Author Topic: STS-120: Discovery Sightings (Read 40549 times)

nathan.moeller · « **Reply #40 on:** 11/05/2007 12:52 am »

To add onto what rdale said, they changed the landing trajectory from the usual flight-over-caribbean/gulf approach to an approach that will bring Discovery over the U.S. mainland, which hasn't happened since STS-107 (Columbia accident). This allows them to land in daylight and also adds more landing opportunities to the roster. With the mission extension and added stress on the crew for EVA-4's solar array repair, they decided it would be best to land in the daylight and ensure a landing as early as possible.

postalworker · « **Reply #41 on:** 11/05/2007 11:13 am »

From North Carolina the view through a 66mm scope w/32mm eyepiece showed definate separation when the two vehicles approached 90º phase angle and at the peak of the pass. The best I can figure, at 554am EST the two were around 300 feet apart. A hint of orange color was noticed after peak altitude from the ISS (larger dot).

Jeff

nathan.moeller · « **Reply #42 on:** 11/05/2007 11:33 am »

The pair just flew right overhead and it turned out to be the greatest sighting ever (over five minutes). They came in from the SW as one really bright dot, but as they got closer they showed up as two right next to each other (ISS leading). ISS was 3-4 times brighter than Discovery thanks to those arrays! Unreal!

jeklund · « **Reply #43 on:** 11/05/2007 12:16 pm »

Awesome sighting this morning. Seeing them separate but so close together was cool. Also noticed as they moved toward the NE, that the shuttle seemed to disappear. I assume that is because I was seeing the TPS side of the orbiter.

EDIT: Mine was at 6:22 AM Central

CTdave · « **Reply #44 on:** 11/05/2007 12:59 pm »

As luck had it, my 5 year old son woke us up at 5:20a.m.
I had a GORGEOUS 57 degree view here in southeastern CT. ISS and the shuttle were the brightest object in the sky. A bright satelite passed in the same direction about 15 minutes before the scheduled fly-by time. I thought it might have been the ISS/Shuttle so I went online & checked the position. I'm glad I checked & stuck around for the real thing!!

DaveS · « **Reply #45 on:** 11/05/2007 03:46 pm »

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newmann - 5/11/2007 5:42 PM

Where can I find the path that the orbiter will be following for re-entry?

What's the potential for viewing it from the Chicago area?

thanks.
-Bob

1: Not yet available. Will be posted sometime tommorow.
2: None. They usually doesn't pass over the Chicago area even during a standard ascending node entry where they come in from the south and go over Central America and this is a descending node entry where they come in from the north and fly along the eastern seaboard.
3: And this thread is for landing site weather discussions and updates.

bluebonnets · « **Reply #46 on:** 11/05/2007 03:57 pm »

Sighting location: Coventry, Rhode Island, 11-05-2007 around 5:52 a.m. EST for approximately 5 minutes with a peak of 63 degrees from SW to ENE. Suprisingly bright point of light though I can't report having seen two distinct objects like others on this thread have reported. This was my first observation of the ISS. Great experience.

psloss · « **Reply #47 on:** 11/05/2007 05:06 pm »

No, it is possible for the entry ground track to pass over Chicago on a descending node -- they did it on STS-79 and you can see it on the screenshot I posted last night:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=10607&start=181#M208348

(The track doesn't really get out to the northeast...)

But there's a difference between possible and probable and we'll have to wait until we see the ground tracks...

ApolloLee · « **Reply #48 on:** 11/05/2007 05:43 pm »

Well, with the descending deorbit - the first since Columbia - we're all quickly wondering if we'll be able to watch the streak of reentry from the safety of our front porches and office lobbies.

While we'll know more tomorrow, quick questions from me..

- Will people be able to see it during daylight hours or do you need a predawn/night landing?

- What are the chances it will be able to be seen from the Las Vegas area?

Jim · « **Reply #49 on:** 11/05/2007 05:59 pm »

Darn. Can't see the re-entry from my locale.

nathan.moeller · « **Reply #50 on:** 11/05/2007 06:02 pm »

Quote

ApolloLee - 5/11/2007 12:43 PM

Well, with the descending deorbit - the first since Columbia - we're all quickly wondering if we'll be able to watch the streak of reentry from the safety of our front porches and office lobbies.

While we'll know more tomorrow, quick questions from me..

- Will people be able to see it during daylight hours or do you need a predawn/night landing?

- What are the chances it will be able to be seen from the Las Vegas area?

1. You can see the trail in both daylight and nighttime re-entrys.
2. It is unknown to the public at this time. Ground tracks for all landing attempts will be available either today or tomorrow so keep an eye out for those at www.nasa.gov.

nathan.moeller · « **Reply #51 on:** 11/05/2007 06:02 pm »

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Jim - 5/11/2007 12:59 PM

Darn. Can't see the re-entry from my locale.

You might have a good view of the landing though

AND you get the sonic booms. I hope to at least hear those when she comes in.

ApolloLee · « **Reply #52 on:** 11/05/2007 06:05 pm »

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Jim - 5/11/2007 10:59 AM

Darn. Can't see the re-entry from my locale.

Yeah...... Can see launches and landings.... Right outside your office window.....

Yeah... must be tough... How do you survive?

psloss · « **Reply #53 on:** 11/05/2007 06:06 pm »

Yeah, I wish there was still the opportunity to see approach and land as there was out at Edwards or Dryden in the 80s and 90s. I only saw three, but those were as fun as the launches, if not more so in one case.

Andy_Small · « **Reply #54 on:** 11/05/2007 06:07 pm »

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Jim - 5/11/2007 12:59 PM

Darn. Can't see the re-entry from my locale.

Somehow I can't take pity on a person that can look out of his office and see the launch! :laugh:

I'm hoping for a Missouri fly over. If it is I will tape it and share!

nathan.moeller · « **Reply #55 on:** 11/05/2007 06:13 pm »

Quote

Andy_Small - 5/11/2007 1:07 PM

Quote
Jim - 5/11/2007 12:59 PM

Darn. Can't see the re-entry from my locale.

Somehow I can't take pity on a person that can look out of his office and see the launch! :laugh:

I'm hoping for a Missouri fly over. If it is I will tape it and share!

Seconded. But this is where the competitive hoping comes into play

But I'm willing to bet anyone from this site who sees it will post vids/pics. If we get a Texas pass, I'm ditching class for a short while to film it and take some pictures. I'll need two cameras but I have friends

Andy_Small · « **Reply #56 on:** 11/05/2007 06:22 pm »

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nathan.moeller - 5/11/2007 1:13 PM
Seconded. But this is where the competitive hoping comes into play But I'm willing to bet anyone from this site who sees it will post vids/pics. If we get a Texas pass, I'm ditching class for a short while to film it and take some pictures. I'll need two cameras but I have friends

already have a call into the mother in law for her DV camera. Will have digital camera on hand as well. Wish they would hurry up and post the ground tracks!

nathan.moeller · « **Reply #57 on:** 11/05/2007 06:33 pm »

Quote

jeklund - 5/11/2007 7:16 AM

Awesome sighting this morning. Seeing them separate but so close together was cool. Also noticed as they moved toward the NE, that the shuttle seemed to disappear. I assume that is because I was seeing the TPS side of the orbiter.

EDIT: Mine was at 6:22 AM Central

TPS would have been facing upward at this time, as the flyaround was complete and Discovery was departing the station and trailing behind. Her attitude was upside-down and backwards, so you would have been facing the nose. Her payload bay was facing us as she was directly overhead. Glad you got to see her! It's cool thinking that two people who are hundreds of miles apart can look up and see the same exact objects traversing a morning sky.

jeklund · « **Reply #58 on:** 11/05/2007 07:21 pm »

Is it possible to see the reentry during the day with the naked eye assuming the ground track is close enough?

Never mind. Just saw the reentry thread.

collectSPACE · « **Reply #59 on:** 11/05/2007 07:27 pm »

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nathan.moeller - 5/11/2007 1:02 PM

Ground tracks for all landing attempts will be available either today or tomorrow so keep an eye out for those at www.nasa.gov.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/news/landing.html