STS-115 Status - Part II

[larper]

I don't think they are worried about impact as much as they are that it is a piece of the shuttle dislodged during the RCS test. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Vote </font><font color="#3366ff">Libertarian</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[paul_bacon]

Its aliens!

 

[paul_bacon]

Just listening to MMT now, and worst case scenario is they would have to dock with the ISS again if its something major. How would that work out with the Soyuz docking?

 

[erioladastra]

<br />As long as Soyuz docks first,w hich should be the case, no issue.

 

[spacefire]

and then what?<br />attempt a repair from ISS? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[paul_bacon]

The could do an EVA to repair the shuttle if needs be. EVA's take time though, so not sure how realistic this option is

 

[paul_bacon]

I know we're getting ahead of ourselves here, but how long would something like Discovery take from making the decison to use it as a rescue shuttle, to it being in space?

 

[rybanis]

Well this is slightly unsettling. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[rogers_buck]

Are you certain it has enough propellent to make it back to the ISS? They might have to dump the garbage before trying...<br />

 

[rogers_buck]

Potty ice I hope...<br />

 

[scottb50]

What's keeping them from trying to get closer to the object to identify it rather than watching it drift off. One thing I read is it's moving away at 1-2 feet per second. Also, do they have pictures from the payload bay after unloading the cargo they could compare with? It might be something as simple as a left-over piece of protective material that got knocked loose when the thrusters were fired.<br /><br />Putting a crew member on the end of the arm and getting them close enough to identify what it is would the safest approach I would think. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

It's a long way out there by now, and without knowledge of it's velocity relative to the shuttle, (which if I understood the briefing correctly is not possible, since the object only covers 2 pixels, and it's distance when photographed can not be determined), there's no where to go to.<br /><br />The current plan is to compare before and after pictures of the cargo bay to see if anything is missing.<br /><br />It could be a decal! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[j05h]

CNN is reporting a second piece of debris is visible. I'm not religious, but Godspeed Atlantis.<br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[rogers_buck]

They had just tested the thrusters. Seems like there was an issue on the pad with missing thruster covers that had blown off. Could there have been some ice build-up in a thruster that wasn't used until the test? Wasn't one of the thrusters disabled from the start becasue of a bum heater or something like that. Maybe they just brought it online for the test and it had some ice in it?<br /><br /><br />

 

[llivinglarge]

Just remember folks, shuttles have made it back to Earth in a lost worse shape... Remember how battered the shuttles got during the first 24 missions?<br /><br />Columbia was missing over 50 tiles when she returned home for STS-1.

 

[paul_bacon]

The fact we have alot more camera's now we do seem to spot alot more things. Gap fillers missing, foam leaving the ET, possible tiles missing like we may have seen today. It probably happens on every flight, but has only really been noticed now we have cameras to show it

 

[rogers_buck]

Are they getting any radar returns from the shuttle and vacinity? If there were any kind of debris cloud from a strike... Still, I don't believe in coinicidences. It has to be crapper ice come loose. They had to use the robot arm to wipe the shuttle's, uh, vent years back.<br />

 

[rogers_buck]

If they HAD to go back to the ISS, would that cut Ansari's trip short? Or would they just move the Soyuz to an out of the way port. WIth the extra solar wings deployed do they still have the same docking options?<br />

 

[SpaceKiwi]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>The time requirement to having the rescue Orbiter in Orbit depends on the anount of consumables on the ISS. The available time for the ISS and Orbiter crew to remain on the ISS is typically 70 days.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />Hypothetical Questions:<br /><br />If Atlantis was told to return to ISS, how long would it take to get back and re-dock?<br /><br />If they went back for a RPM in order to get some good photography by the ISS crew, could they separate again without docking and still make a landing?<br /><br />If they went back to ISS to dock and await rescue, would the Expedition 13 crew and Spaceflight Particpant be told to get out of 'Dodge' ASAP in order to maximise consumables available to those waiting on board?<br /><br />One more super-hypothetical, could they send Jeff, Pavel, Thomas and Anousheh back in the Soyuz in order to free up more consumables for the crew awaiting rescue?<br /> <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>

 

[CalliArcale]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>If they HAD to go back to the ISS, would that cut Ansari's trip short? Or would they just move the Soyuz to an out of the way port. WIth the extra solar wings deployed do they still have the same docking options? <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Soyuz TMA-9 will dock at the aft port of Zvezda, recently vacated by the last Progress. Atlantis would dock at the PMA at the forward port of Destiny, where it normally does. These two ports are on opposite ends of the station, so they're plenty far apart already.<br /><br />And there was a Progress at that port when Atlantis was docked earlier, so it's obviously not a problem. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> The only problem is if two vehicles are trying to dock at the same time. Even that's doable, just sufficiently complicated that it's considered an unneccesary risk in all but the direst of emergencies. <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>

 

[SpaceKiwi]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>... the debris is thought to be a shim ...<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />I'll bet those fancy surveillance assets you have in orbit will have already read the serial numbers off those 'thought to be' items. <img src="/images/icons/wink.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>

 

[erioladastra]

Misc:<br /><br />1) It is not a shim.<br /><br />2) It is not due to an impact.<br /><br />3) Yes, there is enough prop to support a RPM-near docking or docking, and then a landing. Always been part of the planned contingencies.

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

Sorry about being OT, but I'm curious. Do you guys (SG & Erioladastra) know each other? I take you both work at KSC?<br />Also thanks to you both for all the interesting facts and info. <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>

 

[SpaceKiwi]

I'm sure they will correct if I'm off the mark, but SG is USA @ KSC and erioladastra is NASA @ JSC. <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]

Roger that. <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>