LIVE THREAD(2): DISCOVERY - Return to Flight

NASA ^ | 7-25-05

[Allegra]

Pass the Kleenex.

Right? It's a good thing I'm by myself in this office - this is cool. Our Iraqi friends are supporting this.

I didn't even know how tuned into it they were, but I shouldn't be surprised. They're pretty savvy people.

[barker]

In the early 90's we were in Fla. and saw a launch of Discovery. Awesome doesn't begin to describe in. We were about 5 miles from the launch site. I can still see the liftoff and then the sound catching up. It started as a low rumble that kept growing and growing until you couldn't hear anything.

My husband's birthday is today and he's thrilled they're having the launch today just for him. LOL I taped a lot this morning so he can watch later.

[samantha]

Keep those prayers coming, we will get them through this...........

[BurbankKarl]

its probably ice....that eco friendly orange tank coating absorbs rain water, which freezes in orbit....

thanks Hillary.

[Moose4]

Talk about the best view in the house. That external tank camera was genius, I wish they'd done that years before. Really shows you what a ride they're taking!

}:-)4

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks for the great shots.

[RightWhale]

SpaceflightNow.com

1517 GMT (11:17 a.m. EDT)

T+plus 38 minutes, 20 seconds. The maneuvering engines have ignited for the orbit raising burn.

[SeaBiscuit]

"All of a sudden, I'm getting e-mails from Iraqis all excited about this."

Wonderful! thanks for letting us know, that kind of excitement and interest is a healthy sign.

[Moose4]

We just noticed that, you could see it very plainly from the tank camera. Couldn't tell from the feed if it came from the belly of the shuttle or from the tank, probably the tank.

}:-)4

[RightWhale]

The CEV and other Space Shuttle follow-ons will put the spacecraft on top of the stack instead of hanging off to the side. They will never eliminate the falling off of stuff during launch.

[OXENinFLA]

Well I was standing on an overpass and had 4 lanes of traffic driving by so that probably hindered me from hearing it.

[Allegra]

If you are ever in the Houston area and down by JSC go to a place named "Carlo's Beer Garden". It's south of NASA Road 1 on Highway 3. Sometimes there are a bunch of retired engineers there that worked on Apollo and early Shuttle. It's fascinating to chat with them.

My home is Houston...(I'm just not there right now..LOL) And I've been to Carlo's a couple of times. I have friends in the Clear Lake area. That place is cool and I went with a friends who work at JSC.

And that's GREAT that you met Chris Kraft! As a "manned space flight junkie" growing up, I read about Mr. Kraft in many books and magazines. ;-)

[samantha]

They are marveling at our success because we applaud and marvel at theirs. Thank you George Bush and all the Men and Women that sacrificed in SPace and in Afganistan and Iraq, and elsewhere.

[RightWhale]

SpaceflightNow.com

1518 GMT (11:18 a.m. EDT)

T+plus 39 minutes, 30 seconds. The twin Orbital Maneuvering System engines on the tail of Discovery have been fired successfully to propel the shuttle the rest of the way to orbit. The new orbit is 142 by 98 statute miles. The next maneuvering burn is coming up around 4 p.m. EDT to raise the orbit to 191 by 141 miles as the rendezvous continues to reach the station.

[Miss Behave]

"It's a good thing I'm by myself in this office...."

Your secret's safe with us, Allegra. :-)

And thank you for everything else you've passed halfway around the earth to us in your posts.

[Dashing Dasher]

Easy.. Alllow me.He takes his flat screen TV...put it face down on his photocopier..then he prints the page, and scans it into his computer

You aren't a Rocket Scientist - are you!?

[TomGuy]

Easy.. Alllow me.He takes his flat screen TV...put it face down on his photocopier..then he prints the page, and scans it into his computer

You mean I could do that? And here all this time, I've been quick-drawing them with MS Paint. I knew there had to be an easier way. lol

[ken5050]

Nah..just good old fashioned American trial and error. Once I bought a flat screen TV..it got a lot easier though..

[Allegra]

I wonder how my subcontrator would feel if he knew I had just posted his message out for all of FR to see? ;-)

[tiredoflaundry]

I saw NOTHING, NADA, ZIP, ZILCH, ZERO! It was too overcast...... Grrrrrrrr....

Same here :-(