Author Topic: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)  (Read 167441 times)

Offline zerm

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #280 on: 06/10/2012 12:59 am »
How busy was Udvar-Hazy, zerm?  Curious if the initial rush has passed, I'll be going back up there in two weeks, and was just thinking aloud.

Thanks!  And I, too, feel the same way.  Many of the astronauts who were there felt the same, but I guess it's time to move on..

Crowd was about what you'd expect for a Thursday in June- nothing special. A few small "groups" (all wearing the same T-shirts sort of folks that are common in the DC area). Probably about 40 people in the Discovery wing at any one time, mostly in couples with one person who obviously knew nothing about the orbiter telling the other all about it. Many asking questions out loud in hope that someone may answer... they were lucky my buddy and I were near-by to provide the very simple, yet correct answers.

A close friend of mine who works at the NASM as a researcher provided us with a point of trivia. Apparently Discovery lost 6 tiles while being transported. The NASM restoration shop replaced them with dummy tiles, but didn't want blanks just sitting there- so they painted mock code numbering on the tiles with a bit of fun... the word "FOAM" is in the code. We spotted 4 of them right away and got some photos. Lightened up the visit a bit.
« Last Edit: 06/10/2012 01:01 am by zerm »

Offline Ford Mustang

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #281 on: 06/10/2012 01:26 am »
Wow!  Didn't know that, but that's pretty cool.  Will definitely have to check that out.

Thanks for the info, again.  Will be good to see her in a more calm environment than when she arrived.  Definitely will sink in.

Offline dougie69

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #282 on: 06/11/2012 10:53 am »
A close friend of mine who works at the NASM as a researcher provided us with a point of trivia. Apparently Discovery lost 6 tiles while being transported. The NASM restoration shop replaced them with dummy tiles, but didn't want blanks just sitting there- so they painted mock code numbering on the tiles with a bit of fun... the word "FOAM" is in the code. We spotted 4 of them right away and got some photos. Lightened up the visit a bit.

Thanks for letting us know. I have to go back and check my photos from the handover ceremony! Do you know which tiles? Can we see the pics?

Offline brettreds2k

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #283 on: 06/11/2012 12:13 pm »
Also was told while at the NASM that the morning Enterprise rolled out to make room for Discovery, it rolled out about 15 minutes late due to when they went to open the door that the tail would fit through, they discovered since it had never been opened once Enterprise was moved in, they the door was welded shut instead of closed and locked, so they had to undo the weld.
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Offline wolfpack

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #284 on: 06/11/2012 12:31 pm »

A close friend of mine who works at the NASM as a researcher provided us with a point of trivia. Apparently Discovery lost 6 tiles while being transported. The NASM restoration shop replaced them with dummy tiles, but didn't want blanks just sitting there- so they painted mock code numbering on the tiles with a bit of fun... the word "FOAM" is in the code. We spotted 4 of them right away and got some photos. Lightened up the visit a bit.

Interesting. Is that typical for a ferry flight, or is it due to the more extensive low altitude flyovers that occurred both at KSC and DC?

Offline zerm

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #285 on: 06/11/2012 07:29 pm »
Four of the six mock tiles are on the bottom just forward of the body flap. Here's a shot of the four and a close-up of the code printed on one.

Offline Ronsmytheiii

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #286 on: 06/11/2012 09:09 pm »
Four of the six mock tiles are on the bottom just forward of the body flap. Here's a shot of the four and a close-up of the code printed on one.

hmm, trying to find the spot you mentioned on this image:

Offline zerm

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #287 on: 06/12/2012 12:08 pm »
Got a clarification on the "FOAM" tiles this morning from a friend of mine at the NASM:

>>>They had to replace them (with mock tiles) before flying up/after last mission.
They wanted to stamp them like normal ones, but Valerie Neal, the curator asked if they could be marked so we knew.
Dennis Jenkins, who is a Shuttle guru (he has written good few VERY nice Shuttle and X-15 books), came up with inserting "FOAM" into the placement codes so you could tell if you knew what to look for.<<<


Offline gordo

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #288 on: 06/12/2012 02:50 pm »
...and from a conservation point of view, you would never put a fake tile on and try and pass it off as a real one, as in 100 years time it gets forgotten about. 

Offline Soaring Habu

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #289 on: 06/12/2012 05:09 pm »
I certainly didn't know until now that Discovery had those fake tiles on her!
SR-71 Blackbird - Pure Speed!

Offline Rahkashi

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #290 on: 06/12/2012 05:21 pm »
Will they try to get replacement tiles from NASA, or will the foam ones stay?

(And for those who are counting, were 50/50 on orbiters loosing something during transit)

Offline zerm

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #291 on: 06/12/2012 10:30 pm »
Will they try to get replacement tiles from NASA, or will the foam ones stay?

I have no idea. That's probably between NASA and NASM.

Offline Skylon

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #292 on: 07/05/2012 07:28 pm »
...and from a conservation point of view, you would never put a fake tile on and try and pass it off as a real one, as in 100 years time it gets forgotten about. 

In the event the tiles do stay on, I doubt in 100 years someone will see the "FOAM" stamp on the tiles and think the shuttle used foam tiles for entry.  ::)

Offline Wayne Hale

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #293 on: 07/05/2012 07:46 pm »
So somewhere under the flight path of Discovery from the SLF to Dulles are four flown tiles, lying on the ground just waiting to be discovered.  Let the hunt begin!

Offline brettreds2k

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #294 on: 07/05/2012 08:05 pm »
That is a very good point sir!! ROAD TRIP!!  ;D
Brett
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Offline Ronsmytheiii

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #295 on: 07/05/2012 08:42 pm »
I hate to spoil everyone's fun, but the foam tiles were installed before Discovery arrived at the SLF, as you can see in the image below

Offline brettreds2k

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Re: OV-103 Final Flight: Viewing (Going to Dulles)
« Reply #296 on: 07/06/2012 12:06 pm »
Darn, Road Trip Cancelled!! HAHA
Brett
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Orbiters I have visited in retirement:

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