Mt Whitney Webcam
Mt Williamson Webcam
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 52 guests, and 6 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 6 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
Fishmonger #16170 07/09/11 04:45 AM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
Fish, thanks, remarkable photos.

Here is a complete post from Plane Talking. I tried to just quote fragments - didn't work. Ben's post exactly mirrors my thoughts, so here is the whole thing.

The last Space Shuttle and some bitter thoughts.

"Amid the close local focus on airline affairs in Australia this week the last Space Shuttle has been launched into orbit, where it will dock at the International Space Station.

It is for this writer, a bitter moment, a moment when the US space program confronts the optimism with which, like so many, I saw the first satellites and their final stage rockets glide through the fields of stars, believing that in my lifetime the first manned interstellar missions might set forth, never mind see the establishment of bases on the moon, Mars and perhaps an asteroid.

The promises of space travel were first spoken for this writer at a time when the great ocean liners carried far more passengers than aeroplanes, and even in this country, it had been but a short time since Vickers Viscounts and Douglas DC6Bs could routinely fly over the Snowy Mountains between Sydney and Melbourne, rather than past them, as had been the then recent case with DC4 Skymasters.

As a 'half' American, the sorrow is somewhat deeper too. Transport systems are creations of social, economic and political change. They facilitate mobility, wealth, knowledge and experience, and from an airliner, or a space craft, no borders are visible.

But when a society retreats into itself, as I see happening in my experience of America, and I see starting to happen in these mean spirited times in Australia, then these simple dreams of younger days crumble and fade.

Transport in America is in disarray, whether by road, rail or air, and this is true of its innovations in space transport in particular, which are no longer considered useful to a society where the anti-science tendency actually translates into political power, where the country is insolvent, and an angry sense of denied entitlement and bewilderment seems to infuse many of those in its major parties.

There is some reason to be optimistic that the rise of privately funded space transport companies will nurture talent and innovation. But on a day when the last Shuttle has lifted off, those ventures seem like candles fluttering in the wind.
"


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #16181 07/09/11 10:12 AM
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 120
C
Offline
C
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 120
According to these two there is hope. Will the US lead or follow?

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer...amp;m=137681438

Nice cockpit vid of Atlantis from a couple years back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRMO88Xv_7A

John


















Last edited by catpappy; 07/09/11 10:24 AM.
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
catpappy #16347 07/12/11 05:05 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
Whilst waiting for Atlantis to head home, here is an oldie but goodie from 1982.


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #16446 07/15/11 09:27 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,505
Likes: 103
S
Offline
S
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,505
Likes: 103
Rod sent me this...

Here's a nice 360 panorama view of   Discovery's flight deck

Move your mouse around to change the view.

Re: Discovery's Last Flight
Steve C #16454 07/16/11 06:08 AM
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 120
C
Offline
C
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 120
Did anyone see the air freshener hanging from the rear view mirror?

Also, with all the high tech that goes into shuttle design, you'd think they'd give the astronauts something better to sit on. But what, after 10 min. or so they're weightless, so I guess it's not a big deal.

John

Re: Discovery's Last Flight
catpappy #16458 07/16/11 10:17 AM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 660
Rod Offline
Offline
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 660
Thanks Steve. Pretty awesome.

Re: Discovery's Last Flight
Rod #16632 07/20/11 06:12 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
Crew Prepares for Final Shuttle Landing

"Space shuttle Atlantis' wakeup song for landing day was "God Bless America" by Kate Smith, played at 9:29 p.m. EDT, for the entire crew and all the men and women who have worked for the shuttle program over the years. Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim will begin deorbit preparations a little before 1 a.m. EDT for their planned landing at 5:56 a.m. at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida."

That's 2:56 WZ time.


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #16635 07/20/11 07:26 PM
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 120
C
Offline
C
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 120

Re: Discovery's Last Flight
catpappy #16642 07/21/11 01:17 AM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
Home safely.


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #16644 07/21/11 05:26 AM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 849
Likes: 3
Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 849
Likes: 3
Somewhat of a coincidence that July 20th was the 42nd anniversary of the first humans landing on the moon.


Journey well...
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
+ @ti2d #16660 07/21/11 11:10 AM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
Mission complete: Atlantis returns, ends shuttle era.

"This photo of the shuttle Atlantis' re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere was taken this morning from the International Space Station.
(Credit: NASA astronaut Michael Fossum)
"



"Atlantis swoops to a tire-smoking touchdown this morning at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
(Credit: Ben Cooper/Spaceflight Now)
"



Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #16792 07/26/11 05:48 PM
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 120
C
Offline
C
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 120

Re: Discovery's Last Flight
catpappy #22391 03/28/12 03:17 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
Discovery is mummified and on the way to the Smithsonian. Article here.



Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #22951 04/17/12 06:15 AM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
This is her final flight.

From CNN.



Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #23022 04/18/12 12:32 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
Some more photos:

Plane Talking.

FlightBlogger.


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #24128 05/18/12 06:32 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
In a few hours, a new era of private space travel should begin.

Article here.

"On Saturday, a company called SpaceX is scheduled to launch the first private mission to the International Space Station, demonstrating a freight-carrying capability NASA gave up when it retired its fleet of space shuttles in July."

"Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket, its Dragon capsule filled with food, supplies and science experiments, is scheduled for 4:55 a.m. ET from the SpaceX launch site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Three days later, astronauts will use a robotic arm to attach the Dragon capsule to the station. Cargo will be unloaded, return cargo loaded in, and the capsule will return to splash down in the Pacific."


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #24137 05/19/12 07:06 AM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
Didn't happen. Painful listening to the announcer unsay "Liftoff". Trying again on Tuesday, maybe.


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #24810 06/07/12 05:09 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
Enterprise Lands in New York. Final resting place.


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #26155 07/23/12 04:33 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
wagga Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 1
A sad note.

Sally Ride passed away today at age 61, of pancreatic cancer.

More details at npr.


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Discovery's Last Flight
wagga #26157 07/23/12 07:55 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,572
Offline
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,572
Originally Posted By: wagga
A sad note.

Sally Ride passed away today at age 61, of pancreatic cancer.

More details at npr.


Ride, Sally Ride


Wherever you go, there you are.
SPOTMe!
Page 6 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4
(Release build 20200307)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.036s Queries: 55 (0.028s) Memory: 0.6834 MB (Peak: 0.8344 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2024-03-28 08:24:46 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS