STS-131/19A Mission thread (after Launch)

[MeteorWayne]

As we have done in the past, after MECO (Main Engine Cutoff) we will transition to this thread and close the Pre Launch discussion. It will be locked until then.

Discovery will carry a multi-purpose logistics module filled with science racks for the laboratories aboard the station. The mission has three planned spacewalks, with work to include replacing an ammonia tank assembly, retrieving a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior, and switching out a rate gyro assembly on the S0 segment of the station’s truss structure

 

[MeteorWayne]

Main Engines have done their job, ET has separated.

 

[3488]

STS 131 Discovery ET Sep. Was able to get NASA TV in the end.

Andrew Brown.

 

[EarthlingX]

Just a couple of launch shots :

 

[MeteorWayne]

Thanx, good team effort...

 

[EarthlingX]

Two more, from the replay on NASA TV :



Yes sir

 

[3488]

Discovery in the dying seconds of the countdown. Nice view.

At approx 4,000 metres altitude in hi res camera.

T +17 seconds.

Andrew Brown.

 

[EarthlingX]

Nice shots Dark blue background kicks agkhm-s ..

 

[MeteorWayne]

OMS2 burn underway to raise and circularize the orbit to 161 X 141 Nautical Miles. It lasts 2 minutes, 9 seconds.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Good Burn, no trim required. Be back a little later, gotta catch up on some missing zzzzzzs with my mooshy cat Amber.

Post launch News Conference should start sometime between 15 and 25 minutes from now. I'll listen, but will be horizontal, so unless something unusual is said, I'll just listen

 

[EarthlingX]

Yo man, happy landing

 

[3488]

Discovery seconds after liftoff.

Discovery STS 131 SRB sep.

This just in on TWITTER. Discovery STS 131 Noctilucent Cloud. I can be followed on there @Mercury_3488

What a great way to spend my 41st!!!!!!!!!!!!! Getting old!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen:

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

It's worth remembering, that the USA & Canada like Britain is one hour ahead of the true correct time.

Discovery lifted off at 05:21 EST (proper time) which translates to 06:21 EDT. Hence the sun has not risen yet, we are past the Spring Equinox.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

ISS passes by the moon in the morning sky on: Monday 5th April 2010 as seen from KSC approx 15 minutes prior to the lift off of Discovery.

Note that the entire constellations of Scorpius & Sagittarius are visible (something not possible from here in the UK or elsewhere northward of southern Europe, or Canada).

Corona Australis is just about seeable, below Sagittarius. It is clearer on the full sized image through the link.

Link to full res image.

Andrew Brown.

 

[Zipi]

Official NasaTV Launch Video:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvZH-nhuxgo[/youtube]

 

[EarthlingX]

This just in on TWITTER. Discovery STS 131 Noctilucent Cloud. I can be followed on there @Mercury_3488

What a great way to spend my 41st!!!!!!!!!!!!! Getting old!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen:

Andrew Brown.

:shock: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Oh yea

And video is very sharp and fast.

 

[3488]

ISS passes by the moon in the morning sky above the KSC approx 15 minutes prior to the blast off of Discovery

Discovery leaves a Pink Heart in the stratosphere @ dawn this morning.

Andrew Brown.

 

[ThereIWas2]

I watched the launch from the beach in St Augustine, 90 miles to the north. The sunlit contrails were really cool.

The sound got here 7.5 minutes after the launch.

 

[Zipi]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKMx74_GWrI[/youtube]

ps. the launch video I posted earlier is now also available in 720p HD quality!

 

[EarthlingX]

STS-131-0-16-16-00

There is a problem with Ku-band antenna, they will have to download inspection images from ISS :

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts131/status.html

By Justin Ray

MONDAY, APRIL 5, 2010
2105 GMT (5:05 p.m. EDT)
The shuttle Discovery's Ku-band antenna system, used as a radar dish during rendezvous operations and to transmit video and data to and from the ground through NASA communications satellites, suffered a malfunction of some sort after the shuttle reached orbit Monday. Engineers are troubleshooting, but the system may be out of action for the duration of Discovery's mission.

0022 GMT (8:22 p.m. EDT Mon.)
Shuttle Discovery's astronauts are up and at 'em to begin Flight Day 2, the crew's first full day in orbit.

Today will begin by powering up the shuttle's 50-foot-long robot arm for a post-launch checkout, the proceeding with the inspections of Discovery's heat shield for any signs of launch damage, a routine task for shuttle crews. Other activities include checking out the spacesuits to be worn during the mission's spacewalks and preparing equipment for Wednesday morning's docking to the space station.

Because of the Ku-band communications antenna problem, the inspection imagery and data cannot be downlinked live to Mission Control. The astronauts will record the survey aboard the shuttle and then play it back to the ground from the space station's Ku-band system after docking Wednesday.

Khm .. one more launch image :

Image above: Space shuttle Discovery lifts off. Image credit: NASA

SDC : NASA Launches Shuttle Discovery In Pre-dawn Liftoff

By Tariq Malik

posted: 05 April 2010
06:21 am ET

This story was updated at 9:23 a.m. ET.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The space shuttle Discovery lit up the sky above Florida like an artificial sun Monday in a rare pre-dawn liftoff of one of NASA's last few shuttle missions – and the final flight expected to launch under cover of darkness.

Discovery soared spaceward from a seaside launch pad here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center with a crew of seven astronauts on a busy delivery mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff occurred at 6:21 a.m. EDT (1021 GMT).

NASA's space shuttle Discovery launches into space just before dawn on April 5, 2010 to begin the STS-131 mission to the International Space Station. Credit: Roger Guillemette for SPACE.com

 

[EarthlingX]

STS-131-1-00-00-00

Press conference on NASA TV :
rtsp://a1400.l1856741624.c18567.g.lr.akamaistream.net/live/D/1400/18567/v0001/reflector:41624
rtsp://a1400.l1856741624.c18567.g.lr.akamaistream.net/live/D/1400/18567/v0001/reflector:41624
rtsp://a1747.l1856745839.c18567.g.lr.akamaistream.net/live/D/1747/18567/v0001/reflector:45839
rtsp://a1747.l1856745839.c18567.g.lr.akamaistream.net/live/D/1747/18567/v0001/reflector:45839

You can copy any of the above links into VLC network streaming URL, without 'rtsp://' part, which is defined as a protocol - works like a charm.

I set my FF 3.6.3 Tools/Options/Applications/(search 'rtsp') - content type : rtsp - Action : use vlc.exe

There is also an add-on :
https://addons.mozilla.org/ : VLCWatcha 0.7

STS-131-1-02-00-00
Captured image :

 

[EarthlingX]

SDC : Astronauts' Space Shuttle Inspection Slowed by Antenna Malfunction

By Tariq Malik

posted: 6 April 2010
7:36 am ET

Astronauts aboard NASA's space shuttle Discovery scanned their spacecraft's heat shield for any signs of damage on Tuesday, but couldn't beam the results to Mission Control because of a main antenna dish malfunction.

The antenna failed to work just after Discovery launched Monday on a delivery mission to the International Space Station. Without the antenna, Discovery's seven astronauts can't send or receive big data packages, like beaming live video to Mission Control or receiving major revisions to their flight plan.

The Ku-band antenna on space shuttle Discovery is shown in this NASA file photo. The antenna dish is seen protruding from the shuttle's payload bay at far right. It is 3 feet wide, with the entire antenna stretching about 7 feet long. Credit: NASA.

 

[MeteorWayne]

EX, can you decode the header which is on many of your posts?

"STS-131-1-00-00-00"

Thanx, MW

 

[js117]

Whats the downlink data speed of the Ku-band antenna.
The data rate mut be good to transfer 40.0gig of data.
Also does it go straight down to ground based antenna or a Satellite first.

 

[Testing]

Whats the downlink data speed of the Ku-band antenna.
The data rate mut be good to transfer 40.0gig of data.
Also does it go straight down to ground based antenna or a Satellite first.

If not in line of sight to ground it goes thru TDRS, Tracking and Data Relay Sat net.
I won't quote transfer rate.