Huston, we're 1337 for takeoff...

Lucretius · Post by **Lucretius** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:03 am

Friends, today at 10:41 PM east, the space shuttle Discovery had a nominal liftoff into space. Now we wait for touchdown...

Unidentified Assilant · Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:19 am

I missed it listening to Rush... aw well.

Lucretius · Post by **Lucretius** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 12:08 pm

It was nerve-wrekingly beautiful. Quite a sight. A part of history that one could really experience.

Post by **Triton** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 1:49 pm

i couldent agree with you more luc, it was an awe inspiring sight. i read somewhere someone once described a launch as "a rising up upon a pillar of flame" which is an apt description, damn that was cool

Reaperman@home · Post by **Reaperman@home** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 2:01 pm

just another government lie to cover up the fact that the earth is flat
j/k

Lucretius · Post by **Lucretius** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 2:04 pm

I really wanted to delete that!

xxxeagle · Post by **xxxeagle** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 4:05 pm

Did you say 10:41 I dont wake up for about another hour or two

Undisclosed · Post by **Undisclosed** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 4:10 pm

What? Wait....The Earth isnt flat? Whats this world come too......

Post by **Sparkfist** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:06 pm

Thats one small step for the space shuttle Discovery, and one giant leap to replace the aging shuttles.

I'm all for supporting NASA but really the Shuttles are over 10 years past their original decomision dates. They need to be moved out for something safter, more up-to-date and ofcourse cheaper.

Lucretius · Post by **Lucretius** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:23 pm

NASA was trying to prove the point that the shuttle are reuseable. I do believe they have by now. Can we have some new shuttles please?

Post by **Sparkfist** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:28 pm

I know that the whole next gen shuttles which were the X-33 was scraped as a result of structural issues with the fuel tank. I think until they get a new shuttle going or something similar they should go back to captuals.

Yeah I know the Russians use them and people think thats its not very efficiant. Well it cost more to send people up via the shuttle (reason the Soviet shuttle failed). They're also safer, as they slow down faster no high heat high speed reentry. Last is that unlike the shuttle that is using 8bit processors a captual can be updated as needed.

I think they need to retro fit the X-38 (ISS escap vehical) and use that.

Post by **benheck** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:39 pm

Yeah I know. How many 1982 model cars you see still driving around?

Lucretius · Post by **Lucretius** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:42 pm

In my neighborhood? Well quite a few actually. But we're mostly cheap old people.

Post by **Triton** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 4:10 pm

yeah, the shuttle needs to be replaced. it needed replaced almost a decade ago! they have been service for what, almost 3 decades. they have done their job thats for sure. the russians use the "soyuz" capsule on top of a R-7 rocket engine (i think they also used energia rockets, not sure)

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 7:37 pm

benheckc wrote:Yeah I know. How many 1982 model cars you see still driving around?

I drive one only 3 years older, and it's pretty reliable!

then again, it's an SUV, and it only get's 12MPG