STS-126

[Donamy]

I would think ST knows cold.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Aah sorry, I thought they meant 32 celsius.

My mistake


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The SCA has been cleared to fly to KSC

it is currently being fuelled at Barksdale AFB, LA.

It is scheduled to land at KSC at 2.40pm EST (7.40pm GMT) today.

 

[DaveS]

The SCA with Endeavour left Barksdale AFB, LA at 12:10 pm EST. Arrival at KSC is expected sometime around 2:30 pm EST(1930 UTC). Arrival and landing will be broadcast live on NSSA TV when the SCA comes into view of the powerful optical tracking equipment at KSC.


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The C-17 has landed at the SLF ahead of the SCA/Endeavour duo.


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NASA TV about to go live with shots of the SCA/Endeavour duo landing at KSC.


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NASA TV coverage has started.


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The SCA just did a low altitude fly-over of the SLF runway. Now setting up for the landing approach.


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SCA gear is down and locked.


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Now turning on to final.


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Main gear touchdown. Nose gear touchdown. The SCA is now rolling down RWY33 before it will make a 180 and taxii down RWY15 towards the parking apron where it will be towed to the SLF Mate/De-mate Device.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Beautiful!

Something so heavy touched down so lightly....

 

[DaveS]

The SCA has completed the turn and is now taxiing down RWY15 towards the MDD.


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The KSC Tow Tug is now moving onto the runway to be hooked up to the SCA's nose gear so it can to the aircraft to the MDD.


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The SCA is now being towed off the runway to the MDD.


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The SCA has now been parked in front of the MDD.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Endeavour is now back in bay 2 of the OPF (Orbiter Processing Facility)


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Endeavour will now be got ready for STS-127, targeted to launch in June 09.

It will deliver the final element of the Japanese segment of the ISS, the Exposed Facility.


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Also:

The flyaround imagery from STS-126 has now been released.
Some pretty nice shots
For hi-res, go to: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-126/ndxpage48.html

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

I'd say, from the image below taken from the KSC webcams, that cannister contains the STS-126 payloads. They are probably being moved from OPF-2 to the SSPF.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Or else the cannister is going to the OPF to pick em' up. But I fail to see why that would need as escort.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

STS-126 payloads now back in SSPF:
(P.S. any mods, feel free to remove this thread from the sticky list now)

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Endeavour, in OPF-2, is now undergoing processing for STS-127.

However, a small bird has managed to find it's way into the payload bay:rofl:

The following quote is taken from NASASpaceflight.com:

The visitor was spotted on closed circuit cameras, much the amusement of engineers when they first saw the report on the log entries.

“Bird reported in midbody, reports it as a common bird and is described as smaller than a crow, bigger than a sparrow,” noted the log, which was acquired by L2 processing information. “Trying to locate a hawk to remove intruder bird. Bird possibly in the midbody and underneath the liner someplace.”

“On another front. Forward monitor has a one-time entry pass for the bird if needed,” joked the following entry, before being retorted by the original reporter, “I am not making this up. Bird sitting on blanket next to GSE (Ground Support Equipment) keel approx 6ft aft of ODS (Orbiter Docking System). (Can be seen on) Camera 95…just staring at us ”

The unbadged visitor’s one time tour of Endeavour was soon put to an end, with the log ending: “The Bird has now been escorted out of the Bay.”