Author Topic: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates  (Read 457811 times)

Offline SalemHanna

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #880 on: 04/25/2013 08:40 pm »
She's looking really good again now the wrap's been taken off! Even with a plain black background as shown in the photo, this exhibit would draw in the crowds. Roll on June...
Apollo, Soyuz, Shuttle...SKYLON.

Offline Overflow

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #881 on: 04/25/2013 08:54 pm »
She's looking really good again now the wrap's been taken off! Even with a plain black background as shown in the photo, this exhibit would draw in the crowds. Roll on June...

Agreed. Can't wait til I see her in July..

Offline collectSPACE

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #882 on: 04/25/2013 11:52 pm »
Revealing Atlantis: Shrink-wrapped space shuttle uncovered for display
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-042513a.html

How do you un-shrink-wrap a space shuttle?

As workers at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex learned Thursday (April 25), very slowly and very carefully.

NASA's retired space shuttle Atlantis, which since November has been covered in 16,000 square feet (1,486 square meters) of white plastic was partially revealed Thursday at the Florida spaceport's visitor center. The planned day-long process to unwrap the orbiter stretched into two — work will pick up again Friday morning — and required cherry pickers, vacuum cleaners, box cutters and patience.

"This is the very first step in unveiling Atlantis," said Tim Macy, director of project development and construction for Delaware North Parks and Resorts, which runs the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for NASA. "She has been in a plastic 16-millimeter-thick cocoon."


Photo gallery: http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-042513a.html

Offline psloss

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #883 on: 04/25/2013 11:59 pm »
Nice -- thanks, Robert.

Revealing Atlantis: Shrink-wrapped space shuttle uncovered for display
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-042513a.html

How do you un-shrink-wrap a space shuttle?

As workers at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex learned Thursday (April 25), very slowly and very carefully.

NASA's retired space shuttle Atlantis, which since November has been covered in 16,000 square feet (1,486 square meters) of white plastic was partially revealed Thursday at the Florida spaceport's visitor center. The planned day-long process to unwrap the orbiter stretched into two — work will pick up again Friday morning — and required cherry pickers, vacuum cleaners, box cutters and patience.

"This is the very first step in unveiling Atlantis," said Tim Macy, director of project development and construction for Delaware North Parks and Resorts, which runs the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for NASA. "She has been in a plastic 16-millimeter-thick cocoon."


Photo gallery: http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-042513a.html

Offline Rocket Science

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #884 on: 04/26/2013 12:28 am »
Good to see the "old girl" again... :)
« Last Edit: 04/26/2013 12:57 am by Rocket Science »
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Offline Overflow

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #885 on: 04/26/2013 10:18 am »
Hopefully we'll be able to see the rest of her today.

Offline Rocket Science

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #886 on: 04/26/2013 10:24 am »
Saw this video this morning, enjoy! :)


"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Offline brettreds2k

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #887 on: 04/26/2013 12:33 pm »
They are working on her belly this morning already
Brett
www.facebook.com/brett.lowenthal1

Orbiters I have visited in retirement:

[ ] Enterprise
[X] Discovery
[X] Atlantis
[ ] Endeavour

Offline Overflow

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #888 on: 04/26/2013 01:12 pm »
Thanks for the updates. The WiFi I'm on has a ton of stuff blocked so NSF is the only way I can get updates.

Offline brettreds2k

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #889 on: 04/26/2013 02:19 pm »
Here are a few posted on Facebook this morning
Brett
www.facebook.com/brett.lowenthal1

Orbiters I have visited in retirement:

[ ] Enterprise
[X] Discovery
[X] Atlantis
[ ] Endeavour

Offline Overflow

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #890 on: 04/26/2013 02:31 pm »
It's awesome to see how close people will be able to get to Atlantis.

Any word on how they're protect her left wing?

Offline brettreds2k

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #891 on: 04/26/2013 03:14 pm »
Thats one question I have been asking, to me if you can get right to the edge of the upper floor (I know they will have glass barrier or something there) but what keeps people from throwing things on her wing, I mean its literally right there!!
Brett
www.facebook.com/brett.lowenthal1

Orbiters I have visited in retirement:

[ ] Enterprise
[X] Discovery
[X] Atlantis
[ ] Endeavour

Offline wkann

Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #892 on: 04/26/2013 05:52 pm »
So the other day, I was watching the final closing of Atlantis's hatch, and noticed the yellow scaffolding-like structure in the middle of the mid deck. Based on the angle, it looks like its a platform that could make it easier to move around the orbiter once its on the 43.21 degree tilt. Now of course it would be for occasional surveying of the orbiter (not for the public.) It would still be neat to have to rappel into the cargo bay, then crawl threw the airlock to get inside, since the main hatch is not accessible. Can anyone confirm this?
"It's our destiny to explore. It's our destiny to be a space-faring nation."- Eugene Cernan

Offline psloss

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #893 on: 04/26/2013 06:58 pm »
It would still be neat to have to rappel into the cargo bay, then crawl threw the airlock to get inside, since the main hatch is not accessible. Can anyone confirm this?
There was another hatch that goes from the crew module to the external airlock -- if that's open or no longer installed, then maybe it's plausible; if that's there and it's closed and locked, I don't think you're getting much farther than the faux airlock.

Offline Space Pete

Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #894 on: 04/26/2013 07:04 pm »
There was another hatch that goes from the crew module to the external airlock -- if that's open or no longer installed, then maybe it's plausible; if that's there and it's closed and locked, I don't think you're getting much farther than the faux airlock.

Based on photos prior to final hatch closure in the OPF, I believe the hatch in question is removed (likely to save weight).
NASASpaceflight ISS Editor

Offline collectSPACE

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #895 on: 04/26/2013 07:29 pm »
It would still be neat to have to rappel into the cargo bay...

No need to rappel — the Space Shuttle Atlantis building is equipped with two window-washer like buckets/platforms that lower from the roof designed for the specific reason of lowering workers into the payload bay (for the occasional cleaning, for those worried about pennies and other items being thrown inside). 

As for then climbing into the crew cabin, according to staff at the Visitor Complex, there are no plans for anyone to go back inside.

Offline brettreds2k

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #896 on: 04/26/2013 07:29 pm »
Beautiful picture posted just now by KSC on Facebook
Brett
www.facebook.com/brett.lowenthal1

Orbiters I have visited in retirement:

[ ] Enterprise
[X] Discovery
[X] Atlantis
[ ] Endeavour

Offline collectSPACE

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #897 on: 04/26/2013 07:30 pm »
Atlantis exposed: Space shuttle now fully unwrapped for NASA exhibit
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-042613a.html

Space shuttle Atlantis is ready for its spotlight — well, almost.

The retired NASA orbiter, which is set to go on public display June 29 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, was fully revealed Friday (April 26) after workers spent two days peeling off its protective shrink-wrap cover of the past five months.

"It looks fantastic," Tim Macy, director of project development and construction for Delaware North Parks and Resorts, which runs the visitor complex for NASA, said after seeing Atlantis unwrapped. "It looks better than I thought it was going to look."

"It looks completely different with the plastic on it than the plastic off," Macy told collectSPACE.com. "But this is the way it is supposed to look. It looks so much like the [exhibit's conceptual] drawings."


Photo gallery: http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-042613a.html

Offline brettreds2k

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #898 on: 04/26/2013 07:31 pm »
The display is going to be amazing!!

Will they paint the beams holding her or are they planning on doing anything to make the beams less just steel beams looking?
« Last Edit: 04/26/2013 07:35 pm by brettreds2k »
Brett
www.facebook.com/brett.lowenthal1

Orbiters I have visited in retirement:

[ ] Enterprise
[X] Discovery
[X] Atlantis
[ ] Endeavour

Offline collectSPACE

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Re: Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates
« Reply #899 on: 04/26/2013 07:38 pm »
Will they paint the beams holding her or are they planning on doing anything to make the beams less just steel beams looking?

The pedestals will be painted the same midnight blue as the surrounding walls, such that they fade from view (keep in mind, you're also looking at the orbiter under work lights and not the theatrical lighting they plan for the finished exhibit).

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