STS-129 Shuttle Mission to the International Space Station Launches Monday 19:28 GMT

Cosimo · 16 Nov 2009 at 19:56

What a flawless launch, congratulations to all involved and a safe mission for Atlantis and its crew.

Berserker · 16 Nov 2009 at 19:56

Longbow said:
OcUK meet, Florida.

That suggestion has been made before, but I don't think anything came of it.

Mik3 · 16 Nov 2009 at 20:12

If you look to the south now you can see the ISS passing over.

Edit too late

CSGAS · 16 Nov 2009 at 22:32

Damn. It was launched. Won't be seeing it tomorrow then

Glaucus · 16 Nov 2009 at 22:40

Rubbish didn't see this thread. Under a year left to the last flight

.

I just hope lockheed martin get the replacement working that NASA pulled out on for stupid reasons. Allthough it will be smaller scale than originally planned.

apeZ · 16 Nov 2009 at 22:46

Beautiful launch.

Berserker · 16 Nov 2009 at 22:51

AcidHell2 said:
I just hope lockheed martin get the replacement working that NASA pulled out on for stupid reasons. Allthough it will be smaller scale than originally planned.

They ought to bring back Project Orion (and no, I don't mean the Constellation one). Now that would be worth watching. :eek:

Glaucus · 16 Nov 2009 at 22:55

Berserker said:
They ought to bring back Project Orion (and no, I don't mean the Constellation one). Now that would be worth watching.

as in the nuke one?

There was a program on project Orion on bbc four last night, forgot to video it doesn't appear to be repeated and wont be on iplayer

. With orion we could send people to mars in a fraction of the current time.

GreatWaves · 17 Nov 2009 at 09:54

Cosimo · 17 Nov 2009 at 10:03

Plan for flight day 2:

• Atlantis’ Thermal Protection System Survey with Shuttle Robotic Arm/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS)

• Extravehicular Mobility Unit Checkout

• Centreline Camera Installation

• Orbiter Docking System Ring Extension

• Orbital Manoeuvring System Pod Survey

• Rendezvous tools checkout

• Shuttle RMS grapple of ELC1 in payload Bay

Cosimo · 18 Nov 2009 at 10:18

The last image from the launch, it’s a stunner:

Flight plan for flight day 3:

• Rendezvous with the International Space Station

• Rendezvous Pitch Manoeuvre Photography of Atlantis’ Thermal Protection System by Stott and Williams of the Expedition 21 crew

• Docking to Harmony/Pressurized Mating Adapter-2

• Hatch Opening and Welcoming (Stott becomes a Shuttle crewmember at hatch opening; no crew exchange)

• Shuttle RMS unberth and handoff of ELC1 to Canadarm2

• Installation of ELC1 on P3 truss lower outboard attachment point

• Cargo transfer from MRM2 to ISS

• Spacewalk 1 procedure review

• Spacewalk 1 campout in Quest airlock by Foreman and Satcher

Atlantis' astronauts were woken today with the song "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder. Rendezvous operations will begin at around 11:30 GMT.

Cosimo · 18 Nov 2009 at 16:19

From flight day 2, the payload bay, vertical stabilizer, orbital manoeuvring system (OMS) pods and docking mechanism.

The docking is now in progress on NASA TV, times are GMT:

16:00 ...01...20...32...00...End pitch manoeuvre
16:02 ...01...20...34...36...Initiate pitch up manoeuvre (575 ft)
16:04 ...01...20...36...30...RPM start window close
16:14 ...01...20...46...06...+V bar arrival; range: 310 feet
16:15 ...01...20...46...56...Range: 300 feet
16:15 ...01...20...47...38...Sunset
16:19 ...01...20...51...06...Range: 250 feet
16:23 ...01...20...55...16...Range: 200 feet
16:25 ...01...20...57...46...Range: 170 feet
16:27 ...01...20...59...26...Range: 150 feet
16:31 ...01...21...03...36...Range: 100 feet
16:34 ...01...21...06...36...Range: 75 feet
16:38 ...01...21...10...46...Range: 50 feet
16:42 ...01...21...14...06...Range: 30 feet; start station keeping
16:47 ...01...21...19...06...End station keeping; push to dock
16:51 ...01...21...23...26...Range: 10 feet
16:51 ...01...21...23...39...Sunrise

16:53 ...01...21...25...07...DOCKING

EDIT: Atlantis is now docked.

Cosimo · 19 Nov 2009 at 09:53

On to flight day 3:

Flight plan for flight day 4:

• Spacewalk 1 by Foreman and Satcher (installation of spare S-band antenna assembly on Z1 truss, routing of cables for the Space to Ground Antenna, lubrication of the Payload Orbital Replacement System Attachment on the Mobile Base System and the end effector of the Kibo robotic arm, cable preparations for STS-130)

The astronauts were woken up today at 09:28 GMT with “In Wonder” by The Newsboys. They have a big day today with Spacewalk 1 which will start at 14:18 GMT.

Cosimo · 19 Nov 2009 at 17:00

The blackness of space:

Update: The refurbished S-band Antenna Support Assembly has been installed onto the ISS and Spacewalk 1 continues.

Cosimo · 20 Nov 2009 at 11:46

Briefing for flight day 4:

Flight plan for flight day 5:

• Canadarm2 grapple of OBSS and handoff to Shuttle RMS

• Focused inspection of Atlantis’ thermal protection system with the OBSS *

• Spacewalk 2 procedure review

• Spacewalk 2 campout in Quest airlock by Foreman and Bresnik

* No inspection required as the system was cleared yesterday.

The astronauts were woken up today at 09:28 GMT with "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge.

SDK^ · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:35

I've been in Florida since last Friday and wanted to watch this from KSC but with so many delays it ruins everything else you have planned.

Good to see these are still big events in FL though with loads of coverage on all of the news channels.

Cosimo · 20 Nov 2009 at 15:41

The shuttle as you have never seen it before, taken from the ISS before docking using a 400mm lens at around 180 metres.

The view shows:
• The 3 space shuttle main engines or SSME's
• The 2 engines of the orbiter maneuvering system or OMS
• 2 modules of the reaction control system or RCS

Cosimo · 20 Nov 2009 at 17:47

Hot off the press:

Cosimo · 21 Nov 2009 at 10:01

Flight plan for flight day 6:

• Shuttle RMS grapple and unberth of ELC2

• Shuttle RMS handoff of ELC2 to Canadarm2

• ELC2 installation on S3 upper outboard attachment point

• Spacewalk 2 by Foreman and Bresnik (GATOR ham radio equipment installation
on Columbus, Floating Point Measurement Unit relocation, S3 truss nadir payload
attachment system deployment, camera wireless system installation on S3 truss)

• MRM2 thermal control system activation

Today’s space walk will probably be shortened because the crew were woken by another a false depressurization alarm for the second night running. The spacewalk is due to start at 13:18 GMT.

Berserker · 21 Nov 2009 at 10:18

Gutted I missed both alarms (the perils of them being during sleep periods). I like to know how they handle such incidents (I've seen them do it before, however).

We haven't had a decompression alarm while they're out on EVA yet, or a baby being born. Could be an interesting day. Would have been even more interesting had the alarm happened on the first EVA though.