[Space] NASA - STS-122 - ISS-1E (Atlantis)

[GioFX]

1705 GMT (12:05 p.m. EST)

Atlantis and the station are 60 feet.

[GioFX]

1707 GMT (12:07 p.m. EST)

The shuttle has closed to within 50 feet of the space station.

[GioFX]

1711 GMT (12:11 p.m. EST)

The final approach beginning. The alignment between docking ports on Atlantis and the space station is acceptable and no "fly out" maneuver by the shuttle is necessary.

[GioFX]

1715 GMT (12:15 p.m. EST)

Now 14 feet separating the shuttle from the station. Atlantis' thrusters are programmed to fire in a post-contact maneuver to force the two docking ports together. That procedure is being armed.

[GioFX]

1716 GMT (12:16 p.m. EST)

The distance to docking is now 10 feet.

[GioFX]

1717 GMT (12:17 p.m. EST)

CONTACT AND CAPTURE! Atlantis has arrived at the space station to install the European Space Agency's Columbus science laboratory module.

The relative motions of the shuttle and station will be allowed to damp out over the next few minutes by the spring-loaded docking system. Later, the hooks and latches will be closed to firmly join the two craft and Atlantis' Orbiter Docking System docking ring will be retracted to form a tight seal.

The opening of hatches between the station and shuttle is expected in about 90 minutes. That will be followed by a welcoming ceremony and safety briefing.

[Ukronia]

Docking avvenuto :)

[GioFX]

1717 GMT (12:17 p.m. EST)

CONTACT AND CAPTURE! Atlantis has arrived at the space station to install the European Space Agency's Columbus science laboratory module.

The relative motions of the shuttle and station will be allowed to damp out over the next few minutes by the spring-loaded docking system. Later, the hooks and latches will be closed to firmly join the two craft and Atlantis' Orbiter Docking System docking ring will be retracted to form a tight seal.

The opening of hatches between the station and shuttle is expected in about 90 minutes. That will be followed by a welcoming ceremony and safety briefing.

[GioFX]

:eek:

non credevo così tanto

E' il massimo tempo necessario per la pressurizzazione del PMA (Pressurized Mating Adapter) più il tempo richiesto dai "leak checks" prima dell'apertura del portello di accesso del Nodo 2 (Harmony).

Cmq probabilmente ci vorrà anche meno.

[GioFX]

E per la prima volta nella storia abbiamo l'audio ambientale dell'interno della ISS (grazie all'HD Camera montata nel nodo Unity).

[GioFX]

E per la prima volta nella storia abbiamo l'audio ambientale dalla ISS (grazie all'HD Camera montata nel nodo Unity).

[Codename47]

E per la prima volta nella storia abbiamo l'audio ambientale dell'interno della ISS (grazie all'HD Camera montata nel nodo Unity).

Vero, stavo appunto per chiedere come mai le volte precedenti non si sentiva nulla :D

[GioFX]

1841 GMT (1:41 p.m. EST)

HATCHES OPEN. The hatchway between Atlantis and the space station was opened at 1:40 p.m. EST, and the shuttle crew is being welcomed aboard the outpost now.

[dupa]

E per la prima volta nella storia abbiamo l'audio ambientale dalla ISS (grazie all'HD Camera montata nel nodo Unity).

si sentiranno anche gli astropeti?

[Codename47]

Ho ascoltato di sfuggita il briefing al Johnson Space Center, se ho capito bene parlavano di un problema al rivestimento termico della parte posteriore dello Shuttle (hanno fatto vedere una foto), sul quale stanno indagando per un'eventuale ispezione approfondita durante l'EVA. Hanno anche discusso di un problema ad uno dei computer di navigazione, sul quale comunque non ci sono preoccupazioni visti i sistemi di ridondanza. I giornalisti ovviamente hanno bombardato di domande riguardo al problema del rivestimento termico, il direttore di volo ha risposto facendo riferimento alla missione STS-117, li però mi sono perso e non saprei dirvi di più :D

PS: hanno parlato anche del docking e della manovra di rendezvous, secondo loro una delle migliori e più rapide di sempre

[GioFX]

Si, uno dei 5 GPC per il controllo dell'attitudine di volo ha malfunzionato (3 sono attivi, 2 di riserva), ed è stato disattivato in attesa di ulteriori analisi. L'Atlantis ha attraccato con l'uso di due GPC.

Il problema del rivestimento protettivo è legato ad un piccolo strappo di materiale termico nell'OMS pod sopra il secondo motore di destra, in modo simile a quanto verificatosi in precententi missioni, l'ultima proprio con l'Atlantis (STS-117). Stanno valutando se la cosa richiede ulteriori analisi o meno. E' cmq un problema sostanzialmente banale.

[Codename47]

Si, uno dei 5 GPC per il controllo dell'attitudine di volo ha malfunzionato (3 sono attivi, 2 di riserva), ed è stato disattivato in attesa di ulteriori analisi. L'Atlantis ha attraccato con l'uso di due GPC.

Il problema del rivestimento protettivo è legato ad un piccolo strappo di materiale termico nell'OMS pod sopra il secondo motore di destra, in modo simile a quanto verificatosi in precententi missioni, l'ultima proprio con l'Atlantis (STS-117). Stanno valutando se la cosa richiede ulteriori analisi o meno. E' cmq un problema sostanzialmente banale.

Beh dai, allora il mio inglese scolastico non è poi così male :stordita: I giornalisti al briefing hanno puntato subito all'allarmismo :doh: Ne approfitto per farti una domanda: non ho ben compreso la manovra di round pitch, cioè ho capito che serve per l'avvicinamento alla ISS, ma come mai non si utilizza un approccio più lineare? Che vantaggi da la "capriola" compiuta dallo Shuttle? :D

PS: cosa stanno facendo ora con il braccio meccanico dello Shuttle?

[GioFX]

Ne approfitto per farti una domanda: non ho ben compreso la manovra di round pitch, cioè ho capito che serve per l'avvicinamento alla ISS, ma come mai non si utilizza un approccio più lineare? Che vantaggi da la "capriola" compiuta dallo Shuttle? :D


L'RPM è stata aggiunta alla fase finale di avvicinamento alla ISS dopo l'STS-107, nell'ambito dell'implementazione delle richieste del CAIB (Columbia Accident Investigation Board). Server per permettere all'equipaggio della ISS di fotografare in alta risoluzione (con obbiettivi da 800mm) l'intera superficie inferiore dell'orbiter. Le foto e il video vengono quindi analizzati per determinare, assieme alle immagini e ai dati raccolti dall'OBSS (Orbiter Boom Sensor System) durante il FD2, lo stato del sistema di protezione termica.


PS: cosa stanno facendo ora con il braccio meccanico dello Shuttle?

Il braccio meccanico della stazione (SSRMS - Space Station Remote Manipulator System, o Canadarm2) ha riposizionato l'OBSS (Orbiter Boom Sensor System - un'estensione del braccio meccanico dello Shuttle, il Canadarm - aggiunto per l'ispezione post-Columbia dell'orbiter) prima dell'inizio della fase di sollevamento e installazione del modulo Columbus, che avverrà lunedì.

[GioFX]

EVA-1 rinviata di 24 ore, causa problemi medici di un membro dell'equipaggio (verosimilmente Hans Shlegel).

[Codename47]

In preparazione per l'EVA-1 :)

[Quincy_it]

In preparazione per l'EVA-1 :)

Sto vedendo,
stupendo. :)

[GioFX]

Scusate se non sono molto attivo in questi giorni, ma sono impegnato ad organizzare un viaggio che rischia di slittare... :mad:

[Codename47]

Scusate se non sono molto attivo in questi giorni, ma sono impegnato ad organizzare un viaggio che rischia di slittare... :mad:

Vai tranquillo, con tutte le informazioni che ci dai ogni volta e i precisi e puntuali aggiornamenti, direi che qualche piccola pausa te la puoi prendere :D Al limite vedrò di copiare e incollare le news da Spaceflightnow ;)

PS: stanno spostando il Columbus dalla stiva dell'Atlantis :eek:

[GioFX]

Esatto. Dopo aver installato le manieglie e altri accessori, e preparato il modulo per il "disallacciamento"... ora è pronto per essere posizionato sul lato di babordo del Nodo 2.

[Marilson]

le meraviglie della gravità 0.. quanto peserà il columbus? avete visto con che facilità il canadarm lo sposta? :D
Sulla terra per fare la stessa operazione occorrerebbe una massiccia gru da cantiere :stordita: :p

[GioFX]

le meraviglie della gravità 0.. quanto peserà il columbus? avete visto con che facilità il canadarm lo sposta? :D
Sulla terra per fare la stessa operazione occorrerebbe una massiccia gru da cantiere :stordita: :p

Quasi 13 tonnellate (incluse circa 3 tonnellate di "payload", max 21 t).

Basta considerare cmq che nè il Canadarm (Shuttle) nè il più poderoso Canadarm2 (ISS) sono in grado di sollevare il proprio peso a terra.

[GioFX]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

Columbus module attached to space station

BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: February 11, 2008

The European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory module was successfully removed from the shuttle Atlantis' cargo bay today and bolted to its permanent home on the front right side of the international space station to accomplish the primary goal of the year's first shuttle mission.

"Columbus is touching the station for the first time," French astronaut Leopold Eyharts radioed at 4:29 p.m. as the station's robot arm, operated by shuttle astronaut Leland Melvin, moved Columbus into position for bolting.

"All right!" someone exclaimed. "Good job, guys!"

A few minutes later, motorized bolts in the common berthing mechanism engaged to pull Columbus firmly into place on the right-side port of the Harmony connecting module.

"Houston and Munich, the European Columbus laboraory module is now part of the ISS," Eyharts radioed at 4:44 p.m.

"Beautiful work," astronaut Chris Cassidy called from mission control in Houston.

"We see a good A bolting and that finishes our CBM (common berthing mechanism) procedure," Eyharts concluded.

"We see the same on the ground, Leo," Cassidy agreed. "Nice job to all involved."

After leak checks and preparations inside Harmony, the astronauts plan to open hatches to the new module Tuesday to begin activating the laboratory and its complex systems.

Astroantus Rex Walheim and Stan Love, meanwhile, are in the final stages of stowing tethers and tools before repressurizing the Quest airlock module to end an extended spacewalk.


Articolo:
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts122/080211fd5/index5.html

[gpc]

le meraviglie della gravità 0.. quanto peserà il columbus? avete visto con che facilità il canadarm lo sposta? :D
Sulla terra per fare la stessa operazione occorrerebbe una massiccia gru da cantiere :stordita: :p

non c'è peso, ma la massa resta... se gli dai un calcio, ti fai male anche se non pesa niente :D
Il Canadarm infatti deve essere usato con cura...

[Negadrive]

E nella stampa italiana l'evento resta quasi ignorato. E pensare che è una pietra miliare per l'Europa ed è stato costruito a Torino...

[Octane]

non c'è peso, ma la massa resta... se gli dai un calcio, ti fai male anche se non pesa niente :D
Il Canadarm infatti deve essere usato con cura...
concordo! l'inerzia c'e' comunque.;)

[fabrylama]

tecnicamente direi che anche il peso non è 0, ma è controbilanciato dalla forza centrifuga, quindi è la forza totale che agisce sul corpo che è 0

[razziadacqua]

E nella stampa italiana l'evento resta quasi ignorato. E pensare che è una pietra miliare per l'Europa ed è stato costruito a Torino...

Ah, io il massimo che sono riuscito a vedere è stato un sotto titolo nel TG di LA7, fate conto che quando han lanciato lo Shuttle era in onda il TG2 caspita, cosa costava fare 30sec di diretta e spiegare cosa stava accadendo di storico?

NIENTE, come niente han fatto...che cani ca***... -.- Mi fan deprimere ste cose giuro:
Decifrano il codice Olindo, ci spaccano i maroni per 1sett per dei simboli da 1° elementare, lanciano finalmente in Orbita un orgoglio Europeo/Italiano...Boh? Voi avete visto o sentito qualche servizio? Sul serio, ve lo chiedo....

[fabrylama]

Ah, io il massimo che sono riuscito a vedere è stato un sotto titolo nel TG di LA7, fate conto che quando han lanciato lo Shuttle era in onda il TG2 caspita, cosa costava fare 30sec di diretta e spiegare cosa stava accadendo di storico?

NIENTE, come niente han fatto...che cani ca***... -.- Mi fan deprimere ste cose giuro:
Decifrano il codice Olindo, ci spaccano i maroni per 1sett per dei simboli da 1° elementare, lanciano finalmente in Orbita un orgoglio Europeo/Italiano...Boh? Voi avete visto o sentito qualche servizio? Sul serio, ve lo chiedo....

tg3 leonardo, verso le 14.45 su rai3, è un telegiornale scientifico, ha parlato dello shuttle fin dalla partenza, ha spiegato cosa era il columbus, dove era stato costruito, a cosa serviva e giornalmente ne segue i progressi... tutto ottimo se ogni tanto non ci fossero strafalcioni del tipo "l'astronauta ha lavorato per 3 ore a testa in giù" :rolleyes:

[gabi.2437]

E nella stampa italiana l'evento resta quasi ignorato. E pensare che è una pietra miliare per l'Europa ed è stato costruito a Torino...

C'è da parlare delle elezioni, delle varie stragi, dell'immondizia... vuoi mica parlare di una roba brutta come sta qua che son solo soldi buttati via? Li usassero per risolvere l' "emergenza" della munnezza!

[gpc]

Ah, io il massimo che sono riuscito a vedere è stato un sotto titolo nel TG di LA7, fate conto che quando han lanciato lo Shuttle era in onda il TG2 caspita, cosa costava fare 30sec di diretta e spiegare cosa stava accadendo di storico?

NIENTE, come niente han fatto...che cani ca***... -.- Mi fan deprimere ste cose giuro:
Decifrano il codice Olindo, ci spaccano i maroni per 1sett per dei simboli da 1° elementare, lanciano finalmente in Orbita un orgoglio Europeo/Italiano...Boh? Voi avete visto o sentito qualche servizio? Sul serio, ve lo chiedo....

Dimentichi Carla Bruni e Sarkozy :asd:

[Super Vegetto]

Al Tg di La7 delle 12:30 un servizio (un minutino) l' han fatto; addirittura si vede una giornalista di La7 che qualche tempo fa andò alla Nasa ed entrò proprio nel Columbus che era in fase di preparazione.;)

[GioFX]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

European astronauts begin Columbus activation

BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: February 12, 2008

Newly arrived French astronaut Leopold Eyharts and German shuttle flier Hans Schlegel opened hatches to partially enter the European Space Agency's Columbus research module today, marking the moment with a call to flight controllers in Houston, Moscow and now, Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich, Germany.

"Houston, and Munich, Hans and I are both together here, ready to ingress the Columbus module," Eyharts radioed at 9:08 a.m. "We have a special thought at this moment for all the people in Europe and the U.S. who have contributed to the make up of Columbus. Especially to the space agencies, of course, the industry, but also all the citizens who are supporting space flight. This is a great moment and Hans and I are very proud to be here and to ingress for the first time the Columbus module."

Schlegel, looking comfortable and in good spirits after being ill earlier in the mission, added: "We are very proud. I think it starts a new era now, the volume of the European scientific module, Columbus, and the ISS are connected for many, many years of research in space in cooperation, internationally. It's a great moment for us."

After congratulations from mission control in Houston, the German control center came on the line to say "thanks a lot, Leo and Hans, for these very kind words. That's the great news we've been waiting for. Let me also take this chance to thank you all, ISS and shuttle crew members, and congratulate you for the fantastic job you did yesterday for the Columbus installation. So now bon chance and good luck to you."

The astronauts are busy today hooking up power lines, data cables and coolant loops to carefully bring the new science lab to life. The astronauts won't fully enter the module for normal work until this afternoon, after allowing time for fans and filters to clean the air in the lab.

While the activation work was proceeding, mission control in Houston told shuttle commander Steve Frick engineers had completed an analysis of a slightly pulled up insulation blanket on the ship's aft right orbital maneuvering system rocket pod.

"It's good news on the right OMS pod blanket," astronaut Keven Ford radioed from the control center. "They did the analysis that clearly shows there's no safety-of-flight issue. That's based on a very conservative modeling of that anomaly. So the right OMS area has been officially cleared for entry."

"OK, that's great news, Kevin," Frick replied. "Thanks a lot to the inspection folks and the analysis folks that did the thermal on that and cleared it for us. It's a relief knowing we don't have to go back there and mess with it."

"We agree, Steve. We've got plenty on our plate."


Articolo:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts122/080212fd6/index2.html

[Codename47]

EVA-2 in preparazione, inizio alle 15.35 ora italiana ;)

[Quincy_it]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

Spacewalk ends; mission extended one day

BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: February 13, 2008
Updated at 6:30 p.m. with resolution of computer glitch

Astronauts Rex Walheim and Hans Schlegel staged a successful six-hour 45-minute spacewalk today, replacing a nitrogen tank needed to maintain pressure in the space station's ammonia cooling system.

Mission managers, meanwhile, officially gave the shuttle Atlantis' heat shield a clean bill of health and decided to extend the mission one more day to give the crew additional time to activate the new Columbus research module. The extra day will be inserted Saturday with landing now targeted for around 9:06 a.m. on Feb. 20.

"Steve, a number of things to tell you here, all good news," astronaut Steve Robinson radioed shuttle commander Steve Frick from mission control in Houston. "Based on the inspection we've had so far, and all the other types of imagery, Atlantis' thermal protection system is currently cleared for entry. The programs came together and decided to add an additional one-day extension to your mission. ... You do have sufficient (carbon dioxide-absorbing lithium hydroxide) aboard the ship. We'll have to be checking on food, we're having our folks check on what was stowed, but we're going to need your input on that. We are looking forward to an O2 (oxygen) transfer (to the station), probably on flight day nine."

"Thanks very much for the big picture," Frick replied. "Great news, certainly we look forward to another day on the space station and happy to do whatever works best for the station and the station crew to put them in a good position when we leave. ... That's great news, we appreciate the heads up and also the good news that our TPS (thermal protection system) has been cleared for entry."

"That's exactly the intent of staying up an extra day, is getting Columbus that good head start with a trained crew," Robinson said.

The new Columbus module was attached to the space station Monday and within hours, European Space Agency engineers began working through a complex activation process. But they quickly ran into problems uplinking commands through the station's U.S. command and control system and into the computers inside Columbus. Late today, U.S. and European flight controllers decided the problem likely involved "stale commands" in a queue used by the station's primary U.S. computer system.

To flush out the queue, controllers shifted the active U.S. computer system into standby mode and designated a backup system as primary. Just before 6 p.m., engineers reported success, saying they finally were able to command the European computer systems. The Columbus activation process, which had been on hold, resumed but engineers decided to suspend the work overnight while the astronauts slept in case of any additional problems that might disturb their sleep or require their attention.

During today's spacewalk, Walheim and Schlegel successfully replaced a 550-pound nitrogen tank on the international space station's main solar power truss, installed four thermal covers on the keel pins used to secure the Columbus module in the shuttle's cargo bay for launch and worked to tie down micrometeoroid shields on the U.S. Destiny lab module. There were no problems of any significance and Schlegel, a German astronaut who became ill earlier in the mission and had to sit out a spacewalk Monday, appeared to have no problems today.

"It was great working with you today, you guys did an outstanding job," shuttle pilot Alan Poindexter, the spacewalk coordinator, radioed as Walheim and Schlegel returned to the station's airlock. "It really was a pleasure working with you."

"Awesome job, Dex, thanks for all the help," Walheim replied. "And thanks to the ground for all of our prepearion to get this done. It was really a great help in the execution."

This was the 103rd spacewalk devoted to station assembly and maintenance since construction began in 1998, the fourth for Walheim and the first for Schlegel. Total station EVA time now stands at 646 hours and 18 minutes with Walheim's cumulative total increasing to 28 hours and 58 minutes.

Walheim and astronaut Stan Love plan to stage a third and final spacewalk Friday to attach external instruments to the Columbus module and to move a faulty space station gyroscope back to Atlantis for return to Earth.

[Quincy_it]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

Astronauts suit up for third and final spacewalk

BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: February 15, 2008

Astronauts Rex Walheim and Stan Love are gearing up for a third and final spacewalk today, a planned six-and-a-half-hour excursion to mount a pair of science packages on the hull of the new Columbus research module and to move a faulty space station gyroscope to the shuttle Atlantis for return to Earth.

The spacewalk, the 104th devoted to station assembly and maintenance since construction began in 1998, is scheduled to start around 8:40 a.m. when Walheim and Love, floating in the Quest airlock module, switch their spacesuits to battery power.

"The three main goals are to bring the two exposed payloads that the Europeans want on the outside of Columbus and attach them to Columbus," Walheim said in a NASA interview. "Also, we're going to bring back a control moment gyro, or a CMG, that had failed earlier in the space station program. (An earlier crew) replaced it, so there's a new one that's working, but we have to take the failed one back home.

"Stan's going to have quite the (robot) arm rides taking these payloads back and forth, and I'm going to assist him."

If time is available at the end of the spacewalk, the astronauts plan to rub an improvised tool featuring a spacesuit glove wrapped around a socket wrench across a small impact crater seen earlier on an airlock handrail. The goal is to find out if rough edges around the tiny crater could be responsible for glove damage noted during recent spacewalks.

One other possible "get-ahead" task involves a quick inspection of the station's right side solar alpha rotary joint, or SARJ, one of two that rotate outboard solar arrays to track the sun. The starboard SARJ has been shut down since late last year because of excessive vibration and internal contamination. If time is available today, Love and Walheim will inspect and photograph an area of the 10-foot-wide bearing race ring where engineers have spotted what appears to be a small defect.

It's not clear whether the defect might be a tiny crater or the result of some sort of debris resting on the surface of the race ring.

Here is a timeline of today's activity (in EST and mission elapsed time; includes revision I of the NASA television schedule):


EST........DD...HH...MM...EVENT

02/15/08
03:45 AM...07...13...00...STS/ISS crew wakeup
04:20 AM...07...13...35...EVA-3: Airlock repress to 14.7 psi
05:15 AM...07...14...30...Flight director update on NASA TV
05:30 AM...07...14...45...EVA-3: Airlock campout preps
05:35 AM...07...14...50...Space station daily planning conference
06:00 AM...07...15...15...Columbus module activation continues
07:00 AM...07...16...15...EVA-3: Spacesuit purge
07:15 AM...07...16...30...EVA-3: Spacesuit oxygen pre-breathe
08:05 AM...07...17...20...EVA-3: Airlock depressurization
08:35 AM...07...17...50...EVA-3: Spacesuits to battery power (spacewalk begins)
08:40 AM...07...17...55...EVA-3: Airlock egress
08:55 AM...07...18...10...EVA-3: SOLAR transfer from shuttle to Columbus
11:10 AM...07...20...25...Crew meals begin
11:35 AM...07...20...50...EVA-3: Gyroscope transfer to shuttle
12:50 PM...07...22...05...EVA-3: EUTEF transfer from shuttle to Columbus
02:25 PM...07...23...40...EVA-3: Cleanup and ingress
03:05 PM...08...00...20...EVA-3: Airlock repressurization
03:15 PM...08...00...30...Spacesuit servicing
04:30 PM...08...01...45...Mission status briefing on NASA TV
06:15 PM...08...03...30...Station crew sleep begins
06:45 PM...08...04...00...Shuttle crew sleep begins
07:00 PM...08...04...15...Daily video highlights reel on NASA TV

"For EVA-3, I like to joke, I am the 'meat end effector:' I am the thing on the (robot) arm that grabs things," Love said in a NASA interview. "Rex and I will start at the airlock, we will make our way to the shuttle's payload bay, where the arm will be waiting for us, and it'll already have on it what we call the APFR - again, you are nothing at NASA without an acronym, articulating portable foot restraint - toe clip. It allows a person to stand and have a solid base for their feet somewhere, and there's a spot on the arm where you can put one of these things. That will be in place, I'll hop in there, and then we will start removing refrigerators, or refrigerator-sized objects.

"First will be SOLAR, which is a solar telescope that mounts on the outside of Columbus. It's like a little satellite ... but it gets its attitude control, its power and its data feed all through the space station, so it's a little satellite that mounts on the outside of space station. We will pick it up from the payload bay, there's one bolt that holds it in place, then riding the arm I will carry it up to Columbus. Once it's bolted in place - and driving that bolt connects all its power and data connections all at the same time - we'll back away."

The SOLAR instrument package will be mounted on the upper of two attachment platforms on the outboard bulkhead of the Columbus module. At that point, the station arm will move Love to an external storage platform near the Quest airlock so he and Walheim can move the faulty gyroscope back to Atlantis for return to Earth.

"The space station holds its attitude in space using big, heavy gyroscopes and over the history of station we've had two of these fail," Love said. "The STS-118 crew removed the CMG-3, the CMG of interest here, and put it on a platform for us; we're bringing it home. So we'll go over by the airlock, grab that CMG, unbolt it, the arm will swing me over to the shuttle payload bay and we'll plunk it down in the exact same slot that we pulled SOLAR out of because it's the same structural interface there."

The space station uses four 500-pound control moment gyros to change its orientation in space without having to fire rocket thrusters. The devices are critical to space station operations and NASA wants to get the failed unit back to Earth so engineers can figure out what went wrong.

"Stan will come underneath that stowage platform and we'll remove some of the insulation that's around it so he can grab onto some handrails. Then I'll do the bolt and release it and then he can take it off back to the payload bay. When he gets a ride to the payload bay, I'll go scurry down there, free-floating as we call it - basically just walk with my hands - and get down there and help him put it back on the space shuttle¹s carrier so that we can bring it home."

With the CMG safely bolted down in the shuttle's cargo bay, "we'll move over to EuTEF (the European Technology Exposure Facility), which is an external exposure facility, basically, looking at how materials respond to being exposed to space for a long period of time; another little satellite that mounts on the outside of Columbus," Love said. "I'll pick it up, we'll unbolt it, we'll drag it up, riding the arm, up to Columbus and stick it on another External Payload Facility, bolt it in place, and then our EVA is done."

The EuTEF package will be mounted on Columbus' lower external attachment bracket.

"We have some cleanup work - we have to move the toe clip off the arm, we're not allowed to leave it there; we have some safety tethers that we had strung on previous EVAs, we have to clean all that up since it's the last EVA of the flight. If there's any extra time we may do extra tasks."

[GioFX]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

NASA will land shuttle before satellite shoot down

BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: February 15, 2008

The shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to land Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida but NASA officials said today they will staff the agency's backup landing site in California to get the shuttle down as soon as possible and "give the military the biggest possible window" for destroying a falling satellite.


-

Articolo:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts122/080215fd9/index3.html

[Quincy_it]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:


Shuttle astronauts bid space station crew farewell

BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: February 17, 2008

The Atlantis astronauts gathered for a final time aboard the international space station today, bidding the lab crew farewell in a tearful ceremony that marked the end of a complex assembly mission. After one last round of hugs and handshakes, the shuttle crew floated back into Atlantis and hatches were sealed at 1:03 p.m. to set the stage for undocking early Monday.

The brief farewell was particularly poignant for Dan Tani, returning to Earth after an extended four-month stay in space. Originally scheduled to return in December, Tani's stay aloft was extended two months after Atlantis was grounded in December with fuel sensor problems. Along with missing the holidays with his family, Tani was in orbit when his 90-year-old mother was killed in a Dec. 19 car wreck.

"Dan has done a phenomenal job over the last several months," said station commander Peggy Whitson. "He was here a few months more than he had originally planned on, but he's really made up for it and done an incredible job while he was here."

Tani took a moment to describe his impressions of the space station, saying "today I feel very optimistic about our space program and our society because I'm here, I've spent time with a man from France, from Italy and from Germany and from Russia. Nations that have not always been friendly are now cooperating and we're doing great things."

"That was the first thing I was thinking about today," he said. "The other thing I was thinking about today was women, and it's been a very big topic on this flight because when I flew up there were two women commanders and for whatever reason, that was huge news. The unspoken news there was they were both fantastically great commanders and it was a privilege to fly with both of them.

"The other thing I was thinking about today was my mother... my inspiration," Tani said, choking back tears. "And of course, my job is easy compared to my wife's. Jane's the love of my life and she had the hard work while I was having fun. So I can't wait to get back to her and my two little girls.

"If we were in Russia, this would be the third toast - the toast for the women in our lives. I've enjoyed all my time here and I can't wait to get back with all my pictures and videos. So thank you so much for all your help on the ground and really, we couldn't have done it without you. We're doing magnificent things up here and it's not us, of course, we're just the tip. It's the solid foundation everybody on the ground provides for us and makes us look good. Thank you very much."

Tani was replaced aboard the space station by European Space Agency astronaut Leopold Eyharts, who plans to remain aboard the outpost until late March activating and carrying out experiments in Europe's new Columbus research module.

Taking the microphone from Tani, Eyharts said "Dan is a great guy, I've been very impressed by the experience he acquired here in the space station. It was really a pleasure and an honor to receive the handover from him and I hope that in a few weeks, I will be able to do one hundredth of what he is able to do today."

Said Atlantis commander Steve Frick: "For the shuttle crew of Atlantis, STS-122, it was our privilege to bring Leo up to his new home. ... And it's very much our privilege to take Dan home after such a long stay up here and so much hard work. We're looking forward to a very short rest of the flight and a successful landing at the Kennedy Space Center (Wednesday).

"It's been an amazing experience for us," Frick said. "We were very privileged to bring up the European Columbus laboratory module and we're incredibly excited to see it with the lights on and ready for action. So Peggy, thanks very much for being our host. We raced as hard as we could trying to keep up with you and now we need to go take a rest!"

"All right, guys, it's been great having you here," Whitson replied. The two crews then separated and hatches betwen Atlantis and the station were closed.

The shuttle astronauts are scheduled to go to bed at 4:45 p.m. Wakeup is scheduled for 12:45 a.m. Monday. For readers interested in looking ahead, here is the latest undocking timeline (in EST and mission elapsed time):


EST........DD...HH...MM...EVENT

02/18/08
03:13 AM...10...12...28...Sunrise
03:38 AM...10...12...53...Station in undocking attitude
03:43 AM...10...12...58...Noon
03:54 AM...10...13...09...ISS KU antenna parked
04:14 AM...10...13...29...Sunset
04:15 AM...10...13...30...Russian solar arrays feathered
04:20 AM...10...13...35...U.S. solar arrays feathered

04:27 AM...10...13...42...UNDOCKING

04:29 AM...10...13...44...ISS holds attitude
04:32 AM...10...13...47...Range: 50 feet
04:34 AM...10...13...49...Range 75 feet
04:39 AM...10...13...54...Russian arrays resume sun track
04:44 AM...10...13...59...Sunrise
04:56 AM...10...14...11...Range: 400 feet; start fly around
05:06 AM...10...14...21...Range: 600 feet
05:08 AM...10...14...23...Shuttle directly above ISS
05:15 AM...10...14...30...Noon
05:19 AM...10...14...34...Shuttle directly behind ISS
05:31 AM...10...14...46...Shuttle directly below ISS
05:42 AM...10...14...57...Shuttle direcly in front of ISS
05:42 AM...10...14...57...Separation burn No. 1
05:45 AM...10...15...00...Sunset
06:10 AM...10...15...25...Separation burn No. 2
06:15 AM...10...15...30...Sunrise

"I love living here on the station, it's comfortable, it's fun, it's exciting, the view, of course," Tani told reporters Saturday. "So it's going to be tough leaving here, but obviously, I want to get back to see my family.

"I look forward to some odd things," he added. "I look forward to putting food on a plate and eating several things at once, which you can't do up here. I'm looking forward to spitting my toothpaste out in a sink rather than swallowing it. And of course, the most (significant) thing I'm looking forward to is seeing my (two) girls and my wife."

[Quincy_it]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

Atlantis leaves station after construction mission

BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: February 18, 2008

The Atlantis astronauts undocked from the international space station today, looped around the outpost to collect spectacular pictures and video and then pulled out ahead of the lab complex before starting a final heat shield inspection to clear the way for re-entry and landing Wednesday.

Using a laser scanner and high-resolution camera on the end of a boom attached to the shuttle's robot arm, the astronauts carried out out a detailed survey of the ship's reinforced carbon carbon nose cap and wing leading edge panels, which experience the most extreme heating during re-entry, to look for any signs of damage that might have occurred since a similar inspection just after launch Feb. 7.

"We cleared Atlantis' heat shield from the flight day two ascent inspections," Flight Director MIke Sarafin said today. "RIght now, we're looking to see if there were any orbital debris impacts along the reinforced carbon carbon. The imagery right now is in the process of being analyzed and we should have an answer from the imagery and engineering experts within the next day."

Nothing obvious could be seen in downlinked video and assuming no problems turn up in the analysis, the crew will pack up and test Atlantis' re-entry systems Tuesday before landing Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center. Entry flight director Bryan Lunney, son on legendary Apollo flight director Glynn Lunney, will discuss NASA's landing strategy Tuesday at a 12:30 p.m. news briefing.

This morning's forecast from the Spaceflight Meteorology Group at the Johnson Space Center in Houston predicts virtually ideal weather at the Kennedy Space Center for the first landing opportunity Wednesday with scattered clouds at 3,000 and 30,000 feet and light winds from the northeast. A slight chance of showers within 30 nautical miles is expected at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

"The crew tomorrow will be preparing the cabin for re-entry and just making sure that any stowage items aren't loose during the re-entry timeframe," Sarafin said. "They will prepare a special seat for (returning space station astronaut) Dan (Tani), who has been on station for about four months. ... Tomorrow, the crew will also check out the flight control systems to make sure that they're healthy and there are no problems that occurred over the course of the mission."

The shuttle has enough on-board supplies to stay in orbit until Friday if necessary, officials said. NASA normally would concentrate solely on Florida the first landing day, waving off for 24 hours if bad weather or some other problem forced a delay.

But agency officials announced last week that NASA's backup landing site at Edwards will be staffed Wednesday and for an attempt to get Atlantis down on one coast or the other, weather permitting. NASA said in a statement the strategy is intended to "give the military the biggest possible window and maximum flexibility to ensure the success" of an attempt to shoot down a falling spy satellite.

The National Reconnaissance Office satellite (NROL-21) malfunctioned shortly after launch in December 2006. The out-of-control satellite has been slowly descending ever since and barring intervention, it is expected to plunge back into the thick lower atmosphere early next month.

Because the satellite failed so soon after launch, it is carrying a virtually full load of now-frozen hydrazine rocket fuel, a good portion of which could be expected to reach the ground after a normal atmospheric breakup. The Pentagon last week announced plans to fire a missile at the spacecraft in an attempt to break it apart and disperse the toxic fuel before it can pose a threat.

The Heavens Above website is providing tracking maps showing the satellite's current location based on observations by a network of amateur satellite observers.

Atlantis commander Steve Frick and his crewmates will have two opportunities on successive orbits to land in Florida Wednesday and two shots at Edwards Air Force Base in California's Mojave Desert. Here are updated landing times for all four opportunities (in EST/GMT and mission elapsed time; best viewed with a fixed width font):


ORBIT.EVENT...................................DD/HH:MM...EST........GMT

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20

202...1st KSC OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN........12/17:16...08:01 AM...13:01
203...1st KSC OPPORTUNITY LANDING.............12/18:22...09:07 AM...14:07

203...2nd KSC OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN........12/18:52...09:37 AM...14:37
204...2nd KSC OPPORTUNITY LANDING.............12/19:57...10:42 AM...15:42

204...1st EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN....12/20:22...11:07 AM...16:07
205...1st EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY LANDING.........12/21:27...12:12 PM...17:12

205...2ND EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN....12/21:58...12:43 PM...17:43
206...2ND EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY LANDING.........12/23:02...01:47 PM...18:47

"We will do our best to land Wednesday, either at the Kennedy Space Center or at Edwards Air Force Base," Sarafin said. "There is always the possibility that we could have a technical issue or some other problem occur that would cause us to not attempt to deorbit on Wednesday. We would just work that on a case-by-case basis."

But because of the time required to prepare the shuttle for re-entry, the 90 minutes it takes to go around the world for a second chance and the time needed to back out if entry is delayed for the day, NASA is unlikely to take advantage of all four possible Wednesday landing opportunities.

"A normal day, just to do a deorbit prep and landing is five hours," Sarafin said. "That doesn't account for just standard crew wakeup activities and cabin stow. If we're going to try multiple attempts, it takes another 90 minutes to go around and if we're going to do three or four orbits, that really does extend the length of the (crew's) day considerably. ... If you still cannot land and you have to back out, open the payload bay doors, turn off all the navigational aids, it does become a significant driver in decision making."

Based on past practice, assuming a reasonably favorable forecast, NASA likely would make two back-to-back attempts to land in Florida and then pick the more favorable of the two Edwards opportunities if the shuttle could not make it back to Kennedy. But if the current forecast holds up, Frick and his crewmates should have a good chance of bringing Atlantis back to Florida as planned.

[Super Vegetto]

Atterraggio previsto oggi verso le 16 italiane, giusto?

[Super Vegetto]

Forse mi sono sbagliato: guardando al link in prima pagina (http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts122/fdf/122flightplan.html) dovrebbe essere come ho detto prima, ma ora su Nasa.tv ho sentito lo speaker che diceva che "...gli astronauti si stanno preparando per l' atterraggio di Mercoledì...". Per caso il link non è aggiornato?

[Super Vegetto]

E come da qualche post più su...
"The extra day will be inserted Saturday with landing now targeted for around 9:06 a.m. on Feb. 20."

Scusatemi allora per i messaggi ma mi sono fidato del post di prima pagina che evidentemente non è aggiornato, ci si sente per domani;)

[danny2005]

Domani a che ora? non voglio perdermi l'atterraggio

[albertoz85]

Domani a che ora? non voglio perdermi l'atterraggio


Ma se c'è scritto sopra... :rolleyes:

ORBIT.EVENT...................................DD/HH:MM...EST........GMT

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20

202...1st KSC OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN........12/17:16...08:01 AM...13:01
203...1st KSC OPPORTUNITY LANDING.............12/18:22...09:07 AM...14:07

203...2nd KSC OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN........12/18:52...09:37 AM...14:37
204...2nd KSC OPPORTUNITY LANDING.............12/19:57...10:42 AM...15:42

204...1st EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN....12/20:22...11:07 AM...16:07
205...1st EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY LANDING.........12/21:27...12:12 PM...17:12

205...2ND EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN....12/21:58...12:43 PM...17:43
206...2ND EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY LANDING.........12/23:02...01:47 PM...18:47

[gpc]

La posto qui perchè è il thread più aggiornato...
Guardate che bella:

http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/awnplus/scienza/med/in119xkxX_20080219.jpg

2008-02-19 16:24
Spazio: foto transito Iss sul Sole
Lo scatto spettacolare e' opera di un italiano
(ANSA) - ROMA, 19 FEB - E' una foto spettacolare l'immagine della Stazione Spaziale Internazionale mentre transita contro il disco del Sole.E' stata catturata dall'italiano Riccardo Di Nasso, astrofilo specializzato nella fotografia del cielo. 'Da due anni inseguivo questa foto' ha detto Di Nasso, che l'ha scattata a pochi chilometri da Pisa. Ma alla fine e' riuscito a superare tutti gli ostacoli, ed ha meritato un posto d'onore in siti internazionali specializzati.

[Quincy_it]

Bella ma ... strana.
Fa quasi effetto "Marte". :p

[Quincy_it]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

Shuttle astronauts pack for Wednesday's re-entry

BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: February 18, 2008

The Atlantis astronauts are putting in a busy final day in space today, testing the shuttle's re-entry systems packing up loose gear and rigging the ship for landing Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center. Forecasters are predicting good weather for the shuttle's return, but NASA plans to staff its backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in a bid to get Atlantis down, on one coast or the other, before a U.S. Navy attempt to destroy a falling spy satellite.

It's not known when the shoot-down attempt will be made, but amateur satellite trackers monitoring the descent of the crippled NROL-21 satellite say a "notice to airmen," or NOTAM, issued by air traffic control in Honolulu Monday https://pilotweb.nas.faa.gov/distribution/center.html establishes a restricted zone west of Hawaii that NROL-21 will pass over around 10:30 p.m. EST Wednesday. But the NOTAM does not specify the reason for the restricted airspace and the subject line of an email alerting satellite trackers ended with a question mark.

(Editor's note: Interested readers can check the current location of NROL-21 (also known by its orbital designation USA 193) at the Heavens Above website.

Shortly after crew wakeup today, commander Steve Frick was asked to re-orient Atlantis, putting the ship's tail toward the sun to provide additional heating to four aft vernier thrusters that lost heater power late Monday due to a circuit failure. One of those thrusters, a left-firing jet on Atlantis' left-side aft rocket pod, dropped to 40 degrees overnight. prompting concern about possible freezing that could damage fuel lines. In a tail-toward-sun orientation, the thruster should stay warm enough to prevent any such damage.

Loss of the aft vernier thrusters will have no impact on the remainder of Atlantis' mission. Due to the redundancy built into the system, the shuttle can use various combinations of thrusters to operate normally in the event of failures.

Space shuttles are equipped with two large orbital maneuvering system - OMS - rocket engines in two pods at the back of the ship that are used to make major orbit changes, including the rocket firing needed to drop the ship back into the atmosphere at the end of a mission.

For smaller changes and adjustments to a shuttle's orientation, 14 reaction control system, or RCS, jets are mounted in the nose, along with two smaller vernier engines. Another 12 primary RCS jets, and two vernier thrusters, are mounted in each aft OMS pod and it is those four aft vernier jets that are affected by the failed heater circuit.

The primary RCS thrusters produce about 870 pounds of push in space while the vernier engines generate a thrust of just 24 pounds each. It's not clear what went wrong with the heater circuit Monday, but flight controllers suspect problems with a so-called "hybrid driver."

The astronauts were awakened around 12:45 a.m. by a recording of Monty Python's "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" beamed up from mission control in Houston.

"Good morning, Atlantis. A special good morning to you, Steve," astronaut Shannon Lucid called from mission control.

"Good morning, Shannon," Frick replied. "And thanks very much to my wonderful wife Jennifer for that little touch of Monty Python in the morning. We get really busy up here, but it's easy to look at the bright side of life when you look out the window and see the Earth traveling beneath us once every 90 minutes. ... But even with that great view, I think we all believe the bright side of life is when we get home, hopefully tomorrow, and get to see our families."

Lucid then briefed Frick on the result of an overnight investigation into the thruster problem.

"The investigations that we had overnight indicate that a hybrid driver may have failed, resulting the loss of the heater power to the aft vernier thrusters," she said. "So the remainder of the mission will be conducted 'loss of verns.' The propellant margins support all the activities and all planned deorbit opportunities through end of mission plus two (days). Now, there is a potential to perform some unplanned maneuvers and attitude hold in the effort to maintain the aft vernier jets above their non operating limits."

"OK, Shannon, thanks a lot for those words," Frick said. "We kind of figured we'd be down verns from now on. But it's good to hear we don't have any power or prop concerns and I'm glad we have enough prop to fly those attitudes to keep the jets from being a turnaround concern."

He was referring to time lost from work that would be required to fix any fuel line damage after Atlantis returns to Earth. The shuttle's next flight is a high-profile mission in August to service the Hubble Space Telescope.

Here is an updated timeline of today's activity (in EST and mission elapsed time; includes revision M of the NASA television schedule):


EST........DD...HH...MM...EVENT

02/19/08
12:45 AM...11...10...00...Crew wakeup
03:45 AM...11...13...00...Cabin stow
05:10 AM...11...14...25...FCS checkout
06:20 AM...11...15...35...RCS hotfire
06:35 AM...11...15...50...PILOT landing practice
08:05 AM...11...17...20...Deorbit review
08:35 AM...11...17...50...PAO event
08:35 AM...11...17...50...Crew meal
09:35 AM...11...18...50...Cabin stow
12:30 PM...11...21...45...Launch/entry suit checkout
12:30 PM...11...21...45...Mission status briefing on NASA TV
12:45 PM...11...22...00...Ergometer stow
01:15 PM...11...22...30...Recumbent seat setup
01:25 PM...11...22...40...Laptop network teardown
01:35 PM...11...22...50...KU-band antenna stow
04:45 PM...12...02...00...Crew sleep begins
05:00 PM...12...02...15...Daily video highlights reel on NASA TV

[GioFX]

Bravi bravi ragassi...

aggiornate la discussione, e domani seguite l'atterraggio voi che potete... io sarò a lavoro (senza Internet) e quasi sicuramente non riuscirò a vederlo!

[gpc]

Bravi bravi ragassi...

aggiornate la discussione, e domani seguite l'atterraggio voi che potete... io sarò a lavoro (senza Internet) e quasi sicuramente non riuscirò a vederlo!

Io sarò in aereo, per cui men che meno potrò vederlo :D

[GioFX]

a si, ando vai? :O

[Quincy_it]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

Good weather expected for Wednesday's landing

BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: February 19, 2008

The Atlantis astronauts checked out the shuttle's re-entry systems today and packed for landing Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center to close out a successful space station assembly mission. Forecasters are predicting near ideal conditions at the Florida spaceport, with scattered clouds, light winds and good visibility expected.

"The weather forecasts, I've been looking at them almost the last week, the models and the weather forecasts have all been real consistent on what today and tomorrow are going to look like," said entry Flight Director Bryan Lunney. "Today panned out exactly as they said it would and I've got every expectation tomorrow will as well."

He said Atlantis is in good condition and that problems with a heater circuit affecting four small vernier rocket thrusters would have no impact on the shuttle's re-entry. Engineers are equally confident a kinked Freon coolant line in the shuttle's cargo bay will not cause any problems.

Atlantis has enough supplies on board to remain in orbit until Friday in a worst-case scenario. But NASA has activated its backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in a bid to get the shuttle down Wednesday, on one coast or another, to clear the way for a Navy attempt to shoot down a falling spy satellite.

It's not known when the shoot-down attempt will be made, but amateur satellite trackers monitoring the descent of the crippled NROL-21 satellite say a "notice to airmen," or NOTAM, issued by air traffic control in Honolulu Monday https://pilotweb.nas.faa.gov/distribution/center.html establishes a restricted zone west of Hawaii that NROL-21 will pass over Wednesday evening East Coast time. But the NOTAM does not specify the reason for the restricted airspace and the subject line of an email alerting satellite trackers ended with a question mark.

Editor's note: Interested readers can check the current location of NROL-21 (also known by its orbital designation USA 193) at the Heavens Above website.

Commander Steve Frick and his six crewmates - pilot Alan Poindexter, flight engineer Rex Walheim, Leland Melvin, Stan Love, European Space Agency astronaut Hans Schlegel and returning station flier Dan Tani - have two opportunities on successive orbits to land in Florida Wednesday, followed by two opportunities at Edwards.

The wind is expected to kick up in Florida for the second opportunity, making crosswinds a potential issue, while forecasters are predicting a slight chance of rain within 30 nautical miles of Edwards.

Lunney said the astronauts likely will only have enough water on board for cooling after the cargo bay doors are closed to support three of the four opportunities.

"If in the morning we realize we're only going to have three consecutive opportunities ... we'll assess the weather, and if the weather looks good at KSC, we'll shoot for those first two opportunities with the third being Edwards," Lunney said. "If the weather at KSC goes really bad for us against all the forecasts we've had so opportunities as our backups."

Asked if he was under any pressure to get Atlantis down before the satellite shoot-down attempt, Lunney said "no pressure. I'm not going to land the vehicle until its safe to do so for the crew and we're not going to alter any of our rules, because it's not safe. So if the weather's good on Wednesday, we're going to land on Wednesday. If not, then I'll push to Thursday."

Here are the latest deorbit and landing times for Wednesday (in EST/GMT and mission elapsed time):


07:59:54 AM...12...17...14...Deorbit ignition (orbit 202)
09:07:39 AM...12...18...22...Landing at KSC

09:35:20 AM...12...18...50...Deorbit ignition (orbit 203)
10:42:35 AM...12...19...57...Landing at KSC

11:05:15 AM...12...20...20...Deorbit ignition (orbit 204)
12:12:31 PM...12...21...27...Landing at Edwards Air Force Base

12:41:25 PM...12...21...56...Deorbit ignition (orbit 205)
01:47:34 PM...12...23...02...Landing at Edwards Air Force Base

"We're certainly very hopeful we'll be getting home tomorrow to the Kennedy Space Center," Frick told ABC News earlier today. "It sounds like we'll be very likely to land either at Kennedy or Edwards tomorrow and we'd like very much to land at Kennedy. All our families are waiting for us there, we've been up here for all of two weeks, most of us, Dan of course has been up here much longer, and we're very excited to see our families. We miss them very much and we're looking forward to getting home."

Asked what he thought about the satellite shoot-down effort, Frick said "my first thought when we talked about that was 'go Navy!'"

"But Capt. Poindexter and myself are obviously very excited about the upcoming event they're going to have with the satellite, we're interested to see how it happens," Frick told CNN. "We're not concerned about it, certainly we're going to be safely on the ground and the space station is going to be safely well above the deorbiting satellite. But we'll be interested to watch it and see what happens."

He described the risk of space debris as minimal, to either the shuttle or the space station.

"The only reason we're concerned about the space shuttle is because ... that satellite is below us," he said. "We, of course, have to descend through its altitude on our re-entry. The space station is up at about 185 nautical miles, well above any debris, and once they break the satellite up, the debris is just going to slowly descend ... and drop into the atmosphere and burn up."

Over the course of the mission, the Atlantis astronauts staged three spacewalks, delivered and installed the 26,627-pound European Space Agency Columbus research module, two external experiment packages totaling 1,409 pounds and a fresh tank of high-pressure nitrogen for the station's ammonia cooling system that tipped the scales at 1,.069 pounds.

The shuttle is bringing 2,242 pounds of station hardware back to Earth in its cargo bay, including a spent nitrogen tank and a faulty control moment gyroscope. Some 1,299 pounds of supplies and equipment were transferred from the shuttle cabin to the space station, including a new solar alpha rotary joint drive motor, and 1,343 pounds of equipment was moved from the station to the shuttle's cabin for return to Earth.

The astronauts transferred 1,386 pounds of fresh water to the space station, 95 pounds of oxygen and 27 pounds of nitrogen.

[Quincy_it]

L'atterraggio è previsto tra circa 5 ore e 12 minuti.

[danny2005]

Ma se c'è scritto sopra... :rolleyes:

ORBIT.EVENT...................................DD/HH:MM...EST........GMT

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20

202...1st KSC OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN........12/17:16...08:01 AM...13:01
203...1st KSC OPPORTUNITY LANDING.............12/18:22...09:07 AM...14:07

203...2nd KSC OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN........12/18:52...09:37 AM...14:37
204...2nd KSC OPPORTUNITY LANDING.............12/19:57...10:42 AM...15:42

204...1st EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN....12/20:22...11:07 AM...16:07
205...1st EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY LANDING.........12/21:27...12:12 PM...17:12

205...2ND EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY DEORBIT BURN....12/21:58...12:43 PM...17:43
206...2ND EDW AFB OPPORTUNITY LANDING.........12/23:02...01:47 PM...18:47

Si ma ci sono 4 opzioni.....qual è quella giusta?

La prima se non ci sono problemi, giusto?

[Quincy_it]

Si ma ci sono 4 opzioni.....qual è quella giusta?

La prima se non ci sono problemi, giusto?

Su "NASA TV" il countdown per l'atterraggio riporta: -3:33

[Octane]

non ho seguito moltissimo in questi gg..
alla fine atterrano alla base Edwards o al Kennedy Space Center?

[Quincy_it]

non ho seguito moltissimo in questi gg..
alla fine atterrano alla base Edwards o al Kennedy Space Center?

Il 1° tentativo dovrebbe essere al KSC.

[Octane]

ottimo, leggo ora che hanno effettuato l'accensione dei motori per ridurre la velocita' ed orientarsi correttamente per il rientro a casa (KSC)

1145 GMT (6:45 a.m. EST)

The latest update from Mission Control shows a deorbit burn ignition time of 7:59:22 a.m. EST. The retrograde burn should last two minutes and 43 seconds.

Atlantis is headed for Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center. Commander Steve Frick will guide the shuttle through a 235-degree left-overhead turn to align with the northwest-to-southeast runway.

fonte in costante aggiornamento (come sempre):
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts122/status.html

[Quincy_it]

Se ho ben capito l'unico dubbio riguarda il meteo,
dato che sono presenti dei banchi nuvolosi sulla Florida.

[Codename47]

Ottimo, riesco a beccarmi l'atterraggio prima di uscire :)

[Quincy_it]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

1232 GMT (7:32 a.m. EST)

GO FOR THE DEORBIT BURN! With good weather at Kennedy Space Center, entry flight director Bryan Lunney in Mission Control just gave the "go" for Atlantis to perform the deorbit burn at 7:59 a.m. EST that will commit the shuttle for the trip back to Earth.

Landing in Florida is set for 9:07 a.m. EST.

[Quincy_it]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

1255 GMT (7:55 a.m. EST)

Atlantis is in the proper orientation for the deorbit burn. And pilot Alan Poindexter has activated one of three Auxiliary Power Units in advance of the burn. The other two APUs will be started later in the descent to provide pressure needed to power shuttle's hydraulic systems that move the wing flaps, rudder/speed brake, drop the landing gear and steer the nose wheel. NASA ensures that at least one APU is working before committing to the deorbit burn since the shuttle needs only a single unit to make a safe landing.

[Quincy_it]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

1300 GMT (8:00 a.m. EST)

DEORBIT BURN IGNITION. Flying upside down and backwards above the Indian Ocean, Atlantis has begun the deorbit burn. The firing of the twin Orbital Maneuvering System engines on the tail of the shuttle will last two minutes and 43 seconds, slowing the craft by about 200 mph to slip from orbit. The retro-burn will send Atlantis to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a touchdown at 9:07 a.m. EST.



1301 GMT (8:01 a.m. EST)

The burn continues in progress.

[Quincy_it]

1303 GMT (8:03 a.m. EST)

DEORBIT BURN COMPLETE. Atlantis has successfully completed the deorbit burn for the trip back home. Landing is scheduled for 9:07 a.m. EST at the Cape.

[danny2005]

Durante la discesa passeranno a ovest di Cuba per fare un salutino a Fidel :asd:

[Quincy_it]

1308 GMT (8:08 a.m. EST)

The sweeping turn to align with the runway has been updated by Mission Control. The Heading Alignment Cylinder, an imaginary circle to align with Runway 15, will be a right-overhead turn of 185 degrees.

[Quincy_it]

I veicoli di assistenza e supporto si stanno muovendo,
dirigendosi verso la pista di atterraggio.

[Quincy_it]

1317 GMT (8:17 a.m. EST)

Touchdown is 50 minutes away. This will be the 67th shuttle landing at Kennedy Space Center.

[Super Vegetto]

Ci sono! :cool:

[Frank1962]

ci fosse un video per vedere :(

[MaxRob]

Presente !

nel primo post ci sono i link per vedere in diretta streaming nasaTV.

[Quincy_it]

ci fosse un video per vedere :(

NASA TV,
trovi i link in prima pagina! ;)

[Codename47]

Consiglio a tutti questo link:

http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/stream/nasa.php

Per la visione a tutto schermo è di gran lunga migliore rispetto a quelli presenti su NasaTV, visto che il bitrate è più elevato ;)

[Super Vegetto]

ci fosse un video per vedere :(

:D
E' proprio questo il bello, come ti hanno suggerito tutto in diretta su Nasa-tv, link in prima pagina;)

[Quincy_it]

1321 GMT (8:21 a.m. EST)

Onboard guidance has maneuvered Atlantis from its heads-down, tail-forward position needed for the deorbit burn to the reentry configuration of heads-up and nose-forward. The nose will be pitched upward 40 degrees. In this new position, the black tiles on the shuttle's belly and the reinforced carbon-carbon panels on the wing leading edges and nose cap will shield the spacecraft during the fiery plunge through the Earth's atmosphere with temperatures reaching well over 2,000 degrees F. Atlantis will begin interacting with the upper fringes of the atmosphere above the South Pacific at 8:35 a.m. EST.



1332 GMT (8:32 a.m. EST)

Atlantis descending through an altitude of 102 miles.




1323 GMT (8:23 a.m. EST)

All three Auxiliary Power Units are now up and running.



1327 GMT (8:27 a.m. EST)

Now 40 minutes to touchdown. Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility was built in 1975. The concrete strip is 300 feet wide and 15,000 feet long with 1,000-foot overruns at each end. The runway is located about three miles northwest of the 525-foot tall Vehicle Assembly Building.

[Quincy_it]

1332 GMT (8:32 a.m. EST)

Atlantis descending through an altitude of 102 miles.



1334 GMT (8:34 a.m. EST)

Another update to the Heading Alignment Cylinder, an imaginary circle to align with Runway 15. It will be a left-overhead turn of 247 degrees.



1335 GMT (8:35 a.m. EST)

ENTRY INTERFACE. Atlantis' thermal protection system is feeling heat beginning to build as the orbiter enters the top fringes of the atmosphere -- a period known as entry interface.

The shuttle is flying at Mach 25 with its nose elevated 40 degrees, wings level, at an altitude of 400,000 feet over the southern Pacific Ocean.

Touchdown remains set for 9:07 a.m. EST in Florida.

[Dj Ruck]

On air...ci sono eheh:Prrr:
aspettiamo sto touchdown :D

[Dj Ruck]

cmq dovrebbe atterrare attorno alle 15.07...giusto???

[Frank1962]

Consiglio a tutti questo link:

http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/stream/nasa.php

Per la visione a tutto schermo è di gran lunga migliore rispetto a quelli presenti su NasaTV, visto che il bitrate è più elevato ;)

grazie ;)

[Quincy_it]

cmq dovrebbe atterrare attorno alle 15.07...giusto???

Esatto. :)

[Dj Ruck]

bene...mizzica quanto va veloce...dal tracciato si vede benissimo:eek: :eek: :D :D

25 minuti al touchdown e hanno cominciato a percepire la gravità eheh:D

[Quincy_it]

1341 GMT (8:41 a.m. EST)

Atlantis is beginning the first of four banks to scrub off speed as it plunges into the atmosphere. These turns basically remove the energy Atlantis built up during launch.




1342 GMT (8:42 a.m. EST)

Time to touchdown now 25 minutes. NASA says Atlantis' landing weight will be 206,212 pounds. That is about 61,000 pounds lighter than the orbiter weighed at liftoff.

[Octane]

Consiglio a tutti questo link:

http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/stream/nasa.php

Per la visione a tutto schermo è di gran lunga migliore rispetto a quelli presenti su NasaTV, visto che il bitrate è più elevato ;)

mi fa lo stream in formato wide deformando un po' tutto.. :wtf:

[Quincy_it]

1345 GMT (8:45 a.m. EST)

Atlantis is 44 miles in altitude at a speed of 15,000 mph.



1346 GMT (8:46 a.m. EST)

The shuttle has crossed the equator as it flies over the Pacific.

[Dj Ruck]

[I]1345 GMT (8:45 a.m. EST)

Atlantis is 44 miles in altitude at a speed of 15,000 mph.

lo stavo per scrivere :asd: :asd:
impressionante...

[Codename47]

mi fa lo stream in formato wide deformando un po' tutto.. :wtf:

Se lo metti a tutto schermo è in 4:3 ;)

[Octane]

Se lo metti a tutto schermo è in 4:3 ;)

grazie, ho risolto prendendo dal sorgente della pagina l'url e schiaffandolo sul media player ;)

[Quincy_it]

1351 GMT (8:51 a.m. EST)

Atlantis is making landfall over Central America.



1352 GMT (8:52 a.m. EST)

The shuttle is less than 900 miles from the runway now.

[Quincy_it]

1353 GMT (8:53 a.m. EST)

The shuttle is now rolling to the right as part of the four speed-slowing banks.

[Frank1962]

ma glieli avranno chiesti i permessi a fidel per "invadere" lo spazio aereo di cuba? :D

[Dj Ruck]

porca miseria...già su cuba è...

[Quincy_it]

1354 GMT (8:54 a.m. EST)

Atlantis is 33 miles in altitude, traveling at Mach 12 as it passes just west of Cuba.

:eekk:

[Dj Ruck]

1354 GMT (8:54 a.m. EST)

Atlantis is 33 miles in altitude, traveling at Mach 12 as it passes just west of Cuba.

:eekk:

:eekk::eekk::eekk::eekk::eekk::eekk::eekk:

chissà che boooooooooooooooooooooooooootto

[Quincy_it]

1355 GMT (8:55 a.m. EST)

The spacecraft is crossing the Gulf of Mexico, about to arrive in Florida airspace over Fort Myers.

[danny2005]

mi fa lo stream in formato wide deformando un po' tutto.. :wtf:

da me si blocca di tanto in tanto e vado di refresh........

[Quincy_it]

1357 GMT (8:57 a.m. EST)

Ten minutes to go. The TACAN navigation units aboard Atlantis are now receiving data from beacons located at the landing site, along with GPS receivers on the ship.

[Dj Ruck]

porca vacca oh...è la prima volta che seguo un rientro...nn pensavo andasse tanto veloce:eekk::eekk:
è già arrivato:eek: :eekk::eek: :eekk:

[Quincy_it]

1357 GMT (8:57 a.m. EST)

Mission Control computes Atlantis will land 2,500 feet down the runway at 195 knots. The vehicle remains on course and the MILA tracking station at the Cape has acquired Atlantis' signal.



1358 GMT (8:58 a.m. EST)

Atlantis is less than 200 miles from Kennedy Space Center.

[Dj Ruck]

eccolo che si vedeeee

[Quincy_it]

1359 GMT (8:59 a.m. EST)

Atlantis is 20 miles up and 127 miles from the runway.


Si inizia a vedere dalle riprese tv! :)

[Quincy_it]

1400 GMT (9:00 a.m. EST)

Seven minutes to touchdown. Air data probes are being deployed from the shuttle's nose to feed air speed, altitude and angle of attack information to the computers for navigation.



1401 GMT (9:01 a.m. EST)

Atlantis is 14 miles in altitude, some 70 miles from the runway.

[Quincy_it]

1402 GMT (9:02 a.m. EST)

The crew has been given the "go" for normal deployment of the drag chute after main gear touchdown.



1403 GMT (9:03 a.m. EST)

The twin sonic booms have crackled across the Space Coast, announcing Atlantis' arrival home.

[Dj Ruck]

in subsonico ora...bene...ci siamo quasi

[Super Vegetto]

Splendido doppio bang sonico!!:) :) :cool:

[Dj Ruck]

CAAAAAZZOOOOOOOOOOOOO...il BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

DOOOOOOOOOOPPIO

figata pazzescaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Quincy_it]

1404 GMT (9:04 a.m. EST)

The shuttle is in the Heading Alignment Cylinder, an imaginary circle to align with Runway 15. Commander Steve Frick is piloting Atlantis through a 247-degree left-overhead turn to loop around for landing on the northwest-to-southeast runway.

[Codename47]

Finalmente un doppio boom sonico come si deve, era da un paio di missioni che si sentiva appena :D

[Super Vegetto]

CAAAAAZZOOOOOOOOOOOOO...il BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

DOOOOOOOOOOPPIO

figata pazzescaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

C' è sempre ma non sempre così bello!

[Dj Ruck]

C' è sempre ma non sempre così bello!

bello bello...allora ho scelto il rientro migliore ehehe

[Quincy_it]

1404 GMT (9:04 a.m. EST)

Altitude 25,000 feet as Atlantis makes the sweeping turn.



1405 GMT (9:05 a.m. EST)

Descending through 15,000 feet.




1406 GMT (9:06 a.m. EST)

Field in sight. Commander Steve Frick can see the runway as he guides Atlantis to landing.

[Quincy_it]

Ci siamo! :)

1407 GMT (9:07 a.m. EST)

TOUCHDOWN! Main gear touchdown. Drag chute deployed. Nose gear touchdown.




1407 GMT (9:07 a.m. EST)

Atlantis is rolling down Runway 15 having returned home to the Florida spaceport after its mission that delivered the Columbus science laboratory to the space station, the European Space Agency's centerpiece contribution to the international outpost.

[Dj Ruck]

è giù...che bello...spettacolare...bellissimo...emozionante...stupendo...devo vedermene altri altri altri!!!

[Quincy_it]

Welcome back Atlantis! :)

1408 GMT (9:08 a.m. EST)

WHEEL STOP. Atlantis is back safe and sound after its 5.3-million-mile trip.

[Dj Ruck]

scotta eh...:D :D

[Super Vegetto]

Sempre uno spettacolo, fantastico!:sborone:

[Codename47]

è giù...che bello...spettacolare...bellissimo...emozionante...stupendo...devo vedermene altri altri altri!!!

Beh dai alla fine l'atterraggio è solo una piccola parte... Ti posso assicurare che durante la missione ci sono immagini ben più emozionanti :)

[Dj Ruck]

Beh dai alla fine l'atterraggio è solo una piccola parte... Ti posso assicurare che durante la missione ci sono immagini ben più emozionanti :)

beh...è ovvio...ma noi possiamo vedere solo la parenza e l'atterraggio...o anche la permanenza???

[Codename47]

beh...è ovvio...ma noi possiamo vedere solo la parenza e l'atterraggio...o anche la permanenza???

Per tutta la durata della missione su NasaTV c'è la diretta 24ore non-stop. Per quanto mi riguarda le EVA sono i momenti più emozionanti ;)

[Quincy_it]

beh...è ovvio...ma noi possiamo vedere solo la parenza e l'atterraggio...o anche la permanenza???

Scherzi? :)
Praticamente è una sorta di "Grande Fratello NASA". Puoi vedere quasi h24 quello che succede e ti assicuro che le dirette delle missioni nello spazio (EVA) sono da lasciare senza fiato. :)

[Dj Ruck]

ma che fanno ora?

[Dj Ruck]

Per tutta la durata della missione su NasaTV c'è la diretta 24ore non-stop. Per quanto mi riguarda le EVA sono i momenti più emozionanti ;)

Scherzi? :)
Praticamente è una sorta di "Grande Fratello NASA". Puoi vedere quasi h24 quello che succede e ti assicuro che le dirette delle missioni nello spazio (EVA) sono da lasciare senza fiato. :)

e me lo dite solo adessooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo??????????:cry: :cry:

[Super Vegetto]

ma che fanno ora?

Ora cazzeggiano per un po', è lunga.
Riguardo alle EVA concordo, quando escono da quella botola mi gira quasi la testa a me per loro!:cry: :cry: :cry:

[Codename47]

e me lo dite solo adessooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo??????????:cry: :cry:

Beh, ne abbiamo sempre parlato in ogni thread, per tutte le missioni da qualche anno a questa parte :D Almeno adesso lo sai per la STS-123 del mese prossimo ;)

[Dj Ruck]

Ora cazzeggiano per un po', è lunga.
Riguardo alle EVA concordo, quando escono da quella botola mi gira quasi la testa a me per loro!:cry: :cry: :cry:

la prosssima volta voglio essere presente eheh

ma che stanno facendo qUelli??? vanno a zigzag???

[Dj Ruck]

Beh, ne abbiamo sempre parlato in ogni thread, per tutte le missioni da qualche anno a questa parte :D Almeno adesso lo sai per la STS-123 del mese prossimo ;)

:asd: :asd:

bene...data, giorno, ora, minuto del lancio!!!:read: :read:

[Quincy_it]

e me lo dite solo adessooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo??????????:cry: :cry:
Come detto,
ringrazio la tecnologia: anni fa per vedere qualcosa dello Shuttle dovevo accontentarmi di brevissimi servizi ai tg. Ora invece si può essere collegati H24 in tempo reale. :cool:

[Codename47]

:asd: :asd:

bene...data, giorno, ora, minuto del lancio!!!:read: :read:

L'Endeavour è già stato trasportato alla stazione di lancio, sempre li al KSC (qualche ora prima del lancio fanno vedere le stupende immagini dell'assemblaggio). Il lancio è previsto per l'11 marzo, l'orario preciso penso non sia ancora stato definito ;)

[Dj Ruck]

Come detto,
ringrazio la tecnologia: anni fa per vedere qualcosa dello Shuttle dovevo accontentarmi di brevissimi servizi ai tg. Ora invece si può essere collegati H24 in tempo reale. :cool:
già...verissimo...menomale che la tecnologia ci aiuta a vivere queste emozioni!!!

L'Endeavour è già stato trasportato alla stazione di lancio, sempre li al KSC (qualche ora prima del lancio fanno vedere le stupende immagini dell'assemblaggio). Il lancio è previsto per l'11 marzo, l'orario preciso penso non sia ancora stato definito ;)

bene bene...spero di essere presente.

ma cosa è qual "fumo/fiamma" che esce da sopra???

[Octane]

edit: posto doppio

[Dj Ruck]

sceeeeeeeeendonoooooo:D :D

[Codename47]

bene bene...spero di essere presente.



Ho controllato, purtroppo il lancio è previsto per le 7.28 del mattino (ora italiana), io non riuscirò a vederlo :cry:

[MaxRob]

tra qualche ora usciranno video su youtube di amatori che riprendono il cielo per sentire il sonic boom.

[Dj Ruck]

Ho controllato, purtroppo il lancio è previsto per le 7.28 del mattino (ora italiana), io non riuscirò a vederlo :cry:

un piccolo sacrificio si può fare ehehe:D :D

[Quincy_it]

Ho controllato, purtroppo il lancio è previsto per le 7.28 del mattino (ora italiana), io non riuscirò a vederlo :cry:

Speriamo allora in un leggero posticipo causa maltempo! :p

[Octane]

:asd: :asd:

bene...data, giorno, ora, minuto del lancio!!!:read: :read:

Qui trovi le informazioni sul manifest delle missioni e lo stato di avanzamento del programma in generale:

http://www.hwupgrade.it/forum/showthread.php?t=749015

Poi per le singole missioni vengono aperti (quasi sempre da GioFX ;) ) threads separati.

[Dj Ruck]

Qui trovi le informazioni sul manifest delle missioni e lo stato di avanzamento del programma in generale:

http://www.hwupgrade.it/forum/showthread.php?t=749015

Poi per le singole missioni vengono aperti (quasi sempre da GioFX ;) ) threads separati.

graize...cmq hanno interrotto la diretta :asd:
bene...è stato bellissimo...alla prossima missione:D :D :D

[Frank1962]

lanci previsti:

STS-123 11 Marzo

ATV 8 Marzo ( http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEM3R7QR4CF_0.html )

non è che poi fanno zuffa tra space shuttle e atv attorno all'iss? :D
ma poi l'iss può tenere attaccati contemporaneamente due navette?

[GioFX]

Da SpaceFlightNow.com:

Space shuttle Atlantis streaks back to Earth

BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: February 20, 2008; Updated at 12:30 p.m.

Taking advantage of calm weather, the shuttle Atlantis dropped out of orbit and glided to a smooth Florida landing today, closing out an extended 13-day mission to deliver a new European research lab and a French astronaut to the international space station.

Bringing outgoing space station flight engineer Dan Tani back to Earth after 120 days in space, Atlantis commander Steve Frick guided Atlantis through a sweeping 235-degree left overhead turn, lined up on runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center and swooped to a picture-perfect touchdown at 9:07:10 a.m.

"Houston, Atlantis, wheels stopped," Frick radioed as the shuttle rolled to a halt.

"Copy, wheels stopped," astronaut Jim Dutton replied from mission control in Houston. "Welcome home, Atlantis, welcome home, Dan, and congrats on delivering (the) Columbus (module) to its new world."

"It's been a great mission," Frick said. "We're extremely happy to be home, it's such a beautiful day in Florida. We can't wait to see our families, who hopefully were all at the (grand)stands here watching. We appreciate all the great help and support from the folks here at Kennedy and all over NASA, and especially at Johnson Space Center, mission control, for keeping us safe when we were airborne and bringing us safely home,"

Mission duration was 12 days 18 hours 21 minutes and 40 seconds, covering 202 complete orbits and 5.3 million miles since blastoff Feb. 7. Bill Gerstenmaier, director of space flight operations at NASA headquarters in Washington. said Tani came through re-entry and the return to Earth's gravity in good shape.

"He's doing great," Gerstenmaier said. "He'll go back to Houston and start some rehabilitation, start doing some weight training, some water training, those kind of things, and eventually get back into a pretty routine lifestyle."

With Atlantis and its seven-member crew safely home, the Pentagon was clear to proceed with plans to destroy a falling spy satellite with a dramatic missile shot from a Navy cruiser west of Hawaii.

The unprecedented intercept had been planned for this evening, but Pentagon officials said this morning high seas near Hawaii threatened to delay the launching. A second opportunity was available Thursday.

Launched in December 2006, the classified National Reconnaissance Office satellite, believed to be an experimental spacecraft intended to test new sensor technologies, suffered a catastrophic malfunction shortly after reaching orbit. It has been out of contact and out of control ever since, slowly falling back to Earth due to the long-term affects of atmospheric friction.

Left on its own, the 5,000-pound NROL-21 spacecraft would re-enter the atmosphere and break apart in mid March. About 2,400 pounds of debris could be expected to survive re-entry and make it all the way to the surface. The risk of injury from satellite debris is considered minimal, but the Bush administration, worried the satellite's full load of toxic, now-frozen hydrazine rocket fuel might make it to the ground, ordered the Navy to attempt a shoot down.

The avoid any risk of debris that might threaten Atlantis and its crew, the shot was held up until Atlantis could return to Earth. Playing it safe, NASA staffed a backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., to get the shuttle down today, on one coast or the other. As it turned out, the weather cooperated in Florida and Edwards wasn't needed.

Flying upside down and backward 212 miles above the Indian Ocean, Frick and pilot Alan Poindexter fired Atlantis' twin braking rockets at 7:59:52 a.m. for two minutes and 43 seconds, slowing the ship by about 198 mph to drop out of orbit.

A half hour later, descending through 76 miles above the south Pacific Ocean, Atlantis plunged back into the discernible atmosphere around 8:36 a.m., entering the zone of peak heating a few minutes later.

Following a southwest-to-northeast trajectory that carried the ship high above central America just south of the Yucatan Peninsula, Atlantis skirted the western tip of Cuba before crossing the southwest coast of Florida near Fort Myers.

Frick took over manual control as the shuttle descended through 51,000 feet and dropped below the speed of sound around 9:03 a.m. Approaching the Kennedy Space Center the southwest, he and Poindexter guided the ship through a sweeping left overhead turn to line up on runway 15.

Frick, Poindexter, flight engineer Rex Walheim, Leland Melvin, Stan Love and European Space Agency astronaut Hans Schlegel were expected to doff their pressure suits and climb out of the shuttle an hour or so after touchdown. Tani made the return to Earth strapped into a reclining seat on the shuttle's lower deck and flight surgeons were standing by to provide assistance as needed.

After medical exams and reunions with friends and family members, all seven astronauts were expected to fly back to the Johnson Space Center in Houston on Thursday.

Tani was launched to the space station aboard the shuttle Discovery last October to help commander Peggy Whitson and flight engineer Yuri Malenchenko prepare the outpost for the attachment of the European Space Agency's Columbus research module. The new lab module was scheduled to be carried aloft aboard Atlantis in December along with Tani's replacement, French astronaut Leopold Eyharts.

But Atlantis was grounded by problems with hydrogen fuel sensors, Columbus' delivery was held up and Tani's stay in space ultimately was extended for two months. As such, he missed the holidays with his family and was off the planet when his 90-year-old mother was killed in a Dec. 19 car wreck.

After extensive modifications to a suspect fuel sensor wiring connector, Atlantis blasted off at 2:45:30 p.m. on Feb. 7 to kick off the delayed assembly mission.

Over the next 13 days, the astronauts staged three spacewalks, delivered and installed the 26,627-pound Columbus module, two external experiment packages totaling 1,409 pounds and a fresh tank of high-pressure nitrogen for the station's ammonia cooling system that tipped the scales at 1,069 pounds.

The shuttle brought 2,242 pounds of station hardware back to Earth in its cargo bay, including a spent nitrogen tank and a faulty control moment gyroscope. Some 1,299 pounds of supplies and equipment were transferred from the shuttle cabin to the space station, including a new solar alpha rotary joint drive motor, and 1,343 pounds of equipment was moved from the station to the shuttle's cabin for return to Earth.

The astronauts transferred 1,386 pounds of fresh water to the space station, 95 pounds of oxygen and 27 pounds of nitrogen.

"It's great... to be back on the ground here at the Kennedy Space Center on our first try," Frick said from the runway. "As you can see, the weather is gorgeous and it looked just as nice from up high as it does down here. Atlantis is a great ship, it brought us home without any troubles, everything worked just beautifully. We're obviously very excited that our mission is complete and successful, we got everything done that we had hoped to get done."

With Atlantis safely home, NASA engineers will set their sights on launching the shuttle Endeavour March 11 on a marathon 16-day five-spacewalk mission to attach the first of two Japanese research modules to the space station. Endeavour's crew is scheduled to fly to the Florida space center Saturday to participate in a dress-rehearsal countdown Monday.

If all goes well, Endeavour will rocket away around 2:28 a.m. on March 11 and return to Earth around 7:40 p.m. on March 26.

The next flight in the sequence, a mission by Discovery to carry Japan's huge Kibo module to the station, has slipped from the end of April to around May 25 because of unfavorable orbital conditions and time needed to complete external tank processing.

After that, Atlantis is scheduled to return to space Aug. 28 on a long-awaited flight to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Two more flights, by Endeavour and Discovery in October and December, will ferry supplies to the space station and a final set of solar arrays.

-
Articolo:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts122/080220fd14/index.html

[GioFX]

E questo conclude il coverage ufficiale per la missione.

Grazie a tutti per la collaborazione ed il supporto. Purtroppo mi sono perso il primo rientro in diretta da 3 anni! :muro:

Cmq, attenzione al primo lancio dell'ATV, che segnerà un nuovo capitolo nella storia aerospaziale europea! Prossimo appuntamento, 8 Marzo!

[Codename47]

E questo conclude il coverage ufficiale per la missione.

Grazie a tutti per la collaborazione ed il supporto. Purtroppo mi sono perso il primo rientro in diretta da 3 anni! :muro:

Cmq, attenzione al primo lancio dell'ATV, che segnerà un nuovo capitolo nella storia aerospaziale europea! Prossimo appuntamento, 8 Marzo!

Ci pensi tu ad aprire il thread ufficiale della STS-123? Perchè hai perso un atterraggio non credere di poterti sottrarre ai doveri di informazione nel furum :O

:Prrr: :sofico:

[Dj Ruck]

lanci previsti:

STS-123 11 Marzo

ATV 8 Marzo ( http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEM3R7QR4CF_0.html )

non è che poi fanno zuffa tra space shuttle e atv attorno all'iss? :D
ma poi l'iss può tenere attaccati contemporaneamente due navette?

bene...ricordatemelo :asd::Prrr:

[GioFX]

Ci pensi tu ad aprire il thread ufficiale della STS-123? Perchè hai perso un atterraggio non credere di poterti sottrarre ai doveri di informazione nel furum :O

:Prrr: :sofico:

Azz, mi stavo già abituando... :ciapet:


:D


Il nuovo 3d lo apro questo fine settimana.

;)

[IcEMaN666]

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=grhrcq4z5xQ

minuto 2.40...sentite che fucilate:eek: