Archive for July 9th, 2006

New Discovery launch videos

Nasa have just released a series of videos showing the launch of the Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. The videos show the launch from a number of never before seen angles.

There is some excellent footage take from the SRB camera and from the External Tank camera.

Nasa have been inspecting these videos virtually frame by frame to establish whether or not there is any heat shield damage.

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): shuttle, nasa, Space Shuttle, Space Shuttle Discovery, Discovery, Space, Science, STS-121, ISS]

First space walk complete

Mission Specialists Piers Sellers and Mike Fossum successfully completed STS-121’s first spacewalk.

Their space walk involved testing the new shuttle robotic arm boom extension to be used as a platform for astronauts should it be necessary to conduct heat shield repairs. Sellers worked on the end of the 50-foot extension before being joined by Fossum to simulate various working conditions.

I watched them working on Nasa TV for a while earlier today. I have to say it looked quite scary. Every time either astronaut moved, no matter how little, the whole arm swayed and rocked, all the while the earth spun by below.

There will be another two space walks during STS-121.

Matt

Image credit: Nasa TV

[Technorati tag(s): shuttle, nasa, Space Shuttle, Space Shuttle Discovery, Discovery, Space, Science, STS-121, ISS]