STS (TV channel)
STS (abbr. СТС from Russian: Сеть Телевизионных Станций, Set' Televizionnykh Stantsiy, Network of televisions stations) is a commercial television station based in Moscow, Russia. It belongs to the CTC Media, a Delaware-registered, Moscow-based NASDAQ-traded (CTCM) company with a market capitalization exceeding US$4 billion. The company is co-owned by National Media Group (Russia), Itera (Russia) and Modern Times Group (Sweden).
History
STS was launched on 1 December 1996 and today is a leading entertainment network in Russia. Focusing on entertainment, STS broadcasts a mix between Russian productions and international programming of interest to its target audience, viewers aged 6–54, especially younger audiences.
Approximately 100 million people are within STS’s signal reach. In 2007, STS achieved an average audience share in its target demographic of 11,3%. STS network reaches approximately 87% of urban households. It ranks as the fourth most watched nationwide broadcaster in Russia overall.
STS-114
STS-114 was the first "Return to Flight" Space Shuttle mission following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Discovery launched at 10:39 EDT (14:39 UTC), 26 July 2005. The launch, 907 days (approx. 29 months) after the loss of Columbia, was approved despite unresolved fuel sensor anomalies in the external tank that had prevented the shuttle from launching on 13 July, its originally scheduled date.
The mission ended on 9 August 2005 when Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Poor weather over the Kennedy Space Center in Florida hampered the shuttle from using its primary landing site.
Analysis of the launch footage showed debris separating from the external tank during ascent; it was the issue that had set off the Columbia disaster. As a result, NASA decided on 27 July to postpone future shuttle flights pending additional modifications to the flight hardware. Shuttle flights resumed a year later with STS-121 on 4 July 2006.
Crew
Original crew
This mission was to carry the Expedition 7 crew to the ISS and bring home the Expedition 6 crew. The original crew was to be:
STS-123
STS-123 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) which was flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour. STS-123 was the 1J/A ISS assembly mission. The original launch target date was 14 February 2008 but after the delay of STS-122, the shuttle was launched on 11 March 2008. It was the twenty-fifth shuttle mission to visit the ISS, and delivered the first module of the Japanese laboratory, Japanese Experiment Module (Kibō), and the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, (SPDM) Dextre robotics system to the station. The mission duration was 15 days and 18 hours, and it was the first mission to fully utilize the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS), allowing space station power to augment the shuttle power systems. The mission set a record for a shuttle's longest stay at the ISS.
Crew
Mission payloads
STS-123 delivered the pressurized section of the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module (ELM-PS) as well as the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) to the International Space Station. The SPDM was delivered disassembled on a Spacelab Pallet (SLP) and assembled during three spacewalks once it was at the station.
Grouper social club
Grouper is an online, invite-only social club that uses data gathered from Facebook profiles to organize group outings (called Groupers). Matches for the outings are gathered and analyzed first by a computer and then by a human to ensure strong matches. The excursions are planned in venues throughout 25 cities for six people. Groupers consist of two groups of three friends and can consist of three males and three females, six males, six females, or any other possible combination.
Michael Waxman founded the New York-based startup in 2011. The company is run by a staff of 25 people.
In 2013, Time Inc. listed Grouper in its 10 NYC Startups to Watch for 2013.
How a Grouper works
Grouper is an invite-only service that matches two individuals according to data found – with the permission of the user – on the user’s Facebook profile, including age, career, education, etc. The company determines a match between two individuals using both algorithms and its member experience team. A time is then set for the "Grouper". The two parties are asked to each bring two friends.No names, photos, or information are disclosed before the actual meet. Upon arrival at the determined location, the group receives a complimentary first round of drinks, including tax and tip, at a reserved table (the cost is included in Grouper’s service fee).
