Two-Screen Laptop on the Way

A company called Gsreen has announced plans to introduce the first ever dual-screen laptop computer, with the first product expected to appear later this year.
The computers will run Windows Vista, with the two slide-out screens each featuring an LED backlit display.
The company, based in Alaska, is aiming the product towards professionals, including designers and professionals. Two-screened computers, including so-called "Bloomberg machines," are nothing new, but there has never before been a notebook computer that featured two full-sized screens.

Discovery Docks, Joint Operations Begin

Image above: The Expedition 20 crew welcomes the STS-128 crew aboard the station shortly after hatch opening.
Photo: NASA TV

Space shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station at 8:54 p.m. EDT Saturday delivering more than seven tons of cargo and a new crew member to the International Space Station and its Expedition 20 crew.
The shuttle and station crews opened hatches at 9:33 p.m. and greeted one another beginning a week’s worth of joint operations that includes three spacewalks and transfer of 15,000 pounds of supplies and logistics to sustain the six-person crew on the station.
Astronauts Nicole Stott and Tom Kopra swapped Soyuz seat liners after hatch opening. Stott will handle flight engineer duties aboard the station until her return home aboard Atlantis following the STS-129 mission in November. Kopra is scheduled to return aboard Discovery Sept. 10 after 57 days in space.
Before docking to the station, Commander Rick Sturckow and Pilot Kevin Ford performed a few final corrective jet firings to refine the orbiter’s path for a rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). While Sturckow performed the RPM, Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Mike Barratt took photos from the station. Their photos will be reviewed by experts on the ground for evidence of damage to the shuttle tiles.
Source: NASA

STS-128 Crew Prepares for Docking

Image: International Space Station Photo: NASA
During their first full day in space, astronauts aboard Discovery conducted a daylong inspection of the space shuttle’s thermal protection system, checked out spacesuits and prepared to dock with the International Space Station.
With Commander Rick Sturckow at the controls, Discovery is scheduled to link up with the space station at 8:03 p.m. CDT Sunday.
Want to know when a spacecraft will be flying over your city?
Source: NASA

What a wonderful Saturday

This is a nice morning with blue sky and temperature of 20C/70F and calm. First I watched Discovery lift off from Kenedy Space Center. It was exciting. Later I took my daily walk for 50 minute's and went down to the shopping center. It was not many people there this early morning. Later I got a very good lunch: grilled salmon, potatos, vegetable, sauce and a beer. It was an exquisite meal.
Later in the afternoon I will update website's and writing in the blog's. Watch TV and read a book.

Lighting Up the Night

Photo: NASA/Ben Cooper
Viewed from the Banana River Viewing Site at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery arcs through a cloud-brushed sky, lighted by the trail of fire after launch on the STS-128 mission. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39A was on time at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The first launch attempt on Aug. 24 was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. The second attempt on Aug. 25 also was postponed due to an issue with a valve in space shuttle Discovery's main propulsion system.
The STS-128 mission is the 30th International Space Station assembly flight and the 128th space shuttle flight. The 13-day mission will deliver more than 7 tons of supplies, science racks and equipment, as well as additional environmental hardware to sustain six crew members on the International Space Station. The equipment includes a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill.

Friday Night Launch Highlights (All times listed in EDT)

5:00 a.m. Crew sleep begins
8:34 a.m. Countdown resumes at the T-11 hour mark
12:00 p.m. Mission Management Team meets to discuss the results of the fill and drain valve testing; will be followed by the tanking meeting to give a “go/no go” for the fueling of Discovery
1:00 p.m. Crew wakeup for launch
1:30 p.m. Astronauts have breakfast
1:34 p.m. Countdown enters a 1-hour built-in hold at the T-6 hour mark
2:00 p.m. Astronauts receive their final medical exams
2:30 p.m. Fueling coverage begins on NASA TV and Web
2:34 p.m. Countdown resumes at the T-6 hour mark with the fueling of Discovery
3:19 p.m. LH sensor go to "wet" state
5:34 p.m. Countdown enters a 2-hour, 30-minute built-in hold at the T-3 hour mark; fueling enters stable replenish
6:30 p.m. Launch coverage begins on NASA TV and Launch Blog
7:39 p.m. Astronauts receive a weather briefing from the Ascent Team of flight controllers at Mission Control, Houston
8:04 p.m. Countdown resumes at T-3 hours
8:09 p.m. Discovery astronauts depart crew quarters for Launch Pad 39A
8:39 p.m. Astronauts arrive at the launch pad and begin to board Discovery
9:54 p.m. Begin closing Discovery's crew hatch
10:44 p.m. Countdown enters a 10-minute planned hold at the T-20 minute mark
10:54 p.m. Countdown resumes at the T-20 minute mark
11:05 p.m. Countdown enters a 45-minute planned hold at the T-9 minute mark, during which the Mission Management Team and Launch Control team will conduct polls to give a final "go" decision for launch
11:50 p.m. Countdown resumes at the T-9 minute mark
11:54 p.m. Auxiliary Power Units start at the T-5 minute mark
11:59 p.m. Discovery launches on the STS-128 mission
12:08 a.m. Main Engine Cut Off (MECO)
Source: NASA

Discovery's Launch Delayed 24 More Hours

It was announced at today's Mission Management Team meeting that the teams need another 24 hours to review data from yesterday's fill and drain test before pressing forward with launch of space shuttle Discovery on its STS-128 mission. Liftoff now is targeted for 11:59 p.m. EDT.
An MMT meeting is tentatively planned for tomorrow at noon with a tanking weather briefing at 2 p.m. NASA TV coverage of fueling Friday will begin at 2:15 p.m. NASA TV coverage of launch will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Source: NASA