Comments on: Shuttle to land in Florida at 12:32 p.m. Eastern http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:53:10 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Ben http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/comment-page-1/#comment-46524 Ben Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:04:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/#comment-46524 Richard, try reading this rundown of mine, it may help give you an understanding: http://www.launchphotography.com/Shuttle_Launch_Viewing.html The key to going to see one is being flexible towards delays; be prepared to work around it, in otherwords. Sometimes, such as the last two, they go right on time after months of planning that particular date. But that only happens half the time. As far as the logistics go, it's not at all hard to go see one and you can get fairly close if you get the "causeway tickets." Your son would also love to just see the space center and tour around, I'm sure. Good luck! -Ben Richard, try reading this rundown of mine, it may help give you an understanding:

http://www.launchphotography.com/Shuttle_Launch_Viewing.html

The key to going to see one is being flexible towards delays; be prepared to work around it, in otherwords. Sometimes, such as the last two, they go right on time after months of planning that particular date. But that only happens half the time.

As far as the logistics go, it’s not at all hard to go see one and you can get fairly close if you get the “causeway tickets.” Your son would also love to just see the space center and tour around, I’m sure.

Good luck! -Ben

]]> By: MichaelS http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/comment-page-1/#comment-46523 MichaelS Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:56:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/#comment-46523 I saw the landing on MSNBC TV while sitting in the clinic lobby, waiting on the doc's assistant to finalize some paperwork. At first it was just another landing, until I realized it was live coverage of Endeavor; I said "hey, the space shuttle is landing" to nobody, and the whole room sat with me and watched until the shuttle was stopped. I liked the in-cockpit view; and seeing the incredibly strenuous 1.3 g's they were pulling through the 270° roundabout thing. :) I was wondering what the IR views were about though; I guess I missed that part of the commentary (the volume was low and hard to hear at times), and wasn't sure if something was broken, or they just wanted to show the heat coming off the motor. Is it normally that cloudy? For a bit, you could hardly tell that they were even looking at the shuttle it was so obscure. I saw the landing on MSNBC TV while sitting in the clinic lobby, waiting on the doc’s assistant to finalize some paperwork. At first it was just another landing, until I realized it was live coverage of Endeavor; I said “hey, the space shuttle is landing” to nobody, and the whole room sat with me and watched until the shuttle was stopped.

I liked the in-cockpit view; and seeing the incredibly strenuous 1.3 g’s they were pulling through the 270° roundabout thing. :) I was wondering what the IR views were about though; I guess I missed that part of the commentary (the volume was low and hard to hear at times), and wasn’t sure if something was broken, or they just wanted to show the heat coming off the motor. Is it normally that cloudy? For a bit, you could hardly tell that they were even looking at the shuttle it was so obscure.

]]> By: MouseOnMars http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/comment-page-1/#comment-46522 MouseOnMars Wed, 22 Aug 2007 02:25:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/#comment-46522 The first mission I have managed to follow from launch to landing. I must say I was moved by that nose facing image of the Shuttle on the runway. That is so iconic. As someone was saying on nasaspaceflight, all that puffing and grunting, and the squat nature of the vessel ... she's (?) like some kind of monster or space beastie ! I'm only just understanding why the replacement for the Shuttle is this (even more) ugly squat thing that seems to be going backwards to the Apollo days. I guess there are good reasons for the choice, but why throw out years of experience with a space plane like design ? Anyway, as I said, still understanding. MouseOnMars The first mission I have managed to follow from launch to landing. I must say I was moved by that nose facing image of the Shuttle on the runway. That is so iconic. As someone was saying on nasaspaceflight, all that puffing and grunting, and the squat nature of the vessel … she’s (?) like some kind of monster or space beastie !

I’m only just understanding why the replacement for the Shuttle is this (even more) ugly squat thing that seems to be going backwards to the Apollo days. I guess there are good reasons for the choice, but why throw out years of experience with a space plane like design ? Anyway, as I said, still understanding.

MouseOnMars

]]> By: David Vanderschel http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/comment-page-1/#comment-46521 David Vanderschel Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:51:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/#comment-46521 The BA wrote, "The video feed from NASA TV was incredible; I strongly urge folks to tune in for the next launch and landing." There are some HD cameras there during those events and HDNET has been providing live coverage of all the launches and landings lately. Those with HD capability and an HDNET TV feed might prefer the HDNET coverage. The BA wrote, “The video feed from NASA TV was incredible; I strongly urge folks to tune in for the next launch and landing.” There are some HD cameras there during those events and HDNET has been providing live coverage of all the launches and landings lately. Those with HD capability and an HDNET TV feed might prefer the HDNET coverage.

]]> By: Remek http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/comment-page-1/#comment-46520 Remek Tue, 21 Aug 2007 23:59:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/#comment-46520 <i>Weren’t the “puffs” only coming from one OMS engine? I thought it was the nitrogen leak mentioned in last night’s press conference. Anyone know for sure? It was kind of unnerving.</i> The 'puffs' (more easily visible in infrared since they're pretty hot) are coming out of the APU exhaust vents right beside the tail fin. It's a combination of steam from the "boilers" (that cool the APU pumps and oil feeds) and the mostly steam exhaust from the hydrazine catalytic burning that powers the APU turbines (which in turn power the hydraulic pumps for the orbiter's hydraulically controlled parts for both launch and reentry). Weren’t the “puffs” only coming from one OMS engine? I thought it was the nitrogen leak mentioned in last night’s press conference. Anyone know for sure? It was kind of unnerving.

The ‘puffs’ (more easily visible in infrared since they’re pretty hot) are coming out of the APU exhaust vents right beside the tail fin. It’s a combination of steam from the “boilers” (that cool the APU pumps and oil feeds) and the mostly steam exhaust from the hydrazine catalytic burning that powers the APU turbines (which in turn power the hydraulic pumps for the orbiter’s hydraulically controlled parts for both launch and reentry).

]]> By: magitekkn http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/comment-page-1/#comment-46519 magitekkn Tue, 21 Aug 2007 23:51:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/#comment-46519 Watched the landing from GSFC (down the hall from your old friends (?) at GLAST) Always glad to see another STS mission successfully completed, I just wish that shuttle missions were so common that they weren't 'special.' (I'd be happy with ~20 LEO missions per year... oh well) Watched the landing from GSFC (down the hall from your old friends (?) at GLAST)

Always glad to see another STS mission successfully completed, I just wish that shuttle missions were so common that they weren’t ’special.’ (I’d be happy with ~20 LEO missions per year… oh well)

]]> By: KaiYeves http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/comment-page-1/#comment-46518 KaiYeves Tue, 21 Aug 2007 23:18:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/21/shuttle-to-land-in-florida-at-1232-pm-eastern/#comment-46518 I caught it on the live feed after hurrying over from the Immersion Presents Black Sea expediton webcast, where I was lucky enough to get my question answered on air! (Great stuff for any other archeologists here, noon eastern until the 26th at immersionpresents.com.) I started watching at twenty minutes to touchdown, when the shuttle was over the Galapagos Islands. Really exciting stuff! I was on pins and needles until the landing gear came out and when the weels contacted, I broke out cheering. Endeavour is home safe, and all's right in my world. By endurance we conquer! I caught it on the live feed after hurrying over from the Immersion Presents Black Sea expediton webcast, where I was lucky enough to get my question answered on air! (Great stuff for any other archeologists here, noon eastern until the 26th at immersionpresents.com.) I started watching at twenty minutes to touchdown, when the shuttle was over the Galapagos Islands. Really exciting stuff! I was on pins and needles until the landing gear came out and when the weels contacted, I broke out cheering. Endeavour is home safe, and all’s right in my world. By endurance we conquer!

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