STS-118 Endeavour

[Dolby CP-200]

A little late posting this but I was unaware there was a shuttle launch yesterday. After just checking the ISS sightings calculator to see when she’ll be passing over Bournemouth which occurred at 23.42pm last night at WNW to WNW 2 minute duration. I then headed off to the NASA home page, to much of my surprise the space shuttle STS-118 “Endeavour” was already orbiting the earth in an (elliptical orbit) travailing at 17.500MPH.

So I switched over to NASA TV and it’s not everyday you see a remarkable event of human courage.

Well for those that would like to see tomorrows docking live just pop on over to NASA TV for a front row seat.

NASA TV landing page
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

Also for those readers that are unaware to a previous flight where allegations are now flying around about whether a flight crew was intoxicated or whether alcohol was smuggled during a flight is too incredible to believe, well this was news to me. Last night at the NASA news conference NASA Administrator Michael Griffin gave long speech about this, and that its being investigated.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0707/27astrohealth/


Other than that, the weather around the cape was wonderful upon the replays I could hardly see a cloud in the sky, perfect, in fact better than perfect.

 

[Dolby CP-200]

Whoa! Just heard this on NASA TV! Apparently the crew was awakened too early by a master alarm indicating that oxygen tank #2 had a pressure problem, but the crews fine there all fine. It was just inconvenient for them but it’s been dealt with.

The crew is still using a digital laser scanner to scan the underside of “Endeavour” to make sure she’s soundly intact!

If you like to see the ISS passing overheard just click on the link and select the country and the city where you’ll be giving times dates, duration maximum elevation, approach and departure of the ISS, enjoy and happy viewing.
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/

 

[Johnd]

Also for those readers that are unaware to a previous flight where allegations are now flying around about whether a flight crew was intoxicated or whether alcohol was smuggled during a flight is too incredible to believe, well this was news to me.

That's old news.

I never suspected that astronauts did not drink. Never. Not since the inception of NASA. As far as smuggling drugs or alcohol onboard, or even taking a flight inebriated, I highly doubt it.

If you're the navigator, or mechanic, and you remotely suspect any intoxication of any flight member as you are about TO ENTER SPACE
would you risk your life, risk never seeing your family and friends again, or would you simply inform the powers that be? Let me tell you, that is one instance where it's ok to snitch. This is one of those stories that just doesn't pass the smell test with me. Come back when you have some good info, or can enlighten us with proof on the bad info CP. If it quacks and waddles like a duck...it must be a ____!

 

[Dolby CP-200]

As for grassing I doubt a crew member would grass a mate up. Besides the commander is the captain of the boat up there!

 

[Johnd]

As for grassing I doubt a crew member would grass a mate up. Besides the commander is the captain of the boat up there!

Yes, yes. I appreciate that. Moving along, I was just kindly suggesting you proffer some missteps from down under while you're at it...like say, the Prime Minister tripping over absolutely nothing but his own two feet.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22125943-2,00.html?from=mostpop

Just couldn't resist.

 

[Dolby CP-200]

Yes, yes. I appreciate that. Moving along, I was just kindly suggesting you proffer some missteps from down under while you're at it...like say, the Prime Minister tripping over absolutely nothing but his own two feet.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22125943-2,00.html?from=mostpop

Just couldn't resist.

Oh bugger isn’t gravity a b!tch! but he gets back and waves to the crowd, no worries I’m okay!

 

[Dolby CP-200]

I was also watching the brief announcement of (Barbara Morgan) pictured left MS (mission specialist) and seeing those repays of Challenger is disheartening when (Christa McAuliffe) pictured right was killed along with her fellow crewmates on that bitter cold January, 28th 1986.

 

[Johnd]

Christa McAuliffe pictured left

Correction: Christa McAuliffe pictured right.

 

[Dolby CP-200]

Correction: Christa McAuliffe pictured right.

I must have been looking at the picture upside down!

 

[Johnd]

I must have been looking at the picture upside down!

No. It's just the way you guys over there do things.

 

[Dolby CP-200]

No. It's just the way you guys over there do things.

Oh the space station will be passing over Bournemouth in exactly 29minutes at 22.30 West to East 4 minute duration. Its time for Pizza next door!

 

[Dolby CP-200]

While I was walk back around the corner from the Pizza shop I shared the view with a few foreign students. They where looking at the ISS passing right over Bournemouth, we where waving at the space station, it was marvellous viewing. I was telling them that the space shuttle was just slightly behind the station both travailing at 17.500MPH!

They asked me when does she pass over again, I didn’t have the information with me oh, here’s the next times for the ISS sightings over Bournemouth.

ISS Fri Aug 10/00:05 AM < 1 13 10 above W 13 above W
ISS Fri Aug 10/09:19 PM 4 76 25 above W 10 above E
ISS Fri Aug 10/10:53 PM 3 87 10 above WNW 77 above E

 

[majorloser]

Figures, I've been stuck in Lake City, FL (aka: BFN ) and missed the launch. Well, there's a couple other rocket launches soon.

Ain't nothing like being there for a launch. LFE that would make even Sheep happy.

 

[Dolby CP-200]

Figures, I've been stuck in Lake City, FL (aka: BFN ) and missed the launch. Well, there's a couple other rocket launches soon.

Ain't nothing like being there for a launch. LFE that would make even Sheep happy.

That’s right, they have satellites lunches most days or months here and there, the last rocket launch I saw was last year I think.

 

[Dolby CP-200]

I was just watching the ISS passing over somewhere over the earth and the cloud cover was like everywhere! Saw a few land features and a nice weak-up call “Where My Heart Will Take Me” made my cry whilst seeing the continents passing below. Think how we gone from small airplanes, to getting into outer space and beyond, in such a short time.

 

[Dolby CP-200]

Just been watching some of the highlights on the (Hurricane Dean) looks large from the view from the space shuttle.

All the children around the schools in the US with Ham radios are asking questions to (Barbara Morgan) about life in space and more wonderful stuff and adorable.

NASA TV landing page
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

 

[Dolby CP-200]

Hatches Close; Endeavour to Undock Sunday

"Mission Control, Houston has given the STS-118 crew a “go” for undocking Space Shuttle Endeavour from the International Space Station at 8 a.m. EDT Sunday. Mission managers made the decision as astronauts Dave Williams and Clay Anderson were wrapping up the fourth spacewalk of the mission.

Closing the hatches Saturday at 5:10 p.m. allows Endeavour to undock from the station Sunday in preparation for a possible landing on Tuesday. The earlier landing is being considered in the event Hurricane Dean threatens the Houston area. It would allow an opportunity for the shuttle to land before Mission Control would be shut down to prepare for a storm.

Managers will continue to review the forecast for Dean as they assess their options.

Image above: Hurricane Dean swirls in the Caribbean Sea as Space Shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station pass overhead during STS-118's fourth spacewalk. Image: NASA TV

Williams and Anderson shortened their spacewalk to 5 hours, 2 minutes, to allow the early hatch closing and departure. They installed a stand for the shuttle’s robotic arm extension boom on the station’s truss structure, installed an External Wireless Instrumentation System antenna and retrieved two containers of the Materials ISS Experiment. They also had a chance to look down at the hurricane as it swirled in the Caribbean Sea.

The spacewalk began at 9:17 a.m. and concluded at 2:19 p.m., bumping up the total time for STS-118’s four spacewalks to 23 hours and 15 minutes. Saturday's excursion was the 92nd spacewalk devoted to station assembly."