Notes and Diagrams on

Current Space Shuttle Launch (STS-98)

to the

International Space Station (ISS)

Present launch schedule: February 7, 19:11 (7:11 p.m.) AST

UPDATE NOTE: The space shuttle, Atlantis, launched in the scheduled window, Feb 7 at 7:13 p.m. AST. Most of Maritime Canada was still under cloud cover, however, a few observers, particularly in the area of Halifax-South Shore where there were cloud breaks, managed to catch glimpses of the space station when it went over, followed by the launching shuttle. For example, here is a quote from one observer:

>Out here on Prospect Road,  I saw the ISS right on schedule, looking more
>like a plane with it's landing light on (though a bit more golden in
>colour). A bank of clouds drifted in shortly after, but left by about 20
>past 7.  At about 22 past the hour, I saw some flashes in the sky to the
>South.  I put my 7X50's to my eyes and caught the shuttle and several
>spectaular-looking bursts of red light from the rockets. I followed it until
>I lost it in the treetops to the East.

The following evening (Feb 8th) several people under clear skies, were able to get a nice view of the shuttle following about 3 minutes behind the space station, the following day Atlantis docked with ISS.

 

The thumbnail to the right was taken by a local resident who was in Florida at the time of the launch of STS-98 and sent this photo by e-mail. Click the thumbnail or here for larger version. Note that the lower part of the exhaust is in Earth shadow at the time of launch, while the upper part is in sunlight. The Full Moon is in the upper fringe of the rising Earth Shadow.

 

In the year ahead there will be a number of similar launches to the space station.

 

SOME CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING VISIBILITY FROM HORTON BLUFF

(and approximately...from other parts of Nova Scotia and northeastern North America)

 

If by chance the evening sky is clear or partly clear and if the launch of the space shuttle happens on schedule (Launch of space shuttle from Cape Kennedy, FL: 19:11 AST, Feb.7th), some may be interested in the possibility of seeing some of the activity as it passes off Nova Scotia's SE coastline (click diagram or here for complete view).

 

A visible pass of the space station (ISS) takes place across the southern sky about 19:05 to 19:08 AST( at an altitude of about 30 degrees above the SSE, it plunges into the Earth Shadow moments before 19:08 just below the knee star of Orion....Rigel). The track of the space station across the sky is a very good indication of where to be watching for what can be seen of the shuttle launch (STS-98) as it is inserted into the space station orbit (click on the diagram to the right or here for a more complete diagram). If all goes off in the scheduled 5 minute window at 19:11 AST, Atlantic Canada can possibly expect to see something, about 19:21 AST (it usually appears in our sky about 10 minutes after launch from Florida).

 What to Watch For

From 3 past viewing experiences, what I have seen from near Avonport, is some of the reflected light from the shuttle and bursts of pulsating, red-orange light from the hot rocket exhaust. The track has always been very close to the track ISS or Mir had taken immediately preceeding the launch. This is because the shuttle is being inserted into the orbit of the space station. The reflected light is star-like but just like the ISS, the shuttle also will go into Earth shadow and all one will continue to see is the ornge-coloured, pulsating rocket exhaust.

 

ISS Predicted Pass Times for Horton Bluff

ISS    Visible Pass Begins(AST)    Mid Pass       Ends in Earth Shadow
Date   Mag    Time   Alt  Az    Time    Alt Az      Time    Alt  Az
07Feb  0.4  19:05:38 10  SSW   19:07:53 29  SSE    19:07:53 29  SSE

 

Alt = altitude or elevation in degrees above horizon (90 is overhead)

Az = azimuth direction along the horizon from True North.

 

How far west of Nova Scotia will there be something visible ????

I would use the above track of the ISS as seen from your location as a guide. If the track of the space station comes above your horizon during this pass, the chances should be good that the shuttle will also. For specific Space station and satellite pass schedules and sky charts go to http://www.heavens-above.com/main.asp , enter your location and get the ISS pass schedule.

 

Launch of space shuttle (STS-98) 19:11 AST, about 10 minutes later it could be visible above the southern horizon in Nova Scotia as it crosses our sky, on its space station bound track, parallel to the northeastern North American coastline.

 

Here are some useful links:

 

Shuttle Status sites

1) http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/index.html

2) http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/

3) http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/status/stsstat/current.htm

 

Space Station Status sites

1) http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/index.html

2) http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/assembly/elements/uslab/