shuttle

Exciting Simulations have released another Service/Mission Pack for their Space Shuttle Mission 2007.

The download includes several changes, fixes and adds new special effects, and of course, a new mission – STS-51A.

STS-51A is still hailed as the most daring and complex Space Shuttle missions to date.  During STS-51A, the Shuttle crew deployed the Anik D2 Canadian telecommunications satellite and the DoD SYNCOM IV-1 Defense Communications Satellite. The crew also retrieved PALAPA-B2 and WESTAR-VI, two malfunctioning satellite. To retrieve the satellites, Missions Specialists Joseph P. Allen and Dale A. Gardner used Manned Maneuverable Units (MMU) for retrieving the satellites while Mission Specialist Anna L. Fischer controlled the RMS for capturing and stowing the defective satellites in the Shuttle Payload Bay. There are a number of surprises in this mission – just as they were back in 1984.

In the best SSM2007 tradition, the budding astronauts will experience first-hand the historical liftoff, On-Orbit ops including the satellites deployment, MMU space walks, capturing and stowing satellites, Deorbit, Reentry and manually Landing the Shuttle at KSC.

Exciting Simulations has announced that STS-51A will be the next mission released for Space Shuttle Mission 2007.

STS-51A is still hailed as the most daring and complex Space Shuttle missions to date. The week-long mission started with the liftoff of the Space Shuttle Discovery on November 8th, 1984 from Launch Pad 39A at KSC.

During STS-51A, the Shuttle crew deployed the TELESAT-H Canadian telecommunications satellite and the DoD SYNCOM IV-1 Defense Communications Satellite. The crew also retrieved PALAPA-B2 and WESTAR-VI, two malfunctioning satellites previously deployed during STS-41B. To retrieve the satellites, Missions Specialists Joseph P. Allen and Dale A. Gardner used Manned Maneuverable Units (MMU), while Mission Specialist Anna L. Fischer controlled the RMS for capturing and stowing the defective satellites in the Shuttle Payload Bay.

The uniqueness of this mission lays in the fact that it was the first mission a Space Shuttle was used to deploy two satellites and retrieve two malfunctioning ones. It was also the last mission where the MMU was used. Another first was the use of a device called “Stinger” which facilitated the capture of the malfunctioning satellites.

STS-51A concluded with an uneventful landing at the Kennedy Space Center on November 16, 1984.

In the best SSM2007 tradition, the budding astronauts will experience first-hand the historical liftoff, On-Orbit ops including the satellites deployment, MMU space walks, capturing and stowing satellites, Deorbit, Reentry and manually Landing the Shuttle at KSC.

Exciting Simulations has released a new and updated set of manuals for their Space Shuttle Mission 2007.

Besides corrections and clarifications, the new manuals include:

• Updated options and keyboard/joystick commands list as well as support explanations for the Vuzix iWear VR920 stereoscopic HMD.
• NEW Chapter: “Achieving Mission Orbit”, including the GPC OPS 201 and OPS 202 modes explanations.
• NEW Chapter: “Using the Digital Auto Pilot”
• NEW Appendices: EAFB and KSC approach and runway diagrams

Exciting Simulations has released a new Service Pack for their Space Shuttle Mission 2007 stand-alone simulator.

The Service Pack adds several changes and fixes but most importantly, performance improvement and a new free mission: STS-32.

STS-32 - was a complex and unusually long mission for the time. The mission highlights included the deployment of the Department of Defense SYNCOM IV-F5 Communications Satellite and the rendezvous and retrieval of the LDEF NASA satellite which was deployed during STS-41C six years earlier (STS-41C is also available in SSM 2007).

In the best SSM2007 tradition, the budding astronauts will experience first-hand the historical liftoff, on-orbit ops including the SYNCOM deployment, rendezvous, capture and berthing of LDEF and of course, Deorbit, Reentry and manually landing the Shuttle at the Edwards AFB.