mentor: blog 
mentor's blog
don't get excited...
Published Jun. 13, 2008NASA probes shiny object trailing shuttle
HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- NASA engineers were trying to identify an object that floated away from Discovery and were analyzing a protrusion found on its rudder Friday, a day before the space shuttle was scheduled to land.
I can hear the alien conspiracy theorists from here! :)
It's great that they have created a protocol to inspect the heat shield and that they now have the ability to do repairs on the thermal shield (if need be) prior to reentry. We don't need another 'fireball' orbiter.
close16 Comments
hot topics
(1 votes) hanna to blow through triangle saturday
(1 votes) drilling for oil a hot topic at gop
most recent
Welcome to GOLO, where WRAL.com visitors can comment on stories and create profile pages, blogs and photo galleries.
You must be a registered WRAL.com user to use these tools. Click here to register or log in.
If we looked south towards Titusville (especially at night) we could see it go up pretty well. It was strange watching the plume of fire and smoke - while hearing nothing! :) Same with thunderstorms on the horizon too. I miss living there sometimes.
GOLO member since March 18, 2008
June 13, 2008 12:55 p.m.
Not a problem... It's a pity we can't call AP and have them correct their terminology as well. :) The media universally refers to the orbiter as "The Shuttle".
GOLO member since March 18, 2008
June 13, 2008 12:46 p.m.
GOLO member since August 16, 2007
June 13, 2008 12:14 p.m.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=news02
GOLO member since August 16, 2007
June 13, 2008 12:13 p.m.
GOLO member since March 31, 2008
June 13, 2008 12:07 p.m.
GOLO member since March 18, 2008
June 13, 2008 12:03 p.m.
GOLO member since July 11, 2007
June 13, 2008 11:57 a.m.
Sorry, Mentor. It's just a pet peeve of a lot of folks who work in the program to see the press refer to the orbiter as the Shuttle.
But...if there is damage, indeed the EFT becomes a major concern...again. I hope not, because I am headed home for the 10/8 launch -- the last southerly launch of the STS system -- that's headed for the Hubble. They have to have a spare orbiter at the ready in the VAB (already stacked, I think) so any EFT concerns would likely delay those two birds.
Watching a southerly launch is a thing of beauty, because you can see the shuttle a lot longer if you are on the Banana River Causeway, which is where we will be.
GOLO member since August 16, 2007
June 13, 2008 11:44 a.m.
GOLO member since March 21, 2008
June 13, 2008 11:28 a.m.
GOLO member since November 23, 2007
June 13, 2008 11:26 a.m.
Please log in to add comment.