Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News

      Storms Threaten Shuttle Landing

      By
      Roy Mark
      -
      May 21, 2009
      Share
      Facebook
      Twitter
      Linkedin

        Bad weather may delay the space shuttle Atlantis’ return from its successful trip to repair and update the Hubble Space Telescope. As thunderstorms raked the Kennedy Space Center May 21, NASA officials warned the May 22 landing date was in doubt.
        NASA said the shuttle has two windows of opportunity for the landing May 22, but the continued threat of foul weather may force the space agency to switch to Southern California May 23 or May 24 as an alternative landing site. The crew’s air supply will be exhausted by May 25.
        As the shuttle passed over Florida May 21, Atlantis Commander Scott Altman radioed to ground command, “We flew over today, saw it looked kind of nasty at the moment, but saw some clearing behind it – maybe. As long as you think there’s a chance, we’ll be willing to do whatever it takes.”
        NASA called the chances of a landing at the Kennedy Space Center “iffy. We expect it’s going to improve over the next couple of days, but again we’ll just have to wait and see.” The weather forecast for the landing calls for mostly cloudy conditions with numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms.
        With the odds for the alternative California landing increasing by the hour, the shuttle began to conserve power to remain aloft until Monday if necessary, but the May 22 landing efforts will be solely focused on Florida. Altman and shuttle pilot Gregory H. Johnson practiced the landing on a computer simulator.
        In between these simulations and other landing preparations, the crew found time for a congressional briefing via a video link to gushing lawmakers. “When we talk about the Hubble and giving it essentially a new life and a new way of going and seeing the universe, you’ve touched our hearts and you’ve also made history,” said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), who is widely credited with helping revive the Hubble mission.
        The trip to Hubble was originally scheduled for 2004 but after the 2003 Columbia disaster that killed seven astronauts, NASA canceled the mission until greater safety measures could be insured for future shuttle slights. Mikulski became a congressional champion for the program and in 2006, NASA cleared the mission to Hubble, the last manned space flight to the telescope.
        Arriving at Hubble May 13 , the crew executed five spacewalks to install a new wide-field camera, replace Hubble’s six gyroscopes and install a new Science Instrument Command and Data Handling Unit, the computer that sends commands to Hubble’s scientific instruments and formats scientific data for transmission to Earth.
        In addition, the makeover for the 19-year-old Hubble included new battery packs, a new power supply circuit board and a Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, an instrument that breaks light into component colors, revealing information about an object emitting light.
        After departing the Hubble May 22, the seven crew members received a congratulatory call from President Obama.
        “Like a lot of Americans, I’ve been watching with amazement the gorgeous images that you’ve been sending back,” Obama said.

        Roy Mark

        MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

        Cybersecurity

        Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

        James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
        I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
        Read more
        Cloud

        Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

        James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
        Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
        Read more
        Big Data and Analytics

        GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

        James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
        I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
        Read more
        IT Management

        Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

        James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
        I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
        Read more
        Applications

        Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

        James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
        I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
        Read more
        Logo

        eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

        Facebook
        Linkedin
        RSS
        Twitter
        Youtube

        Advertisers

        Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

        Advertise with Us

        Menu

        • About eWeek
        • Subscribe to our Newsletter
        • Latest News

        Our Brands

        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms
        • About
        • Contact
        • Advertise
        • Sitemap
        • California – Do Not Sell My Information

        Property of TechnologyAdvice.
        © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

        Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

        ×