Last night, at 7:55 pm, NASA began the largest home makeover in space history. Space Shuttle Endeavor lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on time last night, and began its journey into orbit.
Seconds into the flight, the orbiter began its "Roll Program" which would roll the shuttle on its back, maximizing its engines power. Roughly a minute into the flight, FDO (Flight Dynamics Officer) said the words that to this day stir up sadness in every NASA flight controler. "Endeavor, go at throttle up." Those were the last words said to the Space Shuttle Challenger. Mission Commander Francis Scobee had just replied to Mission Command in Huston, Texas, with the words, "Roger, go at throttle up" when the orbiter Challenger exploded.
With this milestone out of the way, Endeavor continued to climb into space at a rate of two thousand miles per hour. Finally, ten minutes into the flight, the call was made. "Endeavor, press to MECO (Main Engine Cut-Off)." This call signified that even if all engines were lost at once, The orbiter would be able to acheive the altitude and speed to successfully rendeavous with the International Space Station.
In the first day after launch, the Endeavor crew will have the hull of the orbiter photographed, to find evidence if the shuttle is un-fit to return to earth in its current state. On day three, the shuttle will undergo a process known as the rendeavous pitch meneuver, which will give the ISS crew a photo opportunity, once again to photograph the orbiters hull with the purpose of finding weak spots in the shuttles heat tiles.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
-NASA launch went as planned
-Only one problem with the launch process and that was declared "non-critical"
-"White Room" door not pinned in place, during retraction, it moved slightly, but not enough to endanger anyone or the mission.
-Door is not on the orbiter Endeavor
-7:55 Launch was a spectacular sight to see, with views from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, and the external fuel tank on the shuttle/orbiter itself.
-Today the shuttle will undergo photography of its hull in attempt to forewarn of any problems that could arise on re-entry.
-Tomorrow the Shuttle will complete what is called the back flip, or rendezvous pitch maneuver. A nine minute process that allows the International Space Station crew to further photograph the hull of the orbiter, and again determine whether the shuttle is fit to return to earths orbit in its current state.
-Only one problem with the launch process and that was declared "non-critical"
-"White Room" door not pinned in place, during retraction, it moved slightly, but not enough to endanger anyone or the mission.
-Door is not on the orbiter Endeavor
-7:55 Launch was a spectacular sight to see, with views from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, and the external fuel tank on the shuttle/orbiter itself.
-Today the shuttle will undergo photography of its hull in attempt to forewarn of any problems that could arise on re-entry.
-Tomorrow the Shuttle will complete what is called the back flip, or rendezvous pitch maneuver. A nine minute process that allows the International Space Station crew to further photograph the hull of the orbiter, and again determine whether the shuttle is fit to return to earths orbit in its current state.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Friday marks a day in NASA history that cannot be forgotten by Astronaut or engineer alike, especially the ones who had to use the bathroom on board the international space station. Yes, that's right folks, STS-126 is set to take yet another bathroom to the International space station.
While that may be fun to talk about, the mission is also vital to both the safety of the astronauts on board the space station and us here on earth. Maintenance is being done on the starboard (right) joint that pivots the stations massive solar panels to absorb sunlight and power the station. Preventative maintenance is also being done on the port (left) joint, incase another problem arises and another shuttle cant make the trip up. Four space-walks and sixteen days later, the shuttle is scheduled to land at KSC (Kennedy Space Center).
Another interesting fact about this mission is what the toilets function is; to turn urine into pure water. Yes, once again folks you heard right! Urine being used to drink and for other uses up on the station. It will also carry a segment that is meant to expand the crews sleeping quarters.
While that may be fun to talk about, the mission is also vital to both the safety of the astronauts on board the space station and us here on earth. Maintenance is being done on the starboard (right) joint that pivots the stations massive solar panels to absorb sunlight and power the station. Preventative maintenance is also being done on the port (left) joint, incase another problem arises and another shuttle cant make the trip up. Four space-walks and sixteen days later, the shuttle is scheduled to land at KSC (Kennedy Space Center).
Another interesting fact about this mission is what the toilets function is; to turn urine into pure water. Yes, once again folks you heard right! Urine being used to drink and for other uses up on the station. It will also carry a segment that is meant to expand the crews sleeping quarters.
Backround Article Notes
-Space shuttle Endeavour set for Friday launch time.
-Shuttle to take revolutionary Russian built toilet system into space for use at the Destiny Laboratory on board the International Space Station.
-This cutting edge technology turns urine into pure water, safe for drinking and use aboard the ISS.
-7:55 Launch time
-Ten minute launch window
Mission Details
-27th flight into space with space shuttles.
-Carrying Russian Cargo into space.
-Ten minute launch window.
Supposed to allow larger crews on board the ISS. Said to be taken there by the Ares V Vehicle.
-Shuttle to take revolutionary Russian built toilet system into space for use at the Destiny Laboratory on board the International Space Station.
-This cutting edge technology turns urine into pure water, safe for drinking and use aboard the ISS.
-7:55 Launch time
-Ten minute launch window
Mission Details
-27th flight into space with space shuttles.
-Carrying Russian Cargo into space.
-Ten minute launch window.
Supposed to allow larger crews on board the ISS. Said to be taken there by the Ares V Vehicle.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Data Response
On October 24, NASA began the first steps toward assembling the Ares Rocket. The association, with the help of twelve tractor trailers, moved eleven steel segments from their housing in Cleveland at NASA's Glenn Research center, and began a twelve day journey down the Mississippi River, where the segments will reach the Gulf of Mexico and sail on to Port Canaveral.
The steel cylindrical segments weigh near twenty-four thousand pounds each. They are meant to be a "simulator" of the upper stages of the Ares Rocket, which will be test launched in April of next year. The exact date and time of the launch have yet to be revealed, but the flight profile can be downloaded from the NASA website. In short, the flight, if all goes well, will last less than a half hour.
The Ares Rocket is part of NASA's most recent programs, the Constellation program, that is the next step in flights to the moon and Mars. While there are ongoing projects that have objectives to identify water on mars, and map the lunar surface, NASA is the only agency in the world that is designing a craft that will take a human crew to Mars.
The less heard of portion of the constellation program is the Orion crew capsule, which will be tested next year as well, in the Arizona deserts. Many NASA experiments have taken place in Arizona, for the terrain in the desert there is much like the surface of the moon.
To summarize, the shipment of the steel segments is the first major step in assembling the Ares Rocket for her deadline of April 1.
The steel cylindrical segments weigh near twenty-four thousand pounds each. They are meant to be a "simulator" of the upper stages of the Ares Rocket, which will be test launched in April of next year. The exact date and time of the launch have yet to be revealed, but the flight profile can be downloaded from the NASA website. In short, the flight, if all goes well, will last less than a half hour.
The Ares Rocket is part of NASA's most recent programs, the Constellation program, that is the next step in flights to the moon and Mars. While there are ongoing projects that have objectives to identify water on mars, and map the lunar surface, NASA is the only agency in the world that is designing a craft that will take a human crew to Mars.
The less heard of portion of the constellation program is the Orion crew capsule, which will be tested next year as well, in the Arizona deserts. Many NASA experiments have taken place in Arizona, for the terrain in the desert there is much like the surface of the moon.
To summarize, the shipment of the steel segments is the first major step in assembling the Ares Rocket for her deadline of April 1.
Notes
-Ares rocket parts move down the Mississippi River
-No other means of transportation would work
-12 segments in rocket
-Rocket will be assembled in NASA's VAB (or Vehicle assembly building)
-Test flight tentatively scheduled for April 1st
-The parts will take a twelve day trip down the river
-Eleven steel cylinders, weighing between 24,00 lbs and 60,000 lbs
-NASA needed to be sure that the steel cylinders could withstand the rigors of launch.
-"The first ISS (International Space Station) mission is to take place no later than 2015, and the first lunar landing no later than 2020," says a NASA official.
-No other means of transportation would work
-12 segments in rocket
-Rocket will be assembled in NASA's VAB (or Vehicle assembly building)
-Test flight tentatively scheduled for April 1st
-The parts will take a twelve day trip down the river
-Eleven steel cylinders, weighing between 24,00 lbs and 60,000 lbs
-NASA needed to be sure that the steel cylinders could withstand the rigors of launch.
-"The first ISS (International Space Station) mission is to take place no later than 2015, and the first lunar landing no later than 2020," says a NASA official.
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