STS-133 Shuttle Mission to the International Space Station Launches Thursday 21:50 GMT

Not to mention a 'live' acoustic wake-up. I guess they wouldn't let the band bring a drum kit into MCC. :D

Edit - First ever such wake-up call, apparently.
 
Last edited:
From spaceflight now and to add to what simulatorman posted, "Landing at the Kennedy Space Center to conclude this spaceflight is scheduled for Wednesday at 11:57 a.m. EST. A backup landing opportunity is available an orbit later at 1:34 p.m. EST."
 
simulatorman said:
​
Click to expand...

Cool video. I love it when clouds are not obscuring and you can actually see whole chunks of a continent. This is the north west part of africa, the sahara desert clearly visible as STS-133 flies over it, and I put map pics under it for interest sake. Fascinates me anyway if no one else! :)



saharadesert.jpg


saharadesert2.jpg


saharadesert1.jpg
 
We're coming home today.

524442mainiss026e032280.jpg


524796mainfd12900.jpg

​

The plan to today is:

Flight Day 14

• Deorbit preparations
• Payload bay door closing
• Deorbit burn
• Discovery’s final landing at KSC​

The weather forecast is favourable and landing is at 16:57 GMT (11:57 EST).
 
There are two landing opportunities today:

landingop1.jpg
landingop2.jpg

Add +5 for GMT


The GO for deorbit burn will be taken at 15:32 GMT (10:32 EST)
 
The shuttle crew have been told "Right now, the weather looks great".

The current forecast is that there will scattered clouds at 3,000 and 20,000 feet, southeasterly winds from 130 degrees at 15 peaking to 23 knots with good visibility.
 
The orbiter needs to be de-processed. A lot of its 'insides' are going to be stripped and sent to many different museums around the world. It also needs to be detoxified and cleaned; the fuel it uses and subsequent exhaust is hazardous to humans and the fuel tanks/flight surfaces will be covered with the stuff. While most of this could be done at Edwards, they'd still prefer it to land at KSC where officially all the orbiters are processed.

A quick side note. The original NASA TV link is now in 720p! Streaming perfectly for me right now on 10mb broadband.

Enjoy the landing. Farewell Discovery.
 
Metalface Mark said:
im surprised its landing in Florida with it being its last trip, i thought it would have landed in Texas or wherever its going end up.
Click to expand...

There are no suitable landing facilities apart for Kennedy and Edwards. The shuttle will have to be decommissioned and that can only be done at Kennedy. It has been offered to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and will probably go there.
 
We have GO for deorbit burn.

The landing timeline:

15:32 ......Mission control centre 'go' for deorbit burn
15:38 ......Mission specialists seat ingress
15:47 ......Single hydraulic power unit start

15:52:09 ...Deorbit ignition (altitude: 221 miles)
15:54:40 ...Deorbit burn complete

16:25:57 ...Entry interface (altitude: 76 miles)
16:30:48 ...1st roll command to right
16:38:04 ...1st roll right to left
16:44:00 ...C-band radar acquisition
16:51:11 ...Velocity less than mach 2.5 (altitude: 83,600 feet)
16:53:23 ...Velocity less than mach 1 (altitude: 50,900 feet)
16:54:13 ...252-degree left turn to runway 15 (altitude: 38,800 feet)
16:57:44 ...Landing
 
ohh glad i got onto this
watched the lanuch, now the landing, i will of seen history made

would love to see a live feed of it re-entering to land
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom