Shuttle launch in just a few minutes!

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:32 am

*SQUEEEEEEEEEEE*

*watches NASA live TV*

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:32 am

Thy're retracting the arm!

Whohoo!

KittyKatBlack · Post by **KittyKatBlack** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:36 am

You have got to be one of the most easily entertained people I've ever met. And this is coming from someone who gets distracted by shiny colored buttons...

Christwriter · Post by **Christwriter** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:50 am

I WATCHED THE LAUNCH!!!!

SO. FREAKING. COOL.

CW

Mon Ami · Post by **Mon Ami** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:53 am

I cannot watch it :~:

Warren · Post by **Warren** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:40 am

That was TODAY?

Laemkral · Post by **Laemkral** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:51 am

*ksssh* Uh, Houston? We're having a problem out here. Requesting advice. *ksssh*

Shuttle, what issues are you having?

*ksssh* Well, there's a giant ball of light floating right outside the cockpit, and it's holding a sign that says "Go science!!". *kssh*

Czar · Post by **Czar** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:30 pm

Laemkral wrote:*ksssh* Uh, Houston? We're having a problem out here. Requesting advice. *ksssh*

Shuttle, what issues are you having?

*ksssh* Well, there's a giant ball of light floating right outside the cockpit, and it's holding a sign that says "Go science!!". *kssh*

What? Not asking for autographs?

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:41 pm

Laemkral wrote:*ksssh* Uh, Houston? We're having a problem out here. Requesting advice. *ksssh*

Shuttle, what issues are you having?

*ksssh* Well, there's a giant ball of light floating right outside the cockpit, and it's holding a sign that says "Go science!!". *kssh*

I'd do that too...

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:38 pm

KittyKatBlack wrote:You have got to be one of the most easily entertained people I've ever met. And this is coming from someone who gets distracted by shiny colored buttons...

rkolter? Easily entertained? Naaaa.

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:48 pm

Entertained... ENTERTAINED?!

That purple menace was trying to eat my BRAIN!

Doll · Post by **Doll** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:31 pm

*has William Shatner's performance of Rocket Man stuck in her head*

Now look what you've done!!!

Garneta · Post by **Garneta** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:06 pm

Haha! I must've missed seeing him with the thing on his head while we were there!

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:02 pm

rkolter wrote:Entertained... ENTERTAINED?!

That purple menace was trying to eat my BRAIN!

But...I mean, what's NOT entertaining about having your brain eaten? It's not at all boring, anyway!

The Neko · Post by **The Neko** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:46 pm

Man, a shuttle, missiles, AND fireworks all in the same day! Holy Shit!

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:28 am

The Neko wrote:Man, a shuttle, missiles, AND fireworks all in the same day! Holy Shit!

Scary, scary missles.

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:48 am

The shuttle launch on Superman was more fun.

You know, by virtue of being entirely fake.

- Joel Fagin

Cat42 · Post by **Cat42** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 6:46 am

There was a shuttle launch and a missile scare yesterday?

I am really out of it when it comes to this damn planet...

EDIT++++
Question for RKolter, or whoever else might be able to explain it:
I just read an article that said the Columbia Exploded in 2003 because foam fell off of it. I'm wondering how this could work, and what for, and why are they using foam if it's causing them problems?

FURTHER ANNOTATION:
(As if my question wasn't long enough) what is the fesability of a shuttle launch in the style of what they did in Superman Returns, and why don't they do that?

Czar · Post by **Czar** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:09 am

cat42 wrote:There was a shuttle launch and a missile scare yesterday?

I am really out of it when it comes to this damn planet...

EDIT++++
Question for RKolter, or whoever else might be able to explain it:
I just read an article that said the Columbia Exploded in 2003 because foam fell off of it. I'm wondering how this could work, and what for, and why are they using foam if it's causing them problems?

Discovery launched, first shuttle launch since Columbia went kablooie (sorry for the disrespect) unless I'm mistaken. Mission is to place a german astronaut on ISS, bringing the crew up to three for the first time since Columbia went down in flames. They're also to test the possibility of making repairs on the shuttle while in space.
North Korea has test fired seven (or is that eight now?) missiles today, one of which had long range capacity (whatever that means).

Damage to Columbia that caused the explosion is believed to be because a bit of foam damaged the heatshield, which consists of thousands and thousands of pieces of ceramic tiles. One of these get damaged or slightly moved out of place, you get uneven heating during reentry with the potential for catastrophic damage following. If you can check prior to reentry if any tiles are damaged, and replace any damaged tiles, you should be able to prevent such mishaps in the future (and if they see any such damage on the Discovery (which they are unable to repair safely), every astronaut onboard is riding this one out on the ISS 'til the Russians can bring them down in the time honoured, aged (not to say ancient!) Sojuz vehicles. All to prevent another incident.

The foam is needed as insulation for the fueltanks, as far as I know. Liquid hydrogen and oxygen in the big tank I believe. You don't want to skimp on the insulation for that stuff, kind of explosive and needs to be kept cold.
The booster rockets are also something you don't want to skimp on the insulation for.

EDIT: Haven't seen Superman returns, don't intend to until its on TV. Can't answer that question without more info.
Tentative answer: Because it's fiction?

RemusShepherd · Post by **RemusShepherd** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:11 am

cat42 wrote:There was a shuttle launch and a missile scare yesterday?

Yeah, the north koreans tried to steal our thunder.

Question for RKolter, or whoever else might be able to explain it:
I just read an article that said the Columbia Exploded in 2003 because foam fell off of it. I'm wondering how this could work, and what for, and why are they using foam if it's causing them problems?

(Edit: Rkolter got an answer in while I was typing mine, and his is more correct. I thought the foam and heat tiles were one and the same.

Bad answer deleted because it's confusing people.

)

Someone else will have to talk to the Superman Returns thing, I haven't seen it yet.