* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: STS-116 mission

Blobrana · L

Winds at Edwards are still RED.

Blobrana · L

Commander Mark Polansky and his crew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery will complete their 13-day mission to the International Space Station Friday, Dec. 22. NASA will choose one of three potential landing sites based on weather conditions.

The different shuttle landing opportunities are (all times Eastern):
--Kennedy Space Centre, Fla.: 3:56 p.m. or 5:32 p.m.
--Edwards Air Force Base, Calif: 5:27 p.m., 7 p.m. or 8:36 p.m.
--White Sands Space Harbour, N.M.: 5:27 p.m. or 7:02 p.m.

Two hours after landing NASA officials will hold a briefing to discuss the STS-116 mission. The participants are:
--NASA Administrator Michael Griffin
--Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier
--NASA Launch Director Mike Leinbach

A news conference with Discovery's crew will depend on the landing site and time. For information on landing day.

Source

Blobrana · L

Winds at Edwards are becoming more favourable.

STS116 fluid loading begun.

Blobrana · L

Landing at the Kennedy Space Centre originally was targeted for 3:56 p.m. (EST) The next landing opportunities are around 5:30 p.m. at Edwards, White Sands or Kennedy. A final set of opportunities is available around 7 p.m. at Edwards and White Sands.

Blobrana · L

The weather at the Kennedy Space Centre, Fla., and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., primary landing sites will be marginal, but weather at the Northrup strip at White Sands Space Harbour, N.M., will be ideal.
The decision process on where to land Discovery will increase the complexity and workload of the Johnson Space Centre Space Flight Meteorology Group and JSC Mission Control team for re-entry, headed by flight director Norm Knight.
The shuttle and station sides of the JSC control centre also had to deal with the most intensive engineering analysis yet of an in-orbit station problem, when the port side of the ISS top mounted P6 array failed initially to retract properly.

Read more

Blobrana · L

Currently the weather is RED at the Edwards Air Force Base because of high winds

Blobrana · L

TIG will be for Edwards Air Force Base

Blobrana · L

The official word is that the weather over Florida is too unstable for a landing.

Blobrana · L

Landing 2 hours 5 minutes away.

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