[QUOTE]
by JASON RHIAN on JANUARY 1, 2011
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A technician begins to remove thermal sensors and foam insulation from space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Photo Credit: NASA/Frank Michaux
Discovery’s woes deepened this week with NASA engineers finding even more cracks in the orbiter’s external tank. The first crack was noted shortly after a leak was discovered on the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP) Nov. 5. After the first crack was found, technicians found a second and then a third. NASA found the crack on support beams dubbed ‘stringers’ around the intertank region of the tank. They applied what is known in the business as a doubler, a section of metal that is twice as thick as the original – this is done to strengthen the affected area.
On Dec. 17, a tanking test was conducted on the tank. Some 89 instruments were attached to the outside to monitor the tank as it was filled with super-cold liquid oxygen and hydrogen. The external tank can shrink by as much as an inch when these extremely cold liquids enter the tank. As one might imagine, this creates great stress on the tank, as such mission managers had the orbiter rolled back into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for X-Ray scans and other tests.
These tests are considered to be ‘non-destructive’ but NASA is not able to conduct them out at launch complex 39A. Testing started as soon as the full stack consisting of the orbiter, ET and twin solid rocket boosters were in the VAB.
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It is unknown when Discovery will be back at LC39A for her final mission, STS-133. Photo Credit: Alan Walters/awaltersphoto.com
However, once these scans were completed – NASA had more problems, more cracks were found. Four cracks were found hiding beneath the foam on the side of the ET that faces away from Discovery. Mission managers will now weigh whether-or-not they will go ahead with repairing the damaged section of the ET. They are scheduled to make a final determination on Monday, Jan. 3. If they elect to do so, the repairs will be conducted inside of the VAB and not out at the pad.
STS-133 is a resupply flight to the International Space Station (ISS). When it does launch, it will carry the modified Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) to the orbiting outpost. Contained within that is the first human-like robot to fly into space – Robonaut-2 (R2). Currently, Discovery is scheduled to launch no-earlier-than Feb. 3 at 1:37 EDT. This mission will mark the 39th time that Discovery has taken to the Florida skies and will be the final scheduled mission in the orbiter’s career.
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Discovery's final crew may have to wait a while longer before they can start their mission. Image Credit: NASA
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Source: [url]http://www.universetoday.com/82089/discoverys-crack-woes-deepen/[/url]
You see, this is what happens when you have five thousand different companies build a single spaceplane.
IN THE MEANTIME, NASA can't fix the cracks because ATK stole five hundred million dollars from them. Precious.
I hope they won't cancel the launch altogether. After all, if I'm correct, this is the last launch for the spaceshuttle, right?
In other news, republicans launch a massive advance against the democrats using the slogan, 'god hates democrats' and it has been said to have been the most progressional point in human history.
In other words, our governments can't prioritize worth shit.
Talk about a Challenger. Hope they can resolve the problems otherwise they better keep her grounded, no point in risking it.
If they launch it at this point, this is all I see happening:
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These orbiters suck and I dont wanna pay for them anymore.
[QUOTE=superdinoman;27172151]These orbiters suck and I dont wanna pay for them anymore.[/QUOTE]
Agreed. The cost doesn't match the benefit.
Damn, the astronauts must be feeling like shit right now. Being prime crew (next crew to fly) is a real tiring job and it takes it out of them after a while. Astronauts are cool but they're not super-human and it gets real stressful when there are problems with the orbiter or its boosters and equipment.
Let's just get rid of the Shuttle altogether and replace it with a Falcon 9 rocket.
[IMG]http://www.planet-techno-science.com/wp-content/upLoads/falcon_9.jpg[/IMG]
Mainly because SpaceX is actually doing things right because it doesn't have to fight against hordes of Senators trying to shut down the space program.
Virgin galactic all the way.
Could we get more funding for the future of humanity please?
The astronauts don't look as badass as I imagine an astronaut to look.
Contract out the shuttle's job and use the money for something more exciting like Mars.
Waiting for SpaceX to make some cool shit operational like thier dragon capsule
lol @ token black guy
[editline]3rd January 2011[/editline]
& maybe token woman
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;27171518][IMG]http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/sts-133crew1.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
Silly astronauts, you cant take off your helmet in space.
I always thought it was kind of a waste to just dump those ETs into the atmosphere. It's not that hard to add small booster rockets to push the empty tank into a parking orbit where an automated craft could then tow it somewhere. The tanks are ready-made space station modules that could be strung together, pressurized, and fitted-out. Imagine if every Shuttle launch had left an ET in orbit to be later towed and added to a space station.
[url]http://ssi.org/assets/images/slide12-large.jpg[/url]
NASA
Need
Another
Six
Astronauts
crack is whack
Hey NASA, here's an idea. Send all your funding to SpaceX because they're doing a better fucking job than you are.
[QUOTE=DrLuke;27171602]I hope they won't cancel the launch altogether. After all, if I'm correct, this is the last launch for the spaceshuttle, right?[/QUOTE]
Last launch for that specific shuttle, not the program. There's another mission planned for April that's supposed to be the last, and maybe another after that but there's no funding/it's a backup rescue plan to the April launch, so it's most likely to end with STS-134.
I can't stop laughing at this guy's expression.
[img]http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/5250/astrodowns.jpg[/img]
[QUOTE=animephreak135;27182656]I can't stop laughing at this guy's expression.
[img_thumb]http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/5250/astrodowns.jpg[/img_thumb][/QUOTE]
He's obviously the [b]KING OF SPACE[/b]
[QUOTE=DeanWinchester;27181953]Hey NASA, here's an idea. Send all your funding to SpaceX because they're doing a better fucking job than you are.[/QUOTE]
NASA solution to cracked tank:
"Delay launch six months to patch every single crack and pressure test it fifty times."
SpaceX solution to cracked tank:
"Cracked? Take a saw and cut it off, it's not like we need it.
[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;27184052]NASA solution to cracked tank:
"Delay launch six months to patch every single crack and pressure test it fifty times."
SpaceX solution to cracked tank:
"Cracked? Take a saw and cut it off, it's not like we need it.[/QUOTE]
This is correct. Last launch, they found a crack caused by Nitrogen gas on the second stage nozzle.
Solution? Call Marty, have him fly from Hawthorne and cut up the nozzle.
I can imagine the conversation afterwards:
Marty: "So do I get a raise for this?"
Elon: "Um... Let me consider... Ten cents an hour and not a penny more."
Marty: "It's a deal!"
Elon: "And a free Roadster."
Has anyone had sex (or tried to have)in space yet?
[QUOTE=Biotoxsin;27184690]Has anyone had sex (or tried to have)in space yet?[/QUOTE]
There are rumors, but I don't think so. Until they make a Mars mission or something, at that point it will be inevitable.
[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;27181691]I always thought it was kind of a waste to just dump those ETs into the atmosphere. It's not that hard to add small booster rockets to push the empty tank into a parking orbit where an automated craft could then tow it somewhere. The tanks are ready-made space station modules that could be strung together, pressurized, and fitted-out. Imagine if every Shuttle launch had left an ET in orbit to be later towed and added to a space station.
[url]http://ssi.org/assets/images/slide12-large.jpg[/url][/QUOTE]
have to agree
[QUOTE=Biotoxsin;27184690]Has anyone had sex (or tried to have)in space yet?[/QUOTE]
There was an actual study if I remember correctly, what happened was they didn't know what the fuck to do so they ended up separating after the initial thrust and would fly into the walls. Then they had to be tied together to remedy that problem, however all that did was make them rotate wildly around.
Doesn't that scare the shit out of the astronauts that are going to be flying in that thing??
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