STS 128 Discovery Post Launch Thread.

[Testing]

STS-128 Orbital Thread

All good. Payload bay opening.

 

[stevewhyles]

Re: STS-128 Orbital Thread

Hi

I am in the UK and as always I watched the shuttle launch on NASA tv, I then went outside as sometimes it can be seen flyong over us looking south.
This Morning after the shuttle did fly over and was very bright, The thing that shocked me is that there was 2 bright objects side by side and not just the usual one . Does anyone have any idea what the second light was, it looked for the world that there was 2 shuttles, one of the lights was dimming and brightening yet the other was constant

hope you can answer

 

[3488]

Congratulations NASA on a superb launch. :mrgreen:

I have been catching up as the launch was not at a good time for us in Britain, but it looks as though there were no issues. I have yet to peruse the launch videos but looks as if there is no repeat of the foam loss concern from the External Tank after the launch of STS 127 Endeavour.

STS 128 Discovery commences.

Fantastic sidewise shot as Discovery hurtles into the warm, humid late Summer tropical night in Florida, USA.

Discovery soars into space as seen from the KSC Firing Room. I assume our own Shuttle_Guy was there. :?:

Andrew Brown.

 

[bobble_bob]

I have been catching up as the launch was not at a good time for us in Britain

Tell me about it

I went to bed at midnight and got up 4.5 hours later to catch the last 30 mins of the countdown and launch. Felt tired but well worth it, never get bored of seeing a launch.

Nasa do love to mess around with the Brits sleeping patterns

 

[Testing]

So go do the moderator editing as I was there first.

 

[3488]

So go do the moderator editing as I was there first.

Hi Testing, I did not see your thread earlier as the political threads had pushed it down.

I have merged them.

Andrew Brown.

 

[shuttle_guy]

Re: STS-128 Orbital Thread

Hi

I am in the UK and as always I watched the shuttle launch on NASA tv, I then went outside as sometimes it can be seen flyong over us looking south.
This Morning after the shuttle did fly over and was very bright, The thing that shocked me is that there was 2 bright objects side by side and not just the usual one . Does anyone have any idea what the second light was, it looked for the world that there was 2 shuttles, one of the lights was dimming and brightening yet the other was constant

hope you can answer

 

[shuttle_guy]

Re: STS-128 Orbital Thread

Hi

I am in the UK and as always I watched the shuttle launch on NASA tv, I then went outside as sometimes it can be seen flyong over us looking south.
This Morning after the shuttle did fly over and was very bright, The thing that shocked me is that there was 2 bright objects side by side and not just the usual one . Does anyone have any idea what the second light was, it looked for the world that there was 2 shuttles, one of the lights was dimming and brightening yet the other was constant

hope you can answer

You saw the Shuttle just after launch. The second object was the External Tank which was near by the Shuttle Orbiter. The ET re-enters on it's first orbit into the Pacific ocean about an hour after launch.

 

[3488]

Image of Discovery underside & external tank duing launch, just prior to ET seperation.

During this launch the ET sepration occured over the night side of Earth, so no photos could be taken by the crew. However flashes illuminated the ET just after seperation & Disvory's hi res camera was able to obtain some images, which are being studied by JSC for any foam losses & other anomalies if they exist.

Just saw that Discovery was just passing to the north of my wife's home city of Zhanjiang City, Guandong Province, China & also passing over Hong Kong.

Inspection of the heat shield under the starboard wing is in progress. So far it is looking good.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Inspection of the nose of Discovery is underway.

So far that too looks good.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Post MMT (Mission Management Team) news conference will be on NASA TV in about an hour and a half (NET...No Earlier Than) at 4 PM EDT (2000 UTC/GMT)

Docking scheduled for 9:04 PM EDT Aug 30, 0104 Aug 31 UTC/GMT.

MSB (Mission Status Briefing) scheduled for midnight EDT, 0400 UTC/GMT)

MW (Meteor Wayne)

 

[3488]

Thanks Wayne,

I'm tuned in.

Discovery & ISS are currently over eastern Russia about to pass over The Sea of Japan.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

And they are quite close in orbital horizontal distance, though the shuttle is about 70 km below the ISS. This next maneuver in about half an hour will raise the shuttle apogee so they intersect about 5 hours from now before final rendevous an hour later.

 

[3488]

Thanks Wayne,

My computer just shut down & rebooted for no apparent reason.

Quite a nice scan around just now of the ISS.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

17 minutes to NH burn.

This burn will raise the orbit of Discovery to that of the ISS, approx 70 KM higher.

Discovery is currently being reoriented to perform this vital burn & is passing over the far south of Chile & Argentina.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Discovery has just passed noth of the Falkland Islands / Islas Malvinas & is crossing the South Atlantic in a N E direction.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Just over one minute to the NH burn to raise Discovery's orbit.

Andrew brown.

 

[3488]

One Minute seven second HC burn has successfully raised Discovery's orbit to match that of the ISS.

Andrew Brown.

 

[neuvik]

Ah a rendevous in the tropics....well, sorta heh.

 

[3488]

Discovery has just crossed the equator into the Northern Hemisphere, over the Atlantic west of the African country of Gabon & is crossing the coast of Nigeria close to the border with Cameroon.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Discovery has just crossed the border from Chad into Libya over the Sahara Desert. Discovery will shortly be passing over Egypt.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Discovery has just crossed Egypt & is passing over a short stretch of the Mediterranean, & is approaching Syria.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Discovery has crossed Syria, eastern Turkey, Georgia & Azerbaijan & is now csossing the Caspian Sea north of Iran.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Confirmation that launch & ascent was flawless. Post separation External Tank imagery (which relied on light from the Discovery boosters as ET sep was over the night side of Earth) confirms no foam loss & the heat shield appears thus far to be in perfect condition.

Discovery has just crossed Kazahkstan, a small portion of Russia & is now crossing Mongolia. Discovery is now heading S E.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Discovery has just crossed Mongolia & is now passing over northern China.

Andrew Brown.