Space Forum / Shuttle / December 2006

How often is the Shuttle checked over for Cosmic dust/ray
penetration,and does it pose a threat however small to the crew or to
the vehicles intregrity ?

The shuttle has once in its history, launched in an inclination lower than
KSC latitude.  What was the inclination and why did it launch into this
inclination?
Danny Deger

Pardon me if I'm not up to speed with all the rest of you space
fans.  I was just marveling at how nice the video is from the NASA web
site.  I watched today's landing from the decision point just before
the de-orbit burn ... all the way to landing with no interruptions.

Is the primary function of the chute to drop the nose or to slow the
Shuttle, or a combination of the two? I noticed it was jettisoned
shortly after the nose touch down, so I'm wondering what the primary
purpose of the chute is.

Have there been any SRB's not recovered apart from challenger?
I seem to remember something about pictures of a sinking SRB that didn't
have its chute deploy. If this is true did it float and eventually sink with
water entering? How quick where they there to take pictures and are ...

What was the actual and forecast weather at KSC when flight gave a go for
the last landing?
Next question: If it had been no-go were we going for Whitesands on the
first day?  I thought I heard this on the radio.

At 10 metres per second, which is a reasonably fast pace vertically, it will
take 46 days to climb a Space Elevator to geostationary orbit. Has anyone
considered the amount of consumables needed to accompany any crew on such a
journey?

Launch COROT
Launch Date: December 27, 2006
Time of launch: 13:55 GMT
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1370

I can understand wind velocity being a criterium in a KSC runway landing,
due to the fact that there is usually a cross-wind vector involved.  But,
in the case of a dry lake landing, can not the Space Shuttle always be
landed directly into the wind, thus making aleviating the need ...

I think Nasa TV are attempting to  run a service for Goldfish today, as
given the length of most of the clips and the continual repeats, it about
matches the attention span and memory of a Goldfish.
I guess everyone has knocked off for the holidays.

Not this week, since we are in a blizzard, but I'm wondering if the new
international runway at 16,000x200 feet would be a possible alternate
for the shuttle in the future.  It's at high altitude which does
increase landing speed around 10% but it doesn't have sand problems.

A beautiful landing and the video feed of the view through the HUD was
amazing.
Bravo Zulu indeed
John

I know you love the 1600 to 1 ratio of water going to steam.  I just thought
of this.  Early steam engines used this but it was going from steam to water
that generated power.
Forgive me because I do not know the details -- I have never designed an

Crews landed on Friday. Christmas eve is sunday. Do the STS116 crews get to
spend christmas at home with family, or are they still at some NASA centre
for health followups/debriefings ?
(Question also applies to Mr Reiter who spent 6 months on station). Does he