STS-125 Shuttle Launch thread

[SportscarBruce]

Here's wishing the crew of STS-125 a safe and successful mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. Streaming video and mission information is available here:

http://www.nasa.gov/

Hoosier native Janice Voss is currently providing expert commentary on NASA TV. She has impressive educational and career resumes;

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/voss-jan.htm.

[driveace]

Whilst in Spain about 4 weeks ago at 8.30pm we saw the Space Station pass over followed by the Shuttle.The following night they were connected up.It happened at 2.07pm I believe on that afternoon.
But for a Dutch guy,who was a space fan we would have known nothing about it

[chuck34]

I really want to get down to the Cape and see one of these things go off before I miss my chance. But I don't know if I'll ever be able to. :-(

Good news about Obama ordering a review of the Constellation program. Here's hoping that some more sane versions are picked to replace Shuttle than the current Ares.

[Dave B]

I caught the launch on Discovery yesterday evening. Just thinking of the physics involved never ceases to boggle my mind.

[Tazio]

Beam me down Scotty!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/05/12/space.shuttle.damage/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Damaged tiles on heat shield have been detected on the shuttle.
With Endeaver warmed up in the Bull-pen common sense says if in doubt we should err on the side of caution.
Somebody has to make a decision. This sounds like a tough call.
They may ask for the opinion of the engineer on board after doing a physical examination.
If it was me I'd say: "Send up the other bird" :uhoh:

[chuck34]

Beam me down Scotty!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/05/12/space.shuttle.damage/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Damaged tiles on heat shield have been detected on the shuttle.
With Endeaver warmed up in the Bull-pen common sense says if in doubt we should err on the side of caution.
Somebody has to make a decision. This sounds like a tough call.
They may ask for the opinion of the engineer on board after doing a physical examination.
If it was me I'd say: "Send up the other bird" :uhoh:


From what I understand, they are small little nicks in an area that doesn't have a "high" heat load on re-entry. They are going to do a more detailed analysis soon to find out for sure. But I would think it isn't much of an issue.

One thing I've wondered about the LON (launch on need) shuttle, is what happens if it gets damaged as well??? Then istead of haveing 7 guys with questionable chances you just bumped that up to 11 (I believe there are 4 going to be on the other bird). What happens then?

Get us a new "bird" and soon!!!!

[Griffon]

Whilst in Spain about 4 weeks ago at 8.30pm we saw the Space Station pass over followed by the Shuttle.The following night they were connected up.It happened at 2.07pm I believe on that afternoon.
But for a Dutch guy,who was a space fan we would have known nothing about it

Do you mean 7 weeks ago? The last shuttle mission was Mar 15th to Mar 28th.

[driveace]

Actually you are correct Griffon.Time fly,s and I have now been back from Spain for 6 weeks now,so it was in March that we saw the Shuttle and space Station.

[SportscarBruce]

Anyone watch the crew's first day of work on the Hubble? The micromanaged wrench turning exercises struck me as almost annoying. Of course the stakes are very high (enormous actually), and it's not like you can drill and tap out a broken fastener while in orbit, but still...

BTW they're accomplishing the mission, which is the important part. :)

[chuck34]

I wish I had a good way to watch this stuff at work. :-(

[555-04Q2]

Anyone here watch the series, Nasa's Greatest Missions? Its shows all the old unseen archive footage of the moon landings, Hubble missions etc. Bloody amazing what Nasa have done since 1969.

[chuck34]

Anyone here watch the series, Nasa's Greatest Missions? Its shows all the old unseen archive footage of the moon landings, Hubble missions etc. Bloody amazing what Nasa have done since 1969.

Or bloody depressing what NASA HASN'T done since 1969.

Not to take anything away, really, it's just strange. We were landing people on the moon, THE FREAKING MOON, and then since then we've been going around in LEO. It's like Christopher Columbus discovers the New World, then Europeans just paddle around in row boats two miles off shore for a while.

Ok rant off. It is actually amazing some of the stuff we have done in the last few years.

[SportscarBruce]

I wish I had a good way to watch this stuff at work. :-(

Blocked streaming content?
http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx

[555-04Q2]

Or bloody depressing what NASA HASN'T done since 1969.

Not to take anything away, really, it's just strange. We were landing people on the moon, THE FREAKING MOON, and then since then we've been going around in LEO. It's like Christopher Columbus discovers the New World, then Europeans just paddle around in row boats two miles off shore for a while.

Ok rant off. It is actually amazing some of the stuff we have done in the last few years.

Well there are the rovers on Mars, deep space probes, manned missions to Mars from 2015 onwards etc etc to look forward too.

[SportscarBruce]

Well there are the rovers on Mars, deep space probes, manned missions to Mars from 2015 onwards etc etc to look forward too.
Yep. Plus the importance of space-based weather observation and climate data gathering can't be overemphasized.

Suggested viewing;
In the Shadow of the Moon;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRusDqEK4aI&feature=PlayList&p=2E00EEA7422BFE8C&index=0&playnext=1

[555-04Q2]

Yep. Plus the importance of space-based weather observation and climate data gathering can't be overemphasized.

Suggested viewing;
In the Shadow of the Moon;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRusDqEK4aI&feature=PlayList&p=2E00EEA7422BFE8C&index=0&playnext=1

Watched it on satellite about 3 months ago. Loved it. Bought it for my collection!

[chuck34]

Blocked streaming content?
http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx

No media player

[SportscarBruce]

My eyes almost always water up a bit sometime during the show. What a fantastic adventure.

[chuck34]

Well there are the rovers on Mars, deep space probes, manned missions to Mars from 2015 onwards etc etc to look forward too.

I guess I'm just more of a manned guy. Not to take anything away from the rovers (they are cool). But nothing can susbtitue "boots on the ground".

Manned missions to Mars in 2015? Not even close. We were supposed to go back to the moon by 2020, and it's looking like that isn't going to happen. Although there are some rumblings that could change things for the better, hopefully anyway.

A good spot to for info is nasaspaceflight.com

There is also something called "Direct" if you have any interest, find info on that. You can find it in the forums on the above link and other places too.

[555-04Q2]

My eyes almost always water up a bit sometime during the show. What a fantastic adventure.

I wouldnt say my eyes watered up ;) but when I watched it late one night with the lights off, my son and wife in bed, I almost felt that I was there with them. It is an amazing movie and considering the limited technology they had back then, their mission was an astounding accomplishment by any standards. Those guys had BIG ones.

NASA may not be perfect, in fact they screw up all the time, but they have still accomplished some amazing missions over the years.

[555-04Q2]

I guess I'm just more of a manned guy. Not to take anything away from the rovers (they are cool). But nothing can susbtitue "boots on the ground".

Manned missions to Mars in 2015? Not even close. We were supposed to go back to the moon by 2020, and it's looking like that isn't going to happen. Although there are some rumblings that could change things for the better, hopefully anyway.

A good spot to for info is nasaspaceflight.com

There is also something called "Direct" if you have any interest, find info on that. You can find it in the forums on the above link and other places too.

Thanks for the link :up: Will check it out.

2015 was supposed to be 2025, but I have an excuse as I'm blond, whats left of it anyway :p :

I cant remember which show it was on, but one of the NASA Mars specialists said they were working out how humans can survive the trip to Mars and back. He said they were hoping to accomplish it by 2025. Maybe he was talking total bull? i still want to know how they will fuel up a craft and provide oxygen for the proposed +/- 17 month round trip :s hock:

[SportscarBruce]

I wouldnt say my eyes watered up ;)

This episode in history has a special significance for me. When Neil, Buzz, and Pete made their trip to the Moon I was 6 years old. Due to my father's aerospace involvement (USAF, McDonnell) and my impressionable age I really got caught up by the Apollo program. It really captured my imagination, perhaps even serving a role in shaping my adult perspective on life. .

[555-04Q2]

This episode in history has a special significance for me. When Neil, Buzz, and Pete made their trip to the Moon I was 6 years old. Due to my father's aerospace involvement (USAF, McDonnell) and my impressionable age I really got caught up by the Apollo program. It really captured my imagination, perhaps even serving a role in shaping my adult perspective on life. .

:up:

[chuck34]

This episode in history has a special significance for me. When Neil, Buzz, and Pete made their trip to the Moon I was 6 years old. Due to my father's aerospace involvement (USAF, McDonnell) and my impressionable age I really got caught up by the Apollo program. It really captured my imagination, perhaps even serving a role in shaping my adult perspective on life. .

I hate to be a buzz-kill, but it was Michael Collins, not Pete Conrad. Pete was on 12. But that was great.

I'm too young to have seen any of this, but love anything I can get my hands on about it.

The best (or at least one of) series I have seen about this is the HBO series "From the Earth to the Moon". The guy that played Conrad was great. He looked exactly like him, and seems to have the same sort of playful attitude (although I've never met him, that's what I hear).

Anyway, for me the biggest "lump in the throat moment" is probably when the Apollo 8 guys read from Genesis on Christmas Eve no less. Oh man that is just awesome for me. Either that or the whole landing sequence on Apollo 11. I don't know why but the call "1201 alarm" just gets me going. Then I feel it when they say "You got a bunch of guys down here about to turn blue", cause I am too.

Boy, I'm a geek.

[SportscarBruce]

Mike Collins, of course.

BTW, it's 1202 program alarm. ;)

[chuck34]

Mike Collins, of course.

No problem, I hope I didn't come off as jumping on you. As I said, I'm a geek about this stuff.

[chuck34]

Mike Collins, of course.

BTW, it's 1202 program alarm. ;)

1202 was called first, but they were both called.

[SportscarBruce]

I'm just kidding around ;)

Far as the geek factor, my older brother the golf fanatic and I go 'round and 'round on subjects such as sports and NASA. He lives within a few miles of Johnson Space Center but never visits, in fact he disparages the entire space program every chance he gets. He hate racing too (people driving in circles blah blah). Well, I have nothing against golf or other such sports, but IMHO hitting a little white ball into a cup isn't exactly flying into outer space, or lapping Indy at 220 mph.... ;)