STS-114 Mission Update Thread (Part 3)

[ozspace]

Well done SG and all the team on a safely emptied 39B! Beautiful to see!

 

[wvbraun]

Fantastic launch footage! The views from the ET were amazing. Well done, NASA! Now let's fly a dozen or so more missions and put the Shuttles in a museum.

 

[arobie]

That was an ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL FLIGHT!!!<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <br /><br />Excellent job to the entire Shuttle Team. Beautiful coverage from the new cameras. Fox's coverage had too much talking. MSNBC's commentary after launch was not to bad. I actually enjoyed MSNBC. They had the guy who was the countdown person for all the early space launches and up into the early Space Shuttle launches.

 

[arobie]

I have <i>got</i> to go see a launch before the are retired.

 

[lycan359]

<br />Just how large is the debris in this picture? Too close...<br /><br />http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/images/050726debris.jpg<br />

 

[jaredgalen]

Absolutely amazing, beautiful, how this doesn't capture the planets imagination is beyond me. <br /><br />What an achievement. congratulations to everyone involved.

 

[dragon04]

Technology is such a wonderful thing. My memory goes back as far as Gemini launches on TV.<br /><br />Now not only can I watch the launch, I can hear the mission progress as it happens over the Internet. How cool would it have been to have a webcast of Apollo 11, eh? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>

 

[Astrosag]

You're recording this stuff? How so? Dude, these camera angles are soooooo awesome.....this is soooo great. Too bad I can't seem to get work done...just staring at these video angles that the different cameras captured. If anyone has great video captured...please let me (well everyone) know to see if we can get a copy please! <br /><br />HEY IM A PLANET...wow this truely is a great day. Now if i can get a couple of wishes granted (new camera, new telescope), this would surely be a day to remember (haha as if its not already).

 

[tap_sa]

Phew! Great show! Let's hope the rest of the mission goes as perfect as the launch.<br /><br />I do feel sorry for the two birds that were flying near top of the ET seconds before lift-off, now they are either very deaf or very roasted.

 

[lycan359]

<br />Guys... the chuck of something falling off the ET and almost hitting the orbiter. Lets talk about that.

 

[Astrosag]

I haven't felt this excited about the space program in a while...its feels so great and I'm in no form even connected to this program (I so hope that changes!).

 

[Astrosag]

Yeah, what exactly was that? That's actually very very troubling if it was indeed debris.

 

[phaze]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Yeah, what exactly was that? That's actually very very troubling if it was indeed debris. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Glad it missed!

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Was that the large chunk at T+4 seconds?

 

[chmee]

I think the planet collectively said "WHEW!" after that launch!

 

[arobie]

Lycan,<br /><br />According to the following posted by nacnud, it doesn't look like it is a problem to worry about.<br /><br /><i><br />From Space Flight Now<br /><br />1512 GMT (11:12 a.m. EDT)<br /><br />T+plus 33 minutes. A few seconds after solid rocket booster separation, a large chunk of something broke free from the external fuel tank. The onboard video camera mounted on the tank showed the object flying away from the vehicle without striking Discovery.<br /></i>

 

[nacnud]

Thanks for the image, that chunck of whatever sure looks BIG. I'm not pleased to see it there.

 

[ozspace]

By its geometric shape, it looks more like a panel than ice or foam to me. Looks to be in the area of the lower ET to SRB connection...

 

[shuttle_rtf]

We're looking at the one at T+4 seconds. Large piece of debris apparently coming off the Orbiter as she was rising through the pad and just after clearing the pad.

 

[arobie]

Can you post a link to the one at T+4 seconds?<br /><br />I'm looking at the one a few seconds after SRB seperation. I can even see the SRBs falling away.

 

[ozspace]

They have redesigned the weather covers (made of paper) that go over the RCS thrusters with sort of air scoops so that they rip off earlier. They concern was that they could hold on too long and at high speed become a debris problem.<br />Maybe that is what you saw?

 

[lycan359]

Shuttle_RTF, spaceflight now says the image is from just after the SRBs sepperated not at T+4 seconds.

 

[llivinglarge]

Could it be tiles?

 

[erauskydiver]

They sound happy about debris in the press conference so far

 

[arobie]

At the press conference, they said that at SRB sep, covers and other things are purposely dropped.