STS-129,Atlantis - 12/11/09

jumpguy

Malty_T wrote: »

I've gotta be the opposite then, it's the unmanned projects that interest me the most. Don't get me wrong I think manned flight is awesome, but personally I'm glad it's the robots going places first because they simply can go soo much farther:)

Edit : Dam Americans get such cool stuff on NOVA :mad:

Definetly dramatised for the TV ratings! Although it'd definetly be an interesting programme, makes me feel sorry I don't have US TV. Instead, we pay a TV license to RTE so we can watch...Ryan Confidential, and pay Pat Kenny ridiculous wage.

Unmanned flights are the norm now, we have unmanned flights all over the place. They're far easier, more practical, safer and economical than manned flights. There's far less factors to take into account, weight is minimal.
But when a person looks at the moon or Mars, do they think "glad there's about 20 probes up there" or would it not be far more exciting to think there's people there? That man have gone before?

Besides, as Steven Hawking himself prophesised, if man is to survive into the distant future, we'll have to expand outside Earth itself and colonise elsewhere. One level, that's worrying, on another, it's extremely exciting. I'd love to think I'd live to see the beginning of this, and the beginning would be the first man to set foot on a potentially habitable planet (such as Mars, theoretically). Then there's the love of adventure and prestige of such a voyage. It's the same thing that made Christopher Columbus cross the Atlantic Ocean, Magellan would never have sailed around the world, etc. Space is the new frontier.

Turtwig

jumpguy wrote: »

when a person looks at the moon or Mars, do they think "glad there's about 20 probes up there" or would it not be far more exciting to think there's people there?

To be honest I don't care, I think it's amazing that we have something up/down/right/left there that is beaming back pictures to us from so many million miles away, that thought makes my spine shiver. Moreso, though I think it's amazing simply because those probes are gonna be our gateway to getting ourselves there sometime in the future. The data they gather is indispensable towards both, reducing the risks and tellings us what exactly we're gonna need.:)

Many NOVA programs are distributed internationally online via their own website and youtube channel. Fingers crossed that that program will be one of them. Still though I'd love to have access to everything they produce

Conor108

lord lucan wrote: »

Atlantis rolls out at the new revised time of 11.00 tomorrow morning(that's Irish time),i think NASA tv are covering it.

Goddamit I've been in school for the LCROSS Impact and now this!:mad:

lord lucan

Conor108 wrote: »

Goddamit I've been in school for the LCROSS Impact and now this!:mad:

It'll be 17.00 before it makes it to 39a so you may get to see some of it.

ynotdu

I hate the CT,s but in the case of yuri i think it might be true that he was NOT the first in space,Lot of evidence that the cosmonaut who actually did was so injured on landing and Yuri got his credit(from the KGB archives when the Soviet Union collapsed) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfz5B2uERcE

or in America.s case although nearly ALL say John Glenn as the 1st American in space,it was Alan b Sheperd(but not a full orbit)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCcGREt4faM

Then the US launchs John Glenn on a massive four and half hour flight:D
Full orbits of the Earth and the first use of "God speed"& "zero G and i feel fine":) Glen later returned to space in his 70,s on STS-95:)

Then Gemini and as Beeker indicated,this two manned spacecraft perfected Rendevous and docking for Apollos needs.this Video shows America's first spacewalk by Astronaut Ed White who was later to die in the Apollo 1 fire along with Gus Grisom&Rodger Chaffe:(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K5DiKsZhTk

Then Apollo 7 launched into earth orbit atop a Saturn IB(same used for skylab as only near Earth orbit was required)first Real launch of Apollo as 2-6 were fixing after the fire on Apollo 1.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ncP6XIyC4M

Then the first Launch of the Shuttle,STS-1.The only manned spacecraft to actually launch Astronauts on it's maiden trip into space,Just two astronauts,Younge and Crippen,but i posted that on a previous STS thread,dont want to push my luck!:D
Godspeed 129!

lord lucan

Atlantis has arrived at 39a after her trek out this morning.

Beeker

She's waiting for you LL!!!!!:D

lord lucan

Beeker wrote: »

She's waiting for you LL!!!!!:D

Lets hope she has no problem with her hair and make-up and ends up late to the party!:D

lord lucan

I meant to post this months ago but forgot. I know ynotdu has a thirst for knowledge about the STS programme so here's a resource to check out,it's a shuttle Q&A from the NASASpaceflight forums,it's in 5 seperate parts and totals around 200 pages and answers almost every conceivable question you could have about the space shuttle.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=17437.0

Turtwig

lord lucan wrote: »

I meant to post this months ago but forgot. I know ynotdu has a thirst for knowledge about the STS programme so here's a resource to check out,it's a shuttle Q&A from the NASASpaceflight forums,it's in 5 seperate parts and totals around 200 pages and answers almost every conceivable question you could have about the space shuttle.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=17437.0

That's frickin awesome:D
Thanks!

(Em, can I say fricken here?)

ynotdu

lord lucan wrote: »

Lets hope she has no problem with her hair and make-up and ends up late to the party!:D

Frickin sure you can say frickin here
LL thanks for that link,obviously i have not read it all yet!All the same it is much appreciated!
Hope You have no problem getting there for the 12th{it might be a good idea for you NOT to wear your make-up going through customs in case YOU get delayed!:p:D}

Now i will try to shut up for a page as i read through your link(that was your secret plan,Right?:D)NO promises though!!!!!!!:D

Beeker

It is great stuff. I am part of that forum under a different name and you can learn a lot about every aspect of spaceflight there!

jumpguy

Something I never though of and perhaps it's been discussed before:
The shuttle is due to launch at 21:04 UTC, November 23rd, right? By then our clocks will have gone back an hour and we'll be back to standard time, or UTC (as opposed to daylight savings time).
November 23rd is pretty far into the year, sunset will occur at 16:18 UTC. As the sun sinks below the horizon, there's about a 4 hours gap (I don't know for certain). That means at the most we'll have satellite visibility until 20:18 approx. I can't imagine it'd stretch another hour.

Anyone know for certain?

Beeker

jumpguy wrote: »

Something I never though of and perhaps it's been discussed before:
The shuttle is due to launch at 21:04 UTC, November 23rd, right? By then our clocks will have gone back an hour and we'll be back to standard time, or UTC (as opposed to daylight savings time).
November 23rd is pretty far into the year, sunset will occur at 16:18 UTC. As the sun sinks below the horizon, there's about a 4 hours gap (I don't know for certain). That means at the most we'll have satellite visibility until 20:18 approx. I can't imagine it'd stretch another hour.

Anyone know for certain?

Launch of Atlantis on the STS-129 mission is targeted for 16:04 EST Nov 12. You are correct that the hour will have gone back, it will also have gone back in the US so there will still be a 5 hour difference. Launch is due at 21:04 here. Sunset that day is at 16:41. There will be no chance of seeing the pass as we will be well into the Earths shadow by then.

Beeker

May be a delay, hope you are still out ther for it LL, fingers crossed.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/10/sts-129-may-slip-several-days-due-range-battle-with-atlas-launch/

lord lucan

Beeker wrote: »

May be a delay, hope you are still out ther for it LL, fingers crossed.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/10/sts-129-may-slip-several-days-due-range-battle-with-atlas-launch/

I was reading that late last night,i'm working on plan B at the moment.;)

Reminds me of Endeavour last november,i think i changed flight and hotel bookings 3 times. I'll sit tight until the range conflict is resolved and see what i can do.

Beeker

lord lucan wrote: »

I was reading that late last night,i'm working on plan B at the moment.;)

Reminds me of Endeavour last november,i think i changed flight and hotel bookings 3 times. I'll sit tight until the range conflict is resolved and see what i can do.

Oh yeah I remember only too well last year. I changed my flight 3 times, at much expence I might add. Best of luck!!!!

lord lucan

STS-129 has now slipped to November 16th. Time for plan B.

Beeker

lord lucan wrote: »

STS-129 has now slipped to November 16th. Time for plan B.

One launch attempt on the 16th and maybe one on the 17th after that it slips into December. Its going to be touch and go!!!! Best of luck with plan B:)

ynotdu

on the 'upside' there will now be one more STS mission than scheduled!
STS-134{bit like Irish mothers NASA wont let that 'spare tank' go to waste:)}STS-134 will launch before 133 though
This also has the upside that it is a certainty that Shuttle programme will extend into 2011 and all the jobs saved by that mediam term!{shrewd move by obama}

it also does some 'facesaving' for the US the longer they have a Launch vehicle of their own.

i'm sure there are very good enginering reasons why a shuttle gets rolled out from the VAB long before it's Launch date,even so it seems a crazy idea with all the dangers it is exposed to.STS-129 has already had a major lightning strike, a major shower of hailstones would proably devastate the external tanks foam.
even crazier seems the idea of going ahead with the full Ares test just half a mile away from a shuttle on the pad.
The conflict with the Atlas with it's Intelsat payload could IMO have easily been resolved if the political will was there;)

as I posted earlior on this thread LL,NASA already knew about ALL the launch restraints for this flight, but Intelsat got in on the first come basis anyway! Hmmmmm! whilst nasa was negotiating with the russians about the timing of a soyuz launch in order that STS-129 would have the option of a NOV 9th launch.?
also the launch constraints due to the iss&sts docked during long periods of lack of sunlight to provide enough power to the Solar panels to support both the station and a docked shuttle.

I am coming to the conclusion that it 'suits'the Whitehouse to buy some time while it attempts to solve the hugh amount of problems it faces.

Hopefully it will Launch in November!but ya better have a plan C D&E Just in case:) and i would guess up to at least mid 2011 to reschedule a trip for a launch:)

lord lucan

This is my favourite time lapse so far,it's Atlantis rolling out from the VAB to 39a.

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/ksc/ksc_101509_sts129_rollout_tl.asx|http://mfile3.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355//wm.nasa-global/ksc/ksc_101509_sts129_rollout_tl.asx&_id=208993&_title=Rapid%20Rollout%3A%20Timelapse%20Shows%20Atlantis%20Move&_tnimage=394715main_ksc_101609_sts129_rollout_tl-t.gif

ynotdu

lord lucan wrote: »

This is my favourite time lapse so far,it's Atlantis rolling out from the VAB to 39a.

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/ksc/ksc_101509_sts129_rollout_tl.asx|http://mfile3.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355//wm.nasa-global/ksc/ksc_101509_sts129_rollout_tl.asx&_id=208993&_title=Rapid%20Rollout%3A%20Timelapse%20Shows%20Atlantis%20Move&_tnimage=394715main_ksc_101609_sts129_rollout_tl-t.gif

enjoyed that LL also the linked video to Ares being assembled in the VAB.
That might help to explain why STS-129 is sitting 'naked'on the pad for so long:o:o:o

The VAB could not possibly house two assembled Spacecraft at once,could it?

Did it Ever anybody??????

Beeker

ynotdu wrote: »

enjoyed that LL also the linked video as well as the linked video to Ares being assembled.
That might help to explain why STS-129 is sitting 'naked'on the pad for so long:o:o:o

The VAB could not possibly house two assembled Spacecraft at once,could it?

Did it Ever anybody??????

Yes it can and often does. The VAB has four "high bays" as they are called so could assemble 4 spacecraft at the same time if needed. Normally it only assemblys 2 and uses the other bays to store external tanks and boosters.

ynotdu

Beeker wrote: »

Yes it can and often does. The VAB has four "high bays" as they are called so could assemble 4 spacecraft at the same time if needed. Normally it only assemblys 2 and uses the other bays to store external tanks and boosters.

cheers for that Beeker:) So why is it the STS roles out so long before launch,exposing it to the weather?

Beeker

ynotdu wrote: »

cheers for that Beeker:) So why is it the STS roles out so long before launch,exposing it to the weather?

The shuttle rolls out to the pad normally about a month before launch, this is done to allow time to test all the electrical, fuel and sensor connections between the vehicle and the pad/ground. It seems a long time but these connections must be perfect and testing takes time. It also allows time for corrections/repairs to be made without delaying the launch.
As for weather, the pad has a lightning tower which provides protection to the vehicle from lightning strikes. In fact it works so well that in the nearly 30 year history of the Shuttle programm no orbiter has ever received a strike.

The vehicle is also protected from rain, hailstones, wind etc from the rotating service structure which swings around and covers the orbiter when on the pad and is only moved back in the days coming up to launch. So it is reasonably safe while on the pad.


In the event of a major weather threat, like a hurricane, the vehicle is rolled back to the VAB. This has happened a few times over the years.

lord lucan

The STS-129 crew go for a spin in the emergency personnel carrier yesterday at KSC.

lord lucan

Here's a new scene that won't be repeated again,it's Atlantis on 39a and Ares test rocket on 39b.

Beeker

Ok LL I pulled in a few favours and got you a three day launch window 16,17 & 18, Hope thats enough! :D:D

lord lucan

Beeker wrote: »

Ok LL I pulled in a few favours and got you a three day launch window 16,17 & 18, Hope thats enough! :D:D

Thanks Beeker!;)

I'm waiting until the full FRR concludes on Thursday before i start re-arranging everything but it's looking set for that 3 day window now.

ynotdu

I,m staying stumpf as everybody in NASA seems to be getting quoted by the press and what we post in good faith is out of date before we even finish typing it these days:D

NASA have 'confirmed'{yeah right}that even a 'catostrophic'failure of Ares-1x will not damage STS-129:)

So LL are you still heading over on the 10th and will You be able to post?
I am only using NASA,s own Statistics that 40% of first time launch,s fail{usually in explosion:D}