Archive for November 16th, 2009

Launch video of the STS-129 launch, Atlantis lifted off at 2:28 p.m. EST. It was a beautiful ride into orbit, so make sure to check it out if you missed it or if you just want to see it again.

The STS-129 crew is currently strapped aboard Atlantis, ready for a 2:28 p.m. launch time. Weather doesn’t look to be a problem, nor do there seem to be any other problems. So looks good for a launch. Below is video of the six astronauts suiting up and walking out in preparation to head to the pad.

The crew is made up of three veteran fliers and three rookies. The veterans are Charles O. Hobaugh (third spaceflight), Leland D. Melvin (second spaceflight) and Michael Foreman (second spaceflight). The first time space fliers are Barry E. Wilmore, Randolph Bresnik, and Robert Satcher. To learn more about the crew, you can go here. Just scroll down to crew profiles.

Nicole Stott will join the STS-129 crew shortly after the arrival of STS-129 to ISS, who was previous part of the STS-128 crew, Expedition 20 crew, and is currently part of the Expedition 21 crew.

STS-129 crew members, from left, Robert Satcher, Mike Foreman, Randy Bresnik, Leland Melvin, Pilot Barry Wilmore and Mission Commander Charlie Hobaugh pose for a photograph before getting into the astrovan and heading to Launch Pad 39A at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009.

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Progress report on the Ares launch vehicles.

Another earth picture from the ESA’s Envisat.

This Envisat image captures a depression, or low pressure system, covering most of the North Sea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean, on Monday 2 November 2009. The area of low pressure developed to the southwest of Britain on Saturday night. Heavy rains spread through England (visible), Wales (partly visible), Northern Ireland and Scotland (partly visible) on Sunday morning. The various colours of green visible in the sea around the River Thames in England are due to sediments being transported in the water. Western France is visible in the bottom right.

Today at 2:28 p.m. EST, space shuttle Atlantis blasts off headed for ISS. That is to say, if everything goes as planned. Weather for once, doesn’t seem to be an issue.

The mission will be to bringing home astronaut Nicole Stott, resupply ISS and bring a stockpile of spare parts to prepare for the shuttles retirement. Nicole was the last station-crew rotation from a space shuttle. Meaning when she comes home, nobody from Atlantis replaces her up on ISS.

You can watch the launch live here. Coverage should have already started, but obviously nothing exciting is going to be happening until you get closer to the launch time.