Space Shuttle Discovery

#61 Postby **Frank P** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 5:09 pm

WindRunner wrote:
Matt-hurricanewatcher wrote:A few quastions...

1# Would it be safe enough at least I think so to launch with thunderstorms 20 miles away. I don't think theres much of a chance for lighting to travel that far.

2# Since the controls are in the shuttle if the captain/comd of the shuttle went for it in launched the shuttle even when nasa said no go. What would happen? Also he is the top guy that should make the choices at least in the movies he is.

Just been thinking about these quastions for a few days.

1. I believe 20 miles is their lightning window, as in lightning within 20 miles of the site will cause a scrub as well.

2. The shuttle would blow up on the pad, or at least sustain some major damage, since NASA ground control must remove the arm holding the top of the shuttle in place. But I'm pretty sure he/she doesn't have enough power to do that alone, without the help of several people on the ground.

to clear up a few issues....

1. It's not just about the weather at the cape. Weather conditions at transoceanic abort landing sites - located thousands of miles from Kennedy Space Center- also play a major part in launch decisions.

There must be at least one 'go' TAL site with good weather... KSC had in the past postcard weather, but the TALs were under downpours, canceling a flight.

2. The Launch Director is man who has the final say so for the launch, with input from all this support staff in the the launch control center, and is the FINAL authority having jurisdiction over go or no go flight decisions ... NOT the commander or pilot in the space shuttle... they don't have nearly the access of information that is transpiring in the launch control center...

3. The arm above the space shuttle does not hold the space shuttle in place, this is the GOX vent system that captures gaseous oxygen from the ET's liquid oxygen tank as it vents prior to lift off and safely removes it from the shuttle area, this eliminates the risk of an oxygen enriched area ... which is NOT a good thing... remember the three astronauts that died in the Apollo command capsule test way back when... oxygen enrichment... the shuttle is held on the pad by holddown bolts that are connected to the two SRB and are actuated at launch by explosives

#62 Postby **Frank P** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 5:38 pm

here is a link to the Shuttle Weather Launch commit criteria... its pretty complicated.... there is a section that discusses the lightning criteria for those interested....

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=686

#63 Postby **jlauderdal** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 7:38 pm

Scorpion wrote:I find it ridiculous that they think they can find an afternoon with no thunderstorms within 50 miles of the launchpad during the summer. Just not gonna happen.

yep, this is the first time in the history of the shuttle they have attempted a rainy season launch

#64 Postby **Roxy** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 7:51 pm

NOT the commander or pilot in the space shuttle

Could you imagine the commander or pilot making a call about weather they can't even see! :lol:

I haven't checked yet, but hopefully the weather will give us a shot on July 4th.

Holding our breath down here!

#65 Postby **bvigal** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 8:52 pm

Mission: International Space Station Flight LF1
Space Shuttle: Discovery
Launch Pad: 39B
Launched: July 26, 2005 at 10:39:00:07 a.m. EDT
Landing Site: Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Landing: Aug. 9, 2005 at 8:11:22 a.m. EDT
Duration: 13 days, 21 hours, 32 minutes, and 48 seconds

WindRunner · #66 Postby **WindRunner** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 9:05 pm

Thanks for clearing things up a little more, Frank. Always good to here from someone who knows more than you do. 8-)

I wanted to share this site I just found with everyone - has every piece of weather information you could need that relates to the launch(es), and has the official forecast for the launch as well.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/smg/default.html

storm4u · #67 Postby **storm4u** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:29 am

why dont they leave in the morning when there isnt really thunderstorms around!! :roll:

StormScanWx · #68 Postby **StormScanWx** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 7:31 am

Probably because the Earth isn't lined up with the International Space Station correctly (or the way they need) They can't get into orbit and meet up with the space station unless everything is exactly right.

#69 Postby **cycloneye** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:45 am

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13666974/

Oh my,no launch tommorow aparently as they found a crack in the foam.Read the news at link.

Extremeweatherguy · #70 Postby **Extremeweatherguy** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:48 am

wow, we really need to get a new space flight vehicle soon. These shuttles keep having way too many problems.

#71 Postby **cycloneye** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:49 am

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/07/0 ... index.html

Here is more information about this breaking news.

Scorpion · #72 Postby **Scorpion** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:58 am

Ugh

I was looking forward to seeing it launch tomorrow.

#73 Postby **SouthFloridawx** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:00 am

cycloneye wrote:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13666974/

Oh my,no launch tommorow aparently as they found a crack in the foam.Read the news at link.

Probably a good thing that the launch was delayed due to weather. I'm sure they are thanking the Clouds that they are not up in them right now. And I don't mean flying either. This sounds like a blessing for them for certain.

#74 Postby **Frank P** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:00 am

every time you cycle the external tanks (fill with Liquid Hydrogen -423 deg F. and Liquid Oxygen -298 deg F.) you cause extreme contrasts in temperatures on the tank components and metals, which puts quite a stress on the foam.... and this can cause the foam to debond and/or crack and split, which is what happened in this case... obviously any time you have foam in this condition its not a good thing... ..

#75 Postby **cycloneye** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:04 am

NASA will have a press conference at noon or a little after that time.

Scorpion · #76 Postby **Scorpion** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:04 am

I am sure many of these problems occured before, during the 80's and 90's, but they went unnoticed. I think most of them are overblown. Either that or the shuttle's systems are getting so old that they are just now surfacing with problems.

#77 Postby **SouthFloridawx** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:06 am

Scorpion wrote:I am sure many of these problems occured before, during the 80's and 90's, but they went unnoticed. I think most of them are overblown. Either that or the shuttle's systems are getting so old that they are just now surfacing with problems.

Seeing as this saftey issue has caused problems in the past it is probably best to just delay the launch.

#78 Postby **abajan** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:45 am

Crack found there too? Is there no where safe from these drugs? :roll:

Website · #79 Postby **Brent** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 11:06 am

Ugh. This is freaking ridiclous. It's 2006, it's time for something new and more reliable.

#80 Postby **CentralFlGal** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:06 pm

Nothing like trying to send up an old junker

Glimpse of the proposed new fleet:

The CEV will be shaped like the old Apollo capsule but will be three times larger. Its inaugural flight is scheduled for 2014, and it was tested in the wind tunnel for the first time a month ago.

Source: http://news.com.com/NASA+shuttle+program+turns+25/2100-11397_3-6060759.html

Space Shuttle Discovery

Who is online