The space shuttle Discovery rocketed into space at 7:43 p.m. EDT on Sunday with the crew of STS-119 and the cheers from the team on the ground. The comments made by the NASA was that it was a smooth launch and that the team operated near perfectly. The early evening launch was the the 100th successful launch for the solid rocket booster system since the Columbia tragedy.
Commander Lee Archambault leads Discovery’s crew of seven, along with Pilot Tony Antonelli, and Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata on mission STS-119 to the International Space Station.
The STS-119 crew members are flying the S6 truss segment and installing the final set of power-generating solar arrays to the International Space Station. The S6 truss will complete the backbone of the station and provide one-fourth of the total power needed to support a crew of six.
While checking in with Spacevidcast.com‘s coverage of Shuttle Discovery’s planned launch on UStream.com, it is interesting listening to NASA’s “fit team’s” walk around 3 hours prior to launch and what they actually do. One unusual thing during today’s walk around was a fruit bat clinging to the shuttle assembly; the NASA consultant commented commented that it will not impact the STS-119 launch, but the launch wouldn’t be all that good for the bat. The conversation between ‘amateur space junkies’ in the chat interesting as well as the interface conversation with the hosts. It’s a fun way to enjoy the pre-launch activity. Check it out – SpaceVidcast.com.
Mission STS-119 will deliver to the station the final set of solar arrays needed to complete the station’s complement of electricity-generating solar panels, and through them support the station’s expanded crew of six in 2009.
Air Force Col. Lee Archambault will lead the crew of STS-119, and Navy Cmdr. Tony Antonelli will serve as the pilot. The mission specialists for the flight will be NASA astronauts Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata.
Wakata will remain on the station, replacing Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus, who returns to Earth with the STS-119 crew. He will serve as a flight engineer for Expeditions 18 and 19, and he will return to Earth on shuttle mission STS-127.
STS-119 is the 28th shuttle mission to the International Space Station. Discovery also will carry the S6 truss segment to the orbital outpost.
Although there were a few things missing in this episode of the PBS Motorweek, I did enjoy seeing and hearing biodiesel still being promoted. I particularly enjoy their highlighting the ‘Appleseed’ processor! (how do you like that @girlmark)
Although I don’t spend every moment watching the stock market as an indicator of our economic woes, I do feel the pain when it comes to paying for college and saving for retirement. So I can’t help but take a breath while noticing the averages rise a bit over the last few days. That said, it is a Friday … and I’m thinking a few traders may have had a nice gain this week and that there is a good chance for some profit taking later on today.
After spending the last couple years running Microsoft’s Vista OS on my traveling notebook computer and recently installing the new Windows 7 Beta, I can’t imagine ever being forced to go back to such a pitiful operating system as Vista. Perhaps it was Microsoft’s strategy that users suffer so no matter what came out next that it would be praise? I doubt it, but can’t imagine that the company that sold the world on Windows could blunder with the release of such a lousy operating system? Now that I’m back running an acceptable OS — Windows 7 — I’m beginning to worry about the beta’s expiration — which I’ve heard is August 1, 2009. I don’t want to reinstall Vista … NO … I WILL NOT reinstall Vista. Join me in making this point clear to Microsoft.
Dear Microsoft,
As a satisfied Windows 7 Beta tester, I am concerned that the release of Windows 7 may trail the expiration of the current Version 6.1 (Build 7000). If users are asked to reinstall the Vista OS prior to a Windows 7 release, it will be a marketing mistake. Personally, I will purchase a new computer before reinstalling Vista and it will be a Mac Book Pro running Apple’s OS.
This past week, folks on Twitter celebrated the birthday of popular actor, martial arts/fitness star and conservative political supporter Chuck Norris as he turned a very young 69 — Happy Birthday. (Chuck Norris search) In keeping with one of the curious trends started some years ago, fans began sharing the short “tough guy” jokes, or one liner quips, in a birthday recognition on the popular 2 year old social networking service through “tweets.” No doubt those using the Internet have run across at least one of the one liners like — “Chuck Norris doesn’t wear a watch, HE decides what time it is.” These quips were so popular that they even found their way into a Gov. Mike Huckabee’s campaign ad the Republican Presidential nomination last year, so was no surprise to see the 140 character short messages of Twitter begin relaying (and creating new)Chuck Norris facts in celebration of his birthday.
American Idol host Ryan Seacrest got in on the game as well, alerting his 73,000+ followers to Mr. Norris’s birthday and asking them to send in their favorites. Here’s a sampling of some of the birthday tweets that have responded to Mr. Seacrest’s call:
superman2789: @RyanSeacrest Chuck Norris doesn’t read, he just stares the book down til it gives up it’s information.
kaner_A: @RyanSeacrest Chuck Norris doesn’t wear a watch, he decides what time it is.
PingTech: @RyanSeacrest There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.
bbrearle: @RyanSeacrest Giraffes were created when Chuck Norris uppercutted a horse.
AHalbers: @RyanSeacrest Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table, because he only recognizes the element of surprise.
Interesting anecdote: “Chuck Norris Facts originally started appearing on the Internet in early 2005. Conan O’Brien‘s Chuck Norris jokes on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (which generally center on Walker, Texas Ranger) have been seen as an inspiration for the fad.”
Keel Brightman, the son of a friend of mine (Donna Lange’s) is participating in an adventure of a lifetime this spring in the Pacific Northwest. He is part of a small group who has started in British Columbia, Canada this March and is hoping to paddle the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. The team sees the Columbia River as one of the most dammed river drainages in the world and is using their expedition to bring attention to the river, the environment and alternative energy. They post updates on their website and one member uses a great product call the Spot Satellite Messenger to check in and post his position daily.
They originally wanted to depart from the headwaters of the river but due to ice had to start a bit further downstream and intend to return to the headwaters to finish the full length of the Columbia later in the season. Still they have found snow and ice challenging and the lake paddle distances mentally grueling. Here’s wishing the team well.
The space shuttle Discovery rocketed into space at 7:43 p.m. EDT on Sunday with the crew of STS-119 and the cheers from the team on the ground. The comments made by the NASA was that it was a smooth launch and that the team operated near perfectly. The early evening launch was the the 100th successful launch for the solid rocket booster system since the Columbia tragedy.
