Shuttle Launch

[lighthouse]

Has anybody on here ever seen the Space Shuttle take off?

Saw Endeavour take off on 19 April 2001 - just realised that was 10 years ago!

We got a spot about 5/6 miles away along the coast; could see the shuttle on the launchpad through binoculars! Had to get there a good few hours beforehand to get a decent spot and it disappears from view in less than a minute! Well worth seeing though.

Only bad thing about being in Florida at that time was missing the Plymouth promotion party. Was back in time for Chesterfield game though!

 

[adrian29uk]

To give you an idea of how fast this thing is, it takes 20 minutes from lift off to reach Central Europe.

Also if the shuttle doesn't launch today by 13:01:29 GMT then it will have to be re-scheduled. The reason for this 5 minute window is that it enables the shuttle to catch up and dock with the Space Station in two days time. Just one second late and the shuttle will always be playing catch up, just like Southampton!

I love these sort of stats.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

T minus 9 and counting...

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Into the final countdown (to cue a soft-rock, big-hair hit)

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It's the final countdown.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Fantastic pictures!

 

[8ace]

Cheers, enjoyed that.

 

[Gazwag]

When it went through the cloud base it was pure sci fi

 

[adrian29uk]

Fuel burn is the equivalent to draining a family size swimming pool every 25 seconds lol.

 

[clippedgull]

Fuel burn is the equivalent to draining a family size swimming pool every 25 seconds lol.

Here is another one!!

The system includes a 290-foot-high water tank filled with 300,000 gallons of water, and it empties in 41 seconds during a launch. Water pours from 16 nozzles on top of the flame deflectors and from outlets in the Shuttle main engine exhaust hole in the MLP at main engine ignition, which occurs approximately 7 seconds before liftoff.

No wonder there is so much steam!

 

[adrian29uk]

Here is another one!!
No wonder there is so much steam!

Excellent. I have found my new spiritual home after NSC.
Now I have seen the launch it will be interesting to go on the NASA site daily and see what is happening up there.

 

[clippedgull]

Shuttle just passing over Egypt 28 mins from launch!

 

[adrian29uk]

Shuttle just passing over Egypt 28 mins from launch!

Where did you get this info, been looking for stats like this.

 

[clippedgull]

Where did you get this info, been looking for stats like this.

Tracker...

http://www.n2yo.com/?s=37577

Currently approaching Spain on it's second orbit of the Earth since launch.

 

[adrian29uk]

Tracker...

http://www.n2yo.com/?s=37577

Currently approaching Spain on it's second orbit of the Earth since launch.

Thanks for this. Went there earlier but site was not working. Overload I presume.

 

[clippedgull]

114 page Mission Press Kit.

5.3MB

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/538352main_sts134_presskit_508.pdf

 

[adrian29uk]

Makes a change from all the rumours
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=88693681

 

[adrian29uk]

114 page Mission Press Kit.

5.3MB

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/538352main_sts134_presskit_508.pdf

Downloaded it and will read it later. Looks interesting.

 

[adrian29uk]

Final shuttle launch is on July 8th

But if your still interested I am sure NASA live will show coverage Soyuz rockets

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/iss_manifest.html