Shuttle Discovery's Final Flight - Today 4:50pm est

[Demo24]

For those that would like to watch it (I've found opening it externally works best):

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html?param=public


Launch blog:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch_blog.html


Discovery has flown 38 flights, completed 5,247 orbits, and has spent 322 days in orbit. Discovery is the orbiter fleet leader, having flown more flights than any other orbiter in the fleet, including four in 1985 alone. Discovery flew all three "return to flight" missions after the Challenger and Columbia disasters: STS-26 in 1986, STS-114 in 2005, and STS-121 in 2006. Discovery is scheduled to fly the second to last space shuttle mission STS-133

• STS-41-D: First flight
• STS-51-D: Carried first incumbent United States member of Congress into space, Senator Jake Garn (R–Utah)
• STS-26: Return to space after Challenger disaster (STS-51-L)
• STS-31: Launch of Hubble Space Telescope
• STS-60: First Russian launched in an American spacecraft (Sergei Krikalev)
• STS-95: Second flight of John Glenn, oldest man in space and third incumbent member of Congress to enter space
• STS-92: The 100th Space Shuttle mission
• STS-114: Return to space after Columbia disaster (STS-107)
• STS-116: First night time launch of a shuttle since the Columbia disaster. Last Shuttle launch from LC-39B
• STS-131: Longest mission for this orbiter

:thumbsup:

 

[NikolaeVarius]

I wish one of these days, they would do a proper space sendoff. Have the astronauts come back on a standard recovery vehicle, and accelerate the shuttle into deep space.

 

[Demo24]

Roughly 15 minutes to go, provided this recent glitch doesn't delay launch

 

[Demo24]

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-hd-tv

HD stream. 3 mins to go!

 

[her209]

Did something just fly off of the shuttle?

 

[herm0016]

i saw it too! what the heck!

 

[herm0016]

it looks like one of the tiles got damaged

 

[NikolaeVarius]

it looks like one of the tiles got damaged

I think they fixed it with a sharpie.

That launch was beautiful as always

 

[Demo24]

Looked like pain flakes to me from the fuel tank. I'm sure we'll know soon if it's anything to worry about

 

[InverseOfNeo]

From what I could tell from watching the launch, and the commentary from that NASA video that was posted a few days ago, I believe it is just paper flakes and is nothing to be worried about. The tiles are much thicker than what I saw coming off the shuttle/tank.

 

[manlymatt83]

I was there, right on the causeway, 5 miles from the launchpad... and saw this guy in person... it was absolutely amazing.

 

[Demo24]

I was there, right on the causeway, 5 miles from the launchpad... and saw this guy in person... it was absolutely amazing.

I'd love to see this. I might see if I can go down and watch one of the next ones.

 

[Linflas]

I was there, right on the causeway, 5 miles from the launchpad... and saw this guy in person... it was absolutely amazing.

I just got back home from watching it yesterday. I was planning on viewing it from Space View Park but ended up at the Max Brewer Causeway which is only a 2 block difference. Absolutely amazing and worth the wasted trip in November to finally see one of these live.

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Linflas/sts-133.jpg

 

[0roo0roo]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...senger-takes-iPhone-footage-plane-window.html

 

[coxmaster]

Watched it while on campus. As always a large group of students went down but everyone that was still on campus went outside for it.

Pretty cool that there are 2 alumnus onboard this flight