Just in case... Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
Just ask the kids in that movie Space Camp how they got home Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:On top of the usual launch and landing dangers, the Atlantis crew faces an estimated 1-in-185 chance that a piece of space junk or a micrometeoroid will cause catastrophic damage to their ship.
Holy crap! Those odds were nowhere near that high last time they serviced Hubble! I wonder if something happened or if they just revised the odds based on new data.
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
I think they updated the odds because of all the floating space crap around the Hubble. It would be sad to have to abandon Atlantis in space, and have her crash into the pacific. Those things belong in museums once their service is up.
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
You know...maybe one of them. I don't think I'd shed a tear if the rest were junked, though. I mean they're all identical, aren't they? Or are they?
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
There are probably massive differences between shuttles, on the inside at least. I mean, you have the Enterprise at the Smithsonian, if I'm not mistaken, but it would be nice to have a few others in museums around the country, if not the world. Enterprise never actually made it into to space anyway. Perhaps NASA will keep one or two of them in mothball service, just in case they may be needed as a back-up vehicle someday, like in this case. I doubt that there will be 5 of the next generation shuttles ready in short order.
Posted by Dat (Member # 302) on :
Once the shuttle program comes to an end, they'll be none in reserve status simply because all support hardware and facilities will be relegated to support Ares and Orion. And it would be difficult to near impossible to reconfigure to resupport a shuttle launch.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
You know, I should buy a Shuttle model and work it up like they did on Cowboy Bebop.
Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :
Oh yes! PEPCON: the sequel! I get first youtube rights!
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
I figure they should leave the shuttles in orbit. Big inhabitable spaces with consumable reserves. Make a fine waypoint for other vehicles.
Posted by HopefulNebula (Member # 1933) on :
How long would they stay in orbit with no one to pilot them, though? They'd run out of fuel eventually, even with remote piloting/orbit correction. And then what happens when the orbit decays? Look at all the debris that fell on the southern US after Columbia fell apart.
Posted by Dat (Member # 302) on :
You can't just leave the shuttles in orbit because... 1. You can't have a crewless launch. 2. For each manned launch, the crew of the shuttle's last mission would need to stay at ISS, for which there are not enough consumables. 3. There is also not enough space on a Soyuz capsule to send the shuttle crew back. 4. The ISS would need to ditch the shuttle so that another craft can dock. 5. A ditched shuttle would lose orbit eventually given that it would not be maintained by anyone.
Posted by Dat (Member # 302) on :
BTW, Michael Okuda apparently created the mission patch for STS-125, the mission to service Hubble. Look here. Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
We also see a new ENT-era Starfleet logo, new alien scripts, a Vulcan painting, a better shot of the TOS-R Orion ship, some glowy green blobby thing that looks like a ship, & now we know how & why "USS Botany Bay" was on a chart on West Wing.
I didn't know he did all the Constellation-related logos as well. That;'s pretty far out.
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
Essentially, it seems that if Atlantis is damaged, there are two options: The most likely is that they will go for a controlled destructive re-entry. But there's also a possibility for an automated landing procedure (think of Buran, which also flew auto-pilot) a Vandenberg or wherever.
Posted by Dat (Member # 302) on :
If there is an automated landing, they'll probably go for Edwards first simply because they can easily mate her to the SCA and fly her back to KSC. Otherwise, they'll go for Vandenberg, then White Sands. The latter two would require the mate/demate equipment brought over from Edwards, while the last may damage her further due to landing on a sand runway. They would probably attempt landing at KSC as a very last resort because they don't want to risk possible complete destruction over a larger stretch of populated land.
Posted by The Ginger Beacon (Member # 1585) on :
I thought they could only do an automated landing if the crippled shuttle was docked to the ISS.
Isn't the very reason this launch has a second shuttle on immediate standby is because the orbit HST is in is totaly different to that of the ISS, and therefore impossible to get to the ISS if the shuttle breaks.
The only options would be to leave the shuttle in orbit or a destructive re-entry. The first option would allow the eventual recovery of the craft, but is less safe in the long run than simply ditching it over the pacific ocean and hopeing Australia doesn't fine them again for littering.
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
Yes. It seems the so-called "Remote Control Orbiter" cable that is required for automated flight is currently stowed on ISS. Unless they have constructed a second one, destructive re-entry is the only option. And BTW, it seems RCO procedures are primarily designed to land at Vandenberg, where there is less flight over populated area, and a possibility (claims Wikipedia) to crash land in the ocean.
Anyway. Let's hope all this remains precaution.
Posted by Dat (Member # 302) on :
Yeah, that was one tidbit I forgot. But what I said does basically apply for a damaged shuttle during an ISS construction/support shuttle mission.
Should Atlantis be damaged during STS-125, she'll be sent down in a tail-first destructive re-entry. More than likely, it'll also mark the absolute end of the shuttle program as NASA believes they may not be able to continue with just two orbiters left.
It'll also be the end of the program if we complete STS-125, but lose a third shuttle during one of the later missions to the ISS. Basically, once we are forced to launch a LON mission, it'll be the end of the program.
![[Wink]](wink.gif)