Author Topic: STS-135: Tank Camera modification aimed at filming footage of ET-138′s death (Read 33050 times)

Chris Bergin · « **on:** 06/09/2011 04:27 am »

Should be fun!

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/06/sts-135-camera-modification-aimed-filming-footage-et-138s-death/

Second article:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/06/sts-135-atlantis-tcdt-external-tank-death-camera-ready/

alexw · « **Reply #1 on:** 06/09/2011 07:08 am »

Quote

The prospect of footage from the tank itself – as it vents and starts to disintegrate – on the final ever shuttle mission, may not be up to the high standards of the Soyuz “Flyabout” footage of Endeavour and the ISS, but it would provide a potentially stunning viewpoint of the final Shuttle ET, prior to its demise.

Wow! No kidding. Will be both exciting and very, very poignant.
-Alex

Mark Dave · « **Reply #2 on:** 06/09/2011 03:01 pm »

This will be cool to see.

ChrisGebhardt · « **Reply #3 on:** 06/09/2011 05:58 pm »

It might also get us the first ever photo of the Space Shuttle in orbit with its payload bay doors closed.

psloss · « **Reply #4 on:** 06/09/2011 06:05 pm »

Quote from: ChrisGebhardt on 06/09/2011 05:58 pm

It might also get us the first ever photo of the Space Shuttle in orbit with its payload bay doors closed.

There is ground-based imagery with the doors closed, in fact some taken by Thierry Legault and Emmanuel Rietsch from entry day last week:
http://legault.perso.sfr.fr/STS-134.html

The feed from LO2 feedline fairing camera will definitely be a curiosity well after orbiter/ET sep, but it may take some luck with camera field of view and tank attitude/rates to get the orbiter.

Pheogh · « **Reply #5 on:** 06/09/2011 06:36 pm »

Personally the 2 cameras I would love to see is one looking out the top windows all the way to orbit, and then another looking across the cmdr. out his window all the way to orbit.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #6 on:** 06/09/2011 08:39 pm »

Want to add a para modification notice:

"The camera debuted for a one-off ride during STS-112′s launch, although this was implemented mainly for the purpose of PAO coverage, and was located higher on the tank – near the top of the intertank – prior to its full time integration with the tanks from STS-114 onwards, as part of the Return To Flight (RTF) requirements."

Now in the article, for context. Appreciate the e-mail noting this.

ChrisGebhardt · « **Reply #7 on:** 06/10/2011 02:12 pm »

Quote from: psloss on 06/09/2011 06:05 pm

Quote from: ChrisGebhardt on 06/09/2011 05:58 pm
It might also get us the first ever photo of the Space Shuttle in orbit with its payload bay doors closed.

The feed from LO2 feedline fairing camera will definitely be a curiosity well after orbiter/ET sep, but it may take some luck with camera field of view and tank attitude/rates to get the orbiter.

Agreed on the attitude/rates and all. Not sure if we'll get the image, but it would be neat to see the orbiter in that configuration in flight. Didn't see the previous entry from June 1 of Endeavour with PLBDs closed, but I was more thinking image from space of orbiter with PLBDs closed. I know there was a discussion thread about this a while back where someone wanted to see that, so I mentioned it here. OF course I would mention it 6days after an image of remarkable clarity was taken.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #8 on:** 06/23/2011 10:14 pm »

Written a second article based on PRCB and FRR presentations via L2:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/06/sts-135-atlantis-tcdt-external-tank-death-camera-ready/

Davidgojr · « **Reply #9 on:** 06/23/2011 10:46 pm »

This is some footage I'm excited to see!

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #10 on:** 06/24/2011 12:01 am »

Quote from: Davidgojr on 06/23/2011 10:46 pm

This is some footage I'm excited to see!

Agreed. ANY footage is going to be an advance on anything we've previously seen, so it's going to interesting for sure.

Paul Howard · « **Reply #11 on:** 06/24/2011 02:24 am »

Hopefully the modifications will become commonplace on SLS first stage core.

Jorge · « **Reply #12 on:** 06/24/2011 02:42 am »

Quote from: Paul Howard on 06/24/2011 02:24 am

Hopefully the modifications will become commonplace on SLS first stage core.

It won't. Getting broadcast clearance over all those countries was a pain, and was only worth doing because it's the last shuttle flight.

John Duncan · « **Reply #13 on:** 07/11/2011 10:17 am »

Did we get anything from the camera?

racshot65 · « **Reply #14 on:** 07/11/2011 10:22 am »

From the FD2 MMT briefing

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=25892.msg770586#msg770586

Quote

Q: Did you get the extended ET feedline camera footage?

A: We put the request to do that in late in the game but they did an outstanding job to allow us to do it. When the tank gets to rentry it is tumbling and the lighting is questionable. We have captured the data from [ Something Garsia ?] but the quality will be questionable due to tumbling and lighting. Don’t expect to see it for a few weeks.

Someone captured this footage:

psloss · « **Reply #15 on:** 07/11/2011 10:32 am »

FWIW, the location referred to was Diego Garcia. Among other things it's a ground comm/data/tracking station. (Or was.)

John Duncan · « **Reply #16 on:** 07/11/2011 11:38 am »

Thanks guys. Maybe there'll be something more to see in a few weeks.

mtakala24 · « **Reply #17 on:** 07/11/2011 12:06 pm »

Remember that the actual entry was far, far away (over the horizon, thus not receivable) from diego garcia, and there wasn't any scheduled navy/nasa vessels at a site where the death could have been captured. Diego Garcia was overflight, and lets hope they captured some footage.

lcs · « **Reply #18 on:** 07/11/2011 05:54 pm »

I thought the Brits and Aussies loved this sort of challenge of searching for impossible to receive RF transmissions. I wouldn't be surprised if some amateur in South New Zealand or Tasmania pointed his Yagi beam at the southern horizon and at least tried to pick it up.

mtakala24 · « **Reply #19 on:** 07/12/2011 12:30 pm »

I got the impression that it would be over the horizon from mainland Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania too, but I'm not sure of that.