The Official Space Flight Thread - The Space Station and Beyond

Cosimo · 26 Nov 2011 at 13:11

Fuelling is underway, weather remains 70% favourable for launch. We’ve got a “red” for clouds but they will pass.

Cosimo · 27 Nov 2011 at 09:20

For those of you that missed it and that includes me:

MSL is successfully on its way. A trajectory correction manoeuvre will take place in about two weeks time.

Cosimo · 29 Nov 2011 at 09:13

Launch picture of the month:

MSL on the way to Mars.

Cosimo · 29 Nov 2011 at 09:28

ic1male said:
What are those towers with the white poles for? I notice there were four of them altogether.

Those are lightning towers for protection against possible lightning strikes.

Cosimo · 29 Nov 2011 at 14:29

One for launch enthusiasts:

Cosimo · 30 Nov 2011 at 10:52

So you want to build a rocket, well why not:

Cosimo · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:33

Such fond memories, enjoy:

Cosimo · 3 Dec 2011 at 08:43

The European Space Agency has announced that it would cease attempts to contact Russia's Phobos-Grunt Mars probe:

From Twitter:

In consultation and agreement with #PhobosGrunt mission controllers, ESA engineers will end #ESTRACK ground station support today

ESA ground teams remain #available to assist the #PhobosGrunt mission if indicated by any change in situation #estrack

We share full understanding in this v. diff situation with our Russian colleagues #phobosgrunt

@alexcostabh Not under control by ESA; Russian colleagues continue their efforts.

http://twitter.com/#!/esaoperations

Cosimo · 3 Dec 2011 at 11:16

Glaucus said:
Has there been any breakthroughs or tests on the superconductor magnet heat shield ESA where developing/researching?

All I can find are the initial articles in 2009

Apart from the initial reports:

http://www.physorg.com/news178442290.html
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/magnetic-heat-shield-test-could-
use-russian-launcher-335327/

There is nothing more. I suspect it’s buried in a program such as the Advanced Re-entry Vehicle study by EADS Astrium or some other research program. We'll find out one day.

Cosimo · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:26

After two weeks testing at Launch Pad 39B the Mobile Launcher (ML) moves back to the VAB:

Cosimo · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:45

ic1male said:
Crikey. It must take some horse power to shift that thing.

The crawler-transporter has a 16 traction motor transmission powered by four 1341 horsepower generators which are powered by two 2750 horsepower V16 Alco diesel engines. Additional power is also provided by two 1006 horsepower generators driven by two 1,065 horsepower engines.

Yes, lots of horsepower.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawler-transporter

Cosimo · 7 Dec 2011 at 15:06

The crawler-transporter:

CT-1 and CT-2 will not be scrapped and CT-1 is being modified so that it can handle the heavier loads that the Space Launch System (SLS) will have.

Cosimo · 14 Dec 2011 at 10:56

Stratolaunch

There are new guys on the block financed by Paul Allen (co-founder of Microsoft). Stratolaunch are to develop a giant sized aircraft which will carry a SpaceX rocket to 30,000 feet where it would be dropped and fired into space/orbit. The aircraft is expected to begin flight testing in 2015/16 with launches soon after:

More:

http://stratolaunch.com/index.html

Cosimo · 14 Dec 2011 at 15:10

Picture of the Month - A trip down memory lane:

Apollo 17 Extravehicular Activity - 39 Years Ago Today

39 years ago, today, scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt is photographed standing next to a huge, split lunar boulder during the third Apollo 17 extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Taurus-Littrow landing site. The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), which transported Schmitt and Eugene A. Cernan to this extravehicular station from their Lunar Module (LM), is seen in the background. The mosaic is made from two frames from Apollo 17 Hasselblad magazine 140. The two frames were photographed by Cernan.

Image Credit: NASA/Eugene Cernan

Cosimo · 17 Dec 2011 at 09:34

Expedition 30 Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko, Don Pettit and Andre Kuipers are getting ready for the last major launch of the year in Kazakhstan. Their launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-03M is scheduled for Wednesday, December 21st at 13:16 GMT.

Cosimo · 19 Dec 2011 at 19:06

The Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft and its booster were rolled out to the pad earlier today:

Launch is scheduled for Wednesday, at 13:16 GMT.

Cosimo · 20 Dec 2011 at 15:36

Three stunners of yesterday’s early hour Soyuz TMA-03M rollout:

Cosimo · 20 Dec 2011 at 15:37

Cosimo · 20 Dec 2011 at 15:37

Cosimo · 21 Dec 2011 at 16:14

Away we go:

** The Official Space Flight Thread - The Space Station and Beyond **

The Official Space Flight Thread - The Space Station and Beyond