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Coin In Orbit!


Nate Grumby

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Well, not nearly as cool as Nate's geocoin in outer space, but on October 5th I'm going to be part of a small group of folks getting a "private" tour of KSC. If anyone would like their geocoin or TB to get its picture taken at the Space Center (I think we're going to get a fairly close-up view of the shuttle), please feel free to email me through my profile. And if you like, I can start your TB's travels from here. Please contact me outside of this forum, as I don't want to hijack this thread! :lol:

 

You may now return to your regularly scheduled program!

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I wish to thank Jake of Team A.I. once again for his tip earlier in this thread regarding the website www. heavens-above.com. Yesterday, on the 50th anniversary of Sputnik, and using information from that website, we were able to see the International Space Station as it passed over eastern PA at 8:00 PM. What a thrill, our second time in 3 weeks to see it!

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I wish to thank Jake of Team A.I. once again for his tip earlier in this thread regarding the website www. heavens-above.com. Yesterday, on the 50th anniversary of Sputnik, and using information from that website, we were able to see the International Space Station as it passed over eastern PA at 8:00 PM. What a thrill, our second time in 3 weeks to see it!

 

If you see it that often maybe you should log the ISS Waymark using Heavens above as a guide.

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Maybe you need to create a virtual cache out there (if they were still available) to log the coin. I can just imagine TPTB reviewing it

 

Travel 22K miles straight up into geosynchronous orbit. Look behind you - which planet do you see :-) take a photo

Special equipment needed - space shuttle or rocket

Handicap access - yes once you have the special equipment

Terrain - none

Off-road vehicle - essential

Scenic view - Yes

Takes less than an hour - No

 

or maybe the first real cache in the interntional space station. Wonder what any aliens finding it would think of our "coinage" :-)

 

Sue

 

Sadly, the space shuttle never gets much more than 500km (300 mi) up :sad: but it travels far in horizontal (well, elliptical) distance.

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So any updates or are we lucky enough to see any pictures?

 

My guess is that it won't even be taken out of the locker, just along for the ride, but I'd still like to know (:

 

Edit to note: Jumping the gun here, just noticed the OP said STS-122. Thats in December, not right now!

Edited by scavok
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I still would like to know how much it cost to do this?

 

Estimates are all over, and I am probably wrong, but a lot of numbers I have come across say that to put something into orbit via the space shuttle it is costs roughly $10,000 per pound.

 

So how much does an astrolab geocoin weigh?

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Hello!

 

I've been out of the loop, but here are some answers to some of the questions...

 

 

.....

 

5) I will get the coin back, from Dr. Love (yes, that is his name) when he visits after his mission. He gets to go on PR trips, and he hopes to get up here...

 

6) This didn't cost anything, just knowing him since junior high school and being his best man at his wedding. Sort of like a lottery...

 

Nate Grumby

 

From post 48. It didn't cost the OP anything, he knows one of the crew members.

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Is the coin going up today? They are launching the Columbus spacelab today , right?

 

EDIT: liftof is delayed 24 hours

 

From NASA:

A problem with two Engine Cut Off (ECO) sensors has led to the scrub of STS-122's launch attempt on Thursday. Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) rules note at least 3 of 4 sensors must be in working order. Troubleshooting was in work ealier, but the recommendation to scrub - 24 hour - was taken shortly after.

Edited by delta123
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NASA TARGETS SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS LAUNCH ON JAN. 10

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Space Shuttle Program managers have

targeted Jan. 10 for the launch of shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission

to the International Space Station.

 

"The workforce has stepped up to and met every challenge this year,"

said Wayne Hale, Space Shuttle Program manager at NASA's Johnson

Space Center. "Moving the next launch attempt of Atlantis to Jan. 10

will allow as many people as possible to have time with family and

friends at the time of year when it means the most. A lot has been

asked of them this year and a lot will be asked of them in 2008."

 

The liftoff date from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida, depends on

the resolution of a problem in a fuel sensor system. The shuttle's

planned launches on Dec. 6 and Dec. 9 were postponed because of false

readings from the part of the system that monitors the liquid

hydrogen section of the tank.

 

Atlantis' main objective during its STS-122 mission to the

International Space Station is to install and activate the European

Space Agency's Columbus laboratory, which will provide scientists

around the world the ability to conduct a variety of life, physical

and materials science experiments.

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Shuttle Program managers requested Thursday that flight control teams

and ground operations teams protect for a Jan. 24 launch date. As

work progresses, that date will be modified as required. Other launch

opportunities could come between Jan. 24 and the first week of

February.

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NASA GIVES 'GO' FOR SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH

 

WASHINGTON - NASA senior managers completed a review Wednesday of

space shuttle Atlantis' readiness for flight. Pending closure of an

issue with a shuttle radiator hose, the STS-122 mission will launch

Feb. 7 at 2:45 p.m. EST.

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NASA GIVES 'GO' FOR SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH

 

WASHINGTON - NASA senior managers completed a review Wednesday of

space shuttle Atlantis' readiness for flight. Pending closure of an

issue with a shuttle radiator hose, the STS-122 mission will launch

Feb. 7 at 2:45 p.m. EST.

 

Oh, that's so cool to know a crew member to take your coin up - I wish I knew someone to do this as the launch is on my daughter's birthday! :D

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NASA GIVES 'GO' FOR SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH

 

WASHINGTON - NASA senior managers completed a review Wednesday of

space shuttle Atlantis' readiness for flight. Pending closure of an

issue with a shuttle radiator hose, the STS-122 mission will launch

Feb. 7 at 2:45 p.m. EST.

 

How can i discover your coin when he fly's over the Netherlands. :D:P:)

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Just want to clarify that the coin is NOT mine. It belongs to Nate Grumby. See post #1.

I was just merely posting info on the latest Space Shuttle launch day & time.

 

I have no idea where it will be at any certain time during the mission or if the coin is still planning on flying with STS-122. Maybe Nate or someone with knowledge of this wonderful event will post here. :D

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Just want to clarify that the coin is NOT mine. It belongs to Nate Grumby. See post #1.

I was just merely posting info on the latest Space Shuttle launch day & time.

 

I have no idea where it will be at any certain time during the mission or if the coin is still planning on flying with STS-122. Maybe Nate or someone with knowledge of this wonderful event will post here. :huh:

 

Thank you for posting the latest space shuttle news.

I hope that someone with knowledge response.

:D I still want to discover the coin when he fly's over the Netherlands :lol:

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Just want to clarify that the coin is NOT mine. It belongs to Nate Grumby. See post #1.

I was just merely posting info on the latest Space Shuttle launch day & time.

 

I have no idea where it will be at any certain time during the mission or if the coin is still planning on flying with STS-122. Maybe Nate or someone with knowledge of this wonderful event will post here. :huh:

 

Thank you for posting the latest space shuttle news.

I hope that someone with knowledge response.

:D I still want to discover the coin when he fly's over the Netherlands :lol:

If you buy a very big telescope maybe you can see the tracking number? ;)

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If you buy a very big telescope maybe you can see the tracking number? :unsure:

 

That brings back memories of college physics [shudder]. I hadn't thought of that class is a long time. We once had to caclulate whether a lens would have the resolving power to allow text to be read at some great distance. I'm afraid I wouldn't know where to start that calculation today!

Edited by tokencollector
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Thanks, NG, for that great story in the other thread that now seems to have been deleted. What a waste of an excellent opportunity to do something really cool and unique.

 

Congrats to crake of his Astrolabe coin making it to orbit.

 

The website "heavens-above.com" is a great website. I'm always looking for the ISS and other satellites. I'll be watching for the coin.

 

:lol:

 

(editted for brain damage)

Edited by slowdownracer
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Congrats to you Nate Grumby and thanks for sharin your story and that you want that the coin can be discovered. (where is that topic now? :D )

 

I wish the astronauts all the good luck in the world and in space.

I hope that they have a lot off fun and learn a lot.

Maybe we she a picture off them and the coin??

 

To you astronauts: :lol: have a safe flight :D i been watching you and please wave i've you fly over the Netherlands :lol:

 

greetings

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http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=94185

 

AND THIS MOST IMPORTANT ONE:

If you log a bogus virtual log on a TB, or offer your own TB up for virtual logging you will risk having that TB page locked forever. This means, if you never saw a bug, but got the bug number and you log it, that bug is in risk of being taken out of the game. Don't do this to TB owners who inadvertently might post a photo, or someone else posts a photo, of their TB number. Don't log it virtually. It's considered abuse of the system. And it's not fair play.

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http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=94185

 

AND THIS MOST IMPORTANT ONE:

If you log a bogus virtual log on a TB, or offer your own TB up for virtual logging you will risk having that TB page locked forever. This means, if you never saw a bug, but got the bug number and you log it, that bug is in risk of being taken out of the game. Don't do this to TB owners who inadvertently might post a photo, or someone else posts a photo, of their TB number. Don't log it virtually. It's considered abuse of the system. And it's not fair play.

 

But posting a note and wishing the astronauts well seems to be within the rules.

 

Dang!

Edited by slowdownracer
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Hello!

 

Due to a happy circumstance, our family has a geocoin going up on the space shuttle STS-122. I think it will travel about 5 million miles.

 

Yay.

 

Pity I can't virtually log every cache it flies over, but I suppose that would be cheating.

 

they putt your coin on a mouving satellite cache :unsure:

wo! this cache contener cost a million dollars. :unsure:

and she rate 10/10

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Man, this sucks what GC has done with this coin.. I was all pumped to track the shuttle and watch this coin come streaking overhead.

 

This should have been a definite exception. A geocoin on the shuttle would be a monumental thing for GC.com and for the sport in general, and they have totally screwed the pooch on this one, IMHO.

 

Bad Frog. Bad, Bad Frog. :unsure:

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Man, this sucks what GC has done with this coin.. I was all pumped to track the shuttle and watch this coin come streaking overhead.

 

This should have been a definite exception. A geocoin on the shuttle would be a monumental thing for GC.com and for the sport in general, and they have totally screwed the pooch on this one, IMHO.

 

Bad Frog. Bad, Bad Frog. :unsure:

 

Walked outside my office and watched the shuttle launch today.

 

Have to agree with Okiebryan. Bad, Bad Frog. :unsure:

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COOL COOL COOL watching the liftoff...

One Small Step BACKWARDS for the Frog...

One Giant Leap for one little cool coin...

Sad Sad Sad that the potential for such an extraordinary event seems to have been missed by TPTB.

IMHO this could have been a PR homerun for Groundspeak, instead it appears to have just generated much angst.

Ah well,

here's wishing the best to the crew as they head to and from the ISS...

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Based on predictions for our location from heavens-above.com, we saw the ISS pass just above the northern horizon at 6:30 PM this evening. At this point the space shuttle is attached and the astronauts have been working on connecting the new German science lab to the ISS. It's an amazing sight if you ever get a chance to see it pass directly overhead. Give it a try, it's easier than you think.

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Hello!

 

Due to a happy circumstance, our family has a geocoin going up on the space shuttle STS-122. I think it will travel about 5 million miles.

 

Yay.

 

Pity I can't virtually log every cache it flies over, but I suppose that would be cheating.

 

You have to ask them to establish a geocache on the IST! Now that would be awesome! You could actually have them log the placement and return it....

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Maybe you need to create a virtual cache out there (if they were still available) to log the coin. I can just imagine TPTB reviewing it

 

Travel 22K miles straight up into geosynchronous orbit. Look behind you - which planet do you see :-) take a photo

Special equipment needed - space shuttle or rocket

Handicap access - yes once you have the special equipment

Terrain - none

Off-road vehicle - essential

Scenic view - Yes

Takes less than an hour - No

 

or maybe the first real cache in the interntional space station. Wonder what any aliens finding it would think of our "coinage" :-)

 

Sue

 

As an FYI, the shuttle doesn't get anywhere near geosynchronous orbit :blink: It typically runs at an altitude below 500 km, in a roughly 90 minute low-earth orbit.

 

However, I'm told that the photography opportunities are extraordinary from there.

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Hello!

 

I've been out of the loop, but here are some answers to some of the questions...

 

1) Thanks, this is indeed 'Cool.'

 

2) No, they won't drop it from orbit. NASA is touchy about stuff flying around at 17000 mph at that altitude.

 

3) I will post pictures of the coin, the astronaut, the launch, and anything else I can get.

 

4) Can't make the ISS into a cache...it will fill up with Happy Meal Toys.

 

5) I will get the coin back, from Dr. Love (yes, that is his name) when he visits after his mission. He gets to go on PR trips, and he hopes to get up here...

 

6) This didn't cost anything, just knowing him since junior high school and being his best man at his wedding. Sort of like a lottery...

 

7) The GPS sattelites are in a much higher orbit...and I have no idea what a GPS would do if you were' above' them. I'll ask...the NASA types might be using them for some weird navigation calcs.

 

8) I've asked Groundspeak to see if this coin could be logged through some sort of cache or event or something...will let you know what they say.

 

9) The coin that is flying is a CRAKE astrolabe geocoin. I'll see if there is a photo of one on-line and post it.

 

10) Most personal items that an astronaut takes up have to fit in a box 5" by 8" by 2" thick, and the total items in the box have to weigh less than about 1.5 pounds. That sort of nixes the idea of smuggling myself on board. Our family is also sending a rookie card of Scottie Gomez (NHL wingman) and a small icon of St. Herman of Alaska.

 

I'll keep you all posted on how to log the coin, Groundspeaks response, and all photos I manage to get.

 

Nate Grumby

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