Atlantis just left for flight number 16. Simple mission, so I will try to post plenty of screen shots as I go along, keep things exciting, and prove I actually flew the thing.
---------- Post added at 05:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:23 PM ----------
Atlantis shortly after lift off from Kennedy Space Center
Nominal MECO, no OMS-1 required. Pitch manuver to capture pictures of the ET
Performing the OMS-2 burn to put Atlantis into a rough 365km orbit.
At the aft work station opening the PLB Doors and deploying the Radiators.
Atlantis is configured for Orbit Ops, ready to proceed with mission procedures. Thanks to Tex for not including the OBSS, I dont need to worry myself with that busy work
Atlantis back where she belongs, in Low Earth Orbit.
My office aboard Atlantis, the Left Seat on the Flight Deck.
---------- Post added at 05:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:01 PM ----------
Looks like it will take a few days for me to catch up to the OFSS, I will post some pics when I get closer to it and start the rendezvous.
---------- Post added at 07:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:07 PM ----------
After taking 2+ days to catch up, rose the orbit a few times, a plane change burn, then time to being rendezvous.
Was significantly off the plane of the station, so that took some juice. Offset some of the burns that raised the altitude to also get a closer relative inclination, then fixed the rest here:
Got everything checkout and set up for docking:
Approaching the station from underneath, got visual from the rear windows:
Got to about 650 feet, then performed the RPM:
Pitched up and got into docking attitude:
Until I realized that the PMA is not oriented that way, so I need to roll the Shuttle on to its side:
and finally docked, ring retracted, hooks closed, and now to leak checks