STS-119 in-flight thread.

[bobble_bob]

I can see it pass overhead 15 times between now and undock. Im in a very lucky position in the UK. Whenever the shuttle is docked, the orbit of the ISS/Shuttle seems to pass over the UK everyday

 

[3488]

Unfurled new arrays.

ISS now at Full Power.

Looks like the mission is going extremely well.

We have an Alt 89 degree (almost at Zenith) magnitude -2.4 ISS / Discovery pass tomorrow. Another nearly as good pass on Monday too.

Hope the weather co-operates.

Andrew Brown.

 

[bobw]

Time before last on STS-123 I remember during EVA-4 Michael Foreman was unable to disconnect an electrical cable on the patch panel so they couldn't power up the new RPCM (Remote Power Controller Module).

This time Swanson went over and tried to switch the cable but couldn't do it. They asked him "Are you sure the bail is fully released?" just like they asked Foreman on STS-123. I guess it isn't critical to get Gyro #2 back on its own circuit but kind of a disappointment. I was looking forward to seeing them try a new tool or something. Edit: Watching the news conference they said they did have a new tool. /Edit

They had some bad luck attatching a cargo attachment fixture today too. Some pin was in the way and they tried prying it but it wouldn't work. Going to leave it bungied down.

Spacewalk almost over. At least the suits didn't fog up or something... they say bad luck comes in threes.

Edit: Airlock closed, they're back.

 

[Zipi]

Zipi, that is not correct. It is visible low on your southern horizon; here's the list for the next few days...

http://heavens-above.com/PassSummary.as ... =74&tz=EET

Thanks MW, I was able to see ISS today:

Pass Details
Date: Sunday, 22 March, 2009
Satellite: ISS
Observer's Location: Imatra ( 61.1670°N, 28.7670°E)
Local Time: East European Standard Time (GMT + 2:00)
Orbit: 348 x 361 km, 51.6° (Epoch 21 Mar)
Sun altitude at time of
maximum pass altitude: -14.0°


Event Time Altitude Azimuth Distance (km)
Rises above horizon 20:15:35 0° 243° (WSW) 2,167
Reaches 10° altitude 20:18:17 10° 216° (SW ) 1,324
Maximum altitude 20:19:50 14° 184° (S ) 1,136
Enters shadow 20:19:58 14° 181° (S ) 1,137

It disappeared just like it was supposed to disappear, so I'm pretty sure I was looking the right target.

 

[bobble_bob]

During the EVA one of the said:

"Any preference to where you want your safety tether attached"?

Yeah, the ISS would be my preference :lol:

 

[MeteorWayne]

:lol:

 

[MeteorWayne]

Hatch Closure in about a minute, undocking in 3 hours.

Ceremony live on NASA TV now...

 

[astronaut23]

They are sheduled to come back Saturday right? Why is the shuttle undocking today? Do they need two full days to get ready for re-entry?

 

[MeteorWayne]

More or less that is correct. There's a lot of stuff to be safely stowed, and they need a bit of a breather after the intense activity during docked operations. It's very busy during that time. They still do a flyaround of the station after they undock, and the station looks at the shuttle. Then they do a reinspection of the shuttle to ensure it is safe for landing. That takes at least a full day, with time for sleep and no real reason to rush, they take 2 days.

 

[astronaut23]

I didn't know they had to check the shuttle again after undocking. I was under the impression that it got checked out when they approached to the station and while they are there.

 

[Zipi]

I didn't know they had to check the shuttle again after undocking. I was under the impression that it got checked out when they approached to the station and while they are there.

They have to inspect the shuttle's heat shield again for possible micrometeoroid damage during the docked period. This is the normal procedure after each shuttle mission to ISS after Columbia's accident.

 

[astronaut23]

Micrometerioid damage? Amazing how many missions they flew successfully without all this crap. No ISS safe haven, no need to have another shuttle ready to launch on rescue.

Lets just shut the whole thing down since its too dangerous. I guess thats what they are going to do isn't it.

And my feelings on the shuttle rescue for Hubble mission was how stupid do you have to be. The launch is one of the riskiest parts of a mission so you are gonna risk another shuttle and crew for that? They did plenty of hubble and other servicing mission for decades without needing a rescue shuttle.

 

[MeteorWayne]

The current mission plans include a check after undocking, just in case any damage has occurred during docked operations. After all, there a lot of debris in LEO, and even a 1mm sized object can cause significant damage. That prodedure was instituted after the loss of Columbia.

 

[astronaut23]

Man how did this agency ever ever get to the moon? You want to talk about risk. Those were some risky missions. 250,000 miles from Earth if something went wrong.

 

[MeteorWayne]

There was almost no debris around earth back then. It was much safer.

 

[astronaut23]

Does anybody old enough on here to remember how the Space Shuttle was supposed to give us safe, reliable, routine access to space? They even talked about like having 75 missions in a year back before the first one flew. It was supposed to open up the space environment to use but I'd say if anything it did the opposite. Its more expensive than the throw away rockets it replaced, its more dangerous, you get the idea.

 

[MeteorWayne]

There's no doubt that it has not lived up to it's promise.

LEO ain't cheap, and it will always remain dangerous.

 

[astronaut23]

Yeah but seeing what kind of work goes in prepping one of these birds to go makes you wonder how they even thought they would come close to 75 launches a year. Thats a little over 6 launches a month. :lol:

 

[MeteorWayne]

Undocking has occurred, a minute or two late.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Go for deorbit burn (in a few minutes). Landing at about 3:14 EDT. I recommend monitoring NASA TV, for faster live images (since online NASA TV is delayed by 30 to 45 seconds online) in order I recomment C-SPAN (if they cover it), Fox Newschannel, CNN, MSNBC. That's in order of the least talking head commentary, and intelligence of those who do talk.

I always find it amazing that the 2 minute 59 second OMS burn reduces the speed by 231 mph, and that is enough to bring her home in just over an hour.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Good deorbit burn; no trim required. She's on the way home!

 

[MeteorWayne]

UGLY looking sky at the landing site!

 

[drwayne]

Under 20 minute out

 

[drwayne]

Another online source

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts119/status.html

 

[MeteorWayne]

Fox Newschannel now covering live....

Edit: Still a VERY ugly landing site....