STS-125 Shuttle Mission to Service Hubble Space Telescope Launches on Monday 7pm

[Septh]

Slightly surprised at that, but I can understand them wanting to leave their options open. Wonder what entertainment they'll arrange for themselves today.

Theres only one women on the shuttle, so she'll get worn out pretty quick I expect

 

[Berserker]

LOL! I got the impression from a recent discussion with CAPCOM that they've sorted out their DVD playback issue.

STS-125 will land tomorrow - somewhere. The only exception would be if there was a systems failure. They have consumables margin until Monday, but they'd never leave it until the last day out of choice.

 

[Cosimo]

Theres only one women on the shuttle, so she'll get worn out pretty quick I expect

You are a fool, they all worked very hard and should be admired.

The crewmembers for the STS-125 mission pose for a photo on the middeck of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Atlantis. Pictured on the front row are astronauts Scott Altman (center), commander; Gregory C. Johnson, pilot; and Megan McArthur, mission specialist. Pictured on the back row (left to right) are astronauts Andrew Feustel, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Michael Good, all mission specialists.

NASA

 

[Cosimo]

The next opportunity for landing at KSC is at 15:10 BST, fingers crossed.

 

[NeilF]

Theres only one women on the shuttle, so she'll get worn out pretty quick I expect

Show some respect for goodness sake...

 

[Septh]

Twas a joke! hence the face!
My god people take the internet too seriously.
I'd kill to do what they do! and I've watched basically the whole mission on nasa live tv, since it started instead of revising!

 

[NeilF]

Twas a joke! hence the face!
My god people take the internet too seriously.
I'd kill to do what they do! and I've watched basically the whole mission on nasa live tv, since it started instead of revising!

Understood, but these people are currently risking their lives - not to mention the imminent dangerous re-entry to our atmosphere. So maybe the humour wasn't best timed

 

[NeilF]

With all the talk of the Shuttles return, has there been any further news about the work on the Hubble? ie: Any signs it's been successful?

 

[Septh]

Understood, but these people are currently risking their lives - not to mention the imminent dangerous re-entry to our atmosphere. So maybe the humour wasn't best timed

I made the joke yesterday after it was accounced they weren't coming back and needed to find something to do for the day!
People and the internet

 

[NeilF]

I made the joke yesterday after it was accounced they weren't coming back and needed to find something to do for the day!
People and the internet

Fair enough, but looking at this page I notice I'm not the only person who found the humour ill-timed/ill-thoughtout...


Personally, I would have suggested saving the humour till they're back on the ground, instead of when they are still hurtling along at 17,000 mph in a vacuum, waiting to come through the atmostphere at temperatures hot enought to melt steel... ie:Your comment will not look so clever if something goes wrong God forbid...

Anyway... We all have our personally opinions what we do/do not find funny... So let's get back onto topic

 

[Cosimo]

Crew Begins Deorbit Preparations

Sun, 24 May 2009 10:42:24 AM UTC+0100

The Atlantis crew has begun deorbit preparations, a four-hour process. The crew woke up this morning at 1:01 a.m. EDT to “The Ride of the Valkyries,” composed by Richard Wagner. It was played for the entire crew. The first landing opportunity is at Kennedy Space Center at 10:09 a.m. EDT. The entry team continues to monitor weather conditions at Kennedy. The weather at Edwards Air Force Base is not a concern for a landing there.

NASA

 

[Cosimo]

"Go" Given for Payload Bay Door Closure

Sun, 24 May 2009 10:58:16 AM UTC+0100

Mission Control has given a "go" for payload bay door closure, timelined to begin at 6:17 a.m. EDT. Weather is still being monitored at Kennedy Space Center before the crew suits up as planned at 7:35 a.m.

NASA

 

[Berserker]

Fair enough, but looking at this page I notice I'm not the only person who found the humour ill-timed/ill-thoughtout...

I think you'd find the crew would disagree with this viewpoint. Yes, they'll take things seriously for obvious reasons, but I'd be very surprised if they weren't having a bit of fun at the same time. Given most of them are current/ex-military it's amazing just how much fun they do have even when working. They'd probably be bouncing off the walls if they didn't though - it's a bit cramped up there.

PS - payload bay doors successfully closed and the crew are suiting up (if they haven't completed that already).

 

[seaviewuk]

Four landing opportunity timelines for today

All times EDT (add 5 hours for BST)

Rev. 196 Deorbit to KSC

Deorbit ignition (TIG): 08:56:56 AM (dV: 171 mph; dT: 02:31)
Crossrange: 173 statute miles
Range to KSC at entry interface: 4,909 statute miles
Landing: 10:09:28 AM

04:56 AM......Begin deorbit timeline
05:11 AM......Radiator stow
05:21 AM......Mission specialists seat installation
05:27 AM......Computers set for deorbit prep
05:31 AM......Hydraulic system configuration
05:56 AM......Flash evaporator checkout
06:02 AM......Final payload deactivation
06:16 AM......Payload bay doors closed
06:26 AM......Mission control 'go' for OPS-3 software load
06:36 AM......OPS-3 entry software loaded
07:01 AM......Entry switchlist verification
07:11 AM......Deorbit maneuver update
07:16 AM......Crew entry review
07:31 AM......CDR/PLT don entry suits
07:48 AM......IMU alignment
07:56 AM......CDR/PLT strap in; MS suit don
08:13 AM......Shuttle steering check
08:16 AM......Hydraulic system prestart
08:23 AM......Toilet deactivation
08:36 AM......MCC 'go' for deorbit burn
08:42 AM......MS seat ingress
08:51 AM......Single APU start

08:56:56 AM...Deorbit ignition
08:59:27 AM...Deorbit burn complete

09:38:12 AM...Entry interface
09:42:39 AM...1st roll command to left
09:51:06 AM...1st right-to-let roll reversal
09:56:28 AM...C-band radar acquisition
10:03:02 AM...Velocity less than mach 2.5
10:05:12 AM...Velocity less than mach 1
10:05:28 AM...305-degree left turn to runway 15
10:09:28 AM...Landing

-----------------------------------------------

Rev. 197 Deorbit to EDW

TIG: 10:24:06 AM (dV: 182 mph; dT: 2:40)
Crossrange: 467 sm
Range to EDW at entry interface: 4,889 sm
Landing: 11:38:52 AM

10:04 AM......MCC 'go' for deorbit burn
10:10 AM......MS seat ingress
10:19 AM......Single APU start

10:24:06 AM...Deorbit ignition
10:26:46 AM...Deorbit burn complete

11:07:54 AM...Entry interface
11:12:23 AM...1st roll command to left
11:23:41 AM...1st left-to-right roll reversal
11:32:38 AM...Velocity less than mach 2.5
11:34:51 AM...Velocity less than mach 1
11:35:45 AM...205-degree left turn to runway 22
11:38:52 AM...Landing

-----------------------------------------------

Rev. 197 Deorbit to KSC

TIG: 10:40:56 AM (dV: 171 mph; dT: 2:32)
Crossrange: 632 sm
Range to KSC at entry interface: 4,878 sm
Landing: 11:48:16 AM

10:20 AM......MCC 'go' for deorbit burn
10:26 AM......MS seat ingress
10:35 AM......Single APU start

10:40:56 AM...Deorbit ignition
10:43:28 AM...Deorbit burn complete

11:17:07 AM...Entry interface
11:21:34 AM...1st roll command to left
11:34:26 AM...1st left-to-right roll reversal
11:41:53 AM...Velocity less than mach 2.5
11:44:02 AM...Velocity less than mach 1
11:44:16 AM...304 degree left turn to runway 15
11:48:16 AM...Landing

-----------------------------------------------

Rev. 198 Deorbit to EDW

TIG: 12:07:06 PM (dV: 168 mph; dT: 2:28)
Crossrange: 754 sm
Range to EDW at entry interface: 4,864 sm
Landing: 01:17:43 PM

11:47 AM......MCC 'go' for deorbit burn
11:53 AM......MS seat ingress
12:02 PM......Single APU start

12:07:06 PM...Deorbit ignition
12:09:35 PM...Deorbit burn complete

12:46:40 PM...Entry interface
12:51:06 PM...1st roll command to left
01:05:23 PM...1st left-to-right roll reversal
01:11:31 PM...Velocity less than mach 2.5
01:13:43 PM...Velocity less than mach 1
01:14:38 PM...200-degree left turn to runway 22
01:17:43 PM...Landing

 

[Cosimo]

Occupying the commander's station, astronaut Gregory C. Johnson, STS-125 pilot, uses the Portable In-Flight Landing Operations Trainer (PILOT) on the flight deck of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Atlantis. PILOT consists of a laptop computer and a joystick system, which helps to maintain a high level of proficiency for the end-of-mission approach and landing tasks required to bring the shuttle safely back to Earth.

NASA

 

[Berserker]

Just a slight correction to the times posted above - last information from the deorbit prep was that they're currently targetting runway 33 at KSC, not 15 (actually, it's the same runway, approaching from the other end). Final approach will involve a 230 degree turn.

Weather at KSC is better than it has been the previous few days, though still marginal. They're progressing down the timeline for a KSC landing in the hope things co-operate.

 

[Cosimo]

Crew Given "Go" for Fluid Loading

Sun, 24 May 2009 12:56:45 PM UTC+0100

The crew has been given a "go" for fluid loading as the entry team continues to analyze the weather conditions at Kennedy Space Center.

NASA

 

[Darg]

Stephen Hawkings on board??

 

[seaviewuk]

First landing opportunity waved off due to weather concerns.

Next landing possiblities:

Edwards AFB, California 16:39 BST

Kennedy Space Centre (preferred) 16:48 BST

 

[Darg]

Also:

tsk.. dated graphics. Should install NEX.