STS-117 Atlantis | Mission Status

POSTED BY: cljohnston108
UPDATED: Friday, June 29, 2007 13:58
VIEWED: 23824
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CLJOHNSTON108

Friday, June 8, 2007 12:35 AM

BREAKING ATMO - Serenity to ISS on STS-117
http://www.breakingatmo.com/

Spaceflight Now | STS-117 Shuttle Report | Mission Status Center
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts117/status.html

Kennedy Space Center Video Feeds
http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/video/

STS-117 is the next Space Shuttle mission that will deliver the second starboard truss segment and energy systems to the International Space Station, the S3/S4 Truss and set of solar arrays. Starting with this mission, all remaining space shuttle launches will be from pad 39A, as pad B will be deactivated after the launch of the Hubble servicing mission, STS-125, so it can be modified to support Project Constellation.

Crew

• Frederick Sturckow (3) - CDR
• Lee Archambault (1) - Pilot
• James F. Reilly (3) - Mission specialist
• John Olivas (1) - Mission specialist
• Patrick G. Forrester (2) - Mission specialist
• Steven Swanson (1) - Mission specialist

Launching ISS Expediton 15 crew

• Clayton Anderson

Landing ISS Expedition 15 crew

• Sunita Williams

Astronaut Mark Polansky was originally slated to pilot this mission, but was moved to STS-116, which he commanded.

Mission Parameters

Launch: June 8, 2007, 7:38:02 pm EDT
Orbiter: Atlantis
Mission Number: STS-117 (118th shuttle flight)
Launch Window: 10 minutes
Launch Pad: 39A
Mission Duration: 11 days
Landing Site: KSC
Inclination/Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Primary Payload: 21st station flight (13A), S3/S4 Truss

Mission highlights

The STS-117 mission will deliver the second starboard truss segment and energy systems to the International Space Station, the S3/S4 Truss and set of solar arrays.

The crew will fold up the other side of the solar arrays in the P6 truss segment.

----More Info------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-117
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-117/ndxpage1.ht
ml (Photo Gallery)
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=71 (Kennedy Media Gallery STS-117)
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=4499&posts
=170&start=1

THEONETRUEBIX

Friday, June 8, 2007 12:50 AM

And, of course:

http://www.breakingatmo.com/

CLJOHNSTON108

Friday, June 8, 2007 12:56 AM

Yeah, I remembered to add that at the top just as you were posting.
Didn't mean to forget ya, Bix!

Soooo, when are we gonna find out who the crew's Browncoat is?

MAIII

Friday, June 8, 2007 2:03 AM

there are a couple issues we are working in the countdown. during the L-30 hr checkout there was a problem with MLS#3 (microwave landing system) used from 17,000 ft to touchdown. the loss of this one MLS is not an issue, but the team is working next worst failure which would be a loss of one of the two RA (Radar Altimeters -used from 5,000 ft to touchdown). the launch commit criteria requires all three MLS for a failure of a RA. Mission Ops and the Crew Office are becoming more comfortable with accepting a waiver in the event an RA has issue during power up ~noon EDT tomorrow (they were fine during the L-30 C/O). so I think with weather still looking good, there is a good chance to light the candle and break atmo tomorrow. once we get off the ground I will reveal the name of our browncoat astronaut.

FILLYGIRL

Friday, June 8, 2007 5:51 AM

Thanks for the update,....I can't wait to see it go tomorrow. I got very shiny positive thoughts going to it now.

[IMG]
[/IMG]
PFC Medic in the 76th

...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

CLJOHNSTON108

Friday, June 8, 2007 10:58 AM

Phil Plait blogged about our impending Triumph a few days ago. It's hi-larious!

Bad Astronomy Blog » Take me where I cannot stand
http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/2007/06/04/take-me-where-i-cannot-s
tand/
(The comments are great, too!)

CLJOHNSTON108

Friday, June 8, 2007 1:30 PM

Been reading the interviews with each crew member...
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/index
.html

My money's on Danny Olivas as our Undercover Browncoat!
He sounds like our kinda guy...

Preflight Interview: Danny Olivas
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/inter
view_olivas.html

MAIII

Friday, June 8, 2007 2:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by cljohnston108:
Been reading the interviews with each crew member...
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/index
.html

My money's on Danny Olivas as our Undercover Browncoat!
He sounds like our kinda guy...

Preflight Interview: Danny Olivas
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/inter
view_olivas.html]

nope unless he had been converted by the cargo.

I uploaded some photos from last night after they retracted the Remote Servicing Structure (RSS). everything is still looking good for launch.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=ekhorlf.24ok35ob&x=0&y=-bjbomd

where is the musical tribute OUT2THEBLACK? is austin wintory done yet?

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME

CLJOHNSTON108

Friday, June 8, 2007 2:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by maiii:
nope unless he had been converted by the cargo.

Dang! See, this is why I don't go to Vegas!

CLJOHNSTON108

Friday, June 8, 2007 8:48 PM

bump

DONCOAT

Friday, June 8, 2007 11:48 PM

A beautiful liftoff. Atlantis is in the black!

I really love that external tank-cam.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm pointin' right at it!

CLJOHNSTON108

Friday, June 8, 2007 11:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DonCoat:
I really love that external tank-cam.

Yeah! That thing revolutionized how we watch launches!
The first time they tried it, the signal cut-out right before SRB sep.
Now it's rock-solid & clear all the way!

Fly, baby, fly!

CANISD

Saturday, June 9, 2007 12:05 AM

The image as she cleared the tower was one of the most incredible I've seen in 25+ years of watching launches, the was she was silhouetted against the sky. Just incredible video all the way.

"If you want to have dinner with the Devil, make sure to bring a long spoon!"
http://wolfsshipyard.mystarship.com

MAIII

Saturday, June 9, 2007 12:51 AM

I uplinked some ascent photos including a picture of our intrepid Browncoat (Steve "Swanny" Swanson).

CLJOHNSTON108

Saturday, June 9, 2007 1:46 AM

Preflight Interview: Steven Swanson
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/inter
view_swanson.html

Astronaut Bio: Steven R. Swanson (2/2006)
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/swanson.html

Menu
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/178601main_Menu-Swanson-117.pdf

FLORALBUNNY

Saturday, June 9, 2007 3:20 AM

You're sure this hero isn't really a secret
agent for Blue Sun? Heh. Love that Bad Astronomer.

This special cargo and two successful launches
in as many days (we had a beauty at VAFB
yesterday eve.) make me so so so so happy...

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~etc. with the turtle~

IVY

Saturday, June 9, 2007 4:04 AM

Shiny!!

Thanks for all the links and information.

I love the Space Shuttle
I love Firefly

I may have just gotten a little weepy reading through all the photos and blogs!!

Ivy

I've been sane a long while now, and change is good...

FILLYGIRL

Saturday, June 9, 2007 4:31 AM

ALLRIGTH! its the Colorado guy!!! I'm in Denver!!! I love it!!! He's like the 18 one to graduate from the University of Colorado and then go to space! I am so happy,.....my BDH's get to go to space and they get taken by my fellow Coloradian. I almost cried.

[/IMG]
Private in the 76th

...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

CHINDI

Saturday, June 9, 2007 5:11 AM

this is just sooo cool!! thank you for all the info and the links!

Chindi

CLJOHNSTON108

Saturday, June 9, 2007 12:50 PM

Hmmm, I had been kinda wondering why CDR Rick Sturckow used my initials (CJ) as a callsign...
http://www.livescience.com/blogs/author/tariqmalik
(Scroll down for a somewhat more relevant entry! )

Quote:
Meet the STS-117 Astronauts (A Call Sign Primer)
Posted on June 8, 2007 @ 22:55:55 EDT
Author Tariq Malik

NASA’s seven astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis are circling the Earth as we speak, but an attentive listener may find their chats with Mission Control confusing.

That’s because nearly every one of Atlantis’ seven STS-117 astronauts has their own unique call sign - or nickname - of choice. So rather than Rick, Lee, Patrick, Steven, John, Jim and Clayton, they are: CJ, BRU, Swanny, Danny, JR and Clay.

Some of their monikers have a straightforward abbreviation: mission specialists Steven “Swanny” Swanson and Jim “JR” Reilly II (he’s also a ‘junior’ apparently), for example, or Patrick “Pat” Forrester and Clayton “Clay” Anderson. John Olivas, meanwhile goes by “Danny” and I can’t believe it’s not related to that middle initial ‘D.’ in his NASA bio.

But Atlantis commander Rick Sturckow and pilot Lee Archambault carry call signs left over from their military days in the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force, respectively.

Sturckow’s “CJ” nickname is an abbreviation for Caustic Junior and stems from his apparent resemblance to a former superior officer whose own moniker was simply “Caustic”

Archambault’s handle BRU (pronounced “brew”) is rooted in bad luck.

“I had an unfortunate experience with a Bomb Rack Unit on an F-111 jet,” the Atlantis shuttle pilot explained before launch. Unfortunate or not, the experience apparently made an impression.

So mystery solved. There’s a handy primer on the many monikers of NASA’s STS-117 astronauts. I hope it comes in handy over the next 11 days.

CHINDI

Sunday, June 10, 2007 3:54 AM

BUMP

Can't stop the signal... and Serenity still flies... gotta love all the browncoats out there in the real world.. spreading the word.

Chindi

CYBERSNARK

Sunday, June 10, 2007 3:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by cljohnston108:
“I had an unfortunate experience with a Bomb Rack Unit on an F-111 jet,” the Atlantis shuttle pilot explained before launch.

. . .

Well?

Guy can't say something like that an not tell the story! It's against the Pilot's Code(tm).

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

CHINDI

Sunday, June 10, 2007 10:08 PM

yeah a current update would be shiny too!

Chindi

CLJOHNSTON108

Monday, June 11, 2007 1:27 AM

I see, by the Master Flight Plan, that the crew has a 2-hour block of off-duty time on Flight Day 5, starting at 3:33 pm EDT...
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts117/fdf/117flightplan.html

Maybe Swanny'll break out our precious cargo and begin the conversion process!

But it's kinda weird that NASA isn't posting any new photos to the gallery.
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-117/ndxpage1.ht
ml

MAIII

Monday, June 11, 2007 2:46 PM

Good morning space fans,
Swanny has been busy this first two days so I havent gotten an emails yet. they do have a 2 hour crew off time tomorrow, so who knows maybe they will watch an episode or two :)

Yesterday saw a beautiful docking with the Space Station ( I am still pulling photos from the database). Today is the First of 4 Spacewalks. They will install the S3/S4 Truss segement today which is the big solar array on the starboard side of the ISS. They wont deploy the solar array wings until tomorrow.

The Mission Management team and the rest of Mission Control is still thinking about what to do with the bent blanket on the Left OMS (Orbital Manuvering System) Pod. The thermal blanket was torn loose and bent upwards due to aerodynamic loads during launch. The concern with this blanket is what amount of increased heating it will cause in the area during entry heating. If the blanket rips off during the lower portion under aero loads it is not a debris concern. The team is working options for tucking the blanket back down since it does have some memory for staying flat. If it is flat during entry heating it should not be an issue, but if it is bent up the disturbance to the plasma flow could cause damage to the underlying OMS Pod structure by causing a stagnation point and a hole that heat can get into, but not out of. In the past we have seen lost blankets and tiles that did cause survivable damage to the OMS pod. So the question the team is working is the extent of localized damage and if there is a concern for entry.

The team is also continuing to review ascent data (RADAR, WBS Tracking Planes, SRB Video, Ground Cameras) as well as the flight day 2 inspection data and so far there is no indication of areas for concern.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=ekhorlf.24ok35ob&x=0&y=-bjbomd

LEADB

Monday, June 11, 2007 3:59 PM

Thanks for the updates!

CHINDI

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 3:52 AM

Thanks MAIII..

pass along in your email that when they watch Serenity.. they should NOT think that the gorram primary buffer panel does not = the tear in the Shuttle skin.. honestly, it is just a stange coincidence!!!

no just kidding.. don't mention it.. but I had to... :-)

Thanks for the update; looking forward to the photos

Chindi

MAIII

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 11:41 AM

well the team is extending the mission by two days to repair this OMS Pod Blanket. there is a concern with burn through given the increased localized temperatures. the concern is the fact that the blanket is sticking up, this could cause the plasma flow in the area to increase and stagnate in the open cavity. the under substructure is graphite epoxy and only rated for 250 degs so the higher potential localized heating could cause the epoxy to delaminate and then the fibers could allow a flow path further into the structure and eventual failure of the OMS Pod. on STS-41G we lost a whole blanket during launch, while it survived entry the OMS pod saw significant damage to the facesheets and took a year to fix. this case is believed to be potentially worse because of the stagnation point.

by just tucking the blanket down that might provide the needed thermal protection to get through entry and then if aero loads do pull the blanket back up it is not a concern since we would be beyond peak heating loads. if the blanket comes completely off during aero entry loads it should not be a debris transport/impact issue, though they are still finalizing that analysis.

the team is concerned enough that we can not deorbit until this repair is done. some on the team have no confidence in the survivability of this OMS Pod during entry heating. in the event of a low likelihood cabin leak, the crew would declare CSCS - crew uses ISS as Safe Haven, abandons Atlantis in the Pacific unmanned and waits for the Launch On Need Vehicle to come and rescue them. I dont want to alarm people, because we are going to do the right thing, repair the blanket and then there should be no issues for coming home, but until that repair is completed on EVA 3 & 4 this OMS Pod damage is considered suspect.

CLJOHNSTON108

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 12:26 PM

Is it just me, or did Swanny's Flight Day 4 wake-up call, -- "It Probably Always Will" by Ozark Mountain Daredevils -- sound similar to the Ballad of Serenity?
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/audio/shuttle/sts-117/mp3/fd04.mp3

CHINDI

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 6:46 PM

MAIII

this tear in the pod surface is worrying.. our hopes and prayers for safe return to the Atlantis crew...

chindi

RODWY

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 12:48 AM

When I heard about the Dvd's that were sent up and added to the ISS movie library it brought a tear to my eye. It's just the coolest thing to hear something like that.

Oh and about the that problem with the pod, that is very troubling and I hope they can get it fixed.

---

http://www.phpbbforfree.com/forums/theinvaders.html

MAIII

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 2:58 AM

I think we have a pretty good repair method planned. plus if they just go out and push the blanket down and it should stay down due to blanket memory. the aeroloads dont start ramping up until Mach 6 and the heat loads are over by Mach 4. so the team is looking at what would the heat load be in the cavity for the ~2 from M6-4 if the blanket repair failed and it popped up due to aero loads.

we are going to do a repair and will make sure the crew is safe.

NCBROWNCOAT

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 3:27 AM

On another Firefly/Serenity forum there was the inevitable quote about the gorram buffer panel.

Things never go smooth do they?

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

FILLYGIRL

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 5:35 AM

Maiii,
Just to inject some humor,....re: buffer panel Does this plan sound like something Mal would think up?
I sure hope you have better luck, than he does. I hope everybody gets back with out any incedents or close calls. I will keep them in my thoughts and prayers. Thanks for spending your time here posting, I know when a ship is up there you people are very busy. This is just too cool and I remember when we landed on the Moon!

Private First Class in the 76th

...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

CLJOHNSTON108

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 1:42 PM

Could this have been "The Hand-Off"?

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-117/html/iss015
e11778.html

MAIII

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 1:58 PM

I wonder that myself, but CJ is doing the handoff and there are three packages, though Swanny might have had to wrap the dvd cases in something else. unfortunately I havent hear from Swanny yet. probably too excited about today's spacewalk.
the mission continues to go well as the team works through the blanket repair options for procedures/tools and which EVA to perform the work on should be decided by the mission management team today. Swanny and Forrester are going for a spacewalk later today to continue work on the newly installed Truss and Solar Array Segment. Airlock egress is ~2 pm EDT.

CLJOHNSTON108

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 3:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by maiii:
...but CJ is doing the handoff...

Well, Swanny's lookin' awful proud over Suni's shoulder!

CHINDI

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 5:46 PM

Excited about today's space walk/EVA... reminds me of River on the outside of Serenity the first time.. looking at all the stars..

I mean, imagine what it must be like to be one of the very few humans to ever go into space (so far)... it's just so amazing!! I think I am jealous..lol..

wish him a fabulous "walk" in space.. oh the views....

Chindi

FLORALBUNNY

Thursday, June 14, 2007 4:58 AM

Thanks for the bulletins!
About the repairs: they were talking about
using a sewing kit that's taken along to fix
spacesuits, but by tonight (Wed.) there were
references to staples. ??
Isn't there a space version of duct tape?

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~etc.~

CHINDI

Thursday, June 14, 2007 5:29 AM

LMAO FB... duct tape.. the wonder invention!!

of COURSE there must be,,, corning duct tape... heat resistant..

dark side; light side...

It is way cool that our crew is in space.. if only in spirit...

Chindi

FLORALBUNNY

Thursday, June 14, 2007 6:21 AM

Well, let's see...
The stuff can be hard to handle, so we'd
want a tape on which the glue is activated
in a time-bracket close to when it's in the
desired final position -- maybe take a heat-gun
to it -- also we don't want any loss of
flexibility under extreme conditions -- we
better get right on it, if such a nifty item
doesn't already exist.

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~plus~

JAYNEZTOWN

Thursday, June 14, 2007 7:42 AM

Quote:

we are going to do a repair and will make sure the crew is safe.

It's sad to see this once great spacecraft these days.

They are going to *Try* and repair but the damage looks like it may be away from a critical area of the Shuttle so it may not be so important.

The Shuttle is very old now, and it isn't as safe as we once thought. NASA has to look like it's at least trying to make repairs in a post-columbia NASA. I still think the ship will return home safe as thew damage doesn't look too serious, plus if NASA gets really desperate they could always ask the Ruskies or Chinese for a lift home.

MAIII

Thursday, June 14, 2007 11:43 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by FloralBunny:
Thanks for the bulletins!
About the repairs: they were talking about
using a sewing kit that's taken along to fix
spacesuits, but by tonight (Wed.) there were
references to staples. ??
Isn't there a space version of duct tape?

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~etc.~

they are going to have the crew use the medical surgical stapler to put two rows of staples on the blanket to blanket interface. for the forward facing blanket to tile interface they are going to use these stainless steel Saffil pins to keep the blanket down. they are still looking at the material properties in terms of how long these pins and staples will last at 1300 deg F (melting point is 2500, but they might loose some strength by 1500). even if they do melt, there is still the lower layer of staples that should be covered by the blankets and the aero loads dont start ramping up until Mach 6, and by Mach 3.5 (~2 mins later) the heat loads have fallen off. so if the blanket pops up the potential for heating in the cavity and failing your face sheets and graphite epoxy as been reduced from 15 mins to 2 min.
the repair will be performed first thing on EVA3.

FILLYGIRL

Thursday, June 14, 2007 12:32 PM

God, I hope its easier than it sounds!! I just hope it works. Thanks Maiii for all the posting, I get such a kick of having this 'inside' information!!!

PFC in the 76th Battalion

...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

CHINDI

Thursday, June 14, 2007 7:12 PM

Thanks MAIII I am always looking forward to your daily updates..

and yes; the Shuttle is aging.. we need NEW and IMPROVED shuttles!! There should be funding for the next great vehicle.. hell- cars get improved every year... why can we not have a new space shuttle every decade at least!! (Yes I know they are costly, but exploration does not come cheap, nor should our crew's safety!!)

And one of the next generation Shuttles should be called Serenity.. like the Big "E"

Chindi

MAIII

Thursday, June 14, 2007 9:35 PM

Well the last 36 hours has been pretty interesting. The team has converged on a plan to repair the L OMS Pod Blanket on the EVA tomorrow. Just as we started to break through clouds and reach the top of the mountain the clouds parted and showed an even bigger mountain looming in the distance called Russian computers. Short story is all three Russian computers are down and have not been able to be recovered for any length of time. What this means to the shuttle is that we can not leave until this problem is fixed. Any active attitude control(firing jets) for the ISS goes through the russian computers, the current stable control mode of momentum management is controlled by the US segment and working fine as long as we don’t perturb the system to much (think of it as balancing a marble on the top of and upside down bowl). So we are looking to do what we can to extend the time the shuttle can stay docked, by conserving power and propellant. If needed looks like we could extend the docked mission by another day. If this problem can not be solved by the time we have to undock then the ISS crew might have to abandon ship because it is highly unlikely that momentum management without russian thrusters could handle the disturbance of undocking.

Anyway the mission timeline proceeds nominally while the team works through the issues. Tomorrow is EVA3 with blanket repair first thing then solar array retraction troublehooting after that. I updated the link with photos from EVA2.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=ekhorlf.24ok35ob&x=0&y=-bjbomd

CHINDI

Thursday, June 14, 2007 10:00 PM

I heard about the computers on the news last night. It does seem like this is a MAJOR problem for the ISS.

Again, we can throw BILLIONS away on useless agendas and the space program languishes.. (sorry- just my humble opinion, and not meant to offend)

I hope that the problems gets fixed; but it sounds quite dire and quite likely that the residents of the ISS may end up hitching a ride home on Atlantis.. I do not know enough to know if the computers come back, whether they can trust them enough to leave the ISS crew there.. this could be their only way home in a long while....

Chindi.. prayers for their safety...

MAIII

Thursday, June 14, 2007 10:31 PM

well they were able to at least reconfig stuff on the russian segment so that the Soyuz has continuous power so the ISS crew wont have to hitch a ride with the shuttle, but if this computer can be fixed and they cant find a way to undock without upsetting momentum management then the ISS crew might have to undock in the Soyuz just before or just after us.

FLORALBUNNY

Friday, June 15, 2007 12:59 AM

TQVM, maiiiiii, for the info on the thermal
blanket repair.

My remarks about space-going duct tape were
made with a whole catalog of visions slide-
showing in my fevered brain of the various
disasters I've had with terrestrial versions
of the dire and entangling material.

As for the ISS possibly facing an "Out of
Gas" type situation, I had heard about those
faulty computers on Sunday eve. on all-nut
radio and hesitated to mention it here on
the chance it wasn't really happening.
I'm hoping one of the geniuses involved will
be able at least to work out a kluge good
enough to keep the thing going until good
equipment can be sent up, or -- ever so much
better -- fix it all the way.

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~etc. turtle pardy~

CHINDI

Friday, June 15, 2007 5:19 AM

FB.. GMTA.. I thought of OOG too... and I hope this ends as well or better than that moment in the verse...

I am sure it will; but it makes me angry about the underfunding.. ah me.

Chindi. we Browncoats HANG TOGETHER!!! it is what we do..

CLJOHNSTON108

Friday, June 15, 2007 8:21 PM

Don't forget! You can get up-to-the-minute (more or less) updates here:

Spaceflight Now | STS-117 Shuttle Report | Mission Status Center
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts117/status.html

And it took them a few days, but they eventually updated the NASA Human Spaceflight Photo & Video Galleries:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-117/ndxpage1.ht
ml
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/video/shuttle/sts-117/html/fd1.htm
l

FLORALBUNNY

Saturday, June 16, 2007 4:38 AM

Sounded a bit better in TV reports tonight --
I relaxed a bit until I remembered how many
times the TV has been completely off-base.

Fingers crossed, still.

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~etc.~

MAIII

Saturday, June 16, 2007 12:01 PM

thanks for the support everyone. I think we found our replacement catalyzer for the port compressor coil :)

the russians have found a way to by the blown power supplies and restored functionality. questions still remain how stable this system is, how long the shuttle still needs to stay and a bunch of other stuff. I'm not saying we are out of the woods yet, cause the tiger teams are still running full speed and the root cause is still a mystery (we'd hate to leave and the problem comes right back). so keep good thoughts and we will make sure we keep both birds in the air, cause only one of them is rated for a return trip through atmo.

by the way the OMS Pod repair went really well yesterday so the shuttle is in a great config to come home when ever they decide they are comfortable with the ISS. today is a pretty light day for the shuttle crew, tomorrow is EVA 4 which is a lot of station get a head tasks since the solar array was stowed last night.

I will try to upload some photos from the spacewalk later today.

FOLLOWMAL

Saturday, June 16, 2007 2:25 PM

Maiii,

Thank you so much and I and my family will "keep good thoughts" and we've been following right along with all the news with our hearts in our throats at times and whoops and hollers when all is well.

The pictures are marvelous and I'm so proud of you all!

To join us go here:
http://www.serenitymovie.org/browncoats/forums/index.php?showtopic=154
77

REDHEAD

Saturday, June 16, 2007 3:18 PM

The photos you have shown us so far have been breathtaking. Thanks!

http://www.newsoftheverse.net/ We search the 'Verse so you don't have to.

FLORALBUNNY

Monday, June 18, 2007 3:00 AM

Bumpity-bump!
Media are making the attitude problem sound
solved -- how are we really doing?

bun
Frisky Browncoat

CHINDI

Monday, June 18, 2007 3:30 AM

bumpity space bump

We are SOOOO lucky to have MAIII and CJ filling us in on the browncoats in space... hell, I feel like I have a rough baby monitor in my computer!!

Bumping so that you can send MORE Browncoat wishes to the gallent crew of ISS and Atlantis. AND a big thanks for sharing with us.

AND A BIG WAVE to FollowMal!! Nice to catch you...

And MAIII make sure our astronaut sees the doctored pictures in the best shuttle launch picture thread when he is back safe on terra firma.. I think he will get a kick out of them.

Chindi

MAIII

Monday, June 18, 2007 2:23 PM

we are about to handover control to the mated stack to the russian computers. this will be the make or break test. if all goes well them controling for an hour then I think we are in a good config for undocking tomorrow. if the computers have problems then we could delay undocking until wednesday. the russians believe the jumper has solved the problem, but there are still open questions about what protection and redundancy we have given up by putting the computers in this config. the shuttle crew is off duty for the first half of day and will say farewell to the station tonight. the hatches will be closed tonight and first thing in the morning is undocking and flyaround, later tomorrow is Late Inspection where the shuttle crew will scan the RCC (reinforced carbon carbon) wing leading edge panels for damage due to MMOD (micro meteoroid orbital debris). If things look good landing is Thursday around 2 pm.

I updated the photo link with more spacewalk pictures.

CLJOHNSTON108

Monday, June 18, 2007 3:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Chindi:
We are SOOOO lucky to have MAIII and CJ filling us in on the browncoats in space... hell, I feel like I have a rough baby monitor in my computer!!

You're welcome!
Hehe, yeah, I want one o' them baby monitors, too!

Quote:
Originally posted by Chindi:
And MAIII make sure our astronaut sees the doctored pictures in the best shuttle launch picture thread when he is back safe on terra firma.. I think he will get a kick out of them.

Took a couple of tries to get mine to look right...
http://fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=16911

CHINDI

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 1:32 AM

LOVE!! the photo CLJ.. that is just super! thanks.

Chindi

GHOULFISH

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 2:53 AM

Hope everything will go alright

I also have one question - are there any actual pictures of the DVD's on the ISS (i'm writing an article and it would be nice to include it)

FLORALBUNNY

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 4:53 AM

Niiiiice photo, clj. Looks just great.

Thanks for the bulletin, maiii. Going to
keep the fingers crossed here.

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~etc.~

FOLLOWMAL

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 6:11 AM

I just love that we have such pictures and such info just for us!

Thank you Maiii and CLJ!

*waves back to Chindi*

Good to see you too m'dear!

Expect a letter from me tomorrow.
I'm better.

*also waves at FloralBunny*

It's so good to run into friends in my current fave thread!

To join us go here:
http://www.serenitymovie.org/browncoats/forums/index.php?showtopic=154
77

RIVER6213

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 6:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by cljohnston108:

BREAKING ATMO - Serenity to ISS on STS-117
http://www.breakingatmo.com/

Spaceflight Now | STS-117 Shuttle Report | Mission Status Center
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts117/status.html

Kennedy Space Center Video Feeds
http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/video/

STS-117 is the next Space Shuttle mission that will deliver the second starboard truss segment and energy systems to the International Space Station, the S3/S4 Truss and set of solar arrays. Starting with this mission, all remaining space shuttle launches will be from pad 39A, as pad B will be deactivated after the launch of the Hubble servicing mission, STS-125, so it can be modified to support Project Constellation.

Crew

• Frederick Sturckow (3) - CDR
• Lee Archambault (1) - Pilot
• James F. Reilly (3) - Mission specialist
• John Olivas (1) - Mission specialist
• Patrick G. Forrester (2) - Mission specialist
• Steven Swanson (1) - Mission specialist

Launching ISS Expediton 15 crew

• Clayton Anderson

Landing ISS Expedition 15 crew

• Sunita Williams

Astronaut Mark Polansky was originally slated to pilot this mission, but was moved to STS-116, which he commanded.

Mission Parameters

Launch: June 8, 2007, 7:38:02 pm EDT
Orbiter: Atlantis
Mission Number: STS-117 (118th shuttle flight)
Launch Window: 10 minutes
Launch Pad: 39A
Mission Duration: 11 days
Landing Site: KSC
Inclination/Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Primary Payload: 21st station flight (13A), S3/S4 Truss

Mission highlights

The STS-117 mission will deliver the second starboard truss segment and energy systems to the International Space Station, the S3/S4 Truss and set of solar arrays.

The crew will fold up the other side of the solar arrays in the P6 truss segment.

----More Info------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-117
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-117/ndxpage1.ht
ml (Photo Gallery)
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=71 (Kennedy Media Gallery STS-117)
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=4499&posts
=170&start=1

I don't mean to be rude or anything breaking in on your shuttle party, but have you ever heard of a program called Orbiter?

-River

CLJOHNSTON108

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 10:52 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by RiveR6213:
I don't mean to be rude or anything breaking in on your shuttle party, but have you ever heard of a program called Orbiter?

-River

But of course!

Orbiter - A free space flight simulator
http://www.orbitersim.com

You're not being rude — in fact, just the opposite!

Quite a few Browncoats in the Orbiter community, and Jon Marcure (jmarcure) is our god!

Firefly project - Addons - Orbiter Forums
http://orbit.m6.net/Forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=4210

MAIII

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 1:29 PM

From: MS2
Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 2:01 AM
Cc: Shuttle-Crew
Subject: RE: Hope you had a great spacewalk

The package has been delivered. Pictures were taken (and probably downlinked already)and I'll have to find how to get them. I've got most of the crew hooked on the show and Clay too, so he will enjoy them.

Thanks again and take care,
Steve

CLJOHNSTON108

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 1:52 PM

Entirely too cool, maiii!!!

Quote:
Originally posted by maiii:
Pictures were taken (and probably downlinked already)and I'll have to find how to get them.

Are the discs in their original packaging?
I thought they might've wrapped 'em in NASA Blue...

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-117/html/iss015
e11778.html

Quote:
I've got most of the crew hooked on the show and Clay too, so he will enjoy them.

Mission Accomplished!!!
"Clay too" Barada Nikto

MAIII

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 2:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by cljohnston108:
Entirely too cool, maiii!!!

Quote:
Originally posted by maiii:
Pictures were taken (and probably downlinked already)and I'll have to find how to get them.

Are the discs in their original packaging?
I thought they might've wrapped 'em in NASA Blue...

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-117/html/iss015
e11778.html
Quote:
I've got most of the crew hooked on the show and Clay too, so he will enjoy them.

Mission Accomplished!!!
"Clay too" Barada Nikto

I dont know, I had emailed him that photo, but to save bandwidth they might have clipped it from the uplink. I have a FAO friend trying to find the photos, since I have found it yet.

ZZETTA13

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 4:14 PM

Chris and MaIII these are totally cool.....

Z

STS-117 Atlantis crew returning from space,BDSH

MAIII

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 11:08 PM

hey can someone post my update over on serenitymovie.org for some reason it isnt letting me post any messages today.

CHINDI

Wednesday, June 20, 2007 1:59 AM

MAIII

whooo hooo and yee frakkin haw.. (mixed metaphors.. I know...)

good news all around.. Shuttle crew safe... ISS safe so far... all astronauts now donning browncoats.. now if ONLY we could get CBS, NBC and CNN etc to pick up on this fact!!!

great news. Joss must be proud!!

thanks some more for the updates.. I think I will be sad when they land...lol

Chindi

03K64FF

Wednesday, June 20, 2007 6:42 AM

Do the Browncoats at whedonesque.com know about this news?I don't have login there, can somebody please post this?

Thanks NASA Browncoats!!!

~Jari

FILLYGIRL

Thursday, June 21, 2007 6:01 AM

I saw them tonight! Here in Denver the ISS and the Shuttle passed over us for the second night. I saw them !! They were like stars, but they were moving! They moved VERY FAST! it only took 3 minutes to cross our sky. I hope they get down alright, that was cool to watch them and know that someday...

Chaplain in the 76th Battalion

...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

FLORALBUNNY

Friday, June 22, 2007 3:09 AM

Nail-munching here (toes, 'cos the fingers is all
crossed for safety of B/C astronauts).

Atlantis has been waved off landing until tomorrow.

Grr. Arrgh. Why can't we make a spaceship we
can drive through a rainstorm?

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~etc.~

CLJOHNSTON108

Friday, June 22, 2007 11:23 PM

Tried posting this minutes after the landing, but I got an error... and then the whole site crashed for a few hours!
____________________________________________________

We're good, people!

Perfect end to a perfect mission!

Atlantis sets down right in our back yard just in time for our CSTS screening in Pasadena!

WELCOME HOME, ATLANTIS!

FLORALBUNNY

Saturday, June 23, 2007 12:41 AM

Yay and Wow.
I was outside when Atlantis crossed the coast
but too far away. No boom, no sighting. Came
in and tuned to KGO (AM 810), who carried it live.
Too exciting!
Welcome home, lady & gentlemen.

bun
Frisky Browncoat

CHINDI

Saturday, June 23, 2007 2:11 AM

WELCOME HOME ATLANTIS!!

GOOD WORK!! We are all very proud of you all, and especially our own Browncoat...

so, when you get your land legs back... tell us... how'd they like the DVDs???

WELCOME HOME! Safe trip back to FL... and thanks so very much for sharing with us all along the way.

Chindi

MAIII

Saturday, June 23, 2007 7:13 PM

I am going to try and go to the welcome home ceremony here in Houston this afternoon. for those interested the crew should be returning to Ellington Field at 4:00 pm today. I am not sure when the shuttle will be leaving Edwards to head back to florida. it will probably be a couple of days before they start the cross country trip.

total miles traveled by the crew 5.8 million miles mission elapsed time 13 Days 20:11:34.

OUT2THEBLACK

Sunday, June 24, 2007 12:06 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by FloralBunny:
Yay and Wow.
I was outside when Atlantis crossed the coast
but too far away. No boom, no sighting...

Too exciting!
Welcome home, lady & gentlemen.

bun
Frisky Browncoat

Ni Hao , bun !

Entry track for Atlantis was parallel to coast

of Baja , California . So , yup , was very far

away from you due to the contingency landing at

Edwards .

MAIII , our Composer reports that he is working

two feature film projects , but is putting the

final polishing on the track for Swanny...

He will soon have it available for ALL

Browncoats , and now that the mission is

complete , Swanny will perhaps be able to enjoy

it at his leisure .

[IMG]

[/IMG]

MAL Taikonren Graphic by 'fei'...Many Thanks !

MAIII

Sunday, June 24, 2007 1:03 AM

Awesome, I know Swanny and the crew will be interested in hearing the music.

I added some photos from the crew return at Ellington today. I had a chance to talk with Swanny after the ceremony he is doing well. turns out when the crew was in quarantine prior to launch they watched 5 episodes and that is how Swanny got them all hooked. Clay was definitely excited about having the set on the ISS since he was hooked. Swanny is going to try and find the photos of him, Clay and Suni on the ISS with the DVD's as soon as he can. again sorry I couldn't get them for the CSTS screening's this weekend. stay shiny.

FLORALBUNNY

Sunday, June 24, 2007 1:33 AM

out2theblack, what a gorgeous graphic.
Pass my compliments to "fei."

Yepper, we here have a perfect seat for
VAFB launches but I've yet to see a shuttle
coming in for Edwards. ;:-)

maiii, well done with the infection of the
latest mission with our happy little disk-set.
Everyone should see these shiny shows, and
you've gone above and beyond (literally) to
favor our astronaut corps with these tales of
the future according to Joss.

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~Bastards launched my turtle~
~We aim to exponentiate~
~Who is Bill Pardy?~

FOLLOWMAL

Sunday, June 24, 2007 1:39 AM

Every time I come to this thread I get misty eyed at how awesome this all is!

Thank you Maiii!

I still get excited every time I think of our little show being up there on the space station!

To see if there's a screening near you go here:
www.cantstoptheserenity.com

THEONETRUEBIX

Sunday, June 24, 2007 5:00 AM

And now that I'm back from the charity screening after party, breakingatmo.com is updated.

MAIII

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 5:34 PM

The photos have arrived. last three in the gallery are of some shiny discs enjoying zero-g's.

06K64

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 6:06 PM

That is just too cool.

THEONETRUEBIX

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 6:31 PM

And they are now on breakingatmo.com as well.

03K64FF

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 6:55 PM

Man!!!*thrilled with a bit of open jaw*
Totally AWESOME pics!! Seriously!!
Those pics are the proof of our "Mission Accomplished"..the ones, I have been waiting all so far more intently than any other pics! Of course, the crew's safe return was always bigger on the wishlist. The pic with suni and swanny rocks, man! All the discs suspended in zero G (that's where I wanna be) !!

Thanx a million MAII for keepin' us all update and included!:-)

God bless you!
~Jari

RIVERGIRL

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 7:07 PM

Best Pictures Ever

Also, I can kill you with my brain.

CHINDI

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 7:40 PM

THANKS MAIII and everyone!!

SUCH cool photos!!

wow... imagine.. this is just amazing and fabulous!

Thanks to our intrepid Browncoat in space and everyone involved.

ETA Quick link to photos on Breakin' atmo

http://www.breakingatmo.com/status/2007/06/gotta-have-records-of-every
thing

Chindi

CLJOHNSTON108

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 8:37 PM

FLORALBUNNY

Thursday, June 28, 2007 3:26 AM

Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting
the photos, clj!!

I'd put one up as wallpaper in place of my
Serenity galley, but questions would be
asked.

Such as, "Floral Bunny, why do you get all
weepy every time you turn your computer on?"

Better just save them and treasure them in
odd moments.

bun
Frisky Browncoat
~Bastards floated my turtle~
~We aim to exponentiate~
~Who is Bill Pardy?~

CHINDI

Thursday, June 28, 2007 3:38 AM

Bunn!

Can you just imagine being in space...??? it is just soooo cool that our BDHs are in space on DVD.. and there are the photos to prove it!!!

I feel so lucky to have been here to see this... what a great thread...

Chindi

FILLYGIRL

Thursday, June 28, 2007 9:42 AM

AWESOME!!! that is the COOLEST thing I have ever seen!!! I'm just sitting here grinning from ear to ear,.....that is the most incrediable thing to see FF/S in space!!!! Thank You "Swanny"! You get the recruiting award! Nobody has gone as far as you did with the effort to get new "Browncoats"! I wish Joss would post a comment on his board.
Thank You, Thank You Swanny!

FILLYGIRL

Thursday, June 28, 2007 12:41 PM

I sent the pictures to our local TV station, since Swanny is from Colorado I was hoping they would mention it on the news,...I pointed out he had on a Steamboat t-shirt, thats where he lives here in Colorado. If they do put it on, I will post here.
Thanks again for posting these great pic's!!!

Private in the 76th

...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

ZZETTA13

Thursday, June 28, 2007 1:39 PM

Excuse me but am I reading his shirt right?

Does it say what I think it does?

Z

CHINDI

Thursday, June 28, 2007 7:09 PM

yeppers it does!! Thanks again Swanny..

I am surprised that SciFi or some other main stream media has NOT picked this up!!

I think we should all send copies of the photos to Fox.. to remind them what they messed up and missed....

Chindi STILL grinning...

RIVERGIRL

Thursday, June 28, 2007 8:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by zzetta13:
Excuse me but am I reading his shirt right?

Does it say what I think it does?

Z

YEP I just noted this browncoat shirt!!!!!!!!!!

Also, I can kill you with my brain.

RIVERGIRL

Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:43 PM

actually this is the 4th picture--any more??

cant get enough of the SHINY news

Also, I can kill you with my brain.

MAIII

Friday, June 29, 2007 3:15 AM

I was thinking so you are all so creative maybe we can have a t-shirt contest to come up with the best design to commemorate this auspicious day. just a thought.

RIVERGIRL

Friday, June 29, 2007 3:25 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by rivergirl:
Quote:
Originally posted by zzetta13:
Excuse me but am I reading his shirt right?

Does it say what I think it does?

Z

oh ok I am now thinking this was a doctored pic
and as much as I LOVE it--the event itself needs NO doctoring

Also, I can kill you with my brain.

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