Post 393172 by Giles on 2011-07-08 16:08:44
Atlantis - last shuttle launch ever.....live feed here and lifts off (hopefully) at 16:26 today http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv
Atlantis - last shuttle launch ever.....live feed here and lifts off (hopefully) at 16:26 today http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv
Getting close...5 minutes to go.
I feel like a 6yr old who has just been told they are off to Disneyland in the morning lol
Lmao....stopped at 31 secs....
Sad really the last ever Shuttle to fly. :(
[quote=Porcine_Aviator;393193]Sad really the last ever Shuttle to fly. :([/quote] didnt even know this was happening why is it the last ever? and by last you mean no one will travel to space again? seems strange
[quote=big shrek;393196]didnt even know this was happening why is it the last ever? and by last you mean no one will travel to space again? seems strange[/quote] After the Columbia disaster in 2003 and Challenger back in 1986, NASA were tasked by making a safer Shuttle - let's face it, out of a fleet of 5 only 3 exist - not good statistics lol So it has taken 8 years to design and manufacture a means of getting 'stuff' to the ISS (international space station) and this comes at un-manned missions (robotics etc) - the cost of life (or loss of) was designed out of the equation. But you are correct - there must be people coming and going to/from the ISS and now I am unsure how lol. My company (Ampac-ISP) have also lost the contract as they were contracted to fuel the launches........and this was the last one so a HUGE chunk of business gone.......
Orion MPCV is the next multi-billion invention ;) [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRevy_lhNHA[/ame]
Orion is just catching up with Soyuz... there's no substitute for testing, refining and sticking with what works.
[quote=t5_monkey;393305]Orion is just catching up with Soyuz... there's no substitute for testing, refining and sticking with what works.[/quote] This is true - hence why much of space flight (shuttle designs, the satellites we build) have technology dating back to the 70's........obviously the parts are newer, but each part has to go through a qualification process and once qualified, remains the CIDL for decades..... Next week i am taking a fill and drain valve to Abtest to have it vibration tested. Normal levels are around 21GRMS but this needs to be qualified so is being subjected to 56.3GRMS.........a hell of a shake and in the SINE mode too (as opposed to random which is also conducted). This is to simulate many more times the equivilent launch vibrations to prove it's worthiness....it then will be leak tested and then subjected to thermal testing (-10 + 60deg) and cycled between these temperatures 9 times. To build this fill & drain valve takes us about 3 - 6 months and is about 10cm long and weighs 41g! Made from Ti6AL4 and has military grade SS parts contained too. As well as 3 sealing areas that if one fails, there are 2 more etc.....we get leak rates of around 0.000000007 ccm/sec of helium (helium used as lightest, smallest molecular structure gas so easy to escape - look at your helium balloons the next day ;)
Performance Characteristics: Operating Media GHe, GN2, Xe, NTO, MMH, N2H4. Operational Temperature -35°C to +72°C Operating Pressure 310 bar (max) Cycle Life 100 open/close (qual) 100 FH/GHC mate/demate (qual) External Leakage < 1 x 10-6 scc/sec GHe Internal Leakage < 1 x 10-4 scc/sec GHe Mass < 50 g Materials Titanium alloy, Stainless steel, PTFE, Silicon Nitride Interfaces 1/4” weldable Ti tubing (optional 3/8” or 1/4" AN fitting) Maximum Length 78.5 mm (incl pipe)
This is 7 grms so imagine what 56.3 is lol [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH0okmOnfVo[/ame]
Sounds like you have a very interesting job there giles.
[quote=LiamT4;393430]Sounds like you have a very interesting job there giles.[/quote] I work as a Quality Technician which involves mainly Product Assurance. Ensuring the End Data Packs are complete (and they vary from 100 pages to 230 pages for each part......) and that all relevant testing has been conducted etc, etc. I get to hold meetings all through the project (MIP, TRR, DRB, MRB etc) with the customers but when problems happen (and they do) it becomes as mundane as any other job lol......the profile of the position i like, but in all truth, it's just another part sold into a consumable market and I still have to work 37 hours a week......but for space ;) probably the reason i got it is that i was so enthusiastic about anything to do with space.
I have made my own edit and Hollywood-a-cised it lol [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usDLUFGgS7U[/ame]
Right, own up. Whose is this? Giles, is it yours? (Don't know where the photo was taken or when or if its been seen before)
[quote=Giles;393768]I have made my own edit and Hollywood-a-cised it lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usDLUFGgS7U[/quote] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usDLUFGgS7U[/ame] I think you missed a trick, turn volume down on that and play this at the same time. Get ya tissues out (no not for that monkey) [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKAn1HvmRXM[/ame]
Just received this email from a friend & thought I'd share.... Described as the Space Shuttle Discovery's flight deck during decommissioning in the Orbiter Processing Facility. I've looked everywhere & couldn't find a socket to charge my Tom Tom. [COLOR="Blue"]360 Degree Piccie of Discovery Cockpit[/COLOR]
[quote=stephenevans99;398563]Just received this email from a friend & thought I'd share.... Described as the Space Shuttle Discovery's flight deck during decommissioning in the Orbiter Processing Facility. I've looked everywhere & couldn't find a socket to charge my Tom Tom. [COLOR="Blue"]360 Degree Piccie of Discovery Cockpit[/COLOR][/quote] Bottom left next to the iphone socket, above that button there!
[quote=Giles;393768]I have made my own edit and Hollywood-a-cised it lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usDLUFGgS7U[/quote] Fantastic