What I am wondering is this... It seems like the much touted "Space Shuttle" is made of silly putty, in a manner of speaking. I mean, come on! Tiles, Foam, Fabric! I mean, we are not talking about the Wright Flyer, we are talking year 2005, 21st century. Isn't there a better way to make a shuttle than by lining the bottom with what are essentially, bricks!? It seems so primitive. And, yes, space flight is inherently dangerous, but 2 out of 5 shuttles destroyed? 2% failure rate may not seem like much, but would you fly if you knew that 2 out of every 100 flights would end in disaster. Would you drive to work under such conditions? Nasa needs to get it's head out of it's A&^%( and let private Enterprise lead the way. Take a look at the robotic Mars Missions, all told, including USSR (Russia, sorry!) and the USA, about 50% of the Mars missions have been lost along the way, crashed, or exploded on liftoff. I'm a big space exploration fan, but we really need to learn how to succeed more often. An entirely new shuttle needs to be built, even if it means we don't go into space for the next 10 years.
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thanks for the link nacnud .... <br /><br />do we know who the "talking head" is right now? she's describing the current pic (lovely pic of the ISS Arm and the newly installed "garage")<br /><br />post MMT Briefing to begin shortly ... and the Yahoo Feed is *very* good right now ....
what's going on with the windows? another repair needed? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>
There is a blanket loose under the port side window, they might be thinking of taking a look at that.
Part me wonders if Steve Robinson isn't getting all excited about the possibility of going out again and getting to fix the Shuttle in space. He sounded pretty pumped up this morning. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em> -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>
Yeah, any chance to step outside <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <br /><br />Here is a pic of the damaged area of blanket, it's just above the top left window.
*will not make any more snide remarks...*<br />*will not make any more snide remarks...*<br />*will not make any more snide remarks...*<br />*will not make any more snide remarks...*<br />*will not make any more snide remarks...*<br />*will not make any more snide remarks...*<br /><br /><br />ahh can't help it! Will NASA ever be sure their shuttle is AOK to come back to Earth? 
<div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>
<div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>At this rate they won't need to process her, she'll be coming down brand spankingly clean <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />
Looking at the full image part of which I posted above there are a couple of things that I am curious about. Can anyone in the know answer these please. <br /><br />There are two circular windows/ports in font of the commanders window, are these for the star trackers?<br /><br />Secondly there are a few black TPS tiles below the middle starboard (right) window that aren’t there on the other side, what’s the reason for this.<br />
How many EVA's are possible? I would think they would be getting low on EVA consumables after 3 EVAs. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
it was intended to carry either poeple or payload to LEO. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>
not to stray from the STS 114 topic, but please remember the VentureStar design changed a lot from what was initially proposed up to the conifuration at the time of its cancellation. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?albumid=3<br /><br />That's an album of images of the X-33 and VentureStar including the last design (dark with the payload on top). I know where you're getting the manned element from, I'll dig up Bob Rafaelle's (X-33 manager at Lockmart) comments that noted ANOTHER design that worked on that basis, but I don't think that idea ever got off the ground, given the tank issues.
"there are a few black TPS tiles below the middle starboard (right) window that aren’t there on the other side, what’s the reason for this." <br /><br />Since you are looking from the top of the Shuttle down the black tiles are over the center windows and down the area between them to the nose. This would be the area subjected to the most direct flow as the cockpit curves from the center out, which would lessen the flow across the outer area down to the point where blanket insulation works just fine below the side windows. Basically the center of the cockpit front generates the most heat. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
No, I mean the tiles on the orbiters starboard side. S_G had it right the first time. I mean the asymetric tiles in the image below there just to the nose side of the second window from the right. <br /><br />Sorry I should have made myself more clear.
I found it interesting that on the 2nd tile gap filler pull-out, the individual tile adjacent to the filler looked remarkably black (new?) compared to the surrounding tile. Possibly the glue failure on the gap filler could be related to installation of a new tile there?<br /><br />Oh, and a belated thumbs-up for the article by Gene Kranz, SG. I've always thought him a bit of a 'showman' but you can't fault the strength or persuasiveness of his argument. There is no question in my mind that we have largely become a planet of wimps, much to our continuing detriment.<br /><br />Also, a big thumbs up to GW for having the gonads to actually congratulate and commend the Discovery/ISS crews on being risk-takers. Nice to know some around the place aren't too scared to actually climb out from under their beds and get out in the world. <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>
Associated Press again being negative, immediately after today's EVA.<br /><br />"Shuttle support hits a low"<br /><br />Irony is the headline, it's actually a sign of positive support for NASA - shows what angle the subediter wanted!<br /><br />http://www.gadsdentimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050803/APA/508031113&cachetime=5
<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Part me wonders if Steve Robinson isn't getting all excited about the possibility of going out again and getting to fix the Shuttle in space. He sounded pretty pumped up this morning.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Robinson gets fairly animated about almost everything! Having become more familiar with the personalities of this crew of Astronauts than any other, I do find a slight hint of Odie and Garfield in the relationship between Robinson and Thomas. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />It's good to know that 'high on life' personalities such as Robinson's are welcome within the Astronaut Office. <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>
A question came to me as I was watching the replay of the Flight Day Highlights reel: Did today's EVA violate the principle of having a "spacewalk buddy" at all times? I know that there were two crewmen outside all the time, but they were <b>very</b> far apart. It would have taken Soichi a <b>long</b> time to get down to Steve if he had a problem.
You know I've always wondered:<br /><br />If there was an accident (suppose a depressurization/any leak of a suit), how long would it take to get a EVA'er back into the shuttle from the cargo bay? Is it long enough that the person would die? Also, how long does it take to repressurize the airlock? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
Not being entirely familiar with that rule, I'm not sure. But, NASA is such a reckless organisation I wouldn't be surprised if that's another one they've broken. It'll give the hand-wringers another 48-72 hours of pleasure no doubt. <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>
><i>however Kelly the arm operator could have quickly brought Steve to Soichi.</i><p>Good point!</p>
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