LIVE: STS-122: LAUNCH and FLIGHT DAY 1

• #360 by eeergo on 07 Feb, 2008 19:37
• ISS crew enjoying the launch:

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• #361 by VB94 on 07 Feb, 2008 19:38
• Crew is now in the Post Insertion Checklist.
• #362 by mikes on 07 Feb, 2008 19:40
• Quote

  No.  The OMS fire for about 2-3 minutes in the middle of the launch period.  The RCS jets fire after MECO to stabilize and maneuver the orbiter.

  Ah! Came the dawn
  I always think of the RCS as being tiny. They're not.
  thanks
  Mike
  
• #363 by DaveS on 07 Feb, 2008 19:43
• History repeated itself today: 7 years ago today Atlantis launched on the STS-98/5A mission with the Destiny Lab. Today Atlantis launched on mission STS-122/1E with the Columbus Lab.
• #364 by Felix on 07 Feb, 2008 19:44

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• #365 by kegan on 07 Feb, 2008 19:44
• Anyone know where I can get a copy of the Post Insertion checklist (I'm an L2 subscriber if that's necessary)?
• #366 by MKremer on 07 Feb, 2008 19:44
• Quote

  mikes - 7/2/2008  2:37 PM
  Oh, ok just the cloud of SSME effluvia then? How far away is it at that point? Looked right behind Atlantis.
  

  
  MPS propellent venting after MECO. LOX vent through the engines, LH2 vent out the port side (at the umbilical fuel port).
  
• #367 by Felix on 07 Feb, 2008 19:46

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• #368 by Felix on 07 Feb, 2008 19:46

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• #369 by VB94 on 07 Feb, 2008 19:48
• Quote

  kegan - 7/2/2008  2:44 PM
  
  Anyone know where I can get a copy of the Post Insertion checklist (I'm an L2 subscriber if that's necessary)?

  
  Here:
  
  http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/news/flightdatafiles/index.html
• #370 by mwfair on 07 Feb, 2008 19:50
• Quote

  nathan.moeller - 7/2/2008  2:33 PM
  
  

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  Lawntonlookirs - 7/2/2008  2:29 PM
  
  Question:  Just before the ET seperated from the Shuttle, a halo like picture was comeing off the back of the suttle.  It appeared to be the exaust from the shuttle rocket engines just before shut down.  Is that normal or was it just way the light was shining as the shuttle was entering the approaching sunset?

  
  Perfectly normal.  It's the exhaust plume from the SSMEs.  It becomes more and more visible as the vehicle accelerates faster and faster.

  
  This huge plume is characteristic of rockets nozzles in the vacuum of space.  The zero pressure allows the gases to expand far more than at launch.  I believe this is called underexpanded.
• #371 by vt_hokie on 07 Feb, 2008 19:50
• Quote

  DaveS - 7/2/2008  3:43 PM
  
  History repeated itself today: 7 years ago today Atlantis launched on the STS-98/5A mission with the Destiny Lab. Today Atlantis launched on mission STS-122/1E with the Columbus Lab.

  
  Wow, didn't realize that!  Hardly seems like 7 years....
• #372 by nathan.moeller on 07 Feb, 2008 19:52
• Quote

  mwfair - 7/2/2008  2:50 PM
  
  

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  nathan.moeller - 7/2/2008  2:33 PM
  
  

  Quote

  Lawntonlookirs - 7/2/2008  2:29 PM
  
  Question:  Just before the ET seperated from the Shuttle, a halo like picture was comeing off the back of the suttle.  It appeared to be the exaust from the shuttle rocket engines just before shut down.  Is that normal or was it just way the light was shining as the shuttle was entering the approaching sunset?

  
  Perfectly normal.  It's the exhaust plume from the SSMEs.  It becomes more and more visible as the vehicle accelerates faster and faster.

  
  This huge plume is characteristic of rockets nozzles in the vacuum of space.  The zero pressure allows the gases to expand far more than at launch.  I believe this is called underexpanded.

  
  Watch a video of the Expedition 11 launch sometime.  As the Soyuz heads uphill, you can see the launch plume expand outward as its altitude increases.
• #373 by Chris Bergin on 07 Feb, 2008 19:53
• There was one debris incident during ascent (at least),  looks like it was past the dangerous point of ascent.
• #374 by kegan on 07 Feb, 2008 19:54
• Quote

  VB94 - 7/2/2008  3:48 PM
  
  

  Quote

  kegan - 7/2/2008  2:44 PM
  
  Anyone know where I can get a copy of the Post Insertion checklist (I'm an L2 subscriber if that's necessary)?

  
  Here:
  
  http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/news/flightdatafiles/index.html

  
  Thanks!
• #375 by Chris Bergin on 07 Feb, 2008 19:54
• Quote

  vt_hokie - 7/2/2008  8:50 PM
  
  

  Quote

  DaveS - 7/2/2008  3:43 PM
  
  History repeated itself today: 7 years ago today Atlantis launched on the STS-98/5A mission with the Destiny Lab. Today Atlantis launched on mission STS-122/1E with the Columbus Lab.

  
  Wow, didn't realize that!  Hardly seems like 7 years....

  
  
  Gerst picks up on that too.
• #376 by nathan.moeller on 07 Feb, 2008 19:56
• Quote

  Chris Bergin - 7/2/2008  2:53 PM
  
  There was one debris incident during ascent (at least),  looks like it was past the dangerous point of ascent.

  
  Are there any details?  Good news either way.
• #377 by kimmern123 on 07 Feb, 2008 19:58
• Has anyone noticed that Doug Lyon's tie has been cut? I seem to remember this happening to the NTD on a launch last year.
• #378 by nathan.moeller on 07 Feb, 2008 19:59
• Quote

  kimmern123 - 7/2/2008  2:58 PM
  
  Has anyone noticed that Doug Lyon's tie has been cut? I seem to remember this happening to the NTD on a launch last year.

  
  LCC's rite of passage
• #379 by Chris Bergin on 07 Feb, 2008 20:00
• Someone's not giving the memo to Doug on Endeavour!