ISS Back Tonight

namloc1980

Bongalongherb wrote: »

The only way you could see the ISS structure would be from using a seriously expensive computer-controlled telescope and viewed on computer screen. There is one amateur astronomer guy that could do this but I can't remember his name.

The telescope can be hard enough to manually keep the moon and stars in view using a good zoom, never mind the ISS moving at the fast speed it moves. You would need specialised equipment to see the structure of the ISS. And that would be very expensive.

Thierry Legault I believe is the guy. He does amazing work.



This is what he uses, expensive kit:

Oscar Bravo

Bright pass coming up at 2005. Starting in the WSW,ending in the ESE.

murphyme2010

Fluffy88 wrote: »

How visible is the ISS from earth?
Would you be able to see detail with a fairly basic telescope, a decent pair of binoculars or a DSLR with a long lens?

There is a program called satellite tracker which will get a computerised scope to track the ISS. Carl O'Beirnes in Ballbriggan has imaged the ISS with a 14 inch SCT.

It's difficult but it can be one with 'ordinary' scopes.

Michael.

Fluffy88

Thanks for all the replies!
Both those pictures and telescopes are amazing, I don't have any expectation to be able to see the ISS in that detail with that I have (some old Aldi yoke).

I'll do a bit of research into that program, thanks murphyme.

Oscar Bravo

A long bright pass this evening at 1916 lasting over 6 minutes. starting in the WSW, ending in the E. sadly an extensive blanket of cloud and rain will cover the country. better chances for tomorrow at 2004.

Rucking_Fetard

The Space Station will soon have a same-day delivery service

Hotblack Desiato

Very dumbed down article, no mention of a retro-rocket, otherwise it'll take months to come down!

And very dumbed down comments

VirtualMark

I wonder if it would be possible for an astronaut to jump out of the space station and return to Earth? That would be an awesome experience!

It’s been done from 24 miles, but with the right suit and a good parachute.. could it be done from the ISS?
http://www.mrseb.co.uk/ Sebastian Anthony

Yeah, I’m sure it could be done. There has been some work done in personal spacecraft things — but never for reentry, afaik. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manned_Maneuvering_Unit

But don’t forget, if you send humans up to space, the same machine can be used to bring them back down. It’s not the same deal for things that humans create IN space.
Dozerman

Based off of this story: http://roadrunnersinternationale.com/weaver_sr71_bailout.html

I’d say it’s possible. Although having an SR-71 disintegrate around you and falling from space are two different things, I’d say if you could survive that, you could survive falling from space, especially with some sort of drouge chute to slow you down along the way.

:rolleyes:

Getting back from space is no problem at all, if you ignore the small fact that you're doing 18,000MPH relative to the increasingly thick atmosphere you're entering.

Oscar Bravo

ISS back in our skies early Monday morning at 0646. not a very bright pass some some nice bright ones later next week.....weather permitting!

Mountainsandh

For anyone interested Soyuz hatch is closed, and Expedition 41 crew members Reid Wiseman, Alexander Gerst and Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev will soon be coming home. Nasa has a live feed. Not sure of the exact time they'll land in Kahzakstan as I'm useless at converting times.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2014/11/09/soyuz-hatches-closed/

live feed : http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#
it seems to me it's starting around 11.15 pm our time, but don't take my word for it.

shedweller

Just checked nasa tv and theres just pre recorded tv.
Spaceflight101.com have a page showing a load of details about landing times etc.
Undocking is currently set for 00:30 utc which is the same as our time. Landing at 03:58 utc.
I'm up all night in work so i'll see it live if its on. Yay!

shedweller

Soyuz has left the building! Live coverage on nasa tv now.

shedweller

22 mins to landing. Coming across south america now.

Mountainsandh

Watched the recorded footage, pity there was no visual with clouds, great that everything went well. Exp 42 crew launching in 2 weeks or so I believe.

Discodog

This might of been posted before but this app is really good. It's brilliant for Iridium flares as well. Tell the kids that you have magic powers & can make a star appear & disappear :pac:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.runar.issdetector&hl=en-GB

shedweller

Discodog wrote: »

This might of been posted before but this app is really good. It's brilliant for Iridium flares as well. Tell the kids that you have magic powers & can make a star appear & disappear :pac:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.runar.issdetector&hl=en-GB

I have that a while now and it's really good. I never see the iridium satellites though.

Discodog

shedweller wrote: »

I have that a while now and it's really good. I never see the iridium satellites though.

Do you have them selected? I bought the premium version & it works well.

shedweller

Discodog wrote: »

Do you have them selected? I bought the premium version & it works well.

I'll check that. Ta.

Mountainsandh

Think I saw today that the 3 remaining crew of Expedition 42 are due to blast off on the 23rd. Something to look forward to !
Please if anyone knows of a Facebook page by one of the crew members could you let me know ? I don't do twitter, and haven't been able to find anything from the 3 up there already. Alexander Gerst still posting, but it's more fun when you know they're up there.

Passes update for early risers (or late setters ) time for co Waterford
19:02
HQ-spotthestation@mail.nasa.gov
Show details
Time: Tue Nov 18 6:33 AM, Visible: 3 min, Max Height: 81 degrees, Appears: W, Disappears: E

shedweller

Not really following any of them lately. (I know, very slack on my part) I'll have a look tomorrow once the kids are in school and i can start the pc without a million requests to play games on it. Jeez!

shedweller

I've had a look and they are not active on FB. They probably tweet but i don't so i dunno! The ISS page is there so we'll see most of what needs to be seen i hope!

Mountainsandh

Thanks for that, so it's not just me who couldn't find it. Yeah I get the ISS feed with Wilmore's jobs mostly. I'll post on here if one of them starts anything in the future.

2 ISS passes tomorrow morning, and a nice long one at a much more palatable time than before, is it low though ? :
Wed Nov 19, 5:45 AM 2 min 81° 81 above SSE 26 above E
Wed Nov 19, 7:19 AM 4 min 56° 10 above W 35 above SE

shedweller

Haha! I'll be unconscious in bed at that time! Seeing should be good though.

Mountainsandh

Samantha Cristoforetti, Terry Virts and Anton Shkaplerov soon launching off to ISS. Link to the live stream below, views from the ISS right now, have to find out what time for us it'll be exactly for the launch.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/iss_ustream.html#.VHImUousXT9

edit : have they gone already ? Launch time is given as 4.01pm Eastern time on Nasa site.:(
But Chris Hadfield's post on launch has been posted half an hour ago or so

Mountainsandh

According to chat in Ustream (live feed not very interesting, ISS currently in the dark) (unless you're fluent Russian you may understand the astronauts' comms) Nasa coverage starts 8pm our time, launch 9pm.
I want to find out when the docking will be, I guess it might be some ungodly hour for us.
Hope you're on nights Shedweller

shedweller

Mountainsandh wrote: »

According to chat in Ustream (live feed not very interesting, ISS currently in the dark) (unless you're fluent Russian you may understand the astronauts' comms) Nasa coverage starts 8pm our time, launch 9pm.
I want to find out when the docking will be, I guess it might be some ungodly hour for us.
Hope you're on nights Shedweller

Sure am. Not able to post pics or anything though.
Docking coverage begins at 02:15GMT apparently. EST is 5hrs behind.

shedweller

Launch at 21:01:14

Mountainsandh

ISS ustream (the link I gave above) only has audio and ISS views for now, but the link below Nasa TV has images of the launch.
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#.VHJFZYusXT8

shedweller

Mountainsandh wrote: »

ISS ustream (the link I gave above) only has audio and ISS views for now, but the link below Nasa TV has images of the launch.
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#.VHJFZYusXT8

Aw man, there will be nothing done here tonight! Tabs.....tabs everywhere!! Tab city!!!

shedweller

6 minutes.
Gone from ISS view to the soyuz now. Inside view also!

Mountainsandh

I've closed my ISS one, my internet speed simply doesn't allow several streams at once. Even the Nasa tv is so interrupted it's very frustrating.

I badly want Samantha to have a Facebook page. Girl power !

edit : also, ISS 2 passes tomorrow morning, first around 5am hardly visible at all and < 1min, second visible 4 mins 6.46 am or so (double check that), but very very low so don't think that's very useful except maybe if you're facing the South East/West sea with no obstacle (if I understand the degrees numbers thingy right).