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  STS-117: Atlantis Heads Back to Florida

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Author Topic:   STS-117: Atlantis Heads Back to Florida
Robert Pearlman
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From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 07-01-2007 03:02 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote

Per NASA:

quote:
Early Sunday morning, Space Shuttle Atlantis began its journey back to Kennedy Space Center "piggy-backed" on top of a modified 747 jetliner called the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

The enroute plan includes refueling stops and a stop overnight. The anticipated arrival at the Kennedy Space Center will be no earlier than Monday July 2 with a possibility of arriving Tuesday July 3 if weather conditions are not favorable for a Monday landing.


Lunatiki
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From: Amarillo, TX, USA
Registered: Dec 2006

posted 07-01-2007 03:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lunatiki     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Sadly I received notice too late that the 747 carrying the shuttle back to Florida was going to refuel in Amarillo this morning. Some people who I know did see it and said it was quite a sight.

Joel

Robert Pearlman
Editor

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posted 07-01-2007 03:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I had been hoping that the weather would cooperate with a stop at Ellington, but that wasn't to be.

After stopping in Amarillo, it flew on to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, where its on the ground now.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 07-01-2007 03:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
By the way, you can track its progress live using either FlightAware or Google Earth (the latter via fboweb.com).

Robert Pearlman
Editor

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posted 07-01-2007 03:36 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
One other tidbit: at the controls of the SCA today was Gordon Fullerton.

Lunatiki
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From: Amarillo, TX, USA
Registered: Dec 2006

posted 07-01-2007 04:41 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lunatiki     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Robert, if by chance you run across any photos of it's stop in Amarillo, I'd appreciate you passing them along. Surely our local paper should have some tomorrow and if they do I will post them.


thanks,
Joel

gliderpilotuk
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From: London, UK
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posted 07-01-2007 05:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for gliderpilotuk   Click Here to Email gliderpilotuk     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Flightaware is an amazing resource. It's a pity it only covers a/c under US flight control. I like the following FAQ:
quote:
Can I track NASA's Space Shuttle or other space ships (UFOs, etc) on FlightAware during launch or descent?

No, but that would be rather amusing; the shuttle or UFOs would have to be on an IFR flight plan to be tracked.


An exo-atmospheric IFR flight plan... .coming to you from a Regulator soon.

Paul

Robert Pearlman
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posted 07-01-2007 05:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Lunatiki:
Robert, if by chance you run across any photos of it's stop in Amarillo, I'd appreciate you passing them along.
Amarillo.com has published photos and a video.

Action 3 News out of Nebraska has video of it touching down and taxiing at Offutt AFB.

Lunar rock nut
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From: Oklahoma city, Oklahoma U.S.A.
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 07-01-2007 06:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lunar rock nut   Click Here to Email Lunar rock nut     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It will be interesting to see how they will avoid all of the weather. I just cruised the N.W.S. radar sites and it is very active all across the southeastern states. The N.W.S. also is forecasting 60% chances daily through the 4th along the space coast.

Terry

OV-105
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From: Ridgecrest, CA
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posted 07-01-2007 07:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for OV-105   Click Here to Email OV-105     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Anyone which SCA they are using is it 905 or 911?

Robert Pearlman
Editor

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posted 07-01-2007 08:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
NASA 905 is the SCA carrying Atlantis for this trip back to Florida.

Lunatiki
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From: Amarillo, TX, USA
Registered: Dec 2006

posted 07-01-2007 08:38 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lunatiki     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks Robert. Great images and video. I didn't know that they rarely use commerical airports, but I never really thought about it before. Makes sense.

Joel

mjanovec
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From: Midwest, USA
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posted 07-01-2007 11:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
One other tidbit: at the controls of the SCA today was Gordon Fullerton.

I wonder if Fullerton has some sort of record for the number of times he has "flown" the Shuttle (both inside and outside the shuttle cockpit).

Robert Pearlman
Editor

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From: Houston, TX
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posted 07-02-2007 09:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Update: Atlantis atop the SCA 747 is now on the border of Tennessee and Kentucky at Fort Campbell, having touched down within the past hour.

JD
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posted 07-02-2007 12:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JD   Click Here to Email JD     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
There's real irony in Atlantis landing at Offutt AFB on its return to the Cape after carrying Clay Anderson -- Nebraska's first astronaut -- into space. Offutt isn't far from his hometown of Ashland. First time the shuttle has been at Offutt in 22 years, and it makes its return as part of the very mission that took the local guy into space.
Edited by JD

Ben
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posted 07-02-2007 12:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ben   Click Here to Email Ben     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
They are scheduled to depart Ky at 615am ET and touchdown at KSC at 830am ET tomorrow morning now.

Robert Pearlman
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From: Houston, TX
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posted 07-03-2007 09:11 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Atlantis arrived at the Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida this morning, touching down at 8:27 a.m. EDT. The orbiter, atop its Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) Boeing 747 had departed from Fort Campbell, Kentucky at 6:15 a.m., after having spent a day there waiting for the weather to clear from its path home.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 07-03-2007 10:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote

MarylandSpace
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posted 07-03-2007 11:13 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MarylandSpace   Click Here to Email MarylandSpace     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Beautiful photos Rob from start to finish.

We all appreciate your work and dedication.

Garry

OV-105
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From: Ridgecrest, CA
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posted 07-03-2007 09:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for OV-105   Click Here to Email OV-105     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Always wondered about this how do they get the tail cone back Dryden? Also how many do they have I would think two since there are two SCA's.

Ben
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posted 07-03-2007 10:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ben   Click Here to Email Ben     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The tailcone disassembles into several pieces and is shipped back (on what I'm not sure but I would guess either the SCA itself or possible the pathfinder DC-9).

There are at least two (probably only two) as they have used both at once before, but someone else would have to confirm that.

Ben
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posted 07-03-2007 10:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ben   Click Here to Email Ben     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A quick followup, as I double checked. There are indeed only two tailcones, and apprently they are actually sent back to Dryden by truck.

Moonpaws
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From: Lee's summit, MO
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posted 07-03-2007 10:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Moonpaws   Click Here to Email Moonpaws     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I wonder how dangerous it was for the 747 pilots to release the shuttle on the early tests? Imagine having your tail fin ripped off.

John Youskauskas
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posted 07-04-2007 07:45 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for John Youskauskas     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The large outboard stabilizers were installed for just such an eventuality. They were intended assist with stability under normal conditions, given the uncertainty of the airflow over the tail and rudder with the shuttle attached. If the shuttle were to accidentally damage the tail during separation, the two outboards would provide enough force to keep it flying straight.

The aircraft could fly safely without a rudder...it is probably the only flight control you can live without.

The 747 was trimmed nose down prior to release, while the Enterprise was trimmed nose up, so they would effectively pull apart when the attach bolts were blown, helping to avoid any secondary contact between the two.

Worked great five times!

Blackarrow
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From: Belfast, United Kingdom
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posted 07-04-2007 08:08 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Blackarrow     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It gives me a warm feeling inside seeing these pictures. Having seen Atlantis disappearing rapidly into the Florida sky on 8th June, it's good to know that she's safely back at base. Full circle! That might well have been my one and only shuttle launch viewing, so I hope you American tax-payers won't mind too much if I think of the good ship Atlantis as "my orbiter." Perhaps I'll see her again one day on display at KSC....

capoetc
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From: McKinney TX (USA)
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posted 07-05-2007 07:56 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for capoetc   Click Here to Email capoetc     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by John Youskauskas:
The aircraft could fly safely without a rudder...it is probably the only flight control you can live without.

As long as you don't lose an engine ... then it would get a bit sporty without a rudder.

------------------
John Capobianco
Camden DE

hlbjr
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Posts: 475
From: Delray Beach Florida USA
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posted 07-05-2007 09:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for hlbjr   Click Here to Email hlbjr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Amen John. I've made complete flights (for fun only of course and in light aircraft) using only rudder and elevator trim. Losing a rudder might cause the doctor to work extra hard pulling the seat cushion out of my hind end.

Harvey Brown

tegwilym
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From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
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posted 07-05-2007 10:49 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for tegwilym   Click Here to Email tegwilym     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by hlbjr:
Amen John. I've made complete flights (for fun only of course and in light aircraft) using only rudder and elevator trim. Losing a rudder might cause the doctor to work extra hard pulling the seat cushion out of my hind end.

Harvey Brown


As a flight instructor, I don't know how many times I have told people to use the rudder. The average pilot is a good example of how the rudder isn't needed!
...until nagged by their instructor all the time "Right rudder!" or "Step on the ball".

Heh!

Tom
(Nagging CFI)

John Youskauskas
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posted 07-05-2007 05:19 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for John Youskauskas     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I totally agree with all points made...and I sure wouldn't want to lose an engine at the same time that I had a flight control failure (or departure, in this case).

I was just saying that with all other things being equal, if I had to pick one flight control that I could safely land without the use of, it would be the rudder, assuming of course a lack of considerable crosswind.

Interestingly, a few years back Gordon Fullerton flight tested a MD-11 that had a digital system which converted flight control inputs into engine thrust commands. In the case of a United 211 (Sioux City) type of event, this system would engaged and allow the crew to fly the aircraft without any hydraulic flight controls.

Given the rarity of such an event, and the ability to "engineer out" the flaws that led to it, it's highly unlikely you will see it on airliners anytime soon, but he proved that it could be done.

cspg
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posted 07-08-2007 12:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for cspg   Click Here to Email cspg     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Today's picture (07/08) of Atlantis is rather neat (but not recent):

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

Chris.

Lunatiki
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Posts: 237
From: Amarillo, TX, USA
Registered: Dec 2006

posted 07-31-2007 03:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lunatiki     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Here are some images from the shuttle's recent stop in Amarillo. Some pretty good close-ups. Big pics....
http://marswatch.amaonline.com/shuttle1.jpg http://marswatch.amaonline.com/shuttle2.jpg http://marswatch.amaonline.com/shuttle.jpg http://marswatch.amaonline.com/shuttle3.jpg

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