Sts-129

[yak52driver]

Current configuration of the space station. Pretty dang big...

 

[Godspeed]

What the hell? I thought it was supposed to look like this:

 

[yak52driver]

What the hell? I thought it was supposed to look like this:

That will be after the Cardassian module is added.

 

[Shpion1]

Current configuration of the space station. Pretty dang big...

Like Forest Gump Sez
I'm not a smart man" but it seems that the solar arrays are all a little haywire? for best collections, wouldn't they all point towards the sun? Based on the shadows, I'd assume that the sun is at about 4-5 o'clock. a bunch of them seem to be out of alignment. All youse engineers, enlighten us Pol Sci types

 

[C420sailor]

Like Forest Gump Sez
I'm not a smart man" but it seems that the solar arrays are all a little haywire? for best collections, wouldn't they all point towards the sun? Based on the shadows, I'd assume that the sun is at about 4-5 o'clock. a bunch of them seem to be out of alignment. All youse engineers, enlighten us Pol Sci types

Relative to the ISS, the sun moves.

 

[PropAddict]

I heard today that the ISS will be complete in 2010 (awesome). . .and left to fall out of orbit in 2015(WTF, mate?). Hardly seems worth it.

 

[jollygreen07]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,576197,00.html

Big day for LTCOL Bresnik. He had his first spacewalk, and his wife gave birth to a baby girl.

Apparently only the second astronaut to have this happen to him.

 

[FlyingOnFumes]

I am not sure they have settled on how they are going to train the Orion crew, but why have an astronaut sit around for 10 years doing nothing (it happened in the 70's to quite a few) when you could use him as a mission specialist now? There is a method to the madness, it may not always make sense but there is one.

www.nasa.gov/vision/space/preparingtravel/ascan2004.html
Looks like "Komrade" was in fact selected as a Pilot Astronaut (not Mission Specialist)

... so, I guess he's doing temporary duty as a MS so that he could 1) get in on a shuttle flight (rather than not at all) while it's still around, 2) get to do an EVA "Spacewalk" (which, i'm assuming, he wouldn't be allowed to do as as the commander or [co-]pilot of the orbiter), or as you said 3) make use of him as an MS rather have him sit around for 10 years without a spaceflight until the Constellation program Aries I / Orion comes online... or maybe all of the above...

But either way, pretty cool gig, and great way to represent the Corps and Naval Aviation in his post-combat mission life...

 

[Godspeed]

I heard today that the ISS will be complete in 2010 (awesome). . .and left to fall out of orbit in 2015(WTF, mate?). Hardly seems worth it.

No kidding. I'm a huge advocate for the space program, but jesus... Multiple governments dumping billions upon billions of dollars into something that is going to destroy itself within a few short years of completion?

I'd rather them spend more money and start building something permanent on the moon.

 

[yak52driver]

No kidding. I'm a huge advocate for the space program, but jesus... Multiple governments dumping billions upon billions of dollars into something that is going to destroy itself within a few short years of completion?

I'd rather them spend more money and start building something permanent on the moon.

Here's an article in the Washington Post, take it for what it's worth. Like with all things political, posturing will begin when appropriate.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/12/AR2009071201977.html