MORNING ISS PASSES WILL BEGIN ON 2012 MARCH 16th AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL 2012 APRIL 8th.
EVENING ISS PASSES WILL RETURN TO THE NYC-LI AREA ON 2012 APRIL 9th.
WHAT THE ISS LOOKED LIKE AFTER DISCOVERY'S FINAL ADDITION
THE ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY - 2011 MARCH 9
Credit: STS-133 Shuttle Crew, NASA
Explanation: The developing International Space Station (ISS) has changed its appearance again.
In a recently completed rendezvous, the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery, in its final flight,
visited the ISS and added components that included the Leonardo Multi Purpose Logistics Module.
The ISS and many of its modules and expansive solar panels are visible in the picture above
taken by the Discovery Crew after leaving the ISS to return to Earth. The world's foremost space outpost
can be seen developing over the past several years by comparing the above image
to other past images. Also visible above are many different types of modules and supply ships.
Construction began on the ISS in 1998.
Check out this video of Discovery and the ISS shot from Denver in September 2009:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqNPFpj8EnQ&feature=related
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from Spaceweather.com:
FLYBY FLURRY: In recent days, the quiet face of the sun has provided a nice backdrop for a flurry of non-solar activity:
Observers in Europe are reporting multiple transits of the
International Space Station and Space Shuttle Endeavour across the solar disk. This specimen obtained on
2011 May 22nd comes from Alex Conu of Furculesti, Romania:
"This was the second ISS transit I observed in less than a week," says Conu. "I could have seen a third,
but I was just too busy to watch. The details we can see in the silhouette of the docked spacecraft are just amazing."
Astrophotographers who wish to take this kind of picture themselves can find daytime transit predictions at Calsky.org.
Of course, seeing the ISS at night is wonderful, too. Flyby times may be found
More Silhouettes: from Maximilian Teodorescu of Bucharest, Romania; from Tamas Ladanyi of Veszprem, Hungary;
from Mihai Curtasu & Vlad Dumitrescu of Furculesti, Roumania; from Vlad Dumitrescu of Alexandria, Romania;
from Riccardo Rossi of Terrazzo (VR), ITALY; from Riccardo Rossi of San Biago (MO), ITALY
.
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ISS at 83 deg altitude on 2011 Feb 18 by Pete Lardizabal in St Johns, Florida, USA
FROM SPACEWEATHER.COM
TRANSIT OF THE ISS DURING THE SOLAR ECLIPSE OF 2011 JAN 4th
FROM OMAN by Thierry Legault
Image of the solar transit of the International Space Station (ISS), taken from the area of Muscat in the
Sultanate of Oman on January 4th 2011 at 9:09 UT, during the partial solar eclipse
. Takahashi FSQ-106ED refractor on EM-10 mount, Canon 5D mark II. 1/5000s exposure at 100 iso.
Transit forecast calculated by www.calsky.com (many thanks to Arnold Barmettler for his help).
Transit duration: 0.86s. ISS distance to observer: 510 km. Speed in orbit: 7.8km/s (28000 km/h or 17000 mph).
The image shows three planes in space: the Sun at 150 million km, the Moon at about 400000 km and the ISS at 500 km.
(click on the image for a larger version)
THE ISS IN SILHOUETTE AGAINST THE MOON 2010 OCT 21 BY BELA VINGLER FROM GYOERUGFALU, HUNGARY - THE LARGE CRATER TO THE UPPER RIGHT OF THE ISS IS TYCHO - 56 MILES ACROSS.
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THE ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY FOR 2010 April 14
A Large Space Station Over Earth
Credit: STS-131 Crew, Expedition 23 Crew, NASA
Explanation: The International Space Station is the largest object ever constructed by humans in space. The station perimeter now extends over roughly the area of a football field, although only a small fraction of this is composed of modules habitable by humans. The station is so large that it could not be launched all at once -- it is being built piecemeal with large sections added continually by flights of the Space Shuttle. To function, the ISS needs huge trusses, some over 15 meters long and with masses over 10,000 kilograms, to keep it rigid and to route electricity and liquid coolants. Pictured above, part of the immense space station was photographed out of a window by a member of the visiting Space Shuttle Discovery STS-131 crew. Visible in the foreground is Japan's Kibo research module, while a large truss is visible toward the left. On the far right, a crescent Earth slices through the blackness of space.
THE ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY FOR 2010 March 3
The International Space Station from Above from STS-130
Credit: STS-130 Crew, NASA
Explanation: The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest human-made object ever to orbit the Earth. The ISS is so large
that it can be seen drifting overhead with the unaided eye, and is frequently imaged from the ground in picturesque fashion.
Last month, the station was visited again by space shuttle, which resupplied the station and added a new module. The ISS is currently
operated by the Expedition 22 crew, now consisting five astronauts including two supplied by USA's NASA, two by Russia's RKA, and
one by Japan's JAXA. After departing the ISS, the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour captured the above spectacular vista of the orbiting
space city high above the clouds, waters, and lands of Earth.
Visible components include modules, trusses, and expansive solar arrays that gather sunlight that is turned into needed electricity.
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THE ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY FOR 2009 December 7
The International Space Station Over the Horizon
Credit: STS-129 Crew, Expedition 21 Crew, NASA
Explanation: This was home. In late November, the STS-129 crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis undocked
from the International Space Station (ISS) and returned to Earth. As the shuttle departed the space station,
they took the above image. Visible on the ISS are numerous modules, trusses, and long wing-like solar
panels. The space shuttle crew spent almost 12 days calling the space station home. The shuttle crew
resupplied the space station and delivered valuable spare parts. The ISS continues to be home for five
astronauts of Expedition 21. The ISS's crew now includes astronauts representing NASA, the
European Space Agency, the Russian Federal Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency.
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BELOW IS THE VIEW FROM SHUTTLE ATLANTIS OF THE ISS AFTER UNDOCKING AT 4:53 PM EST
ON 2009 NOVEMBER 25 AS THE STS-129 MISSION WAS PREPARING TO LAND AT KSC ON NOV 27
KSC = KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
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THE SPACE STATION SEEN FROM THE SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY (STS 128)
ON ITS APPROACH ON 2009 AUGUST 30
THE ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY FOR 2009 October 5
The International Space Station Over Earth
Credit: STS-128 Crew, NASA
Explanation: After undocking, the space shuttle Discovery crew got a memorable view of the developing
International Space Station (ISS). Pictured orbitingISS were visible. The Discovery crew brought mission
specialist Nicole Stott to the ISS, and returned astronaut Timothy Kopra to Earth. Among the many mission
and expedition accomplishments of the Discovery crew included delivering and placing the
Fluids Integrated Rack and the Materials Science Research Rack in the high above Earth last month,
numerous solar panels, trusses, and science modules of the Destiny module as well as the
Minus EightyDegree Laboratory Freezer in the Kibo module. Better known, however, was the delivery
of the COLBERT treadmill for keeping astronauts fit. Over this past week the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft
carrying three more astronauts docked with the ISS as Expedition 21 is set to begin.
THE SPACE STATION VIEWED FROM THE SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY (STS 119) ON 2009 MARCH 25
REVEALING THE NEW LARGER AND BRIGHTER SOLAR PANELS
THE ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY FOR 2009 April 6
International Space Station Expands Again
Credit: STS-119 Shuttle Crew, NASA
Explanation: The developing International Space Station (ISS) has changed its appearance again. In a recently completed
mission, the Space ShuttleDiscovery visited the ISS and added components that included a new truss and new solar panels.
The entire array of expansive solar panels is visible in the above picture taken by the Discovery CrewISS to return to Earth.
The world's foremost space outpost can be seen developing over the past several years by comparing the
above image to past images. Also visible above are many different types of modules, a robotic arm, and a supply ship.
Construction began on the ISS in 1998.
THE ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY FOR 2010 February 24
STS-130 Astronaut Installs Panoramic Space Window
Credit: ISS Expedition 22 Crew, Shuttle Endeavour STS-130 Crew, NASA
Explanation: This space job was almost complete. Floating just below the International Space Station, astronaut Nicholas Patrick put
some finishing touches on the newly installed cupola space windows last week. Patrick was a mission specialist onboard the recently
completed Space Shuttle Endeavor's STS-130 mission to the ISS. Pictured, Patrick floats near the outermost of seven windows on the
new cupola of the just-installed Tranquility module. Patrick hovers about 340 kilometers over the Earth's surface, well in front of the blue sky,
blue water, and white clouds pictured far in the background. In the above image, covers on windows three and four were in place and clearly
labelled. Images from inside the ISS's new panoramic cupola are now available.
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SATELLITE TRACKER FOR SATELLITE FLYBYS FROM
GO TO: http://spaceweather.com/flybys/
AND PLUG IN YOUR ZIP CODE.
THERE IS ALSO A LINK THERE FOR GLOBAL FLYBYS TOO
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ISS Height Profile from Heavens-above.com
This plot shows the orbital height of the ISS over the last year. Clearly visible are the re-boosts which suddenly increase the
height, and the gradual decay in between. The height is averaged over one orbit, and the gradual decrease is caused by
atmospheric drag. As can be seen from the plot, the rate of descent is not constant and this variation is caused by changes
in the density of the tenuous outer atmosphere due mainly to solar activity. The ISS had a series of major altitude boosts
in JUNE 2011, many minor ones since and is remaining near a high mean altitude of 392 km = 243.6 miles.
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