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#940
by
cautionjump
on 07 May, 2013 15:34
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Do you know anything about the kuband antenna and radiators? Does the orbiter need to be powered to open them?
Thats interesting about Discovery, why are they considering opening the doors one day?
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#941
by
Chris Bergin
on 07 May, 2013 15:39
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Robert's the man with the answers for this (and I'm sure we all appreciate it)....but I'm pretty certain her powered up days were over before she left for the exhibit.
OPF flows had them open the PLBDs "like" this because the orbiter could only manager it themselves in zero G. The motors aren't strong enough to open them on the ground.
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#942
by
brettreds2k
on 07 May, 2013 15:40
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They will not have the KU Band Antenna deployed, just the replica robotic arm. Atlantis is not powered to open the bay doors for this.
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#943
by
collectSPACE
on 07 May, 2013 15:41
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The latest artist rendering does not show the forward radiators deployed, but as they weren't deployed on every mission, it wouldn't detract if they are not.
And as Chris mentioned, Atlantis is no longer powered (and cannot be), and based on USA's mechanical systems training manual, the radiators need to be powered to be deployed.
I haven't heard plans for the Ku Band antenna one way or the other.
The talk (admittedly more than a year ago) about someday opening Discovery's bay was for an enhanced display. To my knowledge, there are no concrete (or even tentative) plans to do so, but it is/was at least a possibility.
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#944
by
brettreds2k
on 07 May, 2013 15:50
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I know when they stowed the KU Band Antenna before final power down, they stated that it would not be deployed again.
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#945
by
cautionjump
on 07 May, 2013 15:51
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I didnt know the forward radiators werent deployed on every mission!
Not to stray too off topic, but I know the Smithsonian wanted Discovery pretty complete for research purposes, so is any active research going on with Discovery? Does anyone have access to the interior since NASA closed her up?
I may start a thread under Discovery section, but was curious is shes just sitting there looking pretty, or if anyone is actively working with her.
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#946
by
cautionjump
on 07 May, 2013 15:53
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I wonder what it would take if one day they decided they wanted to power up one of the orbiters again for some reason.
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#947
by
collectSPACE
on 07 May, 2013 15:58
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I know when they stowed the KU Band Antenna before final power down, they stated that it would not be deployed again.
Well, this discussion was well timed.
Between 11:30 and 11:35 a.m. EDT,
you can see the Ku Band antenna was swung out.
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#948
by
brettreds2k
on 07 May, 2013 16:00
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Well I stand corrected!! HAHA. They did say that though when I was watching a video back last year when they put it back in its stowed position, I promise they said that!! LOL
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#949
by
collectSPACE
on 07 May, 2013 16:04
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Does anyone have access to the interior since NASA closed her up?
They entered Discovery after it arrived at the Udvar-Hazy Center to reconfigure the crew cabin (stowing some of the crew seats to improve access; the seats couldn't be stowed during the ferry flight).
I don't believe any active research or study is being performed, but that is a question to pose to the Space History staff at the National Air and Space Museum.
I wonder what it would take if one day they decided they wanted to power up one of the orbiters again for some reason.
Per NASA, that's no longer an option.
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#950
by
psloss
on 07 May, 2013 16:07
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I know when they stowed the KU Band Antenna before final power down, they stated that it would not be deployed again.
That may have been in the context of NASA/USA orbiter processing (in the OPFs). Different rules may apply in this setting and with the vehicle deactivated.
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#951
by
cautionjump
on 07 May, 2013 16:08
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Does anyone have access to the interior since NASA closed her up?
They entered Discovery after it arriving at the Udvar-Hazy Center to reconfigure the crew cabin (stowing some of the crew seats to improve access; the seats couldn't be stowed during the ferry flight).
I don't believe any active research or study is being performed, but that is a question to pose to the Space History staff at the National Air and Space Museum.
I wonder what it would take if one day they decided they wanted to power up one of the orbiters again for some reason.
Per NASA, that's no longer an option.
Yeah I remember reading that they wanted access in the cabin for future research, so I was wondering if they ever did. Ill have to send them an email to find out. Its sad not hearing much about Discovery these days.
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#952
by
cautionjump
on 07 May, 2013 16:11
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Im pretty excited to see Atlantis in person finally! I was at the Welcome Discovery day, and got to see Endeavour in the VAB right before she left for Cali.
On a side note, I have a thermal blanket that flew on Left Pod 4 when it was attached to Discovery. So Ill get to see that pod very close now that its on Atlantis!
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#953
by
cautionjump
on 07 May, 2013 21:55
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I noticed there are photos from up above the second level, will that be accessible to the public?
Will it just be ground floor, and first level, or will there be higher vantage points too?
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#954
by
collectSPACE
on 07 May, 2013 22:24
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The photos from above Atlantis are taken from catwalks that are not publicly-accessible.
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#955
by
TheFallen
on 08 May, 2013 00:39
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The photos from above Atlantis are taken from catwalks that are not publicly-accessible.
Well that's too bad. Despite the fact I'm only 30 miles from Endeavour, I'd travel back to Florida again just to get this great angle on Atlantis
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#956
by
Alpha Control
on 08 May, 2013 00:50
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The photos from above Atlantis are taken from catwalks that are not publicly-accessible.
Perhaps they could add a separate viewing platform at a future date? Similar to the one at the Smithsonian, that you can climb to obtain an elevated view of Discovery.
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#957
by
collectSPACE
on 08 May, 2013 03:15
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There is an upper level of sorts, though it is further back from Atlantis. You can see it in the webcam shots. The top of the stairs leading up to that level is in the lower right corner of the frame.
But one of the reasons Atlantis was tilted 43 degrees to one side was to give visitors a view of the top of the orbiter without having to elevate them.
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#958
by
MichaelJohnston
on 08 May, 2013 17:01
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But one of the reasons Atlantis was tilted 43 degrees to one side was to give visitors a view of the top of the orbiter without having to elevate them.
Hey Robert! Were there any considerations for the way in which Atlantis would be tilted to accommodate access to the cockpit or payload bay for museum caretakers? I heard rumors that a tilted platform may be placed in the payload bay, if not in the cockpit as well.
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#959
by
collectSPACE
on 08 May, 2013 17:21
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As noted
earlier in this thread and
shown in this video, there was a tilted platform installed on Atlantis' middeck before its hatch was closed and the orbiter was moved to the visitor complex.
According to the exhibit's planners, there are two window washer-like bucket/platforms that can be lowered from the ceiling to give workers access to the payload bay but they said, there are no plans at this time to enter the crew cabin. Also, as
pointed out earlier, the airlock in Atlantis' bay is a replica, and may block access to the middeck.
