Comments on: Minor Shuttle damage?

By: Spiv

Spiv — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:40:08 +0000

oh yeah, I have pictures from the launch:

http://pigeonfish.info/pics/launch2-7-08/

Hope this is just a minor hitch, nothing big for the mission.

According to this: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5354 it looks like the tile damage is minimal, and they’re still determining whether it’s worth the EVA to stick down the blanket.

By: Pop

Pop — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:13:33 +0000

Duct tape! Just put some duct tape on the tear. Another term for duct tape is/was 200MPH tape. Seems it was used to patch and repair airplanes and would stick at speeds of 200MPH. Actually, it was used to cover minor holes in jet aircraft during Vietnam hostilities. So, I guess it could be called 500MPH tape or some such. If it stuck during re-entry, the speed rating could be upped. Great selling point for 3M.

By: John

John — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:16:37 +0000

So let me get this straight – the outer layer of the shuttle in those areas is a blanket???? Soft, as opposed to a hard shell? I understand the leading edges are the heat tiles for re-entry, I guess I assumed all of the exterior surfaces were a hard shell of some sort, like, oh, an airplane.

I am gobsmacked.

By: The Bad Astronomer

The Bad Astronomer — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:21:19 +0000

Hmmm, right. OK, I fixed it. Thanks for the correction.

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 11:30:48 +0000

Thanks for pointing that out, Igor. I was going to do it.

By: Igor Carron

Igor Carron — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:29:05 +0000

Phil,

Damaris is not an astronaut trainee. She wants to be an astronaut, there is a difference. She obviously has the will and capabilities to be one. It would be very nice if you could make that correction. Thanks in advance,

Igor.

By: Lugosi

Lugosi — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 04:47:27 +0000

Considering what’s at stake, someone needs to make damn sure that thing is safe before re-entry. Not to minimize the lives of the astronauts themselves, but the loss of another orbiter would end America’s manned space program for at least the next decade, doom the Hubble Telescope (without the scheduled repair mission, it probably won’t last another two years), and end any future expansions or major repairs to the ISS.

By: CR

CR — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:48:30 +0000

Careful, Mark Martin! Admitting that might give conspiracy theorists ammo, just like the fact the tape was used on the Lunar Modules. (roll eyes)

By: Mark Martin

Mark Martin — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:35:47 +0000

I wouldn’t worry a bit about such a small amount of damage to that particular area. I’d even consider an EVA to fix it a greater risk than to just leave it alone. I used to work for the company which made the original sets of those low-temperature blankets, and made blankets myself of that same material for other insulation applications. It’s good stuff, but it’s also definitely not robust enough to stay intact under stresses large enough to tear apart the spacecraft. In other words, it’s there mainly as an over-engineering measure. If the temperature and, especially, aerodynamic conditions were really that critical, there’d be thermal tiles there instead of what are essentially quilts of low-density glass batting sewn between sheets of glass cloth.

By: Radwaste

Radwaste — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:05:48 +0000

I can’t wait for the Ares-class launchers to be ready. I’m really tired of seeing so much time and $$ spent on this sorry idea.

I had the opportunity to speak to a few of the KSC veterans a few years ago, courtesy of The Man and his traffic court, and they lamented the current “leadership”.

By: Michael Lonergan

Michael Lonergan — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 01:48:24 +0000

CNN also says that there is tile damage by the front wheel well.

By: NickW

NickW — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 01:27:01 +0000

I thought it was a bunny rabbit

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:58:34 +0000

And if you look really closely, you can see a miniature Bigfoot pulling the blanket up over his head!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:30:47 +0000

IIRC, it was Atlantis last time that had the OMS pod blanket problem. I sure hope when they get back it doesn’t compromise the Hubble mission seriously.