STS-130 Synchronized Launch is on: set your sim to STS-128

STS-131 has a very similar profile to STS-128, same MPLM load and launch parameters, inclination, atitude, etc.

The Synch Launch event is on: set your sim to STS-128, join the SSM2007 TeamSpeak and synch the event by unpausing the sim at the exact time the T-0:09:00 hold ends. If you want, you can be online way before T-0:09:00 and perform some of the tasks the Discovery crew does, depending when you joined the mission.

Have fun escorting the real STS-130 with your virtual Space Shuttle from T-01:50:00 to MECO and beyond. Don't forget that you can also synch your docking, deorb, approach and landing events too, although those are less predictable - at least at the real mission end :)

For those doing the entire mission in real time, you are invited to mimic the real EVAs by moving the astros at the exact locations the real EV teams move, and deploying and berthing Leonardo when those events happen on orbit. Do you have two weeks to spare?

After this one, we have two more synchronized launch events to perform before the STS program is retired.

See you all on orbit!

STS-128 Sync Launch Event

Together with NASA, we shall also be attempting a (virtual) launch and join the real STS-128 Discovery with our own simulated one, from T-00:09:00, through liftoff and up to MECO, and beyond.

Sync Launch Parameters:

1. Meeting time: Friday, August 28, 23:00 EDT (roughly one hour before NASA's scheduled launch time of 23:59 EDT). Check your local time at: http://tinyurl.com/lv7uxz
2. Mission to use: STS-116 - same Orbiter, same Inclination, same Altitude and a "night" launch.
3. Mission Elapsed Time: Prepare a save at the end of the T-00:09:00 Hold, just after the Sim "Resume Countdown" command, but DO NOT press the EVENT TIMER CONTROL switch.

Preparing for the Sync Launch:

1. Join the SSM2007 TeamSpeak Server and enter the "STS-128 launch" Room. To join the SSM2007 TeamSpeak, go to SSM Fans Wiki and click on the CONNECT TeamSpeak button on the lower left side of the main page.
2. Test the mike and headset/speakers and join the discussion.
3. Start NASATV
4. Start the Space Shuttle Mission Sim and load the T-00:09:00 save you prepared in advance as explained above.

Synchronizing and launch

1. Listen in the NASATV and wait for the real NASA "Resume Countdown" command after the T-00:09:00 Hold.
2. Push the EVENT TIMER CONTROL spring-loaded switch to the START position at the moment you hear the NASA "Resume Countdown, .....mark" command. From this moment on, you're on your own. Follow the simulator instructions, APU start, etc. until liftoff.

Please note that due to network delays affecting the NASATV video stream, there may be a time difference between the actual NASA events at KSC and what you see on NASATV locally.

Godspeed Discovery!

The Ground Crew station during the STS-125 Sync Launch Event

You can clearly notice the TripleHead2Go main simulation layout + the laptop covering the NASATV and TeamSpeak communications.

STS-127 launch attempt Sync Launch Event

Quote from the Mission Control Sync Launch Event Protocol (Armin AKA "Pocci" who will be Acting Launch Director for this event):


"We meet on the SSM2007 Teamspeak on Saturday, Jul 11, at 22:30 UTC. That would be:

Sat 15:30 (03:30 p.m.) PDT
Sat 17:30 (05:30 p.m.) CDT
Sat 18:30 (06:30 p.m.) EDT
Sat 22:30 (10:30 p.m.) UTC (GMT)
Sat 23:30 (11:30 p.m.) West Europe (London, ...)
Sun 00:30 (00:30 a.m.) Central Europe
Sun 08:30 (08:30 a.m.) Sydney

Remember, everybody Eastward from London, this is Sunday morning.
Everybody should have NASA-TV online via TV or secondary PC/Laptop .(If you Alt-Tab out of SSM2007 you pause the simulation!)
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

For those without NASA-TV there will be a voice countdown (every Minute, T-30sec, T-15sec and the last 10 sec) if necessary. An updated Excel-Countdown program is available here (from Armin AKA "Pocci"):
http://www.anaesth.med.tu-muenchen.de/Daten/Countdown.zip
There will be frequent commchecks to insure that everybody is synchronized and understands how the process works.

At that time, NASA should be at T-49 minutes and counting with two holds to come: 10 minutes at T-20 and at T-9. T-49 at 22:30 UTC implies a 10 min hold at T-9 or a different launch time than 23:39 UTC. We don't know the exact planned T-9 hold, but we'll know when we meet.We suggest everybody to use STS-117 as this is a Summer launch to the ISS from the same pad and a launch time only 1 minute different from the official STS-127 launch time.Everybody should be already in sync with NASA or have the simulation paused at T-30 minutes, so we have plenty of time to sync and to discuss how to handle the two holds.To enter Teamspeak, go to one of the following pages:

http://wiki.ssm-fans.info/
http://portal.ssm-fans.info/index.php/teamspeakserver

and click on connect in the Teamspeak viewer area.

If you need help connecting, check: http://ts.ssm-fans.info/
We advise everybody to rehearse the STS-117 launch and have some saves ready at T-30:00 T-20:00 T-8:30 and T-2:00 minutes. At least the T-2 minutes save is important, because from that time on, you can just sit and enjoy the launch until MECO."

STS-127 liftoff scrubbed

STS-127 launch has been scrubbed again. Next window is July 11,2009. Although at this end we are disappointed like everybody else, we prefer to have a scrub than worry for the duration of the mission until "wheels stopped".

We should look at this as an opportunity to practice our "Synch Launch" and prepare for the real event on July 11th. Fortunately this falls on a weekend, so there are no excuses anymore not to attend this exciting online event.

TCDT Report

Today we witnessed the TCDT event during which a group of SSM2007 virtual Astronauts attempted to sync-launch their Shuttles in preparation for a "real" sync-ed event during the NASA STS-127 launch on June 13, 2009.

It was extremely exciting for us to see how serious these guys are about their hobby, and how they cooperated despite the evident cultural and language issues.

The TCDT exposed several weak points in the sync procedure and also showed us, the SSM2007 developers, how to make that process easier. We're now looking into ways and code changes to facilitate this kind of sync-ed events in the future.

We hope that more SSM2007 virtual Astros use this opportunity and join in during the future TCDT events and socialize with the SSM2007 forum gurus, mods and some members of the Ground Crew Team.

Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test

Tomorrow, May 30, 2009 will be an interesting day. Some of our more geeky customers will attempt to synchronize multiple launches of their virtual Shuttles in preparation for the main event: a "real" multiple launch, synchronized with the NASA countdown during the upcoming STS-127 mission on June 13, 2009. This will be their "Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test" if you want, preceeding the real NASA STS-127 TCDT by one day.

The selected mission is STS-96 (the closest to STS-127 from the the orbit inclination and lauch time window point of view).

The participants will meet tomorrow on the SSM2007 TeamSpeak server at 18:00UTC, synchronize their systems and socialize until "resume countdown" approximately at 18:30UTC matching the MET: T-00:30:00. After that, it's all on automatic.

It is expected that when the MET reaches 00:00:00, several virtual SSM2007 Space Shuttles will shoot to the sky at the same time, and pressing on at least until MECO, approximately 8 minutes after liftoff.

Some of us will be listening in,"watching" and following the event with our own Shuttles.

Check event details here: http://tinyurl.com/knxm8b

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