Atlantis return put off amid worry over safe re-entry

El Corazon

Gary Kirkham wrote:

Wouldn't all the rest benefit from Sunitha's safe return?

depends... theoretically, she could stay behind on the space station and wait for other transport, that means everyone else takes the risk instead of her.

_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

Gary Kirkham

As could they all.

Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read

El Corazon

Sebastian Schneider wrote:

She will most definitely not be the only one onboard the shuttle. AFAIR, she is not qualified to land the shuttle.

Correct. The shuttle is a seven man crew. One of the crew will remain on the space station, she will return. The other six will be the same crew as launched. Seven up, Seven down, unless they kick in an emergency plan, though the latter is extremely unlikely.

_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

peterchen

Satips, it is considered impolite in many societies to show such a preference when it is a matter of life and death. You sound like "I don't care about the others, it's only importnat that MY friends come back". Also having lost one good man :rose: doesn't change things, it's like saying "now it's your turn to die". I guess you wouldn't like it when most people on this planet say "I don't care about Sunitha, as long as the others make it back safe". Do not forget that space travel is a joint effort. In space, we are from Earth, not from a country. (at least, that's the idea) btw. showing a small preference ("praying for Sunitha and all other members of the crew") is usually ok.

We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
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El Corazon

Gary Kirkham wrote:

As could they all.

No, not likely. The space station is designed, as current materials, space, and oxygen allows for a standard 3-man crew. A fourth could stay, with a stretch. but for full evac, only the pilot and co-pilot returning, or heaven forbid an orbital ditch and all the crew 7+3 staying on board the space station would so overburden the current filtering and oxygen system as to need immediate international assistance for the USA. Given current feelings around the globe, the USA wouldn't risk it. Plus, since abandoning the shuttle for a lifeboat of the ISS, they would need international cooperation in just the decision to go life-boat ISS. Such a decision endangers not only the crew of the shuttle, but the remaining members of the ISS. Three or maybe four is a reasonably safe bet, eight on the ISS is dangerous, and ten would be nearly unthinkable. Oxygen consumption at three times normal rate, as well as CO2 filtering at three times normal rate. The ISS life-boat would be in danger the second the shuttle is dropped. ISS as a lifeboat **is** a plan that was considered, but so convoluted in international cooperation for it to work it was never fully followed through. It would be so caught up in red tape, the crew could easily be dead of CO2 poisoning long before an international decision could be made.

_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

El Corazon

well said all around.

_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

Lost User

Watch "The Great White Hype" starring Samuel L. Jackson where they have this idea of a white boxer. He is advertisied as irish so people who haven't seen him will know he is white :doh:

The tigress is here :-D

Lost User

5! She's american anyway ;P

The tigress is here :-D

peterchen

John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:

and unless I see her naked (and she has exceptional qualities),

You can figure these things out by looking? :omg:

We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
My first real C# project | Linkify!|FoldWithUs! | sighist

John M Drescher

I really can not believe they still have not fixed this problem considering the fact that most (if not all) of the launches since the disaster have damaged the heat shield.

John

Dan Neely

Almost every launch prior to the columbia disaster suffered some damage as well. The heatshield is a material with a consistency similar to Styrofoam, at 20,000 mph collision with any sort of dust will cause some degree of damage. The specific problem source that inflicted fatal damage on the Columbia (a pipe for the external fuel tank) did have its spray on insulation replaced with an electric blanket. They've developed an inspection routine and methods to repair the smaller sorts of damage that are most likely but that's all that is possible to do.

-- You have to explain to them [VB coders] what you mean by "typed". their first response is likely to be something like, "Of course my code is typed. Do you think i magically project it onto the screen with the power of my mind?" --- John Simmons / outlaw programmer

Member 96

There truly are no "native" americans or Canadians for that matter. They emigrated just like the rest only much earlier.

"110%" - it's the new 70%

Member 96

:) You got my five. In fact the flying spaghetti monster watches over my Subaru on a daily basis.

"110%" - it's the new 70%

Member 96

http://www.venganza.org/[^]

"110%" - it's the new 70%

Jorgen Sigvardsson

He's got a keen eye. You can have it too, but it requires lots of practice!

-- Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Jorgen Sigvardsson

rAmen.

-- Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

El Corazon

John M. Drescher wrote:

I really can not believe they still have not fixed this problem considering the fact that most (if not all) of the launches since the disaster have damaged the heat shield.

actually, about 50% +- of the launches in the history of the shuttle have damaged at least one tile. If I recall correctly, the first shuttle launch and return actually had the most damage of any, they perfected the glue following that launch. It all depends on which tile is lost.

_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

Lost User

El Corazon wrote:

they perfected the glue following that launch.

Considering the situation, 'perfected' might not be the best term here. ;P

El Corazon

Mike Mullikin wrote:

Considering the situation, 'perfected' might not be the best term here.

actually, the glue isn't the problem.... it's ice on the vehicle (icy fuels == icy surfaces == dicy situation) and other "strikes" to the vehicle. Hitting a bird at post mach is nasty, especially when it is multiple mach. In most cases the ice breaks off in small chunks leaving small scars, occasionally that cracks a tile and air-resistance pulls the tile or part of the tile off. Too large of a hit, either ice chunks or once struck a big bird (not the big bird), and there is more severe damage. There is foam insulation you can add to reduce the ice buildup, but then you have foam falling off (there is foam in places and this happens too) and striking the vehicle. It has to be light enough to lift (too heavy means more fuel or less payload) and too thick means increased drag and air resistance which increases the chance of foam coming off.... All in all it is more complex than most imagine. :) and yes, I knew you were joking. :) I just love playing the straight man. ;P;P

_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

S Douglas

El Corazon wrote:

fourth could stay, with a stretch. but for full evac, only the pilot and co-pilot returning, or heaven forbid an orbital ditch and all the crew 7+3 staying on board the space station would so overburden the current filtering and oxygen system as to need immediate international assistance for the USA.

Captain obvious, why wouldn't you keep the shuttle attached to the space station until assistance could be rendered. By doing so there is no extra burden on the ISS. Once relief is dispatched then the shuttle could be scuttled (I don’t know how many docking ports the ISS has) :~