Soldato
jmc777 said:
Hope it doesn't delay the launch.Space Shuttle STS-121 - Mission ULF1.1 to the International Space Station
- Thread starter Berserker
- Start date
Hope it doesn't delay the launch.
Soldato
Just another 2 weeks delay needed 
Launching next Wednesday would suit me.
We'll have to see what the MMT come up with. My guess is they'll want to fix it.
We'll have to see what the MMT come up with. My guess is they'll want to fix it.
Mid-afternoon on Independence Day? That sounds good to me.
MMT conference no earlier than 1PM. I'm sucking more bandwidth in anticipation.
Soldato
Visage said:I can only assume you meant to say 'I hope they delay the launch until its fixed'
Not necessarily. If it is a critical flaw, then yes I certainly expect it to be fixed, which is most likely going to cause a delay. However what I sort of meant was, I hope the fault is not serious enough to warrent a fix or a delay.
Soldato
Anyone else sniggering at the model next to him? 
Dirty minds.
Looks like they're going to go for it if they possibly can, but obviously, if they think the tank is going to be compromised as a result of the foam loss, they won't.
Looks like they're going to go for it if they possibly can, but obviously, if they think the tank is going to be compromised as a result of the foam loss, they won't.
In true 'Science Fair' spirit, NASA Engineers have dangled a camera off an 8 foot length of flexible pipe and gone to look at the damaged area.
Result: we are once again GO for launch.
This is what caused all the consternation:
And this is where it came from:
NASA TV coverage resumes 9AM today.
Result: we are once again GO for launch.
This is what caused all the consternation:
And this is where it came from:
NASA TV coverage resumes 9AM today.
Caporegime
I hope it all goes well, but i still don't like the idea that it is built by the lowest bidder. I know economics play a big part but it is lives we are talking about, so paying that bit more is surely worth it.
Soldato
So there are bits of foam falling off while it sitting there do nothing, I would be extremely concerned if I was them!
HEADRAT
HEADRAT
Associate
now only a 20% of a no go
They've had foam come off from those bracket areas before under similar circumstances. The 'foam' they use is more like polystyrene and has a tendency to chip off if any pressure is applied, which can happen if those brackets get wet (due to rain) while the tank is full and then the launch is scrubbed.HEADRAT said:
All pretty well understood and well documented. As they said in the press conference, this would have raised little or no concern pre-Colombia, but now they take every foam loss seriously.
Soldato
Excactly, they went from being very carefull to overly sensitive.Berserker said:
I hope that they will continue with the Shuttle, it would be very sad to lose the Space Shuttle after losing Concorde.
Soldato
Obviously, but I doubt the Astronouts will mind that much.jmc777 said:
I know I wouldn't mind a (small) security risk if I would get the chance to experience something only a very small percentae of people have ever experienced.
Astronauts were represented at both MMT meetings discussing the foam loss yesterday and no concerns were voiced. I think they said there was a five-fold safety margin on this foam even after the piece came off (bearing in mind they know how much is supposed to be there and they have the piece that came off). The area has just been re-inspected with expected frost on the feed lines, but no ice.jmc777 said:
Backup circuit breaker has blown on the SRB heater system, but there's a contingency plan for this and it's fixable, so they're going to send someone out to replace the breaker. Launch unaffected (unless something unexpected happens).
Soldato
Coverage on NASA TV now showing crew etc.
HEADRAT
HEADRAT