Wednesday, March 18, 2009

DISCOVERY AND THE ISS


The Space Shuttle Discovery is 3 days into it's long delayed mission to deliver the final set of solar arrays to the International Space Station.  Discovery's mission will last 2 weeks.  Yesterday, Discovery did her backflip and docked with the Space Station 215 miles above Western Australia.  Discovery accomplished docking while flying at 17,500 miles per hour.  Most people I know shouldn't talk on their cell phones at 50 mph, let alone dock with a speeding space station.  Well done Discovery!
My sister called me today and let me know that our Dad told her that the docked Discovery and Space Station would be flying over Eastern Iowa tonight at 8:42 central time.  Dad knows everything.  I went outside at about 8:35pm and scanned the sky from the NW to the NE until suddenly, right on schedule the two spacecraft came into view.  It was stunning and impossible to miss.  They travelled fast across the sky and it was over really fast.  It was so bright that it stunned me.  I was alone, but I was jumping up and down yelping excitedly, because I wanted everybody to see it.  My neighbor probably thinks I'm nuts.
It was so cool.  I saw the Space Shuttle fly across the sky once a few years ago, but this was much brighter. because of the 2 vessels flying together.  If you'd like to find out like to find out when the Shuttle is visible from where you live check out the Nasa Skywatch site.

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