Discovery

[Boomtown Rat]

Well, don't know if someone else has posted this  ::).  But STS-114 Discovery is set to launch in two hours (at 10:15 am EST, which is 2:15 am for me, because I am currently staying with family in Auckland, NZ.)  

What do you guys think about this launch?  They say they'll launch even if that fuel sensor messes up again.

[Craig.]

Its all looking fine so far. The sensor problem hasnt shown up yet.

[TacitBlue]

The reason there are four sensors is for redundancy anyway, so it should be fine to launch with one of them messing up.

[Craig.]

It was a problem with the same sensor that caused Challenger to explode if i remember correctly. So you still have to be 100% sure without all 4

[ozzy72]

Well lets just hope nothing else goes wrong, you should NEVER skimp on safety, look what has happened on the occassions that someone (in any field) has... normally baked or a dollop of strawberry jam

[Boomtown Rat]

It was a problem with the same sensor that caused Challenger to explode if i remember correctly. So you still have to be 100% sure without all 4

I believe it was one of the O-Rings on the SRBs that caused gases to escape and burn into the fuel tank.

The sensors are new and were one of the safety features added post-Columbia.

I know someone will hate me for adding pointless trivia  ::), but an interesting fact is, on the day of the Challenger explosion, the US Market picked who's fault it was.  Even though all three companies that worked on the shuttle's stock did fall, Morton-Thiokol's (the company that produces the SRBs) stock fell the farthest, and barely recovered at all that day, unlike the other two.  :P

[beaky]

It was a problem with the same sensor that caused Challenger to explode if i remember correctly. So you still have to be 100% sure without all 4

Not sure if the same glitch showed up on the Challenger launch, but the primary cause of that accident was deformation of an O-ring between sections of the SRBs, causing hot gases to burn through the main fuel tank.
But why not let NASA worry about all that, and think positive?
Go Discovery!!
 ;D

[legoalex2000]

and that new arm in te bay better be looking closely for "cracks and other minor damages" or that will all go to waste.

ok people 20 min!!!

Ramos

[Boomtown Rat]

ok people 20 min!!!

ETL 15 Mins!

[TacitBlue]

For anyone who doesn't have access to TV at the moment- like me -heres a live webcast of the launch:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8515881/

[TacitBlue]

She's off with out a hitch.

BTW, either this is the worst video feed on earth, or our network sucks here at work.

[Boomtown Rat]

She's off with out a hitch.

BTW, either this is the worst video feed on earth, or our network sucks here at work.

My only problem was picking between Sky News Australia and CNN World News (BBC World was showing Asia Today!)  ;)

I'm glad to see that beautiful beast return to space once again, and the sooner the ISS will be completed!

[alrot]

although terrific images token from the main tank camera from the space while detach from the shuttle to see the heat reentry shield integrity,isn't it?  :o

[TacitBlue]

From what I've read, they ar going to flip the shuttle up-side down next to the space station so that the station crew can check the heat shield for cracks and missing tiles. They also have a camera mounted on the cargo bay arm that they can use to look all over the outside of the shuttle.