God Bless This Bird

[VeeJay]

http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/SPACE_SHUTTLE.sff_KSC103_20060701071510.jpg

I hope they put some extra Krazy Glue on those tiles.

[GottaHavePride]

Is there one going up today? Sweet!

[slickdawg]

It's going up, even though two managers at NASA opposed it.

It's time to ditch the space shuttle program, it has reached the end of its
servicable life anyway, and the risks outweigh any potential gains from
each launch.

Seven PhD's, Seven momma's and daddy's, seven brothers and sisters.

[lefty]

It's going up, even though two managers at NASA opposed it.

It's time to ditch the space shuttle program, it has reached the end of its
servicable life anyway, and the risks outweigh any potential gains from
each launch.

Seven PhD's, Seven momma's and daddy's, seven brothers and sisters.

That decision has already been made. The end comes in 2010.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/21/tech/main1335355.shtml

[StoopTroup]

Space is not for wussies.

Space is THE FINAL FRONTIER ! ! !

NASA breeds the toughest, most heroic, brave, intellectual, modern day leaders of the future IMO.

Here's to the folks who won't let the meek or political or close-minded end what has made the USA great.

Ten...
Nine...
Eight...
Seven...
Six...
Five...
Four...
Three...
Two...
Ignition...

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/shuttle/images/shuttle-liftoff.jpg

[Hatfield]

for those with cox HD the shuttle launch is on HDNet (740)

and the picture and sounds are incredible...the commentator not so much

[StoopTroup]

Direct TV channel 376 too.

[StoopTroup]

Heh...

They use France and Spain for abortion.

[Ruuuuuufus]

hopefully they will launch tomorrow :)

Shuttle is scheduled to end in 2010 with the completion of ISS. Later this summer there should be announcement of the designation of CEV to either Lockheed or Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Hopefully the first CEV launch will take place in 2012.

[skycat]

I am 100% behind a manned space program.

I am 100% for grounding the shuttle fleet.

[Ike]

hopefully they will launch tomorrow :)

Shuttle is scheduled to end in 2010 with the completion of ISS. Later this summer there should be announcement of the designation of CEV to either Lockheed or Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Hopefully the first CEV launch will take place in 2012.



The ISS: A multibillion dollar piece of crap. Serves exactly 0 useful purposes.

[chriscappel]

It's going up, even though two managers at NASA opposed it.

It's time to ditch the space shuttle program, it has reached the end of its
servicable life anyway, and the risks outweigh any potential gains from
each launch.

Seven PhD's, Seven momma's and daddy's, seven brothers and sisters.


I agree with that....stop spending billions of dollars on absolutely nothing... What good is it really doing? if we cant go to Mars and drill oil then screw it.... Spend that money where it is needed- Here a t Home!

[GottaHavePride]

I don't want to stop exploring space, I just think it's time to do it with more efficient vehicles that weren't designed in the 1950s. Technology has come a long way since then, I think we could come up with something a little more reliable and efficient that the "brute force and hope it doesn't explode" method.

[slickdawg]

Space is not for wussies.

Space is THE FINAL FRONTIER ! ! !

NASA breeds the toughest, most heroic, brave, intellectual, modern day leaders of the future IMO.

Here's to the folks who won't let the meek or political or close-minded end what has made the USA great.

Ten...
Nine...
Eight...
Seven...
Six...
Five...
Four...
Three...
Two...
Ignition...

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/shuttle/images/shuttle-liftoff.jpg



Mission Control: Challenger, Throttle up

Challenger: Roger that, Houston

[StoopTroup]

Wonder what time they'll go today?

[BudSooner]

Mission Control: Challenger, Throttle up

Challenger: Roger that, Houston
That seemed like it happened yesterday, watching that and the Columbia disaster are a difficult reminder how dangerous space flight really is.
Gus Grissom's launch pad fire was especially horrific....dying in a fire is something that truly scares the hell out of me.

[Ruuuuuufus]

Wonder what time they'll go today?

Here are the launch windows, with requisite Rufus jersey numbers. I wouldn't hold my breath about today though. Right now it is being predicted as a 30% chance to launch today, 40% on Monday, and 60% on Tuesday.
(Eastern)

DATE.......OPEN..........IN PLANE......CLOSE.........RENDEZVOUS

07/02/06...03:21:09 PM...03:26:09 PM...03:31:09 PM...FD-3

07/03/06...02:55:26 PM...03:00:26 PM...03:05:26 PM...FD-3

07/04/06...02:32:51 PM...02:37:51 PM...02:42:51 PM...FD-3

07/05/06...02:07:09 PM...02:12:09 PM...02:17:09 PM...FD-3

07/06/06...01:44:37 PM...01:49:37 PM...01:54:37 PM...FD-3

07/07/06...01:18:55 PM...01:23:55 PM...01:28:55 PM...FD-3

07/08/06...12:56:23 PM...01:01:23 PM...01:06:23 PM...FD-3

07/09/06...12:30:41 PM...12:35:41 PM...12:40:41 PM...FD-3

07/10/06...12:08:09 PM...12:13:09 PM...12:18:09 PM...FD-3

07/11/06...11:42:27 AM...11:47:27 AM...11:52:27 AM...FD-3

07/12/06...11:19:55 AM...11:24:55 AM...11:29:55 AM...FD-3

07/13/06...10:54:12 AM...10:59:12 AM...11:04:12 AM...FD-3

07/14/06...10:31:41 AM...10:36:41 AM...10:41:41 AM...FD-3

07/15/06...10:05:58 AM...10:10:58 AM...10:15:58 AM...FD-3

07/16/06...09:43:27 AM...09:48:27 AM...09:53:27 AM...FD-3

07/17/06...09:17:44 AM...09:22:44 AM...09:27:44 AM...FD-3

07/18/06...08:55:13 AM...09:00:13 AM...09:05:13 AM...FD-3

07/19/06...08:29:30 AM...08:34:30 AM...08:39:30 AM...FD-3

[Ruuuuuufus]

As of this morning, the OPS Commit Criteria doesn't look too solid. There's also a good chance managers could scrub Monday and aim for Tuesday (saves $).


http://images.spaceref.com/news/2006/ops.criteria.2.jul.jpg

[StoopTroup]

Looks like tomorrow will be a true 4th of July launch.

I'd love to be there for this one.

[Okla-homey]

I've been a space program fan since childhood in the '60's. That said, I think we need a goal to get people fired up about it again. You know, like "Mars and Back" by 2010 or something.

[Sooner24]

I was in Titusville last year and got to see the Discovery, on the launch pad, before they launched. If ever in Florida I would highly recommend taking the tour of the Kennedy Space Center.

[StoopTroup]

I went to the Air and Space Museum in Wahington, DC once.

I've been to Florida many times...I can't believe I've never taken the time to take that tour.

Where's my Earl list?

[Sooner24]

I've been a space program fan since childhood in the '60's. That said, I think we need a goal to get people fired up about it again. You know, like "Mars and Back" by 2010 or something.


Same here. I think 2010 is just not quite enough time to do something that big. I do hope we have a couple more National Titles by 2010. :D

[Sooner24]

I went to the Air and Space Museum in Wahington, DC once.

I've been to Florida many times...I can't believe I've never taken the time to take that tour.

Where's my Earl list?


I have been there plus here....

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/home/index.html

here...........

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/home/index.html

and here......

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html


And I would like to go here.....

http://www.ssc.nasa.gov/public/visitors/index.html

[Ruuuuuufus]

I've been a space program fan since childhood in the '60's. That said, I think we need a goal to get people fired up about it again. You know, like "Mars and Back" by 2010 or something.

Add about 20 years to that and you have it :D

Once CEV gets built up, the basic plan currently calls for short term (4 day) stays on the moon, followed by long term (several months) stays on the moon, followed by Mars fly-bys and finally a landing on Mars. The target date for Mars landing is tentatively set for 2034.

[nanimonai]

The Chinese are claiming that they're going to put a man on the moon by 2018 so we're in for a good ol' fashioned Cold War style ****ing contest.

[StoopTroup]

They found a 5 inch crack in the insulating foam this morning.

Looks like another scrub.

[Okla-homey]

Same here. I think 2010 is just not quite enough time to do something that big. ;)

Don't underestimate American ingenuity. Remember, starting from a standing start, we got to the Moon in under 8 years. ;)