Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch Live Thread (5:02 pm EDT)
05/31/08 | Kevin Davis

Posted on 05/31/2008 5:28:12 AM PDT by KevinDavis

This will be the official thread for the launching of the Space Shuttle Discovery..


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government; Japan; Miscellaneous; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: discovery; kibo; nasa; shuttle; shuttlediscovery; space; spaceshuttle; sts124
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-165 next last
I would like to say the Sheppard's prayer, but I could get banned for saying it..
1 posted on 05/31/2008 5:28:12 AM PDT by KevinDavis
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: markman46; AntiKev; wastedyears; ALOHA RONNIE; RightWhale; anymouse; Brett66; SunkenCiv; ...

2 posted on 05/31/2008 5:29:16 AM PDT by KevinDavis (Who is Obama's Puppet Master???)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KevinDavis

Kibo lab delivery... and a “flushnotski” toilet pump...

:-)


3 posted on 05/31/2008 5:35:46 AM PDT by xcamel (Being on the wrong track means the unintended consequences express train doesnt kill you going by)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KevinDavis

I’m in Orlando so I’ll be watching. Please add me to the ping list - thanks!


4 posted on 05/31/2008 5:36:24 AM PDT by inflorida
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: KevinDavis

Thanks for posting this thread. This is the first I’ve heard of the launch.


5 posted on 05/31/2008 5:37:06 AM PDT by Man50D (Fair Tax, you earn it, you keep it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KevinDavis

In!


6 posted on 05/31/2008 5:53:51 AM PDT by neodad (USS Vincennes (CG 49) "Checkmate Cruiser")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KevinDavis
Well, there's always's Admiral Shepherd's prayer:

"Oh, Lord. Please don't let me f@#k up!"

7 posted on 05/31/2008 5:55:32 AM PDT by Prospero (Ad Astra!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KevinDavis
If Discovery does not launch on Saturday, the weather begins to deteriorate, with an increased chance of thunderstorms delaying the launch.

"If we do happen to delay 24 hours we start to get a little more concerned," Winters said. "There's a 30 percent chance of KSC weather prohibiting launch."

If the shuttle's liftoff is delayed by 48 hours, the chances of bad weather disrupting the launch rise to 60 percent.

Plans for launch appear to be progressing smoothly, with no last-minute issues hindering preparations. Shuttle workers have packed away a last-minute addition, a spare toilet pump for the space station's bathroom, so astronauts aboard the outpost can repair the space toilet in orbit. The station's toilet went on the fritz last week and astronauts need the new pump to restore it to full service.

Link

Looks good so far :)

8 posted on 05/31/2008 5:55:51 AM PDT by Dawnsblood
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KevinDavis
Count me in!

Put us on that "Space Ping!" thing.

As Admiral Shepherd said, "Sounds dangerous. Count me in."

9 posted on 05/31/2008 6:03:53 AM PDT by Prospero (non est ad astra mollis e terris via)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: KevinDavis

Looks good so far. We’re in Daytona Beach, ready to head down to Titusville and snag a good viewing spot.


10 posted on 05/31/2008 6:23:21 AM PDT by Brian Mosely (A government is a body of people -- usually notably ungoverned)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dawnsblood

Biggest problem was finding a rotorooter guy space flight qualified and willing to work for crappy wages (pun intended).

.....Bob


11 posted on 05/31/2008 6:28:40 AM PDT by Lokibob (Some people are like slinkys. Useless, but if you throw them down the stairs, you smile.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: KevinDavis

Include me and thanks.


12 posted on 05/31/2008 7:21:26 AM PDT by Rappini ("Pro deo et Patria.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Dawnsblood; KevinDavis
The station's toilet went on the fritz last week and astronauts need the new pump to restore it to full service.

I have to believe that the most welcome reason for getting back to Terra Firma after an extended trip to the station would be the simple pleasure of sitting down and letting gravity do its thing.       :^)

13 posted on 05/31/2008 8:10:19 AM PDT by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: brityank

IIRC...the ISS toilet’s disposal of solid waste involves a vacuum and rapidly spinning blades.

I don’t know about you, but having ANY part of my anatomy, much less my nether regions, close to ‘rapidly spinning blades’ would cause me JUST A BIT of concern....

Nonetheless, Godspeed, Discovery!


14 posted on 05/31/2008 8:22:48 AM PDT by hoagy62 (Happily watching the Left go full-goose bozo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: KevinDavis
Here's the scheduled timeline for today:

Also, you can follow the NASA-TV webcast in WinPlayer; either with this link or open "File/Oen URL" and add http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx

15 posted on 05/31/2008 8:25:05 AM PDT by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lokibob

LOL. Actually, it’s a water problem, not a solid one.
In OH, will watch on the HD-TV. Good View, FL.


16 posted on 05/31/2008 8:26:36 AM PDT by airforceF4
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: airforceF4

spaceflightnow.com

1445 GMT (10:45 a.m. EDT)

FUELING COMPLETED. The external fuel tank has been pumped full with a half-million gallons of supercold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. The three-hour fueling process started at 7:38 a.m. with the chilldown conditioning and was completed at 10:36 a.m.

But given the cryogenic nature of the oxidizer and propellant, the supplies naturally boil away. So the tanks are continuously topped off until the final minutes of the countdown in a procedure called “stable replenishment.”

With the hazardous tanking operation completed, the Orbiter Closeout Crew and Final Inspection Team have been given the OK to go out to the pad to perform their jobs. The closeout crew will ready Discovery’s crew module for the astronauts’ ingress in a couple of hours; and the inspection team will give the entire vehicle a check for any ice formation following fueling.


Everything is hazardous with this


17 posted on 05/31/2008 8:28:12 AM PDT by RightWhale (We see the polygons)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: KevinDavis

LOL!

Marking for later viewing.


18 posted on 05/31/2008 8:29:31 AM PDT by Ladysmith ((NRA, SAS) Praise God and pass the ammunition!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RightWhale

God Speed Discovery.


19 posted on 05/31/2008 8:34:15 AM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: tet68

spaceflightnow.com

1530 GMT (11:30 a.m. EDT)

The Final Inspection Team is performing its observations of Discovery this morning.

The team is responsible for checking the shuttle and launch pad one last time prior to liftoff. The team is comprised of engineers and safety officials from NASA, United Space Alliance and tank-builder Lockheed Martin. At the conclusion of their two-hour tour-of-duty, the team will have walked up and down the entire fixed service structure and mobile launcher platform.

The team is on the lookout for any abnormal ice or frost build-up on the vehicle and integrity of the external tank foam insulation.

The team uses a portable infrared scanner that gathers temperature measurements on the surface area of the shuttle and can spot leaks. The scanner will be used to obtain temperature data on the external tank, solid rocket boosters, space shuttle orbiter, main engines and launch pad structures. The scanner can also spot leaks of the cryogenic propellants, and due to its ability to detect distinct temperature differences, can spot any dangerous hydrogen fuel that is burning. The team member also is responsible for photo documentation.

The team wears the highly visible day-glow orange coveralls that are anti-static and flame resistant. Each member also has a self-contained emergency breathing unit that holds about 10 minutes of air.


Final Inspection Team sounds like hazardous duty. Day-glo in combat with primal forces of nature.


20 posted on 05/31/2008 8:44:57 AM PDT by RightWhale (We see the polygons)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-165 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson