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Science Forum Index » Space - Shuttle Forum » Why does the shuttle sit out on the launch pad for a month b
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| lab~rat >:-) |
 Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:50 pm |
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On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 22:12:19 -0600, "Danny Deger"
<dannydeger@hotmail.com> puked:
Quote:
"lab~rat >  " <chase@cheeze.net> wrote in message
news:c0lbu25lcerf5peqgu3r1rg8tan8t62b73@4ax.com...
On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:58:28 +0000, Dr J R Stockton
reply0709@merlyn.demon.co.uk> puked:
In sci.space.shuttle message <45e49ab1$0$1429$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>,
Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:55:13, Danny Deger <dannydeger@hotmail.com> posted:
Kieran.M.Kelly@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1172606550.286692.40540@t69g2000cwt.googlegroups.com...
After this past weekend's damage to the external fuel tank due to
hailstorm, I was wondering why the shuttle sits out on the launch pad
for so long before launch?
Good question. I think the Russians keep the Soyuz in a hanger and take
it
to the launch pad the morning of the launch. But in the US it is
"impossible" to do this much work in a day.
I wonder how much NASA has cost the Florida tourist, etc., trade over
the years, by publicising what the Florida weather can do?
Think of all the tourism they have increased with the multiple false
alarm launch dates...
I have personally fallen victim to this twice. Two times I have set
watching a shuttle on a launch pad, camara ready, waiting for liftoff.
Never have a seen a launch.
Danny Deger
I live in S. Florida and have seen it launch from my front yard...
--
lab~rat >
Do you want polite or do you want sincere? |
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| Brian Thorn |
| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:47 pm |
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On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:58:28 +0000, Dr J R Stockton
<reply0709@merlyn.demon.co.uk> wrote:
Quote: I wonder how much NASA has cost the Florida tourist, etc., trade over
the years, by publicising what the Florida weather can do?
A small fraction compared to the tourists dollars drawn by KSC and the
Cape, especially (but far from only) around launch dates.
Brian |
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| Paul F. Dietz |
| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:39 am |
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lab~rat > wrote:
Quote: I live in S. Florida and have seen it launch from my front yard...
Didn't that scorch your grass?
Paul |
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| Danny Deger |
| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:55 am |
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"Paul F. Dietz" <dietz@dls.net> wrote in message
news:2Jydnft3PejtN3rYnZ2dnUVZ_sWdnZ2d@dls.net...
Quote: lab~rat > wrote:
I live in S. Florida and have seen it launch from my front yard...
Didn't that scorch your grass?
He probably turns on the sprinklers first.
Danny Deger
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| Terrell Miller |
| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 11:16 pm |
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<Kieran.M.Kelly@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1172606550.286692.40540@t69g2000cwt.googlegroups.com...
Quote: After this past weekend's damage to the external fuel tank due to
hailstorm, I was wondering why the shuttle sits out on the launch pad
for so long before launch?
because if it launches before the astronauts climb onboard, there goes the
whole mission. Duh.
--
Terrell Miller
millerto@bellsouth.net
"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the
work of one extraordinary man."
- Elbert Hubbard |
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| Burnham Treezdown |
| Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 2:41 pm |
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On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:20:03 -0600, "Jorge R. Frank" <jrfrank@ibm-pc.borg>
wrote:
Quote: Now if there were four (or more) *large* triangles, like the sides of
an Egyptian Pyramid but taller, hinged to the ground at the bottom,
they could swing up to provide something like a rigid bell tent and
protect STS+tower up to almost launch time.
Wow, what a practical idea! So much more practical than, say, extending
the RSS over the top of the ET. You're a freaking genius!
Awwww, he ain't so smart. I was thinking more along the lines of a big
bubble-pak bag, ESD-safe, like they use for electronic components.
Problem solved! |
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| ed kyle |
| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:24 am |
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On Feb 27, 2:55 pm, "Danny Deger" <dannyde...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Quote: Kieran.M.Ke...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1172606550.286692.40540@t69g2000cwt.googlegroups.com...
After this past weekend's damage to the external fuel tank due to
hailstorm, I was wondering why the shuttle sits out on the launch pad
for so long before launch?
Good question. I think the Russians keep the Soyuz in a hanger and take it
to the launch pad the morning of the launch. But in the US it is
"impossible" to do this much work in a day.
Danny
My understanding is that the Soyuz launcher is usually rolled to the
pad about two days before launch. It is assembled horizontally only
a day or two before it is rolled out. But weeks of testing and
assembly
precede the final roll out. I seem to recall that the Soyuz launch
vehicle
is actually rolled out to the launch pad for fueling tests a couple
of
weeks before launch, then is rolled back to the horizontal hanger to
have the Soyuz spacecraft added.
- Ed Kyle |
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| ed kyle |
| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 1:03 am |
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On Feb 27, 2:02 pm, Kieran.M.Ke...@gmail.com wrote:
Quote: After this past weekend's damage to the external fuel tank due to
hailstorm, I was wondering why the shuttle sits out on the launch pad
for so long before launch?
Part of the reason has to do with the fact that the shuttle stack
has two big, fully loaded solid rocket boosters attached to it.
Their presence in the VAB, which means that the place has to
be all but evacuated whenever SRB stacking is underway in
either high bay, drove the decision to load payloads into the
orbiter at the pad. That process, loading payloads and then
performing a series of payload/orbiter interface tests, takes up
the first week at the pad.
During the second week, the crew arrives at KSC to
participate in a Countdown Demonstration Test. That multiday
test verifies all of the stack to pad to LCC to Houston, etc.
interfaces. At some point in time, the payload bay doors
are closed and the aft compartments are closed out.
During the third week, crews load propellants into the various
OMS and RCS and SRB (APU, etc.) tanks. The tanks are
pressurized and leak checks are performed. Then ordinance
is installed.
The last week before launch probably has a lot of schedule
padding built in. A two-day Flight Readiness Review
meeting occurs at the start of this period, about one week
before liftoff.
Pad time can be reduced if needed. Launches have
occurred less than three weeks after rollout in the past.
- Ed Kyle |
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| Brian Thorn |
| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:22 pm |
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On 6 Mar 2007 21:03:43 -0800, "ed kyle" <edkyle99@hotmail.com> wrote:
Quote: Pad time can be reduced if needed. Launches have
occurred less than three weeks after rollout in the past.
Much less. STS-61A and STS-61B were right at two weeks on the pad.
Brian |
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