Shuttle Contact LOST-No Tracking Data During RE-Entry!

Nasa TV | 02/01/03 | GRRRR

[GRRRRR]

Shuttle has NOT been heard from or seen on tracking radar since 0800Hrs CDT. No contact at Merrit Island tracking station, no voice comm...DEVELOPING.

[Publius6961]

IMHO, there's absolutely no reason to fly anything but rats or monkeys anyhow.

Spoken like a true...

Never mind.
There is enough mindless drivel posted inappropriately.

[George W. Bush]

Buran never flew with humans aboard. The one prototype is gathering dust somewhere in Russia. We could design and build an improved shuttle before Buran ever saw daylight.

They may revive it.

Russia To Bring Space Shuttle Back From The Grave

It appears they're putting some of the money from commercial satellite launch back into Buran. And they have a large base still stocked with parts and a Buran that is still ready to fly.

I'd love it if they flew it. Our shuttle only carries 20 tons. Theirs is huge and carries over 100 tons. By extending the length of Buran (now being planned), they could carry 200 tons! Just imagine what it would be like to see such a monster space plane in flight. Wow!

This is the kind of vehicle that we should have. We should buy it up and use it for ourselves. If nothing else, the Energia launchers alone would be a great acquisition for us. The Energia launchers could have lifted the entire space station in 3 flights instead of the 38 it will take our shuttle to do it.


Look at that monster!

[OReilly]

"What country has a Flag with a Pine Tree on it?" <<<<<<< Lebanon isn't it?

I don't know if it is someone's idea of a bad ...something, but that charred field being shown on FOXNEWS does look very unusual.

[CARepubGal]

You could hear him trying not to break down on TV. Liked the Biblical quotes. God rest these 7 brave souls!

[Floratina]

I did visit DU and there was a thread directing readers to a FR thread. It was real-time reporting as FReepers along the flight path were going outside to watch the shuttle fly above, initially unaware of the unfolding tragedy.

Almost all of the responses to that thread were gracious; they thought it was pretty amazing to read.

One commented that they liked the (mostly) non-political content of the thread and at times like this we should remember that we are all Americans and can put this sniping aside.

[The South Park Republican]

I can tell you're sorry and made a mistake.

I too roll my eyes when the word "Hero" is overused on people just being in the wrong place at the wrong time or just doing their jobs at a bad time.

This just isn't one of those cases when you consider how dangerous it really is to make it through the training and be an astronaut. But then again, I would jump on a shuttle ride in a SECOND even WITH the "Risk". (Even though I probably don't have the guts to make it through the training).

So I understand how you made your mistake. And it's obvious you do to. No need to worry anymore...

[Loyalist]

Manned space flight is an anachronism. It impedes space exploration and exploitation.

And if God wanted man to fly, He would have given him wings.</bitter sarcasm>

[RightWhale]

which reporter will be the first to complain about Pres. Bush quoting the Bible and using God references

More notable is that the space program will continue in spite of the inherent danger. As to what comes next, I would assume that the Space Shuttle is about done. The next generation spacecraft is about to receive major push from the White House and Congress.

[Man of the Right]

$4 billion in '86.

[Light Speed]

Coverage of Mission STS-107 STS-107 STATUS REPORT 34 Last Updated: 08:20 a.m., 02/01/03 (all times Eastern)

Here is a detailed timeline of today's entry activities (in EST):

Orbit.........255
dT............02:38 (deorbit burn duration)
dV............176 mph (change in velocity)
Freefall......35:47 (time to discernible atmosphere)
Range to KSC..5,113 sm
Crossrange....Left-14 sm (distance from normal ground track)
Turn..........Right-213 degrees
Runway........33

TIME..........EVENT

05:45:00 AM...Mission control 'go' for OPS-3 entry software load
05:55:00 AM...OPS-3 transition
06:20:00 AM...Entry switchlist verification
06:30:00 AM...Deorbit maneuver update
06:35:00 AM...Crew entry review
06:50:00 AM...Commander/pilot don entry suits
07:07:00 AM...Navigation system (IMU) alignment
07:15:00 AM...Commander/pilot strap in; others don suits
07:32:00 AM...Shuttle steering check
07:35:00 AM...APU hydraulic power system prestart
07:42:00 AM...Toilet deactivation
07:50:00 AM...Payload bay vent doors closed for entry
07:55:00 AM...Mission control 'go' for deorbit burn
08:01:00 AM...Astronaut seat ingress
08:10:00 AM...Single APU start
08:12:34 AM...TDRS-West comsat acquisition of signal
08:15:18 AM...Deorbit ignition
08:17:56 AM...Deorbit burn complete
08:43:53 AM...Shuttle hits discernible atmosphere
08:49:26 AM...23-degree right roll command
08:56:15 AM...63-degree roll reversal
09:09:29 AM...Velocity less than mach 2.5
09:11:38 AM...Velocity less than mach 1
09:12:39 AM...Shuttle turns to line up on runway
09:15:50 AM...Landing on runway 33

The Columbia astronauts closed the shuttle's payload bay doors around 5:45 a.m., preparing the ship for re-entry and landing back at the Kennedy Space Center to close out a 16-day science mission. Forecasters are keeping close tabs on area fog and lower-than-expected clouds, but conditions are expected to improve as the morning wears on and flight controllers are optimistic about an on-time landing. "We've just been watching the weather at the Cape," astronaut Charles Hobaugh radioed from mission control. "This morning when we got in it looked pretty gruesome. There was some fog and low layers. The T-38 has already done its first weather (observation run) and the weather has improved greatly. ... We're expecting those patches of thin layers to clear up as the sun comes up." Flying upside down and backward over the Indian Ocean, commander Rick Husband and William "Willie" McCool plan to fire Columbia's twin orbital maneuvering system braking rockets at 8:15:18 a.m. to begin the hourlong descent to Earth. The rocket firing will last for two minutes and 38 seconds, slowing the shuttle by 176 mph and dropping the far side of its orbit deep into the atmosphere. Following that new trajectory, Columbia will fall for 35 minutes and 47 seconds before entering the discernible atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean around 8:45 a.m. Range to touchdown at that point will be 5,113 miles. Columbia's flight path will carry it over the coast of California near San Francisco at 8:55 a.m. EST (5:55 a.m. PST), an hour before sunrise. Weather permitting, early risers may be treated to a spectacular sky show as the space shuttle streaks across the predawn sky. Husband will take over manual control of the spacecraft 50,000 feet above the Kennedy Space Center, guiding the ship through a sweeping 213-degree right-overhead turn to line up on runway 33. At touchdown, Columbia's seven-member crew will have completed 255 full orbits and traveled 6.6 million miles since blastoff Jan. 16 from nearby pad 39A.

[DoughtyOne]

Thank you for that report. On Free Republic we were alerted to this problem within moments of the incident inception. That's pretty incredible and a credit to this forum.

[hattend]

Spoken like a true...

Never mind. There is enough mindless drivel posted inappropriately.

Agreed...thanks for your restraint, even when some people deserve a pummelling.

[Jhoffa_]

One commented that they liked the (mostly) non-political content of the thread and at times like this we should remember that we are all Americans and can put this sniping aside.

If he's reading this, I would like it to be known that I fart in his communist direction.

There. I feel cleansed.

[twyn1]

Can you cross-post your transcript of the President's remarks on this other thread ??

President to Address the nation...

[zeaal]

We live north of Carrollton, TX and the boom was so loud my spouse was sure a vehicle hit the house. My mom who lives near by ran outside because she though something fell on her house. No debris in our area. But the boom was not just sound but also a physical feeling.

[WSGilcrest]

bookmark

[The South Park Republican]

Nope. She's a "mission specialist," not a shuttle pilot.

Then shame on Shep. Even if the astronaut in question (Interesting...I don't know her name but know I WILL know it and probably never forget it shortly) made the mistake he spoke of, that fact has NOTHING to do with what happened today.

FOX did the right thing.

[Al B.]

That's San Augustine, Texas.

[Terriergal]

Could be.

[Kip Lange]

Manned space flight is an anachronism.

Manned space flight is the collective future and collective dream of humanity. Would that we were all forced to view Earthrise for some perspective on the insignificance of all of our petty concerns. Manned space flight *transcends*.