STS-115 Status - Part II

paul_bacon · Sep 21, 2006

Just a shame the BBC and other channels (cant comment on the US channels) dont report more of the mission. We hear nothing about the docking with the ISS, solar array installation or anything like that. The only thing they will report is launch/landing and if anything went wrong

rfoshaug · Sep 21, 2006

BBC News at least showed approach from midway through the final turn, and commented the landing for a couple of minutes after wheel stop. CNN had a pathetic coverage, spending only about 3 minutes on the whole thing before going back to financial news and Iraq. Luckily, there's NASA TV on the web (although there could have been an option for a bit higher image and sound quality). <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> ----------------------------------My minds have many opinions </div>

flynn · Sep 21, 2006

I'm sure picture quality will improve over time however I could do without the lag. I put the BBC on to get better pic quality with the plan of hearing the audio on Nasa TV but the lag was confussing so I just listened to the Beeb seeing as it wasn't that bad today (sometimes I want to shout at the TV). Being as Nasa are broadcasting realtime for launch and landing anyway, I wish they would over Nasa TV. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - Chuck Palahniuk. </div>

bdewoody · Sep 22, 2006

After watching such a perfect landing I really am saddened that the next generation vehicle has gone back to being a capsule that will come down under parachutes and plop down in an undignified way. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Bob DeWoody </div>

SpaceKiwi · Sep 22, 2006

A little surprising to hear that Stefanyshyn-Piper collapsed a couple of times at the welcome home ceremony. Do you think such a seemingly innocuous event might have a bearing on her long-term prospects as an Astronaut? It's possible she may have picked up a bug or something since coming home, which has compounded the effects of the twelve days in space. But, on the other hand, could it be that some people just don't have the 'constitution' to handle weightlessness, just as some people are prone to seasickness every time they journey on a boat? I'm curious to know if this small event could have potentially disasterous consequences for her chances of flying in space again, particularly when there a good number of Astronauts available to NASA. EDIT: P.S. When I read the headline on SDC, I immediately thought it might have been Jett that collapsed. Watching him walk around Atlantis after the landing in his coveralls, that man is absolute skin and bones. Perhaps he's just a naturally very skinny guy, but he'd have every chance as a good middle and long-distance runner with a frame like that I'd wager. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Who is this superhero? Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bring Back The Black! </div>

rybanis · Sep 22, 2006

I'm thinking she just is having fun getting used to gravity again. I dunno, I think I'd probably be a bit weaker in the constitution after spending almost 2 weeks in space, and doing 2 crazy-complex spacewalks while I was up there. Not yelling, just trying to give this woman more credit

SpaceKiwi · Sep 22, 2006

Yes, I entirely understand, nor am I in any way being critical of Stefanyshyn-Piper. And, yes, it has been a very arduous mission and I personally have no problem whatsoever with anybody being a bit shakey on their return to 1G. I'm just asking from the point-of-view of NASA and their Chief Astronaut. Whether we like it or not it is a competitive environment in the Astronaut Office in that there are only so many seats available, and I'm sure even those that have ridden Shuttle would jump at the chance to fly again and again and again. If you have a dozen or two dozen or three dozen Mission Specialists with Stefanyshyn-Piper's skill-set, but the other thirty-five have displayed great 'earth-legs' on the back-end of missions, does a small asterisk go against her name as a result of today's little incident. What I guess I am throwing out there for discussion is, is the Astronaut environment that cut-throat? Could the rest of her career be Earth-based activity and research from here on out? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Who is this superhero? Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bring Back The Black! </div>

JonClarke · Sep 22, 2006

Odd that she collapsed after only 12 days in space. This could be quite serious for her, I think. The only equivalent I can think of is Jim Irwin's problems on his return from Apollo 15 where overexertion, dehydration, and electrolyte loss let to heart arythmia, a heart attack and eventually and early death. Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

JonClarke · Sep 22, 2006

"After watching such a perfect landing I really am saddened that the next generation vehicle has gone back to being a capsule that will come down under parachutes and plop down in an undignified way." Provided it's cheaper, safer and more efficient, does it matter? Especially if they are coming back from the Moon or Mars, something the Shuttle could never do. Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

JonClarke · Sep 22, 2006

It's only 12 days, it's not normally a problem. Thae fact that there was a problem this time suggests to me it could be something more serious. Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

flynn · Sep 22, 2006

I have to say I felt a pang of sadness too. Just have to make the most of the landings we have left. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - Chuck Palahniuk. </div>

JonClarke · Sep 22, 2006

Certainly it's a majestic sight that will be missed. But think of what we get in exchange - a return to the Moon! Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

SpaceKiwi · Sep 22, 2006

Yes, that's the surprising thing about this. NASA have got so good with their programs for helping Astronauts transition between weightlessness, and back again, that it does seem unusual for a short-duration flyer to encounter a problem these days. The unknown for us looking from the outside is that we don't know Stefanyshyn-Piper's state of health. As I mentioned earlier, perhaps she's picked up a bug somewhere along the way that has compounded things. From her career point-of-view I hope that this is the case, especially if she has a desire to fly in space again (I imagine some Astronauts actually don't want to once they have flown). She definitely looks a little 'green' in this photo. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Who is this superhero? Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bring Back The Black! </div>

steve82 · Sep 22, 2006

I don't think they handled it very well. the news is saying she was helped out the side door by NASA "officials" and did not need to go to the hospital. Who in blazes around there had the authority to decide she didn't need to go to the hospital????? We call the ambulance and transport co-workers to the hospital on a lot less than that. I'm guessing it will turn out to be something pretty benign, but people a lot smarter than me have to make the call.

SpaceKiwi · Sep 22, 2006

The story I saw attributed those comments to Smith Johnston, who is apparently the '115 crew's flight surgeon. He was at the ceremony with them. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Who is this superhero? Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bring Back The Black! </div>

erioladastra · Sep 23, 2006

"I don't think they handled it very well." Based on what? I don't think you will humans whose health is being more scrutinized anywhere on the planet. There were flight surgeons there and you can ask any astronaut that they tend to be very, very conservative. Typically after a flight they are trying to get the astronauts to take it easy but they tend to push themselves pretty hard right after.

steve82 · Sep 23, 2006

You're right. I'm guessing those flight surgeons and possibly the EMT's pulled out the blood pressure cuff and maybe even had her stop by the clinic to leave a little blood before they sent her home. The media made it sound like somebody just told her to take the rest of the day off. A friend of mine did exactly the same thing at work a while back and he wound up in the hospital having all kinds of tests getting run.

farmerman · Sep 25, 2006

In one of my earlier post in this thread I stated that I was worried that Nasa maybe gettting "go fever" at the time of the eco sensor problems and the fuel cell issue. I was wrong in thinking that way because I didn't understand the issues as well as people working on/with the shuttles. To shuttle guy and all other persons associated with the shuttle program you guys did a great job with Atlantis and keep up with the good work in the future on the upcoming missions! I hope I didn't upset anybody by making that statement. The space shuttle is a beautiful bird and I will miss them when they are retired.

MeteorWayne · Oct 3, 2006

MMOD? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

mrmorris · Oct 3, 2006

Micro-Meteoroid and Orbital Debris

MeteorWayne · Oct 3, 2006

Thanx <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

CalliArcale · Oct 3, 2006

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />Radiator panel on STS-115 took MMOD hit. This is first or second largest hit in history of the Shuttle. 0.108 inch diameter at entry point. One-half inch thick honeycomb damaged. If hit were on RCC, it would have penetrated, but criticality of resulting damage is not known<hr /></blockquote> Wow!!!! Might be a good argument in favor of always doing that last-flight-day inspection of the TPS. After all, MMOD can happen anytime, so the later the inspection occurs, the more likely you are to spot the damage. The radiator was obviously still functioning well enough to complete the mission, but a TPS strike could've made a safe return impossible, or at least neccesitated an attempted TPS repair. Of course, MMOD is the one risk you simply can't avoid. It is a fundamental hazard of spaceflight, and there's only so much you can do to protect against it. (Sort of like bird strikes on airliners; they do what they can, but there's only so much they can do.) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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." -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink" </div>

scottb50 · Oct 3, 2006

I was under the impression the RCC was somewhat brittle. Instead of a 1/4 inch hole you could get an area looking like a rock hit the windshield of your car. Can parts of the radiator be isolated or would it have shut -down the entire panel? Could the other panel carry the full load if that happened, or would it require a quick return? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

ldyaidan · Oct 3, 2006

How major/difficult is this repair?

ldyaidan · Oct 3, 2006

Thanks, SG. I always enjoy your posts, and all the great info. Rae

STS-115 Status - Part II

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