Wheels Stopped

Wheels stopped is important NASA lingo to say the orbiter is firmly stopped on the runway. It is good news to everyone involved with and interested in the shuttle Discovery's very successful return to Earth. I watched coverage on CSPAN-2, CNN, and NBC. CSPAN-2 had the longest coverage picking up Discovery long before it entered the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. CNN's coverage was the most accurate coverage from a technical perspective and had good insight from three former astronauts including one of my personal heroes, John Glenn. NBC's coverage was horrible so I only watched it very briefly.

I want to learn more about the improvements made in the communications technology. On every previous return from space there was a communications "blackout" period caused by the interference during re-entry. The return of Discovery did not have a blackout period and Mission Control was able to keep in constant communication with the orbiter and the crew with only static during the transmissions. Excellent and innovative engineering triggered by the loss of Columbia.

The biggest annoyance on the coverage was the banners that blocked the full video feed of the orbiter. Wheels touching the runway is what everyone observing wants to see and both NBC and CNN had to have their banners announcing "breaking news - shuttle landing" blocking the most important part.

One other little fact I found interesting is Edwards Air Force base has one billion candle power lighting the desert runway. It sounds like a lot, but the video was still dark. My daughter asked me what that meant so in true dad form I told her a billion people were holding one candle each to guide Discovery home. She bought it hook line and sinker, which proves teenagers are not designed to be awake early on any summer morning.