Space Shuttle Link.

[grab my graupel]

Anyone wanting to watch the space shuttle launch on the internet.

Here is the link

Brian http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

[PersianPaladin]

Lets hope it doesn't explode this time.

[mezzacyclone]

thanks for the link Brian! although FOX news covered it also,

Perfect launch, Gotta see and hear one of these one day, although how big a contribution to climate change etc. do these launches make? an olympic size swimming pool of fuel every second or something is it???

[grab my graupel]

thanks for the link Brian! although FOX news covered it also,

Perfect launch, Gotta see and hear one of these one day, although how big a contribution to climate change etc. do these launches make? an olympic size swimming pool of fuel every second or something is it???

Hi mezzacyclone

Yes it is always a big relief to see a safe launch. I think it is quite nerve racking just watching it,

so goodness knows what it would be like for those in there.

Yes I agree it is an astonishing amount of fuel it uses.

My pleasure posting the link, I just thought that not everyone has sky or or can't get access to

a t.v. if they are at work and want to watch it.

Glad you enjoyed it

Regards Brian.

[full_frontal_occlusion]

The STS main boosters each use 500 tons of ammonium perchlorate composite fuel - a mixture of ammonium perchlorate, aluminium, iron oxide and a binding polymer.

This produces at maximum some 1500 tons of thrust each with combustion products comprising 4 parts aluminium oxide (why the smoke looks white), 12 parts water vapour, 3 parts nitrogen and 3 parts chlorine.

The main engines burn some 730 tons of propellant comprising liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as the oxydiser. producing water vapour as the combustion by-product.

The Orbital Maneuvering thrusters burn about 20 tons of hydrazine compound and reactant producing 9 parts nitrogen, 12 parts water vapour and 3 parts carbon dioxide.

From a GW perspective, a space shuttle mission produces less greenhouse gases than say the average UK family in a few months.

ffO.

[geri2k]

Showing live pictures and audio from up there also.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/live_tv.html

Geri

They are getting ready for their space walk!

[androcles]

Shuttle re-entry burn about to begin in about 15 mins.

Listen and watch live here.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/live_tv.html

[androcles]

Shuttle down safely at 1732

[shuggee]

Had no idea that it flew upside down and backwards whilst re-entering the atmosphere. That must have been erm.., exciting for the crew!

[Rustynailer]

Thats silly, I am not surprised it blows up sometimes

[androcles]

Had no idea that it flew upside down and backwards whilst re-entering the atmosphere. That must have been erm.., exciting for the crew!

It does not "fly"(in space), nor does it "flew upside down and backwards whilst re-entering the atmosphere."

It is positioned in space with the tail pointing toward the ground and going backwards so that when it does it's re-entry burn it tilts over so that it then points forward. This is for the very technical reason, quite similar to modern day aircraft, so that the pilots - who are at the front of the aircraft(the pointy end - same as the shuttle you may have noticed?!)can see where they are going. This is very helpful during landing - 'seeing' where you are going.

I don't know what planes you guys have been on, but have you ever known the pilots at the back and upside down......perleeeease.

Andy

[shuggee]

Well you seem to know what you're talking about Andy :o

Clearly the woman on News24 who mentioned 'flying backwards upside down over the Pacific' was talking out of her proverbial?!

The best thing was, with about 2 mins to go before touch-down she commented 'oh it seems to be flying normally now'. And that I suppose ought to have raised my suspicions :o

[androcles]

Well you seem to know what you're talking about Andy :wub:

Clearly the woman on News24 who mentioned 'flying backwards upside down over the Pacific' was talking out of her proverbial?!

The best thing was, with about 2 mins to go before touch-down she commented 'oh it seems to be flying normally now'. And that I suppose ought to have raised my suspicions :wub:

Shuggee, don't you just love these news reporters? I suppose she was expecting shuttle to in down tail down and what? Flip over in the final two minutes.........?

Lovely.