Shuttle about to fly again

Well it looks as if the shuttle will fly again sometime in its window of 15th May to 3 June in order to go up to the ISS. A small hairline crack was found on its fueal tank whilst being rolled out to the launch pad but was determined to be insignificant and no repairs needed to be carried out:

BBC Source Article


Another section of the BBC news website talks about the need to replace the aging fleet:

In a statement that will provide a much-needed boost to efforts to find a replacement for the ageing orbiter fleet, it (the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB)) concluded: "It is in the nation's interest to replace the shuttle as soon as possible."

The last major effort on these lines was for the X-33, a mid-1990s effort to build a reusable single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle. It was a partnership between Nasa and Lockheed Martin.

X-33 Comparison with the shuttle - from here


If this was the last time anything was considered then it would seem that it will be quite a long time before we see anything to take over the job of the shuttle....what do you guys want to see from the new space vehicle?

I want web cams aboard at all times especially for launch in the nose of the thing




EDIT: Add link that was missing

[edit on 7/4/05 by Infidellic]

Ive got a Shuttle launch webcam movie file that Im throwing up to a host at the moment, once its up I shall post a link. The movie is taken from the main fuel tank on the shuttle looking down and its a fantastic sight.

here we go:

sigsegv.co.uk...

Its 26mb, so watch out! I pity the poor machine its currently on.

Time for the shuttle to be retired.It did it's job back in the day.Bring on a new spaceship.

Originally posted by PARALYZ
Time for the shuttle to be retired.It did it's job back in the day.Bring on a new spaceship.

Theres one in the works, check out the Crew Exploration Vehicle project (currently at the initial proposal stage with tenders out to Lockheed, Boeing and others)

Cool concept.Personally i'd like to see some sort of tow-launch system,like or similar to Spaceship One.

Originally posted by RichardPrice

Theres one in the works, check out the Crew Exploration Vehicle project (currently at the initial proposal stage with tenders out to Lockheed, Boeing and others)

The CEV will be a module and capsule type craft launched from a staged rocket. While practical, I find it boring. I wish they'd come up with a replacement for the shuttle with extraorbital capabilities. That'd pump more excitement into the space exploration programs to actually have a full fledged "Spaceship."

Originally posted by DiabolusFireDragon

The CEV will be a module and capsule type craft launched from a staged rocket. While practical, I find it boring. I wish they'd come up with a replacement for the shuttle with extraorbital capabilities. That'd pump more excitement into the space exploration programs to actually have a full fledged "Spaceship."

The CEV is supposed to be an Orbit-Moon-Mars project, with teh CEV being expanded for each role, and thus have the ability to BE expanded in such a manner. It isnt 'just a module and capsule' craft, its proposed to be a multi purpose craft with te ability to take its crew further. Thats why its called the Crew *Exploration* Vehicle.

Sometime ago I either read or viewed a report that stated an acceptable loss ratio of 1 shuttle in 25 flights was within NASA success guidelines.

Where are we at now 90+ or - flights with 2 losses.

Hmmmm, I hope they repair this crack in the fuel tank insulation and don't push a rush job just to get back into space!

I dont know how the country would handle the loss of a shuttle due to NASA managments decision to fly on the assumption of a best guess!

I just realized...

I'm going to be in Orlando April 16th - 22nd.. I might just have to make my way over to the "Cape" and check out the shuttle on the pad.

Does anyone know if the public can see it easily while it's on the pad ?

Cool

They have to develop something that can take off on its own power, without big expensive fuel guzzling rocket boosters. I think they were looking into a type of sled launched space vehicle that would be cheaper and safer to launch then the shuttle.

The mag lev vehicle looked neat, but I have my doubts that it could achieve the speed needed to reach space.

It those kinds of speeds existed we would be seeing them on mag lev trains no

I like the concept however at this time I doubt it exists.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
They have to develop something that can take off on its own power, without big expensive fuel guzzling rocket boosters. I think they were looking into a type of sled launched space vehicle that would be cheaper and safer to launch then the shuttle.

Whatever launch method is used, you are going to use roughly the same amount of energy to get the vehicle into orbit, sooner or later. Rockets are actually the cheapest method possible at the moment, and probably for the next few decades at least.

Sled based launch systems lack the ability to accelerate objects to 17,500km/hour that is required for orbital speed, mainly because of the density of the air at the maximum height a sled system could be built. Yes, you could use a sled to get you part of the way there, but you are still stuck on how to finish the job.

An orbital tower is another way, and gives you the bonus of boosting you up to the required orbital speed without you ever noticing it happening, but the materials required to hang a thread down from orbit to the ground are currently way beyond our manufacturing abilities. We have the theory correct, we are lacking in ability.

Getting into space is easy, its a simple matter of going straight up at a speed faster than 9.5meters/second. Getting into orbit is hard, you have to have the horazontal component to the speed, and theres no easy way to get it without doing a lot of work.