Author Topic: LIVE: Discovery's Final Journey - Preps, Departure and Arrival  (Read 321035 times)

Offline ChrisC

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I've read through this thread; apologies if this was already posted in an earlier thread.  I see the viewing thread, but nominally that appears to be for Dulles arrival viewing.

Do we already know generally what path SCA+Discovery will take from KSC to Dulles?  Is it one hop?

I'm particularly interested in the Georgia segment.  Will they fly over water east of Savannah, or inland?  If inland I could drive east from Atlanta a couple hours and try to spot them on the horizon.
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Offline Chris Bergin

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Offline Galactic Penguin SST

A bit of pre-NASA history for the two SCAs:  ;)

N905NA is line no. 86 of the 747 line, built for American Airlines (registration N9668). First flown on October 15, 1970, the plane served in the airline for less than three years (the 1973 oil crisis caused many US airlines to dump their too big 747s) before acquired by NASA. That's why the plane kept the AA livery for several years until well after the ALT tests.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/NASA/Boeing-747-123(SCA)/0182490/L/

http://www.airliners.net/photo/NASA/Boeing-747-123(SCA)/0069564/L/

N911NA is line no. 221 of the 747 line, built for Japan Airlines (registration JA8117). First flown on August 31, 1973, the plane served in the airline for 15 years. It was specifically configured in a very high density layout (more than 500 seats, IIRC) to make milk runs in the intra-Japan routes. It was sold in 1988 and went to NASA late that year.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Japan-Air-Lines/Boeing-747SR-46/1878080/L/

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Japan-Air-Lines/Boeing-747SR-46/1682911/L/

GPS
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline Mapperuo

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NASA Video File of the SCA leaving Dryden:

- Aaron

Offline John44

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Arrival of NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft at the Kennedy Space Center
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7459

Space Shuttle Era Ferry Flights
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7466

NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft 905 Heads to KSC
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7462

Shuttle Engines Moved From Kennedy To Stennis For Future Space Launch System Support
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7463

Offline John44

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NASA Preparing To Ferry Historic Space Shuttles To Final Destinations
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7464

Online Ronsmytheiii

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The aft attach (ball?) on NASA 905 was installed today:

Offline Chris Bergin

Such a lovely plane. A whole world of epic.
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Offline ramius17

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Just secured a ticket for the SLF viewing. Hopefully it'll be worth waking up at 3:30am for!  :)

Anyone have experience with photographing a situation like this? Lens recommendations?
Regards,
Jack

Offline John44

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Crew Members For Shuttle Discovery’s Final Ferry Flight Discuss The Upcoming Event
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7471


Offline WheelsStop

Anyone have experience with photographing a situation like this? Lens recommendations?
I've never been to the SLF, but I ran some rough numbers for my DSLR (1.6x crop factor) based on Google maps data:

Length of SCA: 231 ft
Bleachers at midfield to runway centerline: ~1300ft
Angular size: 10.0 degrees
Fills frame at 125mm

Will they keep us all at the bleachers?  Or let us walk up to the
Fence/gate at midfield to runway centerline: ~550ft
Angular size: 23.7 degrees
Fills frame at 50mm

I'm thinking I'll be using my 70-200 f/2.8 zoom given the early morning lighting.

Offline lsullivan411

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Anyone have experience with photographing a situation like this? Lens recommendations?
I've never been to the SLF, but I ran some rough numbers for my DSLR (1.6x crop factor) based on Google maps data:

Length of SCA: 231 ft
Bleachers at midfield to runway centerline: ~1300ft
Angular size: 10.0 degrees
Fills frame at 125mm

Will they keep us all at the bleachers?  Or let us walk up to the
Fence/gate at midfield to runway centerline: ~550ft
Angular size: 23.7 degrees
Fills frame at 50mm

I'm thinking I'll be using my 70-200 f/2.8 zoom given the early morning lighting.

Here is a shot I took from the STS-131 landing of Discovery from the mid field tower.  This shows I was at 76mm, no clue if I cropped this shot at all, will try to find the original -- but hopefully it will give you a bit of an idea.

They will very likely keep you at the bleachers, and not any closer to the runway.  Anyone out by the fence will be employees or VIP's and I think they will let some media out there.
« Last Edit: 04/13/2012 08:40 am by lsullivan411 »

Offline glanmor05

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Hope you'll all indulge me with a thicky question?

Discovery will roll out from the VAB on her own wheels.  I'm assuming they can't be down when she goes on the back of the SCA and the cockpit is closed out?

So..... There must be some way of retracting the under carriage without accessing the cockpit.  Correct?  Does that need power or is there a manual way?
"Through struggles, to the stars."

Offline brettreds2k

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I would think they have a way to hook something up to her from the outside that uses some sort of air system to power the hydraulics maybe??
Brett
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Orbiters I have visited in retirement:

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Offline wolfpack

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Hope you'll all indulge me with a thicky question?

Discovery will roll out from the VAB on her own wheels.  I'm assuming they can't be down when she goes on the back of the SCA and the cockpit is closed out?

So..... There must be some way of retracting the under carriage without accessing the cockpit.  Correct?  Does that need power or is there a manual way?

Orbiters have no gear retract capability. That was always done with ground support equipment.

To extend the gear, I believe there was some wiring done as part of T&R work to facilitate that without accessing the flight deck.

Offline ramius17

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Looks like a 70-200mm on a crop cam will be plenty. Will carry something wider as well, just in case. Thanks for the info!



Anyone have experience with photographing a situation like this? Lens recommendations?
I've never been to the SLF, but I ran some rough numbers for my DSLR (1.6x crop factor) based on Google maps data:

Length of SCA: 231 ft
Bleachers at midfield to runway centerline: ~1300ft
Angular size: 10.0 degrees
Fills frame at 125mm

Will they keep us all at the bleachers?  Or let us walk up to the
Fence/gate at midfield to runway centerline: ~550ft
Angular size: 23.7 degrees
Fills frame at 50mm

I'm thinking I'll be using my 70-200 f/2.8 zoom given the early morning lighting.

Here is a shot I took from the STS-131 landing of Discovery from the mid field tower.  This shows I was at 76mm, no clue if I cropped this shot at all, will try to find the original -- but hopefully it will give you a bit of an idea.

They will very likely keep you at the bleachers, and not any closer to the runway.  Anyone out by the fence will be employees or VIP's and I think they will let some media out there.
Regards,
Jack

Offline collectSPACE

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'Final Mission' patch to fly on space shuttle museum delivery flights
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-041312a.html

It may not be heading back into space and its crew members aren't astronauts, but space shuttle Discovery's final flight has its own mission patch.

The emblem, which was shared with collectSPACE.com, was designed by the captain of the modified Boeing 747 that will fly Discovery to Washington, D.C. next week. It will also also serve as the official insignia for the similar deliveries of orbiters Enterprise and Endeavour later this month and year, respectively.

"We do have a crew patch for this series of missions," Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) chief pilot Jeff Moultrie told collectSPACE. "There's an approved NASA patch that we are going to be using for all three shuttle ferries."

Offline Chris Bergin

Hey guys for reference, please use the viewing thread for photo tips etc. I'll try and do a split and merge later.
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Offline Rahkashi

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Will Discovery's rollout to the SLF be on NTV? I couldn't find it in the schedule

Offline Mapperuo

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Will Discovery's rollout to the SLF be on NTV? I couldn't find it in the schedule

If it isn't there I would guess no. As with the other Shuttle movements recently they have highlights in the video file.
- Aaron

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