Space Shuttle Discovery

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Frank P
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#81 Postby Frank P » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:12 pm

CentralFlGal wrote:Nothing like trying to send up an old junker

Image

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


and it's second stage propulsion system will be basically using the same that was used for the second stage of the Apollo program... the J-2X.... which is still 1960s technology, with some major upgrades... first stage of the CEV will be a solid rocket
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#82 Postby spinfan4eva » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:27 pm

Wow! what would have happened if it had launched Saturday or Sunday and the crack wasnt found :eek:
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#83 Postby Thunder44 » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:33 pm

spinfan4eva wrote:Wow! what would have happened if it had launched Saturday or Sunday and the crack wasnt found :eek:


From what I could tell from the news conference they had, the crack in the foam occured last night due to ice-build up on the hydrogen rocket.
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#84 Postby Frank P » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:35 pm

all depends on if and when the foam were to strike the shuttle, and especially WHERE... most likely probably nothing, but then again we all saw what happened to Columbia from a small piece of foam.... I've been part of the shuttle program for 15 years and we always thought the most dangerous part of the flight was during the launch.... and it probably still is, remember the Challenger.... you have 3 very complicated main engines, and two solids that must perform flawlessly.... and the main engines (SSME) are the most complicated rocket engines ever flown...

the backup plan, for if the shuttle is damaged during ascent, is to keep the crew on board the ISS, then fly another shuttle to rescue them.... and then either fix the damaged shuttle, and if that's not a option all return on the second shuttle...
Last edited by Frank P on Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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#85 Postby lester » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:36 pm

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

yep...
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#86 Postby Frank P » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:38 pm

lester88 wrote:
Extremeweatherguy wrote:wow, we really need to get a new space flight vehicle soon. These shuttles keep having way too many problems.

yep...


the next program won't have this particular problem because the crew module/vehicle (second stage) will sit atop the liquid tanks (first stage), any foam that detaches will fall harmlessly away from the vehicle.... similar to how the Apollo was designed, but with only two stages in lieu of the three for Apollo...
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#87 Postby Frank P » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:41 pm

problem is... we're years away from a new crew vehicle as it has not even been fully designed yet... only in the conceptual stages... 8-10 years away at best....
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#88 Postby Ixolib » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:45 pm

Frank P wrote:problem is... we're years away from a new crew vehicle as it has not even been fully designed yet... only in the conceptual stages... 8-10 years away at best....


Job security, huh Frank!! :lol: :lol:
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#89 Postby Frank P » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:52 pm

Ixolib wrote:
Frank P wrote:problem is... we're years away from a new crew vehicle as it has not even been fully designed yet... only in the conceptual stages... 8-10 years away at best....


Job security, huh Frank!! :lol: :lol:


sure looks like it Ixolib, but in the space business you never take anything for granted.. if for some reason NASA were to pull the plug on the Shuttle (which they said they would if they lose another vehicle) then a lot of people would be out of a job for several years.. you need time to design, build and test... then launch...

oh, and how's the Florida living... you can come back home now, everything is back to normal again... YEAH RIGHT... funny thing, I get calls from my friends across the nation, and they always ask me if we are back to normal... its just easier for me to say,"yeah, we're all back to normal"... they always seem to like that answer... until they come for a visit to see our normal... their expressions are always... priceless
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#90 Postby canegrl04 » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:00 pm

We need to stop trying to cross the country with a 1970 Chevy,which is what we are doing every time a Shuttle is launched :roll: How many more will die before this dinosaur s*** is sent to the scrap heap?
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#91 Postby MGC » Mon Jul 03, 2006 4:51 pm

I have a friend of mine who works at Michoud. He actually applies the foam. Prior to the Columbia disaster, he told me that NASA didn't share the fact that the tank was shedding foam. He said the fact that foam caused the Comumbia disaster was "a total shock." Since the disaster, the contractor and NASA have gone to great strides to try and figure out how to prevent the foam shedding. I guess they still don't have it right. I guess there is no option to getting the rest of the pieces up to the ISS so, baring another disaster we have no other choise......MGC
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#92 Postby cycloneye » Mon Jul 03, 2006 4:54 pm

Image

Above is the area of the problem with the crack of the foam.
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#93 Postby MGC » Mon Jul 03, 2006 7:45 pm

That don't look like a good place for a crack to be. If any foam falls off it looks like it could impact the orbitor along the right wing edge.......MGC
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#94 Postby rockyman » Mon Jul 03, 2006 7:48 pm

Shuttle OK'd for launch:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13666974/
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#95 Postby cycloneye » Mon Jul 03, 2006 7:53 pm

Let's pray that all systems are fine and the launch occurs without a hitch.
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#96 Postby HURAKAN » Mon Jul 03, 2006 7:56 pm

Summer is not a good time for space launches in Florida. Weather is always a problem. Lets hope we could have a patriotic launch tomorrow!!!
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#97 Postby SouthFloridawx » Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:02 pm

I take it that means for tomorrow?
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Weather

#98 Postby jabber » Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:02 pm

Weather will be marginal, at best. I hope the get her off. And hope the sky is clear for me to see. Yes they are old birds, but they are the most advance machines ever created. And we created them..... Happy 4th.
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#99 Postby cycloneye » Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:03 pm

SouthFloridawx wrote:I take it that means for tomorrow?


Yes,I forgot to put the word tommorow at title but all I think knew it was on the 4th anyway. :)
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#100 Postby cycloneye » Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:10 pm

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

Here is more information about the decision to give Discovery the green light to launch tommorow at 2:38 PM EDT.

Again I pray that all will be fine with the launch and all the mission until they come back.
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