Posted on Sep 09, 2009 10:05:53 AM | Wayne Hale | 1 Comments
-
Tomorrow, September 10, 2009, is shaping up to be a busy day for space. Three significant events are scheduled within a few hours of each other
First, at 1:01 PM EDT, is the launch of the Japanese HTV from Tanegashima Launch Site in Japan. This is Japan's first attempt to robotically resupply the International Space Station. (OK, for the record, it will be 2:01 AM Sept. 11 in Tanegashima)
Second, at 3:00 PM EDT, the slightly delayed test of the new five segment booster DM-1 will take place at the Promontory, Utah test site.
Third, at 7:05 PM EDT, the Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to land at the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
This wasn't actually planned to work out this way, all these events just coalesced into the same short time period. And, for the record, none of these events are time critical. A weather delay or short technical delay resulting in moving any or all of these events a day or a few days later is no big deal. Better safe than sorry in this business.
But if it all comes together, it will be a busy day.
Tags : landing, supply, test
1 comments so far ( Post your own )
- 1
On Sep 10, 2009 07:57:09 AM
RSC
wrote:
Although the busyness is temporally coincident it is not also spatially coincident like happens in aircraft traffic control. Won't it be great when we need space traffic control for that reason? Although one could consider space junk tracking a form of that, I was thinking more along the lines of when scheduling and controlling take offs, landings, departures, etc. to and from earth orbit, the moon and beyond has become a necessity and routine. Then we will know humankind has truly arrived in space permanently.
Comment notes
Keep comments relevant. Inappropriate or offensive comments may be edited and/or deleted. Avoid adding Web site urls.
Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use
<p>or<br/>. Quotes, apostrophes, and double-dashes are automatically converted to smart punctuation. Be careful when copying and pasting portions of entries or other comments.