any news department, and even slightly faster than the NASA Human Space Flight Home :P
T-12 hours, 58 minutes and counting. Gn8 :)
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Weather looking good
Crew heading to pad
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Good morning :)
Well, yes the weather is relatively good "for now" at 60% for go. Remember yesterday it was even at 80% chance so this time we are actually worse than yesterday. But lets hope the best...
Anyway, crew ingress underway.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563277/338.jpg)
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563278/3f4.jpg)
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By the way: has the quality of the high bit rate stream increased? The quality is amazing.
http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1368163
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But it's not really usable anymore. I get laggs all the time in both, Windows 7 and XP :(
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Weather is currently "red". So here we go again for a game of luck like yesterday, although they are optimistic (again).
KSC Satellite data (or rather eastern conus sector):
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/ECIR4.html
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=FLZ147
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Hatch closure underway.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563300/e5b.jpg)
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No technical issues. Weather is go at the moment. Let's hope the weather will cooperate for the launch. Exactly 20 minutes to go from now.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563301/713.jpg)
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563302/f73.jpg)
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563303/282.jpg)
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Everything is go for launch.
So, like the launch director said: "it's time to go fly" :)
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563304/287.jpg)
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And countdown now resumes at T-09:00 minutes.
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And that was a great final night launch of the Shuttle program.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563305/704.jpg)
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563306/259.jpg)
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563307/814.jpg)
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563308/61d.jpg)
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And we have MECO & ET separation.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563309/362.jpg)
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Yes! One final and impressive liftoff!
GODSPEED ENDEAVOUR!
/Admin
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OMS 2 successful. Post insertion timeline begins. That'll be a great mission!
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Darn it! Missed the launch ... Oh well watch the replays later, Good Luck Endeavour
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Darn it! Missed the launch ... Oh well watch the replays later, Good Luck Endeavour
I've uploaded the final moments and launch until SRP separation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_rYGIrPkiM
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Thanks :)
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Thanks :)
That was my first Shuttle launch record ever. I thought I have to record it this time because it's a historical mission and probably the last Shuttle night launch within my lifetime :)
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And with Mike Massimino, alias "Astro Mike", serving as a CAPCOM guy for STS-130 (the guy with the yellow necktie), the crew enters its first sleep period. Although they won't hear us, I wish the crew a nice first "night" in space. Wake up call should take place tonight at 00:15 a.m. CET / 06:15 p.m. EST / or simply at 14 hours into the mission.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563351/fb0.jpg)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_J._Massimino
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It was updating hell on Twitter, but it was a great launch. :) They're waking up in 3 hours 50 minutes for flight day 2.
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Who saw it launch "Live" early this morning (Eastern Time) ??
I got up with 7 mins to spare and watched it from my front yard.. Boy, was I tired when I went to work today.. such sacrifices... :-))
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Whilst the crew is going to be awakened, we get a nice view of the Tranquility module sitting in Endeavours payload bay, waiting for its attachment.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563543/9c5.jpg)
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Flight Day 2 has begun.
Introduced by CAPCOM Shannon Lucid, the crew got awakened with the song Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath, for crew member Terry Virts.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1563545/a6b.jpg)
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubLobZqp80w
Flight day two will include, among other things: two NC rendezvous firings and an OBSS nose cap survey.
PS: In case you can not view this or any other video due to content that is not available in your country, as it is the case for me, just enter the video link into this page -> http://youtubeproxy.org/
We do not let restrict our freedom to watch "publicly" availabe stuff, don't we? ;)
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Who saw it launch "Live" early this morning (Eastern Time) ??
I got up with 7 mins to spare and watched it from my front yard.. Boy, was I tired when I went to work today.. such sacrifices... :-))
I went to school today with 2 hours of sleep last night and had track after school!
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And again CAPCOM Shannon Lucid this time introduces the flight day 3 wakeup call for commander George Zamka. Nice view into the forward part of the payload by and the ODS with its extended ring ready for ISS rendezvous and docking.
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1564076/7f2.jpg)
I've recorded the wakeup call once again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frz22cyymy8
Today Endeavour will dock with the International Space Station at 12:06 a.m. EST / 06:06 a.m. CET / or at 1 day, 19 hours and 52 minutes into the mission. Hatch opening is scheduled for 01:19 a.m. EST / 07:19 a.m. CET / or at 1 day, 21 hours and 5 minutes into the mission.
Have fun today everybody. Don't forget to use the high bitrate stream for better quality: http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1368163
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Who saw it launch "Live" early this morning (Eastern Time) ??
I got up with 7 mins to spare and watched it from my front yard.. Boy, was I tired when I went to work today.. such sacrifices... :-))
I went to school today with 2 hours of sleep last night and had track after school!
I guess that I wasn't the only one very tired -- but at least you saw it -- it was awesome..
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haha ya I was half asleep. I didn't even bother going outside to look.
Now I gotta stay up till 1am tonight for docking :-\
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Now, that's a hard-core enthusiast!!!
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Haha ya I will be fine with school in the morning but it is when I get to Track that I really get tired!
But hey I can't miss this! This is actually the best schedule we have had for me being in school cause usually most events happen while I ma in the middle of school :(
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"Perfect docking"!
/Admin
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I sadly did not have time to watch and record the docking.
By the way, a HD video of the STS-130 night launch is available meanwhile:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/hd/index.html
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The SSRMS has removed the OBSS on its way to hand it over to the RMS. Modesty aside, it is amazing how well we simulate this maneuver in the SSM2007 :)
/Admin
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Port Wing protrusion evaluated:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/02/sts-130-endeavour-iss-port-wing-protrusion/
it is amazing how well we simulate this maneuver in the SSM2007 :)
It is amazing how well many (if not all) things are simulated in SSM2007 ;D
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Port Wing protrusion evaluated:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/02/sts-130-endeavour-iss-port-wing-protrusion/
it is amazing how well we simulate this maneuver in the SSM2007 :)
It is amazing how well many (if not all) things are simulated in SSM2007 ;D
:)
/Admin
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For those who missed the docking today, like me, I've got a chance to at least record the flight day 3 docking highlights from NASA TV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LCNrVsmfps
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And we've got an epic wakeup call for flight day 4, introduced by CAPCOM Shannon Lucid for mission specialist Nicholas Patrick:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWdBycUA9uM
No special events on flight day 4 beside EVA preparation for flight day 5 (pre-breathe and Airlock depressurization).
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NASA discovers two faulty tiles on Endeavour. Despite being described as "non critical", there will be an attempt to fix them before Endeavour returns home.
/Admin
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With due respect to NASA and its high competence, but until STS-107 foam loss was expected to be "non critical" on the whole, and the cold nights before STS-51L also were expected to be "non critical" for the management teams.
They're going to fix damage on the TPS of the Shuttle once again, which in fact just is that: a critical part of the Shuttle (that always caused issues right from the first atmospheric test flights in the 1970's). And yet they still talk about "non critical". Of course they have to do so. But people should be still aware that the entire OBSS and ET photography requirement only exists to due to the critical design flaw of the STS which is the fully unprotected TPS during ascent. Repairing a vehicle on orbit due to issues originating in its design never is non-ciritcal or usual stuff. It is nothing more than a workaround to enable the ISS assembling on schedule and budget.
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Yes. This points to two issues: a design-related weakness an the general
fatigue of the Shuttles, which has accelerated beyond their planned lifetime, after the premature loss of Challenger and Columbia.
Advances in materials and technology allowed an increased life span, but there is a limit to that too.
There are three more missions and we should all start praying that the conclusion of the STS program will not be marked by a huge ball of fire.
/Admin
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There are three more missions and we should all start praying that the conclusion of the STS program will not be marked by a huge ball of fire.
Yes. Luckily they developed the OBSS and implemented the procedures into each flight plan. But it's just strange that they don't admit it's critcal or could become potentially critical to have damages of the TPS. A layman would question: if it's not ciritcal, then why still repair it on orbit and not on ground after the mission?
Anyway, I can not wait to see the cupola installed and ready for use! :)
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Flight day 5 wakeup call as usual introduced by CAPCOM Shannon Lucid, this time for mission specialist Kay Hire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7ca97va08k
You'll notice video laggs. Does anybody else use the high bitrate stream and experiencing laggs sometimes?
Anyway, flight day 5 will include the first EVA of STS-130 and the installation of the Tranquility module. The EVA, i.e. the airlock egress, is scheduled to begin at 09:14 p.m. EST / 03:14 a.m. CET (Feb. 12) or at 3 days and 17 hours into the mission.
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Anybody happen to catch this "event" - Earth's Gravity Kept Astronauts Waiting at Space Station's Door
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/space-docking-earth-gravity-100210.html
Interesting how gravity works - even from space.
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Interesting how gravity works - even from space.
Indeed. A lot of people think that in zero-g there is no graviation anymore, which is just fundamentally wrong. What is missing just is the counterforce which results in what we call weight. But graviation does not stop above the mesosphere. The graviation always is "active" and keeps the station in earth orbit (and everything as well, and not to mention the massive moon). You constantly "fall" within orbit or space. There is always graviation, if not from the earth you'll get it from the sun or another body. In earth orbit you don't fall vertically (like you also do when you fly to the moon for example), but instead horizontally around the earth. That's the entire myth of weightlessness. It does not happen in space or at a certain place (and remember that mass is location-independent: 1kg on earth remains 1kg in earth orbit or on the surface of the moon as well). It just happens whenever you or somethings falls. Just jump and you'll experience weightlessness everywhere at any time, although it's just a very short moment ;D
Graviation also causes orbits not to be circular, and not even to be properly/100% elliptic. Like airholes, in orbit/space you also have irregularities (speed and altitude variations) due to different earth graviational forces and also correlation with the moon and other bodies. But it's just tiny irregularities that are not really noticeable, well, until you need something to do where graviational effects become noticable: docking.
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Node 3 had been lifted out of Endeavour's payload bay. Now being transfered to Node 1.
Wish we had SRMS control in SSM... (wink wink) ;) ;) (Please Please) ::) ::)
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And we've got another epic wakeup call for flight day 6, introduced by CAPCOM Shannon Lucid for Space Shuttle mission specialist Bob Behnken, as the stack was just orbiting into an orbital sunrise with the newly attached Tranquility module visible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix3CjnHzN74
Today the crew will open the hatch of the newly installed Tranquility module for the first time at 09:09 p.m. EST / 03:09 a.m. CET (Feb 13) or at 4 days, 16 hours and 55 minutes into the mission.
Standing by for the flight day 5 highlights I'm going to upload on Youtube...
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I've noticed that they fly Challenger crew pictures on the hatch of the Quest airlock. Well, I knew they fly of course both, STS-51L and STS-107 crew pictures. But I didn't know that those pictures are attached on the hatch of the Quest airlock. This is a shot from NASA TV, which shows a picture of Ronald McNair (STS-51L) on the lower left part of the screen:
(http://onfinite.com/libraries/1565045/a67.jpg)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Ronald_Erwin_McNair.jpg)
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Yes, astronauts who have been up in the ISS always mention this fact in their public appearences.
/Admin
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The hatch opening of Tranquility last night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxgxWLPZ1Yg
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Flight day 5 highlights (tranquility installation):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdiVwAsuNTs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaYy2H-uckE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB7_Onj3KKY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7WChFJ2u2w
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I sadly missed it because I really had to get some sleep: the cupolas window shutters have been opened for the first time.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
Can't wait to get the first image and HD video downlinks.
PS: time to implement the cupola into SSM2007 ;D
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Et voilà:
(http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/403499main_exp22_soichi_tweet.jpg)
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Truly amazing. Kudos to ESA, NASA and the STS-130 crewmembers for Tranquility and Cupola, the station window overflowing with epic win.
Can't wait to try it on SSM. :P
It's Tranquility rack transfer day in a few more hours. Expected landing, hopefully in the first try, on sunday evening at KSC. ^_^ >.> ...this just in, Obama's gonna call up to Endeavour at 5:15pm ET today. Let's see.
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Actually my intention now was to post the first high res images from inside the cupola, until I came across the first HD video shot from the NASA youtube account. It begins within the Shuttle's flight deck where you can see Kay Hire operating the RMS, and then of course the epic view through the cupolas windows. Truly amazing!
Watch in full HD and full-screen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCNpFNi8IMU
--- snip ---
And the nice interview with Obama:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOI0pYlYihc
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STS-130 Landing Diagram - anybody know if it's doing a Southern or a Western approach to the Cape tomorrow night?
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http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts130/news/landing.html
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Thanks christra, that's exactly what I was looking for. I live in Orlando and if it approaches from the South we don't usually hear the sonic booms - but from the West we hear it everytime.
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Just announced on NASA TV:
Looks like there's a forecast of low cloud cover and an elevated chance of rain at KSC.
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Hey,
Just heard about 10 mins ago that the de-orbit is a GO!
GL, STS-130
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Deorbit burn complete, they're on their way back home! Landing is at KSC, runway 15.
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Yep, now 17 mins to touchdown.
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YES!!! We just got te Sonic Booms!!!
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What's kind of wierd is the APU seems to be 'on fire" more than normal.... watch the landing...
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About damn time [APU Shutdown], I thoght that he APU was gonna cause a fire on the Shuttle. Very strange behavior....
Oh well, only 4 missiions left......
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The APU exhaust really looks like fire this tine. But for now NASA did not mention anything.
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I've just watched the replay, The APU 'flare' can be seen normally in IR, it's rare that it can been seen visually. Here's STS-123 Night Landing
STS-123 Landing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghvsDE_jgrY&
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-123#March_27_.28Flight_day_17.2C_landing.29
STS-115 Landing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w21UK5Q2wwo
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On my Twitter I follow Miles O'Brien (Spaceflightnow.com commentator) was tweeting about the APU and how the Public Affairs Officer didn't even mention it...
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Miles O'Brien, the Trekkie fellow from DS9? :) He must get some stick with that name :)
It's strange how it has 'never' been seen before. Okay, the exhaust temperature is over 1000 Degs Celsius, and I think that the air would 'ignite' if there was a 'fuel' and oxygen present (most likely that they are).
However, to have at least a dozen night landing missions where it has never been seen and it's only just starting to happen, well, if I was a manager or a engineer associated to the APUs, I would be asking a lot of questions.
The only thing I can think of has the APU been modified to run a different mix of fuel recently?
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Nice Picture taken from Cupola by Astro_Soichi :)
http://twitpic.com/14of2q
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Miles O'Brien, the Trekkie fellow from DS9? :) He must get some stick with that name :)
It's strange how it has 'never' been seen before. Okay, the exhaust temperature is over 1000 Degs Celsius, and I think that the air would 'ignite' if there was a 'fuel' and oxygen present (most likely that they are).
However, to have at least a dozen night landing missions where it has never been seen and it's only just starting to happen, well, if I was a manager or a engineer associated to the APUs, I would be asking a lot of questions.
The only thing I can think of has the APU been modified to run a different mix of fuel recently?
If I'm not mistaken, the APU runs on Hydrazine - which alone will kill you if inhaled. Seems to me that it might have had a slight leak or something to that effect.
And, I agree with you, if I were a manager/engineer, I would be looking into this "potential" issue/anomoly.
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Nice Picture taken from Cupola by Astro_Soichi :)
http://twitpic.com/14of2q
Nice view!
/Admin
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However, to have at least a dozen night landing missions where it has never been seen and it's only just starting to happen, well, if I was a manager or a engineer associated to the APUs, I would be asking a lot of questions.
The only thing I can think of has the APU been modified to run a different mix of fuel recently?
The APU exhaust flames were first observed on STS-51 (September 1993), which was the first night landing at Kennedy. They have also been observed on several other flights (including STS-97, STS-99, STS-106 and STS-123) all of which were at KSC. I'm not aware of flames being observed at any Edwards landings. That suggests to me that environmental factors play a large part in the visibility of the exhaust.
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I've spent over an hour this afternoon watching all of the night landing at KSC, and none of them show flames, except STS-51, STS-123, STS-130, I forgot about STS-51 so I couldn't comment about that one previously. However I've watched STS-97, 99, 106 & 123 and I could not see or there wasn't any significant flame plumes.
I'll watch the EDW ones tomorrow.
FYI A good collection of videos I've found here, just FastForward to the last minute or so:
http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/index.htm
P.S. I've just been told that it could 'very' possible be due to the air around the shuttle igniting, well it is over 1000 C :).
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I've spent over an hour this afternoon watching all of the night landing at KSC, and none of them show flames, except STS-51, STS-123, STS-130, I forgot about STS-51 so I couldn't comment about that one previously. However I've watched STS-97, 99, 106 & 123 and I could not see or there wasn't any significant flame plumes.
I'll watch the EDW ones tomorrow.
FYI A good collection of videos I've found here, just FastForward to the last minute or so:
http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/index.htm
P.S. I've just been told that it could 'very' possible be due to the air around the shuttle igniting, well it is over 1000 C :).
The flames on STS-99 didn't start until well after wheel stop. STS-97 exhaust flames were actually visible during the launch, not landing.
BTW, on the STS-9 APU fire (caused by a hydrazine leak) there was no indication of any problem from the outside.
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A quick explanation on the APU fire, taken from http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20080329144436610
"As the crew worked through safing and power-down procedures on the runway, flames of exhaust could be seen shooting up from each side of the Shuttle's tail. Initially startling viewers in person and television, the exhaust came from vents at the base of the tail for the auxiliary power units.
The APU's burn noxious hydrazine to provide power to the landing gear, speed brake and elevons, as well as repositioning the main engine nozzles after landing. The exhaust is vented by the tail and during daylight is barely noticeable. Even at night, the exhaust isn't very bright, but conditions this time accentuated the brightness of the flame and startled many observers.
A similar event occurred after STS-9 when the APU venting was more prominent than after the 8 previous flights. On that flight, however, there actually was a small fire that broke out in one of the APU's. "
So, yeah. It was brightened due to the weather (wind, temp, humidity, etc). That's why Houston PAO didn't even care about it for a while. Besides, think about it... if no one went around screaming "OMGFIREEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!" or the NASA equivalent of said statement, "Houston, we have a problem" (this isn't the exact quote... it just sounded more dramatic to "Apollo 13"'s director), then this must be perfectly normal.
Welcome home, Endeavour! Up next, Discovery!!! :D
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BTW, on the STS-9 APU fire (caused by a hydrazine leak) there was no indication of any problem from the outside.
Luckily it burnt itself out, and only discovered when the recovery crews were checking the aft section. It made a mess of the compartment.
Still find it bizarre, not in a panic sense, but as a sense of curiosity, that there are cases were the APU heat plume will not appear, but rare cases it will. I found some landing environmental data (wind speed, temp, pressure and humidity) between a non-flash to a flashed one and there is very little difference, maybe just enough to make the plume visible
The only thing I can think of is either unspent hydrazine, unlikely but possible (a bit like a backfire), or the air around the exhaust vent combusts under the exhaust temperature. Is the reason we see it as yellow flame because it's reaction with oxygen in the atmosphere?
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STS-130 Ascent Highlights 8)
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/on_demand_video.html?param=http://mfile3.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/STS-130/sts130_ascent.asx&_id=224368&_title=STS-130%20Ascent%20Highlights&_tnimage=427933main_sts130_ascent_100.jpg
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On Topic
Looking at view pictures of the mission, I noticed that there was someting between the pilot/cmdr and the payload bay window. It's not another HUD. is it some kind of visual guide, or transparent check list?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/STS-130_Endeavour_Rendezvous_Pitch_Maneuver_aft_portion.jpg
Off Topic......
After a lot of reading (including SCOM and an article about Hydrazine reactions), the visible flame is the air in between OMS pod and the tailfin igniting due to the extreme temperatures from the exhaust vent. If I understand this correctly, this is basic operation of the APU. Please correct me if I'm wrong:
As the Hydrazine enters APU and it reacts with the Shell 405 catalyst, becoming a very hot gasous format, expands and produces/converts onto nitrogen, hydrogen and ammonia. The hot gas then shifts (at some rate) into the turbine which rotates turns the gearbox, which turns hydraulic pumps, which makes the control surface work. Meanwhile, the hot gas escapes via the exhaust pipe, at 1000C and upon exiting it might ignite with the air.
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On Topic
Looking at view pictures of the mission, I noticed that there was someting between the pilot/cmdr and the payload bay window. It's not another HUD. is it some kind of visual guide, or transparent check list?
I think you can find the answer just at the beginning of this video :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCNpFNi8IMU
In front of aft windows, astronauts have a kind of monitor. On the picture you described, you see the open screen of this monitor with a kind of brightness (that's why it seems to be transparent).
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OK gang. STS-130 is over, posts starting to slowly drift away. Time for a tactical thread lock. :)
/Admin