STS-114 Mission Update Thread (Part 5)

[spacefire]

once again, I have to say that your username is appropriate for any occasion. Soon you will be Shuttle_<b>R</b>etire<b>T</b>he<b>F</b>leet <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

It'll be Shuttle Ready To Fight at this rate <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Shouldn't you be in school at this time of day? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

[mrmorris]

<font color="yellow">"I suppose this means there's also less demand for cooling of the equipment. "</font><br /><br />Correct -- every watt of power that equipment uses essentially becomes that much heat which must be disappated at some point. The cooling system also uses power (which must be dissipated), and so reducing power requirements reduces cooling requirements reduces cooling power requirements reduces cooling requirements... <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br /><font color="yellow">"I presume lower power, longer life, but what about weight?"</font><br /><br />Yes. Yes. Who knows. RPGs mean nuclear fuel which on a manned craft means shielding. RPGs used on probes simply stick them out on long booms so they stay away from the electronics, etc. RPGs don't truly come into their own as a power source until outside the orbit of Mars.<br /><br />A worse problem with RPGs though is the environmental danger. Probes at least only launch once, so danger of launch failures and rad fallout are a one-shot deal. The CEV is going to be up-down, up-down, etc. RPGs are not even on the table.

 

[spacefire]

I wish I was still in school...<br /><br /><br />shouldn't you be too drunk to type by this hour? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

You've got a point there! I hope the pub has wireless internet!

 

[najab]

RPG = Rocket Propelled Grenade<br />RTG = Radioisotope Thermal Generator<br /><br />I'm assuming that RTG's would be more useful on a space vehicle than RPG's, but hey you never know when there might be some bugs to kill!

 

[mrmorris]

<font color="yellow">"I'm assuming that RTG's would be more useful on a space vehicle than RPG's"</font><br /><br />I <b>did</b> indicate that the crew would require some shielding. Wasn't really thinking in terms of Kevlar, though. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[mpolak]

By the way, The Gene Kranz quote listed earlier in the thread was from a NY Times OpEd piece published 08/03/05. Here is the link:<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/03/opinion/03kranz.html?

 

[lunatio_gordin]

Hey, could be Role Playing Game. don't know how useful that is in space versus a rocket propelled grenade, though <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" />

 

[Leovinus]

Back in Skylab days, they learned that having a huge open space wasn't a great idea. If you found yourself in the middle of the area, you had to throw something to give you a reverse reaction to get to a wall. Astronauts would occasionally take their shirts off and throw them so that they could make it to the opposite wall.<br /><br />An RPG could be useful in this situation to help propell you in the opposite direction. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[erauskydiver]

Eh, that's an easy problem to solve. Just make sure the astronauts consume Pork 'n Beans daily to keep their built in SAFERs fueld up.

 

[arconin]

Can we expect the similarly unprecedented camera coverage of the shuttle re-entry as we had for the Launch? <br /><br />Maybe a gaggle of chase planes trying to get a track on it with those high power tracking cameras as soon as she starts re-entry?

 

[najab]

I don't know if two counts as a "gaggle", but the WB-57s have been stationed in Central America to capture re-entry imagery.

 

[shuttle2moon]

Can anyone provide a link to the "gap filler pull out pics?" both before and after? After hearing Robinsion describe the experience..I'd like to see them!

 

[shuttle_rtf]

I believe I just heard that there won't be an EVA 4 after the MMT decided that there is no threat from the TPS Blanket issue.<br /><br />I'll see if I can confirm that.

 

[emerrill]

Space Flight Now Reports:<br /><br />NO FOURTH SPACEWALK. The Mission Management Team has ruled that the damaged white thermal blanket near the left-hand cockpit window does not pose a safety threat for Discovery's return to Earth. Mission Control just radioed the shuttle crew with the news that a fourth spacewalk will not be necessary to deal with the blanket.<br /><br />NASA plans a mission status briefing at 3 p.m. EDT to provide more details.<br /><br /><br />-eric <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Yeah, same thing I just heard - although they haven't actually told the crew yet, they are just about to do that now.

 

[emerrill]

Only copying what SFN said<br /><br />-eric <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[abq_farside]

<br />Environmental damage seen from shuttle<br /><br />Maybe they will provide some pictures as examples of what they are seeing. <br /><br />In part:<br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p><br />"Sometimes you can see how there is erosion, and you can see how there is deforestation. It's very widespread in some parts of the world," Collins said in a conversation from space with Japanese officials in Tokyo, including Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.<br /><br />"We would like to see, from the astronauts' point of view, people take good care of the Earth and replace the resources that have been used," said Collins, who was standing with Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi in front of a Japanese flag and holding a colorful fan.<br /><br />Collins, flying her fourth shuttle mission, said the view from space made clear that Earth's atmosphere must be protected, too.<br /><br />"The atmosphere almost looks like an eggshell on an egg, it's so very thin," she said. "We know that we don't have much air, we need to protect what we have."<br /><p><hr /></p></p></blockquote> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em><font size="1" color="#000080">Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be!</font></em></p> </div>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

<img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> wasn't having a go <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> Also, I think my NASA Feed is delayed by half a bloody year! <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />

 

[viper101]

Najab: Central America?<br /><br />I would have thought that the ground track would orginiate along the west coast (California).<br />Will Discovery be coming from the south?

 

[emerrill]

"I would have thought that the ground track would orginiate along the west coast (California). <br />Will Discovery be coming from the south?"<br /><br />Here is a link to the ground track from STS-106 (Atlantis to the ISS) for reference.<br /><br />http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts106/000919tracks/ksc185long.html<br /><br />Remember, the ISS is in a much different orbit then STS-107's (Who's ground track we all know so well).<br /><br />-eric <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[najab]

Depends on if it's an ascending or descending node, but typically, return from the ISS to KSC starts with the deorbit burn out over the South Pacific and the return path comes up over Central America, out into the Gulf and then on to a landing in Florida.

 

[georgeniebling]

So if ... based on a South Pacific deorbit ... if something horrible were to happen the debris path would be Eastern Pacific through Central America through the Gulf of Mexico????? <br /><br />Ouch. That would make recovery difficult ...<br /><br />SG, do you know what percentage of Challenger was actually recovered? I know that smaller pieces have come in with the surf on occasion (last was years ago though).

 

[drwayne]

I wonder how much extra time will be allocated for making observations on Atlantis after it returns.<br /><br />Clearly this will be a fascinating opportunity to do a before and after evaluation of the system.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>