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Author
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Topic: Space Shuttle 2007 launches
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Frewi80
Member Posts: 120
From: Hawaii. Waipahu
Registered: Jun 2006
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posted 01-17-2007 01:20 AM
   
Aloha
Can somebody tell me the dates for the 2007 space Shuttle launches ?I'm planning to visit the Cape later this year like in September / October and want to attend a Space Shuttle launch. I was at the Cape in 1979 and took a lot of slides, the bus tour then took you around the launch complexes and close to the old firing rooms, was really exciting. I hope the tour is still there and hope to get close to the launch pads. ------------------
May the Force be with you.... @lways
Freddy |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42986
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-17-2007 01:26 AM
NASA maintains a launch schedule here: http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html That said, the above website is slightly out of date per the latest planning schedules: STS-117: March 15
STS-118: June 28
STS-120: September 7
STS-122: October 17 STS-123 is currently slated for December 8 but there is a good chance it will slip to January 2008. SpaceFlightNow also maintains its own schedule: http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 01-17-2007 09:43 AM
Even with 4 launches per year, they'll slowly have to come back on track, with the Japanese and European modules still to be added before 2010 ! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42986
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-17-2007 09:54 AM
STS-122, scheduled for October of this year, delivers the European Columbus Laboratory. STS-123, scheduled for December 2007 (but as noted above, may slip to January 2008) will deliver the pressurized section of the Kibo Japanese Experiment Logistics Module. STS-124, scheduled for February 29, 2008, delivers the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module Pressurized Module and the JEM RMS. STS-129, scheduled for January 15, 2009, launches the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility and the Kibo Japanese Experiment Logistics Module, Exposed Section. |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 01-17-2007 11:41 AM
While March 15, June 28 and Sept 7 remainset dates, STS-122 is expected to be a Nov/Dec launch, rather than October.The launch Sept. 7 is scheduled for around 6am, which means it has a very good chance of being a night launch, as it would be even if it were delayed 2-3 weeks. |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3120
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 01-18-2007 04:40 PM
Is STS-117 really due to be launched on March 15th? I have seen a suggestion (can't find it now!)that the launch may be put back to accommodate a Soyuz launch, and may be further put back for another technical reason. Does anyone know the precise position about the STS-117 launch? My interest is not entirely academic - if I could be sure of the launch-date, I might go to see it! |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 01-18-2007 04:55 PM
Yes, it is.Regarding the Soyuz launch, you have heard right except it is expected to move up rather than back. Launch is currently the 16th officially but the 15th is expected to be the new announced date, as early as next week. The Soyuz launch is scheduled for April 9th, and must occur on time due to on-orbit lifetime of the current Soyuz already being pressed to the limits; so, if the shuttle does not launch by March 29th, it will be postponed to late April. By moving the launch up to March 15th, they gain an extra day in the launch window. STS-115 and 116 were both moved up (the former by two days, each day at a separate time; the latter by a whole week) to accomdate a lengthier launch window due to daylight and end-of-the-year constraints (the daylight rule was of course lifted with 116). "Technically" speaking, there are no issues being worked for the launch on March 15th at this time. |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3120
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 01-19-2007 11:36 AM
Ben, many thanks. I have now found a web-site that suggests a March 15th launch. But it is due at 6.42am (with a 10 minute launch window.) Sunrise in Orlando that day is at 7.35am. Can any of you shuttle-watchers indicate whether it would still be fully dark (assuming a clear sky) 50 minutes before a mid-March sunrise? That begs a further question: if you could only ever see ONE shuttle launch in your lifetime, would you choose a daytime launch or a night launch? |
BMckay
Member Posts: 3218
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 01-19-2007 11:52 AM
I saw STS 109 launch around that same time frame ( March 1) and it was dark enough and I saw 116 at night so I have yet to see a daytime but I would vote for a daytime. I think you can see the shuttle better. Just my opinion.. |
lunarrv15
Member Posts: 1355
From: Cincinnati, Ohio, Hamilton
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 01-19-2007 01:26 PM
My vote is night time launches. The brief appearance of night turning into daylight cause by the thursters. The orange glow of the area |
Rob Joyner
Member Posts: 1308
From: GA, USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 01-19-2007 02:20 PM
I've seen day and night launches. Both are incredible, of course, but I prefer the day launches. You just get to see everything better on the pad and then the orbiter during lift-off instead of just the flames from the boosters and engines as in a night launch. In fact, as the shuttle lifts off the pad during a night launch it is extremely difficult to actually watch it for the first couple of seconds while it clears the tower. Imagine trying to stare at a welders torch at night. That's what it's like. But, on the other hand,you can see the boosters separate better during a night launch.
To see an in-person launch during any time of the day is a great thrill, so to anyone making plans to see one for the first time, I would suggest not waiting for a specific launch. There's only 14 left!
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KSCartist
Member Posts: 2896
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 01-19-2007 03:07 PM
There is another alternative... see a launch just before sunset. Bright enough to see everything but dim enough to see the SRB's separate.Bottom line every launch is beautiful. Tim |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 01-19-2007 04:14 PM
I agree, any launch is beautiful and you should not wait at this point.If you can choose, I always say a night launch is the best for a first launch. They are the most awe-inspiring and incredible. It makes people go "wow I've gotta come back. I didn't realize it was like that!" Night launches surprise people, as they are nothing like they look on tv or in photos. With day launches, you get what you expect with the exception that the flame is brighter than most think. STS-109 was 27 minutes before sunrise, and I always describe it (in fact I did yesterday on another forum) as not quite a night launch. I believe that March 15 will be no more than the slightest hint of blue low on the horizon, so it will probably be a night launch in true form. Once those SRBs ignite, the contrast will drown that out (whereas it did not on 109, at least to me). It's possible that by the time the shuttle reaches the 25-30 mile mark it will in fact reach sunlight, but I'm not too sure for this one. I don't know of any similar timing (50 mins before or after the sun) on a previous launch. Those sunrise and sunset launches are the best and I hope we get at least one or two more in the remaining set. The window, by the way, will be 6:37-6:47, but they will target 6:42:48 for launch. [Edited by Ben (January 25, 2007).] |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 01-19-2007 04:26 PM
Also by the way, here is the list of launch times per day:
http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/117/117windows.html So it only has one chance to prove if there's blue in the sky :-) |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 01-19-2007 06:25 PM
Copying this to the NSF forum as well, where we were discussing the same thing:For the sake of argument, I took a look at the western sky 45 and 50 mins after sunset today. There was a little more blue than I expected (more than a hint, but not nearly as much as 109). Light falloff from 45 to 50 mins was very noticible too; falloff happens very fast after sundown. By 55 minutes after it was down to a mere hint, and by the one-hour after sunset mark, it was totally black. Had the launch taken place in the amount of light at the 50 minute point, I would say as I said before that the very upper reaches of the smoke trail would have hit sunlight, probably along the line such that it would hit orange/pink and perhaps yellow but not white. I don't know if there will be a big difference in the "blue time" near the equinox, but this tells me that it's possible we could be looking at a pretty one.
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Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3120
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 01-20-2007 08:01 PM
Thanks all! I really appreciate those comments. Nothing beats personal experience. I'm still thinking about trying to see STS-117. Here's another question to the shuttle experts (and I'm sorry that this question has probably been asked many times before): where is the best place to watch a launch from Pad 39A? By that I mean the best place that an ordinary tourist could expect to get to. |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 01-20-2007 08:12 PM
The NASA causeway is the closest the public can get to either A or B, but it is nearly two miles closer to A than B (note that all remaining shuttle launches will be off pad A). So, that's good.For pad A, the distance is anywhere from 6.3 to 7.5 miles, depending on which extreme end of the causeway you are closest to. I hadn't posted before, so forgive this shameless plug, but try reading my guide to get an idea of the whole scene :-) Launch viewing guide Shuttle launch viewing guide Hope this helps. [Edited by Ben (January 20, 2007).] |
spaceman
Member Posts: 1104
From: Walsall, West Midlands, UK
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 01-21-2007 09:56 AM
Hi,
March launch date now scheduled for the 16th as of Jan 18th update,
Nick
Spaceman |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 01-21-2007 01:29 PM
The launch is (and has been) scheduled for March 16, but is expected to be moved up one day to increase the duration of the launch window (number of attempts they could make in otherwords). |
Mike Isbell
Member Posts: 551
From: Silver Spring, Maryland USA
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 01-22-2007 04:10 PM
I saw in the Houston Chronicle that the launch of STS-117 is schedualed for March 15. This information is posted at www.chron.com/news/space/
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John K. Rochester
Member Posts: 1292
From: Rochester, NY, USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 02-09-2007 08:46 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
STS-120: September 7
Sunday, August 26th has been set as the tentative launch date...[Edited by John K. Rochester (February 10, 2007).] |
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