The Shuttle is Flying!

[Roger]

Just a reminder that NASA has continual coverage of the Shuttle and the ISS, now that the Shuttle took off last night to meet the ISS. It's the same setup as the one they use to transmit the Regionals and Championship games:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

They got 12 days up there (schedule http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasat..._schedule.html) During sleep periods they replay highlights and exterior shots, as well as Mission Control. It's fun supervising their activities and "helping" them do their work. They have cameras everywhere (well, almost) even on the helmets when they do their spacewalks.

Docking is Sunday afternoon (US time), and it isn't as quick as you think. It's even slower than you can imagine. Even after they dock and lock they wait an hour for everything to stop shaking before opening the door. Star Wars it's not.

I think the major project this mission is attaching another solar array. Last Shuttle they had problems closing up one they had to move. It was frustrating to watch it live. I knew they had to send someone out there to do it right (and after eight hours of remote folding not working, they did.)

Landing is also live (June 19th, if all goes to plan). You get a cockpit view of the landing and they drop down fast!

Somewhere on the NASA website is a Shuttle/ISS locator. Pick your location and it'll give you the times they fly overhead. After sundown or before sunrise are the best times.

Roger.