Watching the link-up of the Endeavour and the ISS

[Esra Star]

was the coolest thing I've ever witnessed on the net.
I stumbled on it. It took hours, three times around the planet.
The person who owns the website recorded most of it.
Check it out.

http://www.spacevidcast.com/

[Trajan]

1. I worked on the ODS Docking Ring ....

Performed qualification testing, and participated in ODS Mission Support for STS71 and STS74 ....

[Esra Star]

2. Is that the connector between the shuttle and the ISS? nt

[Trajan]

3. Yes ..... ODS - Orbiter Docking System

It is actually a Soviet design, which was provided by the Russians so the Shuttle can interface with Mir, the first USSR station ... In a way, it was a technological 'detente' for the time, with Americans and Russians sharing technology, equipment and personnel .... The Russian design was built with different gauge wires and stuff like that: our job was to build, test and verify the physical interface hardware ...

I enjoyed that job more than the others I had before and since. Having a seat (Not me, but our engineers) at the Downey Mission Support room during docking maneuvers was as close to the action as I had ever been ....

They also use the ODS to assemble some station components .... It is a long-tested, reliable design, and so it simplifies station building tasks ....

[Esra Star]

4. Very interesting, thanks for that. nt