Space shuttle Endeavour return from California to Florida is planned planned to start Wednesday at sunrise. The shuttle is going to ride on the back of a 747 as it takes off from Edward's Air Force Base in California. It could arrive at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as soon as Thursday depending on the weather along the way. Forecasters have been watchin the conditions associated with the slow-moving cold front as they plan Endeavour's trip back to Florida. The 747 and Endeavour are to take off 9:29 a.m. EST, or 6:29 a.m. PST. Endeavour is poised at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center to be bolted to the 747 tonight. Dyden is adjacent to Edwards in the Mojave Desert northeast of Los Angeles.
-The End :-]
This article was posted on NASA's website on - December 8, 2008!
Peace out homies!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Mars Rover Engineer Looks to Moon Rovers
Brian Wilcox, a man who worked on the Spirit and Opportunity Rovers that are still working on Mars are now looking at making another rover for exploring the Moon. People have been to the moon so why are we going back? In the 1960s, the Soviet Union (now Russia) and the United States were in a race to the Moon. In 1969, man landed on the moon with Apollo 11 and Neil Armstrong. In 1972, Apollo 17 was the last US mission to the moon. We stopped making the rockets that got us to the Moon and have used the Space Shuttle ever since. The Shuttle can only circle the Earth.
Now we are in another space race to go back to the Moon. China, India, and the European Space Agency have sent probes to study the moon. We no longer have the ability to make the old Apollo rockets and we have to start again. Robots will go back before man. For 9 questions about Robotics and NASA look here.
http://www.origin.popularmechanics.com/blogs/science_news/4277080.html?series=35
Now we are in another space race to go back to the Moon. China, India, and the European Space Agency have sent probes to study the moon. We no longer have the ability to make the old Apollo rockets and we have to start again. Robots will go back before man. For 9 questions about Robotics and NASA look here.
http://www.origin.popularmechanics.com/blogs/science_news/4277080.html?series=35
Mission to Mars November 17th Update
On Monday, November 17th, we had four students that stayed for Robotics. We worked on our rovers and looked at our Mars cards and tried to stay inside the their budget. The challenges were many but progress was made. We will see what Monday brings next week.
We're Doing This Contest!
From NASA News Service this morning - NASA & Disney are sponsoring a contest to name the Mars Science Laboratory.
What's that? You never heard of the Mars Science Laboratory? Well it's the next generation Rover Robot set to launch in 2009. Don't worry - Look for a report about it from Taylor posted here very soon!
Anyway, about the contest - Go here for more info: http://marsrovername.jpl.nasa.gov/
The winner gets a trip to the Jet Propulsion Lab in California so sign their name on the Rover! So get thinking of a catchy name!
What's that? You never heard of the Mars Science Laboratory? Well it's the next generation Rover Robot set to launch in 2009. Don't worry - Look for a report about it from Taylor posted here very soon!
Anyway, about the contest - Go here for more info: http://marsrovername.jpl.nasa.gov/
The winner gets a trip to the Jet Propulsion Lab in California so sign their name on the Rover! So get thinking of a catchy name!
The Pictures Get Better....
Yesterday we posted a picture from ISS of the tail of Endeavour. Today's is even more spectacular.... Click on it to view it in a larger window.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Very Cool Picture!
Posted by the NASA news service today - Check it out -
Quoting the NASA News Service link: "The International Space Station's Expedition 18 crew provided a close-up view of Endeavour's tail section. The image provides partial views of the shuttle's main engines, orbital maneuvering system pods, vertical stabilizer, the payload bay door panels and the Leonard Multi-Purpose Logistics Module located in the cargo bay.
Before docking with the station, astronaut Chris Ferguson, STS-126 commander, flew the shuttle through a roll pitch maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Endeavour's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the station crew took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image."
Quoting the NASA News Service link: "The International Space Station's Expedition 18 crew provided a close-up view of Endeavour's tail section. The image provides partial views of the shuttle's main engines, orbital maneuvering system pods, vertical stabilizer, the payload bay door panels and the Leonard Multi-Purpose Logistics Module located in the cargo bay.
Before docking with the station, astronaut Chris Ferguson, STS-126 commander, flew the shuttle through a roll pitch maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Endeavour's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the station crew took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image."
Monday, November 17, 2008
Shuttle Endeavour Now Docked With ISS
Did anyone watch the Endeavour (STS-126) launch Friday evening? Check out www.nasa.gov for all the details. Go here for a fun space shuttle activity: http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/MissionPlanner/MissionPlanner.html
You'll be asked a series of question about either STS-125 or STS-126 (the mission currently underway). If you answer them all correctly you get to print a cool certificate making you an official Mission Planner for NASA. If anyone brings one of these certificates to our meetings, with their name on it, I'll give them a prize. Good luck and keep following the mission.
I show the ISS & Shuttle will pass overhead this Weds., around 5:45pm-5:55pm, again on Thurs. around 6:10pm - 6:20pm, and on Saturday around 5:25pm - 5:35pm. It looks like a very bright star traveling quickly across the sky. When the shuttle is docked with ISS it's particularly bright. I always think it's kind of neat that the little bright dot has ten people on it!
You'll be asked a series of question about either STS-125 or STS-126 (the mission currently underway). If you answer them all correctly you get to print a cool certificate making you an official Mission Planner for NASA. If anyone brings one of these certificates to our meetings, with their name on it, I'll give them a prize. Good luck and keep following the mission.
I show the ISS & Shuttle will pass overhead this Weds., around 5:45pm-5:55pm, again on Thurs. around 6:10pm - 6:20pm, and on Saturday around 5:25pm - 5:35pm. It looks like a very bright star traveling quickly across the sky. When the shuttle is docked with ISS it's particularly bright. I always think it's kind of neat that the little bright dot has ten people on it!
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