Yes, that's what I meant, the tiny distant plume on the horizon. It's really an amazing video. -- Joe --- On Sun, 3/6/11, Patrick Wiggins <paw@wirelessbeehive.com> wrote:

From: Patrick Wiggins <paw@wirelessbeehive.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] STS 133 Booster Cameras Views To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Sunday, March 6, 2011, 2:23 AM Yes Jay, interesting stuff.  I've seen clips from these sorts of videos before but I think this is the first time I've seen one that went from launch to splashdown and without some talking head breaking in to tell me what I'm seeing.

A few comments:

1) Many of us here probably know that when the main engines light the entire stack "twangs" back and forth for a few seconds, with the boosters firing only once the stack is upright again.  I've never seen that shown as well as shown by the moving shadows between 00:15 and 00:19.

2) Joe mentioned the exhaust plume.  It's shadow can be easily seen starting at about 00:45.  Nice.  But any ideas why, starting at about 01:25 there appears to be two plumes?  All of the ground based views I've seen always show a single plume all the way to SRB burnout.

3) Shortly before splashdown at 06:39 there appears to be some sort of pyrotechnic event near the bottom of the booster.  A few seconds later at 06:46 something splashes into the water about 7 seconds before the booster impacts.  Any ideas what that "something" is?  Note that the smoke from this event can be seen at the same mission elapsed time (~382 seconds) in the forward facing camera at 19:32.  The other booster has a similar event at 25:01 and in that case the "something" can be seen falling away and impacting.

4) 18:44.  Is that the other booster with it's plume?

5) Two of my favorite sequences start at 10:12 and 28:06 and show the orbiter pulling away.  Oh to be on that orbiter...

6) I also like the sequences showing the parachutes opening at 19:09 and 28:41 (must be the skydiver in me that likes the sight of open parachutes <g>).  Note, at the beginning of both of those sequences you can see the much smaller drogue that is released earlier in the descent (see 13:45) to orient the boosters for the main chutes.

7) Joe, is the plume you mentioned that tiny one on the horizon at 17:17 and 17:45?  I think it's shadow shows up pretty well in the one at 17:45.

patick

On 06 Mar 2011, at 00:35, Joe Bauman wrote:

...

It's thrilling, Jay. Somehow the clip reminded me of how dangerous an adventure space exploration is. One of the most interesting glimpses was the distant rocket exhaust trail sticking up into space. Thanks, Joe

--- On Sat, 3/5/11, Jay Eads <jayleads@gmail.com> wrote:

...

From: Jay Eads <jayleads@gmail.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] STS 133 Booster Cameras Views To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Saturday, March 5, 2011, 12:33 PM I found this to be quite interesting.  NASA just released from the launch several different views from 6 cameras placed on the Solid Rocker Boosters. It gives an interesting set of views I thought to the launch and what happens to the boosters after they return to earth. Kinda of cool for a lousy cloudy day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvSRnOJ8x38&feature=player_embedded

-- Jay Eads

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