Uh oh... I sure hope it didn't damage anything. http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/26/space.shuttle/index.html
That's just scary that after everything this piece fell off and could have done some real damage. It didn't look like it hit anything, though. It was a beautiful launch, though. It's still gives me goosebumps to watch it launch. I hear they are inspecting the tiles of the shuttle tomorrow.
Here's a link to pictures of a bird hitting the shuttle and various other pieces of crap flying off the thing... link
They really need to retire the expensive and dangerous shuttle fleet. The shuttles were first launched 24 years ago. They should build some newer, cheaper, better-designed spacecraft.
Lets pray this this does not happen. But if the astronauts find the damage on the Discovery is beyond repair, and they have to abandon the shuttle and stay in the space staion, how is NASA's contingency plan foolproof then?
Bummer. ________ "Obviously we have to go fix this," a NASA spokesman said. NASA grounds shuttle fleet HOUSTON-- NASA halted future shuttle flights on Wednesday after learning that a large chunk of insulating foam broke off Discovery's external fuel tank during launch, an echo of the problem that doomed sister ship Columbia and its crew 2-1/2 years ago. link
You may be right. Lockheed and Boeing are competing right now for the new vehicle (CEV)contract. This may help them speed up the process of choosing a contractor, so they can go ahead and get started on building the new vehicle.
This thing looks like a major step backward, but if we're just busing people up to the ISS I guess something 'simple' like the CEV is the best option. I know it's supposed to go to the moon ~ we'll see about that... __________ The Future Of Flight? When NASA requested designs for a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), two major teams--one headed by Lockheed Martin and one by Northrop Grumman and Boeing--took on the challenge. The winning concept will be chosen in 2008, and the manned vehicle flown in 2014. The agency's primary requirement is to "ensure crew safety through all mission phases." The Lockheed team--consisting of six companies--came up with a CEV in three parts. The titanium crew module holds four to six astronauts and launches separately from the mission module and the propulsion stage. They rendezvous in orbit to create a 70-ft.-long vehicle that weighs just under 40 metric tons. diagram article link ____________ A differing opinion on the CEV... Designs for shuttle replacement may need rethinking
Thats what I think too. They were saying 2012 would be the soonest it would be ready, but Im betting they can make it happen in 4-5 years. The thing that will take the longest is, all the test flights and what not.
