Tag Archives: NASA

Everything I have to say about NASA.

NASA’s LADEE moon mission

MINOTAUR 5’S DAZZLING NIGHTTIME LAUNCH IN PHOTOS
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Observers up and down the U.S. East coast got a spectacular light show Friday night as NASA’s LADEE moon mission rocketed into space from Virginia aboard a Minotaur 5 rocket. We present photos of the launch submitted from readers and imagery captured by remote cameras near the launch pad.

VIEWS FROM NEW YORK CITY:
http://spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/ladee/longexposures/

REMOTE LAUNCH PAD CAMERAS:
http://spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/ladee/remotes/

Google street view at KSC

Want a tour of KSC?
Don’t have a badge to get on premises?

You can now do it from your computer!!

Google Street View Project is now up and running.  Enjoy this.  Wait until you see the views on these links!

Atlantis Orbiter
The Atlantis Orbiter conducted the final flight of the Space Shuttle program on July 8th, 2011

Endeavour Orbiter
The Endeavour Orbiter awaiting decommissioning in the Vertical Assembly Building

Kennedy Space Center Firing Room #4
One of the four locations used to support launch operations for the shuttle program

Top of Launch pad 39A
View from the top of launch pad where many shuttle launches took place, overlooking Space Center

Base of launch pad 39A
The giant ‘rainbirds’ pump 300,000 gallons of water in 41 seconds during Shuttle launches

Apollo/Saturn V Center
A giant Saturn V rocket is on display in addition to dozens of artifacts from the Apollo missions

Apollo 14 command module
Took astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchell to the moon on February 5th, 1971

 

RBSP, Atlas V Await Launch on Pad 41

RBSP, Atlas V Await Launch on Pad 41

The rollout of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASA’s Radiation Belt Storm Probes spacecraft began on schedule at 8 a.m. EDT, reaching the pad at Space Launch Complex-41 at 8:35 a.m. Preparations are beginning to fuel the rocket’s first stage with about 25,000 gallons of RP-1, a highly refined kerosene. The fueling operation is scheduled to begin at noon and takes 45 minutes to complete.

The launch weather forecast has improved to only a 30 percent chance of not meeting the weather criteria for liftoff at 4:07 a.m. Friday, Aug. 24. Scattered clouds are forecast, with a temperature at launch time near 78 degrees and a light southwest wind. Tropical Storm Isaac will not be a factor if launch occurs on Friday or Saturday.

To learn more about the RBSP mission, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp or find out the latest news via NASA’s RBSP social media sites at http://go.nasa.gov/QR9agk, http://www.twitter.com/RBStormProbes and http://www.twitter.com/nasakennedy.

Atlas V – RBSP

Space Shuttle Discovery Ends STS-133 Mission at KSC

Space Shuttle Discovery's Final Landing.

Space shuttle Discovery touched down on Runway 15 at KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) just before noon today, completing the 13-day STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. Main gear touchdown was at 11:57:17 a.m., followed by nose gear touchdown at 11:57:28, and wheelstop at 11:58:14 a.m.

Commander Steve Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe, and Mission Specialists Nicole Stott, Michael Barratt, Alvin Drew and Steve Bowen delivered the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the orbiting outpost.

STS-133 was the 39th and final flight for Discovery, which has spent 365 days in space, orbited Earth 5,830 times and traveled 148,221,675 miles.

Discovery arrives on pad for the last time.

It’s still a beautiful sight to see.

Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery Pad for last time. (KSC-2010-4736)

Space shuttle Discovery was secured on Launch Pad 39A at 1:49 a.m. The shuttle’s trek, known as rollout, from KSC’s Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad began yesterday at 7:23 p.m., and took about six hours to complete. About 1,200 employees, and their families and friends, attended the move until the shuttle, its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters, mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter were no longer visible in the bright xenon lights.

Discovery is set to carry the Permanent Multipurpose Module packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, to the International Space Station during the STS-133 mission. Launch is targeted for Monday, Nov. 1, at 4:40 p.m.

Rollout sets the stage for the STS-133 crew to practice countdown and launch procedures during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test in mid-October.

For up-to-date information about processing taking place at KSC, go to www.nasa.gov/shuttle. For photos of the milestone move, visit KSC’s Media Gallery.