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#1320
by
orbiter62995
on 26 Aug, 2010 04:08
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Okay, so how many tunnels are there, when were they used, and which one was used for STS-118?
There might have been 4 different tunnels.
STS-107 had a unique one
MIR/ISS
the early missions
and the one for last two missions
Thanks, I finally have THAT settled.
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#1321
by
Fequalsma
on 29 Aug, 2010 02:22
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A question for anyone out there with more machining experience than I: how much can you get for aluminium-lithium scraps? I found out that the shuttle ET's liquid H2 tank panels generate over 74 tons of al-li chips when they're made. So how much are all these bits and pieces worth? Can they be remelted back into al-li ingots, or are there too many impurities/contaminants from the machining?
F=ma
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#1322
by
DaveS
on 29 Aug, 2010 15:11
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This is something that has me puzzled. What are those holes in the circled area in the attached photo? The orbiter is Atlantis during her transfer from Palmdale to Edwards for the delivery trip to KSC.
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#1323
by
Aobrien
on 29 Aug, 2010 21:33
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I think I recall hearing that those were vents of some sort but not sure.
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#1324
by
DaveS
on 29 Aug, 2010 22:59
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I think I recall hearing that those were vents of some sort but not sure.
Well, they aren't listed in any documents I have come across. The only deactivated vents are vents 4 and 7 on the mid-body, none on the aft compartment.
They also only seem to exist on the Centaur capable orbiters(Challenger, Discovery and Atlantis). And once the Centaur got canceled these holes disappeared as fast as the RBUS at both pads did. So this leads me to theorize that they're part of the Centaur capability modifications done to the orbiters.
It would be great if someone could confirm this.
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#1325
by
jeff122670
on 30 Aug, 2010 00:27
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How are the SRM segment stacking order determined? I've always thought that there's no real order, they just take one and stack it. But recently I have gotten reason to question this.
I am sure someone smarter than me can give the best answer, but to my knowledge they are stacked to make propellant grains and casting sets. Meaning, you want to make sure you have the same propellant on both sides since some propellant can burn faster or stronger than others. Matching the sets prevents asymmetric thrust.
Hope that helps!!!
Jeff
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#1326
by
DaveS
on 30 Aug, 2010 00:36
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How are the SRM segment stacking order determined? I've always thought that there's no real order, they just take one and stack it. But recently I have gotten reason to question this.
I am sure someone smarter than me can give the best answer, but to my knowledge they are stacked to make propellant grains and casting sets. Meaning, you want to make sure you have the same propellant on both sides since some propellant can burn faster or stronger than others. Matching the sets prevents asymmetric thrust.
Hope that helps!!!
Jeff
I know that, but I was more curious on the stacking order of the actual segments in the VAB.
Like what makes them stack for example LA, RA, LAC, LFC, LF, RAC, RFC for one mission but then go all the left segments then all the right segments before topping the motors with the FWD Skirt Assys for another.
Doesn't seem to be any logic or reason in it, just taking them from the Surges and stacking them.
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#1327
by
Zpoxy
on 02 Sep, 2010 09:22
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It would be great if someone could confirm this.
Good deduction. Those are the receptacles for the RBUS hydrogen umbilical foot fittings. Very similar to the orbiters T-0 umbilical, just smaller. If you look further to the rear towards the base heat shield you will see another similar opening, that's one of the fittings for the orbiters umbilical. Draw a straight line up from that opening and you will see the other fitting, mounted externally on a bracket due to the slope of the base heat shield. It doesn't show up too well in that photo but I'm sure you can find another shot that shows it in more detail.
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#1328
by
DaveS
on 02 Sep, 2010 09:35
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It would be great if someone could confirm this.
Good deduction. Those are the receptacles for the RBUS hydrogen umbilical foot fittings. Very similar to the orbiters T-0 umbilical, just smaller. If you look further to the rear towards the base heat shield you will see another similar opening, that's one of the fittings for the orbiters umbilical. Draw a straight line up from that opening and you will see the other fitting, mounted externally on a bracket due to the slope of the base heat shield. It doesn't show up too well in that photo but I'm sure you can find another shot that shows it in more detail.
Thanks. So the actual umbilical ports on the orbiter is in the Midbody Payload Umbilical well that is covered by the last "S" in "States"?
Any photos of the umbilical ports or the RBUS carrier plate?
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#1329
by
Zpoxy
on 04 Sep, 2010 01:32
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#1330
by
DaveS
on 04 Sep, 2010 22:11
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Anyone know the equatorial diameter of the EO-2/EO-3 balls on the ET? Also, what color do they have? Some photos show it as mix between gold and bronze, while other photos show it as a gray metal look.
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#1331
by
AnalogMan
on 05 Sep, 2010 00:47
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Anyone know the equatorial diameter of the EO-2/EO-3 balls on the ET? Also, what color do they have? Some photos show it as mix between gold and bronze, while other photos show it as a gray metal look.
Here is a description of the EO-2 & EO-3 inteface to the orbiter:
ET/Orbiter Aft Left Attachment
[...] The direct physical interface with the Orbiter is formed by a large hemispherical surface at the bipod apex that engages with the Orbiter socket. Attachment hardware is Orbiter-provided, and consists of a 2.5-inch diameter tension bolt coupled with a frangible nut housed in the Orbiter.
The forged aluminum-alloy ball interface fitting, weighing approximately 530 pounds, joins the tubular thrust strut and the I-section vertical strut to provide the Orbiter interfacing hemispherical surface. This surface is machined to a 5.275-inches spherical radius, but is flattened 4- 1/2 inches- above the spherical center to compensate for an Orbiter protuberance. A Z-axis bore of 2.875-inches diameter extends 1.5 inches below this flattened surface, where it enlarges to a 5.5-inch diameter and continues through the base of the fitting. This 5.5-inch diameter cavity allows installation of the interface bolt and associated torquing tool.I don't have any information on color.
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#1332
by
DaveS
on 05 Sep, 2010 14:04
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Anyone know the equatorial diameter of the EO-2/EO-3 balls on the ET? Also, what color do they have? Some photos show it as mix between gold and bronze, while other photos show it as a gray metal look.
Here is a description of the EO-2 & EO-3 inteface to the orbiter:
ET/Orbiter Aft Left Attachment
[...] The direct physical interface with the Orbiter is formed by a large hemispherical surface at the bipod apex that engages with the Orbiter socket. Attachment hardware is Orbiter-provided, and consists of a 2.5-inch diameter tension bolt coupled with a frangible nut housed in the Orbiter.
The forged aluminum-alloy ball interface fitting, weighing approximately 530 pounds, joins the tubular thrust strut and the I-section vertical strut to provide the Orbiter interfacing hemispherical surface. This surface is machined to a 5.275-inches spherical radius, but is flattened 4- 1/2 inches- above the spherical center to compensate for an Orbiter protuberance. A Z-axis bore of 2.875-inches diameter extends 1.5 inches below this flattened surface, where it enlarges to a 5.5-inch diameter and continues through the base of the fitting. This 5.5-inch diameter cavity allows installation of the interface bolt and associated torquing tool.
I don't have any information on color.
Thanks for information. For now I'll go with the metallic color.
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#1333
by
steveS
on 10 Sep, 2010 05:17
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Can some one explain what the "Scottish flag" looking things near to the nose of the orbiter?
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#1334
by
DaveS
on 10 Sep, 2010 06:27
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Can some one explain what the "Scottish flag" looking things near to the nose of the orbiter?
Just a cover for the purge/checkout and servicing panels for the FRCS module.
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#1335
by
Fequalsma
on 11 Sep, 2010 10:59
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Some very nice photos of the EO2/EO3 aft interface hardware in Chris's article on the Discovery/STS-133 soft-mate issue.
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#1336
by
jeff122670
on 13 Sep, 2010 01:59
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while we are talking about things during rollover, i have noticed there is some tape on the bottom of the wings. it is always toward the wingtip and is shaped in a squarish pattern that comes to a point (hope that made sense). Anyone know what THAT is for?? Thanks!
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#1337
by
Zpoxy
on 14 Sep, 2010 03:22
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while we are talking about things during rollover, i have noticed there is some tape on the bottom of the wings. it is always toward the wingtip and is shaped in a squarish pattern that comes to a point (hope that made sense). Anyone know what THAT is for?? Thanks!
That outlines areas where it is safe to push on the wing, if need be to prevent any accidental contact between the orbiter and the VAB platforms while it's being lowered down into position for mating to the ET.
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#1338
by
DaveS
on 14 Sep, 2010 07:02
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While we're still on the subject of rollovers, how is the aft secured to the OTS? Or is the orbiter aft just resting on the ball joints on the OTS?
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#1339
by
DaveS
on 14 Sep, 2010 17:25
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Does anyone know what the yellow electronics(?) box in the screenshot is used for?