What time zone do you figure this is?

SkyHog

SkyHog

Touchdown! Greaser!
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From nasa.gov:

The last opportunity at Kennedy is at 5:32 p.m. Three exist at Edwards – 5:27 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8:36 p.m. Two are available at White Sands – 5:27 p.m. and 7:02 p.m. Landing opportunities also are available Saturday at all three sites.
 
Yep, I just confirmed it with a local news channel. It might be here by 3:30pm Mountain. We're hitting the road in an hour. This is gonna be cool.

Anyone feel like analyzing the chances of a landing in White Lands?
 
SkyHog said:
Yep, I just confirmed it with a local news channel. It might be here by 3:30pm Mountain. We're hitting the road in an hour. This is gonna be cool.

Anyone feel like analyzing the chances of a landing in White Lands?
Click to expand...

They really DON'T want to go there. Fine sand screwed up the brakes on the only shuttle landing there in 1982. Plus, it adds a month to turnaround.

However, they may not have a choice.
 
SkyHog said:
Anyone feel like analyzing the chances of a landing in White Lands?
Click to expand...

Pretty good considering the crosswinds at Edwards right now.

Keep in mind cost to move the shuttle back to KSC factors into these decisions. So one of the potential scenarios is to not land at all today and wait a day for better conditions at the Cape.
 
smigaldi said:
Keep in mind cost to move the shuttle back to KSC factors into these decisions. So one of the potential scenarios is to not land at all today and wait a day for better conditions at the Cape.
Click to expand...

My understanding is that that is not an option due to lack of fuel beyond tomorrow. Seems like they kind of cut this one close.
 
Why don't they just land it in the LA Aquaduct like they did in "The Core"?

Honestly, what a dumb premise - because of magnetic field variation the shuttle enters the atmosphere, if I recall correctly" 300 miles off course, and they ONLY have a landing option in downtown LA?

Oi.
 
Greebo said:
Why don't they just land it in the LA Aquaduct like they did in "The Core"?

Honestly, what a dumb premise - because of magnetic field variation the shuttle enters the atmosphere, if I recall correctly" 300 miles off course, and they ONLY have a landing option in downtown LA?

Oi.
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Hey you watched the movie didn't you. Who do you think is laughing??

But then I watched it too :(:(
 
Greebo said:
Why don't they just land it in the LA Aquaduct like they did in "The Core"?

Honestly, what a dumb premise - because of magnetic field variation the shuttle enters the atmosphere, if I recall correctly" 300 miles off course, and they ONLY have a landing option in downtown LA?

Oi.
Click to expand...

I don't know, Chuck, with that much of a variation, and at that speed, I could see that kind of error. And maybe not even detectable until they got low enough to see that there were no options besides the LA River.

But that movie sucked either way.
 
BTW, I'm not gonna make it down to WSSH, forgot about my friend's bachelor party tonight. Hopefully its televised.
 
Greebo said:
Why don't they just land it in the LA Aquaduct like they did in "The Core"?

Honestly, what a dumb premise - because of magnetic field variation the shuttle enters the atmosphere, if I recall correctly" 300 miles off course, and they ONLY have a landing option in downtown LA?

Oi.
Click to expand...
Yabut, it sounds like they made a fan out of you.:D
 
Looking at the forecasts for Edwards, I bet they end up landing there.
The gusty crosswind they have been talking about seems to be dying
down. Right now it's 360@8 and they want to use runway 4. Max crosswind component for the mission is 15 waverable to 17 so.....
 
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Saying 310@12g18 at the last weather breif from NasaTV...and they're planning runway 22. Unless it comes down, I think they're gonna no go Edwards. They said Florida may be ok again though, so we'll see.
 
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Looks like they waived off the first Edwards landing, are trying for KSC rw 15 again. After this would be the WSSH attempt I think, since the winds are "unpredictable" at Edwards. They keep dying and coming back up.
 
SkyHog said:
Looks like they waived off the first Edwards landing, are trying for KSC rw 15 again. After this would be the WSSH attempt I think, since the winds are "unpredictable" at Edwards. They keep dying and coming back up.
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I would say they are unpredictable, now gusting 24. White Sands is definately their last option.
 
Don Jones said:
I would say they are unpredictable, now gusting 24. White Sands is definately their last option.
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We can't count out KSC yet, they've elected to try for it, rather than WSSH for this one. It'll be the last attempt at KSC, and only leaves 1 more at Edwards or 1 more at WSSH (but not both) for today.

I know cost cutting is important, but at this point, I would have just elected WSSH. KSC looks horrible, and the rain keeps coming and going. And tomorrow, they don't have a lot of opportunities to get it.

edit: And they just gave a go for KSC.
 
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I am a little worried about this approach. My prayers go out to the crew. I hope money wasn't the deciding factor, because Kennedy looks pretty nasty right now. About 50 minutes to touchdown.
 
SkyHog said:
I am a little worried about this approach. My prayers go out to the crew. I hope money wasn't the deciding factor, because Kennedy looks pretty nasty right now. About 50 minutes to touchdown.
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S-turns while scud running in a hyper-sonic, gliding lifting body...
I bet they practiced a little.
Rock On Guys!
 
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Anyone know a web link to watch the touchdown?

Thanks
Mark B
 
Hey he had no strobes or nav lights on. VIOLATION!!!! ;)

Always cool to watch and I like the in the cockpit camera through the heads up display that they have now.
 
Haha... During pre-de-orbit burn briefing, the pilot commented that he would be able to log a night landing after hearing the touchdown time. Unfortunately, official touchdown time was only at sunset, so no night landing for him. Bummer... Wonder if he was night current anyway?

-Chris
 
I gotta say, I think NASA took a dumb chance and lucked out. The final weather breifing given to pilots said something to the effect of "Its below our minimums, but it might get better. We expect it to get better, and we'll figure it out if its not."

That's not verbatim, but it is enough to make me cringe at the thought of taking a chance with no option to go around.
 
SkyHog said:
I gotta say, I think NASA took a dumb chance and lucked out. The final weather breifing given to pilots said something to the effect of "Its below our minimums, but it might get better. We expect it to get better, and we'll figure it out if its not."

That's not verbatim, but it is enough to make me cringe at the thought of taking a chance with no option to go around.
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With his experience and that headsup screen & GPS outline of the runway, I have no doubt the Commander could have greased it in below IFR "minimums". No doubt.
 
ah nick you just wanted to see it land at white sands :)
 
I just got to my folk's house in Pensacola yesterday, and we walked outside in time to here the sonic boom as the shuttle flew over. Too Cool!

Barb
 
One Short said:
I just got to my folk's house in Pensacola yesterday, and we walked outside in time to here the sonic boom as the shuttle flew over. Too Cool!

Barb
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That is cool.

I should scan in some of my pictures of the shuttle. I took one the morning of the first launch back in April of 1981 from just inside of the fence at complex 39A. It is early morning, about 3 am and the shuttle is all lit up. I have a bunch of launch photos from STS-3 as well. STS-4 and 5 found me indoors so I missed the view but I was working a console and that was even cooler.
 
One Short said:
I just got to my folk's house in Pensacola yesterday, and we walked outside in time to here the sonic boom as the shuttle flew over. Too Cool!
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Yeah, we got the boom in Jacksonville, too. I was sitting here goofing around with the laptop and watching CNBC when I heard the loug "BANG!" Wondered WTF was that? I had just assumed they'd be landing elsewhere because it was pretty cloudy here.


-Rich
 
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