Launch of Shuttle Discovery

**Lady D** · 07-04-2006, 01:37 PM

Space Shuttle Discovery is going to launch in less than 4 minutes. Let's pray for these guys that they have a safe lift off as we have already lost two shuttles and crews. Am uneasy about the foam being missing from that section of shuttle around the external fuel tank.

**Beach Runner** · 07-04-2006, 02:11 PM

It was scary. The newscasters were talking about "Shuttle Fever," as in they really were in a frnezy to get this up today for political and funding reasons. Let's pray that they all get back safely.

**Lady D** · 07-04-2006, 05:37 PM

Don't know whether anyone caught that on CNN, but before they quit showing the footage, that shuttle was at way over 14,000 mph. I was holding my breath. When they told them to throttle up and with the angle they were turned, it brought back memories of the Challenger when they were told the same thing and the explosion that tollowed upon doing so! Then they showed Discovery up in space separating from the big solid rocket booster. Felt they were home free then. But now, the re-entry into the earth's atmosphere hopefully will go as well. Because that is when Columbia disentegrated upon re-entry. And it had a problem with the foam coming off and hitting some fuel tank or something. A total of 6 different pieces of foam. Couldn't believe it! Hope that doesn't cause a problem on re-entry!

**aquaticbiology** · 07-05-2006, 09:23 AM

yeah, they're up and doing fine - i'm a shuttle geek from way back (friends of mine work for subcontractors) and complete coverage is on nasa tv - check channel 90-100 if you have cable, or nasatv if you have satellite, or http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ on the web

**Uncle Timmy** · 07-05-2006, 11:54 AM

My friends and I evacuated to Orlando during Hurricane Dennis last July, while there we heard that the shuttle was to launch and so we high-tailed it over to the cape. Unfortunately the launch was scrubbed due to weather. I was so disappointed. I was watching on TV yesterday and wishing I was there.

Anyone had the chance to see a shuttle launch?

**Lady D** · 07-05-2006, 12:06 PM

Never have had the chance to see one in person. Unfortunately, yesterday 6 pieces of foam broke off of the shuttle. Heard it yesterday! Hope none of the foam hit anything on the shuttle. That is what happened to Columbia and on re-entry it blew up! Hope there is not a repeat of Columbia! I loved the old Gemini and Apollo missions when they sent up the regular rocket ships. Loved watching the splash down. Things sure have changed. We used to get to watch those lift offs in elementary school! Boy, was that many years ago!

**TooFarTampa** · 07-05-2006, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by twt512

My friends and I evacuated to Orlando during Hurricane Dennis last July, while there we heard that the shuttle was to launch and so we high-tailed it over to the cape. Unfortunately the launch was scrubbed due to weather. I was so disappointed. I was watching on TV yesterday and wishing I was there.

Anyone had the chance to see a shuttle launch?

I got to see Sally Ride's shuttle launch in '83 I think it was. It was neat, but I was soooo tired because we drove overnight to get there. Also I was too young to probably appreciate it properly. We weren't right up close, but we got a good view. As a child it isn't nerve-wracking; if I saw it now I would be just a nervous wreck. I'm not sure I would go to one because of it.

Yesterday we were in Orlando. I didn't want to watch the launch on TV (nerves) but we did see it in the sky after launch. You can get a pretty decent view and we were happy to see it go up safely.

**kurt** · 07-05-2006, 03:23 PM

I got in trouble for cutting school to watch coverage of STS-1.

I saw a launch in 1985 at the Cape and it was awesome!

**audie** · 07-05-2006, 03:25 PM

when i was much younger i was in melbourne florida when a shuttle went up. the thing i remember most is when the sound barrier was broken all the hotel windows rattled. you could see it going up into space though and it was cool. we always watch the launches on nasa tv. my favorite thing to see is when they land at night. they sometimes have a camera in the pilot's helmet and you can see what they see out the shuttle window.

**Uncle Timmy** · 07-10-2006, 01:28 PM

A very cool link.....

http://www.ogleearth.com/2005/07/space_shuttle.html

For all you Google Earth nuts, this will pinpoint the location of the Space Shuttle on Google Earth. Click on the KMZ file link.

**Lady D** · 07-10-2006, 05:05 PM

Google earth is great! We have it on our desktop and use it quite often!

**audie** · 07-12-2006, 07:00 AM

the shuttle will be landing sunday a.m. i think at 8:42 or some such ungodly hour ! should be on nasa tv for those who have it, and also probably on hdnet.

**Lady D** · 07-12-2006, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by audie

the shuttle will be landing sunday a.m. i think at 8:42 or some such ungodly hour ! should be on nasa tv for those who have it, and also probably on hdnet.

I am up at 7:15 a.m. on Sunday morning. Ugh! But I will be sure to watch!

**Lady D** · 07-17-2006, 07:12 AM

Space Shuttle Discovery is due to make its landing this morning, weather permitting. Right now it is a go. Just did their de-orbit burn back into the atmosphere. Say they are going to land in an hour. I thought they said 8:15 eastern time which would be now here, but apparently not. Rats, I will be at work.

**audie** · 07-17-2006, 07:34 AM

they were originally supposed to land on sunday, not sure what's up with that, then it was 9:04,now it's 9:14 - i can't keep up with them !

**Beach Runner** · 07-17-2006, 08:15 AM

Yay, they just touched down safely!

**audie** · 07-17-2006, 08:20 AM

i love the pilot-cam view on nasa tv, and love to hear the booms when they go thru the sound barrier ! i don't know how the astronauts can sit there on the runway for the half hour or so it takes to get them finished up, i would be like let me out !!!!

**Beach Runner** · 07-17-2006, 08:24 AM

Ditto.

**audie** · 07-17-2006, 08:34 AM

we get to go thru all this again in late august... i would love to see an actual launch...

**Lady D** · 07-17-2006, 08:48 AM

Wished we had NASA TV. Even when we had satellite instead of cable, we didn't have NASA TV. Found a video of it on MSN showing it after touchdown. It was supposed to be a video of it landing. Didn't see that though.