Coverage starts on HDNet at 4:30 pm Edt and on NASA... Launch aroud 5:02 pm...

NASA just said they were, for the first time, broadcasting the launch in HD. It's a shame Dish isn't carrying it in HD. Listening to whatshisname on HDNet just bugs me...

Greg Dobbs... at least he has shut up the last minute or so... I wish they had better pickup of the capcom...

Yeah, that's his name. Here's a thought: why doesn't HDNet just use the NASA audio feed instead of Dobbs gabbing? They're using most of the same camera feeds from NASA as it is anyway.

I'm sitting here watching the NASA channel and enjoying the commentary far more than Dobbs' awkward chatter.

Greg Dobbs does an excellent job on HDNet World Report. But his NASA coverage is completely off-target. He overwhelms us with facts, many of which are either well-known or simply irrelevant.

His commentary targets a wrong audience: people who might be watching the launch for the first time and just tuned in to HDNet by mistake. He seems to be fighting for viewers' attention, as if they will flip the channel if he pauses for more than a second.

It reminds me a bad sports commentary: it's full of stats but lacks drama. Space launch is such a dramatic event! It requires a much slower-paced coverage, IMO. Sometimes you just need to take a pause, and just experience the moment.

After watching NASA on HDNet for years, I see some improvement in Greg's coverage. At least he now pauses during the last seconds during the launch or landing. In the past even that wasn't the case: I can't forget one landing during which we watched Greg's "talking head" while the shuttle was touching down in the background. :D
(That was actually a technical glitch with one of the HDNet's cameras, but I wish they simply switched to NASA's feed.)

I usually watch live launch coverage on NASA-TV and then replay the HDNet's coverage from my DVR for those spectacular HD shots.

Couldn't agree more! I just dvr HDNet's coverage to watch after I watch the launch and some replays on NASA TV.

Getting close now, folks. If all goes well, we're about an hour from launch. Sky conditions look great!

So far so good. No significant issues.

It's looking very good for a launch today. No issues of import and about 20 minutes left in the built-in hold at t-9 minutes. :)

I have the "Talking Head" on in the Ht room and can hear him from the livingroom where from NASA it is blissfully silent... ;)

NASA just said they were, for the first time, broadcasting the launch in HD. It's a shame Dish isn't carrying it in HD. Listening to whatshisname on HDNet just bugs me...

I think that HDNet has exclusive rights on cable and satellite providers.

Here is the C-Band info from NASA:

Special HD Launch Coverage of STS-124:
Satellite Coordinates
Program ID: 105, Satellite: AMC 6, Transponder: 17C
Orbital position: 72 degrees west
Downlink frequency: 4040 Mhz
Polarity: Vertical
FEC: 3/4
Data rate: 36.860 Mhz
Symbol: 26.665 Ms
Transmission: DVB-S
Video PID: 0x0057 (hex) ; 87 (decimal)
PCR PID: 0x0057 (hex) ; 87 (decimal)
AC-3 audio PID: 0x0058 (hex) ; 88 (decimal)
Mpeg-2 Layer II audio PID: 0x0059 ; 89 (decimal)


<HR width="50%">
In the continental United States, NASA Television's Public, Education and Media channels are carried by MPEG-2 digital C-band signal on AMC-6, at 72 degrees west longitude, Transponder 17C, 4040 MHz, vertical polarization. They're available in Alaska and Hawaii on an MPEG-2 digital C-band signal accessed via satellite AMC-7, transponder 18C, 137 degrees west longitude, 4060 MHz, vertical polarization. A Digital Video Broadcast compliant Integrated Receiver Decoder is required for reception. Analog NASA TV is no longer available.

NTV isn't on Dish/DTV as NASA is still considering it a test channel (only went live this week, will probably shut off after the mission is over).

Once the channel is permanently established I'll hope for a provider to pick it up.

In addition to HDNet, CNN also is showing it in HD.

CSPAN has joined the coverage now.

Dobbs is being quiet ...

CSPAN has joined the coverage now.

CNN as well

She's off!

That was either a big peice or the sun hit it just right falling off the tank.

Have a good flight, Discovery!

heh, and another.

Debris right after 3.5 minutes?

Something like that, it's very easy to see, its as bright and large as something like a tile. Then shortly after you see a piece come from the tank and ping off the underbelly of the shuttle

I think at this stage it's not very dangerous as the air is too thin.

I'll have to check and see if I can get a screencap... have Direct receiver with HDNet hooked to Replay and Watching Dish Nasa feed...

Something like that, it's very easy to see, its as bright and large as something like a tile. Then shortly after you see a piece come from the tank and ping off the underbelly of the shuttle
I just watched it in slow motion. Looks like a piece of foam came off the tank. You could also see its shadow on the surface of the shuttle. The object has collided with its shadow, which means there was a contact with the surface of the orbiter.

However, judging by the number of frames it was visible, the relative velocity was extremely low. I doubt there is any reason for concern.

25318

It was right as he said 'we've never seen such a picture perfect image' or something like that. Clicky for bigger version... you can see its shadow too. Prolly no big deal, but first time ive seen that kind of thing even though I know it's usually pretty common.

Edit: here, video off my screen... wonder if NASA or HDNet will DMCA it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NckvMe_cBPY

Here...

Here...I couldn't catch it closer.. good clip!

I couldn't catch it closer.. good clip!

Ya, after him saying that at the same time as it happening, will be really happy when they give the shuttle a clean bill of health.

I added 1 cap... I couldn't catch this from my capture but on a couple of screencaps I saw...

Never mind watching the Nasa replay it was a SRB...

Just watched the HDNet's version. Wow! Greg Dobbs was silent for almost 6 minutes during the launch! That's a record!!! :)
I should've watched HDNet! :D

I've watched the HDNet version (wndow-boxed SD) of the tank cam about a dozen times now at 1/15th speed from the point where he says "guidance converging" and the piece of foam that becomes visible both to the left of the tank and it's shadow on the shuttle, as far as I can tell, there's no strike. It's visible for 16 frames (at 1/15th speed) and travels the length of the tank, never striking the shuttle - again, not as far as I can tell.

I'm sure NASA, as they just said, will be looking at that footage closely.

It was a spectacular launch! :)

Just watched HDNet version in my HT... there is some debris right after SRB seperation(no hit), then after the 3-1/2 minute call...

NASA has just commented on several pieces of foam at the Press Conference. All events occurred at a late stage, after the 135-second time frame that they are usually concerned about. So, they don't see much problem at the moment, though they will be looking more closely into it.

I find that every launch I watch, I always hold my breath at the call for go at throttle up...ever since Challenger...

Yeah I was watching the joint on the R/SRB closely...

That, and the fact that (in some camera angles/replays), the bottom end of the EFT looked really bright red...

Closing in on the ISS...

Docking is like watching mud dry on a hot summer day. It's interesting, but does it ever take awhile. ;)

Ain't that the truth :D

GLAST launch postponed to Saturday, hopefully HDNet still has a half hour available...

The HDNet World Report has a spot on it right now from the ISS, It reruns later tonight...

Great space-walk/work today. I bet those two guys are flat beat!

Tomorrow: fixing a toilet. From construction to plumbing, we do it all. ;)

I missed that... timer set for the special report later tonight...:)

I missed that... timer set for the special report later tonight...:)

Was the footage from ISS in HD ?

If the Guide is correct, it repeats again at 7pm on Wednesday...

Yes, it was HD... I set a timer for the last 24 minutes and missed part of a Mars lander segment, so give it at least :30 minutes...

The toilet's fixed. :)

Tomorrow, they're putting some cameras outside the new module they just added. Wonder if they'll be HD cameras?

So, it is actually warm enough in the ISS to require shorts ?? :D

Short sleeve shirts and shorts seems to be the the common clothing on the ISS.

Wonder how that long hair would work braided? ;)

Yes, it was HD... I set a timer for the last 24 minutes and missed part of a Mars lander segment, so give it at least :30 minutes...
I recorded the repeat and the first half consists of a segment on the Shuttle Launch, which is entirely footage that was contained in the one-hour HD-Net program during the live launch (interviews, etc) and a segment on the Phoenix Lander, which is entirely old news (it landed safely) narrated by Dobbs. :(

The Day in the Life on ISS was very good - entirely HD, totally non-technical, a lot of fun stuff - and narrated by the astronaut. :up

It is repeated Friday at 7pm EDT.

Has anyone else been seeing a green vertical line on the left side of their tv when viewing the NASA channel? What's up with that?

That green line has been there for years. But recently it started blinking. Very annoying! :(

Maybe that's what drew my attention to it...the blinking. :(

In England we can see the Nasa coverage on APTN at 10deg East on 10970V 4167sr 5/6 or 12.5 West but freq is not known until the feed comes on.Unfortunately the only coverage on british tv is sometimes a small mention on the News programs. I have followed all of American launches and space activity since day one via short wave radio and now via satellite feeds.Also when the shuttle approaches Europe I listen on 259.7Mhz to the voice comms. It would be great to see a live launch on HD, you are so lucky .:)

In England we can see the Nasa coverage on APTN at 10deg East on 10970V 4167sr 5/6 or 12.5 West but freq is not known until the feed comes on.Unfortunately the only coverage on british tv is sometimes a small mention on the News programs. I have followed all of American launches and space activity since day one via short wave radio and now via satellite feeds.Also when the shuttle approaches Europe I listen on 259.7Mhz to the voice comms. It would be great to see a live launch on HD, you are so lucky .:)

Not HD, but you can watch NASA TV 24 hours a day - and pick from 3 different channels - by simply going to:

NASA - NASA TV (http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html)

The Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope launch live on HDNet at 11:30 am today...

The Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope launch live on HDNet at 11:30 am today...

It was launched at 12:05pm , and HD-Net stayed on coverage until 12:10pm, but the Guide listing event ended at 12:00pm.

If you are at home, it is still in the tuner buffer until the end of the hour (or if you padded the event by 10 minutes, you're okay).

I was safe...had a timer set for Nothing But Trailers... :)

The GLAST Launch will also be shown on HD-Net's World Report on Tuesday.

The toilet's fixed. :)

Tomorrow, they're putting some cameras outside the new module they just added. Wonder if they'll be HD cameras?

Nope.


So, it is actually warm enough in the ISS to require shorts ?? :D

Yes...they do have the ability to control the temperature, mostly it's in the mid 70's. Shorts are easier to maneuver in and more comfortable.


Not HD, but you can watch NASA TV 24 hours a day - and pick from 3 different channels - by simply going to:

NASA - NASA TV (http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html)

Even better:

NASA TV (http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1368163)

1200 kbps.

Well, all looks good for the first landing opportunity around 11:15 AM ET.

The deorbit burn is complete. Discovery is on its way home now!

Touchdown!!!

It was a great-looking touchdown at that too!

Wonder what gravity feels like after 95 days in micro-gravity? Must make you feel like you weigh 400 pounds...