Space Shuttle 360-degree Flight Deck View

Reaganite Republican ^ | July 25, 2011 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

This is pretty cool- click on pic:

At the link above you see the actual cockpit of the US Space Shuttle Discovery- note insulation panels installed over windows for re-entry- guess they get a little warm. Last week's final mission -completing 30 years of manned Shuttle flights- was completed by the Atlantis... some facts about the craft:

The Space Shuttle was the first orbital spacecraft designed for reuse. It carried different payloads to Low Earth Orbit, provided crew rotation for the International Space Station (ISS), and performed servicing missions- the first one went up in the early days of the Reagan Administration, on April 12th, 1981.

The orbiter was capable of recovering satellites and other payloads from orbit and returning them to Earth in one piece. Each Shuttle was designed for a projected lifespan of 100 launches or ten years of operational life, although this was later extended.. The person in charge of designing the STS was Maxime Faget, who had also overseen the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft designs.

The crucial factor in the size and shape of the Shuttle Orbiter was the requirement that it be able to accommodate the largest planned commercial and classified satellites, and have the cross-range recovery range to meet the requirement for classified USAF missions.

Atlantis is named after RV Atlantis, a two masted sailing ship that operated as the primary research vessel for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution from 1930 to 1966. The 460-ton ketch carried a crew of 17 and had room for 5 scientists. The former RV Atlantis is now commissioned as an oceanographic research vessel in the Argentine Naval Prefecture under the name Dr. Bernardo Houssay and finishing a lengthy period of restoration. 

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Basic Shuttle Stats

Stages:         2

Height:        184 ft 

Diameter:      28.5 ft 

Mass:              2302 tons

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More news, views, and right-wing humor at Reaganite Republican

TheLastShuttle   Wikipedia   h/t Speedunque 

[Yardstick]

*space bling bump*

[cake_crumb]

Sad but cool.

[Salamander]

That IS cool...but now I’ve got vertigo....:)

[FrankR]

But here's what obama has turned it into...

[FrankR]

[Yo-Yo]

“Thank Ewe.”

[raybbr]

"Dang, what's this little red switch for again?"

Sheesh trying to memorize all the buttons would be a bear. I bet they can't wait till the upgrade comes when they'll have touch screens.

[bitterohiogunclinger]

I’ll see your bump and raise you a BTT.

[Yo-Yo]

At the link above you see the actual cockpit of the US Space Shuttle Discovery- note insulation panels installed over windows for re-entry- guess they get a little warm.

The caption to the 360° view says:

Space Shuttle Discovery's flight deck during decommissioning in the Orbiter Processing Facility

The Orbiter Processing Facility is at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, not in orbit. ;^) Note the trouble light behind the Commander's seat.

It's interesting to note how much the Shuttles have changed over their 30 years of service. Here is an image of a first generation Shuttle cockpit. Notice how many more analog gauges there are:

[stylecouncilor]

ping

[onedoug]

Nice glider.

[SunkenCiv]

Not official, and interesting extra topic ping. Thanks Reaganite Republican.

[left that other site]

(sigh) Adios, Amigo....

[InvisibleChurch]

Is nice

[brytlea]

Too cool for words...

[TheOldLady]

[TheOldLady]

Thank you very much for the post and ping.

That is a LOT of fun, and very interesting.

[DejaJude]

Wow, not only does it rotate, but you can zoom in and out, go up and down or go left or right. Wonder what that thing is that has Canada on it.

[Reaganite Republican]

The Canada sticker would have to be due to Canadian guest traveller, no?