STS-116 . . .

[NickDG 23]

The Space Shuttle Discovery, WX permitting, launches today (Dec 07) at 9:35 PM EST.

This will be a night launch (always spectacular) and will be the first flight for four of the seven person crew. NASA pushed this mission up one week so as to have the Astronauts back on Earth for Christmas . . .

Here's the link to NASA TV and the launch coverage. Get this link up early as the NASA servers tend to overload close to launch time.

http://switchboard.real.com/player/email.html?PV=6.0.12&&title=NASA%20TV%20%2D%20Public%20Channel&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasa.gov%2Fram%2F35037main%5Fportal.ram

Have a good one STS -116!!!

NickD BASE 194

[normiss 622]

THAT ain't happening today...next week looks much better.
Waaaay too much cloud cover here today.

[simplyputsi 0]

Quote

THAT ain't happening today...next week looks much better.
Waaaay too much cloud cover here today.

next weekend would be nice, I would drive down for such a thing if on a weekend.

Skymama's #2 stalker -

[NickDG 23]

I know they won't launch without being able to film the initial accent from the ground - but it's Florida - all they need is a sucker hole . . .

And they must believe they have a shot, or they would have scrubbed already.

NickD BASE 194

[normiss 622]

They're saying here no way...because of visibility in case of emergency landing back here.....like THAT would ever succeed!?!?!?

But you're right...IF the sucker hole is big enough they'll give it a shot.

It would be waay cool if they did, I know Z-Hills had planned on night jumps to go with the launch....
check the current launch pad visibility here on NASA TV:
http://www.nasa.gov/

[Viking 0]

I went to Spacecamp in Florida when i was in the 6th grade. I missed a launch by three days. Thats pretty high on the list of things to do before i die.

I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver
My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin

[NickDG 23]

I agree. Returning to KSC after launch means a whole lot of things would need to go really right -after something big went really wrong.

I was around Cal City when the late Bruce Gilkey, a Navy test jumper at the time, first used the "pole & parachute" egress system that was installed on all the orbiters after the Challenger exploded. They did it out of a Convair and Bruce said later, wearing the spacesuits and getting all that ready to go in a bucking or out of control vehicle - Well, you can forget about it!

They really need Aces II ejection seats, but it's a bit late in the program for that. I would suppose the parachutes were a PR move and the astronauts probably figure once they strap in they are going for the whole ride . . .

The last NASA WX report sounded more optimistic and the crew is suiting up.

NickD BASE 194

[wmw999 2,122]

Yeah, the ejection pole is a pretty low-probability item. But it's there.

Weather is very marginal, currently on the wrong side of the margin. But, being marginal, it could go back over, too. We don't need a huge good weather window, because the return to launch site (RTLS) timeframe is so short; after that, they would abort either to across the Atlantic, or to orbit.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[NickDG 23]

Yup, I'd be pretty puckered up until hearing, "Negative return, Discovery! "

They've come out of the last hold and the countown clock is running. But now the winds are up!

NickD BASE 194

[Revillusion 0]

Hey Wendy - I can't find it by searching. What is the RTLS time after liftoff?

VIRTUS JUNXIT MORS NON SEPARABIT

[NickDG 23]

I'm pretty sure they can RTLS anytime up to SRB seperation.

The crew is in the Astro-bago and on their way to pad 39A . . .

NickD BASE 194

[billvon 2,400]

>I'm pretty sure they can RTLS anytime up to SRB seperation . . .

Yep, RTLS is still an abort option that they have available, although it's definitely "sporty."

Edited to add - they've since beefed up the SRB struts so they have abort modes available if they have early SSME shutdowns. Before the modification, loss of 2 SSME's would have caused structural failure.

[NickDG 23]

Over on space.com someone said banging on the RTLS abort button would be tough, "like a skydiver having to pull his reserve."

No kidding - they really said that!

NickD BASE 194

[wmw999 2,122]

It takes about 8 minutes to get to orbit; realistically speaking, about 4 of those would be likely to involve RTLS. Takes about 20 minutes to make it back. After that, we'd probably go across the Atlantic, or even to orbit.

But the hole-in-the-clouds-size answer is that the degree of clearness is decreed in the launch commit criteria, and they're unlikely to violate those. Particularly on the first post-Columbia night launch, on the first day in the window.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[billvon 2,400]

>"like a skydiver having to pull his reserve."

Well, true - if that was followed by starting an engine that allowed the skydiver to climb back up to exit altitude and get back in the plane!

[NickDG 23]

Interesting . . .

The vid from the White Room shows the crew putting on their parachute rigs. Who builds those?

Boy, I'll bet those are seven rigs that are in date . . .

NickD BASE 194

[billvon 2,400]

>The vid from the White Room shows the crew putting on their
>parachute rigs. Who builds those?

Dunno. I have an old friend of mine who used to test-jump that system every once in a while. He hated doing it.

[chadkal 0]

thanx for the link Nick,....I am watching the enter the shuttle now!!!!

good luck and safe journeys to all on board

--------------------------------------------------
I am a greek midget

[NickDG 23]

Are those guys helping the Astros into their rigs Jumpmasters? After all, the crew are basically first jump students . . .

And those Martin Baker handles seem only barley seated in their pockets.

Another thing I noticed, after watching a lot of these launches, is that NASA finally got a couple of guys with a personality to do the audio. It's usually pretty dry . . .

NickD BASE 194

[Revillusion 0]

I would be interested to know who makes the rigs and the canopies.

VIRTUS JUNXIT MORS NON SEPARABIT

[NickDG 23]

All onboard. Comm checks are in progress now . . .

The T-6 will shoot approaches to KSC now to check headwind and crosswind componants.

If that's cool, and the clouds at 5-grand stay broken they are going to do it!

T-minus 1 hour & forty minutes . . .

Oh, that was cool - one of the ingress techs went around the mid-deck placing activated chem lites about the cabin. I guess in case of total electrical failure and the lights blow . . .

Yikes!

NickD BASE 194

[LearningTOfly 0]

Quote

Are those guys helping the Astros into their rigs Jumpmasters? After all, the crew are basically first jump students . . .

Initial training covers parachute procedures. Whether the A's remember them come flight time is another matter.

...I'd venture a guess that the last thought through the A's minds are parachute procedures. The bailout window in the launch phase is narrow to say the least.

The launch is an accepted risk on the part of the A's. Bailout rigs or none- they'd want to go anyways. Parachutes for launch are like a cell phone in a dark alley. Not really good for anything, but it makes for a warm fuzzy feeling.

Hey! Beamer's on the flight! Have a great one!

[NickDG 23]

Go baby, Go!

NickD BASE 194

[normiss 622]

Go Navy!

[NickDG 23]

Yeah, I heard that, it was cool . . .

They're closing the hatch . . .

Pressure checks now.

47 minutes.

NickD BASE 194