Running a little hot...
I like the screen over the inlet, I imagine they don't want people sucked into a huge Cuisinart!!!
Posted on 09/07/2006 6:56:16 PM PDT by KevinDavis
However, we are now in the late '00s, and we should be able to come up with something that is much more advanced than this obsolete Space Shuttle.
We have a whole new system that is currently being built to replace the shuttle. Big, dumb and safe is all you need to get into space, then you spend the money on the cutting edge stuff once you are up.
LOL..
That is the smart way to do it imho.. Just get up into space safe then go the big cutting edge stuff.
Docking to the ISS should be Monday morning.
They just awarded a multi-billion contract to Lockheed to do just that.
This is the 27th flight of Atlantis, it doesn't really matter how old the technology is if it acn safely get a payload up to orbit at reasonable expense.
Now however it does require a new vehcile to lower costs, and improve some performance.
They will likely use an older concept for the newer craft.
BTW: A good friend of ours, Joe Tanner, is the man who will lead the EVA's and assembly of the ISS components. A program like this helps keep the US well ahead of the rest of the world by developing the capabilities of the engineering companies, and developing world class leaders of programs and engineering. When US firms bid international contracts they are immediately given an advantage by showing they have NASA experience. They can be trusted< /sales pitch>
The previous Shuttle mission had some three EVAs of six hours duration and a couple since by the ISS crew. This assembly mission will have a lot of EVA, including extensive use of the Canadian Remote Manipulator Arm which has to be moved to a new anchor point. EVA is still far from a routine activity.
Running a little hot...
I like the screen over the inlet, I imagine they don't want people sucked into a huge Cuisinart!!!
Was it Atlantis? Could have been carrying my bird aloft. :-)
Awfull!! This is the very thing for which television was invented; to bring us together at momentous historic occasions!!
I have no words for the disgusting irrelevancy of television...
No wonder God loves us, eh?
Imagine trying to roast a hot dog near that engine???
Amen....
Beautiful, TomGuy. I was out of the loop this morning, so missed the launch.
But I just scrolled through the posts on this thread and FELT the excitement as you all experienced it in real time!!
I hope I can be online for the landing ...
You're an ace thread host, Kev and congrats to you SEMom for your live view of ATLANTIS!!
God speed to the mission.
Specifications:
Model: Pratt & Whitney J-58JT11D-20
Compressor: 9-stage, axial flow, single spool Turbine: two-stage axial flow
Thrust: 32,500 lbs. with afterburner
Weight: approx. 6,000 lbs.
Max. operating altitude: above 80,000 ft.
Link; http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/j-58~1.htm
Sorry, I think it was Columbia, but we are going from old foggy memory.
Did you send a test up?
Our friend (Joe T) is one of their most experienced EVA guys (their ace, as I understand), he led the training of the two rookies with him.
It is very risky business, lots of improv and little margin for error and they've got a lot of work to do this mission.
my sundial has never failed me before!
You could call it that. :-)
The Space Shuttle Atlantis launched the Magellan spacecraft on May 4 1989 which we subsequently flew to Venus.
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