Posted on 06/12/2007 4:48:53 PM PDT by XBob
Space Shuttle's Left Wing May Be Damaged Meteorite, Space Junk May Have Struck Panels
POSTED: 5:13 pm EDT June 12, 2007 UPDATED: 7:00 pm EDT June 12, 2007 Email This Story | Print This Story Sign Up for Breaking News Alerts WASHINGTON -- A meteorite or space junk may have struck Space Shuttle Atlantis' left wing, according to NBC News space correspondent Jay Barbree.
NASA recorded a hit on reinforced carbon panels 7 and 8 on the left wing. The panels keep heat from re-entry from burning the spacecraft.
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This is the same area where foam damaged Columbia's left wing and caused it to break up, killing its crew on Feb. 1, 2003.
it's reported that "An average of 195,000 Americans died annually in 2000, 2001 and 2002 because of potentially preventable, in-hospital medical errors, according to a study of 37 million patient records conducted by HealthGrades, a healthcare quality company."
"With national annual highway deaths at more than 42,000, the Federal Highway Administration ..."
etc - do we ban cars and hospitals?
all deaths are tragic and should be prevented whenever possible - but unless we all hide in caves and do nothing but contemplate our navels, there will be, unfortunately, people who die.
No harsh feelings at all. There is, indeed, a necessary public sector exposure to the industry, much like things like NIH grants, the CDC, even (though I won’t try to argue it) the NEA, if the Humanities are one’s thing.
You pool the risk for new tech, then let the deeper pockets assume the risk for rewards. Everyone wins.
“A different propulsion method that doesn’t require 93457932475 gallons of fuel in a tank the size of a skyscraper.”
How about a propulsion system for space vehicles that requires NO fuel?
How about a propulsion system for planes that requires NO fuel?
How about a propulsion system for land vehicles (cars) that requires NO fuel?
How about a system for generating electricity for homes that requires NO fuel?
It is possible. Govt does not want any of this. Tesla knew how. Govt destroyed his work and tried to destroy him.
We would not need the grid. We would not need the Middle East or Chavez. We would not need big oil. But does anybody really care?
Not one taxpayer dollar paid for those birdies.
WRONG! Those solar panels were developed as a NASA spin off, the rocket that got them there also a NASA spin off, the communications space ready hardware also a NASA spin off, the overall hardware configuration to include "space keeping" thrusters also a NASA spin off.
Basically if it is in space and it is ours (meaning US originated) it is a DIRECT NASA spin off (meaning technology developed for NASA).
Think of NASA as the Interstate System and Ford combined and everybody else is just working off their original blueprints and adding a better head light.
>>>>I’m 31 years old. For those older than me...how in the HELL do you sit still through a shuttle launch and landing? After what happened with the Challenger and Columbia,
We are masters of self medication...I remember the Murcury Missions...had the entire countrty on pins and needles....
Short answer: Yes.
Somewhat longer answer: It doesn't need to.
Full answer: This isn't an Apollo 13 situation. The orbiter is not crippled. It is up and fully functional, and the crew can continue to live and work on Atlantis for at least the remaining nine days scheduled for the mission -- probably at least twice hat long, because there's some wiggle room built into the system.
If they ration food and water, they can stretch those supplies. If they conserve effort, they can cut their O2 consumption. And they have backup O2 systems. Bottom line, the ISS plus a shuttle is a luxury hotel compared to Mir, and no one died on Mir. They learned. And they have redundant backups.
In the worst case, which is unlikely, Atlantis cannot re-enter -- but its resources can be exhausted with little risk before it is ditched. Another Shuttle can be launched on a rescue mission on relatively short notice -- that's part of the post-Columbia plan.
Meanwhile, three crew members could go home on a Soyuz any time on a moment's notice -- they keep one docked for just that purpose. The Russians can send up a Progress capsule -- an unmanned version of the Soyuz -- on a short turn-around to carry supplies up and bring three astronauts at a time down. If need be, and again it's unlikely this will even become an issue, the station and shuttle could be safely abandoned in a week or two.
And what kind of a 'fence' would you put up to protect us from another country who gets set up in space with the goal of blasting us from there?
Man WILL continue to go into space, build space stations and, eventually, bases - If we're not there also, we will be at the mercy of someone who wishes us ill = got a fence for that?
And BTW, this is a thread about the danger our astronauts are in - please don't hijack it for immigration - there are plenty of those to post on
I remember hearing that during Apollo “I don’t think we should be going to the moon as long as their are any problems here on earth, you know starving people, poverty..”
The truth is, the space program paid for itself many, many times over, quite apart from all the good paying, high tech jobs utilized all across the country from thousands of firms big and small. Tired of hearing idiots drive debates.
Nasa’s Budget for 2006 was $16.5 billion of which one fourth, $4.3 billion was for the Shuttle Program
Putting NASA’s Budget in Perspective from http://www.richardb.us/nasa.html
Some Highlights from the 1999 budget:
NASA’s budget is less than 1% (approx. $13.7 billion) of the National budget on average and NASA’s budget represents approximately 0.2% of U.S. Gross Domestic Product.
International Assistance Programs - $10.0 billion
Food Stamps...................... - $19.0 billion
HUD.............................. - $32.7 billion
From the Office of management and Budget (OMB):
Total United States welfare costs for the year 2000:
$434.3 billion of which the federal portion is $312.9 billion and the remaining $121.3 billion comes from state spending on welfare.
Now I ask you, what return on investment do you think is greater, NASA Shuttle Program at $4.3 billion or Federal Welfare at $312.9 billion?
Which is really a waste of money?
As other folks mentioned in the launch thread, I still get white knuckles when I hear "Roger, go with throttle up" 70-some seconds after launch. Those were Challenger commander Frank Scobee's last (reported) words.
I agree.
Personally, I would like to see NASA become more like an NACA of the 21st century. The NACA conducted pure research into aviation (windtunnel tests on wing shapes, cross sections, materials, etc.) and disseminated this information to the US Aviation industry. This way, both large and small manufacturers could benefit from research that, if done by individual companies, would have been time consuming and costly. NASA should serve a more supportive role for private space development. They do perform pure research into aerospace, but they can do more to get out of the way and help support more private activity “up there”. Heck, open the ISS to access by private industry.
Hey, we lost one colony when we tried to settle Virginia. It’s too dangerous over there!
Also, private industry pays to launch satellites on the Shuttle and from government launch sites. Since when did HUD or food stamps seek any kind of return for the taxpayer?
Sounds great to me, particularly while watching the Atlantis crew interviewed.
That poor lady said she can’t wait to take a shower when she gets back to Earth.
I can’t imagine how funky it might get being stuck in a tin can with little ventilation. Now those poor folks on the ISS get to go through it for months at a time.
The whole zero-g manufacturing thing turned out to be a dead end. No real particular economic value for it.
Check out my post 114.
I am speaking of docking access. SpaceX is working on a private-sector crewed vehicle similar to the CEV and Rocketplane Kistler is also considering a manned capability for their reusable booster.
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