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Tuesday May 12, 2009
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One day after blasting off into space, astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis will survey the craft for heat shield tile damage ahead of the critical Hubble repair mission that begins tomorrow. During the shuttle survey, the astronauts will use an "inspection pole
tipped with laser sensors and cameras" to look for dings in the
heat-resistant panels on the wing edges and nose, according to Space.com.
The marathon session will last almost ten hours, without the usual meal break, due to the compressed timeline of the mission and the necessity of checking all of the thousands of black, heat-resistant tiles on the bottom. They'll do the latter using a 50-foot inspection pole attached to the robotic arm that does the survey for the crew cabin and cargo bay.
If the astronauts discover a problem that isn't repairable, the Endeavor orbiter is standing by ready to rescue the astronauts from Atlantis. But if everything checks out OK, the astronauts will press on to Hubble for the main mission: perform five consecutive spacewalks to add two new cameras, repair two
other instruments never designed to be repaired in space, and perform other
maintenance, according to the report. (Image credit: NASA TV, May 12, 2009)
Posted By:
Jamie Lendino
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May 12, 2009 5:39 PM
I can't understand why seven irreplacible people had to die before this became S.O.P.I mean,after all,these people ARE supposed to be ROCKET SCIENTISTS!!!!!
May 12, 2009 6:26 PM
@Magic Rat: That's a really callous way of looking at it. Not everyone at NASA is a "rocket scientist," and the "aren't they smart enough" argument belittles all of the really good work they do and how hard any disaster at NASA is taken by the family there.
We could also ask how many people had to die in car accidents before seat belts were required or airbags invented, or how many people died of food poisoning before we figured out how hot we had to cook meats before they were safe.
You do things, you make mistakes, and you learn from them. To imply otherwise is to deny growth.
May 13, 2009 3:38 AM
I am indeed encouraged, Alan. I like yourself, if I may presume, are of a kind in our admiration of NASA. I am always in complete wonder of these incredibly brave and yes Rocket scientists as they all are in some way or the other. After all that would be just the tip of their education and the very least they could be to navigate this craft with such awesome accuracy. Each one of these Astronauts trained for two solid, grueling, back breaking years to do this mission.
That NASA, on the puny budget Washington sees fit to make them beg for, they are able to launch Shuttles, put various mechanical devices on Mars, (and more to come), put men on the moon, again, and all with the accuracy of a shooter taking the dot off an i at three hundred thousand miles.
I am always amazed that there were only two fatal incidents. I know, there were many incredible people killed, but lest we forget these Astronauts as they earned the name becoming the most elite of individuals in the space program, all have stated without exception that they are prepared to give up their lives in the pursuit of that which they love, space and the ideals that NASA exudes.
Each time they lift off I sit there in wonder of the work, sweat and tears goes into the launch and it's mission. I bow to their knowledge and applaud each and every thing they do and I hope never to lose that excitement and sense of wonder they instill.
OK I'm done. I Get carried away whenever I hear or see anyone berate the stellar accomplishments our Astronauts and NASA have tallied since NASA was created so many years ago. Thanks for reminding me, Alan. Let's just hold our collective breaths until they are safe at home. I have been watching them on NASA's space channel. If you have not been there (nasa.gov do a search for Hubble live)it is the best and never interrupted.