STS-134 Endeavour

clln

Endeavour has just hit entry interface,that is the point where it encounters the outer edge of the Athmosphere,it will land without engine use and for that reason is fondly called 'the 'flying brick'.
from a Speed of 25 times the speed of sound it will be glided to a landing on the now confirmed runway 15 at not much more than the speed of an ordinary plane.
Speed 17.000 MPH now!:eek:



Runway 15 waiting for her!

Beeker

Good morning campers all looking good 16500mph 45 miles up and falling fast:)

clln

mornin Beeker,don't say i did not warn You about dell boys alarm clocks!:D

Beeker

clln wrote: »

mornin Beeker,don't say i did not warn You about dell boys alarm clocks!:D

Late to bed last night so just made it for a 7 start:eek:

Beeker

Over Mexico now, pity isa a night landing:(
12000 mph 1027 miles to the landing site.

clln

Stupid guy trying for his moment of fame!:D

Beeker

Through mach 10 now, on track, looking good. 30 miles up and dropping

Beeker

"Endeavour comm check":eek: That gave me pause but everything fine:)

Over Florida now mach 5 about 4000mph

Beeker

2800 mph mach 4. 23 miles to go

Beeker

Under 5 mins to go. Turing now to line up with runway 15. Endeavour will land from the northwest to the southeast

Beeker

Sonic booms heard as Endeavour goes sub sonic:)

Beeker

Runwat in sight!

clln

Cockpit view.

Beeker

Last few minutes now of Endeavours flying career:(

useeme

awesome!

KazDub

Watching landing on laptop out in the back garden here in Florida on holidays and heard the two sonic booms loud and clear. WOW!!!

Dunny

What is that flame coming out near the back of Endeavour?

clln

Wheel stopped and LL you seen as much on Sky as on net,now can we all have a hug?:(

KazDub

Last bits of fuel burning off, me thinks.

clln

Dunny! wrote: »

What is that flame coming out near the back of Endeavour?

The Auxilary Power Units~APU's. its ok its normal to see that!:)

Beeker

Dunny! wrote: »

What is that flame coming out near the back of Endeavour?

Venting the last of the fuel on board to make the vehicle safe

Beeker

One more flight left.

Beeker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCEHWHm1sPo

clln

Beeker wrote: »

One more flight left.

That would be STS-135 Lucan right?:)

Beeker

Meanwhile Endeavours sister Atlantis has just arrived at the launch pad just a few miles away to prepare for the final shuttle flight in July

Beeker

clln wrote: »

That would be STS-135 Lucan right?:)

Thats the one Space Shuttle Atlantis Lucan:D:D

Ludo

Jazsus lads...put on the handbrake, turn off the engine and get out already

Beeker

Ludo wrote: »

Jazsus lads...put on the handbrake, turn off the engine and get out already

Takes time to wind down after a flight:D:D:D

clln

Ludo wrote: »

Jazsus lads...put on the handbrake, turn off the engine and get out already

Yip the APU's refuse to switch off,somebody needs to cut the cables to our LCA's

The reason for the last two flights being at night time is NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden does not want to be seen!:)

Beeker

clln wrote: »

Yip the APU's refuse to switch off,somebody needs to cut the cables to our LCA's

The reason for the last two flights being at night time is NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden does not want to be seen!:)

Well we sure don't want to see him:mad:

Beeker

CO19

Anywhere I can get the replay of it landing ?

thecommander

CO19 wrote: »

Anywhere I can get the replay of it landing ?

Last minute.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoTBB9gmUkw

JustAddWater

I was about to ask, are the flames normal?

@NASA
The pulsing flame and smoke is normal. It is Endeavour's auxiliary power units venting.



Good to know! I'm glad I wasn't the only curious one!

Beeker

Beeker

Crew Return

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7DcxQPX3yg

Beeker

Endeavour now back in its OPF after tow back today.

Beeker

Beeker

Beeker

Welcome home Endeavour...Job done!

lord lucan

clln wrote: »

Wheel stopped and LL you seen as much on Sky as on net,now can we all have a hug?:(

Feckin' blessed i was. Sky were on a break when i got there so i got Spacevidcast on the phone and watched the landing live. Sky then came back,talked about feckin' FIFA and then cut to Endeavour(must've been the net feed as it was a minute behind) as it was about to touch down. Close one.:eek:

Great to see her get home safely and let her APU's show their disgust at being retired so young,raging to the end. Strange morning really,sadness at Endeavours time coming to an end and joy watching Atlantis roll out to 39a for the final time and looking resplendent under Xenon lights.

Great coverage as always folks. Gonna miss all this when it's over.:(

Beeker

lord lucan wrote: »

Great coverage as always folks. Gonna miss all this when it's over.:(

Sure won't be the same:(

CO19

lord lucan wrote: »

Gonna miss all this when it's over.:(

Sure won't we have the tin can from the Russians going up every now and then .

Wonder what the US would do if the Russians said no we won't be bringing your people up to the space station anymore ??

Surely if the Russians can afford to keep sending that joke of a thing up that the US can find the money to send a shuttle up even once or twice a year !

Conor108

Photo taken by one of the F-15s that patrol the launch. From Greg Johnson's twitter.

clln

Endeavours Re-entry as filmed by a lucky divil in Mexico who got to see it,better than the live NASA TV Coverage!

Hee Hee Endeavours Sonic booms were not good news for these two though

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/28105565/detail.html

Picture of the main area that was hit by ice or debris and led to the focussed inspection,not difficult to see why they were concerned about it on a superficial level.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=25343.0;attach=302965;image

lord lucan

Was just watching that vid over on NSF. That would be almost as good as seeing a launch. Amazing to watch her speed across the sky like a fiery bird.:)

lord lucan

Endeavour about to enter the OPF for the last time for post-landing proccessing.:(

Beeker

Crew back in Houston.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyzXsed6jgQ

Beeker

clln wrote: »

Endeavours Re-entry as filmed by a lucky divil in Mexico who got to see it,better than the live NASA TV Coverage!

Would love to be sitting out the back with a cold beer watching that:)

clln wrote: »

Hee Hee Endeavours Sonic booms were not good news for these two though

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/28105565/detail.html [/QUOTE

Love it:D

clln wrote: »

Picture of the main area that was hit by ice or debris and led to the focussed inspection,not difficult to see why they were concerned about it on a superficial level.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=25343.0;attach=302965;image

Them tiles are verry brittle items alright. Keep them safe one more time.

Beeker

Very cool:)
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/shuttle_station/features/sts-134_launch_photo-video.html

Imaging experts funded by the Space Shuttle Program and located at NASA's Ames Research Center prepared this video by merging nearly 20,000 photographs taken by a set of six cameras capturing 250 images per second at the STS-134 launch on May 16, 2011. From seven seconds before takeoff to six seconds after, the cameras took simultaneous images at six different exposure settings. The images were processed and combined in this video to balance the brightness of the rocket engine output with the regular daylight levels at which the orbiter can be seen. The processing software digitally removes pure black or pure white pixels from one image and replaces them with the most detailed pixel option from the five other images. This technique can help visualize debris falling during a launch or support research involving intense light sources like rocket engines, plasma experiments and hypersonic vehicle engines.