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UPDATE # 109 - February 14, 2000 PART 1: Don't miss tomorrow's webcast DON'T MISS TOMORROW'S WEBCAST
Top on my list of items to remind you of is the SRTM WebCast tomorrow, February 15! Don't miss it. We will be speaking with a panel of experts who are directly involved in the mission, some from the studio at JPL, some remotely, as they discuss this mission in progress. The starting place is: http://quest.nasa.gov/ltc/jpl/srtm.html I hope you got to see the liftoff and the deployment of the SRTM on NASA TV. If you've not yet located the place to access launch info and connection to NASA TV coverage, set a bookmark at: http://quest.nasa.gov/ltc/sto/launch Below, I have printed the account of the launch that Brandt Secosh submitted from the VIP viewing area. The version online has pictures, but I think that NASA coverage for me captured more than I have ever been able to see of the different stages. It was spectacular! Then on Wednesday, in our Landing to Launch series, Brandt and Mike will take you on that long trip from the VAB to the launch pad. That plus a full calendar of chats celebrating Black History Month and National Engineers' week should give you a good opportunity to get acquainted with some of our very special NASA volunteers. There is a full schedule of Space Team Online events below, but in case you want more, see our complete schedule at: http://quest.nasa.gov/common/events See you online, Linda Conrad lindac@quest.nasa.gov UPCOMING EVENTS
Special Features:
February is Black History Month. To celebrate, NASA Quest will host a
series of QuestChats and forums with African American scientists and
engineers who contribute their work in support of NASA's mission and
goals. The schedule, which may be added to over time, can be found at
http://quest.nasa.gov/qchats/special/mlk00/
Additionally, the week of February 22 through 25 is National Engineers'
Week. We will host a series of QuestChats with NASA engineers. See
http://quest.nasa.gov/qchats/special/eweek00/
->Tuesday, February 15: 10am-Noon PST (1-3pm EST, 6-8pm GMT)
Segment 2 of the SRTM WebCasts: Mission Status during 11-day orbit.
Ask questions of Payloads experts during the mission of the Shuttle Radar
Topography Mission (SRTM). Join us from:
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/jpl/srtm.html
->Wednesday, February 16; 9-10 am PST (Noon-1pm EST; 5-6pm GMT)
Dionne Jackson is responsible for identifying and testing any metal alloys
that are used as flight hardware and in supporting equipment and
structures. See Diane's profile at:
http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/jackson.html
Join the chat from: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto
Pre-registration is required
->Wednesday, Feb. 16; 10-11:30am PST (1-2:30pm EST, 6-7:30pm GMT)
Webcast: The long trip to the Launch Pad:
Part 6 of the Landing to Launch Series
Mike and Brandt show you up close the Mobile Launch Platform, the Crawler
and the Crawlerway - describing that 3 1/2 mile pilgrimage. Details of the
webcast including lesson plans are available at:
http://quest.nasa.gov/space/events/ksc99/feb
->Thursday, February17; 11:30 am -12:30 PM (2:30pm EST; 7:30pm. GMT)
Black History Month QuestChat with Janis Davis-Street
Janis is part of a team whose job is determining the nutritional
requirements for astronauts as they venture into space. See Janis' profile
at: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/davis.html
Join the chat from: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto
Pre-registration is required
-> Tuesday, February 22, 9-10 am PST (Noon-1 pm EST; 5-6pm. GMT)
National Engineers' Week QuestChat with Angie Lee
Angie plays an important role in preparing experiments to fly on the
space shuttle or for the International Space Station (ISS). She helps
scientists develop and obtain the materials they need to make their
experiments work in space. See Angie's profile at:
http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/lee.html
Join the chat from: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto
Pre-registration is required
->Tues., Feb. 22; 10:30-11:30am PST (1:30-2:30pm EST, 6:30-7 pm GMT)
National Engineers' Week QuestChat with Rick Hashimoto
Rick is responsible for ensuring that any changes in Space Shuttle design
or processes or procedures do not cause problems. See Rick's profile at:
http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/hashimoto.html
Join the chat from: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto
Pre-registration is required
->Wednesday, February 23; 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific
National Engineers' Week QuestChat with Steven Daugherty
Steven is responsible for ensuring that primary systems are designed and
work together properly for successful operation of the International
Space Station (ISS). See Rick's profile at:
http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/daugherty.html
Join the chat from: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto
Pre-registration is required
->Thursday, February 24; 10-11 am PST (1-2 pm EST; 6-7pm GMT)
Black History Month QuestChat with Jennifer Murray
Jennifer has been involved in applying ultraviolet light to oxygen and
hydrogen sensors. The sensors detect gas leaks or flames from
pipelines on the space shuttle launch pads. See Jennifer's profile at:
http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/murray.html
Join the chat from: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto
Pre-registration is required
->Thursday, February 24, 11am-12 noon PST (2-3pm EST; 7-8pm GMT)
Black History Month and National Engineers' Week QuestChat with Tony
Bruins . Tony works to generate new ideas and develop systems that can be
integrated into and work together to support mission operations. See
Tony's profile at: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/bruins.html
Join the chat from: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto
Pre-registration is required
Friday, February 25; 9-10am PST (Noon-1pm EST; 5-6pm GMT)
National Engineers' Week QuestChat with Keith Zimmerman
Keith is responsible for educating the Russians about NASA's systems and
operations on the ISS and learning and educating people in the U.S. about
the Russians' support of the space station. See Keith's profile at:
http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/zimmerman.html
Join the chat from: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events.cgi?prj_sto
Pre-registration is required
->February 25, 2000 Deadline to register your class for the March 2000
Lift Off! Lift Off takes place March 20, 2000
In cooperation with MC2 Learning Systems, "Projects From Space" is
offering your students the chance to join the men and women of NASA who
are working to make survival in space a reality. Through research and
collaboration with other classrooms across North America, students will be
learning and creating an understanding of space survival. For more
information see: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/events
->Monday, February 28: 10am-Noon PST (1-3pm EST, 6-8pm GMT)
Segment 3 of the SRTM WebCasts: Mission follow-up
Ask questions of Payloads experts after the mission of the Shuttle Radar
Topography Mission (SRTM). Join us from:
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/jpl/srtm.html
[Editor's note: Brandt is STO's own correspondent, who from his vantage point at the Kennedy Space Center, often gives us that up-close feeling you can only get from being there. Thanks again, Brandt!] STS-99 - A SPECTACULAR LAUNCH!
By: Brandt Secosh February 11, 2000 Today was an absolutely perfect day for the launch of STS-99 and the beginning of the 11 day SRTM. STS-99 had experienced delays during the last launch attempt due to a faulty master computer and uncooperative weather conditions. The weather today was probably the best I have ever seen for a launch, and all systems were go! I was located at the Banana Creek viewing area, escorting a group of students from Three Oaks Middle school. Many of them had never seen a launch before. The students were also at KSC for another very important reason. They are in the final stages of proposing a payload experiment to NASA! I will write more about that in my next journal; for now lets focus on the launch. The crowd at Banana Creek appeared to be very confident that everything was going to work out for today's launch. The countdown clock began running again after all of the requirements at the T-9 built in hold were satisfied. This brought a round of applause from the crowd, and everyone focused their attention more to wards launch pad 39A. The loudspeakers kept the viewers up to date on how the countdown was going, and then they joined in for the final 10 seconds of the countdown. Endeavor's engines roared to life and began to lift off of the launch pad. Once off the pad, the huge fireball of energy began to reflect off of the water. That is one of the great advantages of viewing a launch from the Banana Creek site - the accompanying scenery is great! Soon afterwards you could see that Endeavor was beginning to track a specific trajectory by the change in the flight path. Everything was LOOKING good! The sound waves from Endeavor were just beginning to reach us at this point. Soon we would be able to feel the resonance of this spectacular launch! Now we had all of the characteristics of a great launch! Sight, sound and the best weather conditions that I have ever seen! Even the Sea Gull in the foreground of this photograph seemed to agree! If you missed any of the events leading up to the launch of STS 99, or the launch itself, please visit the STS-99 Prelaunch, Launch and Landing Movies at this site which is maintained by the Kennedy Space Center Payloads Operations Network. In my next journal I will tell you more about the proposed experiment that Three Oaks Middle School is working on. STATUS OF ORBITER PROCESSING - FINAL FOR STS-99
Typically this area is devoted to processing of the Columbia Orbiter. At this time Columbia is in California being refurbished, so we will continue to use this area to update you on the mission in focus, in this case, STS-99 Orbiter Endeavour's systems continue to perform very well on orbit. Following Friday's liftoff, launch pad and mobile launcher platform inspections revealed no abnormal damage. The solid rocket boosters arrived at Hangar AF Sunday and are currently undergoing in depth inspections. Preliminary checks indicate that both boosters are in good condition. Booster disassembly should conclude next week, and rail car shipment to Utah will follow. Our next coverage will be of STS-101 -- 3rd ISS Flight that will carry SPACEHAB. Orbiter Atlantis is currently in the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3.
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