Discovery ready for the liftoff - Page 2

Alexa · 07-28-2005, 06:40 PM

Well, it seems NASA will stop future missions as long as the problem needs to be fixed. The shuttle Atlantis won't be launched in September, as scheduled.

Quote:

But, Shannon added, the chunk of insulation foam that flew off the external tank during blastoff is unacceptable and the design needs to be fixed.
Damage caused by falling debris is thought to have caused the shuttle Columbia to disintegrate on re-entry back in 2003, killing all seven aboard.
Shannon says redesigns since that disaster have fixed a lot of debris problems, and on this launch, much less foam came off than in previous launches.
Still, "better" is not good enough.
For that reason, NASA announced Wednesday that they will ground all future shuttle missions.

http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20050727_shuttlediscovery_inspection_20050705?hub= topstories

Discovery should be back on August, 7.

Leto · 07-28-2005, 06:47 PM

Similar problem led to the last shuttle accident.

Alexa · 07-28-2005, 06:54 PM

Big question: Should the crew return with another shuttle ? Or take the risk with Discovery ?

Princess Ivy · 07-29-2005, 03:44 PM

they have sucessfully docked, but the question of the return, is still to the best of my knowledge, unanswered.

Alexa · 07-29-2005, 04:11 PM

we have no other choice than wait and see

Alexa · 07-29-2005, 11:44 PM

Discovery crew:

In this image released by NASA TV, the crew aboard the space shuttle Discovery and International space station pose for a picture being taken by astronaut Steve Robinson, out of view, in this view from television from the Destiny module of the international space station Thursday, July 28, 2005. The crew from left to right are Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi, front left, astronaut Wendy Lawrence, cosmonuat Sergei Krikalev, pilot James Kelly, astronaut Andy Thomas, astronaut John Phillips, astronauts Wendy Lawrence, and Charles Camarda. Discovery's seven astronauts will work with the two-man crew living aboard the ISS for eight days before returning to Earth. (AP Photo/NASA TV)

Alexa · 08-06-2005, 09:47 AM

Discovery prepares the return for Monday, Aug 8.

Quote:

“We’re ready to go,” said Paul Hill, Discovery’s lead STS-114 flight director, during a briefing here at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

The only major concern, aside from the typical risks associated with flying the shuttle—effectively a 100-ton glider during reentry—back to Earth, is weather at Kennedy Space Center where it will land at 4:46 a.m. EDT ( 0846 GMT) Aug. 8, Hill said.

“We are highly confident in this entry,” veteran astronaut Eileen Collins, Discovery’s STS-114 commander, said earlier this week. “I think we’re going to have a clean entry.”

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/050805_sts114_preundock.html

Princess Ivy · 08-07-2005, 01:59 AM

strange that they're not worried about the bit that fell off

Alexa · 08-07-2005, 02:39 AM

I think they don't won't to admit it.

Princess Ivy · 08-07-2005, 02:42 AM

i'll just keep my fingers crossed for them.