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