Space shuttle Atlantis heads for Florida landing (Reuters) | Learn …
Reuters – Astronauts aboard space shuttle Atlantis fired their ships braking rockets on Friday to leave orbit and begin an hour-long glide to Earth, the last leg of an 11-day mission to the International Space Station.

Shuttle Landing: Atlantis Astronauts Back On Earth
Space shuttle Atlantis and its seven astronauts returned to Earth with a smooth touchdown Friday to end an 11-day flight that resupplied the International Space Station. With bright sunlight glinting off it, the shuttle swooped through …

Space shuttle Atlantis heads for Florida landing – Reuters | Buzz …
Author: SciTech – Google News | Categories: Entertainment, Tech | Posted: 27 November, 2009.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Heads For Morning Landing – Technology News …
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space shuttle Atlantis and seven astronauts are on their way home. Friday, November 27, 2009.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Is Back At Kennedy Space Center | AVIATION-NEWS
Space shuttle Atlantis has landed at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The STS-129 mission that included three spacewalks and more than six days at the.

Space shuttle Atlantis aims for morning landing (AP) | Daily News Blog
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Space shuttle Atlantis is headed for a landing, weather permitting. The shuttles seven astronauts.

Space shuttle Atlantis heads for Florida landing | Buzz Newsroom
Author: Reuters Top News | Categories: Entertainment, News | Posted: 27 November, 2009.

Space shuttle Atlantis aims for morning landing – Technology …
(AP) — Space shuttle Atlantis looks to be headed for an on-time landing.

Space shuttle Atlantis aims for morning landing – Breaking News …
Space shuttle Atlantis is headed for a landing, weather permitting.

Where can I find a step by step description of what the space shuttle does to leave its orbit & land on earth?

the Space Shuttle, why does it take from Florida but lands in California after it s mission is complete?
I ve got a geography essay and we have to write a story about our own journey to the centre of the earth. Usually I would think this would be fun but we have to add geographical facts about the earth s core and that. We watched a movie called The Core and we were allowed to take some ideas from the film and put them into our essay. I looked up the film on wikipedia and looked at the plot and it said: When 32 people in Boston mysteriously drop dead, scientists Dr. Josh Keyes (Aaron Eckhart) and Serge Leveque are called in to investigate, and they discover they all had pacemakers which obviously ceased to work. A while later, flocks of pigeons in London s Trafalgar Square lose their ability to navigate, crashing into buildings, people and cars, and the Space Shuttle Endeavour is forced to crash-land because of unknown failure. After these events, scientists, led by Keyes and Conrad Zimsky (Stanley Tucci), discover that the Earth s molten core is slowly coming to a stop; without its rotation, the electromagnetic field will disappear, exposing the surface to the unfiltered solar radiation and will incinerate anything or anyone exposed to it. I don t understand how the core of the Earth would affect pigeons and pacemakers. Can somebody please give me a simple explanation? Sorry it s a bit lengthy.

I don t understand how this works? Please read this !?
Just wondering if there are any laws preventing me from doing space travel. I.e would i be breaking any laws if somehow I managed to create my own space shuttle and just flew out into space. Also are there any laws against damaging other planets? So if i landed on one and set off a couple of A bombs then came back to earth would I get put in jail? Its a weird and very pointless question I know but i was just wondering.

Laws about space travel?
I m building my very own Hot Air Balloon and when it s complete, I ll continuously apply as much hot air as necessary till I find myself in Space. I thought I don t have the resources and the time to become a professional astronaut and join NASA, and, most importantly, why does NASA spend billions of dollars building “Discovery” shuttle and launching it into Space, when I can actually fly to Space from my very own garden in London without asking for anyone s permission? I just want to make sure it s legal and I m not arrested by the police once I descent back to Earth. I want to go into the thermosphere (600 km. above Earth) and spend there a few hours and watch our blue planet from high above, and then come back to Earth. I know that the ascent will be very easy, as I use Hot Air Balloons all the time. It s very simple: raising the air temperature inside the envelope makes it lighter than the surrounding (ambient) air. The balloon floats because of the buoyant force exerted on it. This force is the same force that acts on objects when they are in water and is described by Archimedes principle. So, I ve calculated that by continuously going up and up, I will enter Space in about 2 hour s time. My primary concern is this: is there any law which regulates the traffic up there in Space? What if my balloon interferes with the satellites or ISS (International Space Station)? Can the authorities on Earth later on prosecute me for “reckless driving” (or “reckless flying”, as the case may be) ??? Also, since my departure point is London, England, and our planet rotates, is it possible, that once I start my descend, I ll land in some entirely different country, and can I be prosecuted for this?

Travelling to Space in a Hot-Air Balloon?
I m building my very own Hot Air Balloon and when it s complete, I ll continuously apply as much hot air as necessary till I find myself in Space. I thought I don t have the resources and the time to become a professional astronaut and join NASA, and, most importantly, why does NASA spend billions of dollars building “Discovery” shuttle and launching it into Space, when I can actually fly to Space from my very own garden in London without asking for anyone s permission? I just want to make sure it s legal and I m not arrested by the police once I descent back to Earth. I want to go into the thermosphere (600 km. above Earth) and spend there a few hours and watch our blue planet from high above, and then come back to Earth. I know that the ascent will be very easy, as I use Hot Air Balloons all the time. It s very simple: raising the air temperature inside the envelope makes it lighter than the surrounding (ambient) air. The balloon floats because of the buoyant force exerted on it. This force is the same force that acts on objects when they are in water and is described by Archimedes principle. So, I ve calculated that by continuously going up and up, I will enter Space in about 2 hour s time. My primary concern is this: is there any law which regulates the traffic up there in Space? What if my balloon interferes with the satellites or ISS (International Space Station)? Can the authorities on Earth later on prosecute me for “reckless driving” (or “reckless flying”, as the case may be) ??? Also, since my departure point is London, England, and our planet rotates, is it possible, that once I start my descend, I ll land in some entirely different country, and can I be prosecuted for this?

Can I Travel to Space and Back in a Hot Air Balloon?
Does anyone specialise in Space Law? I m building my very own Hot Air Balloon and when it s complete, I ll continuously apply as much hot air as necessary till I find myself in Space. I thought I don t have the resources and the time to become a professional astronaut and join NASA, and, most importantly, why does NASA spend billions of dollars building “Discovery” shuttle and launching it into Space, when I can actually fly to Space from my very own garden in London without asking for anyone s permission? I just want to make sure it s legal and I m not arrested by the police once I descent back to Earth. I want to go into the thermosphere (600 km. above Earth) and spend there a few hours and watch our blue planet from high above, and then come back to Earth. I know that the ascent will be very easy, as I use Hot Air Balloons all the time. It s very simple: raising the air temperature inside the envelope makes it lighter than the surrounding (ambient) air. The balloon floats because of the buoyant force exerted on it. This force is the same force that acts on objects when they are in water and is described by Archimedes principle. So, I ve calculated that by continuously going up and up, I will enter Space in about 2 hour s time. My primary concern is this: is there any law which regulates the traffic up there in Space? What if my balloon interferes with the satellites or ISS (International Space Station)? Can the authorities on Earth later on prosecute me for “reckless driving” (or “reckless flying”, as the case may be) ??? Also, since my departure point is London, England, and our planet rotates, is it possible, that once I start my descend, I ll land in some entirely different country, and can I be prosecuted for this?My balloon is stronger than the winds which I ll have to encounter. I ve got a very advanced hot-air injector which will blow air so rapidly into the “envelope”, that no wind could ever change my direction. I ve already sent my teddy-bear into Space in a similar hot-air balloon (unmanned, obviously). The only way for him (i.e. my teddy-bear) was up and up.

Is it Legal to Build My Own Hot Air Balloon?
1.)write 625 using exponents in many ways as you can 2.)the afican bush elephant is the largest land animal and eights about 8 tons.write this amount in expontial form 3.)SPACE SHUTTLE the cost of each flight of the space is about $10,000,000.write the amount in expontial form. 4.)many prefixes are used in mathmetics and science.the prefix giga in gigameter represents 1,000,000,000 meters. write this as a power of ten

some one give me these anwsers plz before the night is over plzzz?
On August 20, 1975 NASA launched Viking 1 into space in hopes of reaching the surface of Mars. This was one of a two identical spacecraft that had the purpose of successfully taking pictures, conducting biological experiments on the soil and atmosphere, and then returning that data back to Earth. The second, identical spacecraft, was shot off September 9, 1975.(1) The two orbited the planet looking for the perfect place to land. Vikings1 &2 were identical spacecrafts each consisting of an orbiter and a lander. The lander was to break away from the orbiter and land on the surface. It would then take pictures and conduct experiments on the soil.(2) It would then transmit the images and data back to the orbiter. The orbiter also had the job of transmitting all the information back to NASA. The firs images were transmitted 25 seconds after the shuttle landed. (2) The Viking shuttles, also conducted experiments to look for signs of life. Although The two landed successfully in different locations on the planet. Here they would stay transmitting images for seven years. They transmitted over 1400 images of the surface. They unsuccessful in finding traces of life on the red planet, but gave valuable information about the physical and atmospheric conditions on the surface.(3) Sources: 1. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/viking.html 2. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/masterCatalog.do?sc=1975-075C 3. http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/viking.htm

What do you think of my diction question it is about viking 1 and 2~for class?

how does a space shuttle land?
Did anyone feel the sonic Boom from the Space Shuttle Discovery landing in Southern California???

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Da hat wohl der Besuch in den USA einen besonderen Eindruck bei der Freidenkerin hinterlassen.

Heute kam auch ihre Karte an. Vielen Dank liebe M. für den Gruß vom Kennedy Space Center.

At the NASA tweet-up down at the Kennedy Space Center for the STS-129 launch a reporter asked me a question that really threw me. Here, a week later, I’m still thinking about it. He asked:

“Do you think bringing tweeters here gives NASA hope for the future.”

NASA Tweeps Photo Credit: NASA/Carla Cioffi

Hope for the future? Really?

Why wouldn’t we have hope for the future? With or without Twitter in the mix?

What’s not to hope for?

Now, I get all the doom and gloom reporting about job losses with the end of the Space Shuttle program, and threats of budget cuts. Yes, the job losses are real. Yes, they are heartbreaking AND very frightening for those whose jobs are at stake. Yes, we’ll probably take some budget hits from the White House and Congress. We are, after all, in a squeezed economy…though we see signs of recovery. But none of this is new. We’ve faced all this before.

But, hope for the future? I simply can’t conceive the reverse.

We have a universe of questions out there to find answers to. We, as humans, are curious creatures. We’ll find ways to get the answers. It may or may not look like someone’s pet project. It may or may not fit on today’s calendar. Or even tomorrow’s.

But we, as a human race, WILL GO FORWARD. We will seek answers beyond our planetary borders.

NASA will play a role. What that role will be is determined by the President and Congress. That’s the way this works. But we’ll be a player, none-the-less. We’ll shape the debate. We’ll craft the solutions.

Again, what’s not to hope for?

Maybe what we need more than hope is to work harder to ignite that spark of passion in young and old alike to:

• ask big questions,
• never accept the easy answer,
• stretch beyond even our wildest dreams.

Oh we have much to hope for! Humanity has many problems yet to solve. But some of us can’t sleep until we bridge the gap between imagination and reality. And, you know what? It’s not about you and me…or what we may want out of this life — fame, fortune, power, or simply survival.

Hope is about a better tomorrow…for all of humanity.

So the real question may be: what role will NASA and the international space community play in the future? (A HUGE one, I hope!) And, how can you and I take steps to get us there?

If you ask me, I want to: Be the hope! Be the change!

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Gandhi

Cross post on OpenNASA.

]]> http://bethbeck.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/why-twitter-why-now-why-not/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:46:49 +0000 bethbeck http://bethbeck.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/why-twitter-why-now-why-not/

I’m still processing conversations from the STS-129 Launch Tweet-Up at the Kennedy Space Center on Sunday and Monday. Because we spent launch day at the press site, I crossed paths with a number of veteran reporters and cameramen — yes, most were men.

They found it “amusing” — to say the least — that we wanted to host a group of “twits.” Ar Ar Ar Ar. Think loud belly laughs and shared nods. (A modern version of their reaction would be fist-bumps.) We prefer the word, tweeps, thank you.

Here’s one common question: “What can you possibly say in 140 characters?”

My answer: A few well chosen words speak volumes. What about:

I love you.

You’re fired.

Thank you.

You’re free to go.

I’m pregnant. (I’m not. Just so you know.)

Here are a few words I tweet often. Reality check on our industry. We’ve been reluctant to let others see us sweat. So. I like to remind the twitterverse:

Space is HARD! We make it look easy.

But noone can tweet it better than @Astro_Mike Massimino, who is eloquent in his 140 character essays on life in space.

@Astro_Mike's tweet from orbit

My point is simply this: 140 characters, crafted thoughtfully, can be life-changing. We, in the government AND media, are wedded to our wordiness. (Just look at some of the titles on our business cards.) We ensure nothing is left open to interpretation. We want the “last word” to close out the argument.

Twitter invites a conversation. Free form. No boundaries.

Is free-flowing conversation a risk? Sure. Isn’t it always? But, I think we call that democracy. Right? Freedom of speech? Twitter simply makes it global. And how cool is that!

Follow the living, breathing NASA STS-129 Tweet-Up conversation.

BTW, you can help @Astro_Mike win TWEET of the YEAR for his first tweet from space in Mashable’s Open Web Awards. Vote & vote often!

Cross post on GovLoop.

Am Sonntag, einen Tag vor dem Start der Weltraumfähre Atlantis waren wir zu Besuch im Kennedy Space Center.

Als Kind waren die Space Shuttle Starts für mich immer das größte. Es war immer schon mein Wunsch gewesen einmal dorthin zu fahren. Diese Erwartungshaltung konnte ich mit Soni nicht ganz teilen, aber sie ist dann trotzdem ohne zu murren mitgekommen. Am Ende des Tages hat es ihr auch ganz gut gefallen.

Auf dem riesigen Gelände wird man in Bussen von einer Station zur anderen gefahren. Man macht also eine Art Rundtour.

Am ersten Halt hat man eine Super Rundumsicht über das Gelände. Im Hintergrund sieht man die Abschußrampe A, von der am nächsten Tag das Space Shuttle Atlantis abheben wird.

Auf riesigen Shuttle Movern wird das Space Shuttle von dem VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building), in dem das Shuttle zusammengebaut wird, zur Abschußrampe gefahren.

Die zweite Station ist eine Austellung zur Apollo Mission. Im Original !!! Control-Center der Apollo Mission wird ein Film gezeigt. Anschließend sieht man die riesige Apollo Rakete. Ich dachte bisher unsere Pressen sind groß, aber die Apollo Rakete ist noch einiges größer.

Zum Schluß geht es zur Fertigung der ISS Teile, die von den Shuttle ins All befördert werden. Hinter Glasscheiben kann man in den Reinraum sehen, wo die Teile zusammengebaut werden.

Am Ende der Tour gelangt man ins Visitor Center in dem ein IMAX-Film gezeigt, ein Shuttle bestiegen, ein Rakten-Garten zu bestaunen und eine Shuttle Start Simulation mitgemacht werden kann. Alles very impressive.

Auch wenn die Amerikaner vielleicht nicht auf dem Mond waren – die Ausstellungstücke sind ziemlich cool. Für mich ist es immer noch faszinierend wie die Amerikaner mit der Technik der 60er Jahre auf den Mond geflogen sein sollen. Das waren auf jeden Fall noch richtige Helden.

Das ganze Gebiet ist ein Naturschutzgebiet. Es gibt überall zig Alligatoren und Schildkröten. Natürlich gib es auch unzählige Vögel. Wir haben auch ein paar wild lebende Schweine gesehen.

Da das Einfügen der Fotos immer recht langwierig ist gibt es heute eine Fotogalerie:

Soni und ich waren die letzten 4 Tage in Orlando. Orlando stand natürlich sowieso auf unserem Programm da sich dort die Disney und Universal Parks befinden.

An diesem Montag war zusätzlich am Kennedy Space Center, eine Autostunde östlich von Orlando, der Start der Weltraumfähre Atlantis geplant. Ich hatte immer schon davon geträumt den Start einer Weltraumfähre live mitzuerleben. Also habe ich für Soni’s Schule am Montag eine Entschuldigung geschrieben und wir sind am letzten Donnerstag Abend nach Orlando gefahren. Soni hat Freitags immer frei.

Ich berichte zuerst vom Atlantis Start, da dieses Ereignis auch überall in den Medien in Deutschland war.

Das Kennedy Space Center liegt auf einer vorgelagerten Insel . Am Tag des Shuttle Launchs kommen nur Personen mit besonderen VIP oder gekauften Tickets auf die Insel. Der Rest muss sich den Start vom Festland anschauen.

Wir haben dann als Location das Astronaut Hall of Fame ausgesucht. Das ist ein Museum für die Helden der Raumfahrt das sich in Sichtweite der Abschußrampe befindet.

Draußen war eine Leinwand mit Bühne aufgebaut und man konnte sich Hotdogs und sonstigen Kram kaufen.

Ein richtiger Austronaut (habe den Namen leider vergessen) hat auf der Bühne den Ablauf des Countdowns und des Starts genau erklärt. Das war wirklich interessant. Die Amis mussten ihn natürlich als richtigen Helden vorstellen. Er hat über 400 Missionen in Vietnam geflogen, zig Flugzeuge getestet, ist zwei Mal mit dem Space Shuttle im All gewesen und er ist sowieso einer der besten Astronauten ever. Aber das was er erzählt hatte war tatsächlich informativ und kurzweilig.

Die Leinwand war klasse. Man bekam tolle Bilder und im Hintergrund ertönte die Stimme vom Mission Control Center. Das war richtig spannend.

Vor lauter Aufregung waren meine Haare völlig durcheinander:

Der Start selbst war für 14:28 geplant. Diese Zeit wurde wegen den guten Wetterbedingungen und keinen technischen Problemen auch eingehalten. Die Fähre ist dann ziemlich pünktlich gestart.

Wir hatten leider zu spät gemerkt, dass wir immer auf die falsche Abschußrampe geschaut hatten. Die befand sich nämlich hinter dem weißen Plakat.  Wir (und auch viele andere) hatten immer die Abschußrampe B angeschaut, die sich links daneben befindet. War aber nicht so schlimm. Auch die Bilder des in den Himmel schießenden Shuttles waren atemberaubend.

Auf der Insel gibt es für die Angehörigen der Astronauten, für VIP Gäste und gut zahlende Gäste auch eine Tribüne. Diese sieht man immer im Fernsehen. Dort ist auch die Countdown-Clock zu sehen. Der Abstand ist von dort nur wenige Meilen. Dann bekommt man auch solche Bilder hin:

Bildquelle: Wikipedia

Alles in allem war es ein tolles Erlebnis. Auch wenn die Sicht eher beschränkt war, konnte man den Start auch aus der Ferne gut miterleben.

Bei YouTube habe ich dieses Video vom Start der Atlantis (STS129)  gefunden:

Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center on this afternoon at 2:28 PM.  It was a gorgeous day!  I delayed nap time so we could go to the beach to watch the launch.  There won’t be many more to enjoy so we need to catch them while we can.

Although we can see the shuttle from our house we went to the beach for the unobstructed view.  On a very clear day (not today, unfortunately), if you squint and lean, you can make out the launch pad at the Cape.  It’s pretty amazing to live this close to KSC.

So, around 2PM we headed over to the beach.  Cousin B came with us too.

The boys enjoyed running around on the beach, collecting shells and getting sandy from head to toe while we waited for lift off.   Wildman got so sandy and wet that I made him remove his jeans before getting back into my car.  He thought it was pretty awesome to ride home in his underwear.

Boys!

The launch went off without a hitch.  There were a bunch of people there to witness it including Wildman’s preschool friend.

Now that we’re back home, the boys are completely wiped out.  I’m looking forward to catching a little nap myself.

Veja ASIMO, o robô humanóide da Honda, neste vídeo dançando na frente de uma multidão  no Kennedy Space Center, além de correndo à 6Km/h e subindo e descendo escadas ♥

Video em INGLÊS

This may be a controversial opinion, or it may not. I’m never exactly sure  what gets people riled up these days.

Anyway, so I was walking around Kennedy Space Center with my family Wednesday, and was amazed like everyone else at some neat stuff: Actual rocket boosters on display, lifelike re-creations of some space missions, all that great history and record of achievement.

And I got to thinking, not for the first time, about why we spend so much money exploring outer space.

Look, I get the usual arguments: All that exploring and discovery makes life better here on Earth, every society has to constantly look forward to evolve, yada yada yada.

But did you know the NASA budget for 2009 was $17.2 billion, all from the federal government? Seventeen billion dollars. You know how many hungry people can be fed for that much? Do you know how many roads fixed, bridges built, and sick people cared for that money can provide?

I know NASA’s important, and outer space is cool, and that 17.2 billion in the federal budget is barely a drop in the ole’ bucket. But is it really more important than solving our current problems?

I don’t think so. But here’s someone who disagrees with me.

*** So this is just so utterly perfect. My good friend Steve Master, a heck of a writer and all-around good guy, alerted me to this. Apparently the Republican National Committee, as staunch a foe of abortion this side of Randall Terry, has had an insurance plan since 1991 that covered its employees … abortions.

According to this story on Politico.com, Federal Election Commission Records show the RNC purchases its insurance from Cigna, and two sales agents for the company said that the RNC’s policy covers elective abortion.

Until Thursday, the RNC’s plan had covered elective abortion – a procedure the party’s own platform calls “a fundamental assault on innocent human life.”

Of course chairman Michael Steele, a world-class buffoon, quickly disowned the policy. But I just love it. So until Thursday, a woman who runs a department advocating the complete elimination of abortion, would have the procedure covered if she got pregnant?

Just wanted to make sure I got that straight.

***So as Canadian singers go, I love Bryan Adams. Loved “Summer of ‘69″ the first time I heard it. Love his ballads, love his cheesiness, and I love his earnestness. I am not ashamed to say I own Bryan Adams’ greatest hits CD. Haven’t listened to it in a while, but I own it.

Anyway, I’m awfully disappointed in the man who once told me it cuts like a knife. Was reading a story about the incredible show “Glee” today (and how good was Wednesday’s episode? They finally gave the wheelchair kid Artie some back story! Though I admit that it was very weird hearing a slow version of Billy Idol’s classic “Dancing With Myself.”) and I came across this nugget:

Apparently, Mr. Adams is the only singer who the show’s creator approached for permission to use one of their songs who actually said no. “Glee” wanted to have Finn sing “Everything I Do, I Do it For You,” but B.A. said no.

Bad job, Bryan. Bad, bad, job. I will now go spit on the cassette single of “Do I Have to Say the Words?” hidden in my closet.

Marooned is a 1969 American science-fiction film directed by John Sturges and starring Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen, James Franciscus, and Gene Hackman.

The film was released less than four months after the Apollo 11 moon landing and was tied to the public fascination with the event. It won an Academy Award for Visual Effects.

It was based on the 1964 novel of the same name by Martin Caidin; however, while the original novel was based on the single-pilot Mercury program, the film depicted a space station program resembling Skylab (the space station seen in the film was based on an early proposal of the OWS based on several sketches during the Apollo Applications Program). Caidin rewrote the novel, incorporating appropriate material from the original version and updating it to follow the film.

Caidin acted as technical adviser.

Plot Summary
After spending several months in an orbiting lab, three astronauts prepare to return to earth only to find their rockets wont fire. After initially thinking they might have to abandon them in orbit, NASA decides to launch a daring rescue. Their plans are complicated by a Hurricane headed towards the launch site and a shrinking air supply in the astronauts capsule.

Taglines

–Three marooned astronauts. Only 55 minutes left to rescue them. While the whole world watches and waits…

–The Saga of Ironman One

Directed by
  John Sturges

Writers
  Martin Caidin - Novel
  Mayo Simon  – Writer

Producers
  Frank Capra Jr. … associate producer
  M.J. Frankovich … producer

Cast
  Gregory Peck … Charles Keith
  Richard Crenna … Jim Pruett
  David Janssen … Ted Dougherty
  James Franciscus … Clayton Stone
  Gene Hackman … Buzz Lloyd
  Lee Grant … Celia Pruett
  Nancy Kovack … Teresa Stone
  Mariette Hartley … Betty Lloyd
  Scott Brady … Public Affairs Officer
  Craig Huebing … Flight Director
  Frank Marth … Air Force System Director
  John Carter … Flight Surgeon

Special Effects Department
  Chuck Gaspar … special effects coordinator (uncredited)

Visual Effects Department
  Lawrence W. Butler … special visual effects
  Donald C. Glouner … special visual effects
  Robie Robinson … special visual effects

Gregory Peck and Gene Hackman

Trivia
Based on a novel by Martin Caidin, who would later write “Cyborg”, the basis for the TV series The Six Million Dollar Man.

Was the impetus behind the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project where American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts docked in space.

Frank Capra began work on the film. Inspired by his work on the Martin-Marietta Corp.-commissioned faux documentary, “Rendezvous in Space” for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, Capra (a chemical engineer by education) worked to make the picture for Columbia, but finally abandoned the project in preproduction in May 1966 when he couldn’t bring the budget down to the $3-million required by Columbia worldwide production chief M.J. Frankovich. The eventual budget for the finished film (directed by John Sturges) was $8 million. Capra never made another film.

There is no musical score for this film. Instead, each spacecraft has its own ambient soundtrack when it is shown in space. The Apollo shots feature a low hum; the XRV, a hollow ringing; the Nimbus Weather Satellite, a rapid series of beeps ascending in pitch; and the Russian Voshkhod, a constant pitch series of beeps. The only exceptions to this is are a very slight, muted bit of music played under the Apollo ambient soundtrack during Pruett’s final EVA, and a single tone (with some ambient effects that could be called music) during the opening credits.

Average Shot Length (ASL) = 8 seconds

The Film Ventures International re-edit of this film (retitled “Space Travelers”) was featured on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. This was also the only film featured on the show to have won an Academy Award.

The film’s release (prior to the launch of Apollo 13) about a space disaster led to a real-life crisis aboard Skylab 3 (c. July -September 1973) where a thruster leak developed on board the Apollo CSM. The depiction of a rescue vehicle (the lifting body in the film) was the basis of the Skylab Rescue space vehicle, based on a Block II Apollo Command Module (CSM #119) which was modified by North American Rockwell. Memos dating back to December 1970 (from NASA facilities at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, TX and Kennedy Space Center) confirm that a rescue spacecraft will be the next in line if the main Apollo CSM fails during flight. By November 1971, the modified CSM was phased in with evaluation and testing (prior to the final moon mission, Apollo 17, which launched in December 1972). The real-life thruster leak aboard Skylab 3 was neutralized and fixed where the rescue launch vehicle (piloted by NASA astronauts Vance Brand and Don Lind) was pulled from flight duty; the vehicle was on standby for Skylab 4 and the Apollo-Soyuz mission. Brand would fly on the Apollo-Soyuz mission and Lind on STS-51B in 1985. Since the final Apollo flight in 1975 (with Apollo-Soyuz), the modified command module, CSM #119, has been on display @ the Kennedy Space Center’s Visitors Complex. NASA engineers have studied the modified Skylab Rescue CSM for the Orion Spacecraft (part of Project Constellation), which will replace the Space Shuttle after its final flight in 2010.

In the film, the astronauts are seen using what appears to be the early concept of the Manned Maneuvering Unit – during the real-life Skylab missions, the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit (the AMU) was tested inside the space station and never tested in the vacuum of space. The first use of the MMU was during STS-41-B (the fourth flight of the Challenger) on February 7, 1984.

The space station using a spent Saturn S-IVB stage was based on early proposals during the Apollo Applications Program; at the time of filming, what came to fruition as Skylab was still under development. The only differences between the orbital workshop depicted in the film (which has a rocket motor attached) and the real Skylab was the incorporation of the Apollo Telescope Mount and two docking ports on the docking module, not to mention the absence of a rocket motor. The real Skylab was launched as a ‘dry’ workshop using a surplus Saturn V #SA-513 (originally earmarked for the canceled Apollo 18 mission). The three-man crew in the film spend 5 months living in space; the longest duration in the real Skylab was 84 days during the final mission, Skylab 4.

AMazon Specials!

My husband and I have always wanted to go to Kennedy Space Center together.

We wanted to go when we were in college.  We wanted to go when we were in graduate school (but by the time we were married and ready to travel, we were writing our dissertations).  We wanted to go when we worked for NASA (but we worked for NASA, and were way too busy to vacation.  Yes, I know (now) that that’s sad).  We wanted to go when we had children (but we had children, and were way too busy still).  We wanted to go when a mission I’d worked on launched (but, but, but … and we never went).

A couple of weeks ago, we just went.

Spurred by a question from Ellen, I’m writing up the highlights of our trip, here and on related (linked) posts.

The highlights of our trip to Cocoa Beach in October were many, although not all that varied.  We’re space geeks.  Period.  We love space.  And nature.  And space again.  This trip was a dream come true for us.

The first stop on the Space Coast was the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center.  The visitor center is actually run by a professional visitor center company, Delaware Parks & Resorts, and it shows.  From the highly organized ticket-buying experience to the metal detectors to the visitor center food, it’s definitely done by someone who knows what they’re doing, and who can manage crowds.

Not that there were crowds when we were there.  It was October in Florida, after all, which I can tell you is a great time to go.  The crowds are thin, the people were relaxed, and the weather was absolutely gorgeous.  (Although the ocean was cold.  Not that we spent much time on the beach.)

We enjoyed the KSC Visitor’s Center immensely, running from the Robotic Exploration exhibit to the Constellation movie to the Rocket Garden, with a stop at the giant playspace full of tunnels, bridges, and slides for the younger set.  We took a tour (included with visitor’s admission), filed in to a shuttle mockup for a trip to space (kids under 48″ have to watch from a gallery — but even that was exciting), walked on the gantry that the Apollo astronauts walked, explored a full-size shuttle, and stood solemnly at the Astronaut Memorial.  We also touched a celestial sphere with the constellations engraved on it, and marveled as it effortlessly spun in the water base at the gentle push of a toddler’s hand.

One of the best parts of the trip was the KSC Then and Now Space History Tour, a three hour tour (not that kind of three hour tour) that took us onto Kennedy Space Center proper and over to Cape Canaveral, where all the Mercury and Gemini rockets were launched back in the 60’s and the unmanned rockets are still launched today.  Highlights for us were a visit to an actual bunkhouse, where we got to see and touch the ancient computers that filled the rooms, sit at a control desk, and stand behind the 12-layered glass where Werner Von Braun once stood.  We also went to the Apollo 1 launch pad, and solemnly put our hands on the launch structure where the capsule caught fire, burning Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee alive.  This was followed by a quiet ride back to KSC, and a stop at the Saturn V center, where one of the last remaining Saturn V rockets is on display.

Included in our trip to KSC was a stop at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, next to the old Space Camp dorms.  The Hall of Fame had quite a few other attractions, including hands-on activities and simulators for the kids (that used to belong to Space Camp).  This was a fun stop, and although not a whole day’s destination, it was the perfect way to top off Day #2 at KSC.  (KSC offers a second day free at the Visitor Center and/or the Astronaut Hall of Fame simply by validating your ticket on exit.)

After the Hall of Fame, we were starving, and dropped by Kelsey’s for pizza.  Yum.

Before we left Florida, we happened on another great place to go, this time in Titusville.  The U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum is for the true history buff and/or space-crazy child or teen.  This unassuming little museum is packed tight with real pieces of history, like the charred I-beam used to advocate for necessary funding increases for the space program back in the 1980’s.  The ragged door from a Mercury capsule that was lost before the manned program began.  Lights, switches, and memorabilia given to retiring astronauts, engineers, and launch directors.  Handprints from dozens of astronauts, that you can lay your hands in for the asking.  An amazing room-sized model of the shuttle launch pad, gantry, and crawler.  Rooms for Mercury, Gemini, Apollo.  A room set up like the bunkhouse that we’d just seen on the tour, but even more child friendly.  Scrapbooks of photos kept by men who made the space program what it is today.

We were led through the museum by retired shuttle launch director (whose name I’ve misplaced), who worked his way up through the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and shuttle missions, growing right along with the space program, and it was amazing to hear his stories firsthand.  This museum is free, and well worth any time you spend there.  Go, shake the hands of the men who made it happen.

The Space Walk of Fame itself is a block or two away, by a beautiful stretch of water, and it is a must-visit.  Scattered over the two block area of Space View Park are monuments to the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo engineers, mechanics, flight directors, and all the people who made it happen.  Not just the astronauts.  Not the astronauts at all, actually, and that was a refreshing change from the astronaut-worship apparent at the KSC Visitor Center.  The Space Walk of Fame celebrates hard work.  Impossible work, really, and that was a lovely place for us to end our trip.

After a trip to Scoops, for freshly churned ice cream and milkshakes, we played in a nearby park and returned home, tired but happy, our trip complete.

Had we had more time, we would definitely have visited the Brevard Community College Planetarium, which hosts a rooftop observatory with 12 and 24 inch reflectors, a 6 inch refractor, a planetarium with a dual projection system, a 3 story high screened movie theater, and a space museum. The star show is showing Ring World, a favorite of friends of ours … and each show is just $6. We just ran out of time. We’d also like to see the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which friends of ours have loved on their trips there.  The Refuge is near the entrance to the Kennedy Space Center, and we’ll definitely make time for that on our next trip.

We can’t wait to go again!

Disclosure:  None of the institutions mentioned or NASA paid for any part of this trip in any way at all, nor are they aware of this post.  I used to work for NASA, and my husband still does, but I think you knew that already.

It was awesome!

We had a wonderful time, with wonderful friends, and any doubts that I had about going to Disney World as an adult were silenced after the first couple hours.

Of course, that might be because I am such a child in some ways (some might say immature, or juvenile) – but it was just plain fun.

We rented a house in Kissimmee, which is just south of Orlando proper, and it was only about 15 minutes from Disney World. It had a pool, and a pool table – really much nicer in some ways than a hotel – much quieter, and since we shared it with our friends Peter and Nanette, it was a lot more affordable than a hotel. The worst thing I can say about it is that we had to buy toilet paper (one roll per bathroom provided – 4 people for a week? Not!).

Brian and I arrived on the Saturday evening, and got settled in – we’d thought about going to Universal Studios theme park on Sunday, but ended up lazing around floating in the pool and just goofing off. Peter and Nanette drove down from Atlanta on Sunday, and arrived in the late afternoon. We had dinner and then went grocery shopping for breakfast and miscellaneous stuff.

We spent one day each at four parks – Epcot, the Animal Kingdom, the Magic Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. They each had their own charms, and each day we spent pretty much the whole day at one of the parks.

My favorite part of Epcot was the Mission: Space ride, and even though we were there from 9:00 am until after the fireworks at 9:00 pm, we didn’t get to see everything.

The Animal Kingdom was my favorite park overall – we started with the Kali River Rapids ride, walked a couple of trails, had lunch, ran to the Dinosaur ride (this is in the high heat/humidity, and Brian with a knee that is due to have surgery a week-and-a-half later), walked more trails, rode on the Safari ride, watched the parade, took in the Bug’s Life 3D movie, and shopped. The Expedition Everest ride was out of service, so we didn’t get to ride it, but there was so much else to do, it was not missed. This park closes at 5:00 pm, so we actually had an early day – went back to the house and cooled off in the pool, went to dinner, played games. Stayed up way too late, but having fun doing it.

The next morning I woke up with a migraine – Brian, Peter, and Nanette went on to the Magic Kingdom without me, but Brian came back in the afternoon and picked me up. We hit a lot of rides and shows, and stayed for the parade and fireworks – the fireworks here were incredible – there were some things I’ve never seen before. Getting out of the park was bad – I was actually surprised, because based on our experience with the other two parks, Disney really knows how to move people. We never had to wait for a tram or had any delay getting out of the parking lots at Epcot or Animal Kingdom – the Magic Kingdom, however, failed to magically whisk everyone out and there was a major wait just to get onto the monorail. We opted to take the ferry, and it was only a little better. When it’s still sweltering hot and your feet hurt, there’s the potential for a major meltdown (surprisingly, we saw very few children going through that, and no adults ;-} ).

The next day was my absolute favorite day of the whole trip. We went to the Kennedy Space Center, and took a tour of NASA. We got to see the shuttle launch pads, the Assembly building (where they put the shuttle together with the rocket boosters), see a refurbished Saturn V rocket, one of their space museums, and walk in a retired shuttle. I grew up reading science fiction, and hearing and watching rocket launches – the only thing that would have been better (besides getting to go into space, of course) would have been seeing an actual launch. Someday!

Afterward we went to the beach – it was great walking in water that was warmer than the pool at our rental house, and I picked up a few shells, and we all tracked sand back to the car.

Our last day we spent at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Great stunt shows, lots of other fun shows, and the most awesome rides I’ve ever been on. We rode on the Star Wars Star Tours ride, and I thought it was really great. Then we went on the Tower of Terror, and I thought it couldn’t get any better (free fall? yeah!). Then we went on the Rock’n Roller Coaster, and wow! I was blown away. Best roller coaster I’ve ever been on. Going on the Star Tours ride again was incredibly tame after that.

The weather was not cooperative at all. We’d chosen October because normal temps are around the mid-80s, and I don’t really do very well with heat above that range – it brings on migraines.  And since we were going to be outside most of the time, we wanted to try and hit weather that wouldn’t be overwhelming for me. So what happens? Orlando has a heatwave the week we’re there – mid-90s, 70-90% humidity. I was amazed (and extremely pleased) that in spite of being uncomfortably hot and sweaty, I handled the heat just fine. All in all, one of the best vacations I’ve ever been on.

jkm

(p.s. Robin spent the week at the “Daisy Hill Puppy Farm” – the breeder we got him from puts him in with her dogs, and he gets to enjoy being a pack dog again – but he was very happy to see me when I picked him up, and then we had other sheltie adventures on the way home – that’s another catch-up post).

CENTRAL FLORIDA AREA
(Fonte: Revista Enjoy Florida)
 
Visão Geral de Orlando e Kissimmee com indicação de acesso e principais saídas das vias I-4, 192, 528, Turnpike, Osceola Pkwy.

Click aqui para baixar o arquivo em PDF
 
 
 
 
ORLANDO/INTERNATIONAL DR.
(Fonte: Revista Enjoy Florida)

Mapa da International Dr. com indicação de acesso aos parques Sea World, Discovery Cove e Universal Studios; Shoppings Florida Mall, Festival Bay e Prime Outlet; Restaurantes, Lojas e Hotéis da International Dr.

Clique aqui para baixar o arquivo em PDF
 
 
 
KISSIMMEE/LAKE BUENA VISTA – DISNEY AREA
(Fonte: Enjoy Florida Magazine)

Mapa da Hwy 192 (W. Irlo Bronson) e Lake Buena Vista – Região Conhecida como Disney Area. Indicação do Disney Main Gate (Entrada Principal da Disney), Premium Outlets, Restaurantes e atrações de Kissimmee.
 
Clique aqui para baixar o arquivo em PDF
 
 
 
FOUR CORNERS AREA
(ORANGE, OSCEOLA, POLK AND LAKE COUNTIES)
(Fonte: Enjoy Florida Magazine)

Mapa da Região Conhecida como Davenport onde localizam-se vários condomínios. Distância de 20-30 minutos da Disney. Região em desenvolvimento.

Clique aqui para baixar o arquivo em PDF
 
 
FLORIDA STATE MAP
(Fonte: Enjoy Florida Magazine)

Visão Geral das principais cidades e Rodovias Interestaduais da Florida. Acompanha Tabela de Distâncias em Milhas (multiplique por 1.6 para saber valores em Kilometros).

Clique aqui para baixar o arquivo em PDF

My husband and I have always wanted to go to Kennedy Space Center together.

We wanted to go when we were in college.  We wanted to go when we were in graduate school (but by the time we were married and ready to travel, we were writing our dissertations). We wanted to go when we worked for NASA (but we worked for NASA, and were way too busy to vacation. Yes, I know (now) that that’s sad). We wanted to go when we had children (but we had children, and were way too busy still). We wanted to go when a mission I’d worked on launched (but, but, but … and we never went).

A couple of weeks ago, we just went.

Spurred by a question from Ellen, I’m writing up the highlights of our trip, here and on related (linked) posts.

The highlights of our trip to Cocoa Beach in October were many, although not all that varied. We’re space geeks. Period. We love space. And nature. And space again. This trip was a dream come true for us.

The first stop on the Space Coast was the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center. The visitor center is actually run by a professional visitor center company, Delaware Parks & Resorts, and it shows. From the highly organized ticket-buying experience to the metal detectors to the visitor center food, it’s definitely done by someone who knows what they’re doing, and who can manage crowds.

Not that there were crowds when we were there. It was October in Florida, after all, which I can tell you is a great time to go. The crowds are thin, the people were relaxed, and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. (Although the ocean was cold. Not that we spent much time on the beach.)

We enjoyed the KSC Visitor’s Center immensely, running from the Robotic Exploration exhibit to the Constellation movie to the Rocket Garden, with a stop at the giant playspace full of tunnels, bridges, and slides for the younger set. We took a tour (included with visitor’s admission), filed in to a shuttle mockup for a trip to space (kids under 48″ have to watch from a gallery — but even that was exciting), walked on the gantry that the Apollo astronauts walked, explored a full-size shuttle, and stood solemnly at the Astronaut Memorial. We also touched a celestial sphere with the constellations engraved on it, and marveled as it effortlessly spun in the water base at the gentle push of a toddler’s hand.

One of the best parts of the trip was the KSC Then and Now Space History Tour, a three hour tour (not that kind of three hour tour) that took us onto Kennedy Space Center proper and over to Cape Canaveral, where all the Mercury and Gemini rockets were launched back in the 60’s and the unmanned rockets are still launched today. Highlights for us were a visit to an actual bunkhouse, where we got to see and touch the ancient computers that filled the rooms, sit at a control desk, and stand behind the 12-layered glass where Werner Von Braun once stood. We also went to the Apollo 1 launch pad, and solemnly put our hands on the launch structure where the capsule caught fire, burning Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee alive. This was followed by a quiet ride back to KSC, and a stop at the Saturn V center, where one of the last remaining Saturn V rockets is on display.

Included in our trip to KSC was a stop at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, next to the old Space Camp dorms. The Hall of Fame had quite a few other attractions, including hands-on activities and simulators for the kids (that used to belong to Space Camp). This was a fun stop, and although not a whole day’s destination, it was the perfect way to top off Day #2 at KSC. (KSC offers a second day free at the Visitor Center and/or the Astronaut Hall of Fame simply by validating your ticket on exit.)

After the Hall of Fame, we were starving, and dropped by Kelsey’s for pizza. Yum.

Before we left Florida, we happened on another great place to go, this time in Titusville. The U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum is for the true history buff and/or space-crazy child or teen. This unassuming little museum is packed tight with real pieces of history, like the charred I-beam used to advocate for necessary funding increases for the space program back in the 1980’s. The ragged door from a Mercury capsule that was lost before the manned program began. Lights, switches, and memorabilia given to retiring astronauts, engineers, and launch directors. Handprints from dozens of astronauts, that you can lay your hands in for the asking. An amazing room-sized model of the shuttle launch pad, gantry, and crawler. Rooms for Mercury, Gemini, Apollo. A room set up like the bunkhouse that we’d just seen on the tour, but even more child friendly. Scrapbooks of photos kept by men who made the space program what it is today.

We were led through the museum by retired shuttle launch director (whose name I’ve misplaced), who worked his way up through the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and shuttle missions, growing right along with the space program, and it was amazing to hear his stories firsthand. This museum is free, and well worth any time you spend there. Go, shake the hands of the men who made it happen.

The Space Walk of Fame itself is a block or two away, by a beautiful stretch of water, and it is a must-visit. Scattered over the two block area of Space View Park are monuments to the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo engineers, mechanics, flight directors, and all the people who made it happen. Not just the astronauts. Not the astronauts at all, actually, and that was a refreshing change from the astronaut-worship apparent at the KSC Visitor Center. The Space Walk of Fame celebrates hard work. Impossible work, really, and that was a lovely place for us to end our trip.

After a trip to Scoops, for freshly churned ice cream and milkshakes, we played in a nearby park and returned home, tired but happy, our trip complete.

Had we had more time, we would definitely have visited the Brevard Community College Planetarium, which hosts a rooftop observatory with 12 and 24 inch reflectors, a 6 inch refractor, a planetarium with a dual projection system, a 3 story high screened movie theater, and a space museum. The star show is showing Ring World, a favorite of friends of ours … and each show is just $6. We just ran out of time. We’d also like to see the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which friends of ours have loved on their trips there. The Refuge is near the entrance to the Kennedy Space Center, and we’ll definitely make time for that on our next trip.

We can’t wait to go again!

Disclosure: None of the institutions mentioned or NASA paid for any part of this trip in any way at all, nor are they aware of this post. I used to work for NASA, and my husband still does, but I think you knew that already.

I was fortunate enough to get to watch the Ares I-X launch from the top of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), which stands 525 feet in the air. Even if the launch had been delayed again (which it wasn’t, thankfully), it would have been well worth the trip just to see Kennedy Space Center from that vantage point. The launch itself was spectacular… about as loud as a shuttle launch and powerful enough to shake the VAB. The data from that test flight will be of use to all future spacecraft launches, not just those related to Ares/Orion/Constellation, so I was very happy to see it go so well.

Congrats to NASA on today’s successful flight test of the Ares 1-X rocket.  It was the first new vehicle to rise from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in over 25 years.  It’s a test version of the rocket designed to carry a 4 to 6-person crew capsule called Orion into space.  Hopefully this successful launch will spur Congress and the White House to provide further funding.

NASA’s newest rocket blasted off on a brief test flight this morning, taking the first step in a back-to-the-moon program.

The rocket took off through some clouds from a former shuttle launch pad at 11:30 a.m., approximately 3 1/2 hours late because of the bad weather.

From the Associated Press:

The 327-foot Ares I-X rocket resembled a giant white pencil as it shot into the sky, delayed a day by poor weather.

Nearly twice the height of the spaceship it’s supposed to replace — the shuttle — the skinny experimental rocket carried no passengers or payload, only throwaway ballast and hundreds of sensors. The flight cost $445 million.

“Oh, man. Well, how impressive is that,” said Jeff Hanley, manager of NASA’s space frontier program, known as Constellation. “You’ve accomplished a great step forward for exploration,” he told launch controllers.

It was the first time in nearly 30 years that a new rocket took off from Kennedy Space Center. Columbia made the maiden voyage for the shuttle fleet back in 1981.

NASA’s Ares 1-X Rocket: Space Shuttle Replacement?
Or Rocket to Nowhere? NASA Preps for Test, Though Obama Could Cancel Program

This isn’t your daddy’s space ship — but it is something your grandfather might recognize. The Ares 1-X rocket sitting on the launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center is ready to go, scheduled for launch Tuesday morning, if the weather holds.

It won’t go far on this trip, but NASA hopes it will eventually take astronauts beyond low Earth orbit and — someday — on to Mars.

This launch follows a less-than-wholehearted endorsement by the Augustine Commission, the presidential panel that spent this past year reviewing the future of the U.S. space program.

The Ares is supposed to replace the 30-year-old space shuttle, which is scheduled to quit flying by the end of 2011 after six more missions. Ares, the commission concluded, will cost too much and take too long to really be a practical replacement. The plan was to have it ready to fly by 2015, but 2017 is more realistic. NASA’s only option, meanwhile, to get astronauts to the space station is to buy seats on the Russian Soyuz.

Augustine Commission: NASA’s Plans ‘Unsustainable’

To get to the moon and then eventually go on to Mars will take much more money and technology than the U.S. space program has now, according to a report released today by an independent panel convened, at White House request, under former aerospace executive Norman Augustine.

The Augustine Commission made several recommendations today for NASA:

. . .

The panel said it might be an option to scrap the Ares 1 booster, and use other rockets instead.

See also:
Ares I-X Liftoff Set for Tomorrow Morning
Ares 1-X test flight cleared for launch Tuesday morning
NASA Unveils Ares 1-X Rocket for Historic Test Flight
The NASA Ares 1-X rocket is set for launch — but watch those clouds!
Will Weather Ground Ares 1-X Rocket Test Launch?
Nasa unveils Ares 1-X rocket amid doubts over future funding
Ares 1-X Rocket Scheduled To Launch
Obama Considering Ares Cancellation, Orion Scale Back
Obama May Cancel Space Shuttle Replacement
Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee
Ares I-X

So, we’ve got six more shuttle flights to go and Obama’s thinking of cancelling the replacement program. Priorities, Obama can spend a trillion dollars on Democrat pet projects and call it “stimulus”, but he can’t seem to finde a few billion dollars for NASA.

/be sure and watch tomorrow’s launch, future American space flight could become a rarity

NASA Publicity just provided IR with this official still of the Ares 1X Rocket on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for its October 27th test launch. The 1X is the rocket launch vehicle to be used in returning to the moon.

Or, Environmental Protection its Related Effects on Construction.

Should a manatee be seen within100 yards of the construction site or construction vessels, all appropriate precautions to ensure the protection of the manatee(s) shall be implemented. Should a manatee be seen within 50 feet of operating equipment, the operating equipment shall be shut down immediately. Operation of the equipment shall not resume until the manatee(s) has departed the construction site of its own volition.

When writing construction contracts, every little detail must be spelled out to avoid legal troubles. A breach in contract means lawyers get involved and no one wants that (except maybe the lawyer, but I’d imagine even he’d rather be out golfing.) And one of the BIG rules for contractors is to abide by the rules laid out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.)

KSC is located on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, so long story short we have a lot of rules and regulations related to construction of facilities and the native Florida landscape. From the Atlantis Ocean to the Indian River Lagoon, we host a variety of plants and animals, many of whom are considered endangered or threatened. We do our best to not disturb the native habitat, the wildlife is a fickle group of animals, and sometimes come in contact with our sites. We try to figure out what issues will arise prior to construction using Environmental Assessments (EAs) and studies. Then determine the rules in place like the one above to protect the wildlife best we can during construction phases of projects.

However, you can never know if a gopher tortoise is going to wander onto the construction site. When this happens, the lovely group of environmentalists downstairs would love for us to stop construction, make a little information placard and leave it be. More often than not though, a Florida Scrub Jay is not going to stand in the way of progress! And more paperwork must be completed.

According to our own environmental studies, we have over 1000 species of plants, over 200 species of animals, not including 330 avian species. The usual suspects to interrupt construction here on Center are manatees, alligators, sand hill cranes, gopher tortoises, scrub jays, sea turtles, bears, panthers, and bald eagles. Looking at it is like a laundry list of things that can kill you. Literally on my way into work this morning I saw THREE alligators. One of which had to have been at least ten feet long, and boy was he fat.

Now I’m not begrudging God’s beautiful flora and fauna, nor our commitment to environmental protection, but seriously, they can’t have these problems on urban sites…