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Daylight only launches
pardon me for straying from the constant maxson debates, but I have a question
about the shuttle. The NASA return to flight document mentions that the shuttle will be launched during daylight hours. Then, a little later, it mentions that for the first launch, it will be during daylight. Considering that for station flights, the very small launch window constantly moves and is not limited to daylight, does anyone have any details on exactly what this means ? I assume that in a march 2004 time frame, a daylight launch would be possible. But what about subsequent launches ? Will the daylight-only rule apply only for the first launch and the rule will be relaxed thereafter ? Will NASA develop new imaging equipment to provide the same level of detail during night time launches with such equipment becoming available just time for when shuttles start to need night time launches ? Or would NASA decide that from now on, launches towards the south east would be possible, allowing the shuttle to have 2 launch windows to meet the station per day ? (with 2 windows 12 hours apart, one is pretty well garanteed one daylight launch except perhaps in late december). Also, in the event of a shuttle becoming stranded at the station, (one action is to make it possible for extended stays at station in case of problems), would a second "rescue" shuttle still be bound to the daylight-only launches or would such a rule be waived ? |
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Daylight only launches
"Johhn Doe" wrote in message
... Considering that for station flights, the very small launch window constantly moves and is not limited to daylight, does anyone have any details on exactly what this means ? I assume that in a march 2004 time frame, a daylight launch would be possible. But what about subsequent launches ? Will the daylight-only rule apply only for the first launch and the rule will be relaxed thereafter ? I don't think the constraints are that serious. The station's orbital procession seems to go on a cycle of about three weeks... When I'm watching the station, it comes by in the evenings for about ten days. The pass time drifts later and later, until for about ten days it's visible very early in the morning. I can't properly exactly explain the orbital mechanics behind this, but I don't think launch window-related delays would be any longer than that. |
#3
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Daylight only launches
There are some excellent posts here re the daylight lauch constraints. vs launch
window. It is very technical, and yeah the daylight requirement does put a crimp in operations. Search groups.google.com on your browser. *click "search only in sci.space.shuttle" |
#4
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Daylight only launches
Johhn Doe wrote in message ...
pardon me for straying from the constant maxson debates, but I have a question about the shuttle. The NASA return to flight document mentions that the shuttle will be launched during daylight hours. Then, a little later, it mentions that for the first launch, it will be during daylight. Considering that for station flights, the very small launch window constantly moves and is not limited to daylight, does anyone have any details on exactly what this means ? I assume that in a march 2004 time frame, a daylight launch would be possible. But what about subsequent launches ? Will the daylight-only rule apply only for the first launch and the rule will be relaxed thereafter ? Maybe, but not on the near future. For the timeframes when a daylight launch is possible, take a look at this article posted in Spaceflight Now. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttl...030916houston/ Will NASA develop new imaging equipment to provide the same level of detail during night time launches with such equipment becoming available just time for when shuttles start to need night time launches ? Don't think so. The same level of detail is not possible. Or would NASA decide that from now on, launches towards the south east would be possible, allowing the shuttle to have 2 launch windows to meet the station per day ? (with 2 windows 12 hours apart, one is pretty well garanteed one daylight launch except perhaps in late december). Launching SE imply that the ascent path would cross populated areas. --- Eduardo Tesheiner Madrid - Spain |
#5
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Daylight only launches
(Eduardo Tesheiner) wrote
For the timeframes when a daylight launch is possible, take a look at this article posted in Spaceflight Now. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttl...030916houston/ Also http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/18/na...al/18SHUT.html The New York Times September 18, 2003 Shuttle Rule Cuts Window for Flights By WARREN E. LEARY [EXCERPT] HOUSTON, Sept. 17 — New rules imposed on space shuttle flights after the Columbia accident will cut by more than half the times when shuttles can be launched to the International Space Station, NASA officials said today. Restrictions that call for shuttles to be launched only in the day so liftoffs can be photographed in detail, coupled with other limits on flights to the station, mean that some periods lasting months will be blacked out for missions, the officials said. "The need for daylight launches constrains the choice of launch windows by more than 50 percent," said Greg Oliver, chief of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's branch that determines flight opportunities. Flights to the space station, the primary destination for shuttles, have always been restricted to one 5-to-10-minute period each day because of factors like the station's steeply pitched orbit, which places it above the Kennedy Space Center in Florida only once daily, Mr. Oliver said. In addition, he said, station flights were also restricted for weeks at a time because the position of the Sun relative to Earth that contributes to excess heating of the spacecraft. [Plus, as noted up-thread, the north-only safety constraint.] When these constraints are coupled with new daylight launching rules, chances to fly are severely restricted, he said. |
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