Shuttle launch,

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:10 am

So today at 4:50 STS 133 (the Shuttle Discovery's LAST launch) is going to happen today.

Since NASA TV on C-Band satelliet has gone from Analog to compressed digital last year, I havent been able to get NASA TV. This launch was supposed to happen last November, and at that time I was under the impression I would be able to wathc the pre launch and launch video on the NASA website.

I go to teh NASA site today and click on NASA TV and get a blip, it says FOR EMPLOYEES ONLY. I am choked, what I really need a is a DIGITAL C-band box.
MPEG-2 digital C-band signals carried by QPSK/DVB-S modulation on satellite AMC-3, transponder 15C, at 87 degrees west longitude. Downlink frequency is 4000 MHz, horizontal polarization, with a data rate of 38.86 Mhz, symbol rate of 28.1115 Ms/s, and 3/4 FEC. A Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) compliant Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD) is needed for reception.

DOES ANYONE KNOW OF ANY FEEDS THAT I CAN WATCH TODAY'S EVENTS ON?

I am scrambling, please help.
thanks
peace
Hog

Aloicious · Post by **Aloicious** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:31 am

I wish! I'd love to watch it too.

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:31 am

Whew, tragedy averted I found some links for the days events.

Right now theya re fueling the O2/H2 liquid fuel tanks.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/live_tv.html

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

I still need to get a C-band digital "free to air" box.

peace
Hog

Aloicious · Post by **Aloicious** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:36 am

blast, sounds like I might miss it, I'm still at work for a few hours.

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:03 am

^^^ That sucks.

The current version of the fuel tank (Super Lightweight series) has lost over 18,000 lbs since the 1st series was used in 1981.
It holds 535,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and hydrogen.
The external tank(ET) was painted white for STS1 and STS 2, but was left unpainted for the rest of the missions.
The liquid O2 part of the tank has a voume of 146,181.8 US gallons at 22 psi.
The liquid hydrogen tank has a volume of 395,581.9 US gal at 29.2 psi, but operates at 34psi at temps down to âˆ’423 Â°F (âˆ’252.8 Â°C)

Out of theShuttle, the 2 boosters, and thetank, the aluminum tank is theonly part that isn't recovered duing a normal launch. It burns up over the ocean upon re-entry.
The external tank (ET) is jettisoned 10 seconds after the Shuttle's 3 main engines cutoff.

1 gallon of liquid oxygen weighs about 8.5 pounds while the liquid Hydrogen, is half a pound per gallon.

peace
Hog

Aloicious · Post by **Aloicious** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 7:35 am

I just got home, looks like they're about 1/2 hour away from docking with the ISS.

in an alternate lifetime I would have LOVED to be an astronaut. little too old to start at this point in my life.

ThunderTT · Post by **ThunderTT** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 7:46 am

on a side note, i brought 2 loads out to the cape last year for the stuff going up, cant say what they were exactly, but i got up close and personal - pretty cool experience.... i just wish they would have let me take pics - i had the perfect photo-opp with the truck that would have made a great framed pic.......

Aloicious · Post by **Aloicious** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:01 am

well they just docked with the ISS.

one thing I wish I could have seen is a launch of the Saturn V.

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:43 am

Aloicious wrote:well they just docked with the ISS.

one thing I wish I could have seen is a launch of the Saturn V.

Yeah, those Saturn V's were impressive to say the least.

I saw that docking, in the last few inches they declare"hands off" and everyone takes their human hands off of the controls, and the docking is completed automatically.

I just saw a video on the Robonaut-2, its a robotic assitant. Its movements are eerily akin to a humans movements. Its weighs 330 lbs and is a human torso, 2 arms and 2 hands with a head. Its a joint venture between GM and NASA.

The Canadian CANADARM2 seems to be working well up on the ISS. The CANADARM 1's will be left mounted on Altantis and Discovery for their museum mountings after they retire this year.
Endeavour will leave its Orbiter Boom Sensor System a 50-foot boom which teh CANADARM 1 can grapple for extra reach, the actual CANADARM will be returned to Canada for display.

peace
Hog

Aloicious · Post by **Aloicious** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:47 am

yeah I saw that 'hands off' command too. thought it was pretty interesting. I've heard about the canadarm before but didn't know much about it.

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:04 am

When certain large objects are transported from the shuttle bay to the ISS, CANADARM 1 hands the "object" from the shuttle, to the CANADARM 2 that is on the ISS. Dubbed a "Canadian handshake".

peace
Hog

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:17 am

The Astronauts just boarded the bus that runs out to the launch pad. Moments before boarding the bus, they walked out doors and on a sidewalk which was walked upon by Apollo astronauts.

You cant tell me that every single one of the astronauts doesn't have a minute thought of what happened to Challenger which blew up 73 seconds after launch. Then on the way home, the 2003 Discovery accident looms as well.

A feat of human technological development, unfortunatley it has risks. A risk I would happily take personally.

peace
hog

z71gmc06 · Post by **z71gmc06** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 11:47 am

thanks for the links.

definitely the end of an era.

97k15004wd · Post by **97k15004wd** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:47 pm

Hog wrote:.....Then on the way home, the 2003 Discovery accident looms as well..../quote]

Columbia, wasn't it?

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:16 pm

97k15004wd wrote:
Hog wrote:.....Then on the way home, the 2003 Discovery accident looms as well..../quote]

Columbia, wasn't it?
Yes, Columbia(OV-102) and earlier Challenger (OV-099), yes, the oldest 2 shuttles to reach space are gone. Enterprise(OV-101) flew, but didnt go into space. Discovery(OV-103), Atlantis(OV-104), Endeavour(OV-105). OV=Orbiter Vehicle

When all engines and solid booster rockets are at WOT, over 7,000,000lbs of thrust accelerate the assembly from 0-17,800 mph in 480 seconds. Then the engine are cut as the shuttle is able to maintain eath orbit at this time. The solid fuel rockets are relased via explosive bolts after 120 seconds, the external fuel tank is let go 10 seconds after main engine cuttoff.

Looks like we are good to go.

peace
Hog

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:42 pm

No go as of 9 minutes and holding. They are good to continue the count from 9 minutes down to a 5 minute hold.

Something is wrong with a range computer on the ground. I'm sure there are some MIT grads scurrying on this issue.

T minus 9 minutes and counting.

peace
Hog

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:43 pm

T -8 with a hold at 5 coming up

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:49 pm

T - 5 and counting

peace
Hog

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:52 pm

T-2 minutes and counting

peace
Hog

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:53 pm

T minus 1 minute

Go Discovery.

Gods speed.

peace
Hog