Magellan Death Time. Magellan Gets a New Main Viewer - It's Back to the Future. Space News. The Imaginarium.

Death Time on the Magellan and the Magellan Gets a New Main Viewer

Have you ever wondered what the CMSEC Magellan simulator's staff and volunteers do when the crew are given death time?

This image was captured by our roving Troubadour reported several days ago.  I was on the bridge examining the Magellan's new main viewer during the crew's death time.  When I returned to the Discovery Room, I found the staff and volunteers celebrating the short break in their own way. Andrew was passed out on the floor. The poor guy is overworked and underfed. Scott had the strength to push himself around in the wheely chair but nothing else. The other volunteers had a bit more energy. 

Andrew was the bravest of all. Who else would have the guts to lay down on the job with Jon Parker as the flight director?   

It's Back to the Future for the Magellan. The Simulator has a New TV for a Main Viewer

The Magellan opened many years ago with a large screen TV for a main viewer. Of course, back then all large screen TV's were rear view projector TV's.  You see the original main viewer behind me in the photo below. It stood out a good 36 inches or so from the wall.  It was mammoth. 

The simulator switched to a projector TV when it was remodeled to the present ship. Last Saturday the Magellan made the switch back to a large screen 70 inch main viewer.  

It has a beautiful picture. Our Voyager Club long duration mission crews have all commented on the size and brightness.  Well done Space Center.
  
Meanwhile in the Odyssey.......

Odyssey Set Director Tabitha couldn't let the Magellan get something new and the Odyssey not. While Mr. Porter and staff were installing the new Magellan TV, Tabitha and her trusty flight director Natalie spent their Saturday morning installing some new cool lights in the Odyssey.  The Space Center is always improving - always looking for ways to make your visits more enjoyable.  

Mr. W.

Space and Science News

by Mark Daymont
Spacerubble.blogspot.com

Expedition 45 Returns to Earth

The crew of Expedition 45 preparing to board their return flight. From L-R: Astronaut Kjell Lindgren (NASA), cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko (Roscosmos), and astronaut Kimiya Yui (JAXA).

After 141 days in space, part of the Expedition 45 crew on the ISS boarded their Soyuz space craft and undocked from the station at 2:49 am Mountain Time. For Soyuz commander Oleg Kononenko, it completes his third mission in space, giving him a total of 553 days in orbit. For the other two astronauts it completes their first missions.

A view inside the crew module (located between the service module and the science module). The hatch is in the bottom of the picture. Very crowded conditions in the Russian spacecraft.

Picture of the TMA-17M Soyuz spacecraft thrusting back from its docking port. Another spacecraft remains docked to the station in case the remaining three ISS members need to evacuate.

Procedures for de-orbiting and descent of the Soyuz crew module.

The crew completed the braking firing of the engine at 5: 23 am Mountain Time. Touchdown was at 6:12 am Mountain time, which was 7: 12 pm in Kazakhstan. Rescue crews quickly arrived and helped the crew out of the capsule and into helicopters for the ride back to base. It was the first time a Soyuz crew from the station has landed after sunset.

With the departure of the Expedition 45 crew, Mike Kelly on the ISS remains as commander, but now leads Expedition 46. Three more Expedition 46 crew are expected to arrive on December 15.

The Imaginarium