STS-131 updates

[Donamy]

Yes, this is standard when the Ku is not available.

The SSU has the same problem. :lol:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

A good, informative, in depth video explaining all about WORF (in two parts).

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc82Pl_fcsk"]YouTube- ISS WORF Video (Part 1 of 2).mpg[/nomedia]


[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1104RiqT_o"]YouTube- ISS WORF Video (Part 2 of 2).mpg[/nomedia]

 

[Star Voyager]

There are some fancy photos on spaceweather.com of the sun illuminated SSME exhaust

Similar sights here in Tampa. Is there a more elaborate explanation for these "jellyfishes"?

EDIT: My mom said that on the news, engineers were also concerned about excessive tile debris coming off the ET. Can anyone confirm or heard something similar?

 

[tblaxland]

Similar sights here in Tampa. Is there a more elaborate explanation for these "jellyfishes"?

More elaborate than what? The SSME exhaust is water vapour. In the very low pressure of the upper atmosphere it coalesces into water crystals (microscopic dust particles can help), forming noctilucent clouds. The shape is mostly due to the under-expansion of the exhaust.

EDIT: My mom said that on the news, engineers were also concerned about excessive tile debris coming off the ET. Can anyone confirm or heard something similar?

Foam comes off the ET, not tiles . From the reports I can find, the foam liberation occurred too high to be of serious concern.

 

[Star Voyager]

Sorry, I meant foam ! And thanks for the explanation. I didn't think it was that simple...

 

[McWgogs]

The jellyfish like thing is the exhaust from the main engines. You don't normally see them cos they are either washed out by daylight or in shadow of the night.
To see the exhaust you need to be in the dark, and the exhaust has to be in sunlight, so this launch had the perfect conditions to see it.
Note how the plume is triple in this one photo: http://www.spaceweather.com/submissions/pics/a/Adam-Bojanowski-IMG_0532-sm_1270467310.jpg

The same thing happened with this spectacular progress launch, also flying into sunrise: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzpxVM7zxZY"]YouTube- Lancering Progress M- 03M 15/10/2009[/nomedia]

 

[orb]

Calendar event for STS-131 docking to ISS with set timer is added to O-F's Calendar.

 

[Interceptor]

Not.trying to brag,but I saw the STS131 Shuttle launch from space view park from Titusville.It was my first,and hopefully if im still down here in florida, I will get to see the next one in May.Amazing! The only thing that sucked was ,I had some guy with his kid on his shoulders block my view of the pad,at the last second,very inconsiderate on his part.I wish the shuttle program would be extended a little longer. Thanks

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

The HD launch video is now available.

480p (.mov format, 62 MB):
http://anon.nasa-global.edgesuite.net/qt.nasa-global/ksc/ksc_040510_sts131_launch_480p.mov

720p [HD] (.mov format, 202 MB):
http://anon.nasa-global.edgesuite.net/qt.nasa-global/ksc/ksc_040510_sts131_launch_720p.mov

1080i [Full HD] (.mov format, 158 MB):
http://anon.nasa-global.edgesuite.net/qt.nasa-global/ksc/ksc_040510_sts131_launch_1080i.mov

 

[astrosammy]

OH NO! I also forgot to download the 130 HD video. :lol:

My heart rate is f...ing high before live shuttle launches, I would propably cause a scrub if I would sit inside.
I think I'll never watch one live from the Cape, that could kill me :rofl:.

 

[tblaxland]

Discovery has successfully completed its Terminal Insertion burn.

 

[orb]

Docking occurred right as scheduled at 07:44 UTC (3:44 a.m. EDT) as the spacecraft flew in orbital darkness some 216 miles above the Caribbean Sea.

---------- Post added at 17:53 ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 ----------

The hatchway between Discovery and the space station was opened at 09:11 UTC (5:11 a.m. EDT), well ahead of schedule.

 

[Urwumpe]

The SSU has the same problem. :lol:

One more such jokes and I'll hard-code the MTBF of the DEA to 15 minutes. :rofl:

 

[DaveS]

One more such jokes and I'll hard-code the MTBF of the DEA to 15 minutes. :rofl:

Well, our problem is with the gimbals, not the DEA! So the MTBF should be 15 minutes for the gimbals, not the DEA! This will prevent us from properly stowing the antenna for re-entry!

 

[Urwumpe]

Well, our problem is with the gimbals, not the DEA! So the MTBF should be 15 minutes for the gimbals, not the DEA! This will prevent us from properly stowing the antenna for re-entry!

Which calculations happen inside the EA1... :lol:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Mission Status Update

The MPLM was berthed to the ISS & hatches were opened yesterday.

EVA-1 was successfully completed last night, during which the new ATA was removed from the LMC in Discovery's Payload Bay and placed at a temporary location on the ISS, which frees up the LMC for the old ATA. During EVA-2, the old ATA will be removed from the ISS’s S1 Truss & placed on the LMC for return to Earth. The new ATA will then be installed on the S1 Truss in place of the old ATA.

Today (FD-5), the following racks were transferred from the MPLM & installed in the ISS:
. MARES (installed at Columbus Forward 3 location).
. MELFI-3 (installed at JPM Aft 1 location).
. CQ-2 (installed at Node 2 Overhead 5 location).
. S2 ZSR (installed at JLP Aft 1 location).
. S4 ZSR (installed at Lab Port 4 location).

The mission has now been extended by 1 day to allow for late OBSS inspection while Discovery is docked to the ISS, so that the data from the inspection can be downlinked by the ISS’s Ku band antenna, as Discovery's Ku band antenna looks to be out of action for the remainder of the mission.

For some truly breathtaking on-orbit photography, see pages 2 to 7, and 37 to 44 here.

 

[dougkeenan]

Next to those HD videos I feel like Charlie Brown at show and tell with a rock, but here's my hand-held Sony DSC-TX7 video from the causeway. What a sight!

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyZmgzQvEzU"]YouTube- STS131_Launch_HD.mpg[/nomedia]

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Here's an amazing, high-quality Flight Day 5 activities video showing EVA shots filmed from Cupola & MPLM transfers! :thumbup:

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-CwYzo2tVE"]YouTube- Life On Orbit[/nomedia]

---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:55 AM ----------

Following today's transfers, all racks have been transferred from the MPLM & installed in the ISS.
Today (FD-6) the following racks were transferred & installed:
. WORF (installed at Lab Deck 3 location).
. ER-7 (installed at Lab Port 2 location).
. 3x ISPs (moved from Node 3 Forward 5 location to MPLM for return to Earth).

---------- Post added at 03:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:05 PM ----------

Discovery's new landing time is Mon. 19th April @ 08:53 AM EDT/12:53 PM GMT.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

EVA-2 was successfully completed last night, during which spacewalkers removed the old ATA from the ISS’s S1 Truss and installed it onto the LMC in Discovery’s Payload Bay for return to Earth, and installed the new ATA in place of the old ATA on the S1 Truss. A troublesome bolt on the ATA set the spacewalk behind an hour, and some tasks had to be deferred from the EVA so that the ATA work could be completed. The EVA lasted 7 hours 26 minutes.
Here’s the EVA-2 video:
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu0b2zEHiuk"]YouTube- New Equipment Installed Outside ISS[/nomedia]


While EVA-2 was taking place, the TeSS rack was removed from the Destiny Laboratory and transferred to the Leonardo MPLM for return to Earth.
Following yesterday’s transfer and installation of the new CQ rack, all 4 CQ racks are now aboard the ISS. The CQ racks provide more radiation protection than the TeSS, and are arranged in a circumferential fashion around Node 2 in order to provide even more radiation protection to sleeping crewmembers. With the 4 CQ racks and the 2 Russian sleep stations in the Zvezda Service Module, the TeSS is no longer needed by a 6 person crew.
The TeSS was launched on STS-105 in August 2001 (which coincidentally, was also flown by Discovery with the Leonardo MPLM)!

Here’s a great high quality video from yesterday (FD-6) showing rack transfers from the MPLM and installation into the ISS.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftwromsqui8"]YouTube- Next Up: Spacewalk #2[/nomedia]


Acronyms used above:
ATA = Ammonia Tank Assembly.
LMC = Lightweight MPESS (Multi Purpose Equipment Support Structure) Carrier.
TeSS = Temporary Sleep Station.
CQ = Crew Quarters.
FD = Flight Day.

---------- Post added 12th Apr 2010 at 01:02 PM ---------- Previous post was 11th Apr 2010 at 04:53 PM ----------

Here's the FD-7 highlights video, including some great EVA-2 footage and some shots of the TeSS transfer towards the end of the video.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uftxel9ue3Y"]YouTube- HD "Crew Choice" Video[/nomedia]

 

[rucinter]

For some truly breathtaking on-orbit photography, see pages 2 to 7, and 37 to 44 here.

Almost as good as Orbiter's textures with antialiasing!