Author Topic: How far away is a Shuttle launch's acoustic energy fatal??  (Read 43233 times)

Offline lcs

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The M-113 APCs are supposed to be stationed 1 mile from the launch pad.  I agree that photo looks closer.

Here is a photo of the APCs stationed during a Saturn-V launch.  I wonder if they were manned?


Offline shuttlefanatic

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We were debating it the other day, anyone know???
 
(It would be interesting to compare the distances of the various rockets.)

Per Charlie Bolden's narration at the Shuttle Launch Experience - at 400 ft the heat will kill you.  At 800 ft the sound will kill you.

P.S.  That's a really cool picture!

Offline Ford Mustang

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Due to a bad mistake in communications, one of the rescue teams found themselves outside of their armored vehicle when this launch occurred.

This can't be more than three-quarters of a mile from Pad B.

Ross.
Holy cow.... I'd venture to say that's way less than 3/4's of a mile.

I'd go with maybe 800 or 900 yards, and not much further.  From STS-129 info, the Shuttle is only about 550 feet, 183 yards, from the pad gate... and while the gate is small, it's very easily visible.  Incredible photograph!

Offline sbt

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The M-113 APCs are supposed to be stationed 1 mile from the launch pad.  I agree that photo looks closer.

Here is a photo of the APCs stationed during a Saturn-V launch.  I wonder if they were manned?

Just as today there were APCs for further evacuation from the area of the bunkers at the end of the slide wire system from the towers. Again IIRC, these were, and are, to be driven by the escaping personnel and so were not manned during a launch - just readied for a quick get away.

The famous 'Rubber Room' was for escape from lower down the tower, via the lifts to the pad surface rather than having to go UP the tower to get to the slide wires.

Rick
I am not interested in your political point scoring, Ad Hominem attacks, personal obsessions and vendettas. - No matter how cute and clever you may think your comments are.

Offline madscientist197

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Are there any impacts on wildlife from LC39 launches?

One of the biggest issues is all the HCl from the SRBs; in addition to causing pulmonary edema in animals it acidifies wetlands/lakes (I've heard unsubstantiated rumours of large fish die-offs). There's a certain irony in KSC being next to a wildlife preserve. Tsk tsk.
« Last Edit: 05/19/2010 08:07 am by madscientist197 »
John

Offline brad2007a

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Due to a bad mistake in communications, one of the rescue teams found themselves outside of their armored vehicle when this launch occurred.

This can't be more than three-quarters of a mile from Pad B.

Ross.

Which flight was this?
Democrats haven't been this mad at Republicans since the Republicans took away their slaves..

Offline JohnFornaro

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What?  I can't hear you!
Sometimes I just flat out don't get it.

Offline brad2007a

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What?  I can't hear you!

I SAID: WHICH FLIGHT WAS THIS?!?!?!
 ;D  :o
« Last Edit: 05/19/2010 06:25 pm by brad2007a »
Democrats haven't been this mad at Republicans since the Republicans took away their slaves..

Offline floron

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I was chatting with one of the security guards ('chatting' as in 'being told off by'  :P) from the watchtower at the south end of Playalinda beach after the launch of STS-125, and he told me that the tower was manned during launches from 39B. That must be less than a mile from the pad.
« Last Edit: 05/19/2010 06:43 pm by floron »

Offline Pheogh

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I was chatting with one of the security guards ('chatting' as in 'being told off by'  :P) from the watchtower at the south end of Playalinda beach after the launch of STS-125, and he told me that the tower was manned during launches from 39B. That must be less than a mile from the pad.

a good guess? that's pretty close... ::)

Offline lcs

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According to Google earth, your 'X' is 0.8 mile from the launch platform on Pad 39B.  That would be about 138 dB, which according to my source:

137 HUMAN BODY VIBRATION IS STRONG -REF.1.1983
137-140 HUMAN EAR ALL FREQUENCIES ARE PAINFUL -REF.1.1983

but obviously not fatal. 

Offline Rocket Guy

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Regarding the photo of the guys outside the tank above...they are precisely one mile away.  You are seeing foreshortening from a telephoto lens. And they come out pretty much every time once they clear the tower. They wear ear protection.
« Last Edit: 05/20/2010 12:21 am by Rocket Guy »

Offline Rocket Guy

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=the Shuttle is only about 550 feet, 183 yards, from the pad gate... and while the gate is small, it's very easily visible.  Incredible photograph!

Shuttle to gate is 1,500 feet.

Offline Rocket Guy

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What?  I can't hear you!

I SAID: WHICH FLIGHT WAS THIS?!?!?!
 ;D  :o

It is STS-26.

That guard tower is not manned for 39B. The other people inside three miles at launch are tank crew (1.0) and about six camera operators at 2.0 miles.
« Last Edit: 05/20/2010 12:20 am by Rocket Guy »

Offline floron

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tsk. ah well, mother always told me never to trust a man in uniform.

Offline Ford Mustang

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=the Shuttle is only about 550 feet, 183 yards, from the pad gate... and while the gate is small, it's very easily visible.  Incredible photograph!

Shuttle to gate is 1,500 feet.

Cool, thanks!  Some of the guys at KSC told us about 550 feet or so.

Offline brad2007a

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What?  I can't hear you!

I SAID: WHICH FLIGHT WAS THIS?!?!?!
 ;D  :o

It is STS-26.

That guard tower is not manned for 39B. The other people inside three miles at launch are tank crew (1.0) and about six camera operators at 2.0 miles.

OK, thanks.
Democrats haven't been this mad at Republicans since the Republicans took away their slaves..

Offline Jones36

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Dang trick photography!

Still incredible shot.

Offline STS-85

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Maybe it's STS-70??? Looking at the photos of the clouds that day, it resembles 70 more than 26.. and 70 held at the T-31 second mark for only 55 seconds and listening/watching to the replay it's one of those 'frantic' times when they dont' really acknowledge they're re-starting the count.. kind of just do it lol

Offline psloss

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Maybe it's STS-70??? Looking at the photos of the clouds that day, it resembles 70 more than 26.. and 70 held at the T-31 second mark for only 55 seconds and listening/watching to the replay it's one of those 'frantic' times when they dont' really acknowledge they're re-starting the count.. kind of just do it lol
No, not STS-70 -- looks like the earlier markings on the SRB forward assemblies that were used on the STS-26 vehicle.  The light and shadow are different than STS-70.  And on the short unplanned hold at the end of the STS-70 countdown, the voice traffic sounds crisp and standard to me, not frantic.  (Including the announcement by the NTD on the loop that the clock would pick up.)

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