Space shuttle launch

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allisolm

allisolm

Elite Member
Administrator
Jan 2, 2001
25,334
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Thanks! I had forgotten. No matter how many of these I watch, it never gets old. Amazing every time.
 
Linflas

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
Originally posted by: allisolm
Thanks! I had forgotten. No matter how many of these I watch, it never gets old. Amazing every time.
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I remember watching the Mercury launches and it is no less thrilling to me today than it was as a 5 year old.
 
L

LordMorpheus

Diamond Member
Aug 14, 2002
6,871
1
0
sweet! I started watching 40 seconds before liftoff.

Does anyone else get a really worried watching this? I've seen too many videos of failed space launches to really relax until the solid rocket boosters detach.

Also, right now, is the large fuel take iced over? (Just curious as to why it's completely white, maybe it's just washed out)

out of range for the fuel tank camera ... I was hoping to watch separation.
 
Fritzo

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,920
2,161
126
Originally posted by: LordMorpheus
sweet! I started watching 40 seconds before liftoff.

Does anyone else get a really worried watching this? I've seen too many videos of failed space launches to really relax until the solid rocket boosters detach.

Also, right now, is the large fuel take iced over? (Just curious as to why it's completely white, maybe it's just washed out)

out of range for the fuel tank camera ... I was hoping to watch separation.
Click to expand...

EVERYBODY is worried---there's no certainty as to what is going to happen. That's why they're such a big deal.
 
BoomerD

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,366
14,776
146
It's a very sobering feeling to be up in space and realize that one's safety factor was determined by the lowest bidder on a government contract.
Alan Shepard
 
dud

dud

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,635
73
91
You know you've seen too many launches when you completely ignore the fact that it's launching right out your window ...
 
MiniDoom

MiniDoom

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2004
5,305
0
76
I watched this take off from an airplane going from DC to Orlando. It was really cool!
 
Modelworks

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
Well at least this time they do know how serious the tile problem can be. They now carry repair kits to fix broken tiles. I was surprised how easy the tiles were to break. The director took one in his hand and broke it with just a hard tap.
 
Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
Originally posted by: Jeff7
Hmm, not good - minor damage to the thermal tiles.
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Let's hope it is just minor. It really does look minor compared to the rather large hole that supposedly brought down Columbia. This is of course something they should have been monitoring since day one but given the number of small nicks they have seen since they have been keeping a close watch on the issue and given how many launches it took before something disastrous happened I'm sure there were many previous missions where shuttles suffered much more damage that just went unnoticed.

At any rate I am REALLY glad that they decided to go ahead with this mission. Of all the shuttle launches over the years to the Space station which arguably doesn't advance science much at all, it's nice to see a shuttle mission that is truly helping to advancing scientific knowledge! On all the previous missions astronauts were more than willing to risk their lives for much less.
 
Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
Originally posted by: Modelworks
Well at least this time they do know how serious the tile problem can be. They now carry repair kits to fix broken tiles. I was surprised how easy the tiles were to break. The director took one in his hand and broke it with just a hard tap.
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The tiles were designed almost entirely for their thermal properties not their resistance to damage.
 
SmoochyTX

SmoochyTX

Lifer
Apr 19, 2003
13,615
0
0
Originally posted by: Locut0s
Originally posted by: sao123
wow...the ignorance in those comments is astounding.
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Care to elaborate?

Oh do you mean the comments in Jeff's link?
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He's meaning the comments in Jeff's link. Some of them people are totally whacko!
 
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