Anyone else following the launch of STS-121 (Space Shuttle Discovery)?

Just wondering if there was any overlap between my aviation/aeronautics interest and hybrid ownership.

PS: I don't normally like paying for web-based content, but I have to say CNN's "Pipeline" video coverage is pretty slick. Since I was visiting family over the weekend in Dallas and knew I'd have wireless Net access, but not cable television access (stayed with family, not in a hotel) I splurged on a Pipeline day pass. Got to tune in to coverage no one apparently broadcast on television other than as soundbytes, because it was carried on one of the four live Pipeline video feeds. I upgraded to a monthly account because I'm enjoying 24/7 coverage (commercial free) of the STS-121 launch attempt, including all the radio chatter when a countdown is in progress.

- Shannon (Geeky, Wild Texan)

My 'day job' supports NASA's network that ties the NASA centers together. It has more than a little interest to us. I know of at least one other hybrid owner who is associated with Ames and there may be a 3d, soon-to-be hybrid owner. Then one of my co-workers has a Lexus hybrid and we chat frequently. On base, I can usually spot at least two other hybrids on any given day.

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I've never worked in the aerospace industry, I'm just a life-long enthusiast and supporter of manned spaceflight. I grew up wanting to become an astronaut, and attended U.S. Space Camp in 1986 (summer after the loss of Space Shuttle Challenger, STS-51L); then I hit high school and realized I had a severe allergy to mathematics. Cured me of my delusions and sent me in a different direction, but did not quell my interest in the space program.

- Shannon (Geeky, Wild Texan)

we live 20 miles from port canaveral. The resort we own part of is Ron Johns, which is right next to NASAs land. We thus go down to the beach and watch from there, but its still not as good as the tours NASA gives out, where you can have almost ringside seats.


however, there was a tech problem, coupled with a boat with the 6 mile area , and chance of Ionic lightening clouds within the window. So saturday was scrubbed. It rained cats and dogs sunday, so now they are hoping for tomorrow (tues) for a last chance at the corridor, or wait a few weeks to try again.

cheers

Maybe this thread will pick up after the Shuttle is launched successfully. It seems folks who don't follow the space program kind of take a "wait and see" attitude when it comes to launches.

NASA is mandated to complete the International Space Station's construction before the Space Shuttle fleet is retired/decommissioned in 2010. There are 12 to 16 Shuttle flights scheduled to meet that requirement, and we have had a one year launch delay between the first (STS-114 on July 26, 2005) and second (STS-121, today's scheduled launch) "Return to Flight" missions.

If anything catastrophic or even remotely so occurs during this launch, the Space Shuttle program is doomed as is the International Space Station's completion because no other, comparable launch vehicle exists to transport the size and types of material the Shuttle's payload bay can carry.

There are unresolved issues NASA is gambling are not "showstoppers" likely to endanger the crew and vehicle. There are dissenters (people who's jobs are to ensure the safety of the crew and orbiter); specifically, NASA's Chief Engineer Christopher Scolese and NASA's Chief Safety and Mission Assurance Officer, Bryan O'Connor, who served as pilot on STS-61-B and commanded STS-40 are both on record as being "No Go" for this launch due to the foam/debris-shedding problem that continues to plague all Space Shuttle flights and only became noteworthy in NASA's eyes after the catastrophic loss of Space Shuttle Columbia during re-entry in 2003.

The views of Scolese and O'Connor are on record in NASA's Flight Readiness Review document. Both chose not to appeal to NASA's Administrator, Mike Griffin and thus both tacitly support the launch. Reason? The International Space Station is seen as a "safe harbor" for the astronauts, should their craft fail in some way after getting on-orbit; it would get very crowded in the ISS if all 7 crewmembers on STS-121 had to evacuate to the Station, but it is possible. I think it's a gamble, because they're assuming some risks -- if they couldn't dock with the ISS for some reason, their "safe haven" is not accessible.

The astronauts do have a vote in the "Go/No Go" decisions, but I would imagine it's career suicide to buck the administration and utter a dissenting word in a "Go/No Go" decision. It would be interesting to see if Scolese and O'Connor get reassigned after this mission, assuming it is all a success.

I suspect the launch will go off as scheduled today. I suspect we will see more debris shed during lift-off, due to the amount and quality of cameras (still and video) that are now used to monitor the Shuttle during ascent (a byproduct of the Columbia accident investigation). What this all means for future missions, I do not know. They can't keep calling every mission from now to the end of program a "test flight", and as such they ought to address the debris/foam shedding issue. It was one of the primary criterion that came out of the Columbia accident investigation, and that is why it's worrisome NASA has opted to forego resolving it (they thought they had, with STS-114, and the voila -- foam debris shedding caught on tape.)

- Shannon (Geeky, Wild Texan)

I'm watching it. I go to nasa's site and watch the nasa tv broadcast.

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There are lots of live streams to choose from. CNN Pipeline and www.nasa.gov are two options; there are certainly others.

• Official NASA video feeds
• SpaceflightWeb coverage
• SpaceFlightNowPlus coverage
• CNN Pipeline feed (subscription or free trial required; 2 to 3 live feeds plus on-demand coverage

- Shannon (Geeky, Wild Texan)

I just skimmed the STS-121 article on Wikipedia and noticed something that was surprising and cool -- Obviously, landing the Space Shuttle unmanned would not be a desirable result for this mission but it is interesting that they've established a method for doing this in the event of the crew abandoning the Shuttle and using the ISS as a "safe haven".

On another note, check out the Flickr photo-sharing website for various photos of STS-121, many of which were taken by various employees associated with the Space Shuttle program.

- Shannon (Geeky, Wild Texan)

Talkin' to myself, but that's OK

Various tools to get a graphical view of where the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope and other objects are in orbit around the Earth -- in real-time, in many cases:

• Space Shuttle & International Space Station Realtime Tracking (best -- similar to the view seen at Mission Control Houston)
• Human Space Flight Realtime Data
• Shuttle & ISS Sighting Opportunities -- Coordinates/Dates/Times
• Realtime Satellite Tracking

There are more, but these are some of the official NASA ones. There is another one that used to show the Space Shuttle tracking data but for the moment only shows the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station realtime position: Spacecraft Tracking (GoogleMaps application)

- Shannon (Geeky, Wild Texan)

It's up and doing well (knock on wood). People are on edge because the public is much more aware of the frailities of the Shuttle.

I remember when the Columbia broke up - heard the rumble at 8:00am, and dismissed it as a low final approach to D/FW airport. About 30 minutes later, went to www.cnn.com and found out it was destroyed.

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