What Happened 47 Seconds into the ATLANTIS Launch?

[binwi24]

I was watching TV-4B camera, at 47 seconds there is a puff of "smoke". Not the clouds that form around the nose and SRB's but a puff, its smaller but similar to the puff when the SRB's septerate. Then 2 seconds later there is something falling away from the shuttel. Does anyone else see what I am seeing?<br /><br />I am not saying that the shuttle is in any type of danger, I just never saw anything like that before.

 

[vogon13]

I haven't watched the launch replays yet (to farkin busy this week!) but it might have been a thruster burp to knock lose some of the vent covers.<br /><br />If that is what it is, no big deal.<br /><br />I'll try and watch the launch replays in the next few days . . . <br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[binwi24]

I found the video on NASA's site:<br />The video's name is "A Beautiful Sight!" it can be found at: <br />http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/multimedia/index.html

 

[SpaceKiwi]

I'm not sure it would be a thruster 'burp', those covers come clear by T+16 seconds, though Wayne Hale did say in the preliminary debris briefing that one of the covers didn't come loose until T+19 seconds this time. <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>

 

[lampblack]

One possibility: when the shuttle breaks the sound barrier, sometimes you can actually see the compression waves. That might be what you're describing. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[rfoshaug]

I noticed that too. There was a lot of shock condensation around the boosters and nose, and even the tail of the orbiter (unusually moist air?) during the start of the ascent - and then there was a "shock" of vapor for a moment that went aft through the shuttle and disappeared.<br /><br />I believe that this "shock" that went through the shuttle was when it broke the sound barrier. I could not see anything come off the shuttle, though, but I will have another look at the video replay.<br /><br />I'm sure there are others here who know this better than I do. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff9900">----------------------------------</font></p><p><font color="#ff9900">My minds have many opinions</font></p> </div>

 

[binwi24]

I can't see what fell off on the Web Site video either, but I have the launch in TIVO and you can see something very clearly fall away.

 

[para3]

I notice that there is only 1 camera on the ET when we see the launch from that view at the left of our screen. And of course this gives us an excellent view of the foam breaking away. But, what about the other side, where there is no camera? Do NASA have foam problems on that side too? It appears that the foam problem is around the upper support strut( not sure if that is what is called so someone can correct me) where there would be a lot and I mean a lot of vibration. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font size="3" color="#99cc00">.....Shuttle me up before I get tooooooooo old and feeble.....</font></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong><font size="4" color="#ff6600">---Happiness is winning a huge lottery--- </font></strong></p> </div>

 

[astrowikizhang]

"Do NASA have foam problems on that side too?"<br /><br />Yes, but this side, where the PAL ramps and ice/frost ramps are located, is the critical area where foam-breaking most likely to occur.

 

[CalliArcale]

NASA has over 100 cameras looking at the Shuttle during ascent; I'm positive they don't show them all during the replays. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> So just because the general public didn't see that angle doesn't mean it wasn't photographed. They just show us the prettiest ones they can fit into the timeslot for the launch replays. <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>

 

[shuttle2moon]

"NASA has over 100 cameras looking at the Shuttle during ascent; I'm positive they don't show them all during the replays"<br /><br />Isn't there something about not showing certain camera angles during orbit as it can violate other countries sovernity? I have heard this before...

 

[binwi24]

“an ice ball from the umbilical or engine falling into the SSME plume”<br /><br />Make the most sense, about what you can see. It’s just hard to imagine the forces that are created during launch. Thanks for this info.<br /><br />Is there a video of the post launch news conference?<br />

 

[willpittenger]

So do they pay more attention to the foam in the intertank area on the orbiter side? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[para3]

I meant at the otherside of support strut. Not the opposite side of the ET. I'm naive, but not that naive. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font size="3" color="#99cc00">.....Shuttle me up before I get tooooooooo old and feeble.....</font></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong><font size="4" color="#ff6600">---Happiness is winning a huge lottery--- </font></strong></p> </div>

 

[erioladastra]

"Isn't there something about not showing certain camera angles during orbit as it can violate other countries sovernity? I have heard this before..."<br /><br />No, not correct. If that were the case ISS would be in trouble all the time. There is also a bandwith issue and some is downlinked later I believe.

 

[willpittenger]

How long do they get from ET seperation to ET reentry? Also, how much bandwidth can they get out of the ET? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>