Posted on 05/29/2009 7:15:50 AM PDT by Islander7
STENNIS SPACE CENTER A massive steel structure jutting into the sky not far from Interstate 10 is sending the world a message: NASA is taking the next step in hurtling humans back to the moon.
Structural work was recently finished on the giant A-3 test stand. Now, things are moving further along in the construction phase.
In April, Steel Erector Inc., of Lafayette, La., put the final steel beam on top of the towering test stand and bolted the beam in place, bearing the signatures of project team members. Were now 235 feet closer to going back to the moon, A-3 project manager Lonnie Dutreix said.
The test stand has a final completion date of May 2011. Steel for the project began arriving at Stennis in October 2008 enough to build 16 phases on foundations and footings that were placed in 2007. All told, four million pounds of fabricated steel were used.
(Excerpt) Read more at sunherald.com ...
Man you all got little hills down there. LOL
I've been on the Stennis Space Center grounds recently and saw this test stand being built. The facility is huge and the roads snake around a lot, but I *think* this photo POV is south-east.
Every trip things are learned that have to be learned for further exploration. The stars and beyond are the new Manifest Destiny we have to go.
I suspect the muslim in the o thing will cancel this Moon business as an insult to islam. But not before a few billion have been spent on it, then another billion to shut it down. His attack on America continues.
Hey! I was at 60 foot elevation! That's nose bleed altitude!
The existing stands are visible from atop the I-10 Pearl River bridge at the LA - MS state line. That would be the only vantage point.
Another FReeper as already insulted the size of our hills.
We lived in Slidell back in 1999-2000...dh was stationed with the Navy’s river boat unit at Stennis. Some of the most beautiful homes of the pre-Civil War era are down on the Gulf Coast.
Intercommunications between facilities via data(phone) links. Sounds like the Internet? It was
Minaturization of circuitry to maximize efficiency and minimize power consumption. Sounds like Integrated Circuitry? It was.
Medical advances in determining how to prevent bone loss. Sound like anything that can be done on Earth? Nope, only in zero gravity
Development of long term high calorie, concentrated food stuffs. Sound like MRE's?
A lot of the developments out of the space program are taken for granted today. Where to you think something like Krazy Glue came from? Testing of adhesives for the thermal tiles on the shuttle.
Not to mention the additions of welding techniques, wiring, fiber optics, digital cameras, hand held calculators. Solid rocket fuel development that was integrated into the ballistic missle systems, enableing a safer deterrent. Solar cells development, radio and telemetry advances that now have GPS an everyday usage.
And those are the things that I can think of just after a few moments.
Not any more! :-(
We’re borrowing hand over fist from the Chinese so we can do something we already did 40 years ago?
I know, I know :(
My brother now lives in N.O. (he moved there in Jan. of ‘05). The house across the street from him was a pre-C.W. home...during Katrina, the roof ripped off, the walls got soaked, and the house collapsed. It was in the process of being sold too. My brother had just had a new roof put on his house about 3 weeks before Katrina. He got off pretty easy compared to most (his house was built around 1910). He lost his garage and the wiring in his house had to be redone, amongst other things. Thank goodness he had flood insurance!
Johnny Reb!
There were. Sadly, many which had withstood hurricanes for over 100 years, including the powerful '47' hurricane, and Camille, were destroyed by Katrina. My bil told me that of the roughly 168 homes along the coast from Gulfport to Biloxi, only 4 were intact, and just barely habitable, after the storm.
Thanks! Gonna be on I-10 this December, driving West to East through your part of the country. Will keep an eye out!
Landed on the carrier via a C2 and left via cat shot off the deck the next morning. It was a troop exchange since we traded radar pictures and one of the coolest things I have ever done in my life.
My respect for Navy increased greatly after that trip!
Very good list of things there, Pistolshot. I’m not sure we needed to send men to the moon to get all of that, though.
Just another place for the Administration to cut budget in favor of bail-outs.
Won’t happen. Obama is already spending the program money to buy Dem votes.
Best part about that is, in the rare times that there are ice storms, you don't have to worry about slipping and sliding DOWN hills, or try to figure out how you're gonna get UP one!
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.