Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Space Shuttle and Space Station Photographed Together

NASA ^ | June 08, 2011 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit: NASA] Explanation: How was this picture taken? Usually, pictures of the shuttle, taken from space, are snapped from the space station. Commonly, pictures of the space station are snapped from the shuttle. How, then, can there be a picture of both the shuttle and the station together, taken from space? The answer is that during the Space Shuttle Endeavour's last trip to the International Space Station two weeks ago, a supply ship departed the station with astronauts that captured a series of rare views. The supply ship was the Russian Soyuz TMA-20 which landed in Kazakhstan later that day. The above spectacular image well captures the relative sizes of the station and docked shuttle. Far below, clouds of Earth are seen above a blue sea. The next and last launch of a US space shuttle is scheduled for early July.

[SunkenCiv]

The STS assembled that piece by piece.

[SunkenCiv]

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[cripplecreek]

Pretty big chunk of hardware if you think about it.

[TheOldLady]

They both look so tiny hanging there above the ocean and the clouds.

I’m still very angry with zer0.

But it’s nice to see you, Civ, and thanks for the ping and link.

[cripplecreek]

If we had kept pace with the moon landings we would probably have a permanent base and possible manufacturing getting going by now.

[Fledermaus]

If that station needs all those solar panels to generate power for itself then this picture helps prove how they can’t be used as a major, reliable power source on Earth.

[wita]

Where is the corresponding picture of the Soyuz taken from the space station?

[Cyman]

Staring at my tv set in 1969 as a 16 year old kid I was positive that in the year 2000 I would be celebrating my birthday at the Hilton Moon. Oh well, dreams....

[JoeProBono]

[TheOldLady]

You’re absolutely right.

And JFK is spinning in his grave.

[Moonman62]

If we had kept pace with the moon landings we would probably have a permanent base and possible manufacturing getting going by now.

Without the Soviets pushing us it wasn't going to happen, because in and of itself, it wasn't economically sustainable, and neither did the space program buy enough votes.

[buccaneer81]

And JFK is spinning in his grave.

Doubtful. JFK privately admitted the truth...that the manned lunar program was political and that he had no real interest in space. Had he lived, he would have said "Mission Accomplished" in 1969 and Nixon would have gone right ahead and screwed the pooch just as he did in our timeline.

[TheOldLady]

Time travel! It’s possible!

Cute, Joe. ;-)

[JRandomFreeper]

LOL! For an AI, you do have a sense of humor.

/johnny

[TheOldLady]

Oh.

[JRandomFreeper]

Part of those panels are heat transfer panels (radiators). One of the problems in space is no convection or conduction from atmosphere. Getting rid of heat can be a problem.

/johnny

[cripplecreek]

Without the Soviets pushing us it wasn't going to happen, because in and of itself, it wasn't economically sustainable, and neither did the space program buy enough votes.

That's definitely one of the problems. If I were president I would pull us out of the international outer space treaty and truly open space to business beyond playing taxi driver and freight haulers to government facilities. Let them lay claim to asteroids and plots of land on the moon and planets with the requirement that they actually do something with their claims.

[Fledermaus]

Ah, good point. Thanks.

[Levante]

I guess Constitution-class starship crews need a place to blow off steam, too.
;)

[left that other site]

Back in the Day, before 9/11/01, I was privileged to see the Destiny Lab portion of the ISS just prior to its being conveyed to the station on board the Shuttle. It was a night launch, and wonderful to behold. We were so confident and optimistic back then. (sigh)