Space station astronaut calls iPhone 4 from 240 miles up

(HOUSTON) -- Orbiting 240 miles high above earth, astronauts aboard the International Space Station use huge satellites in orbit to talk with controllers back at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

On July 19, one astronaut aboard the orbiting complex called an iPhone 4 located in Mission Control to chat.

NASA astronaut Ronald Garan called an employee of the space center's iPhone to chat with a group of thirty visiting space tweeps -- those who use Twitter to chat and discuss space and science interests.

Garan, who is known as @Astro_Ron on the social network site, spoke for nearly two minutes to the group who threw questions at comments his way.

This aerospace reporter (@AbsolutSpaceGuy) was among those who spoke with the astronaut who commented at one point that it was past his bedtime.

This space tweep also recorded the conversation via his own iPhone 4, and is attached to this article.

Typhoon on course to strike Japan's space program

Powerful typhoon Ma-on is forecast to strike Japan Tuesday. (NASA)

A powerful typhoon is on a forecast path to make landfall over central Japan on Wednesday, a strike which could damage the heart of the island nation's space program.

Typhoon Ma-On is currently located several hundred miles to the southeast of Japan's southern tip at 20.6 North and 140.4 East.

Several tracking and communication antennas and launch sites for their unmanned space program could see damage from the storm's 140 m.p.h. winds, with gusts approaching 160 m.p.h.

Winds and high surf could begin pounding southern Japan's coastline as early as Monday, with the eye expected to make landfall on Tuesday night.

Japan's space agency JAXA communicates regularly with their lone astronaut aboard the orbiting International Space Station, Satoshi Furukawa.

Furukawa has been busy performing several experiments in the Japanese Kibo module, and most recently assisting the visiting crew of space shuttle Atlantis as they unstow fresh supplies and equipment.

SpaceLaunch News spoke with JAXA and NASA's Lead Shuttle Flight Director Kwatsi Alibaruho, and they had no comment on the impending storm's effect on contingency plans.

Weather forecasters in Tokyo are issuing updates on the storm's progress every six hours.

Ma-On's news comes today as Japan was jolted once again with a 5.5 magnitude earthquake.

Delta IV rocket to launch Air Force navigation satellite

An unmanned rocket will deliver a next generation navigational satellite into earth orbit for the U.S. Air Force on Friday from America's Space Coast.

The Air Force's 45th weather office indicated today that there is a 70% chance for favorable weather at launch time.

"On launch day conditions aloft will consist of an upper level high pressure center over the (southeast)", weather officials said in a statement. "Thunderstorms will move very little during the afternoon and evening hours. At the beginning of the launch window any remaining thunderstorm activity is expected to be either dissipated or offshore."

The weather office located at Patrick, AFB added, "Main concern during the launch window will be for any remnant cloud cover associated with the earlier thunderstorm activity."

A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Medium with the GPS IIF-2 satellite is set to lift-off from launch complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 2:45 a.m. EDT -- the start of a nineteen minute launch window.

The Delta IV will use twin solid rocket boosters to support a core main engine to boost the spacecraft in orbit.

As the Delta IV heads eastward out over the Atlantic waters, a brief sunrise in the darkness of the Florida coastline.

FOX NEWS Video: Atlanta Man Tweets for NASA

Atlanta Man Tweets for NASA: MyFoxATLANTA.com

By MYFOXATLANTA STAFF/myfoxatlanta

ATLANTA - One local man is sharing his view of the historic mission - one tweet at a time.

Charles Atkeison of Atlanta saw the very first space shuttle launch as a boy. It's an experience he says inspired his love of space and science.

He now writes about the shuttle program professionally. But for the shuttle's final voyage Atkeison took on a different title - space "tweep."

NASA selected him from more than 5,000 applicants worldwide to tweet about what he sees and hears to his 881 followers.

Charles Atkeison's tweeting duties aren't over. He'll head to the Johnson Space Center and mission control to detail Atlantis' return to earth.

Shuttle Atlantis' rocket boosters arrive at Port Canaveral

NASA's Liberty Star tows home Atlantis' booster today. (Atkeison)

The twin rocket boosters which launched NASA's final space shuttle mission were returned back to Cape Canaveral on Sunday.

As the first booster arrived at noon, it received a heroes welcome as a small fire boat pumped water up and out in a salute to the first arriving craft, Liberty Star.

Standing on a pier next to the captain's wife and over forty on lookers, applause broke out and waves to the crew as the Liberty Star broke the quietness of the ocean's waves.

NASA boats Liberty Star and Freedom Star towed the twin boosters from behind and across the choppy waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Waves and rain fall delayed retrieval efforts some 140 miles northeast of the Kennedy Space Center, off the coast of Jacksonville.

Each booster was then shifted to the side of the ship in which the booster had flown during launch. The Liberty Star carried the right hand booster on the ship's right or starboard side.

The 149-foot tall solid-fueled boosters produce a 700-foot golden flame, and carried Atlantis up to an altitude of 145,000 feet on July 8 before separating 125 seconds into the flight.

These were the final boosters to be towed in for years to come as the space shuttle program come to an end with this final flight.

Astronauts inspect shuttle Atlantis for thermal damage

Astronauts scanned Atlantis today for thermal damage. (NASA)

Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis spent Saturday surveying their spacecraft for possible damage on her thermal skin and maneuvering to a higher orbit to prepare for Sunday's docking to the International Space Station.

Atlantis' commander Chris Ferguson and pilot Doug Hurley moved the ship's 50-foot robotic arm over to grapple an extension boom to assist in performing scans of the tiles and blankets which cover Atlantis.

Attached to the end of the robotic arm, the orbiter boom sensor system allows laser sensors and intensified television camera are used to look for any nicks or damaged tiles underneath the wing leading edges, over the nose region and across the spacecraft.

As the robotic operations occurred, mission specialists Rex Walheim and Sandy Magnus worked to set up an exercise bicycle on the shuttle's middeck.

Magnus then floated up to the flight deck to assist Hurley with the inspections of the starboard wing's trailing edge and reenforced carbon-carbon survey by the OBSS at 7:46 a.m.

Earlier in the morning, Ferguson and Hurley performed a few burns by Atlantis smaller engines to keep the spacecraft on course for an 11:07 a.m. docking to the space station on Sunday.

Once docked, Atlantis' crew on Monday will grapple and swing a bus sized cargo module from the shuttle's payload bay over to and dock it to the station.

Crews will then begin unloading the several tons of supplies and equipment off the 21-foot long Raffaello module, and later store several hundred pounds of packing supplies and trash into the cargo carrier.

Flight controllers could elect to keep Atlantis docked to the space station one additional day, thereby extending the mission one day so that the shuttle's crew of four can assist the station's crew of six with unloading of the cargo module and the storage of trash and old equipment for the return to earth.

Atlantis lifted-off yesterday at 11:29 a.m. to begin this final space shuttle mission, and the 135th flight in the program's thirty year history.

Atlantis lifts-off on the final space shuttle mission

Space shuttle Atlantis lift-off today on 12-day flight. (NASA)

Space shuttle Atlantis launched this morning to begin a twelve day mission to resupply the International Space Station.

Nearly 900,000 spectators around the Kennedy Space Center and along the Space Coast witnessed the final launch of a space shuttle today.

NASA's final shuttle countdown was not without a few minutes of drama in the final seconds.

Lift-off occurred two minutes late and with only 58 seconds left in the launch window, due to the need for controllers to inspect that the gaseous vent arm, which retracts away from the top of the huge rust-colored fuel tank, was indeed fully retracted.

Atlantis' solid rocket boosters ignited at 11:29 a.m. EDT, and launching for the last Americans from American soil for several years.

In earth orbit 240 miles above, the crew of the space station watched the lift-off live on a computer laptop attached the wall.

Nine minutes after launch, Atlantis arrived in earth orbit at an altitude of 140 x 36 miles. An engine firing thirty-six minutes later of her twin OMS engines raised the shuttle orbit to 143 x 98 miles.

Atlantis will continue to increase her altitude over the next two days as her crew nears the station.

Atlantis commander Chris Ferguson leads this final shuttle crew. Pilot Doug Hurley, and mission specialists Rex Walheim and Sandy Magnus round out the all veteran crew.

Walheim thanked Pratt-Whitney and the space shuttle main engine team for the group's work on the three powerful engines which helped get the shuttle to space.

Atlantis is carrying a bus size cargo module known as Raffaello loaded with tons of fresh supplies for the space station, and a storage rack which includes spare parts and hardware.

The 21-foot long Raffaello module will be plucked from the aft section of Atlantis payload bay at 5:36 a.m. on Monday, and docked to the station's Node 2.

A pair of apple iPhone 4's will travel aboard Atlantis for a series of tests by the station's crew for improving future technologies with the popular phone.

Each iPhone 4 model will have a special application loaded to test the calibration of the smart phone in space, and uses for it's camera as the crew aims it toward the earth in a series of photography tests.

The twin iPhones will be housed inside a NanoRacks cube carrier when shuttle Atlantis lifts-off on July 8 from the Kennedy Space Center.

Experimental tests also include how solar radiation effects the smart phone's memory, and test how it may aide in navigation by photographing a series of locations on earth.

The duel phones are intended for tests by NASA astronauts Ron Garan and Mike Fossum, and several of the six space station crew members following Atlantis' departure on July 18.

A one day mission extension is likely and will be added a few days after the shuttle docks.

Atlantis is due to separate from the space station for the final time at 1:59 a.m. on July 18.

Pilot Hurley will fly Atlantis out to a distance of 400-feet and then begin a 360-degree fly around of the complex, while Magnus and Walheim use digital cameras to photograph the space station in detail.

The final two days of Atlantis' flight will focus on stowing equipment and to share with the world one final end-of-shuttle ceremony.

Atlantis crew will discuss on NASA TV the history of what shuttle has done for not just America but the entire planet, and take a look into the future of human space flight.

Landing is planned back at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility Runway 15/33 on July 20 at 7:06 a.m.

Shuttle Atlantis crew departs for launch pad

Atlantis' crew boards today for the ride to shuttle Atlantis. (NASA)

As NASA's launch team watches the weather, a crew of four astronauts suited for flight and departed for their spacecraft this morning for the final mission of the space shuttle program.

Low clouds and a chance for more rain has the current weather chances at only 30% favorable for today.

The crew departed their living quarters at 7:36 a.m. EDT, to make the twenty-minute ride over to their ocean side launch pad to board the shuttle Atlantis.

Atlantis commander Chris Ferguson leads this last shuttle crew are all space veterans and include pilot Doug Hurley, and mission specialists Rex Walheim and Sandy Magnus.

The crew were awoken today at 4:30 a.m. EDT in the crew quarters of the operations & checkout building located 10 miles from the launch pad. An hour later, the crew headed over for breakfast, their last one on earth for thirteen days.

The crew later received a weather briefing before suiting up in their orange partial pressure suits at 6:50 a.m.

NASA launch director Mike Leinbach received a full weather briefing as the crew departed for the launch pad.

The launch team will take the count down to the T- 9 minute hold, and perform a final weather check to determine if today is a good day to fly.

Weather likely will delay final shuttle launch

Final space shuttle crew stands ready for launch on Friday. (NASA)

A tropical wave will bring showers and low clouds to the American Space Coast on Thursday and the system's effect will likely delay Friday's launch attempt of the final space shuttle mission.

Air Force weather officer Kathy Winters and her group issued a 30% chance that weather will be favorable for Friday morning's launch attempt by Atlantis, with not much of an improvement on Saturday with only a 40% of good weather.

"Our primary concerns for launch are showers and thunderstorms within 20 nautical miles of the Shuttle Landing Facility (runway), flight through precipitation, and cumulus clouds," Winters stated this morning from Cape Canaveral.

If weather keeps the space shuttle grounded, then NASA has only Sunday and maybe Monday to launch before standing down several days due to an Air Force rocket launch in the early hours of July 14.

The Eastern Test Range has always needed two full days to turn around following a Cape launch or a shuttle landing before moving on to the next launch.

NASA thus must launch Atlantis by Monday or face a five day delay for the Delta 4 rocket launch.

Rain showers could even delay the retraction of the protective service structure on Thursday afternoon, a planned prelaunch event which allows the space shuttle to be exposed to the elements.

Currently, launch remains planned for Friday at 11:26:46 a.m. EDT, from launch complex 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center.

A launch attempt on Saturday would see mission STS-135's solid rocket boosters ignite for launch at 11:04:15 a.m.

Launch time on Sunday would see Atlantis lift-off at 10:38:31 a.m., and for Monday 10:15:58 a.m.

Sunday's launch forecast currently improves to 60% favorable.

"With the launch time moving earlier and a slightly dryer atmosphere each day, the threat of weather decreases each day," Winters added this morning.

On Tuesday, the last shuttle launch countdown began on time at 1:00 p.m. at the T-43 hour mark. Several planned holds in the count will carry that time down to zero on Friday, for now.

Space shuttle Atlantis nears her final voyage

Final Mission: Atlantis will fly the 135th space shuttle flight. (NASA)

The theater of American space flight will change forever as NASA concludes the final space shuttle mission this month while preparing the new replacement rocket for future human space travel away from earth orbit.

Following thirty years of space shuttle flights, Atlantis' mission will mark a historic benchmark as she set sails on the sunset of the program's 135 flights.

Led by commander Chris Ferguson, the last shuttle crew are all space veterans and include pilot Doug Hurley, and mission specialists Rex Walheim and Sandy Magnus.

Standing a top her launch pad, technicians are working around the clock to ensure this mission reaches orbit and her port-of-call in good shape.

NASA is watching the weather as a tropical wave moves west and effects the weather during Friday. Air Force weather officer Kathy Winters stated today only a 40% chance of favorable weather around launch time.

Thunderstorms the day before will likely slow down work to a stop as technicians work to ready the ship, including the retraction of the rotating service structure at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Atlantis will carry a bus size cargo module known as Raffaello loaded with tons of fresh supplies for the space station, and a storage rack which includes spare parts and hardware.

"I certainly feel honored to be part of the last crew," Magnus said recently. "And the thing I think that I feel the most honored about is it requires a special skill set to operate with a crew of four and I’m very flattered that it’s felt that I have that skill set that is needed to do that."

NASA's final space shuttle flight will launch on Friday morning with a crew of four veteran astronauts to begin a twelve day voyage to the International Space Station. Launch time is planned for 11:26:46 a.m. EDT from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Two days after launch, the orbiter will dock with the orbiting outpost at 11:09 a.m. on Sunday, followed by hatch opening between the two spacecraft 75 minutes later.

The 21-foot long Raffaello module will be plucked from the aft section of Atlantis payload bay at 5:36 a.m. on Monday, and docked to the station's Node 2.

A pair of apple iPhone 4's will travel aboard Atlantis for a series of tests by the station's crew for improving future technologies with the popular phone.

Each iPhone 4 model will have a special application loaded to test the calibration of the smart phone in space, and uses for it's camera as the crew aims it toward the earth in a series of photography tests.

The twin iPhones will be housed inside a NanoRacks cube carrier when shuttle Atlantis lifts-off on July 8 from the Kennedy Space Center.

Experimental tests also include how solar radiation effects the smart phone's memory, and test how it may aide in navigation by photographing a series of locations on earth.

The duel phones are intended for tests by NASA astronauts Ron Garan and Mike Fossum, and several of the six space station crew members following Atlantis' departure on July 18.

A one day mission extension is likely and will be added a few days after the shuttle docks.

Atlantis is due to separate from the space station for the final time at 1:59 a.m. on July 18.

Pilot Hurley will fly Atlantis out to a distance of 400-feet and then begin a 360-degree fly around of the complex, while Magnus and Walheim use digital cameras to photograph the space station in detail.

The final two days of Atlantis' flight will focus on stowing equipment and to share with the world one final end-of-shuttle ceremony.

Atlantis crew will discuss on NASA TV the history of what shuttle has done for not just America but the entire planet, and take a look into the future of human space flight.

Landing is planned back at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility Runway 15/33 on July 20 at 7:06 a.m.

This mission will be known not for the science and engineering support it provided for the space station, but for one thing -- the final space shuttle flight.

The last time humans will soar through space in a winged spacecraft and then land on a runway for years to come.

As July closes so does this chapter of the space program as NASA turns to the private sector for a space craft to carry Americans back into space.

Private space companies such as SpaceX will need around five years to be ready with a suitable manned space craft to launch. In the meantime, NASA will be paying Russia nearly $45 million each time to send an American to the space station thru 2016.

It was also one warm July in which American space travel stopped in 1975, for six years, as NASA prepared for the space shuttle's arrival.

Now, fade out shuttle - Fade in the future.

NASA hopes that the Orion multi-purpose crew vehicle will be America's next spacecraft to carry humans out of low earth orbit such as the Moon.

NASA projects the Orion vehicle will not be ready for it's first flight until around 2016 as NASA decides what rocket it will launch a top.

Then there is the need to build the launch pad around the rocket's size and fueling specifications.

MPCV is built by Lockheed Martin Corp. in Colorado, the module will have a separate service module which will be jettisoned prior to it's return to earth. NASA states "this module can also transport unpressurized cargo and scientific payloads" during flights.

The 23 ton crewed vehicle will launch on a heavy-lift rocket toward a destination past the space station and beyond low earth orbit to the moon.

NASA hopes to announce what that large multi-stage rocket will be later this year.

(Follow Charles Atkeison via Twitter @AbsolutSpaceGuy for real time aerospace news and updates.)

Georgia museum to host final space shuttle launch viewing

If you are unable to attend the historic final space shuttle launch this week, north Georgia's Tellus Science Museum will host a special launch day event for the public.

Tellus Science Museum showcases the sciences of astronomy, geology, prehistoric artifacts, space and aviation in beautiful exhibit halls.

Tellus' Joe Schulman states that the show will begin at 11 a.m. for both members and visitors to the museum which is located in Cartersville, just off of Interstate 75.

The large movie screen will show live NASA TV of the prelaunch activities leading up to and thru the launch. As the visitors watch, space shuttle experts will be on hand to discuss what to expect as the the minutes tick away.

As launch time nears, museum curator Julian Gray will broadcast live from the space center with launch updates, while museum astronomer David Dundee talks about past historic flights by the shuttle program.

Launch of Atlantis on NASA's 135th space shuttle flight is set for this Friday, July 8 at 11:26:46 a.m. EDT, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Mr. Schulman told this aerospace reporter that the launch date is subject to change, and to follow news on the launch before arriving on Friday.

The first launch was that of Columbia in April 1981, and since then the space shuttle's huge payload bay allowed NASA to launch space telescopes and planetary probes, link up with Russia's Mir space station and construct the International Space Station.

The price of the launch viewing is free to members and is included in the normal admission price for visitors.

The museum's theater can support nearly 200 guests, and large television monitors outside the theater will also broadcast the final space shuttle launch.

Located northwest of Atlanta just off exit 293 and I-75 in Cartersville, this science museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The center is closed on July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day.

With the arrival of summer, Tellus is a fun-filled, inexpensive option for those looking for a short day trip with the children.

Visit the Tellus web site for the latest on membership, guest pricing, directions and schedule information.

(Follow Charles Atkeison via Twitter @AbsolutSpaceGuy for real time aerospace news and updates.)