What's this? Current Shuttle mission spacewalk picture..

So I was admiring the latest shots from the STS-118 gallery and came across something, it doesn't appear to be a lens abberation or reflection. On the emboss there is something there.


Original:
spaceflight1.nasa.gov...

My Highlighted image:

Shot at 2007-08-20



Also visible on a previous image:
spaceflight1.nasa.gov...



Perhaps one of those pesky Chinese Lantern's floated up into space and reflected Venus, perhaps?

Definently got a bit of something there. Could be a satelite or space junk i guess, other thabn that who knows. Is there any way you can tell how far away it is?

A satellite maybe? I thought we had thousands of them up there, why are they never in photos like this, or are they?

Its possible I guess but A: Its uncomortably close to the ISS and if it is a satellite..it must be HUGE to be that big from so far away (they just would'nt allow one to be so close to the ISS now would they?!!)

But Im no expert..just thought it was odd.
Def a lantern..

[edit on 20-8-2007 by wildone106]

I agree that if it is a solid object and not a glitch or something in the camera's lens, then surely it must be big for it to show up so clearly. If it is something anomalous, it seems strange that NASA'a left it in...

The thought occurs that if this was something NASA didn't really want to publish, why hasn't it been excised by their supposed team of airbrushers?

Stunning photo, all the same...

Um, that's definitely the space station that the Endeavor recently left from.

www.canada.com...

huh? They are docked at the spacestation in this picture..is there 2 space stations?!


Here's the image caption:


"S118-E-07998 (15 Aug. 2007) --- Astronauts Rick Mastracchio (right), STS-118 mission specialist; and Clay Anderson, Expedition 15 flight engineer, participate in the mission's third planned session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the 5-hour, 28-minute spacewalk, Mastracchio and Anderson relocated the S-Band Antenna Sub-Assembly from Port 6 (P6) to Port 1 (P1) truss, installed a new transponder on P1 and retrieved the P6 transponder. The blackness of space and Earth's horizon provide the backdrop for the scene."


DEFINITELY eh..?

Originally posted by ModernDystopia
Um, that's definitely the space station that the Endeavor recently left from.

www.canada.com...

[edit on 20-8-2007 by wildone106]

[edit on 20-8-2007 by wildone106]

[edit on 20-8-2007 by wildone106]

Interesting find. I have a relatively low res version captured from NASA TV showing what appears to be the same camera view. Whatever "that" is... should not really be there. But it is in the pic - I guess they "missed it" before release. The video isn't high enough resolution to offer any help. It will be interesting to see what becomes of this.

Cheers,

Vic

[edit on 20-8-2007 by V Kaminski]

looks like solar panels !!!!

Kind of looks like one of these

upload.wikimedia.org...

when you zoom in on the image in photoshop.

I agree with the other posts though ... it does look a little too close. I know that the space station gets course changes because of junk n stuff, but they would only move the ISS if it proved a real threat. I guess, in this case they may have decided that its not !!!!!!

I think something this close would have made more of a stir if it was a satellite? I would have thought anything within visual range should be considered a threat, I mean for safety's sake?
Its impossible to tell the actual distance to the object..but from the way its lit (or not) its quite far away..if its a satellite those panels would be rather HUGE?

Im going with they did'nt know or realise what it was.

Originally posted by scepticsRus
looks like solar panels !!!!

Kind of looks like one of these

upload.wikimedia.org...

when you zoom in on the image in photoshop.

I agree with the other posts though ... it does look a little too close. I know that the space station gets course changes because of junk n stuff, but they would only move the ISS if it proved a real threat. I guess, in this case they may have decided that its not !!!!!!

[edit on 20-8-2007 by wildone106]

There are several bits of "junk" not all that far from ISS. The Early Ammonia Servicer manually jettisoned by Clayton Anderson about three weeks or so ago - which has come back to "haunt" and the video stanchion jettisoned on the same space walk. I saw one washer "fly away" at the very start of EVA 1 and there is a 32 year old Titan booster in the general neighbourhood. Nothing that looks like what wild' has caught. You have good eyes. I have no idea what that/those are.

If one has the chance see if you can get a night time look at ISS and 68 miles (12 seconds or so) behind STS with the naked eye or binocs/whatever and see if there are any other points of light moving with ISS/STS? They may or may not be visible, the altitude is 214 statute miles.

Cheers,

Vic

Great info! I have no capability to watch the ISS unfortunately but Im sure many here might.

I do have to say if whatever is in the image is not from our technological sphere, perhaps NASA hasn't made a big deal about it because the public would just shake their heads and go, "Nah."

R'Queen makes a good point. I have seen dozens and dozens of times on NASA-TV "somethings". And "Nah-placency", is a valid concept.

What happens: The announcer stops talking and the INCO (Camera Operator) changes camera. Almost everytime. Time after time.

I can only guess that if NASA doesn't "comment on", then they won't neccessarily have to "comment on" unless smeone asks difficult questions. That doesn't happen. That's why I watch. They "make" us.

Cheers,

Vic

[edit on 20-8-2007 by V Kaminski]

reply to post by wildone106


yes htere is 2 space stations, one the public knows about and one they don't. ask john lear, he has info on the second station. This confirms it in my book. good catch!

Probably the Battlestar Galactica finding Earth !!!!!

Originally posted by darkheartrising
yes htere is 2 space stations, one the public knows about and one they don't. ask john lear, he has info on the second station. This confirms it in my book. good catch!

Are you serious? Sorry to ask, but I'm not sure if you're being facetious or not. So you take John Lear's word as truth? How does this space debris or whatever confirm the existance of a second space station?

The ISS is visible from earth. I'm sure that a second space station that close to the ISS would be as visible and already found.



[edit on 20/8/2007 by SportyMB]

hahaa perhaps..I cant wait for the next season

Originally posted by Wirral Bagpuss
Probably the Battlestar Galactica finding Earth !!!!!

reply to post by darkheartrising


Hello do you ever make your own mind up instead of putting your faith 100% in another person and going by what they tell you ?

Just due to the fact the doctor tells me there is nothing wrong with me does in no way mean i am not ill.

I agree what we are looking at is indeed something not a booster, too small for solar panals and maybe just maybe a UFO.

But then again there are 1 million other things we might be looking at humm.

Do you really think that look's like a space station in the distance ? I would sadly have to disagree with you.

Regard's
Lee

reply to post by SportyMB


yes, i'm serious
yes, i believe what john lear says.
yes, it has been photographed from Earth.