One thing came to my mind just now.<br /><br />They are rolling at 8pm if they do, and estimate back in the VAB by 5am Sat. That is nine hours.<br /><br />Worst of the storm is expected to hit between 6 and 8am Saturday.<br /><br />The last two rolls this year took ten hours, and the crawler experienced problems both times.<br /><br />That is one last bit of optimism that they could stay on the pad. Don't want to be stranded outside when it hits! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>
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"That is one last bit of optimism that they could stay on the pad."<br /><br />Oh I hope. I hope. I hope. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
Officials have decided NOT to continue with rollback preparations at the midnight meeting.<br /><br />BUT it is not a final decision. It is still possible. But this is optimistic.<br /><br />http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/status.html <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>
Yes..and if you think about what they said...<br /><br />They've cancelled continuation of diconnections. If they are to make 8pm rollback tomorrow, they would not stop, as I see it. They need that 18 hours to unhook. <br /><br />Maybe shuttle_guy can shed light on that.<br /><br />If you ask me, they have basically decided to ride it out. If it suddenly veered this way, maybe they could ignore safety rules and unhook all those connections (a couple thousand as I recall) in quick time. <br /><br />And like I said earlier, you don't want the crawler to break down outside with just a few hours before impact. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>
That storm is flaring up like a mofo.<br /><br />I'm worried it might make it to Cat 5 status over the gulf... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
Rollback has officially been cancelled by NASA during the 6:30am meeting.<br /><br />Launch remains on track for Wednesday barring any unforseen weather from Dennis that could stop work temporarily.<br /><br />Thanks SG on that note. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>
Good news. I sure can use *that*. <br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything." Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>
Are you ready to collect that $10 bet another user made with you about launching before the end of the year. Will come in handy for buying supplies for the post landing party!<br /><br />GO DISCOVERY!
I'll be away from the computer this weekend so I hope you don't get hit by any winds, drwayne. And best wishes for everyone else, too.
I might just be reading this wrong but the T- timeline and the Crew Activity timeline don't sync up ....<br /><br />Launch director, Mission Management Team and NASA test director conduct final polls for go/no go to launch <br /><br />Resume countdown at T-9 minutes (about 3:36 p.m.) (more likly resume at 3:42 to launch in plane) <br /><br /><br />Close crew hatch #3:51 p.m. <br /><br />I'm *ASSUMING* they will actually close the Hatch *BEFORE* launch but according to this<br /><br />Launch is at 3:51 (3:42 plus 9 mins)<br />and Hatch closure is at 3:51 ....<br /><br />Thoughts? or am I reading something wrong?<br /><br />george<br />
SG, yeah I figured it was just an oversight .... kinda *funny* oversight but heck, if we don't take a moment to chuckle in all this .... 
Blessings upon you and all the crew that prepare to return us to space.
Blessings upon you and all the crew that prepare to return us to space.i was looking at that too, but i decided it wasn't too important.<br /><br />Looks like hurricane is no trouble anymore. hopefully everything can keep going without another hitch.
<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>I'm *ASSUMING* they will actually close the Hatch *BEFORE* launch .....<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Hehehe, I thought Eileen had decided on a new launch criteria revolving around the "let's just see if this bucket of bolts gets off the pad first" idea!<br /><br />"....MS3, CDR. Ahhh, Andy, can you get the door when it starts to get cold and/or dark and/or harder to breathe please"<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <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>
Yes SG, I'm sure you realise I was being entirely tongue-in-cheek. She's said many times she is ready to go fly, and I don't think you could get any stronger endorsement of her trust in the fine work you and your colleagues have done than that.<br /><br />It's going to be a great mission and a great RTF. You should all be justifiably very proud. <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>
<font color="yellow">"Ms. Collins knows this will most likly be her last flight."</font><br /><br />Why is that? Also, is Barbara Morgan still slated to fly in the wake of the Columbia disaster?
Hello! I am sorry to butt in but I have been a "fan" of the shuttle and spaceflight for a long time and have been here silently reading every(and I do mean every!) entry of the Return to Flight threads for almost six months. I'd just like you all to know how much I respect all of you! Every one of you really care about the shuttle and it shows! Thank you all for the wealth of information also. I sure hope everything goes as planned but I know it will! <br /> I'm just a Harley riding car mechanic down in Austin Texas. Thanks again to all of you!<br /> Little Ronnie
Have the flight rules for 114 been released yet? I have found the Operational Flight Rules that were published in November 2002 and the STS-107 rules, but not the STS-114 mission specific rules.
shuttle_guy,<br /><br />How many gallons of water does the sound suppression sysetm use? I remember when you posted some pics of a live test of that system, and it looked like every swimming pool in Los Angeles being tipped over at the same time!<br /><br />Those 6.6 seconds between SSME ignition and SRB ignition seem to take a couple of minutes. I seem to recall seeing the Orbiter lift slightly, then settle back when the SSME's were ignited. I wonder how that feels to the crew?<br /><br /><br />Many thanks from all of us, shuttle_guy, for the inside information and personal perspectives which you have brought to these forums. Best of luck in the coming days! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> The secret to peace of mind is a short attention span. </div>
><i>How many gallons of water does the sound suppression sysetm use?</i><p>Going entirely off memory here, it's something like 300,000 gallons.<p>><i>I seem to recall seeing the Orbiter lift slightly, then settle back when the SSME's were ignited. I wonder how that feels to the crew? </i><p>It doesn't lift, the SSMEs don't have enough thrust to lift the stack. When the vehicle is on the MPL it's slightly short of vertical. When the SSME's light, the force pushes the nose past vertical, then it hits the mechanical limit of motion starts to bounce back. SRB ignition is timed to occur as the nose passes through vertical the second time. The 'manouver' is called the "twang" and the nose travels through (again, going entirely by memory) about 40 inches.</p></p></p>
I think its just the engines settling into the engine mounts, instead of hanging there, they are now being pushed up into the shuttle. I would imaging they are shock mounted (instead of hard mounts) between the engine and the gimbals (or the gimbals and the body), so those mounts are going to compress some. If you look at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/hdgallery/nasaspaceshuttle.html you can see what he is talking about. <br /><br />Q: Is the vertical spar in the lower mount points a shock mount or a hard mount?<br /><br />-eric <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
Also worth downloading STS-51's Abort, as Discovery fires her SSMEs for only about a second and cuts off. You can the rocking back and forth on the pad.
Thank you, najaB!<br /><br />Riding the 'Twang', huh? Sounds like vodka and Tang. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> The secret to peace of mind is a short attention span. </div>
Can't believe this thread is dying a death with just days to go....<br /><br />Anyway!!<br /><br />Countdown has started and weather is looking like she'll have a chance to go uphill! 70 percent chance of favourable weather for the five minute window on Wednesday.
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