STS-124, Discovery

[SubZer0]

I had to go pick up my girlfriend at work so I missed the launch. Is there any way I could still see it soon? (Next hour or so?)

[Brando14100]

I had to go pick up my girlfriend at work so I missed the launch. Is there any way I could still see it soon? (Next hour or so?)

Replays are on NASA TV NOW!

[a1]

They should have at lease 2 toilets onboard.


I still don't like the feeling of dumping their trash down to earth from ISS.

[RichieB16]

What is this forum you are on?

http://www.collectspace.com/

I also don't know how deep your interest is in the space program is...but if your anything like me, my website might interest you as well although I haven't updated it in a while:

http://www.geocities.com/richieb31619/index.html

Also, my guestbook is trashed and I haven't logged on and deleted it yet...so don't even bother with it.

[Brando14100]

Saw it live. Great launch.


I saw a rather large piece of foam come off the external tank about 3min in the flight. The pressure might note be enough to cause damage as it was quite far up so the speed might not be that fast. Lets all hope there wasn't any damage. :-/

I saw it on a replay. :-/ :-/ :-/

[RichieB16]

They typically say that that far into launch that the atmosphere is so thin there is minimal risk to the shuttle because the change in velocity of the debris and shuttle are minimal.  But, if it came lose at that point when the launch is smooth (after SRB separation) then it could have come off during the dangerous period of the launch.  So, they will probably make a big deal about it.

But, remember...before STS-107, every mission had foam strikes and it was never really that big of a deal (although a couple times they were bad).  Heck, STS-1 lost a bunch of tiles during the mission.  So, I doubt its anything to worry much about...even if it did hit the shuttle.

[Brando14100]

[quote]

[RichieB16]

16 I think.

I think 16 is the correct number, but there was damage to nearly 150 other tiles.

[specter177]

I actually got to go over and watch it in person.

[Brando14100]

I actually got to go over and watch it in person.

Luckyy sonofabi%$*.  ;D How was it?

[Brando14100]

16 I think.

I think 16 is the correct number, but there was damage to nearly 150 other tiles.

Yup. That's because they didn't use the sound suppression water system back then.

[specter177]

Well, 12 miles away is quite a distance, but it was really cool.

[RichieB16]

Yup. That's because they didn't use the sound suppression water system back then.

Actually, they had a sound suppression system on the first flight but it just wasn't enough.  They modified it after the flight.  They were aware of an acoustic wave from the beginning, what they failed to think of was unburned solid rocket fuel being spit out of the SRBs.  This fuel was then ignited below the orbiter causing a high pressure wave which damaged the tiles.  Looking back, the most serious problem wasn't the tiles but the fact that the body flap being bent so far that the hydraulic control lines should have ruptured.  Had that happened, the shuttle would have had no pitch control during reentry.  Fortunately, the lines held.

According to John Young (mission CDR), had they known about the body flap at the time...he and Crippen would have ejected.

[Brando14100]

We'll do this for landing to. I'll have a blog running.

[tcco94]

We'll do this for landing to. I'll have a blog running.

If you could message me or something.. I wanna tune into the landing or record it at least.
I read on the nasa website that its harder to see the landings becuase of the clouds or something like that.. :-?


Thanks  :D