STS-116/12A.1 Status

sopwithuk · Dec 9, 2006

The launch looked awesome!!! How soon before we get TV from the shuttle?

mattblack · Dec 9, 2006

The most spectacular goldarned launch, on TV, that I have ever seen. It gave me goosebumps and I'm proud for the Nasa family!!! Have a great mission, guys. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> One Percent of Federal Funding For Space: America CAN Afford it!! LEO is a Prison -- It's time for a JAILBREAK!! </div>

christine16 · Dec 9, 2006

yahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh they lounched

bobw · Dec 9, 2006

They have to open the payload bay doors and crank out the TV antenna. I forgot to say Hooray! This means spacewalk-watching heaven coming up! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

hurricane4911 · Dec 9, 2006

Abosolutely beautiful from Tampa Bay!!! Discovery streaked skyward to the ENE trailing a long orange plume. It climbed through a cloud layer that produced a beautiful pulsating orange glow. I could not see booster seperation. Had it on HD, streaming video and my own two eyeballs! Unreal!

MeteorWayne · Dec 9, 2006

Great from here in NJ, got to watch about 2 minutes in the sky before MECO. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

sopwithuk · Dec 9, 2006

Just watching all the launch replays on NASA TV, can anyone tell me what are the sparks that appear just before the main engines light up?

halman · Dec 9, 2006

earth_bound_misfit, Wonderful launch! There were no significant issues that I have heard about except for the weather, which means the vehicle was in perfect shape. Congratulations to shuttle_guy and the rest of the folks there at the Cape. I am really thrilled that this mission has gotten started, as it is so critical to the future progress of the International Space Station assembly. A beautiful YuleTide gift! Thank you again! halman <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> The secret to peace of mind is a short attention span. </div>

bobw · Dec 9, 2006

They are from spark-makers (sorry, don't know the technical name) on the pad to burn off any hydrogen that might have leaked and accumulated under the engines so there is not an uncontrolled explosion when the main engines start. They are not there to light the engines. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

bobw · Dec 9, 2006

Since we are having a new thread for the next two weeks activities, I'll put this in so the other part doesn't get lost. Link to Orbital ops/Spacewalk thread <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

earth_bound_misfit · Dec 9, 2006

"hey are from spark-makers (sorry, don't know the technical name) on the pad to burn off any hydrogen that might have leaked and accumulated under the engines so there is not an uncontrolled explosion when the main engines start. They are not there to light the engines." Hey thanks for that Bob, I always thought they were to ignite the engines. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> ----------------------------------------------------------------- Wanna see this site looking like the old SDC uplink?Go here to see how: SDC Eye saver </div>

bobw · Dec 9, 2006

Edit: I found the name here: http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts116/status.html 0146:35 GMT (8:46:35 p.m. EST Sat.) T-minus 1 minute. Computers are verifying that the main engines are ready for ignition. Sound suppression water system is armed. The system will activate at T-minus 16 seconds to suppress the sound produced at launch. And the residual hydrogen burn ignitors/b> are armed. They will be fired at T-minus 10 seconds to burn off hydrogen gas from beneath the main engine nozzles. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

MeteorWayne · Dec 9, 2006

Nice technical term : "residual hydrogen burn ignitors" I love it. And they work <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

lacuna · Dec 9, 2006

Wow, that was a beautiful launch. I forgot how pretty night launches are. Especially how it traveled ENE and see the two little dots (solid rocket boosters) fall away. I was in awe! It's just amazing.. (speechless) Way to go..!!!!!!

sopwithuk · Dec 9, 2006

Ok thanks for the info on the sparklers lol. I knew they were not for lighting the engines by the way.

rocketwatcher2001 · Dec 10, 2006

News- MECO wasn't a sudden 'light out', but dimmed to dark over an (estimated) good fraction of a second. Possibly the SEP rockets, but I did NOT see any flash. My brother is on the outer banks of North Carolina, and he saw an orange flash about 30 seconds after MECO. I have no idea what that is, and when I saw you mention it, I had to ask. What is the flash after MECO? In Titusville it was the best launch we've seen in many years. WOW! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

MeteorWayne · Dec 10, 2006

I also thought I saw a bright flash after MECO. 30 seconds was about right. I had binocs to my eyes, a cellphone to my ear, and had one finger on my talking watch, which said over 9 minutes since launch. So my timing is not reliable, however I knew it was after +8:23 which I understood to be MECO. Had I not seen a nighttime launch in the past, I might have doubted that I had the right object. But between the path, timing and color I'm confident I saw that beautiful bird. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

MeteorWayne · Dec 10, 2006

Any of you guys in the know have a suggestion as to what we saw? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

rocketwatcher2001 · Dec 10, 2006

There is a dump of Lox and LH2 from the Main Propulsion System feedlines after ET sep. That would cause a very large gas cloud. Thanks, I bet that was it. From what he described it would have been from a big dump, but for some reason I thought that happened over the Indian Ocean. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

MeteorWayne · Dec 10, 2006

Sorry, things were going so fast, I missed this reply. Would there be any source of illumintion for this cloud? Since it's a fuel and oxidizer dump, is there any chance the cloud could ignite? Or are the pressures so low in the vacuum that it couldn't? I'm really curious, because from my angle, I saw a flash. As far as I could tell it had the same color as the Main Engine illumination. Of course, it was low on the horizon so some atmospheric reddening would be likely. And things were happening fast as described above. thanx for any help, MW <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

rocketwatcher2001 · Dec 10, 2006

I am sure it could not ignite. There had to be some reflected light.The sourse of the light?? The nearly full Moon perhaps? However I do not think the Moon was visible at the Orbiter position. well, I'll be damned, we've got a full blown mystery, because what my brother described from North Carolina, and Meteor described from New Jersey are the same thing, but still un-explained, and both told me independently that they happened at the same time. This is pretty cool. <img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

rocketwatcher2001 · Dec 10, 2006

There is another possibility that the dump, or just vehicle passage tripped off some kind of artificial aurora. That has seen at random many times in the past. I saw a Titan I do it back in the early '60s. My Grandfather saw a "lightning bolt" fly up to a Delta(I think) rocket about T+ 120 seconds, and he was in Key West. Same thing, looking up from behind the rocket. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

rocketwatcher2001 · Dec 10, 2006

Thanks, I have not been there in a while, about 2 years ago I asked a question about gravity working in "real time" and got the riot act by a couple of nuts. I guess it's time to go back. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

bobblebob · Dec 13, 2006

Cant believe nasa just broke the ISS trying to retract the solar arrays

MeteorWayne · Dec 13, 2006

Welcome to SDC, but..... That's just a silly statement. These kind of problems were expected and anticipated. The arrays been extended for years, in space, so it's likely it's going to be a little stiff, and maybe take some flexing to get the mechanism working smoothly. Be patient! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

STS-116/12A.1 Status

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