50 YA - Little Joe 5A Test Flight

Blast Off! Little Joe makes Big Smoke. Photo of an earlier launch.

Fifty years ago, things were really ramping up for launching our first astronaut into space. Every piece of equipment was being tested to discover whatever could possibly go wrong. The Little Joe program was designed to test aspects of the Mercury space capsule, which would take one astronaut on voyages into space. This test, conducted from Wallops Island on March 18th, 1961, was supposed to test the escape tower system.

Unfortunately, due to some faulty programming, the test was only of limited use. It reached a height of 7.7 miles and flew about 18 miles downrange over the Atlantic ocean. The Capsule used in the test was called a "Boiler-plate" because it was not fitted with the correct interior, although it did include test measuring equipment. Failure of the test occurred when the escape tower blasted away successfully, but failed to take the capsule with it! Recovery teams did eventually recover all pieces of the test capsule and tower. This failure led to another launch later.

For Space Fans, the capsule used in this test is on display at the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton, VA.

Little Joe 5A being assembled prior to launch.

Messenger: First to orbit Mercury

Artist impression of Messenger approaching the first planet.

A lot of space fans are watching NASA TV tonight as the Messenger space probe begins its orbital insertion of the planet Mercury. Until tonight, we have managed to send probes to make passes by the small rocky planet, but this is the first spacecraft designed to stay in orbit.

NASA TV has been live broadcasting, interviewing the project scientists and watching the spacecraft mission control as the main engine fired to slow the craft into its orbit. As each step in the procedure was completed successfully, there were bigger and bigger grins and applause. At this time the spacecraft should be in orbit, according to incoming telemetry. However, there will be a lot of checking and double-checking of information as it is downloaded from the High-gain antenna aimed towards Earth. Absolute confirmation will come late tonight.

Bumpy Ride Comes to an End

Wind drags Soyuz capsule after touchdown.

After a fiery reentry through Earth's atmosphere, the three space voyagers in the Soyuz Capsule touched down on Earth's snowy fields yesterday at 1:54 pm local time in Kazakhstan. Russian landings are a bit bumpy - they don't use water landings like the old Apollo missions. For security reasons, the old Soviets design their craft to return to the frozen steps of Eastern Russia (now Kazakhstan).

Evidently, it's not just space that's cold.

Just before the capsule hits the Earth, a final blast from thrusters slows the craft even more and then BUMP it hits the ground. Generally speaking, the voyagers remain in the capsule until the helicopters arrive with rescue personnel who assist them. Remember, these poor guys have been without gravity for many months and can use some help moving in the heavy Earth gravity.

The astronaut and cosmonauts arrived safely, and were soon flying back to Russian space center where they will be debriefed and then sent home to join their families.

Busy Times

Second launch for the X37B.

While the astronauts of STS133 were visiting the ISS, other events were happening as well. NASA launched the X37B, the Air Force's "Secret" mini-shuttle, on top of the Atlas V rocket.

X37B being serviced after last mission.

The X37B is unmanned but bears remarkable similarity to the space shuttle design. The Air Force is testing the shuttle's maneuverability in low Earth orbit. This craft has already proved it can change orbits and disappear from those who are tracking it from the Earth (amateurs, anyway). It can carry payloads like satellites and experiments, and can stay in space for months at a time.

Delta IV Heavy on the pad.

There was also a launch of the "other" launch vehicle NASA uses for lifting satellites into orbit. On the 12th of March, NASA lifted a "spy" satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. The blast-off occurred during the evening from launch Complex 37. The satellite is classified, so we don't know much about it.

Endeavor on the way to Pad 39A.

On the 11th, NASA began the rollout of the shuttle Endeavor to launch Pad 39A. STS134 is scheduled to launch April 19th on Endeavor's last flight to the ISS.

Expedition 26 in small Soyuz capsule.

Expedition 26 on the ISS prepared for its completion. On Monday the 14th Commander Kelly gave command of the ISS to cosmonaut Dimitry Kondratyev and the Soyua was boarded. In the NASA TV image above you see cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka, Commander Mark Kelly, and cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri through the open hatch into the Soyuz. The spacecraft undocked and began preparations for a landing on Wednesday.

STS133: End of an Era for Discovery

Discovery Deploys Drogue chute.

After a journey of 5,304,140 miles and 202 orbits, shuttle Discovery finally touched down on the long runway at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After deorbiting, it's flight path brought it over my home town of Sarasota. A quick call to my folks back there got them ready to try to spot it. Unfortunately, while the skies were clear over Kennedy on the east coast of the state, the west coast had quite a cover of small cumulus clouds which made spotting the shuttle near impossible. But the shuttle made its presence known anyway. My parents called back to let me know that the sonic boom was heard and it shook the windows.

On final approach, wheels down...

Commander Steve Lindsey and pilot Eric Boe brought Discovery in for a beautiful touchdown. These guys make it look so easy, but there are countless hours spent training in aircraft and simulators to make sure everything goes right. Eventually Discovery rolled to a stop. A commemorative plaque will be placed on the runway where the nose wheel finally came to a halt.

Infra-red image showing heat signatures.

It's cleanup time.

Discovery was immediately surrounded by a swarm of over 50 vehicles ready to collect the crew and service the orbiter. Only this time, Discovery will not be prepped for another mission. This was the shuttle's 39th, and final, mission. With the ending of the STS program, the shuttles will be cleaned up and prepared for storage in museums around the country. I think Discovery is set to be donated to the Smithsonian, which means the Enterprise, currently displayed in Washington DC, will probably go to another facility.

The next shuttle launch will be the Endeavor on mission STS134. The launch is scheduled for April 19, 2011. After that we may see the Atlantis launch for the last shuttle mission.

STS133 Readies for Landing Today

Photo of Discovery from ISS. Last trip home.

With a successful mission behind them, the crew of STS133 prepares the orbiter Discovery for its landing today. They have taken the last inspection pictures of the re-entry tiles to verify all is well, and engineers have given them the all-clear. Eventually the pilot will close the cargo bay doors, which help to radiate heat into space. The commander will fire the orbiter's OMS engines, and begin braking the shuttle's tremendous speed. As the speed decreases, gravity begins to take over from velocity and the shuttle's altitude will lessen. Eventually the shuttle will encounter the atmosphere, and the air's mass will cause enough friction on the shuttle's underwing surface to heat up the tiles to about 1,500 degrees centigrade. Ouch. Do not touch. Actually the tiles cool more quickly than you think, so that soon after touchdown you could actually touch them safely.

Here's your wake-up call...

NASA performed another first early this morning. Usually, as the astronauts wake up from the night shift slumber, Mission Control plays a recorded musical piece selected either by astronauts or in this case, by the public. Today was the first time a Live Performance was used to greet the sleepy astronauts. The group Big Head Todd and the Monsters gladly arrived in the wee hours of the morning and prepared to give their first performance for outer space. Good job, guys, very cool!

Landing deorbit will begin at 8:52 am Mountain time and touchdown is scheduled for 9:57.

All Aboard! Shuttle undocks from ISS

Last crew pic of STS133 and ISS crews together.

The shuttle Discovery undocked at 5 am EST this morning and pulled away from the station at around 6:30. This was Discovery's last trip to the ISS and into space. It will be retired barring some unexpected act of Congress.

The crews were shaken from their slumber this morning with the playing of the "Theme from Star Trek" and personally narrated by WIlliam Shatner, the iconic actor who played Captain Kirk on the classic series as well as 6 of the movies.

The Discovery crew will perform safety checks including another robotic arm-camera inspection of the re-entry tiles. They are scheduled to land on Wednesday.