Page 23 - Orbiter News Today

Weather and a picture perfect launch. there were no issues with the entire countdown here and the shuttle got off right on time. now "atlantis" is flying for likely the last time the orbiter will ever fly. there are two scheduled shuttle flights left after this, one for the shuttle "endeavour" and one for the shuttle "discovery." its not clear right now exactly when the shuttle program will finally wind up, it may slip well into next year. but ive got to tell you, wolf, a spectacular sight here ...

Roll maneuver. >> nominal shutdown on all three. you will be go for the plus "x," go for the pitch. >> "atlantis," copy, nominal setdown, go for the plus "x," go for the pitch. >> good readback. >> and that roll to heads up provides a good satellite communications link with "atlantis" continuing its travel into space, approaching seven minutes into the flight. >> "atlantis," you are single engine press 104. >> copy, single engine press 104. >> "atlantis" can reach orbit on one engine now should ...

External tank looking down the length of the orbiter as "atlantis" heads into orbit on its 32nd voyage into space. >> "atlantis" you are pressed to ato. >> copy and pressed to ato. >> "atlantis" can reach orbit on two engines should one fail at this point, however, all three are still in great shape. ive got a report that the flash evaporator system providing cooling to all of the systems is also operating normally as well. "atlantis" is traveling 7,700 miles per hour, 278 miles downrange, 67 mi...

Soldiers. the carnage left eight people dead, 101 wounded. also some amazing video of the floodwaters busting through at a pep boys auto store in tennessee. a surveillance camera capturing the scene as nashville continues its efforts to recover from the floods. meanwhile nasas "atlantis" space shuttle leaves the earths orbit one last timt today. the orbiter made the 32nd and final trip, blasting off this afternoon. "atlantis" is bound for a 12-day trip to the international space station. bal...

The orbital engines on the tail of the vehicle. those have been burning out for 1 1/2 minutes. >> atlantis, you are negative return. >> negative return means atlantis can no longer around the kennedy space center. in the events of an engine failure its traveling too high and too fast to return to the launch site. traveling 6,000 miles an hour. 180 miles from the kennedy space center at 62 miles or 330,000 feet. this view from a camera on the external tank look down the length of the orbiter as

1:30 into the flight all three auxiliary power units that provide hydraulic power to the orbiters systems in good shape as are the fuel cells providing electricity to all of the systems onboard. "atlantis" is already 19 miles in altitude, down range from the kennedy space center. 20 miles traveling, 2,500 miles per hour. >> were listening to kyle herron in launch control. >> the rocket boosters burn out and separate from the orbiter. >> reporter: we have separation coming up of the solid booster...

1:30 into the flight, all three auxiliary power units that provide hydraulic power to the orbiters systems are in good shape as are the fuel cells providing electricity to all of the systems on board. "atlantis" is 119 miles in altitude from the kennedy space center, 20 miles traveling 2,500 miles per hour. coming up on staging the point at which the twin solid rocket boosters burn out and separate from the orbiter. booster separation confirmed. the onboard guidance system has done its job of se...

And the three main engines on "atlantis" have now been throttled down to 72% of rated thrust as the orbiter prepares to pass through the area of maximum dynamic pressure on the vehicle in the lower atmosphere. engines now beginning to throtle back up. >> "atlantis" you are go at throttle up. >> go at throttle up. >> all three engines looking really good, back at full throttle now. at liftoff the fully shuttled boosters and external tank weighed 4.5 million pounds. its now burned half of that lif...

The three main engines on "atlantis" have now been throttled down to 72% of rated thrust as the orbiter prepares to pass through the area of maximum dynamic pressure on the vehicle in the lower atmosphere. engines now beginning to throttle back up. >> "atlantis" you are go at throttle up. >> go on throttle up. >> all three engines looking really good back at full throttle now at liftoff, the fully fueled shuttle boosters and external tank weighed 4.5 million pounds. it now has burned half of tha...

Times the force of gravity. you feel three times your normal weight and you are waiting the last few seconds for the engines to throttle back for acomeefg orbit. they are almost there. megyn: there is the separation as we speak. nasa always has a contingency plan. right now you can reach spain if one engine fails. they then got to the point where it was negative return. too late to return to kennedy space center. what happening right now? >> the shuttle orbiter is separated from the empty fuel t...