The shuttle launch will not be seen over Ireland ever again

mike65

That was it folks, it was the second time I think it the Shuttle programme was launched overhead and also the last as the whole programme is being wound down due to lack of vehicles after the two losses. From 2010 its grounded and the ESA and the Russians will fill the breach until the next delivery system is ready to go.

Beeker

mike65 wrote: »

That was it folks, it was the second time I think it the Shuttle programme was launched overhead and also the last as the whole programme is being wound down due to lack of vehicles after the two losses. From 2010 its grounded and the ESA and the Russians will fill the breach until the next delivery system is ready to go.

Not so fast! Shuttle has passed over Ireland on at least 40 flights over the years. There are still 7 flights still to fly all of which will pass over Ireland. If we get to see them depends on the Laubch times. The shuttle is not retiring due to lack of vehicles. There are 3 vehicles Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour and thats all they have had since 2003. Shuttle is being retired due to age {Nearly 30 years} and safety. Plenty more passes over Ireland to come.

mike65

Whoops you are right 3 still running, read it was two Discovery/Endeavour, anyway the actual launch flight right overhead is only a rare event, obviously the shuttle at orbiting height will be seen plenty more times, until late 2010. Then thats it.

Beeker

mike65 wrote: »

Whoops you are right 3 still running, read it was two Discovery/Endeavour, anyway the actual launch flight right overhead is only a rare event, obviously the shuttle at orbiting height will be seen plenty more times, until late 2010. Then thats it.

Launching overhead is no a rare event as all flights to the ISS go over Ireland. What is rare is getting to see it like last night. The launch has to be just after sunset here in Ireland so we are dark but the Shuttle is still in sunlight when it passes overhead. That is rare but with 7 flights left there is still a chance that one will happen again.

Seanie M

Beeker wrote: »

Launching overhead is no a rare event as all flights to the ISS go over Ireland.

Do they? the ISS doesn't always come over Ireland, day or night, and the Shuttle launches to the ISS all follow the ISS. Therefore, not all shuttle launches come this way. I think some go further south traditionally.

Seanie.

Beeker

Seanie M wrote: »

Do they? the ISS doesn't always come over Ireland, day or night, and the Shuttle launches to the ISS all follow the ISS. Therefore, not all shuttle launches come this way. I think some go further south traditionally.

Seanie.

Good point, your right! However all the launches so far to the ISS {29 in total} have passed Ireland, sometimes south of us.

Beeker

Now that I think about it all Shuttle launches to the ISS do come over Ireland. The ISS plane passes over KSC twice per day, moving either southwest to northeast which brings it over Ireland and northwest to southeast which takes it doen towards the equator. but the southerly one is forbidden by range safety constraints on ET/SRB impact.

Johnny Storm

I saw it last night. I was amazed!

Serious question: I was watching the launch on Sky news and at about 23:10 it was already at an altitude of 19 miles (or thereabouts) and going up like the proverbial rocket :rolleyes:. I saw it around 23:23-ish at which time it's altitude must have been much higher. How come it (and particularly) the external fuel tank are so visible considering they are only a few hundred feet long and are say fifty miles up?

Hauk

Hiya Johnny,

The Shuttle was very visible because it was burning fuel at a high temperature and generated a lot of light. It also could have the suns rays as it was still quite high up.

I'm not sure about the external tank, but that could have been the suns rays hitting it, or it it passing through the atmosphere. I'm not 100% on that one tbh.

jumpguy

Hauk wrote: »

Hiya Johnny,

The Shuttle was very visible because it was burning fuel at a high temperature and generated a lot of light. It also could have the suns rays as it was still quite high up.

I'm not sure about the external tank, but that could have been the suns rays hitting it, or it it passing through the atmosphere. I'm not 100% on that one tbh.

I was just gonna ask if the shuttle would be visible, even when the shuttle is not lit by the sun, because of the heat from it's engine thrust?

The external fuel tank was visible because it was in sunlight. It was orange because the external fuel tank is orange. The shuttle was lit by sunlight. However, I couldn't see it when it entered the shadow. So therefore, correct me if I'm wrong, it takes unique conditions for the shuttle to be visible, but, I'm sure with nine flights left, atleast 2 will be visible again.

Beeker

jumpguy wrote: »

I was just gonna ask if the shuttle would be visible, even when the shuttle is not lit by the sun, because of the heat from it's engine thrust?

The external fuel tank was visible because it was in sunlight. It was orange because the external fuel tank is orange. The shuttle was lit by sunlight. However, I couldn't see it when it entered the shadow. So therefore, correct me if I'm wrong, it takes unique conditions for the shuttle to be visible, but, I'm sure with nine flights left, atleast 2 will be visible again.

You can only see it from reflected sunlight. The engines shut down after 8 and a half minutes. There is no heat from the engine thrust from then on. For the rest of the mission the shuttle is in freefall and does not use its engines again except smaller trusters to maneuver around every so often. You will not see these from the ground.

STS-128's proposed launch time is at 4:25 AM EDT, which is 8:25 AM our time. That launch won't be visible. STS-129 will be launch two hours earlier than this launch (in November), so that one should be visible (presuming it takes the same route as STS-127).

Beeker

-JammyDodger- wrote: »

STS-128's proposed launch time is at 4:25 AM EDT, which is 8:25 AM our time. That launch won't be visible. STS-129 will be launch two hours earlier than this launch (in November), so that one should be visible (presuming it takes the same route as STS-127).

Yes they all take the same route. But dont forget those dates and times are only provisional and can change. The november one maynot be visible. Dont forget we only get to see it when the shuttle is still in sunlight and we are in darkness. This only happens for a few hours after sunset. In november the sunset is a lot earlier.

Beeker

Beeker wrote: »

Yes they all take the same route. But dont forget those dates and times are only provisional and can change. The november one maynot be visible. Dont forget we only get to see it when the shuttle is still in sunlight and we are in darkness. This only happens for a few hours after sunset. In november the sunset is a lot earlier.

Yah, you're right. I'm making my assumptions based on the preposed times being final. Even the one in November probably won't be visible: it's launch time (if it goes to plan) will be 21:22 PM, whereas the sun will set at 16:49 PM, that's a four hour difference, so the conditions for it to be visible probably won't be present.

Seanie M

On the whole How can I see the external tank and all that stuff up there?[.i], almost anything can be spotted down to a certain size - and that size can be quite small. When the toolbag was lost on STS-126 last November by astronaut Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper, it was seen, naked eye, for a few weeks. I don't know if it is still now, I haven't tried, but it's about the size of a large backpack, and was seen orbiting from around 230 miles up!

Seanie.

blues2

this tread is pretty amazing. never thought you would be able to see it from ireland. i assumed you need a telescope until the last post about seeing the toolbag with the naked eye. Can someone confirm if you need telescope/binoculers?

squonk

For shuttle/ISS you definitely won't need binoculars.

Johnny Storm

Thanks for all the replies regards visibility. It was a great experience - I just wish I'd dragged the kids out of bed to see it

Johnny Storm

Just saw it again and did have the kids this time.:D:D I kept tellin' 'em Dad was kewl!

Details of when you can see it here: http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=Ireland&region=None&city=Dublin