SPACE

[Zoot]

Good night for viewing the ISS and docked Atlantis, but you'll have to be quick!

18:34 in the West, flying across to the SE at 18:39.

Run, run, and don't forget to wave!

[Zoot]

Well - that was a blast. Having been an avid ISS-Shuttle watcher for ages, that was the first time I have ever observed it on a clear night with Astro binoculars.

I could see all the solar arrays, and just how absolutely fucking HUGE it is.

Wow - It gave me a hard-on

[benedictw]

What sort of binoculars are you using?

[Wumpus4x4]

Had a look through a pair of cheap 10x50 binoculars this evening. Even without them you get the impression that you're looking at something with structure, rather then just a dot. Unfortunately I haven't got properly organised with a support for the bins, so the effect of the 10x wobble detracted from the view. Must try harder tomorrow (although this will mean remembering to take the bins to work and remembering when the pass is before leaving, rather than in the the car on the way home).

Other stuff (just) up there: USA 193 due to re-enter anytime now, mind your heads!

BTW, that Armadillo Aerospace story is several months old, there more recent news here: http://www.armadilloaerospace.com/n.x/A ... /Home/News

[Zoot]

What sort of binoculars are you using?

Opticron 15x80

They are huge and heavy, but my wife's head made a great steadier - tripod tomorrow. I could see all the solar arrays - I thought we were seeing the arrays reflected, but the bit we see with the naked eye is just the middle bit, I think - the arrays are VAST.

[Zoot]

Heads-up, peeps.

Atlantis landing today. First opportunity is 09:07 EST. EST is 5 hours behind us, so that makes it 14:07 our time.

Details HERE

While you're there, check out the video of Atlantis doing a flyround the ISS

[Orava]

Those S-curves make the shuttle conveniently avoid the Cuban airspace...

[Istar]

Down, smooth as silk.

[moosedude]

What sort of binoculars are you using?

Opticron 15x80

They are huge and heavy, but my wife's head made a great steadier - tripod tomorrow. I could see all the solar arrays - I thought we were seeing the arrays reflected, but the bit we see with the naked eye is just the middle bit, I think - the arrays are VAST.

nice

Reminds me of the the last big air show I went too, they was some cracking stalls doing lots of deals on binos and teles, if you're going to one its worth bringing a wodge of cash to pick up a bargin.

[moosedude]

Lunar Eclipse early tomorrow morning

[Dio]

While you're there, check out the video of Atlantis doing a flyround the ISS

That really is something rather special - just in the speed that thing looks like it's orbiting. If that's a normal 500km orbital velocity, imagine how Stafford and Cernan must have felt barnstorming the moon at 15km on Apollo 8...

[axel000]

Well next flight up is the Endeavor on March 11th, first part of the Japanese science module.

This will be a 2am EST night time launch if everything goes to plan.


Also, work continues on preparations for the return to moon long range mission, work in progress buggy :

[ElfQrin]

They're late on schedule. This should have been ready and operating 9 years ago:

[teamonkey]

reminds me of this

[axel000]

Funnily enough the concept is pretty similar - carry multiple passengers with easy off and on and easy storage of equipment and stuff. Being in the low lunar gravity sitting isn't really all that needed either and being vertical keeps the upper part of the space suit less exposed to the lunar dust the wheels will be churning up.

Definately past due for moonbase alpha though.