OT Space Shuttle Launch View in HD - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Homer J Simpson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2016, 12:41:57 am
content: Check out the launch view that starts at .30 in.That has to be one of the coolest I have seen.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2016, 01:59:37 am
content: Nice.I noticed the shuttle engines ignite first - and that the shuttle lifts slightly against the solid rocket booster, before they, too, are ignited and off they go.An amazing piece of technology - especially when you realise the first flight of the shuttle program was 35 years ago!

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2016, 03:17:24 am
content: Yep, they light the solid rocket booster last because they cannot be shut down.Before that point they can shutdown the main engines and abort on the pad.You wouldn't want to light the solid boosters and then figure out your main engine is faulty and wont start.

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2016, 04:22:11 am
content: I saw that whole movie in an IMAX 3D theater. It's well worth seeing in 3D. The launch is even better. I usually hate 3D movies. It's interesting just watching the astronaut put his boots on in 3D. I think Tom Cruise narrated that one.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2016, 04:24:12 am
content: Quote from: Psi on March 25, 2016, 03:17:24 amI already knew that - but I hadn't noticed the body of the shuttle move in relation to the boosters before.

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2016, 10:45:58 pm
content: Quote from: Brumby on March 25, 2016, 04:24:12 amYou need IMAX to see that. True fact.

author: elgonzo
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2016, 10:51:44 pm
content: Quote from: Brumby on March 25, 2016, 04:24:12 amIt's called "The Shuttle Twang" (or "The Twang"). It is not the Shuttle moving in relation to the boosters. The whole launch vehicle "twangs". Google it...

author: station240
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2016, 11:20:49 pm
content: Hard to believe it will be 5 years this year (July 21), since the last shuttle flew.I remember watching the launches live (well streamed) with a retired Nasa engineer in skype to chat with.NasaTV just doesn't seem the same without the shuttle launch/prep/discussions. Hope the SLS rocket get operational soon.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2016, 11:58:26 pm
content: I don't know about NASA and the SLS. The US went from practically no space program to landing on the Moon in 10 years, flying over 20 manned missions during that time. NASA has two manned SLS missions planned over the next 10 years out of a total of four?

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2016, 12:13:49 am
content: Quote from: rdl on March 25, 2016, 11:58:26 pmRobotic missions are becoming so damn successful that they are putting astronauts out of business. I sort of understand why NASA is doing this. It's terribly unromantic, but it makes a lot of business sense.What I don't understand is why we don't put precision mount points on deep (or at least deeper) space objects like Hubble or even (I think) the new James Webb telescope. Pretty soon I think robotics will be so good we could send something that could just mount up and do almost any maintenance work (swap out mirrors, motors, boards, whatever) a person could do. One less thing we need people for then, even if sending a person is a theoretical possibility.