STS-123 |
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STS-123 |
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#1
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Newbie ![]() Group: Members Posts: 10 Joined: 17-November 07 From: in a IA corn field Member No.: 3963 ![]() |
Looks like we are ready to rock and roll
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The seven STS-123 astronauts have arrived at Pad 39A where shuttle Endeavour awaits a 2:28:12 a.m. EDT (0628:12 GMT) liftoff. The astronauts will enter Endeavour one by one, beginning with veteran shuttle commander Dominic 'Dom' Gorie, to prepare for this evening’s launch. The launch team is not working any technical issues and the countdown so far has been smooth and uneventful. |
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#2
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 ![]() |
Well -- not a completely nominal launch, here. Right at the throttle-up Go point, Capcom called up that there was "no action" on RCS error lights that were coming on in the cabin, saying "we'll talk about them later." And well prior to orbital insertion, the crew got instructed to begin a malfunction procedure to "recover" the flash evaporator system. PAO says all cooling systems are in good shape, but you don't initiate a mal procedure for the fun of it...
Also, immediately prior to MECO, they got a call that they were Go for the plus-X maneuver and No-Go for the pitch maneuver. RCS problems? And BTW -- the final minute of insertion through orbiter sep from the ET Cam vantage are absolutely stunning!!! -the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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#3
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 ![]() |
A "left RCS issue" is possibly being caused by a bad card in an electronics box. Endeavour is on orbit -- but may have a few operational constraints, here.
-the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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#4
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Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1870 Joined: 20-February 05 Member No.: 174 ![]() |
Good launch, except for the cloud deck. At 6300 feet, it was opaque. There may have been some interesting fading glow-effects from shuttle-light above the clouds that the TV didn't show, live or during replays, but.... The tank-cam showed they punched through a second cloud deck, probably cirrus, at considerably higher altitude than the first.
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#5
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Junior Member ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 83 Joined: 19-April 05 Member No.: 251 ![]() |
Missed it last night. Someone got a link to the video please?
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#6
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 ![]() |
That looked like a high cloud deck to me, too -- but I will point out that it appeared just before the crew got the call-out about an RCS leak condition. While it's most likely it was a high cloud deck, it could possibly have been a minor dump of RCS fuel.
-the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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#7
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![]() Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 321 Joined: 6-April 06 From: Cape Canaveral Member No.: 734 ![]() |
That looked like a high cloud deck to me, too -- but I will point out that it appeared just before the crew got the call-out about an RCS leak condition. While it's most likely it was a high cloud deck, it could possibly have been a minor dump of RCS fuel. -the other Doug There wasn't a leak and RCS doesn't dump |
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#8
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Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1870 Joined: 20-February 05 Member No.: 174 ![]() |
They punched through two major, maybe a fainter middle, layers in the cirrus (or whatever) deck, as the upper one falls away, you can see some structure in it as the spacecraft climbs away at great speed (compared to what you see with low clouds), and it receeds and darkens rapidly.
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#9
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 ![]() |
There wasn't a leak and RCS doesn't dump I will point out that, in the first 20 minutes of the flight, the word "leak" was used three times when the RCS issue was discussed. Not by PAO, either -- by Houston. -the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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#10
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Newbie ![]() Group: Members Posts: 10 Joined: 17-November 07 From: in a IA corn field Member No.: 3963 ![]() |
Missed it last night. Someone got a link to the video please? Here is a good link for vid download http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/inde...38&Itemid=1 |
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#11
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Junior Member ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 83 Joined: 19-April 05 Member No.: 251 ![]() |
Thanks!
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#12
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Newbie ![]() Group: Members Posts: 10 Joined: 17-November 07 From: in a IA corn field Member No.: 3963 ![]() |
Astronauts Transport Pallet of Robot Pieces to Space Station
13 March 2008 3:42 a.m. EDT HOUSTON – Almost immediately after successfully docking with the International Space Station (ISS), which occurred at 11:49 p.m. EDT (0349 GMT March 13) on Wednesday, shuttle astronauts began transporting the pieces of a giant robot from the shuttle to the ISS. Known as Dextre, the two-armed robot now latched onto a large pallet is set to be assembled this evening when spacewalkers Rick Linnehan and Garrett Reisman venture outside of the space station. Has anyone heard any more about the RCS errors?? |
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#13
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2922 Joined: 14-February 06 From: Very close to the Pyrénées Mountains (France) Member No.: 682 ![]() |
In case you missed it, run to this clip : http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/vide...y10/replay3.php
It show the whole lift off up to orbit from inside the cabin with voice footage. A must -------------------- |
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#14
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![]() Merciless Robot ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Admin Posts: 8784 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 ![]() |
That was a real treat!!! Thanks for posting this link, Climber!
![]() -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Guest_Sunspot_* |
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#15
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Guests ![]() |
Aren't these the same video clips that are available for a fee on spaceflightnow.com? How are they allowed to charge for clips from NASA TV?
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#16
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Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1585 Joined: 14-October 05 From: Vermont Member No.: 530 ![]() |
I don't think the US government asserts copyrights or legal protections of any kind on its media, so there is nothing to protect people from taking government data and charging for it. You could see analogies in maps, weather data, census data, etc.
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#17
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523 ![]() |
It show the whole lift off up to orbit from inside the cabin with voice footage. A must Did anybody else notice light pulses illuminating the back seats from around 8:30 till 9:00 and then after 10:00 again? Is that plasma from RCS thruster firings? -------------------- |
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#18
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2922 Joined: 14-February 06 From: Very close to the Pyrénées Mountains (France) Member No.: 682 ![]() |
ISS view from departing Shuttles is getting better and better : http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/gallery/image.../ndxpage46.html
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#19
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2922 Joined: 14-February 06 From: Very close to the Pyrénées Mountains (France) Member No.: 682 ![]() |
Endeavour's coming back home as I write.
Landing scheduled at 8.39 PM EDT at the Cape -------------------- |
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#20
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2922 Joined: 14-February 06 From: Very close to the Pyrénées Mountains (France) Member No.: 682 ![]() |
OK, Endeavour's back home now.
-------------------- |
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#21
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![]() The Poet Dude ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60 ![]() |
Endeavour's coming back home as I write. Landing scheduled at 8.39 PM EDT at the Cape Is that venting from the side of the OMS pods usual..? -------------------- |
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#22
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Founder ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Chairman Posts: 14433 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 ![]() |
That's the exhaust from the APU's. (little hydrazine turbine engines that provide power to move the aero-surfaces and engine gimbling etc ) - apparently...it's normal. We just don't normally see it when it's day light.
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#23
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![]() Merciless Robot ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Admin Posts: 8784 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 ![]() |
Yeah, I was a little alarmed at first by that myself. In fact, it looked like it was happening during rollout, and don't recall seeing that before. Maybe they're beginning the procedure a bit earlier in order to expedite crew extraction?
Of course, this was the first full coverage of a night landing I've seen; used to the 5-sec nose-on shots on the evening news. -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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#24
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 ![]() |
The exhaust from the APUs is essentially invisible in normal light, that's why you never notice it on images of daytime landings. But it's a very hot exhaust, so it shows up like a whale's plume on the IR cameras they use for night landings.
I have to remind myself that this is the first night Shuttle landing in more than five years... -the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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#25
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![]() Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 753 Joined: 23-October 04 From: Greensboro, NC USA Member No.: 103 ![]() |
That venting is the primary reason that as SOP, no one is allowed near the Shuttle for at least 1/2 hour after it lands.
-------------------- Jonathan Ward
Manning the LCC at http://www.apollolaunchcontrol.com |
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#26
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![]() Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 183 Joined: 22-October 05 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Member No.: 534 ![]() |
I have to remind myself that this is the first night Shuttle landing in more than five years... STS-115 was the last night landing in Sept 06; STS-114 the Return to Flight also landed at night. Although it was normal, most longtime observers are saying they haven't seen it this pronounced in a long time. One said that STS-51 was about the same. -------------------- |
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#27
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 ![]() |
STS-115 was the last night landing in Sept 06; STS-114 the Return to Flight also landed at night. Although it was normal, most longtime observers are saying they haven't seen it this pronounced in a long time. One said that STS-51 was about the same. Really...? Honestly, I've seen so many launches and landings, they tend to blur together. I simply recalled that STS-123 was the first night launch since Columbia, based on the CAIB's strong reccommendation that all launches allow full telescopic coverage and observation so that any foam loss events could be observed (and, therefore, all launches were to occur in daylight). I also recalled that Shuttle flights have tended to a given scheduling -- night launched missions tend to land at night, day launched missions tend to land during the day. Now that you mention it, though, I also recall that STS-115 was given an OK to land just after dark as a means of extending the flight and giving it greater operational flexibility. I didn't recall the RTF mission landing at night, though... -the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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#28
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Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 184 Joined: 2-March 06 Member No.: 692 ![]() |
I just got an e-mail from my parents who live just south of tampa bay florida. The shuttle produced a large sonic boom there as it came in. The house shook! There were lots of 911 calls to the police. COOL!!
Brian |
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#29
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![]() Merciless Robot ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Admin Posts: 8784 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 ![]() |
Although it was normal, most longtime observers are saying they haven't seen it this pronounced in a long time. Huh. Maybe the APUs didn't consume as much fuel, or there was a higher then normal interior pressure in the tanks? Truth be told, hydrazine scares the hell out of me. F-16s use it for their starter mechanism, heard a lot of flightline urban legends/horror stories; nasty stuff, but guess that's true of all hypogolic fuels. -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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#30
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![]() Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 183 Joined: 22-October 05 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Member No.: 534 ![]() |
I simply recalled that STS-123 was the first night launch since Columbia, based on the CAIB's strong reccommendation that all launches allow full telescopic coverage and observation so that any foam loss events could be observed (and, therefore, all launches were to occur in daylight). I also recalled that Shuttle flights have tended to a given scheduling -- night launched missions tend to land at night, day launched missions tend to land during the day. Now that you mention it, though, I also recall that STS-115 was given an OK to land just after dark as a means of extending the flight and giving it greater operational flexibility. I didn't recall the RTF mission landing at night, though... -the other Doug Well, the first night launch after Columbia was STS-116 on Dec. 9 2006. And it was a beauty. 123 was the second. The Return to Flight 114 landed at night early in the morning; 115 also landed early in the morning at about 6am. The times are dictated by the orbit of the ISS (or Hubble). It so happens that landing from station flights tends to wind up being 4-6 or so hours before the launch time most of the time (and most of the time has been on the ascending node heading north over the equator). STS-120 in October was an exception, as they came in on the descending node. 11am launch, 1pm landing. Looking at the others though, 114 was 10am launch and 5am landing; 121 3pm and 9am; 115 11am and 6am; 116 9pm and 5pm; 117 7pm and 1pm; 118 6pm and noon; 122 245pm and 9am, etc. The day launch rule went into effect after Columbia for a while but as they got around to resuming flights they decided that after two foam-loss-free flights they would allow them again. Well you may recall that 114 shed foam; so, two more had to happen. But on the third post-Columbia mission, 115, they decided to lift it when 115 was facing a hurricane delay and would have had to wait a month for another day opportunity. -------------------- |
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#31
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 ![]() |
Ah -- December, 2006. That explains it. I had some rather extreme things going on in my life at that point and wasn't in as good a position to take note of the outside world as I usually am... *sigh*...
-the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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#32
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2922 Joined: 14-February 06 From: Very close to the Pyrénées Mountains (France) Member No.: 682 ![]() |
The shuttle produced a large sonic boom there as it came in. The house shook! Brian I had the feeling that we actualy heard the double bang live. I heard "something" just a few second after Endeavour disapeared behind the clouds. Anybody else ? -------------------- |
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