Space shuttle Atlantis (left) and Endeavour stand on Launch Pads 39A and 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This is likely the last time this will happen. Image Credit: NASA
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Two space shuttles now sit out on the launch pads at Kennedy Space Center: Atlantis on 39A for the much anticipated Hubble Repair mission, scheduled to launch on May 12. Over on 39B sits Endeavour, which made the slow journey there early on Friday and she is now poised for the STS-400 LON (Launch On Need) Mission, a mission no one hopes will happen. This would be a mission to rescue the crew of Atlantis should the shuttle be struck by debris – either during launch or during the mission (read more about the risks of debris hit during the Hubble Mission). If STS-400 were necessary what would actually happen?
In the situation where Atlantis and the crew are not in immediate danger, but, for example, the shuttle’s thermal protection system (heat tiles) were compromised from debris hit (from insulating foam from the external tank like Columbia was, or space debris) and the shuttle would be unable to land safely, Endeavour would be launched at a specific time and inclination in order be able to rendezvous with Atlantis. The rescue flight would last 8 days and go as follows:
Once Endeavour and her four-person crew reaches orbit, the preparations for rendezvous with Atlantis would begin. Unlike all previous post-Return to Flight missions, the crew would not perform the standard Thermal Protection System inspection on Flight Day Two, but instead by done after the STS-125 crew was rescued. Rendezvous of the two shuttles. Credit: NASA, via NASA Spaceflight.com
Endeavour would rendezvous with Atlantis the day after launching from the Kennedy Space Center. The two space shuttles would then approach each other payload bay to payload bay, at a 90-degree angle, about 44 ft apart. Endeavour’s robotic arm would grapple the orbital boom system on Atlantis. After Endeavour successfully grapples Atlantis, Endeavour would take attitude control of the “stack” of the two shuttles.
Then, comes the most interesting – and dangerous – part. Spacewalkers from Endeavour would do one space walk on Flight Day 3 to string a tether between both shuttles. On Flight Day 4, they would conduct two spacewalks to retrieve their colleagues from Atlantis.
Once Atlantis’ crew is safely aboard the rescue orbiter, Endeavour’s crew will maneuver the two vehicles to provide the right separation, which would occur during daylight so the crew could watch for any problems.
Atlantis would be released and be commanded from the ground to do deorbit and landing maneuvers and likely crash into the Pacific Ocean. Seating on the rescue flight return. Credit: NASA, via NASA Spaceflight.com
On Flight Day 5 the dual crew would inspect Endeavour for damage, and if all was well, land on Flight Day 8.
Astronaut John Grunsfeld, one of the four spacewalkers who will fly on Atlantis, says keeping the Hubble telescope flying is a mission worth the risk.
“When you think about risk, it is all relative to what is the reward, and I think in the big picture Hubble is something that I certainly feel is worth risking my life for because it is about something that is so much bigger than all of us,” Grunsfeld said. “It is about science, it is about inspiration, it is about discovery. It is about all the kids who will look at the Hubble images and dream.”
The odds of Loss Of Crew and Vehicle for the STS-125 mission. Credit: NASASpaceflight.com
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There’s good news and bad news for the upcoming Hubble repair mission. The good news is that the statistical threat posed to space shuttle Atlantis and her crew by micro-meteoroid orbiting debris (MMOD) is currently no greater than last year, even with the collision of two satellites in February and other recent satellite breakups. The chance of the shuttle being hit by MMOD during a mission to Hubble is 1 in 185. But that’s also the bad news. The 1 in 185 chance of a catastrophic impact to a shuttle in Hubble’s orbit is, obviously, quite high, and higher than NASA’s limit of 1 in 200. The final decision of whether this risk is acceptable will be discussed at a Flight Readiness Review meeting on April 30. It is anticipated that NASA will override the limit and accept the risk. Without a servicing mission by a space shuttle crew, the telescope is not expected to last more than another year or two.
According to an article on NASASpaceflight.com, NASA analysts were able to reach this particular ratio by making use of the known probability of detecting and repairing critical Thermal Protection System damage while on orbit, factoring in the length of the mission and orientation of the shuttle during the mission (both attached and unattached to the Hubble) and even adding in how a “rescue mission” would come into play in the event of a catastrophic impact.
NASA guidelines say the Space Shuttle Program cannot accept a Loss of Crew and Vehicle (LOCV) ratio in excess of 1 in 200. A hole in the shuttle from a micrometeroid after a mission in 2006. Credit: NASA
Immediately after the Kosmos/Iridium satellite collision and factoring in other recent breakups which include the Chinese ASAT/Fengyun 1C, the Kosmos 2421, the risk of LOCV increased to 1 in 157 for Atlantis.
But with the long delay for STS-125, mission planners were able to investigate and implement several mitigation tactics and changes to the flight’s activities that brought the risk back down to 1 in 185 chance.
The NASA team is also looking at different options that will reduce the risk, which include eliminating one EVA day (which would reduce risk by ~6 percent to 1 in 196), eliminating two EVA days (which would reduce risk by ~12 percent to 1 in 208), or eliminating the crew off duty day after the Hubble is released (which would reduce risk to 1 in 201).
Delaying the mission would likely have no effect on the statistical risk. The mission was already delayed when data handling processor on the spacecraft failed in September 2008 and again due to Hurricane Ike in October 2008. With the mitigation tactics, the 1 in 185 chance is no higher than it was determined to be last September.
NASA also analyzed the risk for STS-400 rescue flight, which is 1 in 294. That ratio is only if the crew does an inspection of the Wing Leading Edge panels and Nose Cap and has a short mission duration of just seven days. If the STS-400 crew does not perform any TPS inspection, the LOCV ratio rises to 1 in 217.
But everything is going full-steam-ahead for the mission; Atlantis is on launch pad 39 B being prepared for the mission, Endeavour will be sent to pad 39 A tomorrow (Friday) to prepare for the STS-400 rescue mission, if needed (otherwise Endeavour will move to pad 39 B for the next shuttle mission, STS-127 to the ISS scheduled for June) and the the STS-125 crew is in full training and preparations for the flight.
The long-awaited final Hubble servicing mission is a month out now, and the crew of seven astronauts who have been in limbo since at least October are finally gearing up to go. The space shuttle Atlantis is set to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 12.
This will be the second Hubble mission for Astronaut Mike Massimino, and he’s been sharing his excitement about the mission via live interviews from NASA’s Johnson Space Flight Center and Twitter, a popular social networking site. We took advantage of the chance to ask Massimino some questions.
Astronaut Mike Massimino suits up for spacewalk practice in the pool. Credit: NASA
So the final Hubble servicing mission is finally going to happen. How are you feeling about it?
I’m feeling great. I’m ready, I think my crew’s ready, and looking forward to going into space and seeing Hubble again and seeing the Earth from space.
On Twitter, you “tweeted” a few days ago: “viewing the Earth from space is the most beautiful site, words cannot describe the experience, can’t wait to see that sight again!” And it made me wonder how long you’ve wanted to have that perspective, and whether you dreamed of this sort of thing as a kid?
I dreamt about being an astronaut when I was a little kid. I was 6 years old when Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon. But the view of the Earth … it is just so awesome to see the Earth from space. There’s no way to really prepare you for it; we can practice our space walks in the neutral buoyancy lab, we can go to simulators, but there’s nothing that can prepare you for what your eyes will actually see when it comes to the beauty of space and the beauty of the Earth. I can’t really describe it with words, but I can describe what my thoughts were. When I really had the chance to look, while I was spacewalking, the first thought that went through my mind was “if you were in Heaven, this is what you would see.” And then the thought that replaced it was “no, no, it’s more beautiful than that. This is what Heaven must look like.”
You performed two spacewalks to service the telescope during the STS-109 mission in 2002. Since then you’ve worked in Mission Control and taught some classes. Why so long between missions?
I flew in 2002, then I was hoping to get reassigned to another shuttle flight at some point, but the Columbia accident occurred. In the three years following Columbia, we didn’t have very many flights. I got assigned soon after STS 121 to the Hubble Space Telescope flight. Then comes that saga. My crew and I were assigned around Halloween, October 2006 … We thought we might be flying about a year and a half later. We were two weeks from launching in October of last year, and then we got delayed because something broke on the telescope. It’s been good for job security I guess. It gives you more time to get ready, and they hang onto you a little bit longer.
Have you noticed any differences between preparing for this mission and preparing for the STS-109 flight?
STS-109 was my first flight. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do not to get in everybody’s way. I was wondering how I would react to space; I was kind of concerned about how I was going to do. This flight here, I’m pretty confident about how I’ll do … and I’m concerned a little bit more about how the team will do. It’s … a little more responsibility. I’m the experienced guy on our spacewalking team now. Actually it’s a little bit more enjoyable because I know what I’m going to do and I’m looking forward to it.
You’re on Twitter! Why?
I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be an astronaut. I think I’m extremely lucky. We get to do so many wonderful things; one of my interests has been to try to share that with people the best I can. It seemed like this Twitter idea was a great way to share our experiences with other people. One of the great things about Twitter it doesn’t really take that long. You have 140 characters … I checked this weekend and we were up to 35,000 people–
You’re up to 40,000 now
… I figure if there are that many people listening, that’s a pretty good deal. You get responses to it. It’s just wonderful to hear the excitement and all the good wishes from people around the world.
***
The May servicing mission will be the fourth and final trip to the Hubble Space Telescope. Over the course of five spacewalks, astronauts will install two new instruments, repair two inactive instruments and replace parts that will keep the telescope functioning at least into 2014.
Check out Mike Massimino’s Twitter profile here, where he’ll continue tweeting about mission preparations. More information about the servicing mission is here, and more information about the Atlantis crew is here.
The injured long-tailed bat clings onto Discovery's external fuel tank (NASA)
[/caption]NOTE:This was the Universe Today’s contribution to April Fools Day, just in case you were wondering. However, it isn’t a joke that a bat died during a shuttle launch. Brian will forever be remembered by the Brian Bat Foundation…
On Sunday, March 15th, Space Shuttle Discovery launched from Cape Canaveral, beginning the highly successful STS-119 mission to “power up” the International Space Station (ISS). Unfortunately, a tiny stowaway was discovered clutching onto the external tank of the shuttle and refused to budge. For the whole of Sunday, NASA waited for the free-tailed bat (unofficially named “Brian” by yours truly) to fly away. Alas, Brian held on to Discovery all the way up to launch. NASA even took a photo of the shuttle as it cleared the launch tower, Brian still attached. He wasn’t frozen to the external tank (infrared images showed the bat was warm), a wildlife expert studied the last pictures of Brian, informing the space agency that Brian had in fact suffered a broken wing and was unable to fly away, even as the rockets ignited.
Although NASA was not thought to be responsible for the death of the little animal at first (calling the whole incident “sad but unavoidable”), a Florida state official is pursuing legal action against the ground staff at the Cape. According to state animal protection law, NASA may be charged with negligence, after making little effort to prevent “animal interaction” with the launchpad and apparent unwillingness to remove Brian by hand before launch. However, as investigated by the local press, there are far more animal deaths during shuttle launches than we realise…
NASA can be prosecuted under the same animal protection rules that cover Florida highways (Ian O'Neill)“First and foremost, the safety of the crew must be ensured,” said NASA spokeswoman Francis Rae, “it is unfortunate that the agency could be reprimanded over the death of an animal, but in the interest of safety and smooth launch operations, we will enact any preventative measures deemed necessary by the state.”
It turns out that NASA is a little shocked that a Florida official has decided to pursue the issue. NASA and Florida have enjoyed very close ties ever since the beginning of the Space Age and this is the first accusation of criminal negligence over the death of an animal (possibly in reaction to the huge international interest in the story). Little did the agency realise that the death of one unfortunate bat could land them in court.
“NASA enjoys total freedom of the airspace above the state, however the agency must still abide by the laws of the state, no matter how insignificant the rules may appear when compared with the endeavors of US activities in space.” — Statement by the District Attorney’s Office, Florida
According to local press, NASA can be fined for the preventable death of the bat under the same state laws that govern goods transportation (i.e. company-owned vehicles are liable if they hit endangered animal species on Florida highways). Therefore, if a truck hit a free-tailed bat on a freeway, and the driver was pulled over by a police officer, the company who owns the truck would be accountable. “This is exactly the same rule that is being applied to NASA, a free-tailed bat was killed during the operations of the shuttle. In the county’s eyes, that’s no different from a Walmart truck running over a protected animal. Like a cougar [the state animal],” reported the Orlando Sentinel.
The Ares V at the launchpad, plus artist's impression of what the anti-bat mesh would look like on launch day (NASA)Regardless of the outcome to the possible legal action, NASA has already prepared plans for an anti-bird/anti-bat mesh that will surround the launchpad after exterior inspection but before launch. This is where NASA tripped up, they performed an inspection on Saturday, March 14th, of Discovery’s external tank, but the pneumatic cranes (used to lift inspectors to the upright shuttle) were removed from the launchpad on launch day. Therefore, if NASA had to remove Brian by hand (if they knew he was injured), the Discovery launch would have been delayed further still, to wait for cranes and personnel to arrive on the scene.
This preventative measure isn’t thought to affect the remaining shuttle launches (before the shuttle is decommissioned in 2010), but the mesh will be built into the launch tower of the Constellation Program scheduled for launch in 2015 (pictured above).
“Estimates place the cost of the mesh at around $10 million,” said Rae. “However, if you factor in unforeseen project overruns and design issues, that cost could easily triple. Possibly more. We simply do not have the technology to fabricate such a large, lightweight net. It will, however, be worth it in the long-run.”
It would appear the mesh couldn’t come too soon for one NASA employee. Soon after Discovery launched on that fateful Sunday night, the Orlando Sentinel interviewed launch safety officer Aniline Lo who went into some detail about the real costs of a shuttle launch.
“…of course animals die during launches. We’ve had collisions with eagles during ascent, we’ve even found dead rats, mice and gophers left on the pad, there has also been injuries to some larger animals in the past. As the Cape is surrounded by water, it is hard to prevent alligators straying too close […] shuttle exhaust can hurt these reptiles, making them difficult to treat. It also seems the flash from the boosters cause confusion in some animals, including rabbits, actually attracting them to the launch pad at lift off. That always ends very badly.” — Aniline Lo, NASA Safety Officer
Lo then went into detail about the clean-up operation after launch. “It’s a shame, the adrenaline is pumping through your body before launch, but it is up to my team to clear up the mess which is the downer,” she said. “If you thought roadkill was bad, imagine it roasted. Hundreds of thousands of dollars post-launch could be saved in man-hours [for clean-up operations] if these animals are prevented from getting near to the rockets.”
The sad story of Brian the Bat captivated the world, but it looks like his demise was the tip of the iceberg. He was first named on the social networking site Twitter and on Astroengine.com. On launch day @DiscoveryBat appeared on Twitter, apparently tweeting from space and tweeting to this day. Even mainstream media refer to the ill-fated free-tailed bat as “Brian”. Consequently, the Brian Bat Foundation was set up to recognise animal endeavours in space. However, it appears the Foundation’s scope must now be extended to all the birds, angry alligators and rabbits on, or near, the shuttle’s launchpad during lift-off.
The Senate Budget Committee has given the green light to fund NASA’s shuttle program past the end of 2010, when the program is set to retire.
But NASA isn’t asking for an extension.
Florida Sen. Bill Nelson requested the $2.5 billion provision, which was included in the broader five-year spending plan that passed committee Monday afternoon. His office argues that launching nine missions in 18 months puts too much pressure on the agency, and could compromise safety.
NASA is preparing to launch the shuttle Atlantis on May 12 for a servicing mission of the Hubble Space Telescope, and the eight remaining missions are dedicated to completing the International Space Station.
“We are confident that we can fly out the shuttle manifest before the end of 2010,” said John Yembrick, a spokesman out of NASA’s Washington headquarters.
Nelson’s office isn’t as optimistic.
“Given that there are roughly only 18 months but nine flights left, we have a concern that may be unrealistic,” said Dan McLaughlin, a spokesman for Nelson’s office. He cited the Challenger and Columbia accidents, where “the investigation board in both cases identified scheduling pressure as a contributing factor to those accidents.”
Artist's rendering of the next-generation Orion crew exploration vehicle docked to a lunar lander in lunar orbit. (Obsolete configuration.) Credit: Lockheed Martin Corp.
In the past, NASA has been “overly optimistic about schedules for shuttle missions,” McLaughlin said. But in reality, the agency has gotten four or five launches off the ground in each of the past several years. “It doesn’t take but a bad hurricane season and the best laid plans can fall apart. Could NASA do it? Yeah. But a lot of things would have to go right.”
The $2.5 billion provision, if it passes the full Senate and House, would alleviate the pressure, Nelson thinks, by opening up the possibility for additional funding in 2011 — and allow NASA to proceed with safety as a first concern. The measure would soften a firm line both the Bush and Obama administrations have taken on retiring the program by the end of 2010.
The Budget Committee’s decision sends a strong signal that the shuttle shouldn’t be retired on a date-certain, but only when all the missions are completed, Nelson reportedly said immediately after the Thursday vote.
Concept of Ares I, left, the crew launch vehicle and Ares V, the cargo launch vehicle. Credit: NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center
Meanwhile, NASA is looking forward to the next generation of launch vehicles, Orion (above, concept credit Lockheed Martin Corp.) and the Ares series. The vehicles are designed to return people to the moon — and perhaps even Mars — to live and explore. The first Ares test flight is planned for later this year.
The gap between the planned shuttle retirement in 2010, and the availability of the next generation launch vehicles, will be five years. During that time the United States is likely to partner with Russia to use Soyuz launch vehicles for low-orbit work and as the space station’s docked emergency vehicle — which is part of the astronauts’ escape plan in the event of debris hits or other dangers aboard the ISS.
It is also possible that commercial vehicles could rise to the challenge before 2015, NASA’s Yembrick said. NASA has awarded two contracts to companies that will deliver cargo to the space station after the retirement of the space shuttle: Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Virginia, and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California.
“Once they’ve proven that they can successfully deliver cargo, we also may one day look at purchasing crew services,” Yembrick said. “We don’t want to speculate when that may occur.”
Sources: Spaceref, interviews with Dan McLaughlin and John Yembrick.
In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians attach straps from a crane in order to lift the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling Unit, or SIC&DH. Image Credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
NASA began the process of moving and juggling space shuttles around for the next mission, the important Hubble Telescope repair mission. Space shuttle Atlantis moved out to launch pad 39A today in preparation for the STS-125 mission, which will send seven astronauts to repair Hubble. Targeted liftoff date is May 12. Additionally, a replacement for the faulty instrument that delayed the mission last fall arrived at Kennedy Space Center, and will be loaded on the shuttle while it’s on the pad. This mission will require a second shuttle to be ready for liftoff in the event a problem arises with Atlantis in orbit, and Endeavour will head out to launch pad 39B on April 17. After Atlantis is cleared to land, Endeavour will move to Launch Pad 39A for its upcoming STS-127 mission to the International Space Station, slated to launch in mid-June. Moving a shuttle out to the launch pad takes about six hours, but this video does it in about 3 minutes – so enjoy the sped-up show; it’s a nice video showing the process.
Atlantis arrived at Launch Pad 39A at approximately 9:10 a.m. EDT Tuesday on top of a giant crawler-transporter, after leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building at 3:54 a.m. The crawler travels less than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey.
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Atlantis’ 11-day mission is the final shuttle flight to Hubble. During five spacewalks, astronauts will install two new instruments, repair two inactive ones and replace other Hubble components. Their work will hopefully extend Hubble’s life through at least 2014, and give Hubble six working, complementary science instruments with better capabilities.
Screenshot from NASA TV during Atlantis' trip to the launchpad.
And if you recall, the “rescue” shuttle is necessary because Atlantis will not be going to the International Space Station, nor could it get there if a problem arose because Hubble and the ISS are in different orbits. This has been the policy ever since the Columbia shuttle accident in 2003.
Raw image of the turbulent airflow behind the modified heat tile on Discovery. Credit: NASA
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In an experiment, one of space shuttle Discovery’s exterior heat tiles was deliberately altered and monitored during the shuttle’s high-speed return to Earth on Saturday. Data was collected to help understand airflow, and provided information for engineers designing the heat shield for the Orion spacecraft. One tile on the bottom of the shuttle’s left wing, about 10 feet behind the leading edge, included a 0.25-inch-high ridge that was expected to cause the airflow to go from smooth to turbulent, causing a rise in temperature of the tiles behind the altered tile. A Navy plane flew below Discovery as it returned home, monitoring the shuttle with an infrared camera. What did the experiment reveal?
Engineers were looking to better understand how smooth, laminar airflow, which provides a thin layer of insulation during peak heating, can change to the disturbed, turbulent flow — called boundary layer transition –which can cause downstream temperatures to climb, possibly affecting aerodynamics and causing damage.
A Navy P-3 Orion aircraft flying over the Gulf of Mexico captured infrared images of the shuttle’s underside when the orbiter had slowed to about 8.5 times the speed of sound. The temperature data and infrared imagery confirmed that the airflow was changed by the modified tile. The insulating layer of air changed to turbulent between mach 12 and 14. That, in turn, caused a rise in the temperatures of downstream tiles, but not as much as was expected. What the altered tile looked like. Credit: NASA
The tiles in that area of the wing normally experience maximum temperatures of 815-870 degrees C (1,500 to 1,600 degrees F) when the re-entry airflow across the wing is smooth. The preliminary data that NASA received indicated the maximum temperature experienced by the “protuberance tile” was around 1090 degrees C (2,000 F), somewhat less than expected. If those measurements are confirmed, engineers may request a slightly higher protuberance for a future flight.
As for the large area of turbulence seen in the top P-3 image, engineers said said the image likely reflected a “typical” shuttle boundary layer transition during peak heating.
Engineers reported the protuberance tile looked normal and undamaged on the runway after Discovery’s landing, although superficial markings were seen on several downstream tiles. No such markings were seen on tiles behind a protruding gap filler that was spotted during an on-orbit inspection on one of Discovery’s elevons.
The shuttle’s transition from smooth to turbulent flow occurs naturally as the spacecraft slows down, typically at velocities around mach 8, or eight times the speed of sound, about 20 minutes after atmospheric entry begins. In some cases, however, the transition can occur earlier than that because of surface roughness or defects in the heat shield. The area of increased heating on Discovery. Credit: NASA
For example, a protruding tile spacer called a “gap filler” can shake loose during launch and extend up into the airflow, triggering an early, asymmetric boundary layer transition during re-entry. When that happens, the shuttle’s aerodynamics can be affected and downstream tiles can be subjected to more extreme heating.
During shuttle mission STS-28 in 1989, the boundary layer “tripped” 15 minutes after entry, at around mach 18. During shuttle mission STS-50 in 1992, one side of the shuttle’s belly went turbulent more than a minute ahead of the other side, causing a change in aerodynamics that prompted autopilot flight control inputs.
This experiment that could lead to improved heat shield designs for the Orion spacecraft which will bring astronauts to the ISS and the Moon, along with providing insights into shuttle aerodynamics.
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If this isn’t one of the most breathtaking space pictures ever, I don’t know what is. It’s the ISS at its full and final length, with all four sets of solar arrays unfurled, against the limb of Earth. The STS-119 mission successfully did its job of bringing up and installing the final set of solar array wings, giving the ISS the “finished” look we’ve all been waiting for. There are a few more modules to bring up, but none so big as the solar arrays. And now the space station is the second brightest object in the night sky, second only to the Moon. Click on the image to download a hi-resolution version.
Space shuttle Discovery returned home on Saturday, March 28 landing at 3:14 pm EDT. The weather and winds cooperated, allowing the spacecraft to land on the second opportunity of the day. Enjoy more images from the highly successful mission below.
Astronaut Richard Arnold during an EVA. Credit: NASA
An astronaut at work. Ricky Arnold, STS-119 mission specialist, works outside the space staton during the mission’s third extravehicular activity (EVA), doing a few construction and maintenance tasks during the six-hour, 27-minute spacewalk. A view during the 3rd EVA of STS-119. Credit: NASA
This is a great image that makes you appreciate how big the space station is. Ricky Arnold (right) and Joseph Acaba worked during the third EVA of the mission to help robotic arm operators relocate the Crew Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) cart from the Port 1 to Starboard 1 truss segment, lubricated the space station’s robotic arm and performed a few other “get ahead” tasks. John Phillips flies through the ISS. Credit: NASA
I think almost everyone dreams of doing this: flying. But this was no dream for astronaut John Phillps — he really was flying through the ISS. It sure looks like fun! Crews of the ISS and STS-119. Credit: NASAGroup photo of the crews from the ISS and STS-119. From the left (bottom row) are NASA astronauts Tony Antonelli, STS-119 pilot; Lee Archambault, STS-119 commander; and Joseph Acaba, STS-119 mission specialist. From the left (middle row) are NASA astronauts Sandra Magnus, STS-119 mission specialist; and Michael Fincke, Expedition 18 commander; along with cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut (JAXA) Koichi Wakata, both Expedition 18 flight engineers. From the left (top row) are NASA astronauts Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and John Phillips. Discovery appoaches the ISS. Credit: NASA
Here’s a nice image of the space shuttle approaching the space station, backdropped by a blue and white Earth, as the shuttle gets ready for rendezvous and docking with the ISS. Touchdown! Credit: NASA
Commander Lee Archambault nails the landing as Discovery touches down on the runway at Kennedy Space Center. The STS-119 crew post landing. Credit: NASA
Discovery crew members spoke after the landing on Saturday, and after the traditional walk-around of the spaceshuttle. Commander Lee Archambault introduced five of the seven members of the STS-119 mission crew. Ricky Arnold remained in the crew quarters, as well as returning ISS crewmember Sandy Magnus, taking things a little slower after her 130-day stint in space.
ISS at full length, taken from Discovery. Credit: NASA
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Space shuttle Discovery undocked from the ISS on Wednesday, providing the dramatic first views of the space station with its full company of solar arrays unfurled. “Discovery, Alpha, Godspeed,” ISS commander Mike Fincke radioed after the shuttle departed. “Thanks for making us symmetrical, giving us full power, and all the other wonderful things you did for us. You did great work. Come again.”
“Thanks for the great work as well,” shuttle commander Lee Archambault replied. “Have a good one, we’ll see you on the ground in about a month.”
The fly-around was timed to begin at orbital sunrise, to allow for good lighting for the much anticipated pictures. But everyone had to wait until later for a high-definition video replay on NASA TV. The shuttle’s KU-band television antenna didn’t have a good link with NASA’s relay satellites until after the fly-around was complete. The image above has been updated to show an official NASA image taken by the Discovery astronauts during the flyaround, and below are a few screenshots from the high-def replay, showing different views of the ISS, post undocking.
UPDATE: Video of the flyaround is now available, and can be seen below:
Screenshot of ISS flyaround by shuttle Discovery. Credit: NASA TV
ISS. Credit: NASA TV
At a mission briefing after the undocking, mission managers expressed their excitement at seeing the images of the space station at full length, saying they felt an extreme amount of pride and joy for everyone involved with the ISS project.
“We’re getting ready to turn the station over to the research community,” said Dan Hartman, chairman of the space station mission management team, “and they will be challenged to keep the crew busy — and that’s a good thing. By the end of May (when the ISS crew size will increase to six), we’ll be ready to go.”
The Discovery crew took Sandy Magnus along with them, bringing her her home after her long-duration stay on the ISS, and left behind Koichi Wakata, Japan’s first long-duration astronaut.
The shuttle is scheduled to land on Saturday, March 28 with the first landing opportunity at 1:43 pm EDT.
This video is incredible, almost like something from a sci-fi movie – and the sound is unbelievable! But this is the real deal. NASA mounts cameras on the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs), enabling those of us who are Earth-bound to ride along (and for NASA engineers to have a first-hand look at what is going on, too – the real reason for these cameras). In the first part of the video, you see the SRB separation and the shuttle pulling away, which is just magnificent! Plus, you ride along the whole way back to Earth until the parachutes deploy on the SRBs and you splash down in the ocean. The second part, you ride the along for the launch. You get a bird’s eye view (or is that a BAT’s eye view?!) of when the water suppression system starts, the SRBs light, the main engines start, and then you’re hauling the mail. Its great fun and way, way cool:
