NASA Space Launch: Live

Awe inspiring.

Did anyone see the ISS orbit over us tonight? I didn't expect it to be quite so easy to spot to be honest - must be all those solar panels they've fitted. Quite fitting that it went over barely 30 minutes after the shuttle took off as well.

Reply 142

TheTallOne

If the Shuttle retires, they can't build the ISS anymore. Therefore we have a race so complete the ISS before 2010 so that we can crash the complete ISS into the Pacific Ocean in 2017. What a massive waste of money.

It's such as shame they're already talking about the end of the ISS before they've even finished it :sigh:

I also hate it how NASA talk like they're the sole owners of the space station and it'll be deorbited when they see fit - I know they contribute a lot, but there are other countries involved in it who must surely get a say in its future as well.

Reply 143

Student2806

Awe inspiring.

Did anyone see the ISS orbit over us tonight? I didn't expect it to be quite so easy to spot to be honest - must be all those solar panels they've fitted. Quite fitting that it went over barely 30 minutes after the shuttle took off as well.

It orbits the Earth every 90 minutes :confused:

Reply 144

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TheTallOne

It orbits the Earth every 90 minutes :confused:

Yes, but it doesn't go over the UK every 90 minutes. Its orbital path changes with every orbit.

Reply 145

TheTallOne

The Shuttle is just the big 'bird' with a large tank and the boosters.

The International Space Station is separate, although the Shuttle is the only main spacecraft capable of lifting all the modules up there so they can be built. So they are quickly flying all the stuff up there so the ISS can be assembled by the time the Shuttle retires in 2010.

They they rely on Russian spacecraft to move people up/down from the ISS.

If the Shuttle retires, they can't build the ISS anymore. Therefore we have a race so complete the ISS before 2010 so that we can crash the complete ISS into the Pacific Ocean in 2017. What a massive waste of money.

i am a complete noob to this space stuff but why can't they keep that thing floating up there through maintenance?

Reply 146

Gamer99

8

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i am a complete noob to this space stuff but why can't they keep that thing floating up there through maintenance?

They can, but it'd eventually run out of fuel (to correct and keep its position and altitude I think) and it doesn't really solve a purpose e.g. there's been no real useful research from it so it's wasting money and (this is one of my suggestions) reduces the possibility of colliding with a satellite as it loses its orbital height and pattern.

Reply 147

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DNljVcs6Dc

_Hayko

thanks, although I am still searching for a HD source since they do broadcast at that quality, over satellite though.

There's the HD video of the launch. I don't think you can get HD reception of NASA TV in the UK.

Reply 148

G8D

Where is the shuttle actually going or doing, I miss that part.

The mission is delivering the final 2 parts of the Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo) to the ISS, as well as allowing a crew changeover.

Endeavour docked with the ISS yesterday:

Reply 149

I'm trying to get support for a Space Society (or possibly Space and Astronomy Society if there's enough interest in the astronomy side) to talk about launches, exploration and everything else space related.
Would anyone be interested?

Reply 150

Emmanuel321

I'd be quite interested :smile:

I'm off to Florida on the 21st August, STS-128 predicted launch date is the 18th. Im hoping its delayed a few days so i can get to see it live :biggrin:

Reply 151

STS-128 - First launch failed this morning, delayed until tomorrow, 6.10am UK time.

What a lousy time.

Reply 152

G8D

What's going up this time?

Experiments and a treadmill basically.

Reply 153

G8D

Nice. I won't be awake anyway.

Seeing at my sleep pattern has gone 5 hours ahead. I probably should have bumped this later this evening.

Reply 154

TheTallOne

Experiments and a treadmill basically.

The C.O.L.B.E.R.T. (Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill :tongue:

) to be precise. Stephen Colbert won an online poll to have a module of the ISS named after him, but NASA wasn't particularly impressed and gave him the treadmill instead.

Reply 155