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Non-NEC Console Related Discussion => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: Pcenginefx on March 10, 2009, 09:55:09 AM

Title: Space Shuttle STS-119 - LANDING NOW
Post by: Pcenginefx on March 10, 2009, 09:55:09 AM
STS-119 (ISS assembly flight 15A) is the next planned space shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled to be flown by Space Shuttle Discovery. It will deliver and assemble the fourth starboard Integrated Truss Segment (S6), and the fourth set of solar arrays and batteries to the station.

Only 8 more launches until the Shuttle program is shut down in 2010 - watch it online if you've not seen one in a while!

Live launch updates blog + live streaming commentary show (starting Sunday afternoon):
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts119/status.html

Live NASA Coverage (will be on all day Sunday - Windows Media Stream)
300kbps: http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1369081
500kbps: http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1368570 (may not stream smooth during launch)
1200kbps: http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1368163 (may not stream smooth during launch)

On cable on HDNet at 4PM PST live.

(http://floridageotourisminfo.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/space-shuttle-discovery-sts-119.jpg)

3/11 UPDATE: Launch has been scrubbed for at least 24hrs due to a hydrogen leak.  Thread will be updated when new launch date becomes available.
3/13 UPDATE: 80% chance of launch this Sunday@4:43PM PST/7:43PM EDT.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Wednesday night at 6:20PM PST
Post by: esteban on March 10, 2009, 02:01:09 PM
Forgive me for thinking that this was about PCE Shuttle. I honestly thought it was.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Wednesday night at 6:20PM PST
Post by: Joe Redifer on March 10, 2009, 02:46:22 PM
PCE Shuttle?  Ug.

The Space Shuttle has been cool, but it's time we went out of orbit again.  Lockheed Martin has been developing a very cool craft that will go to the moon and Mars.  Maybe there will be some used game shops there!
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Wednesday night at 6:20PM PST
Post by: TR0N on March 10, 2009, 03:59:47 PM
I wounder if the space shuttle can even get eight more misson.I'm waiting to see some body get out and push it to get it going  :roll: All kidding aside it is time to replace it with a new craft.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Wednesday night at 6:20PM PST
Post by: Joe Redifer on March 10, 2009, 05:55:02 PM
On the final mission, they should try to get the shuttle to the moon's orbit and back.  Throw in some monkeys and some cameras and you'd have the world's funniest reality show.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Wednesday night at 6:20PM PST
Post by: Keranu on March 10, 2009, 06:51:23 PM
The Space Shuttle has been cool, but it's time we went out of orbit again.  Lockheed Martin has been developing a very cool craft that will go to the moon and Mars.  Maybe there will be some used game shops there!
Agreed, we haven't done shit in space for years. I bet everyone in the 60's would've thought we visited Mars by now. NASA's welcome to visit Myanus.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Wednesday night at 6:20PM PST
Post by: Pcenginefx on March 11, 2009, 05:00:09 AM
The problem is that the Shuttle (no matter how modified) could ever go outside Earth's orbit...just wasn't made for that.  Luckily, NASA's Constellation program which is replacing the Shuttle (starting up in 2015) is scalable to meet the needs for Moon missions (in 2020) as well as setting up missions to Mars (2030-2040).

China is also pushing their space program VERY aggressively, which will give the US a kick in the pants again to compete (and give our president a kick in the pants to give NASA the money they desperately need).  There is even a chance that China will land men on the moon before we do in 2020.

Anyway, latest Shuttle update - External tank is now being fueled with a 95% chance of launch tonight at 9:20EDT/6:20PST.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Wednesday night at 6:20PM PST
Post by: Necromancer on March 11, 2009, 05:36:29 AM
I'm excited to see another shuttle launch, so thanks for the heads up.

[wetblanket mode]
Manned missions to the moon/Mars/etc. is only good for proverbial penis measuring contests with China and Russia.  The same knowledge can be gained with robotic craft at a greatly reduced cost, so I'd rather see them save the money and spend it on additional missions and R&D.
[/wetblanket mode]
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Wednesday night at 6:20PM PST
Post by: ceti alpha on March 11, 2009, 06:22:09 AM
Isn't NASA going back to the 3 stage rocket design?
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Wednesday night at 6:20PM PST
Post by: Pcenginefx on March 11, 2009, 07:24:18 AM
Instead of writting it all out, here is the wiki article on the Constellation program.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Constellation

Shuttle update: Loading of liquid hydrogen into the external tank has been stopped due to a possible leak....launch team is looking into it.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - 24hr DELAY
Post by: Pcenginefx on March 11, 2009, 08:11:31 AM
Due to the hydrogen leak, the launch has been scrubbed at least for 24hrs...more info to come.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - SCRUBBED!
Post by: Pcenginefx on March 11, 2009, 08:27:12 AM
Launch has been re-scheduled for 8:54PM EDT/5:54PM PST.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - SCRUBBED!
Post by: Joe Redifer on March 11, 2009, 02:15:13 PM
Leaks in the tank?  Who is in charge here, GM??  Chrysler?
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - SCRUBBED!
Post by: Keranu on March 11, 2009, 07:59:32 PM
I wonder if aliens have decided to shoot this shuttle down when it launches?
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Pcenginefx on March 13, 2009, 04:40:33 AM
UPDATE: 80% chance of launch this Sunday@4:43PM PST/7:43PM EDT.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Necromancer on March 13, 2009, 05:14:09 AM
Will STS-120 bring up the Station Defense Module with Frickin' LazersTM?  Those brave souls thankfully didn't need it this time (http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/03/12/1833933.aspx), but it's getting a little crowded up there.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Joe Redifer on March 13, 2009, 02:26:06 PM
OMG!!!!!  They must have been scared to death!!!!!!!!!!  Something 5 inches large floating 2.8 miles away!!!!! OMGOMGOMG!!!!!!  We'll never get to Mars unless we stop being such pussies.  No wonder we haven't made it back to the moon.  All of the real men at NASA died beating up herds of kangaroos with their bare hands.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Sparky on March 14, 2009, 01:13:48 PM
Nice!!! going to sit with my little girl to watch this, .... writing it down so i do not forget.
I never see these launches advertised at all, damn Canadian television  :oops:
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Pcenginefx on March 15, 2009, 03:45:50 AM
Update: Launch is 80% GO for today at 4:43PM PST.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Pcenginefx on March 15, 2009, 11:32:47 AM
Great webcast here with 3 streams + commentary!
http://www.spacevidcast.com/
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Sparky on March 15, 2009, 12:35:51 PM
9mins to go!!!! go go go!!!
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Joe Redifer on March 15, 2009, 06:28:50 PM
I missed out since I was at work, but I would have liked the one with the director's commentary.  Actually to be honest all I want to hear is the actual Mission Control countdown and the audio of the shuttle itself lifting off.  I don't like the super happy man (or woman) that says "And we have lift off of the space shuttle Discovery!!!" all happy like.  Sounds so cheesy and P.R.-ish.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Keranu on March 15, 2009, 07:13:39 PM
I have a pretty cool CAV laserdisc[/quote] that has cool commentary, space video, and still photos. It's pretty old, from 1983. (http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/9454/SA01/Space-Archive-#1:-Space-Shuttle-Mission-Reports-(1983))
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Pcenginefx on March 16, 2009, 05:28:57 AM
I highly recommend http://www.spacevidcast.com/ - it is run by two space enthusiasts who totally interact with you during the show answering questions that you can post in the real-time chat room.  The video they were showing had 3 streams (one of NASA TV, one of themselves and another window showing off other videos they wanted to display) plus a countdown timeclock.  It was totally fun to hear them answer any questions I had plus answer other people's questions as well.  They aren't connected with any space agency and are just two ordinary space enthusiasts making Space a community event.
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Sparky on March 16, 2009, 05:42:21 AM
I luckily remember at the last min with only a 11mins to go :P my little girl and i watched it on http://www.spacevidcast.com/ and yes it was very cool and the 2 hosts taking questions and chatting were good, i thought there were official!!!
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: Pcenginefx on March 28, 2009, 07:24:53 AM
Live commentary of Shuttle landing NOW.
http://www.spacevidcast.com/live/
Title: Re: Launch of Space Shuttle STS-119 - Sunday@4:43PM PST
Post by: sunteam_paul on March 28, 2009, 07:33:19 AM
Live commentary of Shuttle landing NOW.
http://www.spacevidcast.com/live/



Ooh, thanks for the link.