STS-132: The Final Planned Flight of Atlantis

[Donger]

Lift-off scheduled for 2:20 EDT today. This will be Atlantis' 32nd trip into space and her last. Only two more shuttle flights are scheduled after STS-132.

You can view the launch here (http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html)

[Bugeater]

WHY ARE WE WASTING MONEY ON THIS WHEN THE ECONOMY IS IN THE TANK?











Just thought I'd get that out of the way early. :)

[mlyonsd]

Track when Atlantis and the ISS are viewable in your area here:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/

Until Atlantis docks with, and just after separation from the ISS, some lucky viewers will get to see them fly by as a pair.

[Donger]

Track when Atlantis and the ISS are viewable in your area here:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/

Until Atlantis docks with, and just after separation from the ISS, some lucky viewers will get to see them fly by as a pair.

Well done. In case you've never seen this, I highly recommend it. They are visible with the naked eye and look like a very bright star moving quickly across the sky.

[mlyonsd]

Well done. In case you've never seen this, I highly recommend it. They are visible with the naked eye and look like a very bright star moving quickly across the sky.

Sad we're running out of shuttles. I always get a kick out of seeing them and the ISS pass over as a pair.

[Donger]

Sad we're running out of shuttles. I always get a kick out of seeing them and the ISS pass over as a pair.

It's bitter-sweet for me. The orbiters are neat and all, but way too expensive and mission capability sucks. They also have a major design flaw. If they keep flying them, they'll lose another one.

So, we get to hitch rides with the Russians from now on.

[mlyonsd]

It's bitter-sweet for me. The orbiters are neat and all, but way too expensive and mission capability sucks. They also have a major design flaw. If they keep flying them, they'll lose another one.

So, we get to hitch rides with the Russians from now on.

Have you ever watched one of their delivery vehicles link up to the ISS? I'm assuming you'd be able to see it just like a shuttle, maybe not as bright though. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Donger]

Have you ever watched one of their delivery vehicles link up to the ISS? I'm assuming you'd be able to see it just like a shuttle, maybe not as bright though. Maybe I'm wrong.

No, I have not.

[Donger]

Hatch closed.

[Donger]

T - 1:50:50

[CosmicPal]

Sweet. I forgot all about this. I should drive over there and watch the lift-off.

[Donger]

T - 15:30

There will be another hold at T - 9:00

[Donger]

T - 9:00 and holding

[Donger]

No constraints. Count resume.

[Donger]

T - 9:00 and counting!

[Donger]

Access arm retract.

[Donger]

Start auxiliary power units (T-5 minutes, 0 seconds)

[Donger]

Arm solid rocket booster range safety safe and arm devices (T-5 minutes, 0 seconds)

[ClevelandBronco]

Looks like a beautiful day for a launch.

[Donger]

Beanie cap retract

[Donger]

Crew members close and lock their visors (T-2 minutes, 0 seconds)

[Donger]

Ground launch sequencer is go for auto sequence start (T-31 seconds)

[Donger]

Activate launch pad sound suppression system (T-16 seconds)

[Donger]

Activate main engine hydrogen burnoff system (T-10 seconds)

[Donger]

Lift-off!

[Donger]

Roll

[Donger]

Throttle down

[Donger]

Max-Q

[Donger]

Throttle up

[mlyonsd]

Takes my breath away every time.

[Donger]

19 miles up 2,500 mph

[Fish]

Whooohoo!

[Donger]

Booster sep

[Donger]

Zaragoza on two

[Donger]

3,700 mph, 47 miles up

[Donger]

Negative return

[ClevelandBronco]

Always awesome.

[Donger]

6,000 mph, 62 miles

[Donger]

Always awesome.

Always = two more

[Donger]

Press to ATO

[Donger]

67 miles up, 6,800 mph

[Fish]

7700 mph......

What a rush that would be.....

[ClevelandBronco]

Always = two more

Yeah. Twilight of an era.

[Donger]

Press to MECO

[Donger]

13,000 mph, 64 miles

[Donger]

Max G

[Donger]

15,500 mph, 64 miles

[Donger]

MECO!

[Donger]

She's in orbit.

[mikey23545]

Well, it <i>was</i> a beautiful day for a launch..I stepped outside to watch Atlantis for the last time...Hopefully I'll be able to see the next two launches as well...I'll be watching the end of an era...

[Marcellus]

My brother used to live in Titusville near Canaveral I went down to see him and got to watch a shuttle launch once. It was awesome.

End of an era for sure. Really screwing the economy on the space coast as well.