STS 135 is GO!!

lord lucan

Beeker wrote: »

Too much to do and not enough time to do it in.:(

We need an STS-136:D
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/04/troubled-sts-135-mission-timeline-under-review/

Atlantis to fly again,YAY!:pac::pac:

Beeker

Tank and boosters stacked for the final Shuttle launch, STS-135 Atlantis.

clln

Beeker wrote: »

Tank and boosters stacked for the final Shuttle launch, STS-135 Atlantis.

Lord Lucan once said that the full stack assembled is a living breathing creature with feelings Beeker!
We know about his, erm 'problem' about Atlantis, I believe he finds her Main engines especialy HOT.:pac::)

lord lucan

clln wrote: »

Lord Lucan once said that the full stack assembled is a living breathing creature with feelings Beeker!
We know about his, erm 'problem' about Atlantis, I believe he finds her Main engines especialy HOT.:pac::)

Her TPS is especially hot on re-entry!:D

clln

lord lucan wrote: »

Her TPS is especially hot on re-entry!:D

DOH! i speled especiaLLy with only one L LL!.....:o

clln

Only right that this picture of President Obama and family viewing Atlantis's underbelly during his visit to watch Endeavours final launch,He was only the second president ever to do so.
sometimes i am afraid that jokes about him are construed as either party politics or worse still racism.
really it is just NASA lovers adjusting to his vision of the best way forward for manned Spaceflight.
The good news is that at a recent news conference Space Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach said it is terrible for him to see on a daily basis his close friends at KSC working their last shifts but they are all finding good jobs in his experiance.

President Obama robbed us of anything really exciting from NASA for a long time, but history might see the new direction as the best thing that ever happened to human spaceflight.
well We can hope!:)



Large image here;
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=21801.0;attach=288300;image

and many more high resolution photos of the day here including him and Michelle meeting the crew of 134 after the scrub;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto

thecommander

More news from me. Seem to be posting in every thread.

There's an odd air about 135 over there. No one really wants to go into much detail about it. It's like they don't have confidence that it will happen. I'm not saying that that's the truth, just strange.

I asked about the possibility of USA running a mission once a year as was discussed a while back and they laughed about it. Theyve gone beyond the point of no return, to get back into the full swing would take up to 5 years. SRBs are no problem, but the rest wouldn't be as easy. All technical drawings have been filed away, tooling is gone too. Someone said that there was an extra ET, 90% finished but without the new modifications sitting in New Orleans, and that was it.

Tenger

clln wrote: »

President Obama robbed us of anything really exciting from NASA for a long time, but history might see the new direction as the best thing that ever happened to human spaceflight.

I was under the impression that the end of the STS program was decided before Obama?

And in my opinion the STS program hasn't delivered on its promise. We make such a big deal about each launch. In reality if the program had fulfilled its promise we would be blase about every launch..........just saying.

This from a guy who spent over an hour just staring at Pad 39a in wonderment a week ago.

lord lucan

I think Clln is referring to the doomed Constellation programme and the Augustine commision. The STS programme was given the bullet by Dubya in the wake of the Columbia tragedy. A knee-jerk reaction no doubt but with it's military stretched in Afghanistan and Iraq it was an easy way of cost cutting from the Federal budget.

The STS programme fell far short of what it was envisaged to be. It's biggest problem imo was the cost. It was never going to deliver a frequent and cost effective route to space and it's restriction to LEO was always going to hold it back. It has had some amazing success,ISS,Hubble etc. but history may not be so kind to the programme.

I think STS-135 has a strange feel around it for a number of reasons. Obviously it's the last in the STS programme and signals the decline of the US in its involvement in space. It also signals huge job losses in eastern Florida and many ancillary industries and a massive drain of experience and knowledge. And as much as i hate to say it,there's an element of adding a mission for the sake of adding a mission. It seemed like they wanted to squeeze one more in before its end.

Beeker

lord lucan wrote: »

I think STS-135 has a strange feel around it for a number of reasons. Obviously it's the last in the STS programme and signals the decline of the US in its involvement in space. It also signals huge job losses in eastern Florida and many ancillary industries and a massive drain of experience and knowledge. And as much as i hate to say it,there's an element of adding a mission for the sake of adding a mission. It seemed like they wanted to squeeze one more in before its end.

I dont think it was added just to squeeeze one more in, it is needed to resupply the station with as much stuff as possible before they have to rely on the much smaller lifting capacity of the Russian, Europea, Japanese and future US carriers. It has been said that without 135 the station crew would have to be reduced to 3 for about a year in order to stock up the station. 135 is needed and maybe even a 136 but of course no chance of that now:(

lord lucan

Beeker wrote: »

I dont think it was added just to squeeeze one more in, it is needed to resupply the station with as much stuff as possible before they have to rely on the much smaller lifting capacity of the Russian, Europea, Japanese and future US carriers. It has been said that without 135 the station crew would have to be reduced to 3 for about a year in order to stock up the station. 135 is needed and maybe even a 136 but of course no chance of that now:(

Don't mind me,i'm just feeling very melancholic about the end of the programme.:(

Beeker

lord lucan wrote: »

Don't mind me,i'm just feeling very melancholic about the end of the programme.:(

Join the gang!:(

thecommander

From NASA Spaceflight

STS-135 UPDATE: KSC *are* rescheduling STS-135 for a rollover of May 16. There is also a *potential* launch slip to July 4. Article later

lord lucan

Time for a patriotic launch on Independence day!:D

Beeker

lord lucan wrote: »

Time for a patriotic launch on Independence day!:D

Hope it does not get delayed into August when I am away on holidays.

clln

lord lucan wrote: »

Don't mind me,

We don't! :pac:

lord lucan

clln wrote: »

We don't! :pac:

Ok newbie!:pac:

clln

lord lucan wrote: »

Ok newbie!:pac:

:eek::eek::eek: My future as a member of boards!

thecommander

clln wrote: »

I saw one of those go backwards last week. Went from 0 to 2

clln

thecommander wrote: »

I saw one of those go backwards last week. Went from 0 to 2

Really? it's a wonder you did not mention it!:pac:

thecommander

clln wrote: »

Really? it's a wonder you did not mention it!:pac:

Some day, I'll tell you all about it.

Beeker

New targeted launch date for 135 is Tuesday July 12 at 14:45 Irish time. Rollover to the VAB is due next wednesday May 18.

thecommander

Beeker wrote: »

New targeted launch date for 135 is Tuesday July 12 at 14:45 Irish time. Rollover to the VAB is due next wednesday May 18.

If it was later in the day I'd suggest we go somewhere that would let us set up Spacevidcast or NASA tv and watch it. With beers of course.

clln

Beeker wrote: »

14:45

What a strange coincidence Beeker,thats the same as the year You were born!:pac:

thecommander wrote: »

With beers of course.

Oh i dunno about that thecommander,things could get nasty if it is a scrub:eek: You there with Your Pompoms,Lord Lucan with his baseball bat,eilejah with her Bible that weighs about 40KG's, Mrs Beeker might show up,and the rate this laptop is going i might have to bring a 60KG steam driven desktop that i picked out of a skip!!!

Woo Hoo,my first multiquote and i owe it all to CO19

Beeker

clln wrote: »

What a strange coincidence Beeker,thats the same as the year You were born!:pac:

No no no I was born in 1450:eek: Sure feels like it somedays
:D:D

clln wrote: »

Oh i dunno about that thecommander,things could get nasty if it is a scrub:eek: You there with Your Pompoms,Lord Lucan with his baseball bat,eilejah with her Bible that weighs about 40KG's, Mrs Beeker might show up,and the rate this laptop is going i might have to bring a 60KG steam driven desktop that i picked out of a skip!!!

Woo Hoo,my first multiquote and i owe it all to CO19

I think we would all be arrested for having a mass nerd gathering:D

Kersh

clln wrote: »

Oh i dunno about that thecommander,things could get nasty if it is a scrub:eek: You there with Your Pompoms,Lord Lucan with his baseball bat,eilejah with her Bible that weighs about 40KG's, Mrs Beeker might show up,and the rate this laptop is going i might have to bring a 60KG steam driven desktop that i picked out of a skip!!!

:D

CO19

clln wrote: »

What a strange coincidence Beeker,thats the same as the year You were born!:pac:



Oh i dunno about that thecommander,things could get nasty if it is a scrub:eek: You there with Your Pompoms,Lord Lucan with his baseball bat,eilejah with her Bible that weighs about 40KG's, Mrs Beeker might show up,and the rate this laptop is going i might have to bring a 60KG steam driven desktop that i picked out of a skip!!!

Woo Hoo,my first multiquote and i owe it all to CO19

Nicely done

clln

CO19 wrote: »

Nicely done

"Oh i get by with a little help from my friends" :)

Beeker

If Endeavour launches on time Monday then Atlantis will rollover to the VAB on Tuesday at 13:00 Irish time. Rollout to the Pad is scheduled for June 1 at 01:00 Irish time. Endeavour is also due to land at the KSC at 07:32 on the same day. It takes Atlantis about 7 hours to move to the pad so Endeavour should land just a few miles away as Atlantis is still making its way to the pad. A first and of course last in Shuttle history!

Tenger

Beeker wrote: »

If Endeavour launches on time Monday then Atlantis will rollover to the VAB on Tuesday at 13:00 Irish time. Rollout to the Pad is scheduled for June 1 at 01:00 Irish time. Endeavour is also due to land at the KSC at 07:32 on the same day. It takes Atlantis about 7 hours to move to the pad so Endeavour should land just a few miles away as Atlantis is still making its way to the pad. A first and of course last in Shuttle history!

I'll be arriving in Orlando on June 2 so will miss any oppotunity to spot Endeavour on approach. Oh well.

clln

Tenger wrote: »

I'll be arriving in Orlando on June 2 so will miss any oppotunity to spot Endeavour on approach. Oh well.

Damn Tenger,looking like there will be no 'eyes and ears' from boards for this event.
what a shame,usually someone turns up!:(

Kersh

When do the Gator tour tickets, or Dolphin tour tickets become available for this?

Am sort of thinking I can beg/borrow/steal money to get over for it.

Beeker

Kersh wrote: »

When do the Gator tour tickets, or Dolphin tour tickets become available for this?

Am sort of thinking I can beg/borrow/steal money to get over for it.

Should be soon, better keep a good eye on the sites as demand will outstrip supply by a long shot:)

lord lucan

Atlantis rolls over to the VAB today. Nice shot of the 4 man crew posing in front of her and the attending media pack/KSC workers snapping them.

lord lucan

Beeker

After over 30 years of operations the final Shuttle has rolled over to the VAB. Hard to believe:(This is going to be a very emotional flight:(

lord lucan

Beeker wrote: »

After over 30 years of operations the final Shuttle has rolled over to the VAB. Hard to believe:(This is going to be a very emotional flight:(

I've got a bulk order for Kleenex in for July.:(

lord lucan

Timelapse of Atlantis rolling over to the VAB. Looks like she fired her OMS up at 1.20!:D

Good to see she's well protected(at the end of the vid.):)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuAd3MhzpA8

lord lucan

clln

lord lucan wrote: »

I've got a bulk order for Kleenex in for July.:(

This is a tissue of lies by LL IMO

Good to see she's well protected(at the end of the vid.):)

on 134's launch day a guy like that was on view for a long time,as the crew were heading down the Lift and heading out to the van,it has happened before that NASA TV has accidently showed a quick image of a troop that was pleased to see them but his gun was not in his pocket.;) i think it was deliberate this time in view of recent events in Pakistan

lord lucan

clln wrote: »

on 134's launch day a guy like that was on view for a long time,as the crew were heading down the Lift and heading out to the van,it has happened before that NASA TV has accidently showed a quick image of a troop that was pleased to see them but his gun was not in his pocket.;) i think it was deliberate this time in view of recent events in Pakistan

There's a team that travel with the Astronauts to the pad in an armoured personnel carrier at all times. As you say,with heightened security post-Bin Laden it's more obvious and may well be designed to be as such.

lord lucan

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

lord lucan

clln

A DigitalGlobe commercial imaging satellite in orbit caught this view of Tuesday's rollover of Atlantis! Credit: DigitalGlobe.

Beeker

lord lucan

STS-135 is now targeted for July 8th with a launch time of 11.40(16.40 our time).

And if that date sticks i'll be standing in a field in Knebworth headbanging whilst she launches. Feck!!

lord lucan

Probably the most stunning NASATech pics to date imo.

http://nasatech.net/Atlantis_L-Ma110518/

http://nasatech.net/Atlantis_L-Mb110518/

http://nasatech.net/Atlantis_L-Mc110518/

http://nasatech.net/Atlantis_L-Md110518/

http://nasatech.net/Atlantis_L-Me110518/

Beeker

lord lucan wrote: »

Probably the most stunning NASATech pics to date imo.

http://nasatech.net/Atlantis_L-Ma110518/

http://nasatech.net/Atlantis_L-Mb110518/

http://nasatech.net/Atlantis_L-Mc110518/

http://nasatech.net/Atlantis_L-Md110518/

http://nasatech.net/Atlantis_L-Me110518/

I agree fantastic stuff!!:)

eilejh

Final Launch of the Space Shuttle
Register for the opportunity to purchase STS-135 launch viewing tickets.

Launch Scheduled for Friday, July 8, 2011, at 11:40 a.m. ET
Launch time and date subject to change.
Witness Commander Chris Ferguson and the four-member crew of STS-135 launch aboard space shuttle Atlantis on the final space shuttle mission.

Launch Ticket Opportunity Process: This process ensures a fair opportunity for all who are interested in purchasing launch viewing tickets. Register online from May 30 at 9:00 a.m. ET through June 5, 2011, at 5:00 p.m. ET. This seven-day window is the only time to register for the opportunity to purchase tickets. On June 5 at 5:00 p.m. ET, registration closes and registrants will be selected at random for the opportunity to purchase tickets.

eilejh

Launch Viewing Ticket Purchasing Opportunity Process

The launch ticket opportunity process ensures a fair opportunity for those that are interested in purchasing launch viewing tickets. There is a one-week period to register for the opportunity to purchase tickets. When the registration period ends, registrants will be selected at random for the opportunity to purchase tickets at a later date. Not everyone who registers will be selected to purchase tickets.

Here's How it Works:

1.

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Please note: Duplicate entries, including name, address and email, will be removed. Only one registration per household will be accepted. If selected, you must purchase tickets with the same name and address that you used to register for the opportunity. No changes of address or name are permitted.
2.

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You will be notified by email of the status of your registration. If selected for the opportunity to purchase tickets, the email will include information on how to purchase tickets. Those that are not selected will also be notified by email.
3.

3. Opportunity to Purchase Tickets: For those selected for an opportunity to purchase launch viewing tickets, your notification email will include the on-sale date and time for when you can purchase tickets. The purchasing opportunity will last for one day. The email will also include a website link and single-use password, which must be used to purchase tickets. Due to the high level of interest in tickets, some visitors may experience a virtual waiting room prior to entering the ticket order page. All requests for tickets cannot be served simultaneously. The virtual waiting room will randomly allow access to the ticket order page. Entry into the ticket store does not guarantee that a particular launch viewing location will still be available.

If you do not purchase tickets during this one-day period, your opportunity will be forfeited and you will not be able to purchase tickets for STS-135 at another time. There is a limit of six (6) total tickets per transaction (only one transaction per household).

Please note: All tickets will be shipped to the billing address where your credit card statement is received. Also, you must purchase tickets with the same name and address that you used to register for the opportunity. No changes of address or name are permitted.

Thank you for your interest in witnessing the launch of STS-135 space shuttle Atlantis and the final space shuttle mission!