STS-114 Mission Update Thread

[shuttle_rtf]

Thanking you <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[rvastro]

I hope it was not Tracy Caldwell--would break my heart! <br /><br />http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/caldwell.html

 

[backspace]

Hey SG, CNN just reported a 40% chance of a scrub tomorrow due to expected cloud cover. Please tell me they pulled this number off an outdated report, or out of their collective rear ends...

 

[SpaceKiwi]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>5:30 a.m. NASA TV live launch programming begins/tanking activities commentary<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />9:30 p.m. tonight for the Kiwi's. Make sure you have plenty of firewood/gas bottle refilled, hot drinks, and ample quantities of unhealthy snack foods. Spare VT essential. Assorted RTF/NASA clothing items --- wear 'em if you've got 'em. <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>

 

[nacnud]

Is there any way to record streaming NASA TV?

 

[SpaceKiwi]

You should be able to record to your hard drive, assuming you have software capable of that and a ton of room on the hard drive.<br /><br />Alternately, if you have a tuner card or a video card with a video out feed, you should be able to hook that up to your VCR with a set of RCA cables. <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>

 

[nacnud]

What VCR <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />, just need to find that software.

 

[SpaceKiwi]

Have a look here ... <br /><br />Freeware/Shareware Video Stream Rippers <br /><br /> <br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.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>

 

[lunatio_gordin]

Hey. I like that <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" />

 

[nacnud]

Thanks

 

[nacnud]

I've just seen the headline <font color="yellow">NASA space shuttle damaged by lost panel 24 hours before planned launch<font color="white"> over on news.bbc.co.uk.<br /><br />Does anyone know anything about this?</font></font>

 

[rybanis]

NOOOOOOOO<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[norm103]

"The window cover in question is from one of the overhead windows. It fell on its own, not when workers were handling it. The cover was found after it had fallen and hit the orbiter. In addition to the carrier panel that workers plan to replace tonight, engineers are looking for any other damage. " spaceflightnow.com<br />

 

[nacnud]

Nasa space shuttle tiles damaged<br /><font color="yellow">By Paul Rincon<br />BBC News science reporter, at Kennedy Space Center<br /><br />A plastic cover has fallen off a window on space shuttle Discovery, damaging tiles near the wing's leading edge.<br /><br />The shuttle's vehicle manager Stephanie Stilson said she did not yet know if it had any impact on the launch planned for Wednesday.<br /><br />But she said that the cover had damaged "more than one" tile near the shuttle's engines.<br /><br />This will be the first shuttle mission since the loss of Columbia and its seven astronauts in February 2003.<br /><br />Nasa officials said the cover had fallen off by itself and had not been knocked.<br /><br />Ms Stilson added that the tiles in the area hit by the cover usually took about an hour to replace. They therefore did not envisage any delay to the launch.<br /><br />Discovery is due to lift off from Kennedy Space Center at 1550 EDT (1950 GMT).<br /><br />More soon.<br />Story from BBC<br /><br /><font color="white">Phuew! That was close <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /></font></font>

 

[nacnud]

I don't think it is too bad. From:http://www.space.com/returntoflight/<br /><br /><font color="yellow">UPDATE: Pad Engineers Work to Repair Discovery<br />12 July 2005, 6:30 p.m. EDT<br /><br /> <br /><br />CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Less than 24 hours from launch, the space shuttle Discovery is undergoing repair as engineers work to replace damaged tiles on the aft of the spacecraft.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Sometime during a long hold in Discovery’s launch countdown, a plastic window cover fell from its perch about 60 feet, striking a heat-tile covered carrier panel protecting the orbiter’s left Orbiter Maneuvering System (OMS) pod. Tile damage has been reported and engineers are swapping the carrier panel out with a spare, shuttle officials said.<br /><br /> <br /><br />The orbiter’s STS-114 mission to test new orbital tools and hardware to inspect and repair shuttle tiles and heat-resistant panels is slated to launch on July 13 at 3:50:53 p.m. EDT (1950:53 GMT). NASA officials said it is unclear whether the carrier panel repair will impact tomorrow’s scheduled launch, and will provide an update from NASA at 7:00 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT).<br /><br /> <br /><br />“The damage was found during an inspection,” said Stephanie Stilson, NASA’s vehicle manager for Discovery. “The carrier panel is a piece of metal with tiles attached.”<br /><br /> <br /><br />Stilson said that NASA has spare carrier panels and engineers are attempting swap the damaged unit out, a process that takes approximately an hour once started.<br /><br /> <br /><br />The tiles that cover shuttle OMS pods are part of the orbiter’s thermal protection system and are designed to protect it the searing heat of atmospheric reentry. Discovery’s STS-114 mission is slated to evaluate new inspection tools to survey shuttle tiles and heat-resistant panels in orbit, as well as test potential repair techniques.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Discovery is to be NASA’s first shuttle to fly since the 2003 Columbia disaster that killed seven astronauts and destroy</font>

 

[marslauncher]

EXCLUSIVE: Damage to Discovery Repaired<br />12 July 2005, 7:00 p.m. EDT<br /><br /> <br /><br />CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Pad engineers have completed repairs of the space shuttle Discovery, a NASA official told collectSPACE.com, a SPACE.com partner. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Aside from one minor issue, which launch officials have secured a flight waiver for, tile repair operations of the orbiter’s left Orbiter Maneuvering System (OMS) pod are complete, the NASA official said.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Launch will proceed as planned, NASA officials said. <br /><br /> <br /><br />The orbiter’s STS-114 mission is slated to launch on July 13 at 3:50:53 p.m. EDT (1950:53 GMT). The damage occurred while Discovery was in an extended, planned hold that was not scheduled to resume until 11:00 p.m. EDT tonight (0300 July 13 GMT). <br /><br /> <br /><br />Earlier today, a plastic window cover secured by tape over one of Discovery’s two overhead windows separated from the vehicle, striking a tile-covered carrier panel on the orbiter’s left OMS pod. The small, soft window cover fell 60 feet and damaged tiles on the carrier panel.<br /><br /> <br /><br />In an earlier update, Stephanie Stilson – vehicle manager for Discovery – said the damaged carrier panel could be repaired easily and that operations were underway. An update is scheduled for no earlier than 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 GMT) and will be broadcast on NASA TV. <br /><br /> <br /><br />The tiles that cover shuttle OMS pods are part of the orbiter’s thermal protection system and are designed to protect it the searing heat of atmospheric reentry. Discovery’s STS-114 mission is slated to evaluate new inspection tools to survey shuttle tiles and heat-resistant panels in orbit, as well as test potential repair techniques.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Discovery is to be NASA’s first shuttle to fly since the 2003 Columbia disaster that killed seven astronauts and destroyed one orbiter. Damage to a different section of Columbia – the leading edge of its left wing – sustaine

 

[backspace]

Is there anything new from the 7:30 update?

 

[sabby223]

Discovery processing manager Stephanie Stilson has confirmed that a tile carrier panel has been successfully replaced after being damaged by a falling window cover earlier today. Stilson said engineers at the Johnson Space Center would be running an analysis to determine if any structural damage had occurred, although that was considered highly unlikely. <br /><br />Meanwhile at launch complex 39B first motion of the Rotating Service Structure is expected around 8:30 p.m. The move was delayed to allow the repairs to the carrier panel and for additional inspections to verify there was no further damage. <br />

 

[backspace]

Cool Shot of the pad in twilight tonight:<br /><br />

 

[nacnud]

Just before RSS roll back I think. It was a cover for the 'sunroof' windows on the top of the orbiter.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Don't know if all of this had been covered, but I got back in about 30 mins ago and got a few e-mails on this.<br /><br />It seems it caught either the left OMS Pod or the RCS on the left, and was repaired in one hour. Ain't a problem. (Probably all covered in previous posts.)<br /><br />Anyway, let's hear lots of "Go's" at T-9 mins <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[nacnud]

Left OMS pod, where it joins the main fuselage. Thats why they were able to fix it so fast. The tiles at joint like that are on seporat removeable spacer type thing (forget what they were called in the press conference) and they happened to have a spare one knocking around.<br /><br />Seems like they were lucky, it hit tiles that are easy to swap out.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Small blessing.<br /><br />ABC are confirmed as covering the launch live - for the Americans on here.

 

[mah_fl]

I'd have thought all the networks would be carrying the launch live, and all of them will be covering the landing, that is for sure.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Me too, just not sure who's confirmed. Sometimes networks won't copy each other.<br /><br />In the UK, it's Sky News, BBC News Channel, ITV News Channel. Channel 5 or Channel 4.