Posted on 06/20/2007 6:45:13 PM PDT by KevinDavis
Well it was a good mission despite the minor setback... The Shuttle will be landing at the Cape at 1:54 pm edt.
Details about the landing can be viewed here at Spaceflightnow
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Bad link.
The requested document does not exist on this server.
I know I have asked the mod to change it..
Waiting on the twin booms. The launch rattled the windows 50 miles away (first time in a long time), lets see if the sonic booms upn return do too.
I’ve seen 3 shuttle reentrys as they went over my part of Texas in the dark. There was a streak of luminous gas from horizon to horizon. Awesone to see.
Is it coming up the coast or across? I can’t find a track.
Good question..
Across South America and the Gulf.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/main/landing.html
Correction: Across Central America.
I was lucky enough to see the double pass over Salt Lake City last night at 10:04 pm. Pretty cool!
spaceflightnow.com
1425 GMT (10:25 a.m. EDT)
The crew has completed the work to bypass the shuttle’s radiators and checked out of the ship’s flash evaporator cooling system for entry. The “go” has been given to shut the payload bay doors for today’s planned landing, if the weather improves.
spaceflightnow.com
1439 GMT (10:39 a.m. EDT)
Atlantis’ clam-shell-like payload bay doors have been closed and locked in preparation for today’s fiery descent into Earth’s atmosphere and landing at Kennedy Space Center. The deorbit burn is scheduled for 12:50 p.m., with touchdown at 1:55 p.m. EDT.
Meanwhile, Mission Control has given the crew a “go” to transition the onboard computers from the OPS-2 software used during the shuttle’s stay in space to OPS-3, which is the software package that governs entry and landing. And Atlantis will soon maneuver to a new orientation in space to improve the communications link with NASA’s orbiting data relay satellites.
spaceflightnow.com
1520 GMT (11:20 a.m. EDT)
Now 90 minutes away from the scheduled firing of Atlantis’ twin orbital maneuvering system engines to drop from orbit. The burn begins at 12:49:38 p.m. EDT and will last two minutes and 37 seconds. Landing is set for Kennedy Space Center’s Runway 15 at 1:55 p.m. EDT.
But the weather outlook still calls for low clouds and rain around the runway that would violate the landing rules.
A final “go” or “no go” call from Mission Control whether to proceed with the deorbit burn is expected around 12:30 p.m. EDT.
RW, thanks for the updates. I’ve got the tube on NASA-TV, soundless, while listening to Laura Ingraham.
I don’t know if Laura is a Mensan, but she sounds like a typical Mensan—all the way from really deep stuff to total silly nonsense in a minute.
spaceflightnow.com
1549 GMT (11:49 a.m. EDT)
WAVEOFF. Atlantis will remain in space for at least another orbit today. Rainshowers developing west of the Kennedy Space Center landing strip and low cloud ceilings have forced entry flight director Norm Knight to scrub the first of the day’s two landing opportunities.
If the weather situation improves, Atlantis could return to Earth later this afternoon, beginning with a deorbit burn at 2:25 p.m. and touchdown at 3:30 p.m. on Kennedy Space Center’s three-mile-long runway.
Should the weather remain “no go” for backup landing opportunity, Atlantis would stay in orbit for an additional day. There are landing options available at KSC and the alternate site at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on Friday.
Don’t know about any connection to MENSA, but hers is one of the more entertaining conservative shows on radio.
Just noticed the scrub for deorbit on this pass. I might have to miss this one, chores to do.
Kevin, I absolutely want on your Space Ping.
spaceflightnow.com
1605 GMT (12:05 p.m. EDT)
As a rainshower sweeps west-to-east toward the Shuttle Landing Facility, Atlantis has crossed the equator to begin orbit 202. There is not much optimism that the Florida weather picture will improve for a 3:30 p.m. landing of the shuttle. But Mission Control will continue to watch the conditions to gauge any signs of hope before throwing in the towel for today.
Scrubbed for today, check back tomorrow, same bat-time, same bat-channel. :)
Why can’t they land at night, or in the morning. For example 7am est.
They could if they wanted to. But, they want to land at Cape Canaveral if possible. They could probably set it down at JFK if they had to, but nobody, especially astronauts, wants to put up with the hassle at luggage pickup.
It all depends on the orbital inclination when they can land, I believe. Additionally, they now try to minimize the time the orbiter re-enters over land since the Columbia accident. Summer in Florida is the wrong time of year to try to land what with the afternoon storms and generally unacceptible conditons at KSC. Night or Early AM would be best.
Breaking News >> NASA Clears Shuttle Atlantis to Land in California at 3:49 p.m. EDT: Watch Live
My Cessna instructor would not approve. No diving!
is this still the live thread?
It’s dead, Jim.
People are going to freak here in La La Land...coming in from the south always gives off big twin sonic booms
I heard it cost and extra $1 mill to ferry it from CA. Probably peanuts for NASA though...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1854375/posts
new live thread
Thanks, too many shuttle threads!
maybe they fly it home in the Super Guppy?
Did you hear the sonic booms, Karl? I thought I heard something slight, but it didn't sound like what I've heard in the past.
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