Columbia Launch Times for all it's Missions

StarCrazy · Post #1by **StarCrazy** » 28.04.2004, 01:59

For those who would like to see the Columbia Shuttle appear and disappear during its missions...here you go. For those missions without ending times...an average mission seems to be 7-14 days long on average.
I hope this post isn't to long...I'll be doing the other shuttles as well, but, if this is to long a post then you'll have to convert the times yourself...check this address

http://www.thespaceplace.com/shuttle/past.html ...for the missions
and
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/JulianDate.html ...to convert to Julian time...don't forget to add 4-5 from EST/EDT to UT

Eastern Daylight Time
subtract 4 hours from UTC

Eastern Standard Time
subtract 5 hours from UTC

Code: Select all

   Beginning 2444707 # 12 Apr 1981

   Beginning 2444921 # 12 Nov 1981

   Beginning 2445051 # 22 Mar 1982

   Beginning 2445148 # 27 Jun 1982

   Beginning 2445285 # 11 Nov 1982

   Beginning 2445667 # 28 Nov 1983

   Beginning 2446443 # 12 Jan 1986

   Beginning 2447747 # 8th Aug 1989

   Beginning 2447901 # 9th Jan 1990

   Beginning 2448228 # 2nd Dec 1990

   Beginning 2448413 # 5th Jun 1991

   Beginning 2448799 # 25 Jun 1992

   Beginning 2448918 # 22 Oct 1992

   Beginning 2449104 # 26 Apr 1993

   Beginning 2449279 # 18 Oct 1993

   Beginning 2449388 # 4th Feb 1994

   Beginning 2449542 # 8 Jul 1994

   Beginning 2450011 # 20 Oct 1995

   Beginning 2450136 # 22 Feb 1996

   Beginning 2450255 # 20 Jun 1996
   Ending 2450272    # 7th Jul 1996

   Beginning 2450407 # 19 Nov 1996

   Beginning 2450543 # 4th Apr 1997

   Beginning 2450631 # 1st Jul 1997

   Beginning 2450772.32361 # 19 Nov 1997 0746UT
   Ending 2450788.01394    # 5th Dec 1997 1220UT

   Beginning 2450921.26319 # 17 Apr 1998 1819UT
   Ending 2450937.17291    # 3rd May 1998 1608UT

   Beginning 2451382.68819     # 23rd Jul 1999 0431UT (Chandra X-Ray Obs)
   Ending 2451387.63889        #  28th Jul 1999 0320UT

   Beginning 2452335     # 1st Mar 2002 (Hubble Servicing)

   Beginning 2452656     #  16th Jan 2003
   Ending 2452672.04097  # Lost contact at approximately 1300UT

Get the Columbia model here http://home.arcor.de/jimpage/other_addons.html ...thanks Jim

There is also some info on inclination and orbital altitude in the shuttle missions website. Inclination is easy enough, but how do I incorporate the orbital altitude(in Nautical miles) into the ssc file? If anyone can help me with this, that would be great.
Any corrections, additions, etc. is welcome.

Just wanna put in some input to this fascinating software
Chris

TERRIER · Post #2by **TERRIER** » 28.04.2004, 18:32

StarCrazy,

You can find very detailed orbital information of most of the shuttle missions at the CelesTrak website, in the "Historical Archives" section;

http://www.celestrak.com/NORAD/archives/STS/

The data is in the 2line element format, which thankfully can be converted to a CELESTIA compatible .ssc file using a very handy Excel program which is available at;

http://www.lns.cornell.edu/~seb/celesti ... heets.html

regards
TERRIER

StarCrazy · Post #3by **StarCrazy** » 29.04.2004, 11:26

Terrier...You are a legend. Thanks a heap. The links you gave are fantastic and Grant's programs are brilliant...Just finished the data for Columbia and the sense of realism is a tad stronger.

By the way...I downloaded your Mariner 10 file. I found that the word 'beginning' in the ssc file was misspelt. I had to correct it to get it happining. Great work, by the way...for a minute I thought I was going to crash into Mercury

Thanks again for your guidance. May the force be with you, live long and prosper, nanu nanu and cheers :wink:

Chris

Cham · Post #4by **Cham** » 29.04.2004, 14:54

StarCrazy wrote:Thanks again for your guidance. May the force be with you, live long and prosper, nanu nanu and cheers
Chris

LOL ROFL LOL !

TERRIER · Post #5by **TERRIER** » 30.04.2004, 18:45

StarCrazy wrote:By the way...I downloaded your Mariner 10 file. I found that the word 'beginning' in the ssc file was misspelt. I had to correct it to get it happining. Great work, by the way...for a minute I thought I was going to crash into Mercury

Shame

I see that I'd spelt it as beginninig :roll:

At least the .ssc still worked, Celestia must have ignored the wrong line in the code.
I've now updated my website, cheers.

BTW the Mariner 10 orbit is a complete fudge...one guess allowed for anyone who can tell me which orbit I've altered slightly for it ?
It actually got a lot nearer to Mercury on the 3rd and final flyby....it got as close as 327km, which I was unable to show.

StarCrazy wrote:nanu nanu

Wasn't that from Mork and Mindy ? It's years since I've seen that. :lol:

regards,
TERRIER

PS

StarCrazy wrote:happining

er hem !

StarCrazy · Post #6by **StarCrazy** » 30.04.2004, 19:45

TERRIER wrote:PS
StarCrazy wrote:happining
er hem !

D'OH!!!!