Author Topic: OV-103 in Dulles  (Read 117538 times)

Offline SalemHanna

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #20 on: 05/13/2013 10:15 pm »
I visited Discovery this week. It was awesome to see her again! One thing I noticed is the slight orange coloring of the tiles from the ET doors back to the end of the body flap. You can kind of see it in the photos. I suspect this is from ET separation but I'm not sure.


That's interesting about the orange stains.

The thing I always found curious about Discovery was the dark strip of black thermal tiles she has running down from one of her right cockpit windows. It's quite distinctive - you don't see it on any other orbiter. Always assumed she had an extra piece of equipment there that needed special heat protection, or a structural weakness that might have also needed 'patching up'. But could never find the answer on Google.

Anyone out there know the reason?
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Offline Overflow

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #21 on: 05/14/2013 01:19 am »
Can you find a picture of it next to another orbiter? You've peaked my interest..

Offline psloss

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #22 on: 05/14/2013 01:32 am »
You can see it in RPM imagery; for example:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-133/html/iss026e030066.html

And likely since Discovery flew the most of the three retired vehicles, it's not hard to notice once you've noticed it; stacking for the same mission:
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=48602
« Last Edit: 05/14/2013 02:02 am by psloss »

Offline Sarah

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #23 on: 05/14/2013 08:04 pm »
I visited Discovery this week. It was awesome to see her again! One thing I noticed is the slight orange coloring of the tiles from the ET doors back to the end of the body flap. You can kind of see it in the photos. I suspect this is from ET separation but I'm not sure.


That's interesting about the orange stains.

The thing I always found curious about Discovery was the dark strip of black thermal tiles she has running down from one of her right cockpit windows. It's quite distinctive - you don't see it on any other orbiter. Always assumed she had an extra piece of equipment there that needed special heat protection, or a structural weakness that might have also needed 'patching up'. But could never find the answer on Google.

Anyone out there know the reason?

My understanding of the three HRSI tiles under Discovery's window is that it was likely a mistake. Those tiles were supposed to be LRSI tiles. Since there was no harm in using HRSI tiles in that location, they were installed.
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Offline Soaring Habu

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #24 on: 05/17/2013 04:55 pm »
I've also noticed those extra tiles below Discovery's cockpit windows on the righthand side, in many of the photos I've seen of her, both in service and retired, and I've also wondered why they were there.

I actually use those distinctive tiles to help me to identify Disco in pictures where I can't quite make out her name, such as long-distance launch or landing shots, and when I'm downloading Shuttle photos, even close-up ones, I always know that it's a photo of Discovery when I see those distinctive tiles, even if the photo hasn't downloaded enough to let me read her name. :)
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Offline Sarah

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #25 on: 05/17/2013 06:12 pm »
Originally Discovery had four HRSI tiles under her window but at some point one was replaced with an LRSI tile. This further leads me to believe this was a build mistake when they made the tiles.

You can see in the top photo the original four HRSI tiles. In the bottom photo, the lower tile is now an LRSI tile.
« Last Edit: 05/17/2013 07:45 pm by Sarah »
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Offline psloss

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #26 on: 05/17/2013 08:11 pm »
Originally Discovery had four HRSI tiles under her window but at some point one was replaced with an LRSI tile.
I believe that change was made sometime during 103's J2 OMM (the only one for Discovery at Palmdale).

Offline wkann

Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #27 on: 05/17/2013 10:41 pm »
Maybe the HRSI tiles under Discovery's window were some kind of "shuttle birthmark" like Columbia's "sideburns" on the top of the wings. :)
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Offline SalemHanna

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #28 on: 05/20/2013 10:41 pm »
Maybe the HRSI tiles under Discovery's window were some kind of "shuttle birthmark" like Columbia's "sideburns" on the top of the wings. :)

lol...to me they look more like a teardrop than a birthmark, but I know what you mean. Cheers for your responses guys, it's good to clear that little mystery up!
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Offline brettreds2k

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #29 on: 05/21/2013 12:05 pm »
So what you are all saying is poor Discovery has a birth defect? :( lol
« Last Edit: 05/21/2013 12:05 pm by brettreds2k »
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Orbiters I have visited in retirement:

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Offline Soaring Habu

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #30 on: 05/23/2013 06:52 pm »
So what you are all saying is poor Discovery has a birth defect? :( lol

Maybe we should think of those extra tiles as Discovery's "Mark of Distinction"! :)
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Offline Ares67

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #31 on: 05/27/2013 05:42 pm »
I always called it "the tear," although I can't explain why my favorite orbiter should have been crying...  ::) ;D

Offline SalemHanna

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #32 on: 05/27/2013 06:01 pm »
I always called it "the tear," although I can't explain why my favorite orbiter should have been crying...  ::) ;D

A tear of joy at getting the majority of headline-grabbing missions?
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Offline Ares67

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #33 on: 05/27/2013 06:04 pm »
I always called it "the tear," although I can't explain why my favorite orbiter should have been crying...  ::) ;D

A tear of joy at getting the majority of headline-grabbing missions?

Yeah, that's it!  :)

Offline TJL

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #34 on: 08/21/2013 01:13 am »
Went with my family this week to see space shuttle Discovery on display.
Having the privilege of seeing Discovery fly from KSC 5 times, it really meant a lot to see her up close again!

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-qsoZDcdOCnVTBKdEI0Yk9pc2s/edit?pli=1

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-qsoZDcdOCnemo5N3hyUXE4Ym8/edit?pli=1
« Last Edit: 08/27/2013 12:30 am by TJL »

Offline 32s

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #35 on: 09/10/2013 12:00 am »
A few pictures of Discovery

Offline Overflow

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #36 on: 09/10/2013 04:18 pm »
Thank you for your pictures, 32s!

Offline 32s

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #37 on: 09/12/2013 12:40 am »
Thanks , a few more pictures

Offline Overflow

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #38 on: 09/12/2013 01:01 pm »
Hey 32s, did you notice any dust on Discovery? I heard complaints about that.

Offline 32s

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Re: OV-103 in Dulles
« Reply #39 on: 09/12/2013 03:54 pm »
Yes, there was quite a bit of dust on the wings.  We were a little surprised to see this.

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