STS-121 Update Thread: Part Two

[CalliArcale]

Alright dudes, this is a mission update thread. Can we save the vitriol for another thread, preferably one of the existing threads critical of the Shuttle program? <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]

Has there been any update in the last couple of hours? Radio here is reporting that July 4 has now been scratched in terms of a launch attempt, though the wording of the item wasn't entirely convincing to my keenly-trained (joke) ears. <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>

 

[llivinglarge]

Agreed, the last thing we all want to see is a fireworks show from the Shuttle...

 

[ozspace]

July 4 is still up in the air, mission management team are due to be meeting now...

 

[ozspace]

The piece in question wieghs .091 ounces, (2.5 grams) or about the weight of a penny, here's a pic...

 

[rogers_buck]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5137462.stm<br /><br />BBC says its on...<br />

 

[backspace]

That article is outdated... appears to have been written right after the last conference.<br /><br />NASA TV posting this:<br /><br />TBD No Earlier than 8 p.m. - Post MMT STS-121 Launch Status Update (Launch Decision) - KSC (All Channels)<br /><br />That sould be the go/no go conference.

 

[anoolios]

I like that NASA seems to be doing a nice job of getting info out re shuttle issues; some high res photos of foam crack available: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

 

[askold]

Am I the only one that finds this a little more than absurd?<br /><br />What kind of vehicle is this? The shuttle loses a tiny piece of foam and NASA is thrown into a panic.<br /><br />Pathetic. It's time to put the poor shuttle out of its misery.

 

[rogers_buck]

A tiny piece of foam at standard temperature and pressure. The concern is for a bigger chunk hitting while the vehicle is at Mach speed. Cracks and shedding while simply on the pad doesn't bode well. You would have to be living under a rock not to know why they are worried about that.<br />

 

[ozspace]

If you can get to NASA TV, they are going to have press briefing at 9PM local..in 25 minutes

 

[rocketwatcher2001]

It's also going to be on C-Span. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[rogers_buck]

They're still go!<br /><br />No risk from heating.<br />No risk from ice formation. (.005lbs - .024lbs)<br />No damage to the area determined by using an 8' peice of plastic pipe with a borescope. They got views from 6" away. The foam is structurally intack and free of debris.<br />The foam part was poured in a mold. The top part is perfectly intact. They feel they did as good an inspection as if they had set up a scaffold. The foam shed in a single event and popped off when a joint rotated.<br /><br />All the criteria has been satisfied.<br /><br />Were there any decenters? No. A poll wasn't done, but nobody had any concerns.<br /><br />Risk? Risk, about the same as before. <br /><br />The crew reps were present in the meeting and the crew listened via telecom. They had no comments or questions during the review. The reps asked questions and were happy with the answers.<br /><br />They didn't change their icing criteria because of the damage. They will inspect the region tommorrow and if there are any surprizes they will reconsider, but the analysis says it won't matter (the foam is now .3" thick at that point).<br /><br /><br /><br />

 

[rocketwatcher2001]

C-Span 1, It's still a GO! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[rogers_buck]

Looks like your going to have a heck of a 4th down there! Snap a couple digi-pics for us inlanders!<br /><br />

 

[anoolios]

The "ground ops team" came up with the idea to use an 8' piece of plastic tubing to use a scope to view the foam crack area, thus saving the need to set up a platform that would have delayed the launch attempt.<br /><br />Nice work and I wonder how much that tube cost? <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <br /><br />Bet they could fetch quite a bit on ebay for that tube and the "crack" they showed in the zip lock baggie...<br /><br />

 

[rogers_buck]

He says detanking puts more stress on the tank than during ascent! That's interesting to hear them say.<br />

 

[rogers_buck]

Also interesting is that he said they take the weather out of their decision making to fly. If the hardware is ready, they try to fly it. The weather is just too uncertain for them to pay any attention to. Hurricane's not withstanding (my words).<br />

 

[rocketwatcher2001]

Buck-<br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[erioladastra]

"The shuttle loses a tiny piece of foam and NASA is thrown into a panic."<br /><br />Panic? What sort of panic do you mean? When is careful analysis and a few meetings a panic?

 

[SpaceKiwi]

Yeah, sorry news, I meant July 4 your time as it will be approx 6:30am on July 5 at T-0 here, everything going well. <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]

"your time as it will be approx 6:30am on July 5 at T-0 here"<br /><br />Make that 4.30am here then. No good for this sleepyhead. <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>

 

[ozspace]

"Make that 4.30am here then. No good for this sleepyhead"<br /><br />Oh come on, same for me in Melbourne (Australia), early to bed, early to rise! We haven't had a shuttle ready to go for a year and then 3 years before that.

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

I'll catch up with it when I get up. I don't what to get up just for another scrub <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <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>

 

[ozspace]

Yes, the weather...well they're saying 60 percent chance of acceptable weather, let's hope you miss seeing it off!