Posts: 1355 From: Cincinnati, Ohio, Hamilton Registered: Mar 2001
posted 02-25-2011 12:53 AM
quote:Originally posted by KSCartist: But no worries, there's a LOT of great parking for ten miles along US#1 in Titusville.
Appreciate the answer. Learned where the spots are from the regulars here. Scouting where, maybe, it is not over crowded for STS-134 viewing.
dabolton Member
Posts: 419 From: Seneca, IL, US Registered: Jan 2009
posted 02-25-2011 02:58 AM
They were unable to get good footage of the tank due to entering night during Thursday's launch.
Is there a mechanical reason to drop the tank when they do? Could they keep it on longer for inspection purposes?
OV-105 Member
Posts: 816 From: Ridgecrest, CA Registered: Sep 2000
posted 02-25-2011 02:59 AM
The camera in the ET well should have got some shots before they rolled to get the pics with the handheld cameras.
gliderpilotuk Member
Posts: 3398 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
posted 02-25-2011 05:41 AM
quote:Originally posted by issman1: ISS is due to make its only pass on February 24 in the SW at 1919 GMT. Discovery lifts off at 2150 GMT, so I doubt it.
There's an ISS pass at 18:35 GMT on Saturday 26th. According to Heavens Above the shuttle passes at 18:12 on a fairly low elevation, but visible from the UK. I thought they were supposed to dock on Saturday evening, so these sightings look a bit far apart in time and elevation.
Greggy_D Member
Posts: 977 From: Michigan Registered: Jul 2006
posted 02-25-2011 06:44 AM
There was some real tension leading up to the resumption of the countdown at T-5:00. How many seconds away were they from missing the launch window? It had to be really close.
Rick Mulheirn Member
Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
posted 02-25-2011 07:16 AM
At the post launch conference Mike Moses indicated there were two seconds to spare... but that was twice as long as Mike Leinbach needed to resume the count.
Greggy_D Member
Posts: 977 From: Michigan Registered: Jul 2006
posted 02-25-2011 07:52 AM
It sounded like one controller missed her call to turn her switch back to green or go, which in my opinion almost caused a scrub due to missing the window. You could hear the request asked a second time, this time a bit more firmly but with definite stress in his voice. I'm sure a pleasant conversation took place after launch.
issman1 Member
Posts: 1042 From: UK Registered: Apr 2005
posted 02-25-2011 09:30 AM
quote:Originally posted by gliderpilotuk: ...these sightings look a bit far apart in time and elevation.
Even if STS-133 had been visible shortly after launch, clouds would have obscured it. I just barely saw the ISS pass overhead a few hours earlier. Did anyone see the shuttle from southern Europe?
The good news, at least for us in the UK, is that Discovery and ISS will be visible right upto landing day, weather-permitting of course.
GACspaceguy Member
Posts: 2475 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
posted 02-25-2011 12:39 PM
We once again were blessed to watch a launch of the space shuttle and this time the last flight of Discovery. Thanks to Brian we were afforded a great view from the top of the Astronaut Hall of Fame as well as spending the hours chatting with astronaut Bob Springer for the afternoon (giving an astronaut tips on how to succeed on eBay, that was a great way to wait for the launch).
The crowds were not as large as they were for STS-132 and for a while the Hall of Fame were giving people placards to go to the Kennedy Space Center visitor center.
Heart stopping moments near the end but what a beautiful launch it was. We try not to think about the end of the program right now and focus on what is about to be done in the next few days, the end will come quickly enough.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-25-2011 12:43 PM
quote:Originally posted by GACspaceguy: The crowds were not as large as they were for STS-132...
The crowd at the Hall of Fame may have been smaller, but according to local news reports last night, Discovery's launch brought in a recent record number of spectators estimated at over 400,000.
Apparently, many miscalculated the traffic and time needed to get out to the Cape. At launch time (per again local news footage), many on the Beachline (528) simply parked their cars and watched from the shoulder and median of the road.
After the launch, live shots of the traffic showed slow moving cars returning home as late as 10 p.m.
GACspaceguy Member
Posts: 2475 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
posted 02-25-2011 02:10 PM
Interesting Robert. We were at the AHOF seven hours before launch and did this based on how crowded it was for STS-132. That type of traffic just did not appear on the SR 405 into KSC. We were wondering if they were doing something different and not allowing traffic into the KSC area without a car placard. Usually the traffic is backed up from the check point to the west as far as the eye can see from that roof top. Glad to hear the diminished crowd was only localized to our area. Makes us wonder what to expect and how to plan for STS-134.
The AHOF was not as crowed as I said and we cleared the area in record time (20-25 minutes from AHOF to I-95). We were at our home in Savannah by 10 p.m. I must admit though we have done this trip many times and we know the tricks to get to I-95.
DCCollector Member
Posts: 227 From: Washington, DC USA Registered: Dec 2006
posted 02-25-2011 10:44 PM
I can attest to the traffic nightmare after the launch. Our Gator Tours causeway bus boarded shortly after the launch at about 5:10, and we did not get back to our pick-up location in Orlando until after 10:30 PM.
lunarrv15 Member
Posts: 1355 From: Cincinnati, Ohio, Hamilton Registered: Mar 2001
posted 02-26-2011 01:02 AM
Does the Astronaut Hall of Fame charge parking on launch days? How early should I be there for a space to park?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-26-2011 01:09 AM
There is no separate parking fee, but like the viewing opportunities from the NASA Causeway and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, viewing tickets are required at the Astronaut Hall of Fame. The cost is $20 per adult or $16 per child, which includes admission to tour the Hall of Fame.
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3120 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 02-26-2011 09:03 AM
quote:Originally posted by gliderpilotuk: According to Heavens Above the shuttle passes at 18:12 on a fairly low elevation, but visible from the UK.
Paul, I don't think Heavens Above can keep up with Discovery's orbital manoeuvrings. The important issue is the location of the ISS.
According to Heavens Above, the ISS is due to pass through my field of view between 6.36pm and 6.41pm tonight, maximum elevation 26 degrees in the SSE. According to the STS-133 flight plan the shuttle should be station-keeping with ISS, probably doing the back-flip heat shield check at that time, preparatory for a docking at 7.16pm.
So, if the information about the ISS pass is accurate, the two should be visible close together in the sky during this pass. (Obviously the timings will be a bit different for you in London). All it needs is for the weather to co-operate. Oh c**p!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-26-2011 10:04 AM
The Huntsville Times reports that former astronaut Fred Leslie and his wife had a decidedly different view of Discovery's last launch.
The Leslies are avid skydivers - Kathy has about 2,400 jumps under her belt and her husband, Fred, has 5,600 - and wanted to do something special to commemorate the Discovery launch. They jumped from an aircraft over Deland, Fla., and timed it so they could get a photograph with Discovery taking off in the background.
The jump had a special meaning to Fred, who is a former astronaut and works for NASA. He wanted a picture of himself wearing the flight suit he wore on a 1995 mission aboard Space Shuttle Columbia.
Credit: Fred and Kathy Leslie via The Huntsville Times
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-26-2011 10:32 AM
Folks, the space shuttle is going off the right side of the aircraft right now. Those of you on the right side of the aircraft, you can see the space shuttle. People on the left side of the aircraft, you can probably see people on the right side of the aircraft looking at the space shuttle.
Lasv3 Member
Posts: 410 From: Bratislava, Slovakia Registered: Apr 2009
posted 02-26-2011 11:21 AM
Just saw both vehicles pass directly over my head, Discovery following the ISS, clear skies above Bratislava, WONDERFUL view! Too sad it's probably been last time to see such a pair together. I enjoyed the three minutes to the last second...
issman1 Member
Posts: 1042 From: UK Registered: Apr 2005
posted 02-26-2011 12:50 PM
I just observed the ISS fly overhead from my location in England, but could not see the shuttle Discovery.
gliderpilotuk Member
Posts: 3398 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
posted 02-26-2011 01:06 PM
Yep, saw the ISS clearly from London at 18:36 GMT but not the shuttle as there was thin cloud.
Lasv3 Member
Posts: 410 From: Bratislava, Slovakia Registered: Apr 2009
posted 02-26-2011 01:58 PM
I saw it one orbit earlier than you guys (18:05 local time, 17:05 GMT) when the distance between the vehicles was bigger. When you observed they might have been already too close to be seen separately (just guessing).
Rob Joyner Member
Posts: 1308 From: GA, USA Registered: Jan 2004
posted 02-27-2011 05:01 AM
What a nail biter this one was! Because I didn't get one of KSC's LTTs I went with Gator Tours and had to be in Titusville by 7:00am to board their bus. After a few free hours at the VC another hour+ was spent in line to get back on the bus, a line that literally went from the KSC bus boarding entrance and snaked it's way through the Rocket Garden on the other side a few times! And this was just one of many different lines. This was definitely the most crowded I've ever seen the VC. By the way, if anyone was at Discovery's previous scrubs and/or got the related souvenir T-shirt, bronze coin or mission program, yes, they were all updated to include Bowen. So now I've got both versions!
Once out at the causeway a few more hours had to go by before seeing Discovery make her last climb into space. Finally it got down to less than an hour. "90% good weather and no technical issues" - said that glorious voice on the PA system! And then - it all screeched to an unbelievable halt. "No go." I felt like I got punched in the stomach! I couldn't believe that because of a computer screen I'd have to try and talk my way out of work and endure the ocean of people all over again the next day. I wonder just how many prayers were said that afternoon?! Of course, I believe it was mine that did the trick. "We're go for launch!" I can't think of any other words I would have rather heard then! By the loud cheers and excitement there at the causeway you would have thought everyone had won the lottery. Well, in a way, I guess we did.
As Discovery cleared the tower it was hard not to let thoughts like 'last time' or 'never again' enter your mind as you watched. As usual, she was high in the sky by the time the roar of the SRBs crackled over the causeway 30 seconds later. And then, in just a minute and a half, that welcome and familiar sound had faded and was gone - and so was Discovery, having disappeared behind the clouds. She's gone and I'll never see her again in person until she's in a museum, I thought.
After sitting at the causeway for at least another half hour the bus finally started out. One of the pros for taking Gator Tours is that after a launch they go directly past the VC and take you back to where you were picked up, getting a head start on those on the KSC busses and spectators departing the VC. I had to make myself remember that there were thousands of others who were going to get to their destination a lot later than myself, and this was after taking until 7:30pm just to get to U.S. 1! When you hear people say that traffic was at a stand-still somewhere, well, they ain't got nothin' on what went on in Titusville that night. Traffic was so thick it took almost two hours just to go the next few miles back to our cars - and then I had a three hour drive home! Discovery had already circled Earth three times before I even left Titusville! Needless to say, morning came quite early the next day. But was it worth it? You bet it was. At least I'll know what to expect when Endeavour launches. I heard they're already expecting well over 400,000 spectators and probably a whole lot more! And then for Atlantis' final launch...a million. You've been warned!
Anyone know anything about the black spot that was on the upper back area of the ET during lift off?
icarkie Member
Posts: 618 From: BURTON ON TRENT /England Registered: Nov 2002
posted 02-27-2011 12:00 PM
quote:Originally posted by issman1: I just observed the ISS fly overhead from my location in England, but could not see the shuttle Discovery.
Same here.
Saw the ISS at 6:36pm here in the midlands (UK), I got outside before half past... nothing. I then put NASA TV on (6:50pm) and it was about 30 feet from docking (over OZ).
So the shuttle must have been closer to the ISS then the Heavens Above site had timed. Still good to watch though.
Walter II Member
Posts: 36 From: WV Registered: Jul 2006
posted 02-27-2011 12:02 PM
I was able to view the launch of Discovery from the turn basin. This launch would probably have to be the most exciting yet for me. With everything looking great, then disappointment from the RSO and then hearing "GO" and the cheers from the crowd, it was just awesome. I was shaking from excitement and adrenaline after the launch.
quote:Originally posted by Rick Mulheirn: Beautiful shot Walter...
Thanks, Rick! Conditions were great for photos, couldn't have been happier.
stsmithva Member
Posts: 1933 From: Fairfax, VA, USA Registered: Feb 2007
posted 02-27-2011 12:52 PM
...a photograph with Discovery taking off in the background. The jump had a special meaning to Fred, who is a former astronaut and works for NASA.
WOW. That shot would be cool even if it had been just anyone; the fact that it was an astronaut who had flown on the shuttle makes it even better.
I'm glad so many cS members had good experiences viewing the launch.
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3120 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 02-27-2011 03:05 PM
I've just seen two consecutive passes of ISS/Discovery from my back garden. The first lasted over 5 minutes, with the docked combination piercing Orion through the heart.
Yesterday, I looked for Discovery alongside ISS between 1835 and 1841 but I was without binoculars and they looked like a single vehicle. Having just seen a live view of Discovery from the ISS on CNN, I realised that the gap between the vehicles was too small to be resolved by the naked eye (or at least my naked eye: maybe I should have cleaned my glasses better!) Anyway, it was (literally) a brilliant sight.
Wish I could have seen the launch live in Florida! I did try, but I had anticipated all of the traffic problems described by others and had decided that the best way to cope with the traffic and the possibility of one or more scrubs was to stay in Titusville. Unfortunately the usual places to stay were full. There are two places perfectly located on the shore of the Indian River but (and I'll not name names) anyone who has checked the reviews of those establishments on Tripadvisor and other sites will perhaps understand why I didn't book, even though rooms were available. Let's say I was put off by reports of the "extras" which came free with the accommodation. If I've done those establishments an injustice, then clearly the bad reviews have been effective. I can't understand why one of the big hotel chains didn't build a quality place to stay right on the Indian River instead of several miles inland. Imagine stepping out onto your balcony to watch the launch and just doing the same thing the next day in the event of a scrub. Too late now - the time to do it would have been 20 years ago.
Fezman92 Member
Posts: 1031 From: New Jersey, USA Registered: Mar 2010
posted 02-27-2011 04:02 PM
I've gotten clouds whenever I try to look for it. The next time I will get a good look is on March 7th, where I can see both for three minutes.
NavySpaceFan Member
Posts: 655 From: Norfolk, VA Registered: May 2007
posted 02-28-2011 08:56 AM
I saw the launch from the Rocket Garden at the KSC Visitor's Center, WOW!!!!!! Also had two successful book signings, one at the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum (great folks there!!!) and at the KSC Visitor's Center Space Store (where I signed with Astronaut Mike Mullane). Great experience!!!!!!
Edited to Add: Also had the chance to meet two cSers, Tom (tegwilym) and Tim (KSCArtist), great meeting you guys!!!!!
MrSpace86 Member
Posts: 1618 From: Gardner, KS, USA Registered: Feb 2003
posted 02-28-2011 10:53 AM
So is Titusville better than Cocoa Beach for viewing?
Walter II Member
Posts: 36 From: WV Registered: Jul 2006
posted 02-28-2011 12:15 PM
quote:Originally posted by MrSpace86: So is Titusville better than Cocoa Beach for viewing?
Titusville is great for viewing, that is where I watch the shuttle launch from when I don't have access to KSC. I believe the pad is a couple miles closer at Titusville, compared to the causeway at Cape Canaveral/Cocoa.
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3120 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 02-28-2011 05:56 PM
I'm looking at an enlargement of a beautiful photograph taken from directly above KSC by one of the Skylab crews. The distance from Pad 39A to the point on the Causeway where I saw the launch of STS-117 is just about half the distance from Pad 39A to the Astronaut Hall of Fame viewing area in Titusville. I had always hoped to see a night-launch from Titusville, but that seems very unlikely now...
328KF Member
Posts: 1234 From: Registered: Apr 2008
posted 03-01-2011 09:43 AM
Looking at the TV during the PMM berthing, it appears that the view from the cupola is not what it used to be. I remember that this was not the originally intended location for the cupola, and the PMM module was a late addition, but what effect will this have on the SSRMS operations?
It's looks like someone built a new beach house next door that blocks your view of the ocean.
tegwilym Member
Posts: 2331 From: Sturgeon Bay, WI Registered: Jan 2000
posted 03-01-2011 04:01 PM
I wrote up my experiences of the launch on my blog site, Eastside Astro-Blog.
Great launch, nice few days in the sun away from the Seattle rain/snow/cold. Probably my last launch and who knows when I'll get back to Florida again after this.
Hart Sastrowardoyo Member
Posts: 3445 From: Toms River, NJ Registered: Aug 2000
posted 03-01-2011 04:59 PM
Any listing of the OFK?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 03-01-2011 05:53 PM
I received the revised OFK the day before launch and will be publishing it a bit later in the mission.
Rob Joyner Member
Posts: 1308 From: GA, USA Registered: Jan 2004
posted 03-01-2011 06:15 PM
Tom, I think we probably yelled "YEAAAHHHH!!!" about the same time!
tegwilym Member
Posts: 2331 From: Sturgeon Bay, WI Registered: Jan 2000
posted 03-01-2011 11:46 PM
quote:Originally posted by Rob Joyner: Tom, I think we probably yelled "YEAAAHHHH!!!" about the same time!
Oh that was you screaming over there? Ha!
Third time was just as amazing as my first. I'll miss those birds.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 03-04-2011 08:29 AM
NASA Television video release
New Views of Discovery's Launch from Shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters
Video taken by six cameras mounted on Discovery's recovered solid rocket boosters offer unique views of the shuttle's Feb. 24 launch on STS-133.
posted 02-25-2011 12:53 AM
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