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Space Shuttle Endeavour Launches (at last)

Posted by michael on from the astronauts-not-allowed-to-bring-nailfiles-on-board dept.

mumkin writes: "Hey, STS-108 has finally launched! In addition to bringing a new crew to the International Space Station and performing an EVA, Endeavour will be releasing Starshine 2, another orbiting disco-ball for ground-based observers to track."

37 of 90 comments (clear)

  1. So what exactly does this massive student project by Daniel+Wood · · Score: 2
    "In addition to a new station crew and supplies, Endeavour is carrying a host of scientific investigations, including experiments from space agencies, schools and universities across the United States, Europe and South America as well as a small satellite that has involved more than 25,000 students in 26 countries. "

    So what exactly does this massive student project satellite do?

  2. Memorial by bonzoesc · · Score: 1

    They also sent up a memorial for the 911 attacks. Most importantly, this explains that oddly shaped cloud I saw at 5:30 today.

    1. Re:Memorial by istartedi · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Was the cloud unusually bright? I've heard that sometimes that happens because the "cloud" is way up in the stratosphere where direct sunlight is still visible. I've never witnessed a launch, but I had the privelege to witness a sunset landing where the shuttle became visible as a bright white speck while making an approach turn. Then of course there was the CLAP! CLAP! double-sonic boom and the approach was close enough so that you could clearly see the windows of the shuttle. If you have the opportunity to witness a landing, don't sell it short. It was one of the highlights not only of my visit to KSC, but of my whole FLA vacation. Then again, I wonder if they will be allowing people that close to landings for a while.

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
  3. More Cargo by flynt · · Score: 5, Informative

    In addition to the things already mentioned, the shuttle also has 6000 American Flags, which when returned from space, will be given to the members of the families of the World Trade Center victims.

    1. Re:More Cargo by Aerolith_alpha · · Score: 1

      That's quite a memorial considering how much it costs to ship stuff per pound into space... I suppose a flag doesn't have that much mass, but still...

      --


      mov ax, 13h
      int 10h
    2. Re:More Cargo by Masem · · Score: 2
      To be more specific: the 6000 flags, as well as one large American flag mostly in one piece that was found in the wreckage of the WTC, will spend one 'cycle' (5 months, based on the next crew change) on the ISS, not just through the week+ shuttle mission. The 6000 small flags will be redistributed to members of families affected by 9-11, the large flag possibly going to some historical archive (Smithsonian, most likely).

      (This based on an article from this week's USN&WR, on the failures of the NASA program and the ISS particularly).

      --
      "Pinky, you've left the lens cap of your mind on again." - P&TB
      "I can see my house from here!" - ST:
  4. ISS module stuck by po_boy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Last I heard, there was a possible problem with a piece of something stuck in the way of some module (probably a Soyez, I gues) attached to the ISS and they didn't want the shuttle to knock the whole thing loose when it docked. Anyone know if they got that problem solved? I was wondering if someone had to spacewalk to get the thing freed up or something.

    1. Re:ISS module stuck by ocelotbob · · Score: 2, Informative

      Yep, they got it fixed. The whole reason for the delay of the shuttle's launch was to fix that problem before they got up there. Dunno if they had to do a spacewalk to fix it, though.

      --

      Marxism is the opiate of dumbasses

    2. Re:ISS module stuck by sweatyboatman · · Score: 3, Informative

      If you're really curious to know, here's the story on CNN.

      http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/space/12/03/spacewa lk /index.html

      Half the time estimated. Maybe NASA's learning to double their estimates. It can only make them look better in the public's eye.

      --
      It breaks my pluginses, my precious!
  5. Already unstuck. by Axe · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Piece of a rubber bumper tore off and stuck in the lock - Russians omn the station moved "Progress" a bit and managed to pull the piece out with a crooked stick.

    As the time goes by, we will see more of this russian style problem solving skills, and ISS will look more and more like Mir. That's the law of large technical systems - they get fucked up.

    Having worked with aero-sace folks for 12 years (thank god I am out) the only thing that surprises me is that all this shit actually works - it is way to complex for that.. I blame sheer luck. ;-)

    --
    <^>_<(ô ô)>_<^>
    1. Re:Already unstuck. by po_boy · · Score: 3, Funny
      ...managed to pull the piece out with a crooked stick.

      All hail the inanimate carbon rod.
    2. Re:Already unstuck. by istartedi · · Score: 1

      Not that the Russians aren't creative, but I hope we see some new procedures written as opposed to relying too much on creative solutions. I hope the checklist for the Russian undocking procedure now includes "check to make sure that no residual bits are stuck to the lock, and if they are, schedule EVA for removal of said bits before next docking".

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
    3. Re:Already unstuck. by azpcox · · Score: 1

      Now where did they manage to find a hanger to pry it open? There's usually one or two in the parking lot where I lock my keys in my car . . .

      --
      What exactly do you mean by "Don't touch this button?"
  6. Because. by Axe · · Score: 1, Offtopic
    Getting a lot of smart and curious people together and paying them to do something (anything) will yield a lot of good results, that was proven many times over.

    Who new, that a few physicists, trying to login into SLAC library, will code up the U.S first web server, sweaty cosmonauts will need the development of the Gore-Tex, and you will get you ticket by a laser radar.

    Fundamental research pays. Many times over.

    --
    <^>_<(ô ô)>_<^>
  7. To see the ISS & Shuttle yourself... by Tsar · · Score: 5, Informative

    Go to Heavens-Above and enter your location on earth, and it'll provide you with all the info you need to spot the ISS, the Shuttle, and a host of other orbiting objects as they pass over you before sunrise or after sunset. The site has a wealth of other information about satellites and space exploration in general as well, so it is with a very heavy heart that I expose one of my absolute favorite sites to the eminent threat of slashdottery.

    1. Re:To see the ISS & Shuttle yourself... by SilentChris · · Score: 2

      Unfortunately, little can be done with the site unless you can read celestial coordinates. I basically need a friend by my side saying "look there" while pointing a finger at some blurry object, to get anything good out of it.

    2. Re:To see the ISS & Shuttle yourself... by bn557 · · Score: 1

      the problem here is, unless you now your latitud and longitude, knowing the angle(from north) and the asimuth for you to look up at is very hard to do. the celestial coordinate system is actually pretty efficient if you're at a observatory(at the school I'm studying at, we have a 7m x 7m slab of concrete with angles labeled so all you need is asmuth) because it's the easiest way to do it.

      Oh well, I'm wasted right now
      g'night world

      Pat

      --
      Humans are slow, innaccurate, and brilliant; computers are fast, acurrate, and dumb; together they are unbeatable
  8. Satellite Sighting! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    I invite you to check for ISS/shuttle sightings on the nasa website. Also Heavens above might be updated with the shuttle orbital information within the next few hours.

    For example, I see there will be a nice pass almost straight above San Francisco, Thr Dec 06, 05:26 PM for ISS, and 11 minutes later (05:37 PM) the shuttle catching up with it! So I suspect similar opportunies for other US cities in the coming days, weather permitting of course.

    Don't expect to see more than a moving point of light, but it is still quite cool.

    1. Re:Satellite Sighting! by MaxPower2000 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      i took an astronomy class last year and one of the requirements was to watch the shuttle pass over blacksburg. well the time we decided to watch was special indeed. first the ISS passed overhead and then the shuttle (i forget which one) passed over head on its way to rendevous with the ISS. it was around the time when the ISS was being fitted with new and bigger solar panels.

      the whole thing was very cool, and extremly fast. the two objects looked like very bright stars, about the magnitude of venus, and crossed the whole sky in under 90 seconds. it gave a great feeling of the speed that those guys were zipping around earth at.

      if you get a chance check it out, you won't regret it.

      --
      Master Using It, and You can have THIS!!
  9. It's been covered... by sweatyboatman · · Score: 2, Informative
    but it's not really news (at least from what NORAD's been saying). It's just a spent SL12 Rocket. Here's some information on this Russian Rocket

    oh, and here's CNN's little piece on it: Lights in the Sky

    --
    It breaks my pluginses, my precious!
  10. GAS Payloads on STS-108 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    STS-108 also contains GAS Payloads...which are basically just canisters that can be rented, usually by universities and space agencies. Experiments are flown in these canisters and they range anywhere from boiling water to growing plants, testing the effects of microgravity. I am the webmaster of the Utah State University GAS Team and we sent up a payload on this shuttle with 3 powered experiments and a few passive ones. Glad the shuttle finally got off the ground!

  11. Re:Why do we bother by Str1der · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why do we bother sending people to space when there are so many problems on earth?... Terrorist attacks against America, terrorist attacks against Israel, unemployment, economy problems, homelessness, bad education, health care problems, etc...

    Maybe to remind the world that there is a lot more to our existance than out (mostly) petty quarrels. Maybe to inspire a new generation to strive for a better education. Mabey to conduct zero-g research that will indirectly lead to inexpensive soulutions to many health issues. There have been countless spinoffs from the space program and there will be many more. I think it is a great way to spend that small fraction of our budget.

  12. Re:So what exactly does this massive student proje by ukryule · · Score: 5, Interesting
    From NASA:

    The experiments include: STARSHINE-2, the Prototype Synchrotron Radiation Detector, Collisions Into Dust Experiment-2, Capillary Pump Loop, and Space Experiment Module-11.

    STARSHINE 2 will be the third satellite of Project Starshine -- the Student Tracked Atmospheric Research Satellite for Heuristic International Networking Experiment -- to be deployed. More than 25,000 students from 26 countries will track STARSHINE 2 as it orbits Earth for eight months. The students will use the information that they collect to calculate the density of the Earth's upper atmosphere. Starshine will fly into space in a Hitchhiker canister in the payload bay of Endeavour and will be deployed 240 miles (387 kilometers) above the Earth.

    So 25,000 students will be monitoring it - it wasn't built by 25,000 students :-)
  13. Re:Why do we bother by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1
    Also realize that unless money is spent on R&D (and realize that all space flight is worth at least ten times as much in regular R&D), curing all the world's problems won't do jack squat.

    How would you like to be trapped in 2001 forever, hmm? If that Orwellian future isn't frightening, I don't know what is...

    Heck, for that matter, why even spend money on something as frivolous as entertainment?
    Let's go ahead and take every dollar spent on anything beyond the basic human needs and give it away to everyone until the whole world is one boring village of mediocre pan-ethnic morons who weigh exactly the average weight, eat exactly enough of the right food, and who slit their wrists when they turn 30 out of boredom.

    Realistically, that's not going to happen, but I for one believe that research is one of the main goals of the human race. What are intelligent apes good for if they don't try to learn? This is slashdot, for christ's sake, I'd give you ten to one just about everyone here (minus the trolls) is interested in learning throughout their lives.

  14. Soy Beans... by heliocentric · · Score: 2

    I caught on the local 11 O'Clock news that some local highschool students were in Fla. to see the launch because they were sending some Soy Beans up for an experiement. I just looked all over the website of said news site and I couldn't find an applicable reference. But this shows that the students aren't just working on the satelite of this mission.

    --
    Wheeeee
  15. Postponed due to bad weather? by Hektor_Troy · · Score: 1

    Oh come now. They have a launch wehicle, that is exposed to what? 5G during launch. It can reenter the atmosphere and avoid burning up. It can stay in space and survive the higher levels of radiation, but it is not durable enough to be exposed to RAIN? What's it made of? Sugar?

    If the most expensive wehicle on earth (well ... maybe the B2-bomber is more expensive) can't stand up to rain, what are my chances of driving my car home from work in bad weather today?

    --
    We do not live in the 21st century. We live in the 20 second century.
    1. Re:Postponed due to bad weather? by jstockdale · · Score: 2, Informative

      yes yes i know this is offtopic but i thought i'd just address the mentioned price of the Shuttle vs B2 Bomber:

      B2: US$1.2 Billion (Source: USAF)
      STS: US$2 Billion (Source: ABC News)

      ok you may now commence the modding
      -1 Offtopic ;)

      --
      **AA: a bunch of mindless jerks who'll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes
    2. Re:Postponed due to bad weather? by mortonda · · Score: 1

      I just read that the main threat was static electricity - they were afraid that the motion of the shuttle through the cloud could spark a bolt of lightning, which could disable the computers a rather critical time. (T-1m to T+3m being *ahem* slightly critical)

      Also, the tile on the underside are extremely sensitive to water; they are brittle, and if water got in them, it would freeze in space and crack the tiles, just like roads in the north...

      Yup, they get nervous when there's a large cloud in the way...

    3. Re:Postponed due to bad weather? by Hektor_Troy · · Score: 1

      But still - if you paid 2 BILLION dollars for your machine - wouldn't you want it to be able to handle something as "simple" as water and thunderstorms?

      Granted - I've only seen a single car being hit by lightning while driving (trust me - you'll more than likely wonder if you just shit/pissed your pants), but that one kept driving. I think the lights went out for moment, but then again I was blinded by the lightning. We were driving behind the car by the way.

      --
      We do not live in the 21st century. We live in the 20 second century.
  16. Re:Conspiracy Theory by Wolfgang+Boxhead · · Score: 1

    http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast03dec_1 .htm has all about it. Apparently caused by re-entry of the first stages of a big russian launch. They were putting up some navigation satellites.

  17. Re:American crap technology by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 1, Troll

    I'm not convinced. After all it is a well known fact that in European hell all the engineers are French!!!

    --
    Only to idiots, are orders laws.
    -- Henning von Tresckow
  18. Smooth for the first 36 seconds anyway by Wolfgang+Boxhead · · Score: 1

    The last 500 million euro fireworks display was caused by: "The internal SRI software exception was caused during execution of a data conversion from a 64-bit floating-point number to a 16-bit signed integer value." See this link for more stuff http://www.math.ufl.edu/~cws/3114/ariane-siam.html

  19. Re:Woohoo! More shuttle missions! by Hektor_Troy · · Score: 1

    Actually it would be nice to put bored billionaires in space. We could even give them a free ride up there, and then charge a bundle to get them down again :-)

    And if they stay, they have to pay for food, and if you thought food was expensive at the local pizzaria, you have no idea what they charge to deliver pizza to space. And no - you don't get it free of charge, if it isn't there in 30 minutes.

    --
    We do not live in the 21st century. We live in the 20 second century.
  20. Re:Why do we bother by Spencerian · · Score: 1

    No amount of faith (important, to be sure) will stop one of several very, very large rocks in space from annililating (that's "destroy" for you Windows users or left-wingers) all advanced life on the planet. That means you, pal.

    God helps those who help themselves as best they can--and I believe that means we need to watch out for the one thing in space that can make a very big difference in the lives of everyone, barring some new revelation in space science.

    NASA gets less than 1/2 of 1 percent of the budget. The Congress has given more money in international aid to what turned out to be a booger on a map!

    Harmonize the environment, my ass! We DO need to watch what we burn and what we dump, but this is a matter of "save the humans", not the Earth. This place will keep spinning no matter how many rocks or PCP barrels land on it. The difference comes when we balance our use of technology--not forsaking it, but not worshipping it, either.

    The dinosaurs are gone because they couldn't stop a rock's fall. We really can do better, or we're just as stupid.

    I bet you go to college right now, or very recently. Your post is not based on the harsh reality of the world.

    And, oh--it was the freaking scientists that you scorn that created the technology that allowed you to post here. Don't be a hypocrite.

    /.

    --
    Vos teneo officium eram periculosus ut vos recipero is.
  21. Re:Why do we bother by tim_maroney · · Score: 2

    Why do we bother sending people to space when there are so many problems on earth?

    Why do you bother posting to /. when you could be off working in a soup kitchen?

    Tim

  22. Re:Why do we bother by Str1der · · Score: 1

    What will we do when there is more copper, gold, iron, coal, etc. in our landfills then there is in the ground, as the temperature keeps rising higher and higher, when there are less than 100 billion trees left in the whole world? Are we to pin all our hopes on a few scientists enabeling us to mine asteroids and distant planets and colonizing space?

    Science gave us the ability to recycle. Recycling is vital to any long term space mission. It is likely more recycling technologies will be developed from the space program.

    Technology only trades one problem for another. Because in our society of specialists you do not see people mining coal and transporting to power stations to burn for your electricity, it is easy to forget this.

    Alternative power sources are also vital to space missions. Solar Energy was pioneered by NASA.

    Social improvements can make life more enjoyable for humanity than technological advancements under capitalism, that the people in affluent nations can only enjoy. Would you want to live in a brutal dictatorship with high technology, where the technology would be used to make telescreens to spy on you, or a more human society that is less advanced?

    I would rather live in a society where I won't die of a broken limb from a simple infection. I would rather live in a society where dictatorship is obsolete. Technology provides communication that allows the masses, the true power in this world, to unite against any such form of government. We've existed for millions of years without science and got nowhere, socially or otherwise. It was technology that changed us from club-swinging apes to who we are today. The space program is a driving force of technology.

  23. Re:So what exactly does this massive student proje by Snard · · Score: 1

    Prediction of first radio message sent to the Starshine satellite:

    Good morning Starshine, the earth says "hello".

    --
    - Mike