STS-114 Mission Update Thread (Part 4)

[redgryphon]

SG, when is Atlantis scheduled for roll-out?

 

[spacefire]

I'm starting to feel pity for Griffin and NASA in general on the ISS/Shuttle ongoing debacle. But it's not like they didn't get themselves in a tight corner by failing to develop a suitable replacement for the shuttle in almost 30 years. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[telfrow]

<font color="yellow">Congress should get the blame not NASA. </font><br /><br />Amen to that...<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <strong><font color="#3366ff">Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yeild.</font> - <font color="#3366ff"><em>Tennyson</em></font></strong> </div>

 

[SpaceKiwi]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>But it's not like they didn't get themselves in a tight corner by failing to develop a suitable replacement for the shuttle in almost 30 years.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Would you care to expand on the phrase 'suitable replacement'? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

****** this bloody foam! It's a right Achilles’ heel to shuttle operations.<br />It's really starting to look like my aluminum chicken wire idea might be a winner. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------- </p><p>Wanna see this site looking like the old SDC uplink?</p><p>Go here to see how: <strong>SDC Eye saver </strong>  </p> </div>

 

[najab]

I have to wonder if the foam shedding was in any way related to the bird strike?

 

[SpaceKiwi]

Time will tell I guess, although that's one commodity they have in short supply.<br /><br />It possibly could have been quite helpful to have that ET. Is there any <i>insurmountable</i> reason why it couldn't still be attached to the Orbiter at this point in the mission. I know they <i>prefer</i> to have it not make orbit and create another piece of space junk, but it could have been very useful to have a proper look at it with the boom.<br /><br />I guess the side of the tank you want to see most is the hardest to get at if it's still attached. Hopefully they will identify a 'Roadrunner'-like skid down the ET which can close the issue definitely.<br /><br />I wonder if they ever ran bird debris sims while investigating the shedding issue these past two years. That ET is like a magnet for trouble. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[SpaceKiwi]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>No, the bird did not touch the feed line area.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Okay then. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[ehs40]

maybe it was the bird and it took a ride with the shuttle

 

[shuttle_rtf]

I'm sure there are some interesting internal memos going around the good people at MAF right now <img src="/images/icons/crazy.gif" />

 

[nacnud]

<font color="yellow">I realize this is probably an overly simplistic solution, but I have always wondered why the exact same 1 inch thick coating of polyisocyanurate foam currently used on the ET is not simply applied on the inside of the ET skin. <br /><br /><font color="white">Because if it falls off from inside it can fall into the engine <img src="/images/icons/crazy.gif" />. <br /></font></font>

 

[tap_sa]

<font color="yellow">"Because if it falls off from inside it can fall into the engine"</font><br /><br />Back in Saturn IVB days NASA tested this by intentionally feeding pieces of insulation into J-2, which chewed them up without any bigger problems. Of course many things were different, relatively sturdy and lowpressure J-2 instead of stellar performer SSME. IIRC the insulation was fiber glass instead of polyurethane. The fiber was woven to the tank wall so probability of any of it coming off was pretty small anyway.<br /><br />Layman logic would say that the foam would have <i>much</i> better conditions inside the tank than outside. Steady pressure pushing it against the metal, no super/hypersonic airflows and shockwaves trying to rip it off etc. Additional mesh/screens would probably be a good idea just to be on the safe side.<br /><br />But ... the sad fact may be that changing the side of insulation would effectively mean redesigning the whole ET so it's most likely not going to happen.<br /><br />The foam seems to be doing fine on most parts of the ET, it's just the few special protrusions that are problematic. Those areas may need tougher/stickier foam, extra cover/net or something, but not the whole ET.

 

[tap_sa]

Time to tune into NASATV and play some Blue Danube Waltz <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

[najab]

Are you guys watching NASA-TV? They're doing the Rendezvous Pitch Manouver: RIGHT NOW!!!!

 

[ozspace]

Amazing to see..................here come the engines.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

That was amazing and beautiful.<br /><br />Captured some images in case anyone missed it:<br />http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=223&start=21

 

[tap_sa]

Contact ... capture ....... and orbital sunrise. Beautiful.

 

[thechemist]

Watching the docking live ... what a great view !! wow <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[ozspace]

NASA TV about to replay the pitch over, worth watching a second time!

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Nods, that was all very much an amazing few hours.

 

[nacnud]

Here is a good pic of the foam loss.

 

[thechemist]

I missed the pitch over the first time, but got to see the replay.<br />The hatch-opening will take place in about 1h from now. Will it be shown live ? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[nacnud]

I missed it too <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />, hope that it gets repeated later on NASA TV. I love seeing the Shuttle at the ISS, it's where it belongs.

 

[najab]

How much do you know about the properties of the foam on the PAL ramp? Is it one of the areas where they "thicken" the skin of the foam? I ask this because in the picture linked below, it looks like the surface rind of the foam peeled off and only a very small piece of the exposed area has any 'depth' to it.

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

"Here is a good pic of the foam loss."<br /><br />Great picture, quality wise. That is a strange looking break, looks to square, like if a section of it was cut. I'm also wondering if it was foam. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------- </p><p>Wanna see this site looking like the old SDC uplink?</p><p>Go here to see how: <strong>SDC Eye saver </strong>  </p> </div>