LIVE: STS-124 Flight Day 12 - Undocking, Flyaround and Late Inspections

[Ford Mustang]

Flight Day 12 coverage of STS-124:

Planned Flight Day 12 activities:

FD-12: Undocking, Flyaround and Late Inspections (All times EDT)
– Crew wakeup will be at 4:02 AM
– Undocking to occur at 7:42 AM
– Flyaround to start at 8:11 AM
– Final Separation Burn to occur at 9:25 AM
– Late Inspections start at 11:12 AM

Please note, this is interactive, but all posts need to be on topic. If you post images, no more than two per post.

[Spiff]

As it's still very quiet ahead of all the excitement later today I'm going to sneakily make a slightly OT post here.

I noticed this mission that the interaction of Volkov and Kononenko with the American (and Japanese) crewmembers was very relaxed and easy going. Lots of smiling going on. Very good obviously. I didn't notice this at all during expedition 16 where Malenchenko always seemed to try to hide from the camera's and seemed to be busy with his own program. During expedition 15 I noticed that mainly Kotov was more like Volkov and Kononenko.

Don't get me wrong; I have a lot of respect for Malenchenko and he is one of the most professional cosmonauts around, but I have the feeling (maybe it's just a feeling) that the 'younger generation' of cosmonauts are a little bit more easy going and don't mind to have a bit of fun up there.

There's always a lot of talk about 'inspiration' on these forums where astronauts like Reisman and Anderson and all the others are mentioned as good examples for young people. I would say that the same holds for Volkov and Kononenko as opposed to Malenchenko. It's much easier to identify with Volkov and Kononenko than with Malenchenko.

Anybody else that has any thoughts on this?

Chris: If this is too OT for a flight day thread, feel free to remove.

Spiff

[Moonbase_Alphan]

 a nice pic I believe taken from the Soyuz looking towards Discovery.
I'll post a hi-rez over in L2 later on.

[marshallsplace]

A couple of views before Discovery departs:

[eeergo]

Spiff

My thoughts exactly, I noticed that yesterday during the farewell ceremony too, and was visible before. Not only were they more easy-going, but they also seemed more integrated with the American crew, participating like any other in the events.Of course, in the PAO events there are usually more questions for the Americans, but that's just natural as the media almost always calls from the US.

What I liked the most was the cross-culturality shown yesterday: Garret talking to them in Russian, and them replying in English, which I think is not special of this mission and is usually done when talking to a crewmember with another mother tongue, but was more visible during this expedition. Things like this, given enough exposure, can be very inspirating and even soften differences between cultures... imagine a Chinese joining them in this fashion

Professionalism like Yuri's is important, and one has to take into account different personalities, but astronauts are also public figures and should have, or try to have, people's skills and not look like they're about to run to the closest crew compartment and close the window, in my opinion.

[Bejowawo]

FD12 Execute Package is available:

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/244558main_fd12_exec_pkg.pdf

[ichilton]

a nice pic I believe taken from the Soyuz looking towards Discovery.
I'll post a hi-rez over in L2 later on.

Nice pic - is that Progress or Jules Verne in the foreground?

Thanks

Ian

[Moonbase_Alphan]

some interesting call signs for the crew members again in that execute package.... 

[Moonbase_Alphan]

Nice pic - is that Progress or Jules Verne in the foreground?

that would be Progress, with the Jules Verne "behind" the photographer

[pm1823]

Anybody else that has any thoughts on this?

Good point, but it's not an age issue, rather different psychological types. 

[elmarko]

The codenames for the crew in today's Execute Package Flight plan are amazing.

[Spiff]

Anybody else that has any thoughts on this?

Good point, but it's not an age issue, rather different psychological types. 

Agreed, but the psychological type is (at least partly) created by Malenchenko being a product of the Soviet Union and Volkov/Kononenko being a product of modern Russia.

[marshallsplace]

Undocking now less than an hour away.

[marshallsplace]

Correct orientation for undocking:

[Ford Mustang]

Ken Ham's DAP has been configured for the flyaround.

[Ford Mustang]

A very nice shot of Mark Kelly's hat:

[Ford Mustang]

GO for Undocking!

[Ford Mustang]

The Shuttle/Station complex is now heading into orbital night, just 20 minutes from undocking.

[Ford Mustang]

Sergey: Station-Discovery.  I am ready for undocking!

Mark Kelly: We've got about 17 minutes, thanks for the go!  We'll see you back on Earth!

Sergey:  See you!

[Ford Mustang]

S-Band Stills from Discovery's communication band, 16 minutes from undocking.