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#1000
by
subisnack
on 06 Mar, 2010 12:28
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youtube has previous highlights. Search ascent highlights.
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#1001
by
brahmanknight
on 07 Mar, 2010 13:25
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When did NASA stop using T 38s to follow the shuttle as it landed?
From pictures I can see they were used as late as STS 6.
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#1002
by
psloss
on 07 Mar, 2010 13:32
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When did NASA stop using T 38s to follow the shuttle as it landed?
From pictures I can see they were used as late as STS 6.
There were a couple of 'firsts' after that: first heavyweight/Spacelab landing (STS-9), first KSC landing (STS-41B, postponed from STS-7). Don't recall any after that.
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#1003
by
ginahoy
on 07 Mar, 2010 18:36
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The closest I ever got to a complete shuttle stack was during a nighttime approach into Melbourne (MLB) on an Eastern Airlines flight (late eighties). It was either the night before, two nights before a launch. The pilot apparently flew as close to the launch complex as was allowed. If I had to guess, we were no more than 1/2 mile lateral and 3000 feet in altitude. He tipped the wing slightly, giving as many passengers as possible a spectacular view of the shuttle standing proudly in the Xenon lights with RSC pulled back. Needless to say, a chill went up my spine. I was fortunate enough to see the subsequent launch from the causeway, but the flyby was actually more impressive!
Does anyone know the rules (then or now) regarding how close to LC39 a commercial plane approaching MLB from the north can be vectored when a shuttle is on the pad?
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#1004
by
TJL
on 07 Mar, 2010 20:06
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During TCDT, does the orbiter hatch remain opened throughout the entire test?
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#1005
by
psloss
on 07 Mar, 2010 20:11
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During TCDT, does the orbiter hatch remain opened throughout the entire test?
Believe so -- it was open during terminal count for the STS-114 test that was carried live.
(Since corrected by DaveS. Added qualification.)
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#1006
by
DaveS
on 07 Mar, 2010 20:35
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During TCDT, does the orbiter hatch remain opened throughout the entire test?
Believe so -- it was during the STS-114 test that was carried live.
Partially. Once crew ingress is complete, they cycle the hatch closed, perform a simulated cabin leak test and then open the hatch again.
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#1007
by
thomasafb
on 21 Mar, 2010 08:05
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one brief question on a more historical subject.
When docked to ISS, the tail points downwards (albeit not straight down) the PLB along the direction of the velocity vector to protect the TPS on the belly. Anyone knows what the orbiter attitude was during the Shuttle-Mir missions?
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#1008
by
Jorge
on 21 Mar, 2010 15:30
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one brief question on a more historical subject.
When docked to ISS, the tail points downwards (albeit not straight down) the PLB along the direction of the velocity vector to protect the TPS on the belly. Anyone knows what the orbiter attitude was during the Shuttle-Mir missions?
For the most part, it was belly down, tail forward.
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#1009
by
FinalFrontier
on 21 Mar, 2010 15:32
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Question: Which MPLM will become the PLM (permanent logistics module) and what mission is it flying on and what CBM is it going to be stuck to? PLM is basically a giant closet for ISS right?
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#1010
by
Thorny
on 21 Mar, 2010 15:42
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Question: Which MPLM will become the PLM (permanent logistics module) and what mission is it flying on and what CBM is it going to be stuck to? PLM is basically a giant closet for ISS right?
Leonardo per the current plan. Will be reconsidered if STS-134 and 133 slip extensively. PMM will be on Node 1 Nadir.
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#1011
by
dbooker
on 23 Mar, 2010 20:43
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Does anyone know the number of SSMEs that are currently in the shuttle program inventory? Also, is there a hard limit on the number of flights per SSME or does it just depend on the conditions on inspection. Also, is the shuttle budget detailed enough to indicate the real cost of servicing and test firing the SSME for flight certification? Of course you go on the NASA website and do a search and can't find any of this information.
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#1012
by
AnalogMan
on 23 Mar, 2010 22:35
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Does anyone know the number of SSMEs that are currently in the shuttle program inventory? Also, is there a hard limit on the number of flights per SSME or does it just depend on the conditions on inspection. Also, is the shuttle budget detailed enough to indicate the real cost of servicing and test firing the SSME for flight certification? Of course you go on the NASA website and do a search and can't find any of this information.
By my count there should be at least 14 Block II flight engines available and one new unit that may, or may not, have been tested. By the current end of program (STS-133 mission) one of these will have flown 14 times, and two of them 13 times, with the youngest flight engine flown only twice (excludes the new one I'm not sure about).
Historically some engines have flown more than this - these were in earlier versions, and many had block conversions between times. STS-93 seems to have had quite a well used set with 22, 17 and 19 flights on engines 1, 2, and 3 respectively.
Not able to answer your budgetary questions.
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#1013
by
psloss
on 23 Mar, 2010 22:37
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Historically some engines have flown more than this - these were in earlier versions, and many had block conversions between times. STS-93 seems to have had quite a well used set with 22, 17 and 19 flights on engines 1, 2, and 3 respectively.
STS-93 had tight performance margins; among other weight reduction efforts, it was flown with Phase 2 engines. (As opposed to the Block IIA versions that were being flown otherwise.)
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#1014
by
jeff122670
on 24 Mar, 2010 00:00
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At around T-3 seconds it looks like engines #3 and #2 reposition (essentially looking like they tilt inwards). I am assuming this is a thrust vector reposition but does anyone know exactly why this occurs. Also, does engine #1 move. It doesnt looke like it does, but I havent been able to tell. Thanks!!
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#1015
by
mkirk
on 24 Mar, 2010 00:06
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The engines have a start position - helps deal with shock from ignition - they then move to the null position for T-0 (SRB ignition) followed by thrust vector positioning by guidance/flight control after T-0 & Liftoff.
Stated another way the SSMEs have a start position, a null position for SRB ignition, and then they are used for flight control after T-0.
Mark Kirkman
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#1016
by
jeff122670
on 24 Mar, 2010 00:34
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ok, i have noticed the slight and quick pivot right at T-0/liftoff. Thanks Mark!!
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#1017
by
brettreds2k
on 24 Mar, 2010 15:37
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Did I read correctly, that IF somehow NASA gets a extension on the shuttle, it would take close to 2 years to produce the next tanks needed for more flights?
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#1018
by
GoForTLI
on 27 Mar, 2010 20:05
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Did I read correctly, that IF somehow NASA gets a extension on the shuttle, it would take close to 2 years to produce the next tanks needed for more flights?
Check out smith5se's posts in yesterday's STS-131 Processing Latest thread for the ET situation. She transcribed John Shannon's pretty detailed answer at the FRR News Conference.
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#1019
by
craigcocca
on 27 Mar, 2010 23:27
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STS-36 back in 1990 was a classified DoD mission, and was famously unique in that it flew a dog-leg trajectory to get Atlantis to 62.0 degrees inclination for payload deployment. Does anyone know if there are documented overflight risk numbers for that ascent, given that the stack overflew Cape Hatteras, Cape Cod, and Nova Scotia?
The main reason I'm asking is because there has been a lot of talk recently about the overflight risk studies for descending node reentries, and it got me to wondering if a similar study was done for that one unique ascent. Or was it more of a case of "this is a mission of national security importance, so overflight risk be damned"?