LIVE: STS-124 Flight Day 14 - Deorbit preparation

[mkirk]

Let me just add something here:

Contrary to what PAO implied; and a couple of Media outlets have said in there reporting, the Speedbrake is not just used after touchdown to slow the orbiter.  It actually serves as a very important trim device during Entry and also helps keep the other flight controls (elevons/body flap) from becoming saturated.  It is also used to control energy when the orbiter is subsonic.

Mark Kirkman

[Chris Bergin]

Bit of excitement for this mission, and it's not an issue, so all's good.

[Firehawk153]

Is this the first time the rudder/brake or other control surfaces have been moved during the flight, or are they used during ascent?

I believe this is the first time...During the ascent the stack's directional and roll control is provided by the SRB nozzles and then gimbaling the SSME nozzles after SRB sep.  Given the mass of stack during the ascent, the density of the air and the speed of the vehicle, I would suspect that if they moved the control surfaces they would be ripped out like paper.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

incorrect

They move during ascent for wing load relief.   

   Whoops, there I go spreading incorrect info. Thank you gentlemen for replying.  I will check my sources before posting an assumption again.

[waf102]

...and it's not an issue, so all's good.

Not according to CNN. Lead story...

"NASA probes shiny object trailing shuttle"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/06/13/space.shuttle.ap/index.html

Is it an alien? Is it a terrorist? Someone call Project Blue Book!

[jmjawors]

I don't find anything inaccurate or spectacular about that headline or article.  It was true.  Besides, it's no longer the lead story and the story link now reads "NASA says metal clip fell off shuttle," which is also true.

Quick work by the crew to get imagery down.  It's just awesome to see this issue addressed in such a speedy manner.

(edited because I'm still drinking my morning coffee and am using words incorrectly )

[Ford Mustang]

...and it's not an issue, so all's good.

Not according to CNN. Lead story...

"NASA probes shiny object trailing shuttle"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/06/13/space.shuttle.ap/index.html

Is it an alien? Is it a terrorist? Someone call Project Blue Book!

If it's on here that's a non-issue, then it's a true non-issue. 

[Chris Bergin]

It's a none issue.

Ok, going to leave this one on site: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5449

And write another article for landing day.

[Lawntonlookirs]

I watched the POA with CBS, but with no sound didn't hear it.  Did anyone else watch it?

[nathan.moeller]

Is this the first time the rudder/brake or other control surfaces have been moved during the flight, or are they used during ascent?

I believe this is the first time...During the ascent the stack's directional and roll control is provided by the SRB nozzles and then gimbaling the SSME nozzles after SRB sep.  Given the mass of stack during the ascent, the density of the air and the speed of the vehicle, I would suspect that if they moved the control surfaces they would be ripped out like paper.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

incorrect

They move during ascent for wing load relief.   

If you look closely at the SRB down-looking footage, you can see the FCS on the wings pitch up somewhere around the time of the 'go at throttle up' call.  But I don't believe the rudder/speedbrake is moved at all.

[nathan.moeller]

I must say I'm proud of CNN for not blowing this out of proportion.  They gave the facts without dramatizing them and the clip information was only half the already-short article.  They talked about what the crew did as far as delivering Kibo (even mentioned the name meaning and put it before the toilet parts ) and what they've been doing today.  Thanks for the video.  Very interesting to the little guy drifting off.

[Jose]

I must say I'm proud of CNN for not blowing this out of proportion...

NPR, on the other hand, made it sound like the End Of The World!!1!!!  I was afraid of what I was going to find when I checked this site this morning.

[stockman]

Good picture of some of the freon coolant hoses from the payload bay

[Chris Bergin]

Good picture of some of the freon coolant hoses from the payload bay

Nice spot. That's to do with this:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5436

"The crew will also be tasked with gaining more data on the orbiter's freon radiator hoses, which have been suffering from C-bend/Omega-bend issues over a number of previous flights.

'Crew procedure incorporated into Deorbit Prep checklist to capture imagery of all 4 Freon radiator hoses during payload bay door closure,' noted another FRR presentation. 'Per Shuttle Program, this is a highly desired requirement.'"

[nathan.moeller]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but some very nice flyaround images are available on pages 44 and 45 of the STS-124 HSF gallery at www.spaceflight.nasa.gov

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-124/ndxpage44.html

[Ford Mustang]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but some very nice flyaround images are available on pages 44 and 45 of the STS-124 HSF gallery at www.spaceflight.nasa.gov

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-124/ndxpage44.html

Some very awesome ones (not on that site) are uploaded on L2, as well.

[AnalogMan]

Mission Status Briefing delayed until 2:30pm CDT / 3:30pm EDT and showing only on Public channel (so not to clash with Phoenix briefing on the Media channel that starts at 2:00pm CDT / 3:00pm EDT)

[Chris Bergin]

Leroy emphasizing there's no concern with the debris. Not catching much as there's some problems with the NTV feed?

[Chris Bergin]

Something about Edwards from Robert (which would be interesting if it was about the temp runway).

Marcia Dunn's got an echo

[Stowbridge]

Something about Edwards from Robert (which would be interesting if it was about the temp runway).

Marcia Dunn's got an echo

Bad feed for me too. Harwood is asking about the new runway too, and seems a bit suprised about it. You've got an article on back in April.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5409

[ChrisC]

Satellite feed has been fine for me, must be internet feed problem.