Author Topic: LIVE: STS-116 - Flight Day 14 - Landing and post flight info (Read 98356 times)

John44 · « **Reply #420 on:** 12/24/2006 02:26 pm »

STS-116 astronauts arrived back in Houston
http://www.despace.cwsurf.de//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1366&Itemid=2

mheney · « **Reply #421 on:** 12/24/2006 02:50 pm »

A closing thought, from one of my favorite daily read web sites (it's a linux-oriented comic strip...)
http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20061224

dutch courage · « **Reply #422 on:** 12/24/2006 03:17 pm »

Great post on Collectspace, Robert.

It's good to see Nicholas Patrick and Thomas Reiter back on their feet.

mkirk · « **Reply #423 on:** 12/24/2006 04:01 pm »

I was sitting here doing some follow up work on the 116 mission before enjoying the rest of the holidays when I noticed this photo.

http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-116/hires/s116e07787.jpg

It shows Roman (Polansky) and BillyO (Oefelein) going through the FCS (flight control system) Checkout Procedures the day before landing. Of course I think all pictures of the “front office” are cool, but what caught my eye in this one is the name tag just above CRT1 (over Roman’s right shoulder).

It seems that Barry “Butch” Wilmore, one of the ASP (astronaut support personnel) left a little something behind during the final closeout inspections of the crew module prior to launch. I guess he couldn’t figure out a way to hide himself onboard so he let his “wings of gold” take a ride in his place.

Mark Kirkman

Ender0319 · « **Reply #424 on:** 12/24/2006 04:10 pm »

I think it's one of those "traditions" that the crew rips off the lead ASP's name tag and takes it for the ride into space. That's awesome that they took the picture and even better that you found it.

mkirk · « **Reply #425 on:** 12/24/2006 04:41 pm »

Yeah, I was pretty sure (but not positive) it was a tradition. I was just surprised to see it in the photo. When I first looked at the picture I assumed Roman had stuck his name tag up there. When I did see the name, it didn't even occur to me right away that Butch wasn't on the mission....

I know crews try to take as many personal items as they can. I remember crew members coming around the training instructor offices asking specific members of their training team what item they would like to send up. I also remember them coming around post flight with the item and a certificate acknowleding when the item flew. Very cool!!

Mark Kirkman

DarthVader · « **Reply #426 on:** 12/24/2006 06:10 pm »

Quote

Ender0319 - 24/12/2006 8:53 AM

I think it's one of those "traditions" that the crew rips off the lead ASP's name tag and takes it for the ride into space. That's awesome that they took the picture and even better that you found it.

It's actually one of the pictures on the STS-116 imagery site:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-116/html/s116e07787.html

DwightM · « **Reply #427 on:** 12/24/2006 06:19 pm »

Tom Jones references this tradition (though he didn't describe it as such) on page 329 of his book "Skywalking", when Ken Cockrell pulled Mike Anderson's name tag and flew it on STS 80.