Atlantis landed today at Dryden/Edwards, and it was an awesome day for a landing. A bunch of people from work and I got as close as was physical possible to the runway, and it touched down right in front of us :)
This.Thread.Is.Useless.Without.Pictures! ;)
As requested...
There is a gallery covering the entire mission here (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts125/multimedia/gallery/gallery-index.html).
Is it just me or does it look like Atlantis needs a new coat of paint?
Quote from: SJFedor on May 25, 2009, 05:27:45 AM
Is it just me or does it look like Atlantis needs a new coat of paint?
One trip into space and they look like that.
Saw this and my wife commented....Look!! They have time to play flight simulator's in space!!
"Occupying the commander's station, STS-125 Pilot Gregory C. Johnson, uses the Portable In-Flight Landing Operations Trainer (PILOT) on the flight deck of Atlantis. PILOT consists of a laptop computer and a joystick system, which helps to maintain a high level of proficiency for the end-of-mission approach and landing tasks required to bring the shuttle safely back to Earth."
Quote from: SJFedor on May 25, 2009, 05:27:45 AM
Is it just me or does it look like Atlantis needs a new coat of paint?
1500
o C temps on re-entry can do that...
Anyone know their route of travel back to the Cape? We had a shuttle stop at Offutt a few years back after an Edwards landing, and I didn't get to see it. Hopefully they make a return trip...
Usually depends on the weather along the route. They will not fly through rain.
And they're only flying at 18,000 feet (aka FL 180) so they usually can't overfly most thunder storms.
The route is usually set about 24 hours in advance, subject to change...