Or as Frank Sinatra nearly sang –

And now the end is near and so we face the final countdown

OK enough songs. Sadly after 30 years and 135 missions the final space shuttle launches on Friday. It seems hard to think of the shuttle as anything but modern and the moon landings as anything other than ancient but the commander of the first shuttle mission was John Young the commander of Apollo 16 and the ninth man to walk on the moon. He flew in space as early as the third Gemini mission in 1965 and became the first man to operate a computer in space and later the first man to go to space 6 times.

This mission was a very late addition to the schedule and effectively what NASA has done is filled the shuttle with as much equipment and supplies as it will hold. Most of this is contained in a giant tin can called the Leonardo multi-purpose logistics module which has been used as shipping container on a number of missions. Normally it is removed from the shuttle payload bay at the start of each mission and docked to the station then astronauts spend days removing the contents by hand and stowing them on the International Space Station. The Leonardo module has now been heavily modified so that it can be left docked at the end of this mission and will become a permanent store room for the ISS.

We have become used to shuttle mission going to the ISS and we almost accept now that all it has ever done is literally shuttle back and forth to the station. However it should be remembered that it went to the Russian Mir space station about a dozen times and it also carried out 4 upgrade missions to the Hubble space telescope including the original mission where its crew were able to correct the fault in the lens which had caused all the pictures from Hubble to be blurry. Must be the most expensive optician’s appointment in history. There have also been satellites launched from the payload bay in orbit. NASA has a section on their site that gives details every shuttle mission which is a great source of information for the insomniacs amongst us.

It is well known that 14 astronauts died in the Challenger and Columbia accidents and as well as the personal tragedies these accidents resulted in NASA taking a much more cautious approach which resulted in fewer flights per year than would have happened otherwise. It also meant that the need to build and service the station went from being the main focus of the shuttle program to being almost the only thing on the schedule. Had those accidents not happened it would have been interesting to see what other uses would have been found for the shuttle had it been able to launch a mission a month.

The important information is that the launch is scheduled for 11:26am Eastern / 4:26pm UK. We all know that NASA schedules are written in very lightly in pencil so keep an eye on NASA’s mission page or Spaceflightnow’s mission status page. I realise this post is a bit earlier than previous shuttle posts but I want people to be aware that the launch is happening because if you miss this one you won’t get another chance. I will put comments on this post as the week progresses with any relevant new information.

54 responses

  • Mr C05/07/2011 at 16:36

    I realise this post is a bit earlier than previous shuttle posts but I want people to be aware that the launch is happening because if you miss this one you won’t get another chance. I will put comments on this post as the week progresses with any relevant new information.

    phew, i thought i'd missed it.

  • Mr C05/07/2011 at 17:25

    from the launchpad: http://yfrog.com/gyhm1pgj

    (via @5tu)

  • Steven Roy05/07/2011 at 17:31

    from the launchpad

    Very atmospheric.

    Update

    The official countdown started about an hour and a half ago unfortunately the weather looks 'less than favourable'. Must be bad if they are not prepared to commit to a percentage.

    http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

  • Steven Roy05/07/2011 at 18:08

    NASA have updated that page and are quoting a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms at the launch time.

    http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

  • Bassano05/07/2011 at 18:09

    NASA have updated that page and are quoting a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms at the launch time.

    www.nasa.gov/miss…e/main/index.html

    I thought I'd missed it, was this supposed to happen earlier?

  • Bassano05/07/2011 at 18:10

    I thought I'd missed it, was this supposed to happen earlier?

    Oh Friday! :D

  • Bassano05/07/2011 at 21:01

    Cool pic with shockwave from @Astro_Wheels

    http://twitpic.com/5lot1a

  • Steven Roy06/07/2011 at 17:27

    NASA reporting 30% chance of good weather for Friday's launch. I don't why they don't just put in a 48 hour delay and avoid the whole pantomime but I guess this is as good a training exercise as possible because it is real

    http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

    Cool pic with shockwave from @Astro_Wheels

    http://twitpic.com/5lot1a

    That is the best shockwave pic I have ever seen. Love the shape of the tail in the shockwave

  • Matthew Geer07/07/2011 at 17:24

    You have the payload confused with STS-133; 133 left Leonardo permanently docked at the station. 135 flies with the other MPLM, Raffaello. It won't be left at the the station, as it hasn't been upgraded for long term space flight, and the space station software only really supports one MPLM at a time. (They'll be using some trickery to support both Leonardo and Raffaello next week.) Instead, it will be refilled with cargo bound for Earth, mostly experiment samples and defective equipment needing inspection. That's one of the things we'll be loosing with the shuttle: the ability to return large amounts of material from space.

  • Steven Roy07/07/2011 at 21:26

    The weather still seems determined to get in the way of the final shuttle launch. Still only a 30% chance of it being good.

  • Steven Roy07/07/2011 at 21:27

    Absolutely correct Matthew. I really should not write posts from memory at 4am without checking my facts.

  • The Boston Red Scott08/07/2011 at 11:40

    Shuttle Update: Weather still looks likely to prohibit launch - 70%. (i.e. Only a 30% chance of this thing going up today) http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/ksclive/kscv01.html

  • The Boston Red Scott08/07/2011 at 14:23

    Elmo is at the space shuttle launch

    http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/status.html

  • Christine08/07/2011 at 14:34

    They are saying go on weather now?

  • The Boston Red Scott08/07/2011 at 14:41

    weather is looking promising but I've been in/out of the room so not totally paying attention. Launch is less than one hour. There's a ten minute launch window and NASA goes for the middle of the window - something I don't fully appreciate. I'd aim for the start and give yourself ten minutes instead of five for fixing things.

  • Christine08/07/2011 at 14:43

    They might think that the weather in the middle of the ten minutes will be the bestest, like the eye of a storm.

  • The Boston Red Scott08/07/2011 at 14:44

    If it doesn't launch today, it could be Saturday or Sunday at roughly similar times in the day.

    Source: http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/fdf/135windows.html

  • The Boston Red Scott08/07/2011 at 14:45

    They might think that the weather in the middle of the ten minutes will be the bestest, like the eye of a storm.

    No it's to do with the position of the International Space Station and how much effort it takes to get to it. Essentially at the middle of the window, it's in a perfect position, and a few minutes either side it's close enough to make the trip.

    I'm actually hoping for a delay. I'll be busy at the top of the hour. Hopefully the smartphone will be discreet enough....

  • Janna08/07/2011 at 14:48

    The man on BBC News 24 just illustrated how the shuttle will launch with a blow up model :)

    Now watching CNN

  • The Boston Red Scott08/07/2011 at 14:48

    NASA has confirmed: Still a "GO" for launch at 26 minutes past the hour. If you're new to a shuttle launch - the countdowns can be confusing with all the holds etc. The launch time shouldn't change though. 40 minutes until launch although NASA will probably go down to the final ten minutes before making a final decision on the weather.

  • The Boston Red Scott08/07/2011 at 14:48

    The man on BBC News 24 just illustrated how the shuttle will launch with a blow up model :)

    Didn't they have a video of any of the other launches?!

  • Mr C08/07/2011 at 14:58

    40 minutes until launch although NASA will probably go down to the final ten minutes before making a final decision on the weather.

    oooh, what do you reckon, will it fly today?

  • lou08/07/2011 at 15:12

    So should I be watching CNN or bbc news?

  • Janna08/07/2011 at 15:14

    So should I be watching CNN or bbc news?

    I'm watching CNN, more coverage at the moment

  • Christine08/07/2011 at 15:14

    Aww their radio messages are sad.

  • lou08/07/2011 at 15:15

    I'm watching CNN, more coverage at the moment

    me too, loved that montage too

  • lou08/07/2011 at 15:16

    Aww their radio messages are sad.

    oh?

  • lou08/07/2011 at 15:16

    Go for launch :)

  • Christine08/07/2011 at 15:17

    oh?

    Saying thanks and bye.

  • lou08/07/2011 at 15:18

    Saying thanks and bye.

    Aww

    And yay for CNN saying they aren't gonna talk through it and just let launch control provide us with audio

  • Bassano08/07/2011 at 15:21

    Hi folks

    *waves from rainy Edinburgh*

    Looking forward to the launch

  • Kai in Edinburgh08/07/2011 at 15:21

    Hey gang

  • Adie08/07/2011 at 15:22

    Hello all. Very sad to be watching this :(

    I #BlameSutil for the closure of the Shuttle Programme.

  • lou08/07/2011 at 15:22

    Hey kai and bassano

  • Mr C08/07/2011 at 15:24

    ooooh, lid is lifting.

  • Adie08/07/2011 at 15:25

    Ooo......1 Minute.

  • Kai in Edinburgh08/07/2011 at 15:26

    Wifi here SUCKS. :(

  • Adie08/07/2011 at 15:26

    Boo!

  • Bassano08/07/2011 at 15:26

    Failure of...?

  • Christine08/07/2011 at 15:28

    Failure of...?

    Ground computer to shuttle computer is the only thing I have heard in all the chatter.

  • Mr C08/07/2011 at 15:28

    oooh, go, go, go

  • RG08/07/2011 at 15:29

    A delay 30 secs to go is a bit nervy.

  • Christine08/07/2011 at 15:29

    A delay 30 secs to go is a bit nervy.

    How can it just go after we don't even know what problem!

  • Mr C08/07/2011 at 15:29

    for all their insane precautions.. they just let it go anyhow!

  • lou08/07/2011 at 15:30

    :)

  • Christine08/07/2011 at 15:32

    Awe and then some.

  • Kai in Edinburgh08/07/2011 at 15:32

    WOW.

  • Kai in Edinburgh08/07/2011 at 15:32

    I never tire of that.

  • Mr C08/07/2011 at 15:32

    enjoyed that.

  • lou08/07/2011 at 15:33

    42 hundred miles an hour... just crazy awesome

  • Adie08/07/2011 at 15:38

    I shall now mostly be going for an all you can eat Chinese. See you later SPC!

  • Bassano08/07/2011 at 15:39

    I shall now mostly be going for an all you can eat Chinese. See you later SPC!

    Which part of you is staying? :)

    Enjoy

  • Bassano09/07/2011 at 16:37

    I have a question about the astronauts' sleep. What kind of bed do they have?

    Is it a strapped down arrangement? My ideal scenario would be a snug sleeping bag that has omnidirectional tethering. What's the deal?

    Curious Bassano

  • Steven Roy09/07/2011 at 16:39

    I have a question about the astronauts' sleep. What kind of bed do they have?

    It just looks like a sack they sleep in. They are vertical against the wall but there is no up and down in space