Saturday, February 01, 2003
Astronaut Memorial
This is the Astronaut Memorial at Kennedy Space Center. This is where we honor our fallen Space Explorers.
Click on the pictures for full-size versions. Warning, they are large. |
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ISS One thing to think about... There are still three people on the International Space Station. Eventually they will run out of food, which means NASA has to figure out how to park the station in a stable orbit and let them take the Soyuz rescue craft down (and then get another Soyuz up there to replace it) or send up another Shuttle to resupply and/or swap crews.
I can't see as much of a delay in missions as there was after the Challenger disaster. |
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STS 107 Columbia was the first active shuttle (Enterprise was merely a test platform). But that doesn't mean it was left to get old. After every mission the Shuttles are taken almost completely apart, inspected and updated. There is probably no vehicle on Earth that has been more meticulously maintained. When reentering, the Shuttle is put into the correct attitude and guided via computer, with human monitoring. Reentry attitude is critical, with minor degree variations being potentially dangerous. It is such a tremendous task that is accomplished every time we launch and retrieve the shuttle, it is a shame that it has become somewhat routine.
It is NEVER routine. |
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oh my god Looks like we lost another Space Shuttle.
I have no words. |
Last update: 6/29/2005; 4:05:24 PM .
