Something may be wrong with the Shuttle's heat resistant tiles

[Steeplerot]

The tiles are used to protect the Space Shuttle as it returns to Earth. A large hole in one of the wings, with a similar heat resistant material (carbon-carbon panels whereas the main tiles are ceramics) caused the February 2003 crash of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

UPDATE: Here is the report direct from Nasa's website:

"About 7:40 p.m. EST, the STS-116 crew members received word from the Mission Control Center in Houston that they are now scheduled to conduct an additional inspection of an area of interest on Discovery?s port (left-hand) wing. They will conduct the inspection with camera?s on the station?s robotic arm.

Leading-edge wing sensors detected a possible impact and flight controllers want to gather data with the arm?s camera. Engineers will analyze the imagery on the ground.

A Mission Status Briefing is scheduled for 9 p.m. and will be aired on NASA TV."

Link to Nasa updates for STS-116 Discovery Mission now currently docked at ISS


How will they get home? Possibly catch a lift with Russians? Or will they risk it if there is damage? We all know what happened last time on reentry. Bad news.

Cross your fingers all is ok when they go out to look and the problem is repairable.

 

[feralkid]

God help us, not again.

:brokenheart:

 

[sandorski]

I blame the RightWing!!!!

They have some Repair options available, hopefully they can fix it up.

 

[wirelessenabled]

Don't like to hear this.

On the same subject, I heard on the news this morning about the Shuttle's docking with the Space Station and how it would require "all hands' to accomplish because it is so difficult....

So how are the unmanned Progress ships from the backwards nation of Russia able to dock with the Space Station on a regular basis if this evolution is so difficult?

 

[Harvey]

Steeplerot -- You beat my post by one minute.

I just heard it on TV. No info online, yet. All I heard was, sensors show there MAY be a problem. No indication if there's any actual damage or how severe it may be. They're shooting pics to send back to NASA for analysis.

Best thoughts and wishes for the safe return of our astronauts.

 

[HomeAppraiser]

Its Major Tom all over again.

 

[Steeplerot]

Originally posted by: sandorski
I blame the RightWing!!!!

They have some Repair options available, hopefully they can fix it up.

If they are delayed I am sure they can always find out where the russkies stashed the vodka in ISS hopefully a hangover is the worst that will come of this.

 

[smack Down]

Most likely it is nothing. The shuttle has gotten hit on just about every mission with only one problem major problem.

 

[K1052]

Chances are it's not too terrible if there is actually any damage at all.

The only ways to get them back if NASA finds a problem to severe to repair is to either pay the Russians to send up a couple more Soyuz capsules or rush the Atlantis to launch.

 

[Jadow]

They should use the space stations escape vehicle and just permanently mount the shuttle to the station for extra storage.

 

[MikeO]

Topic Summary: Left wing heat tiles may be damaged by impact

I was hoping this was a political joke ...hope the shuttle is ok.

 

[BrownTown]

I'm sure its fine, they are just being super paranoid after last time. The shuttle was routinely hit with pieces of foam before the Discovery accident and it managed to survive them 99% of the time.

 

[dmw16]

I agree with BrownTown. They are really paranoid anymore about this thing. I'm sure it will be fine.

 

[rockyct]

Originally posted by: dmw16
I agree with BrownTown. They are really paranoid anymore about this thing. I'm sure it will be fine.

From the article, I see no paranoia. There are only two sentences about the "minor disturbance." The rest of the article talks about how the first check looked fine, but they're starting on the more detailed anaylsis and that they'll be installing the ISS truss soon. I don't see why someone even started a thread on this. Had there been damage like that on Columbia, it probably would have been discovered in the first check.

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: BrownTown
I'm sure its fine, they are just being super paranoid after last time. The shuttle was routinely hit with pieces of foam before the Discovery accident and it managed to survive them 99% of the time.

I wasn't aware that 99 other missions had been hit?