David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Here is a screen shot from the program: ORBITER
http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/
The first is liftoff of Atlantis from Pad 39B:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Next, here is a "look-down" shot shortly before the orbiter completes the roll maneuver to get the proper attitude for a flight to ISS:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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And here is an upward shot of the shuttle early in ascent:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Here the shuttle is climbing towards space before SRB separation:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Here is SRB separation:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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And finally, here is the shuttle and external tank heading up the East Coast of the U.S. towards rendezvous with the International Space Station:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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And, for those who wonder how good the simulation is, it is actually *BETTER* than what is shown here, as I had to downsize the image scale. In my 1280x1024 simulation, it looks pretty much like the real thing in a smooth realistic animation (and acts like the real thing, as the shuttle is rather tricky to fly and is *very* unforgiving). The graphics are good enough to see individual tiles on the shuttle, as well as the bolts which hold the window frames on the cockpit. Clear skies to you.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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LivingNDixie
Lord of Ferrets
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 15632
Loc: Hoover, AL
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Cool!
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Preston
Celestron 11" Nexstar GPS XLT
Lunt LS60T/Ha 60mm f/8.33 (on order)
It’s not finishing something when your tank is empty that makes you a stronger person. It’s brushing yourself off and refacing the foe that defeated you with the same determination and willingness to fight that you had when you began your journey.
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FAB
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 2260
Loc: Blythe, CA USA
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Excellent!
FAB
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Floie
10.0" Hardin Dob
6.0" Konus Refractor
3.0" Celestron Tabletop Newtonian
10X50 Binoculars
Bristoscope 772212 Microscope
http://home.earthlink.net/~blhtvl
&
http://home.earthlink.net/~astroclub
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starramus
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 1124
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You would think someone resurrected Chesley Bonestell for this art. 
Hard to believe that the "shuttle" was first envisioned in the 30s by Eugen Sanger.
Regards and clear skies,
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Here is a closer shot of Atlantis in orbit carrying the Long Duration Exposure Facility in its payload bay (something only Challenger and Columbia actually did). This shows a little of the detail, although in this shot, you can't see the shuttle's Canada arm that is actually used in the simulator to deploy the LDEF payload.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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And here is a shot of a simulated launch of Atlantis occurring just after sunrise from a point on the ground next to pad 39B:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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LivingNDixie
Lord of Ferrets
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 15632
Loc: Hoover, AL
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I really need to download this program!
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Preston
Celestron 11" Nexstar GPS XLT
Lunt LS60T/Ha 60mm f/8.33 (on order)
It’s not finishing something when your tank is empty that makes you a stronger person. It’s brushing yourself off and refacing the foe that defeated you with the same determination and willingness to fight that you had when you began your journey.
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RandyR
Enginerd
Reged: 04/01/04
Posts: 13659
Loc: Castle Rock, CO 6677' MSL
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WOW!
SO how well does it work on a "VISTA" machine? I don't have room on my laptop for it, but my Vista desktop has plenty of room and LOTS of computer power...
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"Dark Skies & Great Viewing"
RandyR / NQ0R
GPS 9.25 XLT/Sky Align /FeatherTouch
TV85 w/FeatherTouch
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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I don't know if it will run under Vista, but it will run under some Linux distros. I do not plan on Vista anytime in the near future, as it is currently a "work in progress", so I guess I will have to be happy with XP or Mepis. Clear skies to you.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Here is a shot of an Orbital Maneuvering System firing (OMS-2) about 330 miles above Africa just prior to opening the payload bay doors and deploying HST:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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john D
All you have to do is ask!!
Reged: 08/05/07
Posts: 4241
Loc: Midlothian, VA
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really cool! 
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Meade ETX-125EC (SEPT.7)
Meade LXD55
Orion 90mm mak-Cass (4SALE look in S&S)
Celestron NS GOTO mount (4SALE look in S&S)
Philips SPC900NC webcam
MY BLOG
 -Midlothian VA
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Happy-Idiot
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/06/06
Posts: 1461
Loc: 3rd Rock
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I love the LDEF payload shot!
. So when does it land? 
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Brian
A small scope that gets used often is a better investment than a big scope that stays in the closet.
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DoctorNoodle
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/14/07
Posts: 545
Loc: Lawn Guyland, NY
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Beautiful stuff!
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“I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work; I want to achieve immortality through not dying.” - Woody Allen
Alanoodle's Model Portfolio
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Quote:
I love the LDEF payload shot!
. So when does it land?
How about in the middle of the day? (this is from the Demo)
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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Happy-Idiot
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/06/06
Posts: 1461
Loc: 3rd Rock
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Thats what i was looking for! The Space shots and launches are awesome but it is always good to see our Heroes return safely.
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Brian
A small scope that gets used often is a better investment than a big scope that stays in the closet.
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Here is an ascent shot of Atlantis after a dawn launch to a low-inclination orbit to deliver an "HST" replacement:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Here is a shot of Atlantis above northern Mexico just after sunrise with the orbiter manipulator arm grappling the Hubble Space Telescope:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Here is Atlantis docked with the International Space Station:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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This is an image moments before touchdown at the Kennedy Space Center. Note the "split rudder" speed brake that is deployed. It provides a little more lift and at least in the simulator helps pull the nose up a bit during the pre-flare landing maneuver.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Here is a shot of Atlantis during the early phases of reentry flying over the Pacific northwest part of the U.S. just after sunrise (the bright patches on the shuttle are the RCS thrusters firing to maintain a high angle of attack used in a turn to move the landing point something to the west of where it would have been).
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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This is a somewhat closer shot during early reentry when the RCS thrusters were not firing but with the shuttle still over the Pacific northwest:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Wanna walk in space? Orbiter can do that too! You can fly around Atlantis or the ISS in the Manned Maneuvering Unit for as long as you want. Here is a long-range shot of our intrepid astronaut just above the payload bay going for a spin underneath the massive structures of the International Space Station (and boy, after a few looks at this, you realize just how darn BIG that thing really is).
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Here is a shot of Atlantis just after entry interface when it is starting to undergo atmospheric heating (it is still over the Pacific Northwest).
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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One of my favorite re-entry scenarios was trying to duplicate the STS-120 Shuttle reentry when Discovery brought Nebraska's first astronaut Clayton Anderson back. The shuttle went directly over southeastern Nebraska, allowing many here to see it as it returned to the Kennedy Space Center. This is a simulated shot of Atlantis over the Kansas-Nebraska border, with Omaha to the lower right of the nose and Lincoln just below the bottom of the orange plasma sheath that envelopes the shuttle.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6498
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Inside ORBITER's "stock" Atlantis, you have a nice "glass cockpit" which you can use. This is an image from the Commander's seat:
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial |
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