114oms



STS-114 ..OMS Firing! DVDs Now Available At Project P.R.O.V.E.!

STS-114 lifted off from Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center, on 26 July 2005 at 9:39 AM CDT (14:39 GMT). This daylight launch was the most watched in Shuttle history, with the possible exception of STS-1, the initial Shuttle launch on 12 April 1981. The timing and solar angle were chosen to maximise opportunities to film the liftoff, and ascent, from every possible perspective. These even included modified old jet bombers from the 1950s (WB-57 Canberras), carrying special camera turrets in the nose for the purpose of photographing Discovery at high altitude as she was on her way to orbit. The reasoning behind all of this was to make sure that if there were ANY debris strikes on the orbiter's sensitive heat shield, like the one which doomed Columbia in 2003, they would be captured on film for detailed analysis before allowing Discovery to re-enter the atmosphere. The Crew experienced some facets of Shuttle flight that are entirely new. On orbit inspection of the heat shield, manual repairs to that heat shield, and experiments with different methods of on orbit heat shield repair. In addition, Discovery carried over 15 tons of equipment and supplies to the International Space Station ( in the Raphaello MPLM module ), where she was greeted upon arrival by the Expedition 11 Crew. Three EVAs (Extra-Vehicular Activity or spacewalk) were carried out. These involved Space Station repairs, improvements, and attending to heat shield problems. A fourth EVA to repair a flaw in the insulation below Commander Eileen Collins window was cancelled as unnecessary. Space Shuttle Discovery and her crew landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base (NASA's Dryden Research Center) in the California desert at 7:11 AM CDT (12:11 GMT) on 9 August 2005. Total flight duration was 13 days 21 hours 32 minutes. The mission was highly successful, accomplishing every goal set for it. The sad news is that in the wake of continued problems with external tank insulation breaking away during liftoff, the Shuttle fleet has been indefinately grounded until the problem is solved.
	STS-114 Liftoff

	Belly Inspection

	Inside ISSy

	Robinson On EVA

	STS-114 Landing

THE EVENT

Just a day and a half after liftoff, Discovery was maneuvering for a rendezvous and docking with ISSy. To accomplish this, the OMS (Orbital Maneuvering System) is used to make the necessary adjustments in order to bring the Shuttle into the exact same orbit and speed as the space station. The timing, and length of these rocket firings must be calculated correctly to the last decimal for the two spacecraft to come together as they do. This page hopes to demonstrate what these rocket firings, and their resulting debris clouds, look like. It's not often that we actually get to see this part of the docking operations. But in the case of STS-114, the use of the OMS was shown "live". And as an added treat, it was broadcast in color as well.

So, perhaps it's time for us to have a look at this critical portion of a Shuttle flight to the space station.

OMS FIRING!
	As you can see for yourself, the rocket firings are not only colorful, but light up the night as well. You might also notice the "tear drop" shape of the thruster plumes. This was a major factor in the STS-48 event. Another thing to note from this sequence; there is none of the "snow" or color distortion usually associated with the night-time use of Shuttles' color CCTV cameras.
Most of the time when we are shown night scenes from the color cameras, the picture is terrible. One has to wonder why this would be so. The scene above proves that the color cameras are quite capable of rendering near perfect video at night after all. At least, that is when NASA WANTS us to see near perfect video. When pointing their cameras into deep space at night, we get a much poorer quality broadcast. This is during those times when there is the chance of anomalous activity turning up.
ICE CHIPS
	In the next animation, please direct your attention to the area in the blue box.

	When Shuttles reach orbit, there is often seen lots of ice peeling off the main engine bells at the rear of the vehicle. This ice forms during the time of ascent to space, when super-cooled cryogenic fuels are pumped through pipes attached in a grid pattern all around these engine bells. This prevents the metal the engines are made of from melting in the fierce heat of the rocket exhaust.

Using the ultra-cold fuels in this manner also warms them up, changing them from liquid to a gaseous state for more efficient combustion. In addition, there is particulate matter formed from the burning of chemical fuels in the OMS engines. These particles spew out into space when the OMS engines are fired.

In this animation, we can see the "cloud" of resulting junk rising and spreading out. When the OMS engines are fired, they frequently also shake ice chips loose from the main engine bells as well. It can make for a pretty display, and fool the uninformed into thinking they see U.F.O.s in the vicinity. So we have provided this page for your comparison to those objects we believe actually are unidentified.

***

At all times during this incident, the camera was under the control of the INCO in Houston Mission Control.

(INCO - INstrument & Communication Officer - The man in Houston Mission Control Center who is responsible for operating the Shuttle payload bay, and robotic arm, cameras. He also remotely operates the helmet cameras in space suits. In the case of ISS, this officer is referred to as the CATO - Communications And Tracking Officer. In both cases, these persons CONTROL everything which is PERMITTED to go out on broadcast to the public. It is a commonly believed falacy that the cameras are operated by Astronauts & Cosmonauts on the Shuttles, and Space Station. Very little camera work is done by the crews. They're way too busy for that.)

At the end of the day, it's up to YOU to draw your own conclusions.