Space Forum / Shuttle / August 2005

One of the possible (temporary) solutions to this problem is to apply
over foam a highly-tear-resistant and flexible external coating (skin).
In addition, to smother a lift-off, a current vehicle stabilization
control system must be replaced by a system with significantly

...instead of the parallel staging design?  That would be a mistake, for
the following reasons:
- Less reliable I.  In the parallel staging option all engines are
running before liftoff, so if the SSMEs fail to start the launch can be

STS-121: Return to Flight Testing Continues
08.11.05
The crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis will continue to test new equipment and
procedures that increase the safety of Space Shuttles during the STS-121

How are they progressing on the post-flight preliminary TPS survey?  I
am particularly interested in knowing how many more dings there were
after landing compared to those found during the in-flight survey.
Any word on when and/or where this will be posted?

Could anybody give me a rough estimate of the typical turnaround time
for returning the orbiter on the 747?  I live in Phoenix, and would
travel to California to see the 747 take off.  More specifically, where
would be the best place for a vantage point?  Thanks.

I too am excited that everything came out well. But there were a few unusual
moments during / after landing that I'm curious about.
1. During the approach it appeared the landing gear came down in one view,
then they cut to a weird non-IR camera for a few seconds, and then back to ...

Someone on a list I am on, mentioned that the shuttle is basically the same
design as 25 years ago, and how little has changed?
I came up with an idea, to maybe have the Shuttle and ISS, and Soyuz and
Soyuz on steroids of the Chinese Space program, be seen in an episode of SG1

Could monitering system be added to the orbiter so that in the event of
foam debris damage a Return To Launch Site abort could be performed?
Is such a system possible and what would be the compartive risks of
RTLS compared with continuing to orbit with foam debris damage?

Too much SRB thrust imbalance can lead to disaster on ascent, as it did
with Challenger.
Similarly, record (or near record) SRB gimbaling on ascent was
associated with Columbia's fatal reentry.

Well it was last night here...
Seems the ET tiger team have found nothing obvious that might have made the
power ramp foam come off. They would, however love to know if the fact that
it only came off after srb sep was significant, but how to do this without

What space shuttle books would you guys recommend? And why?
Searching for "space shuttle" at Amazon.com returns 883 books... a
couple too much to read (or buy) them all, I guess... :-)
Books about past shuttle missions are actually what I'm looking for,

I remember seeing a nasa video in the early 1980s about the external
tank on PBS. They talked about using the tank to carry cargo into
space but never mentioned shuttle-c.  Has NASA ever considered using
ETS to carry cargo into space recently?

With all the energy a shuttle on landing has why only 2 shots at KSC?

My opinions about the shuttle change from day to day, depending on what I
see NASA using it for, and what their other non shuttle plans appear to be.
Over the years, I have grown pragmatic over the whole situation. When I look
at the other designs for the shuttle that was ...

Just curious to know if the Shuttle would be capable of making a wheeled
take off using its gear for support and without the ET and SRBs attached?
What would be its performance if it could?
To what maximum altitude and maximum speed could it reach with full tanks