No repairs on damaged Endeavour shuttle - Techwatch Support Forums: Digital & Satellite TV, FTA, Cable, Computers, Mobile Phones, Apple and General Tech Forums

BGonaSTICK · 18-08-07, 11:08 AM

Nasa has announced that it will not perform repairs on a gash in the Endeavour space shuttle's body.

The space agency had been conducting tests over the last week to determine whether to fix the three-inch square gouge in the spacecraft's heat shield, which could threaten the safety of the crew upon returning to Earth.

A spokesperson for NASA said: "The mission control centre in Houston informed the STS-118 and Expedition 15 crews late Thursday that Saturday’s spacewalk will not include repairs of space shuttle Endeavour’s heat shield.

"After hours of reviewing data and imagery collected during the inspections by the STS-118 crew, the managers decided the damage did not pose a safety risk to the crew or Endeavour."

The Reuters news agency reports John Shannon, chairman of the mission's management team, as saying: "It does not constitute a risk to the crew, it is not expected to cause any damage to the vehicle structure.

"You have something you know you can live with, why would you take the risk of the (spacewalk) to change that?" he added.

Last week, Nasa said it had noticed "five areas of concern" while the shuttle performed a back flip near the International Space Station for the inspection of its underside.

Mr Shannon said the damage to the shuttle had been caused by "an ice impact" after it took off on August 8th.

Heat shields are vital for protecting shuttles; in 2003 all seven crew onboard the Columbia space shuttle died after the vessel burned up on re-entering the Earth's atmosphere due to heat shield damage.

BGonaSTICK · 18-08-07, 11:13 AM

I can't help feeling that this continuing heat shield/ice impact thing indicates that the whole process is fundamentally flawed. Continuing in this ****-it-and-fix-it way is insane.

Jimdefruit · 18-08-07, 11:42 AM

Let us all hope they have a safe return.

madrat · 18-08-07, 02:32 PM

The shuttle was designed in the late 70s, to say the technology is out of date is an understatement, but if the USA will insist on spending so much invading other country's and genrally being a bully there is never going to be a replacement. Space travel is inherently dangerous but cutting corners and sending people into space just for prestige can only make things worse. I hope they all get home safely and then go up to whoever made the decision not to try and fix it and knock their block off >

18-08-07, 11:08 AM	#1 (permalink)
BGonaSTICK Dodgy Geezer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 9,718 Thanks: 3 Thanked 166 Times in 60 Posts	No repairs on damaged Endeavour shuttle Nasa has announced that it will not perform repairs on a gash in the Endeavour space shuttle's body. The space agency had been conducting tests over the last week to determine whether to fix the three-inch square gouge in the spacecraft's heat shield, which could threaten the safety of the crew upon returning to Earth. A spokesperson for NASA said: "The mission control centre in Houston informed the STS-118 and Expedition 15 crews late Thursday that Saturday’s spacewalk will not include repairs of space shuttle Endeavour’s heat shield. "After hours of reviewing data and imagery collected during the inspections by the STS-118 crew, the managers decided the damage did not pose a safety risk to the crew or Endeavour." The Reuters news agency reports John Shannon, chairman of the mission's management team, as saying: "It does not constitute a risk to the crew, it is not expected to cause any damage to the vehicle structure. "You have something you know you can live with, why would you take the risk of the (spacewalk) to change that?" he added. Last week, Nasa said it had noticed "five areas of concern" while the shuttle performed a back flip near the International Space Station for the inspection of its underside. Mr Shannon said the damage to the shuttle had been caused by "an ice impact" after it took off on August 8th. Heat shields are vital for protecting shuttles; in 2003 all seven crew onboard the Columbia space shuttle died after the vessel burned up on re-entering the Earth's atmosphere due to heat shield damage. __________________ Dreambox 7000, Skystar2 PCI, Skystar USB, Fibo 90cm on Moteck SG2100, Triax TD110 multi-LNB. Sky + ART cards. 45.0°E - 58.0°W

18-08-07, 11:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
BGonaSTICK Dodgy Geezer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 9,718 Thanks: 3 Thanked 166 Times in 60 Posts	Re: No repairs on damaged Endeavour shuttle I can't help feeling that this continuing heat shield/ice impact thing indicates that the whole process is fundamentally flawed. Continuing in this ****-it-and-fix-it way is insane. __________________ Dreambox 7000, Skystar2 PCI, Skystar USB, Fibo 90cm on Moteck SG2100, Triax TD110 multi-LNB. Sky + ART cards. 45.0°E - 58.0°W

18-08-07, 11:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
Jimdefruit Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,858 Thanks: 20 Thanked 221 Times in 187 Posts	Re: No repairs on damaged Endeavour shuttle Let us all hope they have a safe return. __________________ Dreambox 800 HD; Dreambox 7000s + VBox + Channel Master 1.2 with 36v actuator CM120 feedhorn and Invacom .3 LNB Skystar 2 PCI card with links to my Dreamboxes If you like what you see here, tell your friends.

18-08-07, 02:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
madrat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 2,232 Thanks: 11 Thanked 83 Times in 72 Posts	Re: No repairs on damaged Endeavour shuttle The shuttle was designed in the late 70s, to say the technology is out of date is an understatement, but if the USA will insist on spending so much invading other country's and genrally being a bully there is never going to be a replacement. Space travel is inherently dangerous but cutting corners and sending people into space just for prestige can only make things worse. I hope they all get home safely and then go up to whoever made the decision not to try and fix it and knock their block off > __________________ *VIRGIN, STOP SENDING ME JUNK MAIL.*