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Live: STS-115 Flight Day 9/Undocking
by
Zachstar
on 17 Sep, 2006 05:02
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#1
by
dutch courage
on 17 Sep, 2006 10:02
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Chris and Heidy on the flightdeck preparing for the undocking of Atlantis.
Farewells and hatch closure at the top of the hour.
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#2
by
dutch courage
on 17 Sep, 2006 10:24
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A lot of pictures are taken just before the farewell.
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#3
by
dutch courage
on 17 Sep, 2006 10:36
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Farewells and departure of the Atlantis crew.
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#4
by
dutch courage
on 17 Sep, 2006 10:44
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Heidy preparing the hatch closure.
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#5
by
dutch courage
on 17 Sep, 2006 10:54
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Jeff and Thomas securing the hatch from the station side.
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#6
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:04
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Shift change in the shuttle MCC in progress...Orbit 1 to Orbit 2...
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#7
by
Chris Bergin
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:18
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Kenny Loggins "Dangerzone" the wake up call? Superb!
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#8
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:19
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It looked like the ISS crew has the lab hatch closed up, too...couple of recent stills from the port side of the truss:
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#9
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:35
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I hope we get a view of the undock from the truss, in orbital daylight..
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#10
by
MKremer
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:36
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Now back in 'standard' level XVV orientation (orbiter first, Soyuz at rear).
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#11
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:46
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Looks like they're ready for undocking...given they're going into orbital darkness and undocking is only about 20 minutes away, sunrise would be after undocking...
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#12
by
nathan.moeller
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:51
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15 minutes to undocking.
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#13
by
Wisi
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:55
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will there be a flyaround and pictures from the whole complex after undocking? I'd like to see the station with the new panels!
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#14
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:55
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Thats the plan..
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#15
by
nathan.moeller
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:56
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Will they do the one and a quarter lap around ISS or will they just do the quarter lap over the top like STS-121 did? I'd like to think they'll do the entire fly-around to document the complex.
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#16
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:56
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Wisi - 17/9/2006 8:42 AM
will there be a flyaround and pictures from the whole complex after undocking?
PAO was expecting good live TV, but we'll have to see.
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#17
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:57
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nathan.moeller - 17/9/2006 8:43 AM
Will they do the one and a quarter lap around ISS or will they just do the quarter lap over the top like STS-121 did? I'd like to think they'll do the entire fly-around to document the complex.
Yes, this was covered yesterday in briefings and press conferences; they have enough "gas" to do a full lap-plus.
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#18
by
nathan.moeller
on 17 Sep, 2006 12:58
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9 minutes to separation.
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#19
by
Chris Bergin
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:03
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#20
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:04
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Orbiter in free-drift, 3 minutes to undock.
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#21
by
nathan.moeller
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:04
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psloss - 17/9/2006 7:44 AM
nathan.moeller - 17/9/2006 8:43 AM
Will they do the one and a quarter lap around ISS or will they just do the quarter lap over the top like STS-121 did? I'd like to think they'll do the entire fly-around to document the complex.
Yes, this was covered yesterday in briefings and press conferences; they have enough "gas" to do a full lap-plus.
Very good! Shuttle now it free drift for separation in two minutes.
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#22
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:07
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ODS hooks open...
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#23
by
nathan.moeller
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:07
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We have separation!
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#24
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:08
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#25
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:09
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Station back to attitude control...orbiter verniers selected...
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#26
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:13
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I hope we get some KU soon...
TCS2 vs Filt.. any ideas?
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#27
by
Wisi
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:21
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now 200 feet away, 30 minutes after undocking. waiting for the station to come into daylight..
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#28
by
DaveS
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:22
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Wisi - 17/9/2006 3:08 PM
now 200 feet away, 30 minutes after undocking. waiting for the station to come into daylight..
13 minutes, not 30.
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#29
by
Wisi
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:23
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yeah your right. I should stop believing in NASA TV without thinking... ;-)
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#30
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:26
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Wisi - 17/9/2006 9:10 AM
yeah your right. I should stop believing in NASA TV without thinking... ;-)
Yip they just said that stations arm will be used to check the heat shield... good luck at a range of 70 miles...
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#31
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:28
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Flyaround has started...getting orbiter TV.
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#32
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:29
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#33
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:30
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Nice wide shot...
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#34
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:30
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#35
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:32
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#36
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:33
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#37
by
nathan.moeller
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:34
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That is just beautiful...
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#38
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:35
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#39
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:37
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#40
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:39
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#41
by
paulhbell07
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:40
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time to change desktop wallpaper. can't wait for high res photos.
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#42
by
Spiff
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:41
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This entire week the shuttle has been at the 'aft' end of movement, now they turned the entire complex around with the shuttle seperating 'forward'
2 questions:
1) When did they do that?
2) Why did they do that?
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#43
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:42
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#44
by
Wisi
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:45
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paulhbell07 - 17/9/2006 3:27 PM
time to change desktop wallpaper. can't wait for high res photos.
Yes, it's been a very long time since the station's shape has changed...
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#45
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:46
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#46
by
UK Shuttle Clan
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:48
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Brilliant views. Amazing how those arrays expand the view of the ISS.
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#47
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:48
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Not bad from the other side of the velocity vector, either...
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#48
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:50
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#49
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:52
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#50
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:54
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Click for the larger image on the above posts
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#51
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:56
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#52
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:58
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#53
by
dutch courage
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:59
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Is it me or are the angles of the Beta gimbles of 2A and 4A different?
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#54
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 13:59
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#55
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:01
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dutch courage - 17/9/2006 9:46 AM
Is it me or are the angles of the Beta gimbles of 2A and 4A different?
No.. they are different
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#56
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:01
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#57
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:03
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#58
by
RedSky
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:04
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dutch courage - 17/9/2006 8:46 AM
Is it me or are the angles of the Beta gimbles of 2A and 4A different?
I noticed that yesterday. I kept thinking: rotate one of those a few degrees so they'll be even and look better in the fly around. But I guess its not important.
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#59
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:04
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#60
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:06
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#61
by
MKremer
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:08
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No more Ku for TV - using it for radar now.
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#62
by
dutch courage
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:08
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RedSky - 17/9/2006 3:51 PM
dutch courage - 17/9/2006 8:46 AM
Is it me or are the angles of the Beta gimbles of 2A and 4A different?
I noticed that yesterday. I kept thinking: rotate one of those a few degrees so they'll be even and look better in the fly around. But I guess its not important.
I'm not sure if the solar arrays track the sun with BG only or not at all.
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#63
by
Avron
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:10
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MKremer - 17/9/2006 9:55 AM
No more Ku for TV - using it for radar now.
Think we are done for the fly around?
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#64
by
MKremer
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:11
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No more TV for the flyaround, though I bet they're still busily snapping photos.
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#65
by
Wisi
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:15
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Avron - 17/9/2006 3:57 PM
Think we are done for the fly around?
Nope. On the right screen in mission controll you can follow the progress of the flyaround
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#66
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:24
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Shuttle crew has executed first sep burn...Brent Jett and Jeff Williams exchanged farewells...
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#67
by
eeergo
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:26
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I'm also looking forward to seeing photos of Atlantis with some station hardware in the foreground... they should be pretty spectacular! Hope Jeff, Pavel and Thomas have good photo skills
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#68
by
Wisi
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:27
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when can we expect hi-res imagery from flyaround? still today?
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#69
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:28
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Wisi - 17/9/2006 10:14 AM
when can we expect hi-res imagery from flyaround? still today?
There's no deadline -- we'll see them when we see them.
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#70
by
Davie OPF
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:34
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What was that Alarm!?
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#71
by
DaveS
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:38
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Davie OPF - 17/9/2006 4:21 PM
What was that Alarm!?
I don't know, but sounded like a klaxon alarm. Isn't that type of alarm that makes the Master Alarm light up?
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#72
by
astrobrian
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:39
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Sounded almost like a big phone
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#73
by
Davie OPF
on 17 Sep, 2006 14:41
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DaveS - 17/9/2006 9:25 AM
Davie OPF - 17/9/2006 4:21 PM
What was that Alarm!?
I don't know, but sounded like a klaxon alarm. Isn't that type of alarm that makes the Master Alarm light up?
It did sound like a master alarm, but I was in the yard and only heard it out of context.
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#74
by
Mark Max Q
on 17 Sep, 2006 15:27
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Press conference on.
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#75
by
Chris Bergin
on 17 Sep, 2006 15:37
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Undocking, as viewed from inside the ISS!
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#76
by
Chris Bergin
on 17 Sep, 2006 15:39
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These are keepers!
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#77
by
Chris Bergin
on 17 Sep, 2006 15:41
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#78
by
Chris Bergin
on 17 Sep, 2006 15:44
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You can hear people in the background gasping and cheering when the loop is open. These are amazing images.
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#79
by
lcs
on 17 Sep, 2006 15:45
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That video is being shot with a HD camera (note the widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio). Too bad we can't see it in HD from ISS, but that will change shortly as I understand.
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#80
by
Chris Bergin
on 17 Sep, 2006 15:47
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#81
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 16:05
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RedSky - 17/9/2006 9:51 AM
dutch courage - 17/9/2006 8:46 AM
Is it me or are the angles of the Beta gimbles of 2A and 4A different?
I noticed that yesterday. I kept thinking: rotate one of those a few degrees so they'll be even and look better in the fly around. But I guess its not important.
At the status briefing, Phil Engelauf said they are feathered for the different approaches (orbiter on the U.S side, Soyuz and Progress on the Russian side). (Until the SARJ can be used for tracking after 12A.1.)
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#82
by
astrobrian
on 17 Sep, 2006 16:10
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Will the undocking be uploaded high res like the launch?
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#83
by
lcs
on 17 Sep, 2006 16:30
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astrobrian - 17/9/2006 10:57 AM
Will the undocking be uploaded high res like the launch?
That's what I'm trying to find out. There was supposed to be some HD streaming capability added to the ISS on this mission:
http://www.crystalpc.com/news_details.asp?News_Id=47I have noticed that occasionally the ISS crew shoots onboard video with a widescreen camera which I assume is an HD camera. It sounded this morning as if they might have been seeing the video in HD on the ground.
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#84
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 17:18
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Replaying a bit more undocking video from the ISS...from the port side of the truss.
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#85
by
psloss
on 17 Sep, 2006 17:49
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#86
by
Jorge
on 17 Sep, 2006 19:23
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Spiff - 17/9/2006 8:28 AM
This entire week the shuttle has been at the 'aft' end of movement, now they turned the entire complex around with the shuttle seperating 'forward'
2 questions:
1) When did they do that?
2) Why did they do that?
1) Don't have the flight plan in front of me, but probably between the Group B powerup and the entry into the undocking timeline.
2) The undocking/flyaround trajectory and procedures were designed with the orbiter separating along the +Vbar (orbiter 'forward'). The 'orbiter aft' attitude during the week of docked ops was done to reduce orbital debris risk to the orbiter.
--
JRF
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#87
by
Chris Bergin
on 17 Sep, 2006 23:53
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Flight Day 9 MMT presentation on L2 notes no problems in works (bar silly things like camcorders)
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#88
by
Avron
on 18 Sep, 2006 00:49
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Chris Bergin - 17/9/2006 7:40 PM
Flight Day 9 MMT presentation on L2 notes no problems in works (bar silly things like camcorders)
This has to be the cleanest STS flight on record.
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#89
by
psloss
on 18 Sep, 2006 01:02
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Avron - 17/9/2006 8:36 PM
This has to be the cleanest STS flight on record.
Maybe. It's been a clean flight, but I don't know that there's enough historical documentation on the site to say by which measure(s), though.
How has this mission been cleaner than the last one?
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#90
by
Avron
on 18 Sep, 2006 01:37
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psloss - 17/9/2006 8:49 PM
Avron - 17/9/2006 8:36 PM
This has to be the cleanest STS flight on record.
Maybe. It's been a clean flight, but I don't know that there's enough historical documentation on the site to say by which measure(s), though.
How has this mission been cleaner than the last one?
Granted.. by measure no.. but just based on what is been present by the MMT/ press confs. We hear.. there really is nothing to report in terms of issues ... no issues with APU's, as an example vs the fun and games of the last mission i.r.t. leaks .. mmt presentation is one page.. looks great.. really well done by all who have made it happen with an approx 30 year old vehicle design.
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#91
by
psloss
on 18 Sep, 2006 02:05
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Avron - 17/9/2006 9:24 PM
Granted.. by measure no.. but just based on what is been present by the MMT/ press confs. We hear.. there really is nothing to report in terms of issues ... no issues with APU's, as an example vs the fun and games of the last mission i.r.t. leaks .. mmt presentation is one page.. looks great.. really well done by all who have made it happen with an approx 30 year old vehicle design.
Up to this point, both flights have been clean, which speaks to the preparation by the program. This flight had bigger challenges during countdown...perhaps comparable work done on the fuel cell coolant pump motor.
On-orbit, it does seem like the ops/support teams have some momentum coming off the last flight so recently.
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#92
by
MKremer
on 18 Sep, 2006 02:48
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I think it's due to the building of lessons-learned and experience processes over the last 3 years or so - the lessons learned from Columbia, as well as more attention to detail and preparations from OPF through pre-launch processing; more attention to troubleshooting, and an overall conservative analysis for mission management; and the willingness to not only listen to and take heed of dissenting viewpoints, but to have the top management (up to the administrator himself) acknowledge their responsibility to make the final decisions with full knowledge of what the consequences might be.
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#93
by
psloss
on 18 Sep, 2006 02:54
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MKremer - 17/9/2006 10:35 PM
I think it's due to the building of lessons-learned and experience processes over the last 3 years or so - the lessons learned from Columbia, as well as more attention to detail and preparations from OPF through pre-launch processing; more attention to troubleshooting, and an overall conservative analysis for mission management; and the willingness to not only listen to and take heed of dissenting viewpoints, but to have the top management (up to the administrator himself) acknowledge their responsibility to make the final decisions with full knowledge of what the consequences might be.
Some of it is also due to lessons-learned over the life of the program...that's why I wondered 'by which measure(s)' -- by some measures, perhaps even some of the same measures, there were "clean" flights pre-51L and pre-107, too...
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#94
by
MKremer
on 18 Sep, 2006 03:07
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psloss - 17/9/2006 9:41 PM
Some of it is also due to lessons-learned over the life of the program...that's why I wondered 'by which measure(s)' -- by some measures, perhaps even some of the same measures, there were "clean" flights pre-51L and pre-107, too...
I have no doubt that the OPF and pad techs, and even lots of management, back then did their level best to give each orbiter, ET, and SRB as much TLC as possible, to the best of their ability procedurally, all the way to launch. But, compared with what is known now that they didn't know or pay a lot of attention to then, I do think many of the clean flights (or flights considered 'clean' in those times) were due more to fortunate happenstance than to all the preparation and inspection details they know are critically important now.
