Space Shuttle Programme on its ''last lap''

STS-132 has just launched from the Kennedy Space Centre, a perfect launch, she ticked all the boxes, amazing spectacle to watch! Its the first time I have ever watched a live space launch, and it takes on a whole different level from watching replays. Even my two brothers, both 2 and 7 years old ''Got'' it, my youngest brother even waved out the window at the sky to the ''nomnomnauts''. Seeing the earth below on the screen was kinda like looking up there, and then looking back down on yourself.

I hope you guys in Cocoa and around Flordia enjoyed it, I hear its very conjested down there.

Atlantis will deliver a new module to the ISS, the Russian Dawn ''MRM-1'' Module, which brings an extra Soviet era docking port to the station, used by the Manned Soyuz and Unmanned Progress vehicles.

This launch marks the ''beggining of the end'' for NASA's Space Shuttle Programme, a Programme that will end just short of 30 years. At the time of STS-1, the first Shuttle Launch, it was only 20 years since Al Shepard went up on a Ballistic flight in what was basically, a 5ft 4 man-in-a-can mission. The Shuttle set out to show that a Space Craft could launch and land, and be used again, along with its rockets. It also set out to build a Space Station, and it achieved both of these things.

Just STS-133 and STS-134 to go (provided none of the orbiters get damaged in orbit, which would initiate an STS-300 procedure, which would be Atlantis)

So, discuss and pay tributes to one of the most marvelous machines in the history of mankind

"These were the voyages......"

I still remember watching the Challenger launch, I was just 7 years old. I remember my mum and my gran holding each other watching the aftermath as the debris fell, and even though I didn't really fully understand what was going on, I still knew what had happened. Harrowing stuff.

damn. never did get to see one launch...

i saw one on the pad one time though, that was pretty cool.

You have two more chances General

A Trans-Atlantic Abort Landing at RAF Campbeltown would make my year

A little something I made in Orbiter: Space Flight Simulator. I'm really bad at it, because y'know, I'm not an astronaut, I messed up the launch and ended up in a really high Ballistic Trajectory (Orbit calculation instrument calculated I would re-enter across Africa, crashing into the West Coast...) But I managed to get into an extremely high altitude above the earth. So I bring you my Tribute to Atlantis



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Couldn't help but recreate the flight patch while I was on Orbiter... Yes I'm sad.




This Pic just happened to be taken over the South of England.

Yes, more posting, I appologise... For those interested, here is a link to a satelite image of earth with STS-132 and the ISS' (Zarya module, not like it matters lol) Orbits tracked.

http://www.n2yo.com/?s=36572|25544

(copy/paste entire link for ISS vs STS)

nickyf1 wrote:I hope you guys in Cocoa and around Flordia enjoyed it, I hear its very conjested down there.

I was tuck in an Effing Traffic jam for two hours trying to get to work, so very congested is putting it lightly seeing how it normally takes me 25 minutes, but other than that yes very very beautiful launch with no clouds in the sky, roll on with the next one i say, and if i can i'll take a video of it and load it up for all to see!

Please do Louis

Wow, I went away for 10 or so minutes and its went from middle of the South Pacific to middle of Southern Canada Thats Lap 1 almost completed

orbits the earth every hour and a half nicky traveling at 17,500 MPH

and PS it's done almost 4 circulations now

slow

One lap an hour, what a boring race. Oh well, there is always replays on storefronts. Lol.

here are some pictures of the last shuttle mission (STS-131) comming in for landing. (photo's courtesey of my Father who took them... he works there)

F4H Gashi X wrote:One lap an hour, what a boring race. Oh well, there is always replays on storefronts. Lol.

it's a massive racetrack man!

this time, in the telemetry, it saying 17,500 MPH isnt a glitch

time wont matter switch they wont pass tech without the TORA window bannar hahahahahaha!

Nice photos Louis