Discovery Shuttle launch

[barnum42]

Space-launch wise, we need to return to the old ways, it seemed to go through without flaw.

The old ways took even more unacceptable risks - Apollo I and Apollo XIII being prime examples.

 

[Tara Mae]

The old ways took even more unacceptable risks - Apollo I and Apollo XIII being prime examples.

Yes, they took more risks, but the majority of the time, the launch went without a hitch. It just seems like lately, the more technology we have, the less chance we have of ever hitting space. Look at the Discovery, look how long it took to get it back up. And then look at Atlantis, that's now grounded for Goddess knows how long.

But we went to the moon in 1969 just fine. I believe that this foam/tile thing has been around since day one, but it hasn't been as noticeable, b/c back in the day, we didn't have the technology to see/notice such things.

There's a risk in all space flights, they need to realize that. Nothing could go wrong, everything could go off with a hitch, but once in space, you're succombable to anything.

 

[barnum42]

But we went to the moon in 1969 just fine.

Grissom, White and Chaffee may disagree on that one. They had a lot of close calls and near misses in all the programs leading up to Apollo and took huge risks as they were under the pressure of beating the Russians. Which also gave them the advantage of a HUGE budget compared to what the shuttle has now.

 

[xfkirsten]

and took huge risks as they were under the pressure of beating the Russians.

Which I find amusing, because now that the US space program is so pathetic, the Russians are beating us. :lol:

 

[sillyspook13]

 

[Coronado]

How in the Goddess's Green Earth did we ever get to the moon?
Either that, or theory, the dangers of the foam and tiles were always there, just not always visible or known.
.

The foam that they used to cover the external tank before was a CFC.. Chloro-fluro-carbon based chemical (the one that was "bad" for the ozone) the foam used now is based on an HFC Hydro-fluro-carbon is more brittle at lower temperatures... the tank gets cold because of the pressure drop in the tank as it burns the fuel at the outlet. the foam is very similar to that stuff that comes in a can called Insul-foam..... it is sprayed into crevases to insulate pipes or spaces that might get wet... If they would ever go back to the "banned" foam, the problem would be eliminated...........P.S. I see the shuttle from my back yard on the other coast easily.... 180 miles away.... I was once in line for Splash when the shuttle passed overhead on approach to landing... it makes a double sonic boom.....didn't see the shuttle but it freaked a few people in line....