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#680
by
Jim
on 27 Dec, 2006 13:42
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shuttlefan - 27/12/2006 9:22 AM
If, for example they would ever decide to launch a shuttle from Pad B instead of Pad A, would the computers have to be reprogrammed to fly a slightly different flight profile, or does the pad they are launching from make absolutely no difference?
There are differences. Even for Delta II, whose pads are closer, have to take into account the differences
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#681
by
dutch courage
on 27 Dec, 2006 13:49
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Does anybody have some info about the Shuttle Power Distribution Unit (SPDU) and the ECSP (acronym?) STS-122 payloads?
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#682
by
ichilton
on 27 Dec, 2006 14:13
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Why mod the orbiters now when the program is ending in a few years anyways
I've seen several references to the shuttles been retired in 2010.
What happens after that? - no more space flights or do they just have a new spacecraft?
Thanks
Ian
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#683
by
Jim
on 27 Dec, 2006 14:24
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Ares and Orion
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#684
by
C5C6
on 27 Dec, 2006 22:11
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why doesnt the orbiter dock with the ISS trough the 'place where astronauts enter the vehicle in launch and landing' ?(sorry for the expresion but i dont know its name). that would allow more payload
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#685
by
Jorge
on 27 Dec, 2006 23:02
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C5C6 - 25/12/2006 2:14 PM
I just wondered, do astronauts use some kind of a drug to sleep? i find it hard to believe that with so much adrenaline flowing they are able to sleep as if everything was normal....is there any training for this issue?
They use melatonin (a natural hormone) to help sleep-shifting, and to keep the biological clock stable in the somewhat unnatural lighting environment of LEO. No artificial sleeping pills, since that would inhibit their performance if they were awakened by an emergency in the middle of crew sleep.
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JRF
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#686
by
Jorge
on 27 Dec, 2006 23:37
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C5C6 - 27/12/2006 4:54 PM
why doesnt the orbiter dock with the ISS trough the 'place where astronauts enter the vehicle in launch and landing' ?(sorry for the expresion but i dont know its name). that would allow more payload
No docking mechanism there, and no way to mount one without interfering with entry aerodynamics unless you want to tear up and redesign the whole side of the cabin. Moving it there wouldn't allow more payload; the payload bay docking mechanism doubles as an airlock.
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JRF
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#687
by
on 28 Dec, 2006 15:08
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Jim - 27/12/2006 8:15 AM
They have no real trouble sleeping, but there are pills available. There have been stories told that towards the end of missions that due to the pace, it is real easy to nod off during moments of inactivity
I can imagine that being weightless it's very easy to just fall asleep wherever / whenever you're not actively engaged in your work.
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#688
by
shuttlefan
on 28 Dec, 2006 16:40
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With regards to the explosive bolts holding the shuttle to the launch pad, which detonate at launch, does anyone know how thick they are and are they solid steel?
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#689
by
Jorge
on 28 Dec, 2006 18:14
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shuttlefan - 28/12/2006 11:23 AM
With regards to the explosive bolts holding the shuttle to the launch pad, which detonate at launch, does anyone know how thick they are and are they solid steel?
The bolts are 28 inches long and 3.5 inches diameter. Not sure what alloy, probably Jim would know.
Incidentally... technically, they are studs, not bolts, since they are threaded throughout their length and have nuts at both ends rather than one nut and a head. It is actually the upper nut, called a frangible nut, that is explosive, not the studs. The frangible nut has two holes to accept two NASA Standard Initiators (NSIs). When the NSIs detonate, the frangible nut is broken in two and the halves are caught in a blast container. The pre-tensioned stud is propelled downward into a sand-filled stud decelleration stand.
The frangible nut halves are recovered, mounted on wood bases, and presented to the flown crewmembers as souvenirs.
At a couple of launches I attended (96 and 100, I think), the tour guide had a stud with two nuts on it as a prop during the mission briefing. Looks like a barbell and you could get a pretty good workout lifting it.
--
JRF
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#690
by
Orbiter Obvious
on 28 Dec, 2006 18:20
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Jorge - 28/12/2006 6:57 PM
At a couple of launches I attended (96 and 100, I think)
Man, when I get out of school and get some money together, I'm gonna love having a 1 next to my attendance for launches!
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#691
by
TheMadCap
on 30 Dec, 2006 17:04
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I don't think anyone answered this one:
Question regarding the zinc chromate putty in the field joints of the SRBs. The putty seals cracks in the connection between two cases, so it does in fact have to come into contact with exhaust gases?
How can this putty stand up to the heat and pressures involved?
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#692
by
shuttlefan
on 31 Dec, 2006 00:18
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Jim - 27/12/2006 8:25 AM
shuttlefan - 27/12/2006 9:22 AM
If, for example they would ever decide to launch a shuttle from Pad B instead of Pad A, would the computers have to be reprogrammed to fly a slightly different flight profile, or does the pad they are launching from make absolutely no difference?
There are differences. Even for Delta II, whose pads are closer, have to take into account the differences
Do the General Purpose Computers have to be programmed differently depending on which pad they are flying from? (I guess I should use the word ' did ' in place of the word ' do ' , since Pad B will not support any more shuttle launches, Heaven forbid a rescue flight to a Hubble mission.)
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#693
by
MKremer
on 31 Dec, 2006 03:00
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shuttlefan - 30/12/2006 7:01 PM
There are differences. Even for Delta II, whose pads are closer, have to take into account the differences
Do the General Purpose Computers have to be programmed differently depending on which pad they are flying from? (I guess I should use the word ' did ' in place of the word ' do ' , since Pad B will not support any more shuttle launches, Heaven forbid a rescue flight to a Hubble mission.)
[/QUOTE]
Not so much the "pad" as it is the exact initial long/lat position of the LV when calculating the vectors at launch for the preferred initial orbit.
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#694
by
steve_slitheen
on 31 Dec, 2006 11:21
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Why do the orbiters have dummy RCS and OMS pods for 747 ferry flights? Why not leave the real things in place?
Steve.
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#695
by
dninness
on 31 Dec, 2006 13:04
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landofgrey - 25/12/2006 11:42 PM
[snip]
RTLS can be selected anytime after T-0, but nothing is done until after the SRB's separate. That's when all of the prop dump and pitcharound stuff happens. There's no option, no switch or computer command that will either manually or automatically separate the SRB's. The only thing that could would be a destruct command from the RSO, but in that case there'd be no RTLS either.
[snip]
If you want to know who might be able to help, try Mark Kirkman on here. He knows all about that kind of stuff and probably has the procedures in hand already.
I don't want to sound like a pendantic knucklehead, and my only knowledge of this comes from a REALLY out of date reference ("The Space Shuttle Operators Manual"..tee heee), but what about the "ET SEP" and "SRB SEP" push switches on the center console? I am reasonably certain that pressing either set of buttons during the first stage would be the textbook definition of a "bad day," but I know they're there. Maybe Mark can tell us if they are locked out during that MM or not.
Thanks!
Darin
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#696
by
shuttlefan
on 31 Dec, 2006 13:37
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dninness - 31/12/2006 7:47 AM
landofgrey - 25/12/2006 11:42 PM
[snip]
RTLS can be selected anytime after T-0, but nothing is done until after the SRB's separate. That's when all of the prop dump and pitcharound stuff happens. There's no option, no switch or computer command that will either manually or automatically separate the SRB's. The only thing that could would be a destruct command from the RSO, but in that case there'd be no RTLS either.
[snip]
If you want to know who might be able to help, try Mark Kirkman on here. He knows all about that kind of stuff and probably has the procedures in hand already.
I don't want to sound like a pendantic knucklehead, and my only knowledge of this comes from a REALLY out of date reference ("The Space Shuttle Operators Manual"..tee heee), but what about the "ET SEP" and "SRB SEP" push switches on the center console? I am reasonably certain that pressing either set of buttons during the first stage would be the textbook definition of a "bad day," but I know they're there. Maybe Mark can tell us if they are locked out during that MM or not.
Thanks!
Darin
Trying to seperate from the ET during SRB first-stage burn would almost-certainly be fatal. If the white-hote flame plume from the SRBs don't burn the orbiter severely, it will almost certainly be sent into an uncontrollable spiral by the SRBs.
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#697
by
Jim
on 31 Dec, 2006 14:13
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steve_slitheen - 31/12/2006 7:04 AM
Why do the orbiters have dummy RCS and OMS pods for 747 ferry flights? Why not leave the real things in place?
Steve.
If the ferry flight is for a EAFB landing, the real ones are in place. But if it the orbiter was at Palmdale for refurbishment, the pods sometimes stayed at KSC.
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#698
by
Jim
on 31 Dec, 2006 14:43
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dninness - 31/12/2006 8:47 AM
landofgrey - 25/12/2006 11:42 PM
[snip]
RTLS can be selected anytime after T-0, but nothing is done until after the SRB's separate. That's when all of the prop dump and pitcharound stuff happens. There's no option, no switch or computer command that will either manually or automatically separate the SRB's. The only thing that could would be a destruct command from the RSO, but in that case there'd be no RTLS either.
[snip]
If you want to know who might be able to help, try Mark Kirkman on here. He knows all about that kind of stuff and probably has the procedures in hand already.
I don't want to sound like a pendantic knucklehead, and my only knowledge of this comes from a REALLY out of date reference ("The Space Shuttle Operators Manual"..tee heee), but what about the "ET SEP" and "SRB SEP" push switches on the center console? I am reasonably certain that pressing either set of buttons during the first stage would be the textbook definition of a "bad day," but I know they're there. Maybe Mark can tell us if they are locked out during that MM or not.
Thanks!
Darin
ET SEP is not locked out during ascent. there is a "fast sep" abort scenario (however unlikely)
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#699
by
Jim
on 31 Dec, 2006 14:44
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TheMadCap - 30/12/2006 12:47 PM
I don't think anyone answered this one:
Question regarding the zinc chromate putty in the field joints of the SRBs. The putty seals cracks in the connection between two cases, so it does in fact have to come into contact with exhaust gases?
How can this putty stand up to the heat and pressures involved?
The SRM burns from the inside outward.
