The crew is in, blast off at 0230est.
Might be a heck of a viewing opportunity. I'm trying to find its trajectory outbound.
Posted on 03/10/2008 8:58:14 PM PDT by Travis McGee
March 10, 2008 - 11:45 p.m. EDT Commander Gorie was first to be secured in his seat, assisted by the Closeout Crew. Endeavour' pilot, Gregory Johnson, was next on the flight deck. The rest of the flight team was seated and strapped in while Gorie began powering up the orbiter's general purpose computer for flight.
All seven Endeavour astronauts for mission STS-123 are now strapped into their seats inside the crew compartment and conducting last-minute preparations for launch. The countdown remains on track. Final communication checks took place as each crew member took his seat.
About the Mission NASA astronaut Dominic Gorie commands a crew of six, including Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan, Robert L. Behnken, Mike Foreman, Garrett Reisman and Japanese astronaut Takao Doi. Johnson, Behnken and Foreman will be making their first spaceflight.
During the 16-day mission, the crew's two prime objectives are to deliver and attach to the International Space Station the first component of Japan's new laboratory called Kibo, as well as Canada's new robotics system, the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre. STS-123 is the 25th shuttle mission to the International Space Station.
Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Leopold Eyharts, who arrived at the station aboard Atlantis in February, will return to Earth with the Endeavour crew as Reisman takes his place on the station.
The crew is in, blast off at 0230est.
Might be a heck of a viewing opportunity. I'm trying to find its trajectory outbound.
There ya go !
0230...well that’s 0330 central time but really 0230 standard time but 0330 day light savings time?
They have a countdown clock at the link, currently it’s set to blast off in 2 hours 20 minutes.
any place we can watch online?
Bout an hour and 23 minutes for us CD !
During the 16-day mission, the crew’s two prime objectives are to deliver and attach to the International Space Station the first component of Japan’s new laboratory called Kibo, as well as Canada’s new robotics system, the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre. STS-123 is the 25th shuttle mission to the International Space Station.
What’s its vector, Victor? After it lifts off, which way is that sucker heading? North, I hope.
(I’m trying to decide if it’ll be worth staying up for, in Jax FL.)
It’s going to the Space Station, which is at 52 degrees inclination. Northern launch azimuth, typically....
That’s what I was hoping. I saw a near-twilight launch from JAX last summer, it was way cool even then. It flew straight up the coast. Total dark will be worth staying up for. Anybody on the east coast should have a great show.
Ya should see it regardless of it’s path..........
I will go look at their site. may be a weeee bit classified due that boogie man threat !
LOL
I'm an old gramma - raised on a little farm in the north woods with my grandparents, my grampa a Maine Guide.
The farm had been built by my great grandfather about 1846.
We had wood stoves, kerosene lamps, a water pump on the edge of the soapstone sink - and a 'two-holer' down at the end of the granary.
My brother grew up to become a space electronics engineering specialist and one of my sons works on the shuttle program....
every time I watch one of these launches, I still have a bit of awe realizing how far, how fast, we have progressed in the last few decades -
Myself, I'd love to go back to the farm = if I could take my hot water spigot and computer - and 'water closet" :O)
I hear you! My grands, RIP, saw the first telephones and electric lights, and lived to see the moon landing. We went from the Wright Brothers to the moon in only 66 years, a staggering feat.
Where? I don’t see it.
Here’s another Live Video feed that is a bit more stable than NASA TV. It was provided by another FReeper a few months ago. It’s a NASA TV mirror site through Calif. State Univ. at Pomona.
http://video.csupomona.edu/Live Two-245.asx
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