STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

Commodore · 2005-07-12 20:50:09

Despite the issues inherent with the Shuttle and the fact that it and its mission has gained lame duck status, its still exciting that were finally getting off the pad again. I hope that the efforts over the next few years will give us the confidence and momentum to fully implement the VSE.

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/main … tro=1]NASA Return to Flight
http://www.space.com/returntoflight/]STS-114 Mission Coverage

GCNRevenger · 2005-07-12 21:03:36

Man, that window cover falling off the orbiter and breaking the OMS pod cover ... thats like a bad omen or something.

Commodore · 2005-07-12 21:18:32

Man, that window cover falling off the orbiter and breaking the OMS pod cover ... thats like a bad omen or something.

Yeah, I can just picture everyone in mission control smacking their foreheads all at once.

GCNRevenger · 2005-07-12 21:21:44

Nooo, this would be more of a chills-down-spine moment of jet-jock superstition... Like the champagne bottle not breaking on the Russian K-19 submarine at her comissioning.

srmeaney · 2005-07-12 23:52:55

We just got it on the News in Australia, A shuttle window shutter fell off and smashed against the tiles on the way down. Andy Thomas, That metal turkey is going to explode on the launch pad.

Josh Cryer · 2005-07-13 00:19:06

It was a slipcover, and it came loose somehow, it may not have been taped down tight enough. They have those slipcovers on the windows before launch so bird doo-doo and other debris don't get clogged up on the window. It makes perfect sense to have it, though one must question why it wasn't held on by some wire or something, to prevent it from actually falling. I mean, geez, even car slipcovers have little snappy things that snap around the fenders.

In any case, it probably won't effect the launch. All will go well.

Josh Cryer · 2005-07-13 00:20:46

I agree that it's scary, but I don't think that they are going to let that thing launch unless everything is near perfect. I suspect that there will be no more losses of life in the Shuttle program.

srmeaney · 2005-07-13 00:23:51

"Lemon tree, very pretty."

Now all they need is the entire Tile framework to fall off all at once in front of everyone.

The Turkey is going to explode!!!

srmeaney · 2005-07-13 00:30:55

And how many times can they roll it back inside before the solid fuel boosters build up enough electrostatic energy to self ignite?

edit: I merged the topics srmeaney, since they were the same discussion, let's do try to rid the clutter.

Edited By Josh Cryer on 1121236701

Rxke · 2005-07-13 02:53:44

though one must question why it wasn't held on by some wire or something, to prevent it from actually falling.

NASA is at this very moment building a state-of-the art manufacturing plant to produce wires that can do just this. The wires, planned to be tested on a full-size mock-up of the STS in 2010 at the earliest will come in at $30000 an inch, but they will be gold-colored, so that's ok! :;):

No, serious: I am kind of longing for the full time coverage on TV, like the first-ever launch. I miss Live launches on TV.

But ain't gonna happen, in Belgium. it's prime-time around here, when they launch

@srmeaney: are you forgetting there are people onboard? You're *not* funny.

Good luck, beautiful, frail and flawed bird.

srmeaney · 2005-07-13 04:36:37

If the bird has broken wings you dont thow it from the roof!

Good luck, beautiful, frail and flawed bird.

Ha!

We will see what happens tomorrow when they light the touch paper.

Yang Liwei Rocket · 2005-07-13 08:18:00

This is it

With a brief but embarrassing setback behind them, NASA crews began fueling Discovery for liftoff Wednesday afternoon on the first space shuttle flight in 2 1/2 years. The only possible obstacle appeared to be thunderstorms in the forecast. A temporary window cover fell off the shuttle and damaged thermal tiles near the tail Tuesday afternoon. The problem was announced just two hours after NASA declared Discovery ready to return the nation to space for the first time since the Columbia disaster.

Let's hope it can be good for NASA,
and the US space flight get things right and NASA can push forward again !!

Palomar · 2005-07-13 08:44:17

*My best wishes to the crew and personnel within the vicinity, of course. Hopefully a smooth, flawless mission.

GCN: Man, that window cover falling off the orbiter and breaking the OMS pod cover ... thats like a bad omen or something//Nooo, this would be more of a chills-down-spine moment of jet-jock superstition... Like the champagne bottle not breaking on the Russian K-19 submarine at her comissioning.

Yeah. -gulp- When I heard that yesterday, I'm like "Oh...no."

YL Rocket: Let's hope it can be good for NASA,
and the US space flight get things right and NASA can push forward again !!

Unfortunately the shuttle isn't, IMO, a push forward. But that's another topic.

Good luck to the crew and the mission. Safe return home, etc.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2005-07-13 09:54:47

http://www.space.com/news/050713_cs_rtf … l]On-board souvenir stash

*This hasn't yet been posted in this thread.

In layman's terms, the Official Flight Kit (OFK) acts as the souvenir store for the ultimate trip away from home.

Of especial interest:

For example, a flag will be flown on behalf of The Mars Society, a non-profit [org] that promotes exploration of the Red Planet.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2005-07-13 11:21:17

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050713/ap_ … UCUl]Storm may cause postponement of launch...

*Hot off the Yahoo! wire. Drizzle of rain as astronauts arrive at launch pad.

Thunderstorm threatens postponement. Acceptable weather chances drop to 40% (from previous of 60%).

--Cindy

Commodore · 2005-07-13 11:46:34

But it won't.

Launch scrubbed for today due to failure of 2 of 4 of the LH2 cutoff sensors, which cut the engines when fuel gets low.

I guess this has happened before, so its nothing they can't deal with.

Commodore · 2005-07-13 11:47:51

Next launch window is tommorrow at 3:24pm ET.

Palomar · 2005-07-13 12:13:47

But it won't.
Launch scrubbed for today due to failure of 2 of 4 of the LH2 cutoff sensors, which cut the engines when fuel gets low.
I guess this has happened before, so its nothing they can't deal with.

Fuel sensor glitch forces launch scrub
A problem with fuel sensors in the shuttle's external fuel tank has forced NASA to scrub today's planned launch of Discovery, the first shuttle mission since the Columbia disaster. Check the status center for full details.

*Geez. http://www.spaceflightnow.com]Spaceflightnow.com is keeping a continually updated status thread.

Mother Nature off the hook this time.

--Cindy

Rxke · 2005-07-13 12:38:24

Quite an impressive crew, BTW
Have to admit I've always been a bit of an Eileen fanboy...

Commodore · 2005-07-13 14:28:03

Turns out its NUMBER #2 sensor out of 4 that’s malfunctioning. They are draining the fuel out of the ET to address the issue. The flaw is being described as similar to the problems that scrubbed the May launch.

Sources say the earliest possible launch is now Monday.

GCNRevenger · 2005-07-13 17:00:55

If NASA has to cancel the launch for every single detail, especially ones about redundant systems, then they'll never get off the ground at this rate. Does not bode well for SDV either.

Commodore · 2005-07-13 18:21:31

If NASA has to cancel the launch for every single detail, especially ones about redundant systems, then they'll never get off the ground at this rate. Does not bode well for SDV either.

If its just one faulty gauge out of 4, in theory they probably just need to swap out that gauge.

Of course that could mean removing and reinstalling loads of equipment, requiring hundreds of checkouts...........

Out of curiousity is there any reason why they couldn't have countinued all the way up the checklist before aborting. Then they could have caught any other issues that may be lurking.

GCNRevenger · 2005-07-13 18:52:21

Continuing "up the checklist" makes the orbiter more and more ready to launch, and less and less easy to scrub.

No its worse then that, NASA is basically refusing to launch until they know WHY the guage failed, which is most likly of identical design to the other three. Unless they decide to bite the bullet and trust in the other three guages, then we're probobly looking at the September launch window.

Just replacing the guage might require disconnecting from the pad, rolling back to the VAB, dismantling the stack, and taking apart sections of the tank... and then turn around and do it all again.

Josh Cryer · 2005-07-13 21:22:50

Like I said, they want perfect conditions. They could've launched on one sensor (but that would be kind of stupid, you want at least one level of redundancy, the Shuttle has 4, which is about right). The Shuttle will never launch again until the conditions are absolutely perfect. Perhaps after we start going again they'll open up some leeway, but not the first freaking launch.

On second thought, Monday, they may actually just go on 3 sensors, but it's going to take a lot of discussing over the week and weekend before that decision is really made.

Josh Cryer · 2005-07-13 21:29:28

Hmm, looks like they need two of the sensors working for it to function properly, I guess I take it back, then.

Perfect conditions.

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#1 2005-07-12 20:50:09

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#2 2005-07-12 21:03:36

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#3 2005-07-12 21:18:32

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#4 2005-07-12 21:21:44

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#5 2005-07-12 23:52:55

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#6 2005-07-13 00:19:06

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#7 2005-07-13 00:20:46

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#8 2005-07-13 00:23:51

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#9 2005-07-13 00:30:55

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#10 2005-07-13 02:53:44

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#11 2005-07-13 04:36:37

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#12 2005-07-13 08:18:00

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#13 2005-07-13 08:44:17

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#14 2005-07-13 09:54:47

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#15 2005-07-13 11:21:17

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#16 2005-07-13 11:46:34

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#17 2005-07-13 11:47:51

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#18 2005-07-13 12:13:47

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#19 2005-07-13 12:38:24

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#20 2005-07-13 14:28:03

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#21 2005-07-13 17:00:55

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#22 2005-07-13 18:21:31

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#23 2005-07-13 18:52:21

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#24 2005-07-13 21:22:50

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

#25 2005-07-13 21:29:28

Re: STS-114 Mission Coverage and Discussion

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