Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicolas
Are there always 2 people on board of a shuttle that can land it?
Or would they in such case use the automatic landing possibility of the shuttle for the first time ever?
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Both the commander and pilot should be able to fly it.
With AORP, Autonomous Orbiter Rapid Prototype, they don't need no stinking humans.
NASASpaceflight.com: NASA enhancing unmanned orbiter capability
For when you keep the crew on the ISS, but try to return the damaged shuttle to earth.
Quote:
The modification, which flew with Discovery on STS-121, is also manifested on Atlantis’ “Return to Assembly” flight STS-115, allowing an orbiter to return home unmanned in the event of a safe haven contingency being called.
[...]
While the opportunity to give an orbiter a fighting chance of returning home is desirable and should be seen as a positive addition to the orbiter’s capabilities, NASA continue to be cagey towards releasing information, as requests though official lines with NASA PAO (Public Affairs Office) continue to go unanswered, possibly through fear of a negative media spin on the modification.
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Fresh Spring links grown in the fertile valleys of Chile, picked at the peak of perfection, and jet-freighted to you next day:
NASA Space Shuttle Mission Pages
NASA STS-126 Mission Status Updates
NASA STS-126 Mission Information
NASA STS-126 Mission Overview (may not be active yet)
Wikipedia: STS-126
NASA Launch Schedule
NASA Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Countdown Status
NASA Shuttle Launch and Landing
NASA Shuttle Launch Blog (active about 6 hours before liftoff)
NASA Shuttle Landing Blog (active about 2 hours before touchdown)
National Weather Service, Southeast Sector, Base Reflectivity
National Weather Service, Melbourne Florida, Hourly Weather Forecast Graph
CBS News Space Place
SpaceFlightNow STS-126 Mission Coverage (may not exist yet, will be sparse at first)
BAUT Forum topic STS-124 Space Shuttle Mission (previous mission)
NASA TV (or
NASA TV Yahoo! source or
high-resolution)
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MPLM Leonardo, chock-full of toilets and other useful equipment, is attached to the Harmony module now, and will be opened up this evening.
Coming up:
11/17/08 Mon 06:10 PM 02 22 15 Middeck transfers
11/17/08 Mon 06:20 PM 02 22 25 MPLM activation (part 1)
11/17/08 Mon 07:55 PM 03 00 00 Equipment lock preps
11/17/08 Mon 08:15 PM 03 00 20 MPLM activation (part 2)
11/17/08 Mon 08:35 PM 03 00 40 MPLM ingress
11/17/08 Mon 08:50 PM 03 00 55 EVA-1: Procedures review
11/17/08 Mon 11:20 PM 03 03 25 EVA-1: Mask pre-breathe
11/18/08 Tue 12:05 AM 03 04 10 EVA-1: Airlock depress to 10.2 psi
11/18/08 Tue 12:25 AM 03 04 30 ISS crew sleep begins
11/18/08 Tue 12:55 AM 03 05 00 STS crew sleep begins