Progress 47 up and away; Dragon gets ready

Progress 47 on its way to ISS

The unmanned Progress 47 mission blasted off this morning from its Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan. The cargo spacecraft carries two and a half tons of food, fuel and supplies to the ISS. Docking is scheduled for Sunday.

Meanwhile, SpaceX and NASA prepare for the expected April 30 launch of the Falcon rocket with the Dragon spacecraft. This significant launch will see if SpaceX can maintain its testing schedule, and successfully dock with the ISS as the first non-government spacecraft to do so.

 

Posted by Mark Daymont

Space Center Educator

Discovery on its Last Trip Across America

Flying past the VAB in Florida.

Yesterday the shuttle Discovery was carried by its Boeing 747 transporter from Florida to its new home in Washington, D.C. Millions of people across the eastern seaboard of America turned out to watch the giant pair soar low across the cities and towns for one last time together. Discovery's new home will be at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, where it will continue to be seen by millions of future visitors. While their trip in the air started from the 5-mile runway at Cape Canaveral, their adventure started days before in a delicate maneuver to attach the heavy shuttle to the back of the 747.

Discovery and the new Orion at Cape Canaveral.

Before the trip, the shuttle was made safe for viewing and certain parts removed for reuse or storage elsewhere. For example, the three main engines were removed and replaced with perfect replicas. For a short time, Discovery shared the same hangar as the Orion test Capsule, and in the picture above you can see the hand off from the old program to the future program. OK, maybe I'm still reaching.

Once the shuttle was ready, it was moved to the runway where it was hoisted by a giant gantry built just for this purpose. Usually, the shuttle is removed at this location after being flown to Florida from the Edwards AFB in case of a California desert landing. This time, the shuttle was gently hoisted up into the structure.

The hoist is readied for lifting.

Discovery's well-traveled nose.

Windows shuttered and all packaged up, Discovery was lifted up over 5 stories so the 747 would be able to drive underneath. Looking at Discovery's nose, you can still see the effects of the last re-entry through the Earth's atmosphere on its voyage home. I don't know if the Museum will leave it in that condition of restore it to a clean state. Eventually the 747 arrived and moved toward the gantry.

Cometh the Giant.

NASA has two giant 747 aircraft refitted to carry the shuttles. The first one was used in early experiments with USS Enterprise to test the orbiter's flying and landing capabilities. Bit of trivia: One of those Enterprise pilots testing the shuttle landings was astronaut Fred Haise, who survived the incredible Apollo 13 mission with Jim Lovell and Jack Swigert. For this trip, NASA pilots would do all the flying.

Steady... steady...

With the Jumbo Jet in place, the shuttle was gently lowered onto the adapters and secured for the voyage. Yesterday morning the pair lifted off the long runway at Kennedy Space Center. I can envision the highways covered with cars and people applauding and cheering their last view of this great shuttle flying through the air once again.

Last earthly docking of the space ship Discovery.

A more gentle liftoff.

Credit: Justin Ray/SpaceFlight Now

Read more about the shuttle and this trip :

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/120417/

On approach to Dulles International airport at Washington, D.C.

Credit: Clara Moskowitz/Space.com

Read her article on Space.com:

http://www.space.com/15313-shuttle-discovery-smithsonian-arrival-reaction.html

With the shuttle now safely on the ground, it will be towed to its new home at the museum, while we watch re-runs and videos of what once was.

Discovery in orbit with cargo bay doors open and robotic arm extended. Picture from the ISS.

NASA officials, Senator Leahy, and the crew of the 747 SCA

(Shuttle Carrier Aircraft)

By Mark Daymont
Space Center Educator

Two Sides To Every Coin, The Real Spring Break Story

The Space Center’s Maintenance Shed during Maintenance Week AKA spring break

A Testament of Grit and Determination
Written by Jon Parker
Directed by Jon Parker
Starring Jon Parker
Co Starring Megan Warner
And various minor mentions to others

The order was given and the call was made, the space center was closed thus began the week of maintenance. I Jon Parker went to all the the set directors and asked the question I hate most. “What needs to be fixed in your ship?” Some ships were more demanding then others. A list was made and the deadline set. I had to do everything I could in two and a half days. After that I would be disappearing never to be heard of again till the next week. The project seemed daunting however I knew the bigger things could be done with a small amount of ease...or so I thought…

Monday: 10:00
I arrived at the center and had not taken 14 steps into the building before I was working. The schools old benches needed to removed from the hall and put in to Discovery. So with one hand holding a bench and the other hand holding my “95 oz. Gut Buster” (as Mr. Williamson likes to call it) the order was given and so it was done.

10:35
The maintenance ladder that has been missing for sometime now was found in the north server closet. Long has been the feud between the Techs and the Maintenance workers. However an olive brach had been extended after getting all the Magellan computers upgraded. This olive branch allowed for the release of our greatly missed ladder as well as some classified equipment for the Techs. The ladder was tested to be sure it was not too badly beaten and was brought into the Voyager. The Projector mount needed to be installed as fast as possible in order to move on to other projects.

10:40
Despair. The area that the Projector needed to be put in has a metal stud followed by brick, followed by cinderblock and possible granite. This may make drilling impossible.

10:45
Debate. Roger The Janitor urged against the use of the new large projector mount, saying that the new mount could be easily removed from the wall by an accidental act of violence to the new mount.

10:50
The choice was made to not use the new mount and instead use the old mount but move it down in order to get it at a better angle of throw for our tactical screens.

11:30
Arrival at Home depot many of the following projects would require a lot of new equipment the estimated cost was over $150.

12:45
Success! The discovery of a drill bit of deadly cutting ability. This is known due to the fact that their was a picture of Wood, Metal, and Brick on the packaging. It is almost as if the drill bit had been made for exactly this task at hand.

3:30
More Debate. After much more thinking it was decided that we will still use the New Mount and get rid of the old one.

4:00
The old mount was removed and the new one installed. Now what remained were the various holes from the old mount that needed to be patched, sanded, and painted over. Then after that the long task of cleaning would only remain.

5:00
One Project Down, many more to go. The Odyssey’s Front Desk had been Plagued with a large hole at the front of the ship. Causing an ugly bleed of light from the front of the ship. The order was given for it to be fixed and so it was done. However before any of that could be done, Food had to be eaten. Then and only then could the work continue.

8:30
The Odyssey’s light bleeding problem was fixed. With the day over and only two things on the list done it was a very eventful day.

Tuesday 10:00
Arrival. The Phoenix and Discovery had big targets on their backs today. With the Phoenix needing supports for their panels changed, the new shelf being put in, and the rope lights being installed. This was going to be a long day. Not to mention a door getting hung in Discovery.

10:30
The shelf was cut and ready to paint. The task of painting was taken up by Megan. I did not argue with her for that job. As I had far too much to do already.

11:00
Another Journey to Home Depot was made for even more supplies. Estimated cost $30.

11:45
The Door in discovery would prove to be a pain but the order was given so it had to be done.

12:30
Success! The door was Hung with a little help from Megan. After which the quest for food was sought out.

1:30

The quest was a great success, however, their was no rest for the weary the work needed to continue. The shelf would be the Next thing to be done.

2:40
After a great deal of strange “acrobatic” movements, the shelf was installed and a decal was drawn on it to commemorate the great struggle it was to install it….or maybe just to make it look cool. You can decide.

2:45

Next thing On the list was the supports for the two panels at the front of the ship.

3:25
The Supports were done. Now for the most daunting task yet. Replacing the rope lights for the phoenix.
“Are you sure you want to take this on Jon?” Mr. Williamson asked.
“Do you challenge my HONOR?!?” I replied back.
“No Jon, I would never do that, I was wondering if you would like to wait for some help….”
“HELP? I don’t need help, I can do it myself”
“Very well, Good luck”
Mr. Williamson quickly made an exit out of the building in order to escape another confrontation with me.

3:30

The task began, and the floor was removed. The old rope lights were removed to make room for the new rope lighting.


4:25

Despair. The large metal panels on the two sides of the ship are impossible to remove from the ship due to the chairs that are welded in place. A makeshift Metal plate tent was made in order to access the rope lights. However their is not a lot of room to do anything as seen below.

6:15

Great despair. The Center’s Hammer drill named Mikita dies, its great liuthiuthm battery has died, and as we all know. With great power comes with a great recharge time. The spare drill was retrieved and put to work. The large downside to this drill is that it is about one and a half times as big and twice as heavy. How ever desperate times call for desperate measures.

6:25
Great success! The loss of the Mikita is softened by the new lights being plugged in. Their light shines through all the land and causes great rejoicing. A new sense hope and resolve is born.

7:00

Dinner Arrives. Pizza is given to all the others here out of the generosity of me. After dinner a call to Mr. Williamson is made.
“Leaving already? Mr. Williamson said
“Nope, we are here till the bitter end. The alarm comes on at 11 right?” I asked to be sure.
“...Yes...it does.” Mr. Williamson had a large sense of fear in his voice.
“Okay, we will be out by 10:45 then.”
“You better Jon.”
“Don’t worry we will clean up at 10:30 so we can be out at 10:45”
“Good idea, alrighty, See you tomorrow”

7:30 ~ 3 hours till deadline
Back to work. The rope lights were having trouble getting through the floor boards. The biggest problem we were having was getting the lights from under the operations station to the first officers station. I would describe the task as trying to thread a needle blindfolded while skydiving. One of our greatest problems was trying to avoid sitting on two land mines that were placed under the floor. Here you see megan getting dangerously close to them.

8:30 ~ 2.5 Hours till deadline.

The land mines were defused and removed from the area for safe use of a Jigsaw to make a hole larger so that we could hopefully breach the third wall out of the camp...I mean the Phoenix.

9:30 ~ 1 hour till deadline
Despair. Great. Great. Despair. The battery for the backup drill has died, and all hopes for getting the rope lights through the hole we cut.

9:45 ~ 45 Minutes till deadline.
Hope. The lights have made it across the bridge and there is hope once again.

10:00 ~ 30 Minutes till deadline.
GREAT SUCCESS!!!! It has been discovered that our educated guess was in fact a perfect guess. The new lights will end right where they need to without any pulling or prying.

10:33 ~ 12 Minutes till Deadline

The rope lights are finished and the ship is cleaned as fast as possible for the finishing touches tomorrow.

Wednesday 11:23
The ship is clean and new lights look amazing.

All the big projects and few small ones were done as fast as possible much to Mr. Williamson’s surprise. “Good job Jon” was herd all over the center as Mr. Williamson and Dave entered to look about at the wonders and transformations over the break. “How did you do it Jon? How do you do such a good job” Mr. Williamson asked. I simply replied. “The order was given, and so it was done.”