Atlantis Successfully Launches November 16, 2009
Posted by fhsukams in Science & Math Info.Tags: Atlantis, butterflies, monarch butterflies, NASA, painted lady butterflies, space shuttle
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Space shuttle Atlantis with it crew of six astronauts on board awaits launch on the STS-129 mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/TV
The space shuttle Atlantis lifted off on-time today at 1:28 pm CST from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle and its crew of six astronauts have an 11-day mission to the International Space Station. They also are carrying an interesting experiment for K-12 students, Butterflies in Space.
Butterflies in Space?!? November 13, 2009
Posted by fhsukams in Science & Math Info.Tags: Atlantis, butterflies, monarch butterflies, NASA, painted lady butterflies, space shuttle
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When the space shuttle Atlantis launches Monday it will have a few extra passengers aboard, namely, monarch and painted lady adult butterflies and larvae. The experiment is from the University of Colorado-Boulder and will be monitored by thousands of K-12 students. The students will be able to study the effects of space travel on the little butterfly astronauts, comparing the development of the butterfly larvae in space with butterfly larvae reared in their own classrooms. For more information on butterflies in space, see ScienceDaily.
Atlantis Back at Kennedy Space Center June 4, 2009
Posted by fhsukams in Science & Math Info.Tags: Atlantis, NASA, space shuttle
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You can check out cool video of the piggybacked shuttle getting ready to land at Flickr.
Atlantis Slowly Flying Back to Florida June 2, 2009
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Atlantis landing at Lackland Air Force Base's Kelly Field in San Antonio, TX on June 2, 2009. Atlantis has one more stop to fuel before arriving back in Florida. Photo credit: NASA
Atlantis spent Monday night at Biggs Army Air Field in El Paso, TX and is seen here leaving for San Antonio, TX on the morning of June 2, 2009. Photo credit: NASA
Up and Away! June 1, 2009
Posted by fhsukams in Science & Math Info.Tags: Atlantis, Hubble Space Telescope, NASA, space shuttle
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Carried aboard a NASA 747, the space shuttle Atlantis departs the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., enroute to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning the last leg of STS-125, its mission to repair the Hubble space telescope, Monday, June 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Atlantis Prepares for Return to Florida Today June 1, 2009
Posted by fhsukams in Science & Math Info.Tags: Atlantis, NASA, space shuttle
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Atlantis is shown suspended from a sling during preparations for its ferry flight back to the Kennedy Space Center. Image Credit: NASA/Tony Landis
The space shuttle Atlantis was being readied over the past few days for its return trip to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on the back of one NASA’s specially engineered 747s. The Ferry Flight of Atlantis is scheduled to take off this morning from Edwards Air Force Base in California. If you are interested in learning more, one of the NASA employees has been blogging about preparations for the Ferry Flight on the NASA website. There are lots of cool pictures of Atlantis being prepped for shipment on the blog also.
NASA Updates May 26, 2009
Posted by fhsukams in Science & Math Info.Tags: NASA, International Space Station, space shuttle, Atlantis, Endeavour, Edwards Air Force Base, Charles Bolden
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Atlantis landing at Edwards Air Force Base. Image Credit: NASA/Carla Thomas
After having landings in Florida cancelled on Friday, Saturday & Sunday due to thunderstorms, the space shuttle Atlantis was forced to land at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave. NASA tries to avoid landings in California rather than Florida because NASA loses approximately a week of work and close to $2 million in ferry costs for the shuttle by landing there.
In other NASA news, President Obama has named four-time space shuttle astronaut Charles Bolden, Jr., a retired Marine major general, to be the next administrator of NASA. Bolden has long been a favorite of employees for the top position at NASA. Also, many speculate that the pick of Bolden means that human spaceflight will continue, rather than be on the chopping block as some have argued.
Finally, with Atlantis back on Earth, NASA is gearing up for another shuttle mission. The space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled for launch on June 13 with a return to the International Space Station.
Atlantis Gearing Up for Return May 21, 2009
Posted by fhsukams in Science & Math Info.Tags: Atlantis, Hubble Space Telescope, NASA, space shuttle
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Atlantis' remote manipulator system arm lifts Hubble from the cargo bay & is moments away from releasing it on May 19, 2009. Image credit: NASA
Astronauts on the space shuttle Atlantis are gearing up for their return to Earth on Friday. Today, astronauts will perform routine landing gear tests to help ensure a safe return. While the Atlantis is scheduled to return Friday, the weather in Florida may not cooperate and its landing may be delayed.
Additionally, astronauts are scheduled to testify briefly from orbit about NASA’s budget before the Senate Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee. Also, a interesting article regarding NASA’s budget for the Hubble can be accessed here.
Hubble Released from Atlantis Today May 19, 2009
Posted by fhsukams in Science & Math Info.Tags: Atlantis, Columbia, Endeavour, Hubble Space Telescope, International Space Station, ISS, NASA, space shuttle
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Astronaut John Grunsfeld, positioned on a foot restraint on the end of Atlantis' remote manipulator system on Monday. Image Credit: NASA
The Hubble Space Telescope, repaired and refurbished, was released from the space shuttle Atlantis today. Engineers will need most of the summer to test and calibrate Hubble’s new and refurbished instruments and systems. If the testing goes well, the first pictures from the upgraded telescope will be released in early September.
With Hubble released, Atlantis is scheduled to land on Friday. But, Atlantis must be inspected to make sure it has not been hit by space junk. Hubble’s orbit had placed the shuttle at increased risk of damage. Also, given Hubble’s orbit, astronauts could not escape to the International Space Station if Atlantis was damaged. So, for the safety of the crew, NASA kept the space shuttle Endeavour on standby until the end of the 11-day mission. For more information about the Atlantis mission, see here.
Mixed Bag for Last Three Spacewalks May 18, 2009
Posted by fhsukams in Science & Math Info.Tags: Atlantis, Columbia, Hubble Space Telescope, NASA, space shuttle
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Atlantis astronaut Andrew Feustel during the first spacewalk Thursday. Image Credit: NASA
Saturday’s spacewalk was smooth sailing as astronauts revived a dead space camera on the Hubble Space Telescope. Sunday’s spacewalk was much more difficult.
On Sunday, astronauts Michael Massimino and Michael Good worked to repair the space telescope imaging spectrograph, or STIS, a device that scans the cosmos for black holes. To replace the malfunctioning circuit board, Massimino had to remove 111 tiny screws in a cover plate on the back of the STIS. But to get to the screws, he had to unbolt a handrail blocking his way. The last bolt wouldn’t move and took more than a hour to finally be freed. Once Massimino started on the screws, his power drill malfunctioned. With all of the problems, the spacewalk took three hours longer than expected, even with cutting some scheduled jobs.
Today, astronauts Andrew Feustel and John Grunsfeld completely the final spacewalk easily, even having the time to complete the projects cut yesterday. Astronauts fitted the final set of replacement batteries and a replacement fine guidance sensor for Hubble. Feustel and Grunsfeld also fitted three new outer Blanket Layers, which protect the external insulation blankets covering the Hubble’s instrument bay doors, finishing the job from yesterday.
