NationStates Jolt Archive

Shuttle is safe!
YAY!

Did you think it would be safe?
What are your thoughts?

You're a little early.

Shuttle is safe!
YAY!

Did you think it would be safe?
What are your thoughts?
It wasn't when you posted that ... but it is now, having landed at Edwards Air Force Base at 8:11 EDT ( US ). :)

Now she's down! Now she's down! Welcome home, Discovery, and good job.

*Watching NASA TV*

*dances a little jig* :D

Awesome! :)

I didn't think anything would happen, but then again we've heard about nothing but problems for this mission.

Hopefully we'll get to work on a new launch vehicle. The shuttle is too old, and the last two missions have proved it.

Great job by those astronauts! I wouldn't have wanted to be on that shuttle on the way down, talk about being nervous! :eek:

Hang on, doesn't the shuttle have to fly to it's home base afterwards ... :D

Yeah i knew it wasnt yet but...

It seemed to work for that Newspaper in the US election when Truman won!

I always said shel be right and all you naysayers out there!

Isnt it amazing they were in Outer space and now they are back?

THEY MADE IT! =D

And oh MAN did we hear it in SoCal! Little after 5 am this morning Pacific time, BOOM!

Textbook landing!

Why are you all celebrating? Aren't we paying millions upon billions of dollars just so it lands safely? Sheesh, it better land safely.

Why are you all celebrating? Aren't we paying millions upon billions of dollars just so it lands safely? Sheesh, it better land safely.
Hey buzzkill! Go yell at some kids for being on your grass or something. Were trying to celebrate here! geesh!

THEY MADE IT! =D

And oh MAN did we hear it in SoCal! Little after 5 am this morning Pacific time, BOOM!

Textbook landing!
Man, I wish I could have heard it! Were you able to see it?

Why are you all celebrating? Aren't we paying millions upon billions of dollars just so it lands safely? Sheesh, it better land safely.
But think of all the stuff they've learnt like can Ants build nests in zero Gravity!

Man, I wish I could have heard it! Were you able to see it?

I wish. I'm about an hour and a half/two hour drive from Edwards, and that's a drive I wasn't about to make in the dead of night on no sleep. It didn't pass directly over Los Angeles, but a little north of it between Oxnard and Ventura. Didn't see it, but hot damn did we hear it. Whole house rattled like an earthquake for a sec.

And ignore the buzzkill. We don't have to acknowledge his pessimistic attitude any more than he had to acknowledge our glee. High road, peeps!

I wish. I'm about an hour and a half/two hour drive from Edwards, and that's a drive I wasn't about to make in the dead of night on no sleep. It didn't pass directly over Los Angeles, but a little north of it between Oxnard and Ventura. Didn't see it, but hot damn did we hear it. Whole house rattled like an earthquake for a sec.

And ignore the buzzkill. We don't have to acknowledge his pessimistic attitude any more than he had to acknowledge our glee. High road, peeps!
My tax dollars damn it. I pay that much money into something, it had better damn well work.

And ignore the buzzkill. We don't have to acknowledge his pessimistic attitude any more than he had to acknowledge our glee. High road, peeps!
Copy that!

Any ideas what the new shuttle is going to be like? I hope it turns out something like the ships from armageddon, but with more technology.

I wish. I'm about an hour and a half/two hour drive from Edwards, and that's a drive I wasn't about to make in the dead of night on no sleep. It didn't pass directly over Los Angeles, but a little north of it between Oxnard and Ventura. Didn't see it, but hot damn did we hear it. Whole house rattled like an earthquake for a sec.

And ignore the buzzkill. We don't have to acknowledge his pessimistic attitude any more than he had to acknowledge our glee. High road, peeps!

I was looking at BBC videos of landing, it was just dark dark dark.

/golfclaps

Definately worth staying up all night for. Much love for the NASA channel on TV. Worth the speeding home to watch the liftoff, and worth the all-nighter to watch the touchdown.

My poor dog was soundly asleep when the booms hit, and she freaked out and tried to chase it out of the backyard :D

Could just keep the same design just make sure you have new craft.

I was looking at BBC videos of landing, it was just dark dark dark.

Well yeah, the sun isn't up here yet! We just hit predawn twilight a little while ago- they landed basically in the dead of night out here!

Could just keep the same design just make sure you have new craft.

Yeah, if you WANT to be boring. They could always churns something out that looks like the nx-01. That would be entertaining.

Well yeah, the sun isn't up here yet! We just hit predawn twilight a little while ago- they landed basically in the dead of night out here!

I guess absolute no good for those who wanted videos of it being so dark.

Yeah, if you WANT to be boring. They could always churns something out that looks like the nx-01. That would be entertaining.

Hey, in the real world, looks take a distant second to functionality. So long as it works, and is relatively safe and reliable, I couldn't care less what it looks like. I think the next spacecraft is probably going to be an updated rendition of the Shuttle, since I don't think NASA's got the funding to really delve into mass-drivers and such on a large scale yet.

Hey, in the real world, looks take a distant second to functionality. So long as it works, and is relatively safe and reliable, I couldn't care less what it looks like. I think the next spacecraft is probably going to be an updated rendition of the Shuttle, since I don't think NASA's got the funding to really delve into mass-drivers and such on a large scale yet.

Well, if they want to get to the further planets, surely they will have to develop some sort of enhanced flight drive. And yes, i know the shape they have now is the most functional but once youre in space, it doesnt matter.

Welcome Home Shuttle Discovery!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Congratulations on a job well done.

Why do people care so much about this shuttle mission? I'm an Australian and despite momentous political events occuring today we've had constant updates on a foreign ship flying back to the US. What is the big deal?

Well, if they want to get to the further planets, surely they will have to develop some sort of enhanced flight drive. And yes, i know the shape they have now is the most functional but once youre in space, it doesnt matter.

Alas, I think it'll be awhile yet before they really look at manned missions to Mars and stuff. The effort and funding would require a degree of popular support that hasn't been seen since the Apollo flights to the Moon, methinks. And at last check, despite his claims of wanting to put a man on Mars or whatnot, Bush hasn't been very forthcoming with the funding to make it possible. And let's face it, there's a lot of things such a trip would demand that requires research and development that's barely even on a drawing board right now. Radiation shielding for the crew once they're out of the protection of Earth's magnetic field, supplies, keeping the crew fit for months on end so they don't just collapse even under Mars' lower gravity. All that stuff. It would be a positively collosal undertaking.

Yeah, if you WANT to be boring. They could always churns something out that looks like the nx-01. That would be entertaining.
Yeah but its proven itself for the last 20/30 years.
It looks cool enough and does the job.

If they ironed out any issues regarding the heat absobtion tiles it would be sweet as.

Plus a new structure would be too expensive while using the current design would be fine.

Alas, I think it'll be awhile yet before they really look at manned missions to Mars and stuff. The effort and funding would require a degree of popular support that hasn't been seen since the Apollo flights to the Moon, methinks. And at last check, despite his claims of wanting to put a man on Mars or whatnot, Bush hasn't been very forthcoming with the funding to make it possible. And let's face it, there's a lot of things such a trip would demand that requires research and development that's barely even on a drawing board right now. Radiation shielding for the crew once they're out of the protection of Earth's magnetic field, supplies, keeping the crew fit for months on end so they don't just collapse even under Mars' lower gravity. All that stuff. It would be a positively collosal undertaking.
In other words America needs to be challenged by a Soviet Russia for the Super Power Title.
America needs a contest to prove whos number 1.

Why do people care so much about this shuttle mission? I'm an Australian and despite momentous political events occuring today we've had constant updates on a foreign ship flying back to the US. What is the big deal?

In my case at least as a bit of a space nut, it's the sentimental value- this is the first space shuttle flight since the Columbia went down two years ago- everyone's been watching and waiting to see if Discovery was going to return safely or if we'd have another disaster

For a lot of people, the Shuttle is probably the world's most recognizable space exploration vehicle- you hardly hear anything about Russia's Soyuz (did I spell that right? Urg. It's 6 am here and I have't slept in over 24 hours.), for instances. Because of it's fame, a lot of people have at least a mild interest in its fate.

In other words America needs to be challenged by a Soviet Russia for the Super Power Title.
America needs a contest to prove whos number 1.

LOL! Yeah, pretty much. Sadly, I don't think the terrorists have any plans to attack from orbit =p

In my case at least as a bit of a space nut, it's the sentimental value- this is the first space shuttle flight since the Columbia went down two years ago- everyone's been watching and waiting to see if Discovery was going to return safely or if we'd have another disaster

For a lot of people, the Shuttle is probably the world's most recognizable space exploration vehicle- you hardly hear anything about Russia's Soyuz (did I spell that right? Urg. It's 6 am here and I have't slept in over 24 hours.), for instances. Because of it's fame, a lot of people have at least a mild interest in its fate.
Spellings close enough.
Funny snide comment the Russians made about whether or not the shuttle was going to make it in or not.
And how the Russians offered to use one of theirs.

Ah, nutsacks. Ive got a huge enthusiasm for space and exploration and that sort of stuff, but it looks like humans arent going anywhere in my lifetime (im 16). I just wish that people would be less concerned with budgets and more with the future. And yes, im a trekkie who reads too much Isaac Asimov.

LOL! Yeah, pretty much. Sadly, I don't think the terrorists have any plans to attack from orbit =p
Terrorists want to be Super Powers?

eh its 1:10AM im gone.

Ah, nutsacks. Ive got a huge enthusiasm for space and exploration and that sort of stuff, but it looks like humans arent going anywhere in my lifetime (im 16). I just wish that people would be less concerned with budgets and more with the future. And yes, im a trekkie who reads too much Isaac Asimov.

SCI-FI GEEKS UNITE!

Not a Trekkie here, but I think a Gundam maniac is close enough =p

It'd be most awesome if national egos could be set aside... just imagine what a truly international effort could achieve!

Awesome! :)

I didn't think anything would happen, but then again we've heard about nothing but problems for this mission.

Hopefully we'll get to work on a new launch vehicle. The shuttle is too old, and the last two missions have proved it.

Great job by those astronauts! I wouldn't have wanted to be on that shuttle on the way down, talk about being nervous! :eek:
I would have killed to get a ride on any shuttle. Sigh.

NASA needs to completely rethink the entire space program and look for answers "outside the box." Burt Rutan and the Scaled Composites team won the X-Prize with a lift vehicle/single-pilot space vehicle combination that cost less than a tenth of what NASA pays for one shuttle mission.

I would have killed to get a ride on any shuttle. Sigh.

NASA needs to competely rethink the entire space program and look for answers "outside the box." Burt Rutan and the Scaled Composites team won the X-Prize with a lift vehicle/single-pilot space vehicle combination that cost less than a tenth of what NASA pays for one shuttle mission.

Yeah... they need to start letting the private sector in on it more. If you think about it, NASA has quite the monopoly on the space industry as of yet. Give it time, and that stranglehold will loosen. First with the X-Prize, and who knows how long until passenger flights are affordable on craft based on that design!

Still, I'm extremely glad that despite all the naysayers Discovery made nothing short of a textbook perfect landing this morning =D

SCI-FI GEEKS UNITE!

Not a Trekkie here, but I think a Gundam maniac is close enough =p

It'd be most awesome if national egos could be set aside... just imagine what a truly international effort could achieve!

Indeed. These are the voyages......

Back when Nixon was in the White House, he signed off on the shuttle because the cost was computed to be profitable -- at a launch rate of 1 per 3 weeks.

Needless to say, that number has proved to be somewhat optimistic...

Eh, reality happens.

Honestly, I had a good feeling about the entire mission, even when word got out about the problems like the foam debris and the gap fillers. Despite the problems, I did not doubt for a second that they'd bring Discovery safely home!

... Granted, that didn't stop me from feeling anxious while watching the NASA channel until they broadcast a transmission from Discovery that confirmed they'd made it through re-entry just fine! :D

... who knows how long until passenger flights are affordable on craft based on that design!
You might try asking these folks: http://www.virgingalactic.com/en/ :D

"The first flights are planned to begin in 2008. We are now starting to take reservations and deposit commitments for the first year of operations. The ticket price has been set at US$200,000 and the minimum, fully refundable deposit to secure your spaceship seat is US$20,000."

You might try asking these folks: http://www.virgingalactic.com/en/ :D

"The first flights are planned to begin in 2008. We are now starting to take reservations and deposit commitments for the first year of operations. The ticket price has been set at US$200,000 and the minimum, fully refundable deposit to secure your spaceship seat is US$20,000."

Yeeeah... I think I'll wait until the prices get a bit more reasonable =p

Yeeeah... I think I'll wait until the prices get a bit more reasonable =p

$200,000 is small change for some people. :)
Not people like us though.

Hang on, doesn't the shuttle have to fly to it's home base afterwards ... :D

No, not really.... Unless you consider being piggy-backed on a specially converted Boeing 747-400, with no crew aboard the shuttle, a "flight"...

$200,000 is small change for some people. :)
Not people like us though.

Alas.... if I ever win the lottory though.... :cool:

Why do people care so much about this shuttle mission? I'm an Australian and despite momentous political events occuring today we've had constant updates on a foreign ship flying back to the US. What is the big deal?

Columbia

$200,000 is small change for some people. :)
Not people like us though.
No shit! LOL!

I am very glad the shuttle and crew have returned safely.
I was pretty optimistic, but there is always that element of doubt, having seen two disasters already.

But yeah-very happy it went so smoothly.

From one pilot to the pilots aboard Discovery, Good landing and Welcome home.