Shuttle Info
 

STS-126 Launch: 6:55 PM CST, Friday 11/14
Vehicle: Endeavour
Dock with ISS: 3:56 PM CST, Sunday 11/16
EVA 1: 12:45-19:25 CST, 11/18 - NTA and FHRC relocate
EVA 2: 12:45-19:55 CST, 11/20 - CETA relocate; SARJ tasks
EVA 3: 12:45-19:25 CST, 11/22 - SARJ tasks
EVA 4: 12:45-19:25 CST, 11/24 - SARJ stuff; GPS antenna, JEM
Undock: 9:31 AM CST, Thur 11/27
Land: 13:00 PM CST, Sat 11/29

3 day launch window
60% chance GO for launch in Florida tomorrow (weather)
40% Saturday
70% Sunday

EVA = extra vehicular activity (space walk)
SARJ = solar array rotary joint

Lots of plumbing work this trip...

Tom

We won't get a break in the clouds up here until... oh... about May or so. I'll be there online, though. Thanks, Tom!

thanks Tom, do you think they will take the 70% chance, and make a go for Sunday?

I actually figured out how to get nasa tv to work on my phone, then promptly killed my phone lol, i can still watch it on the tv, I go to sleep every morning watching NASA tv, thank you again you cant imagine how much I look forward to seeing your nasa updates and inside track info, Thank You Tom

Thanks Tom, I was thinking yesterday it was time for an update!

Thanks Tom!!! So where will you be this time??

Oh yeah. I forgot something. NASA will make the announcement on 11/17 on whether or not STS-119 launch date will move up to 1/20/09. This is going to the ISS.

STS-125 is still on for May. It's going to Hubble telescope. It can't really slip much. It's hogging space needed by the first firing of the next generation thing ARES, which is scheduled for 7/12/09.

We really want to launch STS-126 tomorrow. Sunday's pushing it. The angle of the sun's getting too low and we can't get enough power on the station for a full ISS crew and a full shuttle crew.

I'll hopefully be home drinking a beer for the launch tomorrow. I'm alternate COD mission manager for this one. I'll take over thanksgiving day and be in the control room for landing on the 29th.

A little bit of trivia - there's alot of debris near hubble. There's a 1 in 8 chance that STS-125 will hit something. Astronauts... Go figure. First they strap themselves to a big bomb and then they play roulette with space junk... The odds are alot lower for hitting trash going to the ISS. They told me what the odds were but I forget.

Tom

Kewl info Tom~ Thanks for the update!

Since I'm bored, another update -

Launch this evening weather conditions upgraded to 70% GO for launch

We start tanking the bomb, um, external fuel tank... at 0930 this morning

There's a Russian Progress re-supply ship at the station right now that's gonna un-dock at 1020 this morning. The Station crew is packing up the final garbage for its return to oblivion (it burns up in the atmosphere - by design).

Tom

hey Tom ... cool info ...

did you know that the abbrev "ISS" was asked on Jeopardy yesterday?? with all your info - I knew the answer!! (and it was a $2000 question, too!)

Thanks Tom!
I'll be watching NASA TV!:)