STS-126

[Urwumpe]

100 mph at +26 second is too low. The Shuttle exceeds the sound barrier at about 55 seconds.

 

[myles]

So what WAS the speed at around 26 seconds?

 

[xmariox]

http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/space_place/framesource_current.html

Here are Ascent data
426 MPH was velocity at T+26s

 

[DaveS]

Here's a summary of today's post-MMT media briefing:

Not much to discuss, other than few minor technical issues. Two of them relate to the KU antenna on Endeavour, while the last one is about a potentially missing strip of FRSI thermal blanket.

The KU issues are a difficulty for the antenna dish to track the TDRS in GPC ACQ mode. Workaround is to use GPC DESIG mode instead which causes a slightly higher workload on the ground team.

The other KU issue is a difficulty between KU and S-band antenna handovers when the KU antenna can't see a TDRS. They believe this is due to a new software upgrade they fielded recently.

The potentially missing FRSI blanket is a bit of FRSI thermal blanket in between the left OMS pod and the left-hand T0 umbilical panel on the orbiter. They have seen something leaving that area of the orbiter in ground camera video at approx. T+33 seconds during launch. Crew will get the OBSS there to get some imagery for the teams on the ground. Strip that they're think is missing measures 0.1 mx0.3 mx0.45 m.


-----Posted Added-----


OBSS is now being used to take a look at the area that is suspected to have a strip of FRSI missing and I can't tell one way or the other whether it's actually missing or not. Based on the shadows though, I would say it's still there.


-----Posted Added-----


The crew are now done with robotic arm activties and have finished berthing the OBSS and put the RMS itself into the overnight and docking position.


-----Posted Added-----


The NC3 burn scheduled for today has been cancelled as it's not needed. They'll do a longer and earlier NC4 tommorow instead.


-----Posted Added-----


Crew is now complete with the presleep activties and with that MCC-H is signing off with the crew for the night. This ends FD2.

 

[RisingFury]

Well... 200 million US taxpayer dollars gone up in flames... literary

 

[Urwumpe]

Well... 200 million US taxpayer dollars gone up in flames... literary

Actually even less... the fuel costs are a very tiny fraction of the actual launch costs. NASA pays about 4$ per ton on the average.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

THE FIRST STS-126 IMAGERY HAS BEEN RELEASED!!!

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-126/ndxpage1.html

 

[DaveS]

FD3 began at 9:25 am EST. Rendezvous day.

 

[DoyleChris]

Dont we start a new thread with each new flight day.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Dont we start a new thread with each new flight day

Why bother? That would just mean loads of threads. Better to keep everything in one place.

 

[caningo]

Has the docking been delayed? Or is it still going to happen at 5pm EST? Anyone know where I can get a detailed timeline of the schedule events? I looked at the press kit but it didn't have very much info.

 

[shamandgg]

Can someone please give me information what is the current docking schedule in UTC/ZULU time?

 

[David413]

Detailed timeline available here for flight day 3:

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/290859main_EP_FD3.pdf

Current docking scheduled for MET of 1/21:09 or about 22:05 UTC.

 

[DaveS]

Good Ti burn utilising only the left OMS engine. No trim required. And KU radar is providing good data.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

UTC docking time is 10.05pm

 

[Urwumpe]

You can also follow the flight here:

http://mek.kosmo.cz/video/vmcc_en.htm

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

You can also track the ISS and Endeavour together here:

http://www.n2yo.com/?s=33441|25544


-----Posted Added-----


And Endeavour is now visible from the ISS!!!

-----Posted Added-----


10 minutes until RPM...

 

[Matt]

RPM initiated.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

RPM has started!!!

 

[astrosammy]

Only an animation of the RPM? I wonder why they don't show real pictures...