Starship Asterisk*

Space Shuttle and Space Station Photographed Together

Explanation: How was this picture taken? Usually, pictures of the shuttle, taken from space, are snapped from the space station. Commonly, pictures of the space station are snapped from the shuttle. How, then, can there be a picture of both the shuttle and the station together, taken from space? The answer is that during the Space Shuttle Endeavour's last trip to the International Space Station in 2011 May, a supply ship departed the station with astronauts that captured a series of rare views. The supply ship was the Russian Soyuz TMA-20 which landed in Kazakhstan later that day. The above spectacular image well captures the relative sizes of the station and docked shuttle. Far below, clouds of Earth are seen above a blue sea.

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immediate reaction to this image


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vQpW9XRiyM

Such a spectacular view!

When, if ever will we have a way to go too and fro from the space station again?

ol1bit wrote:Such a spectacular view!

When, if ever will we have a way to go too and fro from the space station again?

We haven't lost our ability to get to and from the ISS. We did stop using an incredibly uneconomical method, however.

Chris Peterson wrote:

ol1bit wrote:Such a spectacular view!

When, if ever will we have a way to go too and fro from the space station again?

We haven't lost our ability to get to and from the ISS. We did stop using an incredibly uneconomical method, however.

Deciding, instead, to depend on the whims of a mad man...
What, me worry?

Rob

rstevenson wrote:Deciding, instead, to depend on the whims of a mad man...

Any dependence is short term at worst. We (meaning the U.S., although I prefer to use the term more generally to refer to humanity) have hardly lost the ability to get to the ISS on our own. It's simply a matter of creating a bit of inventory if necessary.

There is a Commodore 64 Computer Space Simulation....EOS - Earth Orbit Station.....LOOKS ALLOT LIKE THAT.....Seriously....

You setup modules, and solar panels, and dock space shuttles...

Neat shot. Back when we were still in the shuttle business....

:---[===] *

It's clearly visible also the ATV "Jules Verne" attached to ISS on the right side.

ERRATA CORRIGE: The ATV in the photo is the second unit, the"Johannes Kepler". Currently the ATV fifth unit, the "Georges Lemaitre" is attached.

Uneconomical vehicle ? on its own yes but it certainly upped the intellectual property of this nation by leaps and bounds, never mind infusing into our youth the desire to get a higher education.
Pass me an ice cold one

ta152h0 wrote:Uneconomical vehicle ? on its own yes but it certainly upped the intellectual property of this nation by leaps and bounds, never mind infusing into our youth the desire to get a higher education.
Pass me an ice cold one

I'm not convinced. But regardless, my observation was directed towards using the Shuttle for the purpose of moving people to and from the ISS- a use for which it was very poorly suited, and hugely uneconomical.

It looks the arm is checking the bottom of the shuttle for any damage after launch. Nice view.