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

[3488]

Nice, crisp clean undocking too EarthlingX.

Undocking of Discovery took place over the north coast of the large tropical island of Papua New Guinea, in orbital night.

Amdrew Brown.

 

[EarthlingX]

Discovery Undocks from International Space Station
Sat, 17 Apr 2010 12:59:35 GMT

Space shuttle Discovery undocked from the International Space Station at 8:52 a.m. EDT. Shuttle Pilot James P. Dutton, Jr. will grab the stick and perform a fly around of the station, enabling his crewmates to conduct a photo survey of the complex.

Weather permitting, the deorbit burn is planned for 7:43 a.m. Monday, leading to a landing at 8:51 a.m. at Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility.

NASA Television will air a Mission Status Briefing at 11:30 a.m. to discuss the progress of the STS-131 mission.

STS-131 MET = 12:02:49:00

STS-131 MET = 12:02:54:00

Ready for fly-around.

STS-131 MET = 12:03:00:00

 

[3488]

ISS continues to receded, the Soyuz lifeboat is still clerly visible.

ISS turns a bright pink as Orbital Sunrise bathes both Discovery & the ISS.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Nice shot of Discovery backing away.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Looking down onto ISS during Discovery 'fly around'.

Discovery zoomed in as seen from ISS.

Andrew Brown.

 

[EarthlingX]

STS-131 MET = 12:03:19:00
Over Brazil.

STS-131 MET = 12:03:21:00

 

[3488]

Nice one with Discovery over the limb of the Earth.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Andrew Brown.

 

[EarthlingX]

STS-131 MET = 12:03:22:00
Coast of Brazil

STS-131 MET = 12:03:24:00

STS-131 MET = 12:03:26:00

Bellow ISS.

STS-131 MET = 12:03:29:00

 

[3488]

You'll be relieved to know that as I am going out very soon, this is my final piece of spam this afternoon. :mrgreen:

Andrew Brown.

 

[EarthlingX]

Nice intermezzo

STS-131 MET = 12:03:37:00

STS-131 MET = 12:03:41:00

Saying goodbyes, performing first separation burn, moving away.

(Adios, goodby, nasvidanje, sayonara)

STS-131 MET = 12:03:44:00

STS-131 MET = 12:03:49:00

Ground team shift change coming up.
(Brandy improved a bit, but saying 'continuous telepresence' three times in a row would place her in a hospital. Think, before you say something, read punctuation, don't invent your own, rhythm baby ! )

STS-131 MET = 12:03:52:00
TriDAR working fine during undoncking, was reported.

STS-131 MET = 12:04:07:00
Getting ready for second separation burn.

STS-131 MET = 12:04:08:00
Burn in process and complete.

STS-131 MET = 12:04:10:00
Ground team shift change.

STS-131 MET = 12:04:20:00

 

[Zipi]

Really nice photo collection: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/0 ... ional.html

It contains also other than STS-131 related photos. If we had ISS expedition thread (or threads by expedition number), this would belong there....

 

[EarthlingX]

When they are home, i will upload all my images, packaged by day, and more or less so numbered. I can try and make some video galleries too, if anyone is interested.

Mission briefing coming up soon !

This male PAO is the best of them all, it is a real relief to hear him.

 

[EarthlingX]

STS-131 MET = 12:04:49:00

( I recommend this video stream, most stable, best quality, but not for low speed :
NASA Media Channel )

STS-131 MET = 12:04:59:00

Briefing.

STS-131 MET = 12:05:15:00

Ended.

STS-131 MET = 12:05:33:00
Discovery cleared for landing by the ground team, after inspection of the video files.

Landing times are in the flux.

Weather permitting, the deorbit burn is planned for 7:43 a.m. Monday, leading to a landing at 8:51 a.m. at Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility.

STS-131 MET = 12:06:07:00
Final tasks for the Discovery crew.

STS-131 MET = 12:06:11:00
Still shots from the Discovery payload bay, looking up.

STS-131 MET = 12:06:22:00

STS-131 MET = 12:06:33:00
Latched and secured.

STS-131 MET = 12:06:36:00

STS-131 MET = 12:06:43:00
Landing options :

STS-131 MET = 12:06:48:00

STS-131 MET = 12:07:07:00
Arm is being stowed.

STS-131 MET = 12:07:11:00
Arm is latched and secured, it's job for this flight is complete.

STS-131 MET = 12:07:28:00
Stowing Ku-Band Antenna as a last task of the day.

STS-131 MET = 12:07:36:00
Ku-Band Antenna stowed.

STS-131 MET = 12:07:58:00

STS-131 MET = 12:08:00:00

 

[EarthlingX]

SDC : Shuttle Discovery Undocks From Space Station

By Robert Z. Pearlman
SPACE.com Contributor
posted: 17 April 2010
09:13 am ET



HOUSTON - Space shuttle Discovery undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) Saturday morning, 10 days after arriving to deliver more than seven tons of supplies and equipment to the orbiting laboratory.

"We hope we didn't tear up your house too much," Discovery commander Alan Poindexter told his station counterpart, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov, during a farewell ceremony. "We tried to a good job of cleaning when we left [but] if we leave anything behind, you can bring it with you home."

"Thank you very much," said Kotov. "We're really grateful for your help and your job you did for us."

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XXbfBt9cuE[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T84BBLi-GQ[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz4oADqQdmc[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Kk2YiemdBY[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp19XonIWr0[/youtube]

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

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fiz8737i1o[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMpB4WQ58MM[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU0hlMXIGl8[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_xOXvjBUbM[/youtube]

(i'm not yet following, just listening, and Brandy improved. Go Brandy, you can do it ! Just keep focus - yes you can )

 

[EarthlingX]

spacefellowship.com : STS-131 Flight Day 14 Planned Activities

Published by Klaus Schmidt on Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:46 am

4:21 GMT (12:21 am EDT) – Discovery Crew Wakeup
7:21 GMT (3:21 am EDT) – Cabin Stowage Begins
7:41 GMT (3:41 am EDT) – FCS Checkout
8:51 GMT (4:51 am EDT) – RCS Hot-Fire Test
11:36 GMT (7:36 am EDT) – WBZ Radio / Associated Press / KEZI-TV Live Interviews
20:21 GMT (4:21 pm EDT) – Discovery Crew Sleep Begins

SDC : Iceland Volcano's Ash Cloud No Threat to Space Shuttle Landing

By Tariq Malik
SPACE.com Managing Editor
posted: 17 April 2010
03:24 pm ET



This story was updated at 4:51 p.m. ET.

The ash cloud belched by an erupting volcano in Iceland may have disrupted air traffic over much of Europe, but it poses no threat to NASA's planned Monday landing of space shuttle Discovery, agency officials said.

When Discovery re-enters the Earth's atmosphere Monday morning, it will be flying over the northern Pacific Ocean on a course that will take it over much of North America before it is due to land at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 8:58 a.m. EDT (12:58 GMT).

Landing Preparations for Discovery Crew

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 04:35:19 GMT

The crew of space shuttle Discovery was awakened at 12:21 a.m. EDT by Louis Armstrong singing “What a Wonderful World,” played for Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson, who completed her third trip to the station on Discovery today. Wilson flew on Discovery for STS-121 in July 2006 and STS-120 in October 2007.

The STS-131 crew will prepare for landing by checking out Discovery’s flight control systems and performing a hot-fire test of its reaction control system. Landing is scheduled for Monday at 8:51 a.m. at Kennedy Space Center.

Landing Preparations for Discovery Crew

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 04:35:19 GMT

The crew of space shuttle Discovery was awakened at 12:21 a.m. EDT by Louis Armstrong singing “What a Wonderful World,” played for Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson, who completed her third trip to the station on Discovery today. Wilson flew on Discovery for STS-121 in July 2006 and STS-120 in October 2007.

The STS-131 crew will prepare for landing by checking out Discovery’s flight control systems and performing a hot-fire test of its reaction control system. Landing is scheduled for Monday at 8:48 a.m. at Kennedy Space Center.

STS-131 MET = 12:21:40:00 ( 08:01 GMT )

STS-131 MET = 12:21:41:00
FCS checkup complete.

STS-131 MET = 12:21:45:00
RCS started first pulse in the test.

STS-131 MET = 12:21:54:00
All jets fired, everything OK, as reported by the ground crew.

STS-131 MET = 12:21:59:00

STS-131 MET = 13:00:33:00

STS-131 MET = 13:00:35:00

 

[EarthlingX]

STS-131 MET = 13:00:36:00
Crew receiving weather report.

STS-131 MET = 13:00:40:00
Ended, weather not the best, but currently no problem.

STS-131 MET = 13:00:43:00

STS-131 MET = 13:00:51:00

STS-131 MET = 13:01:17:00
Live event.

STS-131 MET = 13:01:34:00
Ended.

STS-131 MET = 13:03:21:00

STS-131 MET = 13:03:25:00

Comm checks.

STS-131 MET = 13:04:35:00

Ground team shift change.

STS-131 MET = 13:04:50:00

STS-131 MET = 13:04:57:00

Still performing various comm checks, example : HUD display transmission.

STS-131 MET = 13:05:15:00

Briefing.

STS-131 MET = 13:05:36:00
Ended.

STS-131 MET = 13:06:02:00

Landing opportunities, with new times.

STS-131 MET = 13:06:43:00

11 sec orbital adjustment burn will be in about 10 min.

STS-131 MET = 13:06:46:00

 

[3488]

Looks like STS 131 Discovery landing will not be affected by the plume from the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano in Iceland.

STS 131 Discovery landing tracks.

Andrew Brown.

 

[EarthlingX]

Air-space over Europe is open, as far as i know. It was closed for two days over Norway, i think.

 

[EarthlingX]

STS-131 MET = 13:07:10:00
Burn done, and complete.

Crew is mostly done for the day.

STS-131 MET = 13:07:13:00

 

[Zipi]

Air-space over Europe is open, as far as i know. It was closed for two days over Norway, i think.

No, it is not open: http://metoffice.com/corporate/pressoff ... dates.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36624082/ns/travel-news/

 

[EarthlingX]

I have images from when they flew over there, i could take a look ..

Mission briefing from before :

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x3VBewNCg0[/youtube]

Still shots video, from Iceland pass, 2010 April 18th, 06:00 GMT+

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MV8lIXRF2k[/youtube]

 

[3488]

We here are still under a no fly zone.

No planes at all passing over, & my home area is under two major approach paths to both London Gatwick & London Heathrow.

Anyway, a nice shot from Soichi.

Discovery backing away from ISS.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Of more concern is the Florida weather:

Monday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. North northeast wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Partly cloudy, with a high near 76. Northeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.

As you can see, Tuesday looks better than Monday...