We know how many of you found our blog due to our pretty comprehensive (if we say so ourselves!) coverage of NASA’s STS-134 mission, so we had to share this beautifully put together video with you.
It serves as good as any tribute to Endeavour as you are likely to see, in an emotionally stirring and awe inspiring showcase of human ingenuity.
To us, a lot of the images you’ll see are virtually art. Shots that capture the grace and beauty of the orbiter along with the intense savagery and power expelled in sending the craft into space during ascent.
It remembers all the STS missions Endeavour has undertaken, and has a musical score that perfectly intensifies the images. We love it!
Farewell Endeavour, it’s been a pleasure watching you go where most of us can only dream of!
In March mattelk posted a video of footage shot from the SRB’s (Solid Rocket Boosters) during STS-133 Discovery’s launch in February. Today NASA Television on YouTube has released a similar video of footage filmed during STS-134 Endeavour’s launch on 16th May, which follows each SRB (from different angles) from launch right up until splashdown.
Some of these shots are truly amazing, and well worth half an hour of your time to see.
What is particularly interesting in the case of this video is the damage you can see occur to at least one of the shuttle’s heat tiles (at 28 minutes 15 seconds) which initially caused concern for NASA’s Mission Management team.
Seen to suddenly appear as a small white gouge in the launch video, the tile in question is actually noted in the image below as 600_1-001. All damaged tiles were eventually cleared as safe for re-entry with no repairs required.
Tile marked 600_1-001 above can be seen being damaged in the video (28m15s) - Credit: NASA
Endeavour is scheduled to undock from the ISS on Sunday 29th May at 23:53 EDT (03:53 GMT/ 04:53 BST) with landing expected at Kennedy Space Centre at 02:32 EDT (06:32 GMT/ 07:32 BST) Wednesday 1st June, bringing to an end her last ever flight. Both undocking and landing events will be featured here via NASA TV!
STS-135 Atlantis will fly the last ever shuttle mission with a current launch target of 8th July, before all 3 remaining shuttles are moved to permanent display in museums.
At 04:30 ET (08:30 GMT/09:30 BST) Endeavour’s crew finished a focused inspection of the shuttle’s heat shield, after thermal tile damage was spotted when the orbiter performed it’s “back-flip” manoeuvre on approach to docking on Wednesday.
Endeavour during "back-flip" manoeuvre (Click to supersize) - Credit: NASA
This “focused inspection” took three up-close images of the damaged tile and two data-takes using the laser on the Orbiter Boom Sensor System, giving a three-dimensional understanding of the damage area.
The data gathered will be closely compared to similar damage seen on STS-118 which was eventually cleared for re-entry with no repairs needed, and at present it is expected this newly gathered imagery will allow the MMT (Mission Management Team) to clear Endeavour in much the same way.
Endeavour’s flight crew have started their first EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) or “spacewalk”, with initial activity focusing on MISSE experiment swap outs and ammonia jumper line installations (watch the NASA TV feed below for live footage and repeats). Three further “spacewalks” are planned.
Meanwhile, engineers part of the Mission Management Team (MMT) at ground control are pouring over the images taken during Endeavour’s “back-flip” manoeuvre on approach to docking, which had earlier identified debris impact areas on Endeavour’s heat shield tiles. In yesterday’s MMT briefing NASA confirmed that 5 of the 7 damaged tiles had been cleared, but one area of tile damage in particular might require a “focused inspection”.
Tile damage on STS-134 – Credit: NASA
Tile damage on STS-118 – Credit: NASA
By comparing damage seen on STS-118 (also Endeavour) they are hoping to be able to clear all damaged tiles without need for repair.
Further updates will be posted as and when we hear them!
NASA has confirmed that high resolution photos taken during Endeavour’s “back-flip” on approach to docking with the ISS yesterday have shown areas where heat shield tiles appear to have been damaged during launch.
There are seven tiles that seem to have been gouged or scraped, starting at the right main landing gear door and running in a rough line back to the right-side inboard elevon.
Credit: NASA
NASA’s Mission Management Team said three “areas of interest” may require an additional focused inspection on Saturday to collect more data. The procedure of closely inspecting the shuttle’s thermal protection tiles became routine in the wake of the 2003 Columbia disaster.
Tile repair tools became standard kit after that tragedy to allow shuttle crews to fill in potentially dangerous gouges and other types of damage, but NASA will not order a repair unless absolutely necessary for fear any additional damage could result.
Until further inspection is carried out NASA won’t speculate on what repairs, if any, might be required for Endeavour.
High Resolution view of Endeavour's starboard wing - Credit: NASA
As an example of just how much detail the station crew can photograph from 600 feet (180 meters) away, click on the pic above to enlarge! (NASA Image of the Day)
