Free app to track last NASA shuttle mission

William Atkins
Tuesday, 05 July 2011 22:33

Science - Space

The final NASA space shuttle mission is STS-135. GoSoftWorks is providing a free app so space enthusiasts can view when the space shuttle Atlantis goes overhead in their local skies, and where it is located anytime in its orbit.

 

NASA's final mission of its space shuttle program, the 135th flight of the program, will be a re-supply trip to the International Space Station. In honor of the mission (STS-135) and the completion of the space shuttle program, free apps are being offered by GoSoftWorks.

Launch of STS-135 and the space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled for Friday, July 8, 2011. The moment of liftoff is currently set at 11:26:46 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The 12-day mission is scheduled to land back at the Kennedy Space Center on July 20, 2011, at 7:06 EDT, to end the mission and the space shuttle program.

According to Richard Hein, the founder of GoSoftWorks.com, 'The satellite tracking app GoSatWatch available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch will let people know when and where in the sky to look to witness this last mission.'

Hein, a software engineer from Vancouver, Canada, also states, 'GoSoftWorks is also releasing a free version of the app to track only Atlantis and the International Space Station in commemoration of thirty years of the space shuttle program.'

And, 'The GoAtlantis app features real time tracking of Atlantis with multiple map and sky views, time-lapse control and easy GPS set up or by using a city list. Both visible and 24 hour pass predictions are available with alert notifications. GoSatWatch tracks hundreds of other satellites.'

Further, 'The apps require occasional network or WiFi access to update satellite orbital data.'

Page two provides the web addresses for these free apps.