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Serafin Gomez

Miami, FL

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NASA Evaluating Debris Damage on Shuttle

July 15, 2009 - 10:30 PM | by: Serafin Gomez

*UPDATE * CAPE CANAVERAL, Fl-

During lift off, 8-9 pieces of debris fell of external tank.At least one piece hit shuttle tiles but in an area that does not worry NASA flight directors too much at this point.NASA will take the next few days to evaluate the damage to see if it could pose a threat for re-entry. NASA spokesman says that they will conduct analysis from Space and from NASA scientists on Earth, but again are not too worried at this point. Foam often flies off during lift off, and as long as it happened after the first crucial 6 minutes of the launch, it is usually less of a concern. Also, its in area of heat-resistant tiles that isn't as crucial as other areas, but NASA will continue to evaluate.

" Some of it doesn't concern us, some it you just can speculate on right now," Mike Moses, one of the flight managers said at a post-launch newser. Another flight manager, Bill Gerstenmaier said at the same conference that he didn't "consider (the tiles)an issue for us."

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - After delays to due weather, and problems with a hydrogen gas leak, the space shuttle has now reached orbit on its way to the International Space Station, according to a NASA spokesman. Endeavour has embarked on a 16-day mission, that will include five space walks, and completing the KIBO Space lab in the ISS.

The sixth time is the charm. NASA has declared a "Go" for tonight's launch of the space shuttle Endeavour. Scheduled to Blast off at 6:03 p.m. ET.

FROM NASA:

Endeavour is "Go" for Launch

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:54:23 PM EDT

The countdown has resumed and there are no further holds planned as NASA awaits liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour on its STS-127 mission. No technical issues and no weather violations are being discussed as launch time approaches. Endeavour and its crew of seven astronauts are "go" for launch at 6:03 p.m. EDT.

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kristianna

The space shuttle is on its last legs and will be moth balled soon, but the technology that has made the shuttle possible has not changed much since then. The fleet of space shuttles have been the back bone of US designs for planetary space exploration and settlement, but not there is the Ares transport system that is to replace the aged shuttle system. Debris from the external tanks is nothing new and seems to occur quite often, so what is the problem of why it occurs so frequently; are these systems past their exploration date and in need of retirement? The new system will not be in place soon and the shuttle will be offline in a matter of years. Maybe they should have stuck with what works and made it better, a system you know as compared to a system that is just being born; although it is from an older system. What will act as a carrier for larger space based telescopes when the shuttle is not with us anymore? Will the next system be able to carry heavy loads that the shuttle is able to put into low earth orbit, like the James Web telescope? The Ares rocket seems to be designed to ferry people and not heavy cargo, or to be able to launch satellites in to earth orbit. NASA needs the shuttle in order to ferry large cargo and satellites into earth orbit, but maybe the space shuttle needs a techno upgrade like a uni-body construction in its heat shield fabrication. It should not be shuttle of the Ares and the Orion Constellation system, it should be both. If NASA can not do the job due to budget constraints then maybe some one should step to the plate that can get the job done, or stop tying the hands of NASA and let them do the job they were intended to do. One small step for [a] man. One giant leap for mankind.

July 18, 2009 at 8:17 PM
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john

why are we spending millions of dollars to put a porch on the space station

July 17, 2009 at 7:13 AM
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Terry Hafer

I witnessed the tile strikes yesterday during the launch (ET Cam) NASA doesn't have a site that someone could report what they saw also the strike on the tile wasn't the only ones to that are.... There was a 2nd strike to same area after the SRB sep

July 16, 2009 at 12:19 PM
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John

When is someone going to bring to light that foam coming off the external tanks was not a problem until environmentally friendly foam was substituted? So the greening of NASA has caused untold of damage to NASA's reputation and damage to the shuttles resulting in the loss of one.

July 16, 2009 at 12:12 PM
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(1 Reply)

JasonF

A 10-story building launching with 7 million pounds of thrust. Seven astronauts blasting off to an International Space Station conducting peaceful expriments - not for one, single Nation - but for the Nation of man - humanity. Not too bad. Nope. Not too bad.

July 16, 2009 at 11:59 AM
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