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Cody Dawg · Sep 19, 2006, 01:56 PM

Space shuttle may have been hit by unidentified floating object - wing damage possible.

A mystery object flying near space shuttle Atlantis and an indication the ship's starboard wing might have been struck prompted NASA to delay the planned return to Earth Wednesday.

So, what do they do if this is the case that the wing is damaged?

Send up another shuttle?

How do they repair the shuttle up in space, especially this kind of repair?

nonhuman · Sep 19, 2006, 02:04 PM

If the astronauts don't have the skills and/or tools to repair it already, they could send up a team in a Soyuz capsule.

exca1ibur · Sep 19, 2006, 02:06 PM

Send up parts and engineers

starman · Sep 19, 2006, 02:13 PM

CNN reports that they didn't get hit, but a piece of cargo might have come out of the payload.

Peter · Sep 19, 2006, 02:37 PM

maybe it was one of their spanners

GFitzy · Sep 19, 2006, 03:55 PM

"The accelerometers also reported phantom signals during Atlantis’ liftoff, registering signals where no impacts were seen or damage found, Hale added."

SPACE.com -- Atlantis Landing Delayed After Mystery Object Spotted

ghporter · Sep 19, 2006, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by Peter

maybe it was one of their spanners

The lost bits from this mission went into their own orbits-they had some vector apart from the space station/shuttle assembly that allowed them to be lost. It's unlikely it was that. The tools that have been lost over the years have generally gone downward and if still orbiting are not a danger at that altitude.

Considering that the weather is bad anyway (watch the video for Real Media or here for Windows Media Player-that's what NASA has on their site), caution sounds like a Good Thing. Once they get a chance to see what the heck the "thing" is, they'll have lots of chance to decide if it's a problem. Frankly, if it is a problem they only need to move the orbiter into a slightly different orbit before deorbit and that's that.

It's "different," and NASA is being very careful about "different" stuff now. Which is a good idea.

Cody Dawg · Sep 19, 2006, 05:07 PM

If they keep losing space trash everywhere, aren't they going to hit it eventually on one of their trips up? I'll be hitting a tiny bolt at several hundred miles an hour can do a lot of damage, no?

hookem2oo7 · Sep 19, 2006, 05:18 PM

several thousand miles an hour...

Landos Mustache · Sep 19, 2006, 05:52 PM

Ok it is either a jellyfish or a napkin:

http://www.space.com/images/060919_myst_object_02.jpg

C.A.T.S. CEO · Sep 19, 2006, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by Landos Mustache

Ok it is either a jellyfish or a napkin:

http://www.space.com/images/060919_myst_object_02.jpg

I've read somewhere about this. Its a supposed creature, a "Strato-fish" or something like that. They are ment to be a jellyfish like creature that cruises on the high altitude wind currents. They are like jellyfish but are in the air not the water. From what i've heard is that this might be a way for life to be on gas giant planets.

nonhuman · Sep 19, 2006, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by C.A.T.S. CEO

I've read somewhere about this. Its a supposed creature, a "Strato-fish" or something like that. They are ment to be a jellyfish like creature that cruises on the high altitude wind currents. They are like jellyfish but are in the air not the water. From what i've heard is that this might be a way for life to be on gas giant planets.

Yeah, I read about that too. They sent that kid from Africa that could talk to animals to meet with it in a hollowed out Kuiper belt object populated by Buddhist monks.

Kerrigan · Sep 19, 2006, 06:31 PM

Update: scientists have determined that the mysterious floating object was one of these.

residentEvil · Sep 19, 2006, 08:00 PM

sanitary napkin maybe? they have had a lot women up there over the years, and now the first female space tourist is in route.

/kidding

C.A.T.S. CEO · 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Yeah, I read about that too. They sent that kid from Africa that could talk to animals to meet with it in a hollowed out Kuiper belt object populated by Buddhist monks.

ITS A THEORY, NOT YET PROVED!

EDIT: spelling

Kerrigan · Sep 19, 2006, 08:07 PM

warning, you are a sig violator

goMac · Sep 19, 2006, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by C.A.T.S. CEO

ITS A THEROY, NOT YET PROVED!

So is my theory that the MacNN Forums are a front for Xenu's evil empire and that Tooki is in fact Lord Xenu.

nonhuman · Sep 19, 2006, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by C.A.T.S. CEO

ITS A THEROY, NOT YET PROVED!

What, you're talking about a different book?

hookem2oo7 · Sep 19, 2006, 09:03 PM

what the #$!@# is a theroy?

C.A.T.S. CEO · Sep 19, 2006, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

warning, you are a sig violator

I figured that.

Changing...

C.A.T.S. CEO · Sep 19, 2006, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by hookem2oo7

what the #$!@# is a theroy?

I fixed it. Spell checker didn't catch it.

besson3c · Sep 19, 2006, 09:15 PM

We have a sig violator in sector G!! Prepare for the explosion of the Earth and the destruction of all life as we know it. Systems... overloaded....... problems....... too... unbearable...

voodoo · Sep 19, 2006, 09:17 PM

Who is Steve Guttenburg??

V

ghporter · Sep 19, 2006, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by voodoo

Who is Steve Guttenburg??

V

He's him!

Kerrigan · Sep 19, 2006, 10:45 PM

Hmm..

NASA searched for the source of multiple unidentified objects spotted close to the shuttle Atlantis today and to see whether they were linked to an indication from an impact sensor in the right wing that recorded several small jolts overnight.

Unidentified objects delay space shuttle's return

Very strange. Can't be space junk, can't be aliens or whatever the CEO of CATS said, so there has to be some weird junk falling off the shuttle and floating away.

C.A.T.S. CEO · Sep 19, 2006, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

Hmm..

NASA searched for the source of multiple unidentified objects spotted close to the shuttle Atlantis today and to see whether they were linked to an indication from an impact sensor in the right wing that recorded several small jolts overnight.

Unidentified objects delay space shuttle's return

Very strange. Can't be space junk, can't be aliens or whatever the CEO of CATS said, so there has to be some weird junk falling off the shuttle and floating away.

Not aliens! Just undiscovered animals.

Kerrigan · Sep 19, 2006, 10:59 PM

My quick n derty skillz have just produced a simulation of what these other mysterious objects look like

sek929 · Sep 19, 2006, 11:00 PM

What would these animals eat up there? Prayers?

Face Ache · Sep 19, 2006, 11:33 PM

Originally Posted by voodoo

Who is Steve Guttenburg??

V

He is BIG STAR in America like Tony Danza.

KeriVit · Sep 19, 2006, 11:41 PM

If they could send people to get them, is it really trapped?

Dark Helmet · Sep 19, 2006, 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by sek929

What would these animals eat up there? Prayers?

Post of the year.

voodoo · Sep 19, 2006, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

He's him!

Baby Steve Guttenberg cries when people misspell his name

V

voodoo · Sep 19, 2006, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by Face Ache

He is BIG STAR in America like Tony Danza.

He must be big to be mentioned in the same sentance as immortals like Tony Danza!

V

Landos Mustache · Sep 20, 2006, 11:02 AM

""Typically, when we open the payload doors on the first day of flight, we will see objects,"

Isn't that a bit odd? I mean they send people into space and probes to other worlds but leave loose items laying about in the cargo bay from launch?

mitchell_pgh · Sep 20, 2006, 12:02 PM

Perhaps they weren't loose when it took off?

Dakar · Sep 20, 2006, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Landos Mustache

""Typically, when we open the payload doors on the first day of flight, we will see objects,"

Isn't that a bit odd? I mean they send people into space and probes to other worlds but leave loose items laying about in the cargo bay from launch?

From what I understand there's stuff that they just can't predict -- and stuff they miss.

The Godfather · Sep 20, 2006, 12:18 PM

The Shuttle has a auto-reentry auto-landing system. How about Soyuz'ing the 'nauts down and trying the robotic pilot?

Gator Lager · 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by The Godfather

The Shuttle has a auto-reentry auto-landing system. How about Soyuz'ing the 'nauts down and trying the robotic pilot?

nope no auto reentry, they can fly/control it from the ground. just can't deploy the landing gear. wouldn't want some tired engineer on console to deploy the gear in orbit. oops. bad day.

and for the rest of the thread. just like I've said before, take what the press says about us with a grain of salt.

now for what ever ? came out of the midbody

I've done midbody closeout inspections and found nothing. but yet on orbit things (F.O.D. (foreign object debris) ) that is well hidden seem to always to float by the camera's.

ah shite.

but the good news for me anyway. I didn't do midbody closeout this time

whoever did it will be questioned today, a lot.

nonhuman · Sep 20, 2006, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by Gator Lager

nope no auto reentry, they can fly/control it from the ground. just can't deploy the landing gear. wouldn't want some tired engineer on console to deploy the gear in orbit. oops. bad day.

and for the rest of the thread. just like I've said before, take what the press says about us with a grain of salt.

now for what ever ? came out of the midbody

I've done midbody closeout inspections and found nothing. but yet on orbit things (F.O.D. (foreign object debris) ) that is well hidden seem to always to float by the camera's.

ah shite.

but the good news for me anyway. I didn't do midbody closeout this time

whoever did it will be questioned today, a lot.

Would deploying the landing gear in orbit really have that much of an effect? Sure there would probably be some minor change to the shuttle's orbit, but, unless the deploying of the landing gear involves expelling compressed gasses, it's unlikely to be significant.

exca1ibur · Sep 20, 2006, 02:04 PM

Parachutes and a hell of a lot of sunscreen?

Actually, the prob is with wing damage is, how are you gonna control it accurately. Once they get out the amosphere they have no thrust control. Its all glide slope at that point. Any missed calculations and they miss the landing point. Course correction isn't an option if they get too far off. At the speed they are going a small error can miss by hundreds of miles or more.

exca1ibur · Sep 20, 2006, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Would deploying the landing gear in orbit really have that much of an effect? Sure there would probably be some minor change to the shuttle's orbit, but, unless the deploying of the landing gear involves expelling compressed gasses, it's unlikely to be significant.

Landing gear have to be deployed at a landing speed or you get massive drag. At 10K mph with the gear down, you can call it a day. You may as well hit auto destruct.

nonhuman · Sep 20, 2006, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by exca1ibur

Landing gear have to be deployed at a landing speed or you get massive drag. At 10K mph with the gear down, you can call it a day. You may as well hit auto destruct.

Yes, but there's no drag to worry about in orbit... If someone accidentally deployed the landing gear, they could just retract it again.

The Godfather · Sep 20, 2006, 07:20 PM

Yeah, but the most drag occurs during re-entry, when it decelerates from orbiting speed to landing speed, while leaving the vacuum of space. During re-entry, the Shuttle's flat belly allows it to withstand the unevitable heat.

Mastrap · Sep 20, 2006, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Would deploying the landing gear in orbit really have that much of an effect? Sure there would probably be some minor change to the shuttle's orbit, but, unless the deploying of the landing gear involves expelling compressed gasses, it's unlikely to be significant.

I suspect that the landing gear doors are airtight, whereas the interior of the landing gear bay might not be. But I am guessing here.

Kerrigan · Sep 20, 2006, 08:16 PM

The landing gear bay is not heatproof, so it would catch fire and the whole shuttle would burn up on re-entry.

Gossamer · Sep 20, 2006, 08:28 PM

So once the landing gear is deployed, even if it's done while in a frictionless, airless orbit, it can never be put back in?

exca1ibur · Sep 20, 2006, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

The landing gear bay is not heatproof, so it would catch fire and the whole shuttle would burn up on re-entry.

Exactly, not to mention the tires would burn up, as well as the landing struts.

C.A.T.S. CEO · Sep 20, 2006, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by exca1ibur

Exactly, not to mention the tires would burn up, as well as the landing struts.

I think that when the whole shuttle burns up that the wheels and the landing struts would burn up too.

exca1ibur · Sep 20, 2006, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by C.A.T.S. CEO

I think that when the whole shuttle burns up that the wheels and the landing struts would burn up too.

As I said earlier... auto-destruct.

ghporter · Sep 20, 2006, 10:22 PM

Worse about the gear: it "falls" into the extended position. Not a powered function. And of course, since it's tucked in nicely when the shuttle is assembled onto the external tank, there's NO way to raise it either. Basically, "NEVER TOUCH THAT CONTROL!" At least not until you've turned final and are ready to use the gear.