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Author
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Topic: STS-134: Viewing, questions, and comments
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-19-2011 10:17 PM
   
quote:
Originally posted by music_space:
How come no EVA work was needed?
An umbilical assembly for power and data was mated by remote control. AMS was attached to the station using a motorized claw mechanism that locked it onto three pins. No spacewalkers necessary... |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 05-21-2011 09:08 PM
Noticed that on the flight day 7 execute package, the joke was May 21st Rapture related.  |
irish guy
Member Posts: 287
From: Kerry Ireland
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 05-22-2011 01:55 PM
Well that's a man I've not heard the voice of in years!Listening to today's EVA the voice of Dan Tani working capcom. Great guy and great golfer! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-25-2011 08:01 PM
NASA released the video today showing Endeavour's launch from perspective of cameras mounted on each of its solid rocket boosters. |
music_space
Member Posts: 1179
From: Canada
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 05-26-2011 09:42 PM
What stupendous footage! You see it all: poking through the clouds (to and fro), the launch site (aft cameras, right before SEP), the contrail, its shadow, drogue deployment, main deployment including one that tears, the Sun. The cloud pattern vividly enhance the distances perception. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 05-28-2011 01:24 AM
Just in case you were wondering what we're going to give up. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 05-30-2011 05:23 AM
I saw Endeavour and the ISS fly almost directly overhead early this morning about 5 minutes after the Sep 3 burn. They were very bright and very close but separated. The 2 spacecraft were only a few thousand feet apart at the time.I wonder if the flash of a separation burn can be seen from the ground. |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3120
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 05-30-2011 04:34 PM
I have just seen a digital image of the ISS seen from "Endeavour" shortly after undocking. It occurred to me that every time I see a picture of the ISS, the 8 solar panels seem to be pointed in random directions. On this occasion the 8 panels were pointed in four different directions. Why is this? Surely to generate maximum power, ALL 8 panels should be pointed in the same direction, i.e. towards the sun? (Or does that generate too much power?) |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-30-2011 05:27 PM
Generally, the arrays are oriented in unison but during undock and flyaround, they are positioned to minimize exposure to thruster plumes (and in this case of this undock and flyaround, additional configuration was made to support the STORRM visual navigation test). |
canyon42
Member Posts: 238
From: Ohio
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 05-31-2011 10:33 AM
Dragged my daughters out of bed yesterday morning at 4:45 to watch the shuttle and station pass over us here in southwest Ohio. I wasn't sure how far apart the two would be since the undocking was only a few hours earlier -- in fact, as I told my girls, it was possible they were still so close that we might have trouble seeing them as separate. That turned out not to be the case -- they appeared as a single "star" at first sight low in the west, but separated out to individual objects as they climbed overhead. Just a guess, maybe about a quarter of a degree apart -- or as one daughter put it, "They look like they're half an inch apart in the sky."  An awesome sight it was. |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 05-31-2011 11:34 AM
I stayed up to watch the pass, but because of the light pollution in my area, I couldn't see it which bummed me out. But I did wave in their direction. Same thing happened to me a few days ago when they had a 4 minute pass. |
issman1
Member Posts: 1042
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 05-31-2011 12:15 PM
I was hoping to see Endeavour fly overhead but could only sight the ISS. |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 05-31-2011 05:00 PM
In S134-E-010658, the thing on top that looks like a Dalek, is that a docking hatch? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-31-2011 09:19 PM
That is Pressurized Mating Adapter-2 (PMA-2) where the space shuttle docks. |
Cozmosis22
Member Posts: 968
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 05-31-2011 09:19 PM
Looks like if they go with the second KSC landing opportunity tonight on Orbit 249 the ground track will bring the orbiter close to Brownsville, Texas and out over the Gulf. Any idea how far north that would be visible? Have seen a shuttle night time reentry go overhead and it was a truly AMAZING sight! |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 05-31-2011 11:23 PM
The Flight Certificates for the STS-134 Fly Your Face in Space are available. Downloaded both of mine. This landing is going to get to me I know it....  |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 06-01-2011 11:42 AM
Did they mark the spot where Endeavour's front wheel stopped so they can put a plaque there like the did for Discovery? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-01-2011 01:44 PM
As matter of engineering course, they always marked the spot where the vehicle can to rest (and STS-134 was no exception). And while I am aware the idea of a plaque has been entertained, I'm not sure that any (for STS-133 or otherwise) has been established as of yet. I could be mistaken. |
Tykeanaut
Member Posts: 2212
From: Worcestershire, England, UK.
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 06-02-2011 11:41 AM
Question from a friend of mine to which I don't have the answer. Does anyone know please? Did you notice what I can only describe as flames leaping up at the front of the base of the vertical tail? Was this exhaust from the Auxiliary Power Unit or what? |
NavySpaceFan
Member Posts: 655
From: Norfolk, VA
Registered: May 2007
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posted 06-02-2011 11:41 AM
Yep! That was exhaust from Endeavour's APUs. |
SpaceAngel
Member Posts: 307
From: Maryland
Registered: May 2010
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posted 06-02-2011 01:59 PM
Does anyone remember from Mike Leinbach says when "Endeavour" will go on display at the California Science Museum; I forget what he said. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-02-2011 02:18 PM
If I recall correctly, he didn't; he was speaking broadly about when NASA would be ready have the orbiter(s) ready (next year), but not when the California Science Center would be ready to accept delivery (which won't be for quite some time). |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 06-02-2011 03:02 PM
I was talking to the advertising and marketing director of the CSC and she said that "The Endeavour display has not been designed yet... Please be aware that the shuttle display may take a couple years to be complete." That was today. |
Cozmosis22
Member Posts: 968
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 06-02-2011 03:32 PM
Believe it was Mike Moses during the post landing press conference who stated that Endeavour looked to be in great condition during the walkaround on the strip and said (what everyone knows but is not supposed to say) that she "could fly another twenty years." |
dogcrew5369
Member Posts: 750
From: Statesville, NC
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 06-02-2011 03:56 PM
quote:
Originally posted by NavySpaceFan:
Yep! That was exhaust from Endeavour's APUs.
As a note on APU exhaust and the media, I remember watching CNN back in '89 cover the landing of STS-33 which was at night. The camera view was in the infrared and Bernard Shaw was doing the commentary. With wheels stop and Bernie doing his post-landing bit he almost went into hysterics when he noticed the APU exhaust puffs coming from the tail of Discovery and thought the ship was on fire! Seemed like a long time, but seconds later he was comforted by someone who knew what it was. Apparently he wasn't shuttle savvy. Always go back to that moment when I see a night landing. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-02-2011 06:31 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Cozmosis22:
(what everyone knows but is not supposed to say)
Just about every shuttle manager (e.g. John Shannon, LeRoy Cain, Mike Moses, Mike Leinbach... even Bill Gerstenmaier) has said during press briefings that the shuttles could continue to fly safely if called upon. It's not a secret; they've addressed it freely.Shuttle retirement is all about freeing up the funds in NASA's stagnant, if not more likely, shrinking budget to move beyond low Earth orbit. Since 2005's return to flight, there have been no technical reasons to retire the orbiters (including the Columbia Accident Investigation Board's recommendation to re-certify the orbiters in 2010, which has been accomplished through inspections conducted during the down time between missions). |
328KF
Member Posts: 1234
From:
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 06-02-2011 09:02 PM
Robert...Outstanding photos of Endeavour post-landing that you posted earlier! You never see shots like that from NASA. I like the STS-135 crew with Atlantis in the background too.Must have been a long night for you, but I'll bet you didn't mind at all. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-02-2011 09:49 PM
Thanks! It was a very long, very rewarding, very memorable and emotional night. It began at 3:30 a.m. CDT on May 31, attending the deorbit media briefing — at Johnson Space Center in Houston — and then going straight to the airport and catching a flight to Florida. I arrived at Kennedy Space Center at 1 p.m. EDT and worked on writing articles until about 7 p.m., when we were taken over to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to photograph Atlantis begin its rollout to the launch pad. After first motion (at about 8:45 p.m.), it was a dash out of the VAB to the roof of the Launch Control Center (LCC) to photograph Atlantis as it rolled further down the crawlerway. The STS-135 crew had been scheduled to talk to the media gathered back at the press site at 8:30 p.m. but they were delayed, which meant we arrived back from the LCC just in time to catch the end of their comments and snap a few photos of them with Atlantis receding in the background. I had about an hour to process Atlantis photos when it was time to start preparing for Endeavour's return to Earth. The "go" for the deorbit burn came early (12:45 on June 1), so it was back to the bus, this time for a ride to the Shuttle Landing Facility. Endeavour touched down at 2:34 a.m. It was my first attempt at photographing a night landing (you can see my one barely passable shot on the Flight Day Journal). Once back at the press site, I was watching (on TV) the STS-134 crew perform their walkaround of Endeavour when the completely unexpected opportunity presented itself to go back out to the runway with a small group of photographers to do our own walkaround. It was amazing being that close to the vehicle that soon after landing. It was still "alive" and the flurry of surrounding activity as technicians prepared Endeavour to be towed back to the Orbiter Processing Facility was a marvel to watch. I cherished every moment and hope the photos convey some of the excitement and wonderment of the moment. But the night was not over. Up next, media had the choice between a sunrise photo op with Atlantis on the launch pad or towback of Endeavour to its hangar. I chose neither, wanting to process my walkaround shots and knowing I was scheduled to go up on the pad with Atlantis later that morning. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans and thunderstorms meant that pad access was shutdown just about when it was my turn to go out to photograph Atlantis. But that was minor damper on what was otherwise a tremendous 18 hours (amid 48 hours awake, as I had been awake for all but four hours of sporadic napping since 6 p.m. May 30th and didn't get back to Houston and a waiting bed until 6 p.m. June 1.) |
328KF
Member Posts: 1234
From:
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 06-02-2011 10:14 PM
Don't feel too bad about the landing shot... my first attempt at photographing a night launch, STS-44, from the VIP site was a disaster. Pretty frustrating after lugging all that gear on the airline down there.Ben Cooper over at SpaceflightNow.com got some of the best night landing shots I have seen. In one you can see the wingtip vortices, the APU flame, and even some vapor coming off of the main landing gear. Takes a lot of practice to get a photo like that! He has a great website, too. Anyway, your best shots are those in your mind, and I'm sure you won't soon forget such a unique opportunity as that night. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-02-2011 10:39 PM
After hearing from Ben the story behind his excellent Endeavour shots, I am convinced that a night landing has to be the most difficult shuttle-related photo to capture. It leaves me hoping that Atlantis lands on July 20 as planned, as it will be about 30 minutes after sunrise. Even a single day launch slip or weather extension will result in the final shuttle landing touching down in the dark. |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 2475
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 06-03-2011 04:45 AM
Robert, thanks for all you do, I cannot think of anyone more deserving of doing the post landing walk around (and then sharing it with all of us). A July 20th landing would be cool in a couple of ways. First a sunrise landing is really beautiful as the shuttle lands and catches the sun at altitude while it is still somewhat dawn on the ground level. Then there is the significance of that date, then that would mean it launched on the scheduled date with no scrubs and all of us that will be making the final trek to see the launch would have been very pleased. By the way, did you get any photos or have seen any photos of the damaged tiles post landing? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-03-2011 08:35 AM
Thanks Fred. I don't know if I deserved it any more than anyone else, but I do strongly believe that if photos like these are to be shared with any audience, our members and readers should be first in line.As for the damaged tiles, we were kept to a perimeter of 25 feet from Endeavour at all times, so there was no opportunity to photograph the underside of the vehicle. I have yet to see any photos of the orbiter's belly. |
irish guy
Member Posts: 287
From: Kerry Ireland
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 06-06-2011 01:40 PM
It would appear that Endeavour was on fire after all! |
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