SCI/TECH: Discovery Set For Lift Off, 15.43 Tuesday

The launch of the space shuttle Discovery, that had been planed for the 13 of July was aborted after a fuel sensor was found the be defective, But now the countdown has been restarted and will reach T= 0 at 3:43pm on Tuesday the 26 of July, on this the second attempt to launch the Discovery for this mission. This is the first shuttle mission since the loss of the Columbia in 2003 in which all seven astronauts lost there lives.



Well this could be it this time, with good luck we could see the continued upkeep of the ISS get under way as well as NASA's general "Return to Flight'.
Of course the shuttle must be safe too use, as the last thing anyone wants is a repeat of dreadful incident with Columbia.

Related News Links:
www.nasa.gov
www.space.com

[edit on 24-7-2005 by asala]

This will be the first shuttle flight since the 2003 Columbia accident when all seven astronauts aboard were killed.

The main aim of Discovery's flight is to check that post-Columbia safety upgrades, including modifications to the external fuel tank, are successful.

So they are going to go ahead with it despite still not being exactly certain what went wrong with the fuel sensor, and their main objective is to check safety upgrades?

I think I'd wait for the next ride myself. I hope it goes off without a hitch. I do look forward to the launch as you can see it a minute or two later from where I live. Even though it's not up close and personal, it is still awesome to see, even as far away from Daytona. Shame it's during the middle of the work day, because the ocean viewing would be even better.

R. What I'm understanding is they are planning to launch with the test of the sensors being part of the pre-launch sequence. If the sensors fail the test, the launch will not occur.

They're deffinately not going to take any chances. if the fuel sensors fail again, the launch will be scrubbed.
I'm not sure, but when a sensor failed during launch, the shuttle will automatically abort the launch, this happend with a Delta IV rocket a few months ago: www.space.com...

wow I put this up 2 days ago and it was rejected go figure...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

thats pretty unfair mizar!

my opinion on space shuttle
----
it was great for its time; but its 2005 and its time is over

we need to put something like the VentureStar into production and get the show on the road
we have dozens of spaceship prototypes; and i believe they should be our focus

getting the old shuttles back into space is stupid really
they are old old old....obsolete

we should be wiser, and spend our resources on new high tech developments

i dont like the idea of risking another shuttle flight
we really need to back down from this and go invest in advanced projects like "VentureStar" which was canceled already but still

the fruits of R&D would create an amazing shuttle
and if we invested all our NASA $$$ towards that end; we would have a new shuttle up and running within 3 to 4 years

thats my opinion

Originally posted by Valhall
R. What I'm understanding is they are planning to launch with the test of the sensors being part of the pre-launch sequence. If the sensors fail the test, the launch will not occur.

Gald to hear that. I do hope it goes off without a hitch though, a few more of these failed launches doesn't help with public perception, but if it launches, it's more important that the mission goes off without a hitch and they all make it back.

well one more day to liftoff

i will be hoping and praying for these brave men/women

the heros of the spaceage!

and to get back on the old shuttle and fly it ; that takes guts
major guts

these guys are the best of the best

and since we are gonna do it; i will be giving them my full support
*dont get me wrong ill keep writing nasa and telling them to use newer tech*
but if these guys are serious about going agian
im serious about cheering them on tomorrow

its gonna be a BIG day!
keep those fingers crossed guys

It should be noted that your time is (I guess) Britain time, the actual time of launch is 10:39 a.m EDT (the timezone of Cape Canaveral).

[edit on 7/25/2005 by djohnsto77]

Originally posted by djohnsto77
It should be noted that your time is (I guess) Britain time, the actual time of launch is 10:39 a.m EDT (the timezone of Cape Canaveral).

[edit on 7/25/2005 by djohnsto77]

Damm them time zones anyway should have checked that

[edit on 25/7/2005 by 300k]

[edit on 25/7/2005 by 300k]

Sadly, may never happen. Politicos are only concerned with playing the partisan game, and for contracts to government agencies to milk a little more pork for the constituent base. Any attempt to replace the shuttle fleet will be met by the short sighted political tools with a "we just gave you those shuttles a couple of decades ago...hell, my 68 Caddy's still running strong, what's your problem?" type response.

Anyone trying to spend money on a replacement will be blocked, accused of wasting taxpayer money, etc-not because of disagreement, but because the partisan nature of DC cannot allow an "opposing" party member to do *anything* without attacking. Regardless of party.

And since it's all about getting re-elected and pushing one's own party ahead, and all agendas are good for is duping the voters, an investement in the future is very unlikely. Especially when the money is controlled by people for whom "the future" is only 2 to 4 years out.

But we'll certainly increase welfare spending-nice having a captive voter base. Who was it that said once a people can vote itself money out of the treasury, democracy is doomed?

Originally posted by muzzleflash
thats pretty unfair mizar!

my opinion on space shuttle
----
it was great for its time; but its 2005 and its time is over

we need to put something like the VentureStar into production and get the show on the road
we have dozens of spaceship prototypes; and i believe they should be our focus

getting the old shuttles back into space is stupid really
they are old old old....obsolete

we should be wiser, and spend our resources on new high tech developments

i dont like the idea of risking another shuttle flight
we really need to back down from this and go invest in advanced projects like "VentureStar" which was canceled already but still

the fruits of R&D would create an amazing shuttle
and if we invested all our NASA $$$ towards that end; we would have a new shuttle up and running within 3 to 4 years

thats my opinion

Now there is a different story. They "might" bend the safety rules to launch.

start.earthlink.net.../42e463c0_3ca6_15526200507251682278491

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With the countdown entering its final hours and a fuel gauge problem still unexplained, NASA said it is prepared to bend its long-standing safety rules to launch the shuttle Tuesday on the first flight since Columbia's doomed mission 2 1/2 years ago.

I can't believe they would even consider this on the first flight since the disastor.

They're crazy, they're bending the safety rules; so much for changing the culture at NASA... The managers want to launch it, so it will be launched no matter what

I sure hope nothing will go wrong...

If something fails NASA is going to be in a LOAD of trouble. How long did we have to wait to even get another ship into space since the tragedy? I mean they say saftey is SO important, but they will let this one "slide". What was the point of waiting?

Originally posted by Valhall
R. What I'm understanding is they are planning to launch with the test of the sensors being part of the pre-launch sequence. If the sensors fail the test, the launch will not occur.

from what i've been able to decipher from all the garbled talk (from NASA)...

If the Sensors get into another Glitch thingy..
Mission Control will most likely countermand the protocols of 'aborting the launch' .
..by using a special "Waiver" and order the launch to proceed!!!

Its all about the Drama, people

don't you see the diversionary tactics
attention & focus directed on a revamped spaceshuttle
-as we are lead- away from concerns like private property seizure,
Iraq, terrorism, London, shoot-to-kill suspects, a potential fundamentalist-right-wing supreme court, PatriotAct extension.....etc etc

bread & circus routine....





[edit on 26-7-2005 by St Udio]

Apparently the sensors passed the tests and all systems are go!

Originally posted by St Udio
don't you see the diversionary tactics
attention & focus directed on a revamped spaceshuttle
-as we are lead- away from concerns like private property seizure,
Iraq, terrorism, London, shoot-to-kill suspects, a potential fundamentalist-right-wing supreme court, PatriotAct extension.....etc etc

bread & circus routine....

Nah, I totally disagree, quite far sighted dont you think. The shuttle, or any space program since the Apollo missions, can't be compared to "bread & circus" as you put it, imho...

Originally posted by djohnsto77
Apparently the sensors passed the tests and all systems are go!

BIG DEAL! I'm sorry, that doesn't matter. The control box/sensors are having intermittent failures. They could fail 6 minutes into launch just as easily as they could have failed on that test. This is the equivalent of leaving Gallup, New Mexico on August 1 headed to Needles, California, with no money, a full tank of gas, and a broken fuel gage, and calculating you can make the trip based on the factory mileage rating. And then driving and hoping you make Needles before you run out of gas! I don't think any of us would try that!

Originally posted by Zion Mainframe

The shuttle, or any space program since the Apollo missions, can't be compared to "bread & circus" as you put it, imho...

yes, i agree that the all Space Programs are worthwhile endeavors!!

what i mean by the 'bread & circus' tag is this Present, right now, situation.
with all the [as i see it] *coincidential* drama surrounding this launch...
its been steady coverage all morning long on my boob-tube

all this contrived hoop-la, for the restart of a proven reliable vehicle,
is just hype & drama....much like the launch of the TV sitcom
"Everybody Loves Raymond", which even before the innaugural show
had it promoted as a viewer favorite and destined for awards!!!


perhaps i am maligning this liftoff....maybe not.
i had the privledge of following the mercury, gemini, apollo, exploits & excitement
i get the feeling that an effort is playing out...to try and inspire, incite
a similar feeling among the population for this shuttle re-start....but to me
it(this launch) smells of being contrived and promotion

she's looking good so far...