Updates STS-134 Updates

[N_Molson]

0608 GMT

Endeavour is 50 miles in altitude (80.46 km), 3,700 miles away from the runway, traveling at 17,000 mph (7,599 m/s).

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0611 GMT

Endeavour is 45 miles in altitude (72.42 km), 2,900 miles away from the runway, traveling at 16,200 mph (7242 m/s).

---------- Post added at 06:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:14 AM ----------

0615 GMT

Now 20 minutes from landing. Endeavour is 44 miles (70.81 km) in altitude, 2,000 miles away from the runway, traveling at 15,000 mph (6706 m/s).

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0616 GMT

Endeavour is 42 miles (67.59 km) in altitude, 1,546 miles away from the runway, traveling at 14,000 mph (6259 m/s).

---------- Post added at 06:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:19 AM ----------

0618 GMT

Endeavour is 38 miles (61.16 km) in altitude, traveling at 12,000 mph (5364 m/s), 1,027 miles from touchdown.

---------- Post added at 06:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:21 AM ----------

0620 GMT

Endeavour is 35 miles (56.33 km) in altitude, 725 miles from the runway, traveling at 10,000 mph (4470 m/s).

---------- Post added at 06:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:22 AM ----------

0622 GMT

Endeavour is 32 miles (51.5 km) in altitude, 460 miles from the runway, traveling at 7,300 mph (3263 m/s).

Endeavour spotted on radar.

---------- Post added at 06:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:23 AM ----------

0623 GMT

Endeavour is 30 miles (48.28 km) in altitude, 360 miles from the runway, traveling at 6,100 mph (2727 m/s)

---------- Post added at 06:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:25 AM ----------

0625 GMT

Ten minutes from landing. Endeavour is 26 miles (41.84 km) in altitude, 243 miles from the runway, traveling at 4,600 mph (2056 m/s).

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0626 GMT

Endeavour is 20 miles (32.19 km) in altitude, 123 miles from the runway.

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0628 GMT

Endeavour is 16 miles (25.75 km) in altitude, 75 miles from the runway, traveling at 1,900 mph (849.4 m/s)

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0629 GMT

Endeavour is 14 miles (22.5 km) in altitude, 69 miles from the runway, traveling at Mach 1.9.

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0631 GMT

The twin sonic booms have rumbled across the Kennedy Space Center area, announcing the shuttle's arrival.

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0632 GMT

"Runway in sight !"

Field in sight. Commander Mark Kelly reports he can see the runway as he guides Endeavour to landing.

---------- Post added at 06:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:32 AM ----------

0634 GMT

TOUCHDOWN! Main gear touchdown. Pilot Greg Johnson is putting out the drag chute as commander Mark Kelly brings the nose gear to the surface of Runway 15.

---------- Post added at 06:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:34 AM ----------

0635 GMT

Endeavour is back at the Kennedy Space Center after this final mission that spanned 248 orbits of the planet and 6,510,221 miles.

The orbiter's finale completed orbital construction of the International Space Station by delivering the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a premier scientific instrument to probe the mysteries of physics, and installing another outdoor spare parts pallet to sustain the outpost for years to come.

WHEELS STOP. Swooping out of the nighttime sky to enter homeport a final time, the shuttle Endeavour has safely completed her spaceflight career that covered 25 voyages to Earth orbit.

Endeavour's rich history of service to humanity over 19 years spanned 122,883,151 miles traveled, 4,677 orbits of the planet and 299 days aloft.

The ship's maiden voyage in May 1992 was a dramatic adventure to rescue the wayward Intelsat 603 telecommunications satellite that required the astronauts to improvise with the first-ever three-man spacewalk to manually grab the spacecraft after attempts using a specially-designed capture bar failed to work. The ship also conducted the first Hubble Space Telescope servicing in 1993, one of the stellar achievements for the space program that installed corrective optics to fix the observatory's flawed vision.

Other trips in the 1990s deployed and retrieved satellites, mapped the Earth with radar and scanned the cosmos with payloads carried in the orbiter's cargo bay. She also visited the Russian space station Mir once.

Then Endeavour opened the International Space Station era by launching the first American piece of the outpost -- the Unity connecting node -- to begin orbital construction in December 1998. Subsequent flights by Endeavour would take up the station's initial solar array power tower, all three sections of Canada's robotics including the arm, mobile transporter and Dextre hands, the Japanese science facility's "attic" and "back porch" for research, and the Tranquility utility room with the Cupola.

This 12th mission to the International Space Station by Endeavour finished the American construction efforts, which this ship originally began, by adding the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and a final spare parts deck.

Construction of Endeavour started in September 1987 as a replacement vehicle for Challenger. The spaceplane was rolled out of the Palmdale factory in April 1991. She became NASA's fifth and final operational space shuttle with her inaugural launch a year later.

Once retired from service, Endeavour will be safed and readied for museum display in Los Angeles.

0639 GMT

The astronauts are beginning standard post-landing activities to safe the spacecraft.

0643 GMT

The pyrotechnics for the crew module hatch, landing gear and drag chute have been safed, commander Mark Kelly reports.

0647 GMT

Ground crews are now around the shuttle

 

[boogabooga]

Why does the tail look like it is on fire?

 

[N_Molson]

Looks like some hot gases are vented...

Those are the vents from the APU exhaust, as far as I understood.

 

[orb]

It's just APU exhaust, normally not visible on day landings.

 

[N_Molson]

Endeavour successfully completes final mission

Swooping out of the nighttime sky to enter homeport a final time, the shuttle Endeavour has safely completed her spaceflight career that covered 25 voyages to Earth orbit over 19 years, spanning 122,883,151 miles traveled, 4,677 revolutions of the planet and 299 days aloft.

 

[orb]

Official landing times:

• Main Gear Touchdown: 2:34:51 a.m. EDT / 06:34:51 UTC
  MET: 15 days, 17 hours, 38 minutes, 23 seconds
  
  
• Nose Gear Touchdown: 2:35:04 a.m. EDT / 06:35:04 UTC
  MET: 15 days, 17 hours, 38 minutes, 36 seconds
  
  
• Wheels Stop: 2:35:36 a.m. EDT / 06:35:36 UTC
  MET: 15 days, 17 hours, 39 minutes, 8 seconds

 

[IronRain]

STS-134 GO for deorbit burn

STS-134 landing

 

[C3PO]

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
"We are very proud of Endeavour's legacy, and this penultimate flight of the space shuttle program once again demonstrated the amazing skill and dedication of our astronauts and the entire workforce. As we begin the transition from the shuttle program to the commercial transportation of our crews and cargo, our ability to tackle big challenges remains steadfast and will ensure that NASA reaches even more destinations farther in the solar system."

Too bad most of those contracts are going to Russia.

 

[orb]

NASA: Space Shuttle Endeavour Sails To Home Port For Final Time

NASASpaceflight: Endeavour arrives home one final time to conclude STS-134

CBS News Space: Shuttle Endeavour glides to smooth Florida touchdown

Spaceflight Now:

• Shuttle Endeavour comes home to enter retirement
• Photo Gallery: Endeavour glides home (PHOTO GALLERY) - a couple of chosen photos:

• NASA:

Click on image to enlarge​

 

[IronRain]

Mission Managers Discuss STS-134

STS-134 Landing Crew Comments

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-M2aHfNGDM&feature=feedu"]YouTube - ‪STS-134 Landing Crew Comments‬‏[/ame]

 

[Tycho]

Congratulations to Endeavour and her crew and all who made all 25 of her missions a success!

 

[C3PO]

Mission Managers Discuss STS-134

Sounds like the odds on the next Dragon will dock to the ISS are good. :thumbup:

 

[diogom]

I think the Russian side isn't very enthusiast with that idea, unfortunately.

 

[IronRain]

STS-134 Missions Highlights :thumbup:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

During today's post-landing news conference, it was announced that the Soyuz photos of the Shuttle/ISS will not be released anytime before June 8th, and that a Soyuz flyabout on STS-135 is no longer being planned.

And per a post on NASASpaceflight Forum, NASA may have to pay Russia for the photos! Disgusting if true.

 

[Cairan]

I think the Russian side isn't very enthusiast with that idea, unfortunately.

They aren't because if SpaceX and others can pick up the torch and offer a domestic (and maybe even cheaper and/or better...) alternative than Soyuz they'll loose their leverage to squeeze out money out of their partners. Comment is aimed at the Russian agency, not the Russians as a whole!

 

[halcyon]

Pay them?
Yeah that is disgusting. Don't tell me the film cost that much.

 

[diogom]

They aren't because if SpaceX and others can pick up the torch and offer a domestic (and maybe even cheaper and/or better...) alternative than Soyuz they'll loose their leverage to squeeze out money out of their partners. Comment is aimed at the Russian agency, not the Russians as a whole!

Yeah, I meant the Roscosmos.

 

[ky]

Thanks for 19 years of service, Endeavour!

 

[garyw]

Pay them?
Yeah that is disgusting. Don't tell me the film cost that much.

they are Russian photos taken on a Russian vehicle using Russian equipment. It took Russian planning to pull it off. I don't agree with the cost but I can understand it.

It is just a rumour though so let's wait and see.