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25 Years of the Shuttle
I distinctly recall the day Columbia first flew. Actually I remember the day it didn't fly also. But the day it flew I stayed home from school until it made orbit. After that I finally went to school. My teacher only asked one question, "Well, did it lift off?" She already knew why I was several hours tardy. :-) Other people's thoughts? -- -- Greg D. Moore President Green Mountain Software Personal: http://stratton.greenms.com SQL Server Consulting sql at greenms.com |
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25 Years of the Shuttle
On Wed, 12 Apr 2006 12:31:11 GMT, in a place far, far away, "Greg D.
Moore \(Strider\)" made the phosphor on my monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that: I distinctly recall the day Columbia first flew. Actually I remember the day it didn't fly also. But the day it flew I stayed home from school until it made orbit. After that I finally went to school. My teacher only asked one question, "Well, did it lift off?" She already knew why I was several hours tardy. :-) Other people's thoughts? I flew to Florida from LA to watch the launch. When it was scrubbed on the 10th, I and the woman I was with and a couple other friends drove over to Tampa for the day. We finally saw it launch on the 12th. I remember being surprised at how fast it leapt off the pad, being used to the much more ponderous Saturn. We flew back to LA the next day, and drove up to Edwards to watch it land. Hard to believe that it's been a quarter of a century. And forty-five years since Gagarin. |
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April 12, 1981: First launching of the space shuttle
April 12, 1981: First launching of the space shuttle
http://www.historychannel.com/tdih/t...day=10272 977 http://tinyurl.com/e7qcy The space shuttle Columbia is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, becoming the first reusable manned spacecraft to travel into space. Piloted by astronauts Robert L. Crippen and John W. Young, the Columbia undertook a 54-hour space flight of 36 orbits before successfully touching down at California's Edwards Air Force Base on April 14. On September 17, 1976, NASA publicly unveiled its first space shuttle, the Enterprise, during a ceremony in Palmdale, California. Development of the aircraft-like spacecraft cost almost $10 billion and took nearly a decade. In 1977, the Enterprise became the first space shuttle to fly freely when it was lifted to a height of 25,000 feet by a Boeing 747 airplane and then released, gliding back to Edwards Air Force Base on its own accord. Regular flights of the space shuttle began on April 12, 1981, with the launching of Columbia. Launched by two solid-rocket boosters and an external tank, only the aircraft-like shuttle entered into orbit around Earth. When the mission was completed, the shuttle fired engines to reduce speed and, after descending through the atmosphere, landed like a glider. Early shuttles took satellite equipment into space and carried out various scientific experiments. On January 28, 1986, NASA and the space shuttle program suffered a major setback when the Challenger exploded 74 seconds after takeoff and all seven people aboard were killed. In September 1988, space shuttle flights resumed with the successful launching of the Discovery. In subsequent years, the space shuttle carried out numerous important missions, such as the repair and maintenance of the Hubble Space Telescope and the construction and manning of the International Space Station. A tragedy in space again rocked the nation on February 1, 2003, when Columbia, on its 28th mission, disintegrated during re-entry of the earth's atmosphere. All seven astronauts aboard were killed. In the aftermath, the space-shuttle program was grounded until Discovery returned to space in July 2005, amid concerns that the problems that had downed Columbia had not yet been fully solved. |
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25 Years of the Shuttle
Greg D. Moore (Strider) wrote: I distinctly recall the day Columbia first flew. Actually I remember the day it didn't fly also. But the day it flew I stayed home from school until it made orbit. After that I finally went to school. My teacher only asked one question, "Well, did it lift off?" She already knew why I was several hours tardy. :-) Other people's thoughts? I remember seeing the Shuttle stack on the pad, with that white external tank and the solid boosters on each side, and thinking how it reminded me of the Taj Mahal. http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010412.html http://www.thewellpub.com/sitebuilde...taj-mahal1.jpg Found this on Google. Talk about an alternate history: http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/model...t2004/sts1.jpg Rusty |
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April 12, 1981: First launching of the space shuttle
April 12, 1981: First launching of the space shuttle
http://www.historychannel.com/tdih/t...day=10272 977 http://tinyurl.com/e7qcy The space shuttle Columbia is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, becoming the first reusable manned spacecraft to travel into space. Piloted by astronauts Robert L. Crippen and John W. Young, the Columbia undertook a 54-hour space flight of 36 orbits before successfully touching down at California's Edwards Air Force Base on April 14. On September 17, 1976, NASA publicly unveiled its first space shuttle, the Enterprise, during a ceremony in Palmdale, California. Development of the aircraft-like spacecraft cost almost $10 billion and took nearly a decade. In 1977, the Enterprise became the first space shuttle to fly freely when it was lifted to a height of 25,000 feet by a Boeing 747 airplane and then released, gliding back to Edwards Air Force Base on its own accord. Regular flights of the space shuttle began on April 12, 1981, with the launching of Columbia. Launched by two solid-rocket boosters and an external tank, only the aircraft-like shuttle entered into orbit around Earth. When the mission was completed, the shuttle fired engines to reduce speed and, after descending through the atmosphere, landed like a glider. Early shuttles took satellite equipment into space and carried out various scientific experiments. On January 28, 1986, NASA and the space shuttle program suffered a major setback when the Challenger exploded 74 seconds after takeoff and all seven people aboard were killed. In September 1988, space shuttle flights resumed with the successful launching of the Discovery. In subsequent years, the space shuttle carried out numerous important missions, such as the repair and maintenance of the Hubble Space Telescope and the construction and manning of the International Space Station. A tragedy in space again rocked the nation on February 1, 2003, when Columbia, on its 28th mission, disintegrated during re-entry of the earth's atmosphere. All seven astronauts aboard were killed. In the aftermath, the space-shuttle program was grounded until Discovery returned to space in July 2005, amid concerns that the problems that had downed Columbia had not yet been fully solved. And April 12, 1961, wasn't this the date of the first manned spaceflight??? -- 73' André, PE1PQX Mijn site: http://pe1pqx.dyndns.org |
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25 Years of the Shuttle
NASA PDF's about STS-1
===== STS-1 operational flight profile. Volume 6: Abort analysis NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-TM-81098; JSC-14483-VOL-6-REV-1; REPT-78-FM-51-VOL-6-REV-1 , 19800601; Jun 1, 1980 The abort analysis for the cycle 3 Operational Flight Profile (OFP) for the Space Transportation System 1 Flight (STS-1) is defined, superseding the abort analysis previously presented. Included are the flight description, abort analysis summary, flight design groundrules and constraints, initialization information, general abort description and results, abort solid rocket booster and external tank separation and disposal results, abort monitoring displays and discussion on both ground and onboard trajectory monitoring, abort initialization load summary for the onboard computer, list of the key abort powered flight dispersion analysis. Accession ID: 80N27413 Document ID: 19800018912 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1980018912.pdf ===== STS-1 OPERATIONAL FLIGHT PROFILE. VOLUME 5: DESCENT, CYCLE 3. APPENDIX C: MONTE CARLO DISPERSION ANALYSIS NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-TM-81097; JSC-14483-VOL-5-REV-1-APP-C; REPT-78-FM-51-VOL-5-R-1-APP-C , 19800601; JUN 1, 1980 THE RESULTS OF THREE NONLINEAR THE MONTE CARLO DISPERSION ANALYSES FOR THE SPACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM 1 FLIGHT (STS-1) ORBITER DESCENT OPERATIONAL FLIGHT PROFILE, CYCLE 3 ARE PRESENTED. FIFTY RANDOMLY SELECTED SIMULATION FOR THE END OF MISSION (EOM) DESCENT, THE ABORT ONCE AROUND (AOA) DESCENT TARGETED LINE ARE STEEP TARGET LINE, AND THE AOA DESCENT TARGETED TO THE SHALLOW TARGET LINE ARE ANALYZED. THESE ANALYSES COMPARE THE FLIGHT ENVIRONMENT WITH SYSTEM AND OPERATIONAL CONSTRAINTS ON THE FLIGHT ENVIRONMENT AND IN SOME CASES USE SIMPLIFIED SYSTEM MODELS AS AN AID IN ASSESSING THE STS-1 DESCENT FLIGHT PROFILE. IN ADDITION, DESCENT FLIGHT ENVELOPS ARE PROVIDED AS A DATA BASE FOR USE BY SYSTEM SPECIALISTS TO DETERMINE THE FLIGHT READINESS FOR STS-1. THE RESULTS OF THESE DISPERSION ANALYSES SUPERSEDE RESULTS OF THE DISPERSION ANALYSIS PREVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED. Accession ID: 80N27412 Document ID: 19800018911 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1980018911.pdf ===== Space Transportation System Public Affairs Plan: First Space Shuttle Mission STS-1 NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-TM-102954; NAS 1.15:102954 , 19800901; Sep 1, 1980 Accession ID: 90N71317 Document ID: 19900067371 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1990067371.pdf ===== Aerodynamic design data book. Volume 1M: Orbiter vehicle STS-1 NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-CR-160903; SD72-SH-0060-VOL-1M , 19801114; Nov 14, 1980 Accession ID: 81N72115 Document ID: 19810067693 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1981067693.pdf ===== The Passive Optical Sample Assembly (POSA) on STS-1 Linton, R. C. NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-TM-82407 , 19810301; Mar 1, 1981 The passive optical sample assembly (POSA) hardware, scheduled for the flight on orbital flight test 1 is described. The function of the instrument is aid in the assessment contamination hazards to sensitive payloads in the shuttle cargo bay. It consists of an array of passively deployed samples mounted on the development flight instrumentation pallet in the shuttle cargo bay. The directory of samples together with their intended measurements are presented. The plan for POSA data analysis is also given. Accession ID: 81N20868 Document ID: 19810012339 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1981012339.pdf ===== Reconstruction of the 1st Space Shuttle (STS-1) entry trajectory Findlay, J. T.; Kelly, G. M.; Heck, M. L. NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-CR-3561; NAS 1.26:3561; AMA-82-6 , 19820601; Jun 1, 1982 A discussion of the generation of the best estimate trajectory (BET) of the first Space Shuttle Orbiter entry flight is presented. The BET defines a time history of the state, attitude, and atmospheric relative parameters throughout the Shuttle entry from an altitude of approximately 183 km to rollout. The inertial parameters were estimated utilizing a weighted least squares batch filter algorithm. Spacecraft angular rate and acceleration data derived from the Inertial Measurement Unit were utilized to predict the state and attitude which was constrained in a weighted least squares process to fit external tracking data consisting of ground based S-band and C-band data. Refined spacecraft altitude and velocity during and post rollout were obtained by processing artificial altimeter and Doppler data. The BET generation process is discussed. Software and data interface discussions are included. The variables and coordinate systems utilized are defined. STS-1 mission peculiar inputs are summarized. A listing of the contents of the actual BET is provided. Accession ID: 82N28313 Document ID: 19820020437 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1982020437.pdf ===== Airborne measurements of launch vehicle effluent: Launch of Space Shuttle (STS-1) on 12 April 1981 Gregory, G. L.; Woods, D. C.; Sebacher, D. I. NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-TP-2090; L-15494; NAS 1.60:2090 , 19830101; Jan 1, 1983 Launch vehicle effluent environmental impact activities from the first space shuttle (STS-1) included airborne measurements within the exhaust cloud from about 9 min after launch (T + 9) to T + 120 min. Measurements included total hydrogen chloride (gaseous plus aqueous) concentrations, particulate concentrations, temperature, and dewpoint temperature. The airborne measurements are summarized. The physical growth and behavior of exhaust clouds is presented as well as the results of laboratory analysis of elemental composition of particulate samples collected by the aircraft. Observed results from the STS-1 launch are compared with earlier Titan III results. Shuttle effluent concentrations are found to be within the range of Titan III observations. Accession ID: 83N16952 Document ID: 19830008681 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1983008681.pdf ===== Correlation of predicted and measured sonic boom characteristics from the reentry of STS-1 orbiter Garcia, F., Jr.; Jones, J. H.; Henderson, H. R. NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-TP-2475; S-544; NAS 1.60:2475 , 19850601; Jun 1, 1985 Characteristics from sonic boom pressure signatures recorded at 11 locations during reentry of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia are correlated with characteristics of wind tunnel signatures extrapolated from flight altitudes for Mach numbers ranging from 1.23 to 5.87. The flight pressure signature were recorded by microphones positioned at two levels near the descent groundtrack along the California corridor. The wind tunnel signatures used in theoretical predictions were measured using a 0.0041-scale model Orbiter. The mean difference between all measured and predicted overpressures is 12 percent from measured levels. With one exception, the flight signatures are very similar to theoretical n-waves. Accession ID: 85N29694 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1985021382.pdf ===== Effects of space shuttle launches STS-1 through STS-9 on terrestrial vegetation of John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida Schmalzer, P. A.; Hinkle, C. R.; Breininger, D.; Knott, W. M., III; Koller, A. M., Jr. NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-TM-83103; NAS 1.15:83103 , 19850901; Sep 1, 1985 Space Shuttle launches produce a cloud containing hydrochloric acid (HCl), aluminum oxide (Al203), and other substances. Acidities of less than 0.5 pH have been measured routinely in association with the launch cloud. In an area of about 22 ha regularly exposed to the exhaust cloud during most Shuttle launches, acute vegetation damage has resulted from the first nine Shuttle launches. Changes include loss of sensitive species, loss of plant community structure, reduction in total cover, and replacement of some species by weedy invaders. Community level changes define a retrogressive sequence. One-time impacts to strand and dune vegetation occurred after launches of STS-8 and STS-9. Acute vegetation damage occurred especially to sensitive species. Within six months, however, recovery was nearly complete. Sensitivity of species to the launch cloud was partially predicted by previous laboratory studies. Far-field acidic and dry fallout from the cloud as it rises to stabilization and moves with the prevailing winds causes vegetation spotting. Damage from this deposition is minor; typically at most 1% to 5% of leaf surface area is affected. No plant mortality or community changes have occurred from far-field deposition. Accession ID: 87N20658 Document ID: 19870011225 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1987011225.pdf ===== Shuttle flight data and in-flight anomaly list (STS-1 through STS-36, STS-38, and STS-41) NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-TM-105470; JSC-19413; NAS 1.15:105470 , 19910201; Feb 1, 1991 A listing of Space Shuttle data gathered during the mission evaluation process is presented chronologically. Changes to the report for this revision include an update of all relevant sections to include STS-1 through STS-36, STS-38, and STS-41 data. The Space Shuttle inflight anomaly list and the orbiter attitude timelines are also presented. Accession ID: 92N70460 Document ID: 19920075336 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1992075336.pdf ===== Shuttle flight data and in-flight anomaly list. STS-1 through STS-50, and STS-52 through STS-56. Revision T NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-CR-197667; NAS 1.26:197667; JSC-19413-REV-T , 19931001; Oct 1, 1993 This report contains mission data for space shuttle flights and consists of three sections. The first section is a listing of shuttle flight data for flights STS-1 through STS-55 gathered during the mission evaluation process. The second section is a listing of all orbiter in-flight anomalies arranged in order by affected Work Unit Codes of the failed items from shuttle flights STS-1 through STS-50 and STS-52 through STS-56. The third section consists of data derived from the as-flown orbiter attitude timelines and crew activity plans for each mission. The data are presented in chart form and show the progression of the mission from launch to entry interface with the varying orbiter attitudes (roll, pitch, and yaw) and the time duration in each attitude. The chart also shows the orbiter's velocity vector, i.e., which of the orbiter's body axes is pointing forward along the orbital path. The Beta angle, the angle between the sun vector and the orbital plane, is also shown for each 12-hour period of the mission. Accession ID: 96N11129 Document ID: 19960001128 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1996901128.pdf ===== Shuttle Flight Data and In-Flight Anomaly List: STS-1 through STS-71, STS-73 and STS-74; Revised NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) NASA-TM-111711-Rev-5; JSC-19413-Rev-5; NAS 1.15:111711-Rev-5 , 19960401; Apr. 1996 This report contains shuttle flight data and in-flight anomaly lists arranged in mission number sequence from Shuttle transportation System flights STS-1 through STS-71, STS-73 and STS-74. The in-flight anomaly listing includes all anomalies arranged in the order of affected work unit codes of the failed items. Accession ID: 96N32961 Document ID: 19960047214 ===== Rusty |
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25 Years of the Shuttle
"Gene DiGennaro" wrote in message oups.com... Greg D. Moore (Strider) wrote: I distinctly recall the day Columbia first flew. Actually I remember the day it didn't fly also. But the day it flew I stayed home from school until it made orbit. After that I finally went to school. My teacher only asked one question, "Well, did it lift off?" She already knew why I was several hours tardy. :-) Other people's thoughts? I stayed home from school on the both the attempted launch day and the actual launch. I was in tenth grade at the time. While in school I thought, gee I sure wouldn't want to be a shuttle astronaut, they're just high tech bus drivers! I'd want an assignment to actually go somewhere! Little did I know that we wouldn't "go" anywhere for the next 25 plus years...damn...maybe my kids will. Hmm, strange, I had thought the 10th was a Sunday and the 12th a Tuesday. Turns out it was Friday/Sunday. So I guess I missed school on Friday. Gene |
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25 Years of the Shuttle
On Wed, 12 Apr 2006 12:31:11 GMT, "Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)"
wrote: But the day it flew I stayed home from school until it made orbit. Er, on a Sunday? After that I finally went to school. My teacher only asked one question, "Well, did it lift off?" She already knew why I was several hours tardy. Other people's thoughts? I was on the NASA Causeway East for the launch. I'd been at KSC for the scrub on Friday, April 10, too, but for some reason (reported to be bootleg, or too many proper Vehicle Passes, but who knows) they put us on SR-3 north of the VAB. Brian |
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25 Years of the Shuttle
Greg D. Moore (Strider) wrote: "Gene DiGennaro" wrote in message oups.com... Greg D. Moore (Strider) wrote: I distinctly recall the day Columbia first flew. Actually I remember the day it didn't fly also. But the day it flew I stayed home from school until it made orbit. After that I finally went to school. My teacher only asked one question, "Well, did it lift off?" She already knew why I was several hours tardy. :-) Other people's thoughts? I stayed home from school on the both the attempted launch day and the actual launch. I was in tenth grade at the time. While in school I thought, gee I sure wouldn't want to be a shuttle astronaut, they're just high tech bus drivers! I'd want an assignment to actually go somewhere! Little did I know that we wouldn't "go" anywhere for the next 25 plus years...damn...maybe my kids will. Hmm, strange, I had thought the 10th was a Sunday and the 12th a Tuesday. Turns out it was Friday/Sunday. So I guess I missed school on Friday. Gene Looks like I missed school on Friday too. Funny, I didn't remember that the 12th was a Sunday. My parents let me stay home for the next launches that occured during 1982. Kids would notice I was not at class. The next day, I'd get ribbed by my friends. Gene |
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25 Years of the Shuttle
Greg D. Moore (Strider) wrote: "Gene DiGennaro" wrote in message oups.com... Greg D. Moore (Strider) wrote: I distinctly recall the day Columbia first flew. Actually I remember the day it didn't fly also. But the day it flew I stayed home from school until it made orbit. After that I finally went to school. My teacher only asked one question, "Well, did it lift off?" She already knew why I was several hours tardy. :-) Other people's thoughts? I stayed home from school on the both the attempted launch day and the actual launch. I was in tenth grade at the time. While in school I thought, gee I sure wouldn't want to be a shuttle astronaut, they're just high tech bus drivers! I'd want an assignment to actually go somewhere! Little did I know that we wouldn't "go" anywhere for the next 25 plus years...damn...maybe my kids will. Hmm, strange, I had thought the 10th was a Sunday and the 12th a Tuesday. Turns out it was Friday/Sunday. So I guess I missed school on Friday. Gene I guessed I missed the Friday as well. My Mom and Dad let me stay home for the next several launches too, so I guess that's where I got the memory of missing class more than once. |
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