STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, landing etc.)

[Chris Bergin]

NM, spoke to soon. Work schedule change #21098, I'll be working at 3am, so no landing for me. Not at the SLF anyways.

I'd walk up to the SLF gate, flash your badge and say "Pad rat, coming through, make a hole".

Might get a bit annoying with everyone asking for your autograph and media cameras flashing like crazy, but you know that level of fame is hand in hand with the job

[JayJay]

I noticed that there isn't a flyover thread, so maybe this is in the wrong place.  Perhaps there should be a shuttle/ISS fly over thread but with so few opportunities to see Endeavour in the sky the point may be moot.

It was really nice to have 2, yes 2, clear mornings in a row (in the notoriously cloudy Cleveland area).  Yesterday's flyover both the ISS and recently undocked Endeavour were very bright.  This morning Endeavour was pretty dim but easily seen ahead of the ISS.  I wished the astronauts a safe landing and headed in to get ready for work.

It was a little sobering that this will be the last time I will see Endeavour in the sky.

[sitharus]

Does anyone know how far away from ISS Endeavour will be at 05:50ish GMT Wednesday? I'll see a -1.1mag ISS pass then, so if it's close enough I should be able to see Endeavour. She'll be very low in the sky though.

[JayJay]

Does anyone know how far away from ISS Endeavour will be at 05:50ish GMT Wednesday? I'll see a -1.1mag ISS pass then, so if it's close enough I should be able to see Endeavour. She'll be very low in the sky though.

Cutting it close.  If I did my math correctly, Endeavour will have finished the deorbit burn and be on its way back home.
This morning, Endeavour was about 25 degrees ahead of the ISS (thats about the distance between outstretched thumb and pinky, at arms length).  But I'm not sure if Endeavour would be further ahead now.  I would just make sure to go out early and keep an eye out for Endeavour ahead of the ISS.

Keep in mind that the lower the pass is to the horizon, the dimmer the shuttle will appear.

[sitharus]

Does anyone know how far away from ISS Endeavour will be at 05:50ish GMT Wednesday? I'll see a -1.1mag ISS pass then, so if it's close enough I should be able to see Endeavour. She'll be very low in the sky though.

Cutting it close.  If I did my math correctly, Endeavour will have finished the deorbit burn and be on its way back home.

Yes, very close. I saw her last night, but may as well give it one last chance!

[padrat]

NM, spoke to soon. Work schedule change #21098, I'll be working at 3am, so no landing for me. Not at the SLF anyways.

I'd walk up to the SLF gate, flash your badge and say "Pad rat, coming through, make a hole".

Might get a bit annoying with everyone asking for your autograph and media cameras flashing like crazy, but you know that level of fame is hand in hand with the job

Lol, Chris, if only I really was that famous, well, outside of this site anyways. Might make things alot easier come July

[Scorpius]

Just paid fairwell to Endeavour as she flew through the south eastern dawn sky as seen from here in SW England.... tear in my eye!

Safe landing guys.

[shuttlefanatic]

Ok, who turned off the KSC scanner? 

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?feedId=705

[RafaelCE]

I am expecting a 90 deg sighting of the fireball, some 11-12 minutes before touchdown.
I have a Nikon S203 Coolpix of which I  knoq very little how to get the best out of it.
Anybody famimliar with that one can tell the best settings for capturing the fireball tonight?

Will appreciate!!

[shuttlefanatic]

I am expecting a 90 deg sighting of the fireball, some 11-12 minutes before touchdown.
I have a Nikon S203 Coolpix of which I  knoq very little how to get the best out of it.
Anybody famimliar with that one can tell the best settings for capturing the fireball tonight?

Hmmm..  I took a look at the specs for the camera.  No manual mode, and the longest exposure is 4 seconds, so you may not get too much of a trail with it.

(For comparison, this was an 8 second exposure: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=25083.msg748662#msg748662)

I see it does do movies...  Your best bet may be to go out and point it at the brightest star you see (probably Arcturus overhead) and see what it does with a photo and movie clip.  The shuttle should be much brighter, so if you can get it reading a star at all, that's a start.

A few more detailed thoughts:
- the flash has a manual mode - turn off the flash
- if it has trouble auto-focusing in the dark, it looks like the camera has a manual focus mode; use that and focus to infinity
- I assume in the dark, the automatic photo mode will wind up doing the longest exposure it can (4s).  You'll want a tripod or try triggering a shot with the camera on self timer and put it on a surface where it's pointed roughly at the shuttle.

Whereever these thoughts exceed your familiarity with the camera is probably where you should stop and just enjoy the view   I've never seen a reentry, so I don't know how bright it gets relative to an orbital pass.

[sitharus]

I am expecting a 90 deg sighting of the fireball, some 11-12 minutes before touchdown.
I have a Nikon S203 Coolpix of which I  knoq very little how to get the best out of it.
Anybody famimliar with that one can tell the best settings for capturing the fireball tonight?

Will appreciate!!

I don't know that camera specifically and I'm just a casual photographer, but I'll share what I can.

I think on that model you can't do proper manual focus, so find a distant object and half-push the shutter, this will let you capture without autofocus delay.

Also make sure you're not using digital zoom.

If you can manually set the shutter then do so, otherwise try a daytime shooting mode. The fireball will be bright and nighttime mode could overexpose. Make sure the flash is off as well.

[RafaelCE]

Thanks to both.
I got some stars in the display on 10M mode. I bet on pc screen will look great.
I am a little uncertain I will be able to film and switch to still mode on time to get both.
I have 40 minutes more to decide.

[sitharus]

Completely overcast here, but waved as she passed overhead for the last time.

[Swee]

Beautiful landing.......no matter how many times seeing it, it never ceases to impress me.  Welcome home, Endeavour, welcome home.

[RafaelCE]

itīs a shame this does not look a bit like what we saw today

It was just thrilling!!

Thank you Endeavour!!

[sitharus]

itīs a shame this does not look a bit like what we saw today

It was just thrilling!!

Thank you Endeavour!!

It's still amazing, thanks for posting these!

[MadameConcorde]

itīs a shame this does not look a bit like what we saw today

It was just thrilling!!

Thank you Endeavour!!

It's still amazing, thanks for posting these!

Still amazing to be able to have a last glimpse of her flying, not long before her very last landing and definitive grounding.

She will be turned into a museum display, a dead object, way too early in her life span, while she could still be flying many more missions.

Not a question of budget. There is always money for war.

:-(

[K466]

Amazing shots! Lucky!

[gchockry]

Check out my video of the Launch of STS-134 Endeavour as viewed from the Kennedy Space Center, East Causeway.



Available in various resolutions including 720p and 1080p HD
Turn up the volume to experience the Roar and Crackle, 6 to 7 mile travel-time delay.
Sorry for the length (12 minutes). I wanted to include the total experience and tell a story.

Spent the 4th of July weekend pulling it together. Had to figure out my video editor, YouTube, etc.
Uploaded it just in time before I had to travel to Florida for STS-135. See you there! Enjoy!