Space Shuttle's "Return to Flight"

[DisneyDaniel]

As I listened to the following signoff message on NASA-TV, I felt inspired, optimistic yet saddened, but full of hope about the future of science and space exploration. Well said, Commander Collins. I hope more media outlets had reported or broadcasted the following:


Pictured above: STS-114 Commander Eileen Collins waves while suiting up on launch day.

Commander Collins' Flight Day 1 Signoff - July 26, 2005
At the end of Flight Day 1, STS-114 Commander Eileen Collins delivered a message before signing off for the night.

On the evening of our first day in space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, the STS-114 crew would like to send our thanks to the teams who've worked so hard over the past two and a half years to return the fleet to orbit. Our thanks go out to all the managers, the engineers, the technicians and everyone. Give yourselves a pat on the back. This is work well done.

As our crew looks back at our beautiful planet and then outwards toward the unknown of space, we feel the importance, today more than any time, of space exploration to all those who are living on Earth. Our flight is the next flight of many in the human exploration of the universe.

And finally, we reflect on the last shuttle mission, the great ship Columbia and her crew--Rick, Willie, Mike, K.C., Dave, Laurel and Elan. We miss them, and we are continuing their mission. God bless them tonight, and God bless their families. Good night.


Pictured above: On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia crewmembers of mission STS-107 were lost over North Texas. Top row: David M. Brown, William C. McCool, and Michael P. Anderson. Bottom row: Kalpana Chawla, Rick D. Husband, Laurel B. Clark, and Ilan Ramon.

[Ghoulish Delight]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8720825/

So far so good. They've done a couple preliminary damage assessments and aren't too concerned yet. The consensus from visual inspection of the chipped tile is that it's no big deal, but they have the option of using the new boom-mounted laser to inspect it in detail later. Also, as they approach the space station, the shuttle is going to do a backflip to allow the astronauts on the station to get a good look at the underside as yet another visual inspection. And later they'll be doing a space walk to test out new repair techniques on the thermal tiles.

Sounds like they're doing a good job of taking sensible (and down right cool) steps to get realistic damage assessments.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Ugh, here we go again.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8720825/

All missions have been put on indefinite hold. Not because of the chipped tile, but because of the chunk of foam.

This does not bode well. They spent 2 1/2 years, primarily trying to resolve this exact problem...and here we have a near instant replay. Fortunately this time it seems the variables worked to prevent the kind of damage that doomed the Columbia, but the fact is this really has to be viewed as an abject failure for NASA.

Stupidly, they still seem comitted to these ancient beasts. It would probably take longer to develop a new generation craft, but it would seem to me a better investment of money and time to develop something new that will last another 25 years than duct tape an old design that's showing its age and flaws.

[scaeagles]

It is most certainly time for something new. The shuttle program served the country well, but there are certainly better ideas on the drawing board....there have to be. I have seen concept drawings of potential replacements for the shuttle, but i wonder if the military is using them and they are therefore classified.

[TigerLily]

Not to long ago they were test flying a small plane type craft that made it to the no gravity stage and made it back twice. They could improve on this design and get something better. I was hoping they would get away from the old school shuttle and desgn something better. We have the engineering and know how, but maybe they don't want to commit the funds...

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by TigerLily

Not to long ago they were test flying a small plane type craft that made it to the no gravity stage and made it back twice.

That was private and had nowhere near the capacity for either crew or cargo/experiment equipment necessary for NASA's purposes, unfortunately. It barely had enough room for the pilot.

[scaeagles]

Interestingly, though, the guy who designed it - the legendary Burt Rutan, who has a picture in side the queue of Soarin over CA, has just partnered with the Billionaire founder of Virgin Atlantic Airlines - Branson, I think? - in a business venture to make space vehicles. I will be curious to see where this goes. Definitely the brains and the financing to make something cool.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I will be curious to see where this goes. Definitely the brains and the financing to make something cool.

Cool yes, but I believe they are focusing on a tourist vehicle, something that can carry a handful of passengers. While that would be inredible and a big step forward, it's still a far cry from the thousands of tons of cargo carrying ability that the shuttles have, or the physical space necessary to perform experiments.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Cool yes, but I believe they are focusing on a tourist vehicle, something that can carry a handful of passengers. While that would be inredible and a big step forward, it's still a far cry from the thousands of tons of cargo carrying ability that the shuttles have, or the physical space necessary to perform experiments.

Certainly - I'm sure it whatever they develop will be based on the vehicle Rutan developed in the X Prize competition. But it's a start.

Anyone else read Popular Science? They had an issue not long ago on efforts being made to reduce the cost of getting payloads into orbit. A couple of the really cool ones were mag-lev launching (similar to the launch of CA Screamin') and a "space elevator", where currently existing ultra-ultra strong micro fibers (constructed at the microscopic level) are lifted into a geosynchronous orbit as a tether to a platform on which shuttle like vehicles can land to get the payload or change crews. I really like that elevator idea, and while I am certainly no mechanical or structural engineer, it seems feasible.

[TigerLily]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Interestingly, though, the guy who designed it - the legendary Burt Rutan, who has a picture in side the queue of Soarin over CA, has just partnered with the Billionaire founder of Virgin Atlantic Airlines - Branson, I think? - in a business venture to make space vehicles. I will be curious to see where this goes. Definitely the brains and the financing to make something cool.

it was a contest, for lack of a better word, and they received a nice check for making it into space and back twice. Although the first trip was a bit rocky....I hope somthing comes of this....as for experiments in space...whats the point?