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Author
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Topic: STS-134: Viewing, questions, and comments
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crash
Member Posts: 318
From: West Sussex, England
Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 04-25-2011 06:50 AM
   
quote:
Originally posted by drjeffbang:
Does anyone know if there is wifi available there?
As far as I am aware there is no wifi signal at KSCVC of any kind. I was there on Tuesday and Wednesday last week and my iPhone couldn't pick-up anything at all, locked or unlocked. |
Mr Meek
Member Posts: 353
From: Chattanooga, TN
Registered: Dec 2007
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posted 04-25-2011 08:03 AM
Mrs. Meek and I will be on the Causeway, along with some friends from Huntsville. Though I was down there for Ares I-X, this will be my first attempt at seeing a shuttle launch. At the very least, Melissa and I won't be telling our future kids "Coulda, woulda, shoulda" when it comes to trying to see a shuttle launch. However, I'm hoping that everything cooperates, and we'll be able to give a firsthand account of the launch viewing experience one day -- preferably while standing at the business end of Pathfinder at the USSRC. (Is it bad that I plan to freak my kids out the same way my father did to me at that museum? "I'm not sure if it's loaded or not, son, let's go stand under it" is a scary phrase when you're 4.  ) |
drjeffbang
Member Posts: 110
From: Virginia
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 04-25-2011 03:49 PM
We're driving down to Titusville on Wednesday afternoon. We just got our new plates.  Honk if you see us...  |
MarylandSpace
Member Posts: 1336
From:
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 04-25-2011 04:01 PM
Awesome plates Jeff. |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-25-2011 04:53 PM
Very cool plates Jeff. How long have you had those and what are your plans after? |
drjeffbang
Member Posts: 110
From: Virginia
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 04-25-2011 05:14 PM
Virginia is a state that has always been popular for vanity plates. I ordered them 8 days ago. They arrived this morning. I waited until I was sure we could go! I'll keep them until my daughter gets tired of them. She is getting very excited about the upcoming launch.
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DC Giants
Member Posts: 135
From: Kansas City, MO USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 04-26-2011 06:50 PM
According to NASA, the weather is a 80% go at this point for the launch Friday. I am going to view it from the causeway - getting excited! |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-26-2011 07:53 PM
I am heading down tomorrow. Getting up dark (5AM) and early for the two day drive. See you all (kind?) there! |
MarylandSpace
Member Posts: 1336
From:
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 04-27-2011 01:32 PM
It is 2:30 pm Wednesday and the USPS just delivered my KSC launch viewing ticket promised by noon today.I will hit the road in several minutes hoping to arrive in Florida tomorrow by 11:00 am tomorrow to spend some time at KSC. Special thanks to Jeff Bang and his family for allowing me to ride with them Friday to the launch. I am thankful for all of my collectSPACE friends. |
MikeSpace
unregistered
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posted 04-28-2011 01:38 AM
I'm now realizing how precious the opportunity I had last November when STS-133 was scrubbed the day before the 2010 ASF Astronaut Autograph and Memoriobilia Show.I know some fellow cS-ers were there. I still have my vehicle placard. |
drjeffbang
Member Posts: 110
From: Virginia
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 04-28-2011 10:50 AM
Quick pit stop in Jax and on our way! |
ejectr
Member Posts: 1751
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 04-28-2011 11:53 AM
Why is NASA TV showing other programs besides the launch coverage? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-28-2011 12:02 PM
Because (a) NASA does other things than launch space shuttles, and (b) at the moment, there aren't launch activities to be shown... coverage will resume with this evening's retraction of the rotating service structure. |
ejectr
Member Posts: 1751
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 04-28-2011 12:08 PM
LOL... I thought today was Friday! That happens when one retires sometimes. Like Crocodile Dundee... don't know what day it is and don't care. |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-28-2011 04:01 PM
Well we just checked into our Orlando hotel. Plan to drive out to KSC this afternoon/night to see the Endeavour on the pad and get some photos. Will be on the causeway tomorrow. Can't wait. If you see someone on the causeway with curly hair, an Endeavour flag and a camera with a 300mm telephoto lens stop by because that's me. |
drjeffbang
Member Posts: 110
From: Virginia
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 04-29-2011 10:28 AM
We're at the Visitors Complex w/ Garry/Maryland Space. Early rain has cleared, and we have done the Shuttle Launch Experience! |
johnraiders
Member Posts: 78
From: Cobham, UK
Registered: Sep 2009
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posted 04-29-2011 11:19 AM
Scrubbed, at least 48 hours.  |
jimsz
Member Posts: 616
From:
Registered: Aug 2006
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posted 04-29-2011 11:29 AM
Launch is scrubbed. Anyone have a percentage on how many shuttle launches actually happened on schedule? NASA has to have a poor percentage. |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1522
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 04-29-2011 11:35 AM
When you think of the myriad technical and weather variables that have to be within tolerances, I often think it's a miracle they can ever get off the ground. Better safe than sorry!At least it was a daytime launch that was scrubbed. I was NOT a happy camper when they scrubbed Endeavour's STS-130 launch at close to 4:30 a.m., after I had been sitting out in a cold wind on the Causeway all night. I was so tired when they lit the candle the following morning that I could barely keep my eyes open. |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2454
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 04-29-2011 11:40 AM
Silly question time. Can someone tell me why the digital countdown clock often shown in NASA TV coverage continued to countdown long after the launch was scrubbed? It was quite a sorry sight to see folks still setting up their cameras when everyone else seemed to know that there was going to be nothing to film. |
issman1
Member Posts: 1042
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 04-29-2011 11:40 AM
APU problems usually result in a long delay (STS-31 was two-weeks). |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 2475
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 04-29-2011 12:08 PM
Now a minimum 72 hours before a possible launch Monday at 2:33 EDT. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-29-2011 01:30 PM
quote:
Originally posted by jimsz:
Anyone have a percentage on how many shuttle launches actually happened on schedule?
A database analysis by the Associated Press in 2007 showed that 47 of the 118 previous space shuttle missions had taken off on their originally scheduled day. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-29-2011 01:32 PM
Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach's comments about today's scrub are now on our Flight Day Journal: Suspected short scrubs Endeavour launch |
drjeffbang
Member Posts: 110
From: Virginia
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 04-29-2011 01:46 PM
What a shame. Great weather today now at KSC! |
crash
Member Posts: 318
From: West Sussex, England
Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 04-29-2011 04:26 PM
Fezman92, sorry, didn't see you out there to say 'Hi' but then I was only on the grass for about two minutes... Grrr!I can't make the next launch but I hope you do. Have a good one. |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-29-2011 05:30 PM
I didn't get to KSC. We were in line for an hour, got on the bus and were on the bus for about 10 minutes before they scrubbed the launch. Trying to figure out if I can stay. Will find out tonight. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-29-2011 06:50 PM
Flight Day Journal: Managers: Endeavour has shot at Monday launch |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-29-2011 08:06 PM
Got off the phone with my parents and I will be able to stay for Monday. Tomorrow my friend, his father and I are going up to VA whilst my parents are driving down to VA. We will met up and my parents and I will drive back down here while my friend and his dad go home. Fingers crossed for a Monday launch. |
OLDIE
Member Posts: 268
From: Portsmouth, England
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted 04-30-2011 02:46 AM
My sympathy goes to all you guys. At least over here we had THE WEDDING to watch.(I'd hoped to see the launch online, and then see the shuttle pass over the U.K. but I guess I'll have to wait a while -- anyway it was a cloudy night!) |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-01-2011 09:08 AM
NASA has determined it is not possible to launch shuttle Endeavour on Monday. A new "no earlier than" date will be decided tomorrow, but just based on the amount of time needed to complete the repair, a next launch attempt will not happen before the end of the week, at the soonest. |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1522
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 05-01-2011 10:04 AM
There's an Atlas 5 launch scheduled early Friday afternoon from SLC 41. According to the Washington Post, that launch has priority. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-01-2011 10:11 AM
Yes, as discussed in yesterday's Flight Day Journal entry: If a Monday liftoff is not an option, then NASA will have until Wednesday to attempt launching Endeavour before having to stand down for an Atlas rocket launch of a military satellite."There's an Atlas that is scheduled for launch right now on the 6th, so our last launch attempt would be on Wednesday the 4th, in front of that Atlas launch," said mission management chair Mike Moses. "If we had to go on the other side of [the Atlas], we'd come back probably around the 8th or 9th," said Moses. "Those aren't really good launch days from the [space] station's perspective." A May 8 liftoff would couple Endeavour's departure from the International Space Station with Russia's Soyuz TMA-20 undocking and NASA would rather that those two events not occur on the same day. "We are going to have to go do some homework and talk to the Russians about exactly the right way to deconflict that. |
SpaceAngel
Member Posts: 307
From: Maryland
Registered: May 2010
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posted 05-01-2011 12:17 PM
With the delay of STS-134, will this have any effect for the June 28th launch of STS-135? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-01-2011 01:32 PM
According to space shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach, at this time, the delay to STS-134 has no affect on STS-135. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over from OPF-1 to the VAB on May 10 and roll out to the pad on May 20. So long as Endeavour gets off with enough time to turnaround the launch pad (about eight days), then there shouldn't be an impact. |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 05-01-2011 09:07 PM
Found out about the delay when we were driving back down. Just got back to NJ. I really hope they push it back to May 14th sometime after that because I have finals next week. |
kr4mula
Member Posts: 642
From: Cinci, OH
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 05-02-2011 11:07 AM
My post-experience report from the STS-134 scrub:My four year old son and I had the Gator/Grey Line Causeway tickets. We got picked up at 6am at Disney and had a quick trip out to the KSCVC, with light traffic almost the entire way. Our guide (Greg) said it looked like both vehicle and people traffic was nowhere near what was expected. The Visitors Center felt pretty crowded to me! We had about two hours before we had to return to the buses to get to the Causeway. We were only able to get some breakfast and buy a few souvenirs/toys for my son before standing in a huge line to get back to the bus. Everyone there was very courteous, though, so kudos to our fellow space enthusiasts. After making it through that and sitting on the bus again for a while to get to the Causeway, we were all excited to finally be underway. Just as we were pulling onto the Causeway viewing area, some of my fellow passengers began reporting the scrub, which was soon officially confirmed. For whatever reason, they made all the buses park there and let the passengers get off for about 30 minutes, before re-boarding and sending us on our way. I managed to get a few pictures of the shuttle on the pad just out the bus window because my son had fallen asleep in my lap during the ride. Traffic back to Orlando was nowhere near as bad as predicted and we were back there within about two hours of leaving the Causeway. My son was pretty sad to miss the launch, but I was probably more disappointed for him since he won't have the chance to see a shuttle launch again. I hope that if he does get to grow up to be an astronaut like he says, that he will be launching on something much cooler. |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 05-02-2011 04:07 PM
I just got an email from the NASA Congressional office and they said that: NASA engineers are continuing to evaluate the requirements for repairing the auxiliary power unit, which caused Friday’s launch scrub. Based on the assessment today, NASA is tentatively targeting the STS-134 launch for Tuesday, May 10th, 2011, at approximately 11:20 am Eastern time. However, this target date is dependent on the results of repairs being conducted at the launch pad and the planned Atlas V rocket launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Friday, May 6th.
NASA engineers will make a determination late on Friday, May 6th about the feasibility of a May 10th launch date. |
MikeSpace
unregistered
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posted 05-02-2011 05:36 PM
Anyone else going to be down for the AHOF ceremonies? A May 10 launch is three days after. Tempting for sure. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-02-2011 05:42 PM
Flight Day Journal: Endeavour's final flight no earlier than May 10(According to shuttle team members at both Kennedy and Johnson space centers, while May 10 is possible if everything proceeds smoothly from this point forward, May 11 may be a more realistic launch date...) |
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